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Shorts – rm – Did you ever imagine what it would be like if you had a magic object that would grant you any wish? That is the premise of this children’s movie and the morale of the story is to be careful what you wish for. You could even confront your own nose bugger as a giant monster. This movie follows a young kid who is pushed around a lot in school, especially by a girl his age. He and his friends find away to change things and in doing so have quite an adventure. We saw this movie with our two grandchildren who were the main reviewers of this film especially since we didn’t feel that it had any great appeal to grown ups. We all agreed that it held our interest for most of the time. Events were presented in a unique manner. There is was even an lesson to be learned as that is if we work together, we can accomplish much more than if we just do what we want as individuals. There was a little too much bullying than was needed for the story although there was no serious violence. The magical fantasies were cute but not very imaginative. Compared to some of the other children’s films that come around, this does not stand out very much but many kids will like it. 2009

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Revolutionary Road – sp – Leonardo DeCaprio and Kate Winslet reunite since Titanic but this time they play an almost middle aged couple who have moved to the suburbs and struggle with their identity and the meaning of life. The relationship is not pretty but the acting and directing is outstanding. Unfortunately despite a skillful script by Justin Haythe who was the guest at our film course, we did not care that much about the characters.(2008)

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Rachel Getting Married – rm – Anne Hathaway stars and could win awards for her portrayal of the sister of the bride who has just come out of drug rehab to attend her sister’s wedding. She has the nuances and character of what shrinks may call a Borderline Personality. The writer who is the daughter of famed Director Sidney Lumet has captured the complicated relationship between Hathaway’s character and her sister, the bride and framed it with interesting studies of their parents – the mother being played by Deborah Winger. Unfortunately, in our opinion, the movie is quite remarkable for the first 2/3 of it. After an overly long wedding scene with symbolism we didn’t quite get, the film seems to fade. It needed a film doctor to complete it. However we still think it is worthwhile –if for nothing else to see Ms. Hathaway’s outstanding performance. 2008

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Quinceañera – nf – This film sweetly tells the story of a young girl of Mexican descent just before her “coming out debut” on her 15th birthday. Issues of immigrant families, coming of age, family dynamics, difference and acceptance. 2006

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Our Song – nf – This was an interesting “coming of age” story about three girls living in Brooklyn in difficult circumstances. They belonged to a terrific marching band which held practices which bonded them together and provided some stability in their lives. The dialogue and situations were so real that their confusion, dreams and pain were palpable. 2000

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Paris 36 – sp – They don’t make many musical these days let alone a really good one, but French Director Christophe Barratier has not only done this but has discovered a new singing star/actress, 18 year old Nora Arnezeder . The story takes place in 1936 Paris and appears to reflect the complicated political conflicts of the time as well as the romantic flavor of this setting. While the storyline is one of reopening the music theater in town, the characters do have some depth, making it a worthwhile and enjoyable experience. If you love musicals or if you are any kind of a Francophile you will not want to miss this picture. In French with subtitles. 2008

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Nothing But the Truth – sp – This movie was clearly inspired by the Judith Miller/Valerie Plume story, but is not that story. It was a very well-crafted film about two strong women, one a journalist with a Pulitzer Prize nominated story which happens to “out” a strong and committed C.I.A. agent. The consequences of all this are dire and difficult on both women and their families and the film provokes much thought about “our right to know”, the “right to not reveal sources” and all the unintended consequences therein. Well worth seeing. 2009

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Not Forgotten – sp- Simon Baker, who plays the Mentalist on a popular network TV series, stars in this movie of mystery and intrigue set at the US- Mexican border. Religious cult rituals of an (Santa Muerte) actual fast growing religion in this area set the tone, as does some very graphic violence. Everything and everyone are not always what they seem to be which makes the movie an interesting experience. The acting, photography, lighting and editing are excellent. Screenwriter and Director, Dror Soref, told us that at a test run of the movie, the audience missed too many subtle points so pieces were added and it was recut. We still missed a few points and conclude that the movie didn’t make the top shelf. 2009

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Milk – rm – Extremely well done movie about the gay activist Harvey Milk and his life in San Francisco between 1970 -1978 which tragically ended by an assassination. This is a “Rocky” movie which shows how determined people can make a difference. It is particularly relevant today as gay marriage has been challenged in California and elsewhere. Sean Penn did a magnificent job and is sure to be nominated for many awards. (Addendum- He won Oscar for Best Actor) 2009

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Match Point – nf – We missed this Woody Allan movie and heard some people recommend it so we decided to see it on Netflix. It is set in London or thereabouts and seems to be a parody of a suspenseful drama. There is the conflicted, for the most part unlikeable main character who is a former tennis pro, who connects with the likeable pretty girl next door type except she and her family are very wealthy. There is the other women, sexy moody and ultimately very demanding, played very well by Scarlett Johansson. The script as expected is well written with special moments and prolonged periods of tension. As with all Woody Allan movies, the casting and production is top notch as was his direction. After two hours and four minutes we finally understand the meaning of his match point. We initially concluded this movie was clever but not great. Over the next few days we found ourselves both thinking about the movie and discussing the fine points which in our opinion elevates our final rating. 2005