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Whip It – nf – This is movie which may have appeal to the high school movie set , especially the girls. A 17 year old girl from a small town in Texas played radiantly by Ellen Page ( who was tremendous in Juno ) decides that she can’t live out the aspirations of her mother ( Marcia Gay Harden) and become a beauty queen so she escapes to Austin and joins an all girl roller derby team. The movie and all the characters are filled with clichés. Most of the girls on the team are tough on the outside but have a heart of gold. This includes one roller derby teammate played by Drew Barrymore who also makes her directorial debut with this movie. There is a boyfriend who has a band. She has a best girl friend with whom she has a temporary disagreement. Her Dad just cares about watching football on TV but ultimately comes through for her. It won’t be hard to predict what her mother finally does. Thirty years ago roller derby was popular on TV and I understand it is making somewhat of a comeback in middle America today. This movie will not propel it to center stage. It may be an inspiration of some young girls who can identify with the heroine. (2009)

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City Island – sp – It would not surprise us, if a year from now, Andy Garcia and Julianna Margulies are up for leading actor and supporting actress awards along with Raymond De Felitta for this screenplay which he directed and maybe even with the picture itself being nominated for one of those shin=ny trophies. We are presented with what seems to be a light- hearted story about a working class somewhat quirky family living on City Island which is actually part of the Bronx in New York City. Vince Rizzo ( Andy Garcia ) and his family live in the house his grandfather built and he works in a Westchester Prison as a corrections officer. Julianna Margulies plays his wife Joyce Rizzo, with a perfect Bronx accent and attitude in stark contrast to the radiant, cool and collected “Good Wife” whom you may have seen her in the television series of that name. They have two children, a daughter who is supposed to be away at college but ends up pole dancing in a club, played very well by Andy Garcia’s real life daughter actress Dominik Garcia-Lorido and a son (Ezra Miller ) who has an appetite for things on the large side. The biggest hidden secret comes from the Garcia character who has a side to him which gives this veteran actor an opportunity to show the full spectrum of emotion from anger to tenderness. His character as do the others show growth and change as well as revealing their inner feelings. Alan Arkin plays a character that he knows as well as anyone could and not surprisingly nails that role. There is a measured, exaggerated quality to all the people in the movie which allows some good comedic moments A climatic scene with the entire family including two additional characters played by Steven Strait and Emily Mortimer all interact for at least several minutes and is orchestrated extremely well with a palette of emotions from laughter to tears which sums up the experience we believe you will have with this outstanding movie. (2009)

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The Secret in Their Eyes – sp – When Juan Jose Campanella is not directing episodes of Law and Order, CSI or the like, he periodically returns to Argentina make a movie. In this case he directed and co-wrote the screenplay of The Secret in Their Eyes. Thus far it is the most successful movie in Argentina in the past thirty-five years and now in just few days after we saw it, we will find out if this Academy Award nominated movie for the Best Foreign Film will win an Oscar. ( addendum note: It won !!) It reminds us of the French movie, Tell No One, one of our all time favorites, as it is also a sophisticated detective story with an easy flowing but yet a complicated plot that keeps you thinking and guessing throughout the story and even afterwards. It is in Spanish, of course, with good subtitles. This movie is not only a mystery and a crime movie but it is also a subtle romantic film which has very good comedic moments. There is the use of a narrative technique that allows you to see the story through the imagination and the memory of the main character Benjamin Esposito played by well-known Argentine actor Ricardo Darin. There are skillfully done movements, which go back and forth in time as well as shifting the point of view, which on a few occasions took a few moments for us to orient ourselves. The acting, directing and photography were superb with great realism and therefore it surprised us to learn that the budget was only two million dollars. As required for all good movies of this genre, there is a strong ending, which will hold your interest and encourage further reflection. (2010)

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Avatar – rm- We didn’t see this film until after it was nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture as well as many other awards. We stand by our prediction that Hurt Locker will earn the award for best picture. Avatar and director/writer/producer James Cameron deserve awards and acclaim for the technical accomplishments in the use of 3D, computer generated animation and special effects. The “out of this world” flying, at times gigantic, horse/dragon like creatures were very impressive although their continued presence for much of the movie was not our cup of tea. The appearance of the avatars as well as that of the people who were being visited or we should say the natives of the land that was being invaded was also quite creative. All their facial features were completely non-human as was the presence of their tail and many of their mannerisms, but yet their behavior was all too human. It was most of the humans who were engaging in the inhumane actions. While the plot was somewhat simple, familiar and predictable, it was the symbolism and important themes that raised the value of the film. One could not help but be reminded of the experience of the native Americans or the native inhabitants of so many other places that have been invaded by intruders seeking to plunder their land. There was a green theme with a spiritual love of nature. Also clear was the presence of strong, good women who possessed both strength of character and strength of purpose. Some of the scenes with helicopter like gun ships setting this very special countryside aflame with bright orange fire explosions with the background radio chatter of the invading forces were reminiscent of scenes from the Viet Nam War and perhaps some later day events. It is probably fair to say that this is an anti-war film. Some might say it is anti-American and others might feel it is not a fair depiction of the real good guys. It certainly is cutting edge and may be the beginning of a new genre. (2009)

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The Great Buck Howard – sp – We don’t think this is for everyone. It is a charming movie loosely based “ Kreskin” a mind reader/magician of sorts who made many appearances on the Johnny Carson Show as well as other well TV shows in the past. The movie makes the point that people should do what they really enjoy doing and do well even if it isn’t what you are expected to do. It stars Colin Hanks and John Malkovich who demonstrates his somewhat comedic ability as he fills the shoes of the protagonist of the film. Tom Hanks does have a small role as father of the character played by his real life son and was also one of the producers of the film. It is quite enjoyable but we are not sure how long it will stay with you. 2008

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The Proposal – rm – This is another one of those mediocre movies offered to us as the only choice on a cross-country flight, which Susan chose to see. It stars Sandra Bullock who plays a demanding high powered boss who realizes that she has to get married to keep from being deported back to Canada because she didn’t complete her US citizenship papers. She convinces her compliant ambitious male assistant played by Ryan Reynolds to agree to do the nuptial deed. All the expected events then begin to happen. It might make you think of Shakespeare’s “Taming of the Shrew”. The storyline was really quite predictable with no unforgettable moments. It doesn’t deserve our recommendation but Susan admits that she enjoyed it. 2009

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Two Lovers – rm – Joaquin Phoenix channels an early Marlon Brando. Phoenix as he plays a nice but somewhat troubled Jewish young man. Gwenyth Paltrow is the one of his lovers, blond, beautiful and somewhat flakey as compared to his other girlfriend who is lovely and Jewish, just what his family wants for him. His mother is played by none other than Isabella Rossellini. The setting is Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn and includes scenes on the NYC subway and Manhattan in the evening. Beautiful photography, excellent acting, but a really bad script and a stereotyped predictable storyline. There were only two other people in the movie theatre when we saw this picture. Phoenix has said that this is his last picture and unless you want to see him or like the familiar plot mentioned above, you can probably pass on this one.

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Young Victoria – sp – This film is about the romance and early reign of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. It is the story of a young women who once she realized that at age 18 she was about to become perhaps the most powerful women in the world in the 1830s, rises to the occasion and should be regarded as a wonderful feminist model. It is also the story of the behind scene intrigue and power struggles which was known to happen in the royal court. Emily Blunt, who is fast becoming a very popular young actress, is perfect in the leading role as is Rupert Friend as a young Prince Albert. They have great chemistry. The remaining cast is also outstanding. The screenplay written by Julian Fellowes was very well researched. We found out that Princess Sarah Ferguson actually suggested the story idea. Martin Scorsese enthusiastically signed on as a co-producer and Queen Elizabeth has already screened the film and thinks it is outstanding. The film won’t be released in the U.S. until November 2009 but keep it in mind. You will enjoy it much more than you might think. 2009

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Whatever Works – rm – People who like Woody Allen usually like Larry David. Allen chooses David to speak his words and act out his state of mind which basically is “what really matters, we are all going to die “. Thus we see a divorced, could have been a Nobel Prize winning physics professor, after a botched suicide attempt decides to live on his own in Manhattan. Along comes a pretty young girl from Mississippi who ends up living with the good professor. Allen’s current views on love, sex, relationships, death and everything else are seemingly demonstrated through the characters who inhabit this film. Everyone seems to be in an incongruous situation which makes for good comedy at the same time as we get insight into the struggle of the characters and of Woody Allen sitting at his typewriter or ultimately directing his actors. As expected the directing, production and acting by Larry David, Ed Begley Jr. Patricia Clarkson, and Evan Rachel Wood are on target and move this film into the higher level of a must see rating ( unless of course you don’t like Woody Allen ) 2009

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Terminator Salvation – nf – This is a prequel of the other Terminator movies and stars Christian Bales and Sam Worthington. It is a big budget film with lots of special effects. Early in the film there is some scrolling explanation of the setting which is easy to miss. Basically the world has been taken over by very smart machines which appear to be winning the war against the bands of surviving humans who haven’t given up yet. There is some time travel and a plot for one of the characters to save his father as a young man. There are lots of pyrotechnics, explosions with robots and machines that won’t die. Even Arnold, our Governor makes a fleeting digitalized appearance. If you are drawn to this movie perhaps if you look at this four minute trailer, it will be enough for you.

We think there are some great films out there to see but this is not one of them. 2009