Ratatouille

Watching a movie in the theater is much more fun than watching it at home. Perhaps at the theater I would have liked this more.
Pixar has a long track record of good movies, but this is the weakest. I thought the rats were unloveable, and never really got past that.

The story is about a rat, Remy, that wants to be a chef, and how he manipulates a helpless boy to take over a restaurant. Of course the movie's writers probably thought the rat was cute and likeable, but I thought he was pushy and selfish. For example, when the boy, Linguini, kind-heartedly takes in the rat, and carries him in the restaurant. The rat crawls around inside his shirt and bites him all over his body. Later that rat takes control of his body like a puppeteer. I don't see what is entertaining about this.

Cast
Written and directed by Brad Bird, Jan Pankava

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I liked was how they made visual images of how good food tasted. That was creative.

Rating
1.5
1/2

Religulous

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Plot
Religulous is a personal statement and exploration of faith from comedian Bill Maher. It is a straight-up documentary, and not a satire or comedy. Maher discusses his childhood religious beliefs, and then moves to a survey of world religions as presented in interviews with adherents.

Review
The film is amusing, but not as funny as a Michael Moore film; not as clever either. I was disappointed because I expected something irreverent, clever and funny. This was OK, and I don't mind watching a documentary on religion occasionally, but this is not Borat or even Fahrenheit 911.

I most appreciated the personal statements of doubt and belief from Maher personally. I thought that the interviews with religious people were unfair because Maher could make fun of anyone. Seriously, a cynical intellectual can tear up just about anyone's personal beliefs.

More serious comments on my other blog.


Cast and crew:
Starring: Bill Maher; written by Bill Maher; directed by Larry Charles

Rating
2.0


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The movie is worthwhile, but it was a waste of money to see it at the theater --it would have been just as good at home. .

Body of Lies

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Plot
Body of Lies is the story of a CIA agent, Roger Ferris (Leonardo Di Caprio) working in Amman Jordan fighting a local Al Qaeda terrorist. Roger's boss in Washington, Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe) is a micromanaging cut-throat veteran, who puts Roger and his local associates in danger with his self-interested operations. There is a plot twist in the middle in which Roger sets up a fake terrorist cell that is clever and entertaining.

Review
Body of Lies is a spy movie with a post-911 terrorist as the enemy. I think the enemy is well-drawn, and the balance between American interests and the plight of the local people. The movie starts slowly, but is carried by the well-written and well-acted dialog between Di Caprio and Crowe. Di Caprio gives his best performance in recent movies, and Crowe is run to watch. Golshifteh Farahani, who plays the nurse Roger flirts with, is cute and likable.

There are some good action scenes, especially the helicopter battle at the beginning. Still the movie is not an adventure movie or 007-style movie, and those who expect that will be disappointed.


Cast and crew:
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe; directed by Ridley Scott based on a book by David Ignatius.

Rating
2.5
1/2

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DiCaprio's beard, while disgusting, is less disgusting that it is in most of his movies. Will he every play a clean-shaven character?

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

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Plot
Nick (Michael Cera) meets Norah (Kat Dennings) as he is breaking up with Tris (Alexis Dziena), a friend of Norah's, at a concert Nick is playing in. They flirt, and they spend the night chasing around New York looking for a concert and Norah's drunken girlfriend. By sunrise, they learn... well you know.

Review
The movie revolves around Norah; her character is detailed and interesting; Kat Dennings' performance elevates the movie. Michael Cera's Nick is a likable Charlie Brown character to whom interesting things happen. I found his performance passable, but he did not create the chemistry with Norah that would have elevated this movie to excellence. I know the ladies find Cera puppy-dog cute, but I think he needs a makeover.

The story is a nice balance between melancholy and humorous. The dialog is strong, but not up to Juno standards. 

It is a worthwhile movie -- better quality than Afterschool Special fare -- though it has an Afterschool Special plot. 

Starring: Kat Dennings, Michael Cera, Alexis Dzienna; directed by Peter Sollett, based on the book by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Rating
2.5


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Kat Dennings' Norah and Michael Cera's Nick are just so likable.

Burn After Reading

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Plot
The plot is complicated, but that does not matter. This is a spy comedy, and the story twists are supposed to roller-coaster. A CIA officer gets fired, his wife is playing around, and he is getting blackmailed some fitness instructors. This is against a web of interconnected romantic relationships.

Review
The movie builds from reasonable drama to ridiculous farce gradually. The characters are bigger than life, and give the actors a chance to show off. Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, and George Clooney are very good and fun to watch. Don't get worried about the plot -- farces are not supposed to make sense. The movie has an basic absurdity and blackness that rises above most comedies, and while this is comedy for the fun of it, it is a little more mindful than most.


Cast and crew:
Starring: Frances McDormand,George Clooney, John Malkovich, Brad Pitt; written and directed by Ethan and Joel Coen

Rating
3.0


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The closing credit song is worth staying for.

Ghost Town

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Plot
In Ghost Town, a grouchy Dr. Pinkus (Ricky Gervais) is suddenly able to see ghosts after he has a near-death experience. The ghosts chase him around New York City begging him to complete unfinished business for him. He reluctantly agrees to help a man break his widow (Te'a Leone) up with her new boyfriend. Dr. Pinkus falls for Gwen, the widow, in the process, and becomes a more better, less grouchy person.

Review
In the first half of the movie we are introduced to the characters, and the grouchy Dr. Pinkus is so rude that he is funny. There are also great hospital scenes with Kristen Wiig. In the second half of the story where Dr. Pinkus breaks up and then romances Gwen, the widow, the action is slower and not as interesting. The dialog is always snappy, but it turns into more of a romantic comedy at the end with cute scenes, but not as witty. The first half is the clever and fun --Ricky Gervais makes the character come alive. The second half is less creative and fun, although I liked the twist at the end.  

The movie is like Dicken's Christmas Carol and Groundhog Day in that supernatural forces cause our hero to become a better person.


Cast and crew:
Starring: Ricky Gervais, Te'a Leone; written and directed by David Koepp.

Rating
2.5
1/2

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Ricky Gervais at his grouchy best.

Vicky Christina Barcelona

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Plot
Vicky Christina Barcelona is the story of two American Twenty-Somethings, Vicky and Christina, on vacation in Barcelona for a few summer months. They fall for a hunky painter and get caught up in the sexy-violent relationship between the painter and his ex-wife. 

Review
This is a relationship-based story driven by the dialog between characters in the love triangle/quadrangle. The dialog is wonderful, and the characters are are strong. There is just enough plot to keep the scenes strung together. Especially strong is Penelope Cruz who always seems like a real character and not an actress playing a role, as Scarlett Johansson seems to be. 

The movie is about the compromises one makes in life between the practical and the ideal. Christina (Johansson) is the idealist, and Vicky (Hall) makes compromises that she hopes she does not regret.


Cast and crew:
Starring: Rebecca Hall, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Massina, Penelope Cruz; written and directed by Woody Allen.

Rating
3.5
1/2

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You have to love Penelope Cruz.