I've seen a lot of movies lately... reviews contained here in:

[Pale Blue Dot]

Ah, the single life! All of the ratings are out of four stars.

THE LADYKILLERS - *1/2 - The Coen Brothers really took a nosedive with this one. It's OK if your idea of fun is to watch Tom Hanks to an impression of Kelsey Grammer for an hour and a half.

DIE MOMMIE DIE - *1/2 - A parody of trashy 50's potboilers with a female impersonator in the lead. Halfway thought I started thinking, "I should just be watching a 50's potboiler: It would be more entertaining."

MEAN GIRLS - *** - And no, I did not think that this cliche ridden film was good just because it was written by the gorgeous Tina Fey. There were also a lot of funny lines. Plus it had Tina Fey in it.

MONSTER - *** - The focus on Charlize Theron and her amazing performance threatened to undo the entire film. The pivotal Christina Ricci role is poorly written and the actress couldn't do anything with it.

THE COOLER - *** - A great, original, romantic comedy right up until the final scene in which the screenwriter decide to pull out the sledgehammer. Star William H. Macy complained that "all American audiences want to talk about is how great Maria Bello looked in her nude scenes." As an American, I am ashamed. And she looked really, really hot.

SHAUN OF THE DEAD - *** - A British zombie comedy that manages to be consistently fun without being consistently funny.

MYSTIC RIVER - ***1/2 - What a happy, up movie for the whole family! You've got pedophilia, murder, vilgilanitism.... If it weren't so well written, acted and directed, you might want to kill yourself. As it is, you'll be too absorbed to try.

And the best movie I've seen lately is...

IN AMERICA - ***1/2 - This is a film that pulls the rug out from under you. Like one of my favorite films, Exotica, it makes you believe in the best that human beings have to offer, just when you are ready to believe the worst. Three wishes, indeed.

Comments?

[sundog]

1. DOGVILLE ************

Best movie of the year. Positively amazing. See it.

Can't give it enough stars.

[Pale Blue Dot]

2. I almost rented it, but...

It's 3 hours long, and it's Lars Von Trier, and his films can be... difficult... I'm sure I'll get to it, though.

[sundog]

3. It's better & more watchable than anything he's done...

Spend an eveninging watching it when you are relaxed. Take some breaks, have a glass of wine. It's a very thought provoking piece of work.

[terrya]

4. Finn, you confirmed my thoughts about "The Ladykillers"

Once again, someone (in this case the Coen brothers) felt they had to remake a perfectly good film. The original "The Ladykillers", made by the Ealing Studios, with a dream cast (Alec Guinesss, Peter Sellers and Herbert Lom) is a classic. Having seen several times (and throughly enjoying it) the original, I have no desire whatsoever seeing the remake.

[philosophie_en_rose]

5. And Bob Jones University??

:puke:

That couldn't have been in the original.

[sugarcookie]

6. Mean Girls

I loved it! If you rent the DVD be sure to watch all the extras.

[Skittles]

7. have you seen Garden State?

please do