DAN IN REAL LIFE (3.5 STARS)

This is about a widower (Steve Carell) who has 3 daughters. They all go to a family reunion. While there he meets a girl that sweeps him off his feet... turns out that girl is his brothers new girlfriend.

Lots of awkward situations. Lots of cheese lovey situations. Lots of cheesy to good to be true family situations. All make for a good Mom/chick-flick kind of movie on a par with While you were sleeping or Family Stone.

I actually liked it over all. Steve Carell great as always. Dane Cook sucks as always. I didn't buy a lot of it but it has lots of good moments.

MY KID COULD PAINT THAT (3.5 STARS)

This is about a 4 year old girl who paints abstract paintings that sell for up to 300,000 dollars. But really it's about a fraud dad who paints her pantings and acts like they're hers to sell better. But really it's about how abstract art is B.S. But really it's about how parents exploit their kids. But really it's how the media will turn a story against itself to add an interesting element. But really it's about adults who are crazy, selfish, evil people, and thank goodness kids at that age are oblivious to it all.

I was engrossed in this film. The Dad made me uncomfortable. The camera made me uncomfortable. The kid made me uncomfortable. It's a documentary but there's so much tension. I hated this film. It's so deep, with some many aspects to reflect on. I felt awful after watching it.

If you do watch this movie. Watch the 40 minute extra documentary about the director and the process of making it. It redeems HIM at least. And it sort of puts you at ease with the parents somehow.

ahhh!

REAL GENIUS (3.5 STARS)

The picture was filmed by the legendary Martha Coolidge, who the world knows as the director of "VALLEY GIRL" starring Nicholas Cage. Real Genius was filmed 2 years later. Now her characters are in college. The lead "Gabe Jarret" is a 15 year old who gets excepted to a college and is instantly working on a "laser project". Also working on it is a former child prodigy, now slacker, played by Val Kilmer.

What a stupid plot. The lead kid was a really strange choice... but so was casting Nicholas Cage... awkward and intriguing. Val Kilmer's "80's physical awesomeness" was quite impressive. Perfected however by Micheal J. Fox in that same year. Kilmer's seemed more dangerous and violent. The scene in the kitchen in particular was breathtaking...Could have taken weeks to get right.

No boobs. No sex. No 80's lingo. No 80's swearing. 80's comedy misfit really. But i liked it.

MR. & MRS. BRIDGE (3.5 STARS)

This is a Paul Newman/Joanne Woodward movie. I only know of the one other "The Long Hot Summer" or something like that. This is 1990 so they're getting old. Directed by James Ivory who's done a lot of movies no one cares about. The only recognizable picture is "Remains the day".
This is a calm, modest, view of a respectable man and his wife. They have a couple kids who are somewhat different. It's a story about different generations. It's a little about the changing of times. And among many other things it's about what you should hold valuable in life. You get the impression that teller of this story doesn't Necessarily believe in Mr Bridges moral code but is simply telling Mr. Bridges story for what it's worth.
I liked it. A lot.

WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT? (4 STARS)

1965, Directed by Clive Donner and written by WOODY ALLEN. This is his first film he's written and his first film acting. You should know write off that Woody Allen is my favorite artist in the film world. To see his beginning was a fun experience. It helped that this is a hilarious outrageous romp of a comedy. I'm not quite sure what the definition of a sex comedy is but if anything, it's this. Peter Sellers plays a ridicules Frenchman annalist with a stupid haircut. He's married to a huge awful woman. His patient, played by Peter O'Toole, is a studly good looking man who's struggling with committing to his fiancee. After explaining his temptations with hundreds of beautiful sexy women, his doctor advises him to just go for it and make it with everyone, then he too decides to do the same. So the movie goes back and forth from affairs to commitments, to affairs.

As far as Woody Allen's slapstick joky humor, this is by far the best. Loaded with jokes that work, loaded with really really beautiful women, and starring 2 extremely funny male leads (and not just himself).

"I got a job dressing and undressing strippers..50 Francs a week"
"That's not much"
"Well, it's all i could afford"

THE MALTESE FALCON (3 STARS)

This restoration is one of the sharpest black and white pictures I've ever seen. John Huston's 1941 Noir starring Humphrey Bogart is said to be the quintessential "film noir". I was under the impression that it was gripping and mesmerizing. I thought it was campy at best. I feel like an idiot for saying this but the only thing interesting about this film are the ridicules characters we've seen replayed a million times since, and the silly campy physical comedy that takes place (that I'm pretty sure is not meant to be). For instance; Judo chopping a hand so that they drop the gun they're pointing, a slapping of a coat collar, the little guy constantly getting slapped around by everyone. Everyone just keeps getting slapped and hit and kicked. I have nothing more to say about this movie.

GIDEON'S TRUMPET (4 STARS)

This is a classic film. I had seen it once in Jr High or something in school and liked it even though it wasn't a movie you're supposed to like in Jr. High. I'm a huge fan of Henry Fonda (all the Fondas for that matter) and at a very old age he plays a man who is on trial for a crime and is not appointed a lawyer. This takes place in 1961 when that law had not yet been mandated. He gets convicted for 5 years in prison and while in prison he finds that the constitution states that all men are entitled to an attorney. So Gideon fights the supreme court to change the rights that every man should be given. This true story is very uplifting. Slow at times but very rewarding.

Another thought on this film...Henry Fonda had played Abraham Lincoln in the John Ford picture. I'm not possitive but it seemed to be the first "court film" ever. It was filmed sometime back in the early 40's or 30's (i didn't look it up) I couldn't help but think about the importants of him standing in this court fighting for a right that changed the judicial system forever.

My complaint is the print of this film...the DVD i saw it on seemed to be the newest version. This needs a remaster, in sound and picture. The 1980 quality print and color is there if it can just be sharpened and the sound smoothed.

DEATH AT A FUNERAL (3.5 STARS)

A British farse directed by Frank Oz who is famous for directing the muppet movies. This is a really short and funny movie. It features the most obvious comical elements (midgets, poop, drugs, homosexuality, mean old man in wheelchair) all the while being original about it. Being set in a funeral adds a hilarious "none of this should be happening right now" feel, that I found funny the entire time.

However I can see why critics would not care about this movie. You could see it in a different light. It does have a clique predictability to it. And at times the shots look terrible to do a pointless CGI background.