Bottle Shock

Here is another installment in a fun list of films introducing the rest of the world to a part of California many know very little about. The Napa Valley is only about an hour north of San Francisco, and is now well known for it's wine. But that was not always the case. This movie is about how that all got started, and many are surprise that is was not all that long ago.

Alan Rickman does a superb job playing a wine snob. He nails it. A Brit wine snob kept out of the inner circle of the then-dominant French wine industry hears that rowdy, upstart, Californians claim they have made wines as good as, if not better than, anything in France.

A contest during the American Bicentennial in 1976 is organized as a result. The now infamous "Judgment of Paris" is re-enacted as part of the film. Beautiful.

Bill Pullman and Chris Pine (the newest Capt. Kirk) play the father and son team who fought each other AND the French. They pull it off so well one might think they really are related. I wonder who they took notes from?

Freddy Rodríguez may not be the biggest star of the film but he is certainly the soul, the conscience, and the heart of the story. I've enjoyed everything thing young actor has done and I always look forward to seeing his work.

If you consider yourself a wine aficionado or just a enthusiastic amateur, you should enjoy this movie. But even if you know nothing about wine, like me, you can still catch even the finer points of the story.

Watch this movie with someone who knows thinks they know everything about Napa Valley.

Killshot

This movie has many of the elements I like. The story begins before the opening credits run. There are characters to like and dislike. The music is good. The story is compelling, and the ending is satisfying (even if you do see it coming).

Mickey Rourke plays a jaded hit man. He is very easy to dislike. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays his over-amped protege. His character is so repulsive that I actually enjoyed hating him. Characters that draw that kind of emotion from an audience is good story-telling.

Diane Lane is still a fun actress to watch. She has the looks and the skills to hold at least half the audience. She plays first a witness and then the hunted prey here, and pulls it off well. Thomas Jane, yes The Punisher himself, plays her estranged husband who happens to also be a witness hunted by the two assassins. Witness protection is only a program in this movie, not an actual fact.

It is true that this project went through several changes before we got the current vision. I can't really picture any of the other duos pulling this off with such gusto however. Robert DiNiro and Quenton Tarantino? I don't think so. Viggo Mortenson and Justin Timberlake? Ew. Thank you Disney for selling the rights to this story.

Watch this movie with someone who will see another good performance from an aging Rourke and not the creepy guy who showed up at the Oscars in a white tux.

The Secret Life of Bees

This movie is not for everyone. If you can make it past the first 20 minutes and the last 15 minutes, it is a delightful story. For those of us who did not grow up in the South East United States this is a stark, harsh, painful reminder of what life was life for a large portion of the population in the 50s, 60s and beyond.

If you are tough and stick it through the rough beginning, you are in for a delightful middle. I think this is at least a two-tissue-box movie. Laughter and crying are the staples and you go from one to the other rather quickly.

The characters are easy to relate to for some reason. I've very little in common with any of them and yet I totally enjoyed this story. It truly is a good story, very well told.

Dakota Fanning showed her colors here, and that is no pun. Queen Latifah continues to rise on my favorites list. For whatever reason I enjoy each of her performances than her last. Keep going girl. Jennifer Hudson and Alicia Keys also make passable efforts here, but nothing special from either.

How did Paul Bettany get this role? Were there no real redneck low-lifes available? Why did the Hollywood suits think it best to use a Brit to play a peach-growing-wife-beater from bassakwards Georgia? Maybe the same guys who figured Renee Zellweger could be a London hottie? Thought so.

Watch this movie with your Mom, your Sister, your Daughter, or your Wife.

What Just Happened

Is this a bad movie about making bad movies or is it a good movie about making good movies? You decide. It is almost certainly an insiders look at how movies get made and what goes on behind the scenes. Literally.

Robert Di Niro is the main character in this movie but he is only one of many stars. The best line is delivered by Bruce Willis, but so are the worst lines.

Michael Wincott and John Turturro are great comic relief. Every good story has one, this movie has two. That does not make the story better, just a little more interesting.

Aspiring Hollywood movie wannabees should watch this to get a glimpse at how things work "in the industry". It makes me glad to be as far out of the loop as I am.

If you dare, watch this movie with someone who wishes they worked in Hollywood.

Miracle at St. Anna

Don't let anyone fool you, this is not the "black" Saving Private Ryan" or "Band of Brothers", but it is close. Director Spike Lee does his reputation good with this effort. Some have called it a misfire. I disagree. Is it a classic, not by any measure, but it is a good story well told. That is enough for me to recommend it.

Laz Alonso is very good in both his rolls here. He is both the young and the old main character, and he knows who the Sleeping Man is. Do you?

Derek Luke, Michael Ealy, and Omar Benson Miller are a great group together as Buffalo soldiers trapped behind German lines in 1944 Tuscan Italy. The miracle is that they survive as long as they do, AND that this almost 3-hour movie holds one's interest for as long as it does.

Two standouts from Italy for us yanks to look forward to are Valentina Cervi and Matteo Sciabordi. Both are fun to watch and bring far more to the project than they are given credit. I hope to see both again soon.

While this movie has some racial tension as a main element, it is not a tense as Spike Lee's usual fare. That said, it is not an easily watched if you are not the open-minded sort. While the main events in the movie all actually happened, their relation to each other are mostly fictional.

Watch this movie with someone who is an actual fan of war movies.

The Wrestler

First let me say that I'm not a fan of professional wrestling. I did however like this movie. Yes, there are wrestling scenes and they are both staged and graphic. But they are an essential part of the story.

I have liked Mickey Rourke since The Pope Of Greenwich Village. On and off over his career he has played some very iconic roles. Randy The Ram must be added to that list. Some have said this story is too autobiographical for Rourke, but I don't think there are enough parallels to make that claim stick.

Marisa Tomei plays opposite Rourke and both were nominated for their work. The only thing I can figure out on the Tomei nomination is how hot she looked. Her acting was not all that special.

The story starts at a particular low point in the life of Rourke's character and spirals further down after that. I kept waiting for the character to hit bottom. I don't think he ever did. No spoilers here, but this deeply flawed person makes one terrible decision after another. You can make your own decision about the ending.

Watch with movie with someone with a strong tolerance for bad behavior.

Lakeview Terrace

You don't have to be an Angelino to enjoy this movie. This story could play out anywhere. But it adds another layer to the story if you are familiar with the locations involved. While the name of the actual bedroom community is slightly changed for the film, the places are real.

Samuel L. Jackson puts in another great performance doing what he does so well - an angry black man. This character has a few deeper layers and Jackson does a wonderful job of evolving. For whatever reason, I don't get tired of seeing him work this way even though I know he can do other things just as well.

Patrick Wilson who plays completely opposite to Jackson's character is also excellent. You start out not thinking much of this guy, and favoring Jackson's character, and the roles reverse over the course of the story. No spoilers here.

Watch this movie with someone who thinks living next door to a cop is the safest place in the world.

Vicky Christina Barcelona

This movie is about crazy people. You may feel free to define crazy any way you like and it will still probably apply. There is a good deal of comparison here as to who is crazier. Is it the Yuppie couple who want the house in the burbs with a pool and tennis court? Or is it the free-spirit American tourist who claims to want the opposite? Perhaps its the suicidal artist who is jealous of her ex-husband and tries to kill him frequently. Is it the American ex-patriots living in Barcelona or the local guy who paints and loves and lives his life?

You decide.

I think the least crazy person in this film is the painter, and then maybe his father. Everyone else is pretty much delusional, pretending to be, or wishing they were, someone, or something else. Only the painter and his father are exactly who they want and totally honest.

Woody Allen is still a genius.

Rebecca Hall and Scarlett Johansson are two very confused American tourists who go to Barcelona. They meet other confused people, but they both fall in love with the same guy. The painter.

Javier Bardem is the painter. Remember this is the same guy who played the creepy killer in "No Country for Old Men". Bravo Mr. Bardem. This is great work.

Watch this movie with someone who will see past the stereotypes into the deeper meaning of restless souls.

Last Chance Harvey

If you think this romantic comedy is for baby boomers only, please think again. This movie was recommended to me by my daughter. She said it was cute. I totally agree. But it is far more than that. It is a deep story about accepting change when it comes into your life.

While Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson may not be fireworks on screen, they are two great actors and they were very convincing in their roles. They played characters the audience can relate to and care about. No doubt there are times in all of our lives when we feel a bit like one of these people.

Other cast members come and go from this story, but from the very beginning it is about these two people who find themselves way outside their comfort levels and in a position to lose everything to gain want they want. In the end, everyone gets pretty much what they want. Even the nosy, bored, lonely, cancer-survivor mother of Thompson's character.

Watch this movie with someone who resists change at every turn.

Deja Vu (2006)

Time travel is solid fantasy and sci-fi stock, but it is used brilliantly here in a crime drama. In fact, it is done so well, you almost don't realize its being done. There are no flashy time machine scenes, and few, if any, special effects. This is as much psycho-thriller as anything else. And it is very well done.

Denzel Washington does a great job playing the smart, funny, caring cop he plays so well in other movies. He is surrounded by a great supporting cast as well. Almost too many to mention, but here are a few you will surely recognize: Val Kilmer, James Caviezel, Adam Goldberg, and others.

If you have not seen this movie yet, I recommend it. The story keeps you thinking.

Watch this one with someone who will talk about it with you while the story is unfolding.

What Doesn't Kill You

Watching this movie will not kill you, but it make make you a bit older. If you like slow-moving dramas with in-depth character development, you should like this story. It is not an action-packed crime thriller. It is not a thriller in any sense. It is however an interesting story told in an interesting way.

Brian Goodman wrote and directs this film. He also stars in it but does not play himself. See if you can figure out which character is based on his pre-hollywood life without watching the extra features. You may be very surprised.

Ethan Hawke is the big box office name in this movie but his character is different than most everything else he does. And, he does it with convincing flair. Mark Ruffalo takes a share of the lead and does an amazing job of telling the story of a loser who struggles to make things right in his life.

If you think you know how this movie ends, guess again. Watch all of it.

Watch all of it with someone who facing a very big challenge and is not sure they can make it.

Flash of Genius

Maybe this should have been called "Splash of Genius"? I know that is not the key quote in the case, but the movie is more about the splash than the flash. The story is too slow to be flashy, but not too slow to be enjoyable. All the characters are likable and the story is surprisingly one most people can relate to. David and Goliath. That's the basic story.

Greg Kinnear is wonderfully flawed and tenacious in this role. His flashes of genius lead from point to point. From inventions to making his case. His character is annoying but gets the job done.

The rest of the cast are very good and there are some very good names on that list.

While this is a predictable bio-pic it is still worth the watch for a couple of reasons. First, the acting and story-telling are very good. Second, the moral of the story is worth the time and consideration.

Watch this with someone who feels like they've been taken advantage of.

Soul Men (2008)

Definitely NOT the Blues Brothers, but certainly a couple of brothers WITH the blues. Very funny road trip kinda buddy movie kinda redemption pic. And the music is pure Motown. If you can get past the language and the occasional sex scenes, you should enjoy this movie. If not, those things will most likely ruin it for you.

I have said it before and this movie proves it again, Samuel L. Jackson can DO comedy - well. So what if he plays all his characters just a little bit the same? It works. Take his work in Black Snake Moan and compare it to something like his work in Pulp Fiction. Two opposite characters played almost the same way. And it works.

I can't help but think this role was made for the late Bernie Mac. This guy was funny 12 ways from Sunday no matter what he did. He meant it when he said he gave 150% every time he was in front of an audience.

I mentioned the Blues Brothers earlier and there are some clear similarities in the story but it does not interfere with the telling and only die hard fans will see them.

Watch this movie with someone who wants one more shot at stardom.

The Reader

Like so many other movies about events and people involved with World War II genocide, the Holocaust, this movie may be difficult for some to watch. Not difficult in the "Sofie's Choice" sense or "Schindler's List", but more in same way as "The Good German" or "Downfall".

Don't get me wrong, there are funny parts, and touching parts. But overall, this is a bit of a disturbing story. The main characters are seriously flawed individuals, but likable just the same. It is easy, more or less, to relate to the boy and his older female lover. Both are needy and yet each is using the other. It is only late in the story that the audience discovers just how much.

Kate Winslet deserves all the praise and recognition showered for her performance here. This is the type to great work that legends come from. Ralph Fiennes is as complex here as his English Patient character. Young David Kross is amazing here and I hope we see him again soon on the big screen.

This story is not very fast-moving, but is very well-told. Nominated for Directing, Cinematography, Writing, AND Best Picture all attest to how well.

Watch this movie with someone who enjoys keeping a secret.