O'Horten

Here is another wonderfully slow foreign movie for you to read. Norwegian and cinema are not usually used in the same sentence, but in this case it completely applies.

Odd Horten, the main character, has a life altering incident the night before his retirement. It seems harmless at the time but it spins his entire life out of control. He handles is with typical Scandinavian fortitude. Baard Owe may be well known is Norway but I doubt many of us Yanks will recognize him. Many of us will surely relate to him however.

This character rolls with the punches no matter what is tossed his direction. While we can't all follow his example, there may be a lesson or two learned here about how to deal with the unexpected.

This movie is not for everyone. There are no special effects. No action. And actually very little dialogue. The music is great and the photography is wonderful though.

Watch this movie with a very patient person.

Yes Man

Could anyone other than Jim Carrey pull this part off? Few, very few. Maybe Robin Williams, maybe somebody less well known. But Carrey is still perfect for this. It is perhaps one of the best things he has done in a long time.

Zooey Deschanel holds her own here and pulls off a performance worth bragging about. How many others can you name that pair up with such a strong name as Carrey and don't get lost in the shuffle?

There IS a point to this funny movie too. It's all about moderation and making choices that make sense. Along the way there are some great slapstick one usually gets in a Carrey movie but also some very thought worthy drama.

We all know people who are extreme in their personality, one way or another. Watch this movie with one of THOSE people.

Easy Virtue

Which stereotypes are more correct here - the brash Americans or the stiff squeaky Brits? Either way this is a fun movie to watch. Don't expect too much in the way of cinema magic or brilliant plot lines. But you can expect some fun surprises and a few great one-liners.

Jessica Biel and Ben Barnes are interesting together, but I found the combo hard to "buy" from the beginning. By the end of the movie I understood why. The relationship of far more interest is that of Kristin Scott Thomas, Colin Firth and Jessica Biel's characters. All do a great job with their roles.

As period romances go, this is okay. As romantic comedies go, it's still just okay. There are not that many period romantic comedies. And how many out there are based on Noel Coward plays? All in all a pretty clever story told in a fairly fun way.

Watch this movie with someone who enjoys a still upper crust British accent with their popcorn and tea.

Doubt

What can you say about a movie that is nominated for 5 Oscars and wins none? What can you say about a movie that in very entertaining and compelling without telling much of a story? What can you say about a movie with two of the best actors in the business today? I say thank you Hollywood for still making movies like this.

Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman are nothing short of brilliant in this story. I'm not clear on how they figured Hoffman played a supporting role here, but that is way besides the point. This guy's range is wide open. And Streep remains the gold standard and proves again why she is the most nominated actor in history. Yup more than Hepburn and Nicholson by 3 each.

But this movie is not just about the actors. Here the weather is as much a character as any of the cast. It is a reflection of the relationship between the main characters. Very smart.

Amy Adams is very very good here as well. This was a very good role choice for her. It should help her branch out into a wider range of opportunities.

You do not need to be a New Yorker or a product of parochial education to enjoy this movie, but it may enhance your experience if you are one or the other. Both? I guarantee it.

Watch this movie with someone who will pick on the the subtle changes in the relationships with all the characters.

Crank: High Voltage

At the risk of repeating myself, again, this sequel is not as good as the original. Jason Statham is back as Chev Chelios, the seemingly superhuman tough guy who survives everything. This time he is back from the dead.

This movie goes from the ridiculous to silly to almost plausible. It will certainly appeal to the younger male crowd and it earns a very hard R-rating. The entire story could have been told in 30 minutes, but with all the unnecessary and sometimes bizarre scenes, it goes on for 3 times that amount.

Country music's Dwight Yoakam returns as the good doctor who keeps the main character alive. There are several other kinds of stars here too. Porn stars, UFC stars, rock stars, and real gang stars. Over 300 hours of HD digital time was shot. If this 96 minutes was the best of the lot, it was probably a lot of fun, but a huge waste of time.

Watch this movie only if you don't expect much and don't mind soft-core porn, gang-related violence, and outrageous unrelated scenes.

Punisher: War Zone

This sequel, like most others, is not as good as the original. In fact, this one is barely even a sequel. You do not need to have seen the first installment to pick up the story in this one. None of the characters are played by the same actors, and there are even slight storyline differences which a fan of the first movie might find annoying.

This movie may appeal to some segments of the movie-loving audience. I however, am not in that demographic. This movie is more about the violence and gore than about the smart, funny, quirky characters who orbit around the main character. These types of characters are there, no question, but they are overshadowed by all the splatter. This movie felt more like a Batman or Dick Tracy story than the original Punisher.

Ray Stevenson does a credible job playing the all-too-human super hero. And Dominic West is over-the-top as the bad guy, but in this type of story, that is what is expected.

Watch this movie at your own risk and without pasta and sauce in front of you.

State of Play

While some similarities exist, not much other than the character names and the title are carried over from the brilliant BBC series to this very smart movie. You don't need to have seen the series to enjoy this movie. In fact, you may enjoy it more if you are not distracted by the differences.

In the extra features a producer makes the statement to the effect that everyone in Hollywood wanted to be part of this project. And there are huge names aplenty to be sure. Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck turn in very different roles than their norm, and both are great. Helen Mirren continues to be one of the best actors from any country. Robin Wright Penn and Rachel McAdams are both very strong and sexy characters here. Jason Bateman does his best acting to date and was a very pleasant surprise for me.

Set in DC this political murder thriller is good a keeping the audience guessing. The pace is brisk and one has to keep up with plot twists as they happen.

Watch this with someone who like to guess who did what to whom and watch them react at the end when all is revealed.

Sin Nombre (2009)

If you liked the way Grand Torino ended, you will probably like this movie too. Yes, you will have to read subtitles unless your Spanish is muy excelente.

All the "good" main characters seek an escape to the north, from as far south as Honduras, to as far north as New Jersey. This commonality unites them and makes them competitors at the same time.

The prophetess tells one traveler she will be taken north, not by the hand of God, but at the hand of the Devil. Is that what actually happens? Does a Devil seek and achieve redemption?

Gringos audiences will recognize few if any of the cast in this smart movie. Édgar Flores is nothing short of brilliant in only his second project. I hope we see him again soon. Paulina Gaitan who plays opposite Édgar for the second half of the film is equally delightful. The rest, too many to name, tell a smart story of escape, revenge, and redemption.

This often disturbing story of gang life in Mexico is painfully real. This movie is not for the squeamish. One character is fed to dogs shortly after execution. If that sort of thing will keep you up at night please think twice about watching this movie.

On the other hand, if you don't mind reading subtitles, and if you can handle a good story about life in other countries, this movie might be great for you. Be prepared to rethink how you might feel about immigration issues.

Watch this movie with someone who thinks of Mexico as a place of romantic resorts.

Confessions of a Shopaholic

What a surprise! This is not a half-bad romantic comedy. There is even a pretty good moral to the story. The music is fun, the clothes are great, and all the characters are believable.

Isla Fisher pulls off the lead role of her career (so far) here. This minx who stole our hearts in Wedding Crashers does it again as a talented writer with a urge to splurge. I'm told she captures the book's character perfectly.

I even enjoyed the narration. To work well in a movie a narration has to be well-timed and delivered perfectly. This movie is a good example. There was not too much and not too little.

A fairly deep line-up of stars make appearances as well: Joan Cusack, John Goodman, Kristin Scott Thomas, and John Lithgow all show up and do not disappoint as New Yorkers of one ilk or another. Even Lynn Redgrave has a memorable scene.

And speaking of scenes, please rent this movie just to watch the first dance scene at a Miami salsa club. Pure comic genius. Lucille Ball would be proud of this little Redhead.

Watch this movie with someone who loves to use credit cards.