Gone with the Wind

Over 80 years ago a movie was made that has sold more tickets than any other movie made since. Never mind about box office totals. The only way to really compare movies is with butts in the the seats - tickets sold. Box office is a function of ticket prices as much as anything. Yes, the suits in Hollywood are more concerned with the bottom line, and that is their job - forgive them.

Margaret Mitchell wrote a novel which won a Pulitzer Price in 1936. It is still a must-read for serious students of U.S. history during the 1830s. David Selznick, a Hollywood legendary insider, purchased the movie rights for $50,000 - a colossal amount at that time. With this he produced a masterpiece.

Now, books have been written about this movie and I intend to say nothing new. So, if you have seen it before, watch it again with someone who has not - IF you can find one. If you have not seen this movie, put away your 3D glasses, and your surround sound, and your CG-centric expectations. Brace yourself for world-class storytelling and Oscar-winning acting. Make some popcorn and learn some new words like overture, entr'acte, and intermission. This is old school movie making that stands the test of time.

Watch it with someone who does not realize how much they manipulate others.

Green Zone

What really happened in the months leading up to the US war on Iraq? Surely there are a few who know. Maybe they were consulted on the story feasibility of this movie, maybe they weren't. Either way it's great fiction or shocking history. Most likely it's somewhere between?

Matt Damon plays an army Chief Warrant Officer who is suspicious about why his teams keeps coming up "donuts" on WMD sites around Baghdad. When he starts asking questions he gets help from the CIA in the form of Brendan Gleeson and a Wall Street Journal reporter in the form of Amy Ryan. They are all three pitted against Greg Kinnear is one of his best "bad guy" roles ever.

This movie has the stress and feel of "Hurt Locker" without as much intensity. There is plenty of action however. Damon's character never sits still.

This movie may be construed by some as anti-war. It may earn that. However, it is NOT disrespectful those who faithfully serve duty's call. Nor do I believe it belittles the people of Iraq.

Watch this movie with someone who still celebrates the now infamous May 1, 2003 "Mission Accomplished" speech and encourage them to point out factual flaws with the story.

Surf's Up

Like surfing movies? Like "Riding Giants"? Like CG animation? Like penguins? If you said yes to 2 or more of these, you will most likely enjoy this movie. I did.

We don't get many CG mockumentaries. This one sets the bar pretty high. There are some obvious references to one of the best surf documentaries of all time, Riding Giants. There are also enough beach and surf movie cliches to bring back some funny memories. This "cartoon" was good enough to earn an Oscar nom in for Best Animated Picture. Impressed yet?

Shia LaBeouf and Jeff Bridges play the two main characters. This is a very nice paring of voice talent with characters, and both have a unique sound. Zooey Deschanel and Jon Heder play the love interest and comic support perfectly. James Wood plays the Don King of surf promoters. Very funny.

References to other penguin movies of early and often. Both Happy Feet and March of the Penguins are spoofed here.

Watch this with someone who has spent time playing in or riding waves.

Molière

Literary buffs please forgive the following comparison. This movie is almost the French version of "Shakespeare In Love". I know, I know, Shakespeare and Molière were very different people with very different stories. But I cannot help but see the similarities. I very much enjoyed both movies.

Romain Duris is brilliant in the title role. Fabrice Luchini is hilarious as the comic foil. And, Laura Morante is delicious as the love interest between them. With a full cast of outrageous and captivating characters, this movie has everything a good romantic comedy should have. People to love and people to dislike. Witty banter. Twists you see coming and some you don't. Ridiculous situations and barely believable solutions. All in good fun.

The point of the movie is basically that although he wanted badly to produce legitimate tragic theater, Molière was best know for his great comic plays. Only his life fit the formula for tragedy, and then only barely.

If you liked "Shakespeare in Love" you should enjoy this one too despite the French dialogue over English subtitles. It's a fun funny ride.

Watch this with someone who is not happy enough doing what they do best.

Next

Little bit action thriller. Little bit romantic comedy. Little bit sci-fi. Little bit present day Minority Report. That said, it is a fun movie to watch with all the thriller cliches. Tough-as-nails FBI agents, Russians with a stolen atomic bomb, freight dock shoot-out, and a man-hunt in the belly of a cargo ship.

In the middle of it all is Nicolas Cage as the uber cool Vegas magician with Jessica Biel as his dream girl, both figuratively and literally. Julianne Moore plays the dedicated if not obsessed FBI Special Agent chasing after Cage.

While this is not the tightest of scripts or plot lines, it can be fun to watch if you do put too much thought into it. For instance, there are no trails where you can walk to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back on the same day - inside the park or on any of the reservations. But suspend belief for that part of its a fun set of scenes.

Watch this one with someone who won't be bothered by fact that you are never sure when you are seeing what really happens or what Cage sees as a vision of what happens - Next.

The Book of Eli

This is either a good movie or a bad one. Two stars or four? How can I decide? What do you say about a movie with things you like and things you don't like?

Let's make a list.

The Good - Denzel Washington and Mila Kunis - good performances
The Bad - Sepia tone movies
The Ugly - Sight impaired Ninjas

This movie is a little bit Road Warrior and a little bit Ten Commandments, and a little bit Kung Fu.

It is quite violent but the sepia tone saves us from the gore and does add to the whole post-apocalyptic feel. Otherwise I found it annoying.

Personally I found it hard buy it all at the end. Let me know what you think?

Watch this movie with someone who is not a huge fan of cats.

La Doublure (The Valet)

Smart. Funny. Not always predicable. Can I say anything nicer about a romantic comedy? This French production is first rate.

Gad Elmaleh does a wonderful job playing "Every Man". Few guys will not be able to relate to this character. Fewer will not be able to enjoy his predicament. Alice Taglioni and Virginie Ledoyen play his lovely counterparts in the mock tryst.

Kristin Scott Thomas, a personal favorite, is delicious as the, omniscient, powerful wife of the blundering CEO played by Daniel Auteuil. Fantastic supportive cast.

If you enjoy French scenery, this movie may not be a good choice. It could have been shot at any studio in the world. But for you purists, it is shot entirely on location. Enjoy!

Yes, it's in French with subtitles. Read every word and enjoy the voices. Call it a mini-vacation?

Watch this with someone who needs to be reminded how good they have it right where they are.

The Last Station

Set in and around Tolstoy's last days. It is as much about the drama within his inner circle as the author himself.

Christopher Plummer plays Tolstoy and Helen Mirren his wife, the Countess. Paul Giamatti is Chertoff and James McAvoy the young aid who finds himself stuck in the battles between them. The story is as much about the struggles in the mind and heart of young Valentin Bulgakov, Tolstoy's last Secretary, as anything. His struggles represent those of mankind.

Tolstoy is arguably the most celebrated writer in the planet's history. Some see him as a messiah, some a saint. Others see him as a prophet and others as a mad social genius. Regardless of your perceptions, this touching story, ending at the last train station he visited, will at least educate and perhaps inspire.

Watch this movie with someone who knows little or nothing about Tolstoy and see if they strive to learn more after the movie.

The Princess and the Frog

Disney does a wonderful job here of extending their line of Princess stories and all that goes with it. Taking another well-known fable and turning into a musical animated family movie IS was Disney has been know for for decades. This movie is no exception and lives up to the standard set by Walt himself.

Anika Noni Rose provides the voice talent for the princess in the title role, and her singing as well. Both are outstanding. The voice of the frog and his prince alter-ego is Brazilian Bruno Campos. If you think you recognize his voice it may be because he has been in so many US television shows.

The rest of the cast is delightfully rounded out by such greats as John Goodman, Keith David, Jenifer Lewis, Oprah Winfrey, and Terrance Howard. Too many others to mention make this a very fun movie to listen to.

The only thing I didn't like about this movie was the abandonment of detail during some of the musical scenes. It's as if they used rough-cuts instead of full finished cells with backgrounds and dimensions. The other thing I didn't like about some of the musical scenes was that Disney appears to just recycle ideas used 20 years ago with other movies.

Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed this movie. And, I think your family will too regardless of your heritage. Watch this with someone who has an ear for jazz however and see how they smile.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Originally, and perhaps more appropriately, titled "Män som hatar kvinnor" or Men Who Hate Women, this posthumously published graphic story told in three parts, is amazing. I'm not sure where to start, but you need to be forewarned about this one.

Scenes of rape and torture are, believe it or not, what this story is based on. Still with me? Okay. A wrongfully discredited investigative reporter and a very punked-out cyber security analyst, the girl with the tattoo set out to sold a 40-year-old murder mystery. They end up scoring much more.

Micharl Nyqvist is again amazing. Fellow Swede Noomi Rapace is at once disturbing and stunning in her roll as what some call the hottest female in fiction these days. Watch the charming interview of her in the DVD extras for that quote.

The DVD comes with English audio or the original Swedish with English subtitles. I highly recommend the latter so you get the original voice inflections. You don't need to read too much to get what's going on.

This movie is long and is not always fast-moving. But there are NO wasted moments. Everything means something now, and more, for something later. Pay attention.

Watch this movie with someone who has either a strong stomach or a high tolerance for things to which the sensors usually say "hell no".

Edge of Darkness

Based at least partially on the 1980s British TV mini-series, this story is part Erin Brokovich and part Gran Torino. That is not a terrible thing. Those were great stories told very well. Watch this movie and you'll know what I'm talking about.

Mel Gibson plays a Boston cop investigating the death of his daughter. The deeper he goes, the deeper it gets. No real surprises there. His daughter is played by Bojana Novakovic.

This story is full of wonder characters. Wonderfully good, wonderfully mysterious, and wonderfully bad. To me, a good story has just the right mix.

This is yet another story about a Daddy-Daughter relationship. I like those for some odd reason. If that is not your thing don't worry. There are so many other things going on you won't have to focus on the relationship.

This happen very fast in this movie so bucket up. It is violent with just a touch of gore. But, as I've already said, it's fast, it action-packed, and it's interesting.

Watch this with someone who loves the conspiracy-theory stories. See if they click with this one.

Remember Me

Director Allen Coulter's work is probably familiar to all of us, but we just don't know his name. That is a shame. After working in TV since the late 80s he makes the great leap onto the big screen. And not for the first time, but, in my opinion, in his first significant production.

Robert Pattinson is no small commodity these days, and neither is Pierce Brosnan or Lena Olin. All three are wonderful, smart, evolutionary characters in this touching, if not difficult to watch story. I say difficult because we watch the main characters make really bad choices over and over again. But that is part of the evolution. That is a critical part of the story. Be patient.

Emile de Ravin of Lost fame holds her own very well against these big screen heavy-weights. He accent is gone and she almost seems like the native New Yorker she portrays. Her cop Dad is played brilliantly by Chris Cooper, who, in this story at least, is my favorite character. Daddy's of daughters almost always are my favs.

Three groups of people will most likely LOVE this movie. 1 - Fans of brooding pretty boys. 2 - Fans of New York City. 3 - People who realize whats going to happen once they hear the first President Bush on Television. No spoilers here.

Watch this with someone who is in one of the above categories.