The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)

In his first role as a less-than-attractive character, Matthew McConaughey does a great job.  And by great job I mean he is totally credible as a scum-sucking bottom feeder.  But as expected, his character redeems himself by the end of the story, sort of.  Consistent with my theory of human nature, people don't really change unless threatened in some way, and when the threat is gone, so goes the changes.  But I digress.

Marisa Tomei is hot but subdued here.  No scene stealing here, just a solid performance.  Love it.  William H. Macy is great in his limited but hugely pivotal role here.  This guy can do no wrong in my opinion.  Other great names giving just the right amount of flavor to the story include John Leguizamo and Josh Lucas.

Evil personified here is played by Ryan Phillippe.  He does the pretty-boy thing well, but in my opinion, did not pull off the real depth this character could have.  Okay, granted, he is not the true evil "genius" here; slight spoiler alert.  But, I think he could have played it a little more over the top.

Watch this with someone who may not be aware there are creatures thriving among us just like every character in this story.

Door to Door

This made-for-TV movie is both funny and inspirational. Never-mind that the characters are based on real people and the story on real events. That only adds to the feeling of the story. I did win the Emmy for Best Movie and at least 4 others, back in 20030

William H. Macy aided in the writing of this story plus stars in a role that won him a Best Actor Emmy. His transformation is complete. He is almost unrecognizable.

Helen Mirren and Kyra Segwick play the two women in the life of Bill Porter who make his life work. They are both fantastic as the ladies they portray.

If you not comfy watching movies about other-abled people, you may want to skip this one. On the other hand, if you like against-all-odds stories, or just great acting, you should like this one.

Watch this movie with someone who sells for a living.

The Cooler

Are we smart enough to like this movie? I sure hope so. If you are old enough to remember old Las Vegas, this trip down memory lane will be full of delicious morsels. If all you know of Vegas is what can be seen from The Strip, welcome to a real Vegas Fremont Street experience. This despite the fact that, except for most of the exterior shots, the movie was actually shot in Reno.

William H. Macy should have received an award for just his facial expressions in this film. The look on his face when he first sees the "Little Joe" tattoo on his leading lady, Maria Bello, is priceless. Great nonverbal story telling. Great Andy Rooney eyebrows.

And let me give huge props to the editing crew. The movie is crisp. The parts when some would let the movie play on, this crew actually fast forwards through the parts we would want them to. Brilliant. Scene transitions are smartly done, almost every time, without the use of blackouts. The story flows perfectly.

Oh, and the music is right out of lounge theaters. There are songs you may not have heard of before. Listen well and see how perfect they fit with the story. As for the music you do recognize, sing along.

Watch this movie with someone who is feeling a little down on their luck and help them have a spectacular day.