The Last House on the Left (2009) R - 2½ Stars

When my boyfriend wanted to see a good horror movie this weekend so okay lets try this one. Well let me just say this, no wonder people get ideas in their minds about doing bad things to other people. The movie starts out with a young teen girl returning to a vacation home with her parents, only to be kidnapped, raped, her best friend stabbed and her parents take revenge on the killers. This is not the type of movie I am into at all. As a matter of fact, I just created a new category called violence and threw this one in right away. Granted I watched the "unrated version" instead of the "theatrical version" but this is not what I want in a movie, EVER. I guess the moral of this story is GIRLS - NEVER EVER go to some one you don't knows motel, apartment, or WHERE EVER to score some weed.

After practicing for a swimming meet, Mari Collingwood (Sara Paxton), and her parents, Emma (Monica Potter), and John (Tony Goldwyn), retreat to their families lake home. It's been awhile since Mari has seen her best friend Paige (Martha MacIsaac) and the two girls decide to hang out while Paige is at work. Justin (Spencer Treat Clark) comes into the convenience store where Paige works, and tells the girls about some great weed he has back at his hotel. The girls give Justin a ride to the hotel to score some of the "good stuff." But their party is interrupted when Krug (Garret Dillahunt), a recent escapee from prison, and his sidekick thugs Frances (Aaron Paul), and Sadie (Riki Lindhome), barge in the door.

Krug deems the girls a risk now since they can identify him and decides to take them for the ride of their lives. Once in the secluded woods, the girls are subjected to violent torture, rape and left to die in the woods.

As a storm approaches, the psychopaths find shelter down the road by the lake. They are unaware they're venturing into the home of one of the girls. The Collingwood's start out as the perfect hosts and hostess until they discover their new house guests are not victims of a car wreck. Krug and his group now find themselves on the other end of the stick when they are violently tormented in this last house on the left.

Midnight Entertainment, Rogue Pictures
Director: Dennis Iliadis
Writers: Carl Ellsworth, Adam Alleca
Producers: Wes Craven, Sean C. Cunningham, Marianne Maddalena

I viewed 11/09

Lightning Bug (2004) NR - 3 Stars

I liked this quirky movie with it's outstanding cast of quirky characters. With a sort of a sixth sense of separation feel, the cast entwines perfectly to cause effects on each others lives. The only reason I am not putting this one in my bizarre category is that I don't want to categorize domestic violence as anything else but what it is. This is a sad movie about a good kid who's dreams are to become a makeup artist for horror films. Living in a back road southern country town, he imagines his escape will come from the skills he possesses designing horrifying special effects. Little yet does he realize, the most horrific effect he will encounter is not one of his own making.

Green Graves (Bret Harrison), and his younger brother Jay (Lucas Till), live with their mother Jenny (Ashley Laurence), in a trailer in a small southern town. Jenny can't make it on her own feeding two young boys so she hooks up with Earl (Kevin Gage), in order to make ends meet. For awhile things are better for the family with extra income to afford Christmas's and BBQ's with Earl's cousin Rusty (Josh Todd). But the more comfortable Earl gets with his ready made family, the more his abusive tendencies emerge as he starts yelling at everyone around him.

To escape his living hell, Green talks old man Tightwiler (Bob Penny), into letting him direct this years Halloween Show in Tighwillers barn. Green has found he posses a special skill for creating horror as he almost gives Tighwiller a heart attack with his special effect techniques.

Angevin (Laura Prepon), the local girl at the video store, is also stuck in this run down town who's only escape is to live a glamorous life inside of her own head. Her fanatical religious mother, Ms. Duvet (Shannon Eubanks), has not yet learned to let go of her dead husband, clutching tightly on to him in the form of a large white pillow. Angevin has tried to run away from this miserable life before but always feels the need to return and stand by her mother's side.

Green develops an interest with Angevin as she seems extremely attracted to his dark side. It sure beats hanging out in the fields with his friends Tony Benet (Jonathan Spencer) and Billy Martin (George Faughnan), catching lightning bugs. But when Ms. Duvet finds out that her daughter is seeing Green, she forbids the union, damming Green as a boy possessed with Satan.

As Green and Angevin continue their relationship, Ms. Duvet, with God's will inside, stops at nothing to protect her daughter. She has Green arrested for a crime he didn't do and destroys the haunted barn before it can open to the public. Now, with everything taken away from Green that is good in his life, he's about to realize the horror that unfolds in his real life will not be anything he creates with his own hands.

Dry Country Films, Anchor Bay Entertainment
Director: Robert Hall
Writer: Robert Hall
Producers: Robert Hall, Kevin Bocarde, Laura Prepon

I viewed 11/09

Run, Fat Boy, Run (2007) PG13 - 3½ Stars

If you are into British comedy movies you will probably like this one. David Schwimmer, directs this romantic comedy about a charming guy who can't seem to commit to anything, including running away from his pregnant bride-to-be on their wedding day. The move starts out slow but warms your heart quickly with its great choice of supporting cast, making you root for the underdog to win his girl back.

Dennis (Simon Pegg), and a pregnant Libby (Thandie Newton), are about to get married when the pressure is too much for Dennis as he turns and runs as fast as he can away. It's not until years later that he realizes the mistake he has made.

One morning when picking up Jake (Matthew Fenton), for his fatherly visit, Dennis is faced with a new man in Libby's life. Whit (Hank Azaria), a wealthy entrepreneur, is slowly moving in and seemingly whisking away his should-have-been family. The more he closes in, the more Dennis realizes he's still in love with Libby. When Whit proposes to Libby, Dennis must convince her that Whit is certainly not the right man for her.

In a subtle competition for Libby's attention, Dennis enlists the help of his friends Gordon (Dylan Moran), and Mr. Goshdashtidar (Harish Patel), to whip him back into shape. His goal, to kick butt on Whit in a New York Marathon.

Material Entertainment, Picturehouse,
Director: David Schwimmer
Writers: Michael Ian Black, Simon Pegg
Producers: Robert Jones, Sarah Curtis

I viewed 11/09

Murder in the Hamptons (2005) - 3½ Stars

I liked the way the movie is filmed changing up from real life action mixed with interviews and narration of the people who know the characters best. Based on the true story of the 2001 murder of Ted Ammon in the Hampton's, this movie was originally made for Lifetime cable channel.

It's 1995 and Generosa Rand (Poppy Montgomery), a talented artist meets Ted Ammon (David Sutcliffe), a wealthy self made millionaire. Their life seems fairy tale perfect as the couple marries and moves into a huge estate in Long Island. Generosa is unable to have children and the couple adopts two children to complete their picture perfect family. As the years go by, Generosa starts exhibiting strange behavior that causes her to snap and loose control at any given moment. Always trying to reach the same status as her husband, she doesn't take kindly to be ignored or unnoticed, eventually causing a huge stress on their relationship. With divorce inevitable, Generosa does everything in her power to punish Ted by making him pay huge amounts of alimony and trying to turn his children against him. She also begins an affair with electrician Danny Pelosi (Shawn Christian), eventually marrying him. When Ted is found murdered, suspicions point to Danny with his criminal past. But with no evidence to convict, the murder lays unsolved. Generosa is stricken with terminal cancer which brings upon a change of heart causing her to leave Danny and cut him off from any funding. As she dies, she taked any secrets she had with her to her grave while justice is eventually served when Danny is arrested and convicted for Ted's murder.

Muse Entertainment Enterprises, Warner Brothers
Director: Gerard Ciccoritti
Writer: Robert L. Freedman
Producers: Barbara Lieberman, Wendy Grean

I viewed 10/09

The Uninvited (2009) PG13 - 3 Stars

Also known as, A Tale of Two Sisters, I have to say the acting in this horror movie is much better than most other horrors movies I've seen. Emily Browning has the greatest looking innocent face and is quite believable in her role as a emotionally traumatized young girl. Along with her rebellious sister Arielle Kebbel, they struggle coming to terms with their mothers death. I've heard the original Japanese version of this movie is better sort of like the original Japanese version of the Ring. But this movie is no ring and I wasn't happy with the movies ending.

Anna has been hospitalized since her mothers tragic death. Now, her father is picking her up for the return to their home. But things are not the same in her household as when she left. Her mother's nurse Rachel (Elizabeth Banks), has recently become engaged to her father Steven (David Strathairn), and appears to be taking over her mothers place. Tension is immediately felt with Rachel as soon as she walks in the door.

When Anna is visited by her mothers ghost, it points to Rachel being responsible for her mothers death. The only comfort Anna finds is with her big sister Alex (Arielle Kebbel). As strange behaviors start to unfold, Anna and Alex discovers that Rachel is not who she says she is. Now they must convince their father that this uninvited guest has got to go.

Vertigo Entertainment, Parkes/MacDonald Productions, The Montecito Picture Company, Paramount Pictures, Dreamwork Pictures
Directors: Thomas Guard, Charles Guard
Writers: Craig Rosenberg, Carlo Bernard, Doug Miro
Producers: Roy Lee, Laurie MacDonald, Walter Parkes

I viewed 10/09

Ask The Dust (2006) R - 3 Stars

I loved the way the movie is narrated where it makes you feel like you are involved in the writing of the story. Colin Farrell is pretty good playing a down on his luck writer living in Los Angeles during the Depression era of the 1930's. The one thing I'm unsure of - Was it Farrell's racism towards minorities that made him treat Camilla with such contempt when he first met her or, was it the fact she's a strong woman while he is a frustrated lonely man? It's a decent pick that shows racism comes in other colors besides black and white.

In the early part of the 1930's, Arturo Bandini (Colin Farrell) comes to Los Angeles, California, from Colorado, as he feels it will inspire him to write a great novel. Settling in a Bunker Hill neighborhood, Arturo frequents the local coffee shop to creatively think of what he should write. While he spends his last nickles, drinking coffee served to him by a Mexican waitress, Camilla Lopez (Salma Hayek), the two became enraged with each other. Arturo treats Camilla quite rudely, while he complains about the service and the coffee. In return Camilla reacts the in contempt, feeling snubbed and put down by him. But even after six months, of this bitter cantor between them, both find themselves having each other on their minds. Every time Arturo and Camilla form more of a bond together, something happens to tear them apart again, mainly due to her nationality.

Arturo hangs on to his dreams of writing, by small advance checks given out by his publisher, Hellfrick (Donald Sutherland) and eventually will go on to write his great novel. But will Arturo and Camilla be able to save their love affair?

Paramount Pictures
Director: Robert Towne
Writer: Robert Towne
Producers: Don Granger, Paula Wagner, Tom Cruise

I viewed 12/08

Adaptation (2002) R - 3½ Stars

This movie really gives you a different perspective at looking at life. Meryl Streep is such a wonderfully adaptive actress and here she plays a writer for The New Yorker who discovers passion in an unlikely source. Nicolas Cage has a hard role to pull off, playing two different characters as twin brothers and I must say, he does a great job. Though the movie lost my interest a few times, with it's many slow turns, it's hard to stay focused on other characters besides Streep's. But, it did manage to pull me back in quickly. For example, it wasn't clear to me at first that Cage even had a twin brother. I was more convinced this second Cage was the conscious of the first one.

Charlie Kaufman (Nicolas Cage) is a screenwriter who just won an academy award for his script, "Being John Malkovich." He is hired to adapt "The Orchid Thief" a nonfictional book about John Laroche (Chris Cooper), a passionate toothless thief who navigates the Florida Everglades stealing Orchids to call his own. Susan Orlean (Meryl Streep) is the author of the book traveling along side John to discover his passion for the flower. This should be the perfect opportunity for Charlie to excel in his work but due to his paranoid nature and major depression, he can't seem to bring words to paper.

Charlie's identical twin brother, Donald Kaufman (Nicolas Cage), comes to town and wants to move in and take after his brother. These two twins couldn't be more different from each other. Donald can easily talk to women, he's overly confident, and can be plain out loud. Donald takes up screen writing, under the tutoring of Robert McKee (Brian Cox), and after finishing a script about a serial killer, his story sells for major bucks, making him the new hot writer in town. This frustrates and depresses Charlie even more. Donald seems to be on top of the world, even landing a new girlfriend Caroline (Maggie Gyllenhaal). This aids to make Charlie struggle more getting his words to paper. Charlie develops an obsession with Susan as he stares at her picture on the books back flap. His passion for Susan grows while Susan develops a passion for John Laroche. When Charlie is given the opportunity to meet Susan face to face, he's too terrified of actually speak to her and sends his brother Donald, in his place. The thought comes to him that he will structure his screen play after his own pathetic life and as the words begin to flow, every one's life will be changed in the process.

Awards include:

2002 - Adaptation - American Film Institute - Top Ten Movie of the Year
2002 - Adaptation - New York Film Critics Circle - Best Screenplay
2002 - Adaptation - Toronto Film Critics Association - Best Picture

Clinica Estetico, Magnet Entertainment, Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group
Director: Spike Jonze
Writers: Donald Kaufman, Charlie Kaufman
Producers: Vincent Landay, Edward Saxon, Jonathan Demme

I viewed 9/09

The Soloist (2008) PG13 - 4 Stars

Very touching movie about humanity, based on the true story of Nathaniel Anthony Ayers, an inspiring cello prodigy who once studied at Julliard, only to wind up homeless on the streets, stricken by schizophrenia. Excellent acting by both Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr..

I'm listing this one in my racism category because most of society frowns and looks down upon the homeless population. Granted, many of the homeless population have just gotten too lazy. They have options to make a change in their lives, but for others who struggle with mental issues, they have a harder time achieving their full potential in life. And every now and then, you will meet one like, "The Soloist," who has great potential to become something better in life if only the voices inside his head would go away.

Steve Lopez (Robert Downey Jr.) is a journalist for the Los Angeles Times but he's bored with his life and his marriage has suffered because of it. While looking for an interesting story on the streets of Los Angeles, he stumbles upon a homeless African American man Nathaniel Anthony Ayers (Jamie Foxx), playing a violin, missing most of it's strings. But even with only two strings, Ayers is able to pluck a symphony out of it. Once Lopez hears Ayers play, he goes out of his way, almost making it his new goal in life, to get Ayers off the street and back into a concert hall.

Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks, Universal Pictures
Director: Joe Wright
Writers: Susannah Grant, Steve Lopez
Producers: Russ Krasnoff, Gary Foster

I viewed 10/09

U-Turn (1997) R - 4½ Stars

Here is one of those movies I really got into and liked so much so I gave it 4½ stars where other critics rate it around 2½ stars. I love Sean Penn and Jaylo for actors so maybe I am biased too.

Bobby Cooper (Sean Penn) is not having a good day. After his finger is cut off for not making good on a loan in Las Vegas , he flees the state towards Arizona. Broke and on the run, his car takes a dump in the middle of the desert in Superior Arizona, where he's forced to spend time waiting for parts.
(Jon Voight) plays a homeless blind man in the city who offers Bobby sound advise whether he wants it or not. He also meets a hot Latina woman Grace McKenna (Jennifer Lopez) who offers to keep him company. She takes him home where she sexually seduces him until her husband Jake (Nick Nolte) walks in. Secretly Jake has wanted his wife dead and offers Bobby a large some of money to help him. Along the way Bobby also has to deal with a flirtatious Jenny (Claire Danes) who's trying to get her infamous boyfriend Toby N. Tucker (Joaquin Phoenix) jealous. This is one town where Bobby is wishing he could just U-Turn out of.

TriStar Pictures
Director: Oliver Stone
Writer: John Ridley
Producers: Clayton Townsend, Dan Halsted

I viewed 2/07

Rosewood (1997) R - 5 Stars

Based on the true story of events taking place in Rosewood, Florida in the 1920's. I really liked this movie though I have to admit, I gave it an extra 1/2 star rating because it's based on a true story and I absolutely love Don Cheadle in these types of movies. The idea that one white woman's lie can cause the murder of an entire black community, is appalling. It's one of those movies that should be mandatory in humanities classes. It embarrasses me as a Caucasian woman to see how ignorant some of these white people were, reacting by enraged hatred of their racial tension. Everyone is outstanding in their role its a shame not to be able to mention them all.

When a stranger, Mann (Ving Rhames), rides into town, he causes a lot of people to take note. Mann is interested in buying property across the street from John Wright's (Jon Voight), store. Wright is one of the only white men in Rosewood and he makes a good living from his store serving the people of his community.

Sylvester (Don Cheadle), is the music teacher of the town and along with Scrappie (Elise Neal), they teach and keep the children in line. But life suddenly takes a turn for the worse when a white woman, who has been sleeping around on her husband, unjustly accuses a black man of raping her. Being too embarrassed to admit that her lover beat her senseless, she instead announces to Sheriff Walker, (Michael Rooker), that a black man came into her home, raped and beat her up. This causes a uproar of built up hatred against the black community by the opposing white men who literally wipe the town off the map, murdering, lynching and burning it down. It will be Mann and John Wright who guide the children and rest of the town to safety but not before more than half the community is killed.

Warner Bros. Pictures International
Director: John Singleton
Writer: Gregory Poirier
Producer: Jon Peters

I viewed 10/09

Management (2008) R - 3 Stars

I love the characters that Woody Harrison portrays and his role as Jango is no exception. Though, this one has got to be labeled a "Chick Flick", it's a cute romantic comedy drama that has enough laughs, men may enjoy too. Steve Zahn is cute in this movie, Anniston shows off her acting skills and Tzi Ma, a new comer to me, helps bring some laughs. The message is good about what it's like to "settle" rather than to take the risk at finding true love.

Mike Crenshaw (Steve Zahn), is the night manager at a motel owned by his mother Trish (Margo Martindale), and father (Fred Ward). Mike's normal routine is instantly shakin up when Sue Claussen (Jennifer Aniston), an art dealer, checks in. Mike's attracted to Sue and must find a way to talk to her. He goes through his old stash of gifts and finds a bottle of wine, dresses it up, and takes it to her room as a complimentary welcome gift. Sue is playing solitaire and feeling pretty lonely herself so she invites him in to her room. Mike attraction is obvious and she allows him to touch her ass, thinking it will give him a thrill and he'll be on his way. What the heck, she is leaving in the morning anyway. But all that does it make the attraction stronger and before she knows it, she's having a sexual encounter with him before she drives away.

Mike can't get Sue off his mind and scrapes together every cent he's got and boards a plane to New York in effort to find the women he loves. Showing up at her office, Sue is taken back by Mikes bold initiative as she views Mike as a man who doesn't have much to offer her. But she's somewhat flattered by his jester and allows him to stay the night. The next morning she puts him on a bus to return home. After all, Mike could not possibly offer Sue anything but love.

Meanwhile Jango (Woody Harrelson), Sue's well to do, ex-punker old boyfriend, comes back into her life and offers her the security she needs. But Mike can't get her out of his mind and once again goes to extremes to find her. Once in town, he is befriended by Truc Quoc (Tzi Ma), who also offers him a job. Together, they put their minds to work, seeking a plan to attract Sue away from Jango and back into Mike's life.

Samuel Goldwyn Films, Image Entertainment
Director: Stephen Belber
Writer: Stephen Belber
Producers: Marty Bowen, Sidney Kimmel, Wyck Godfrey

I viewed 10/09