Mad Money (2008) PG - 3 Stars

I guess the idea of the movie is feasible? NOT! But okay that aside, it has a few fun parts to it. Three ordinary women, Bridget Cardigan (Diane Keaton), Nina Brewster (Queen Latifah) and Jackie Truman (Katie Holmes) all have jobs at the local Federal Reserve Bank. The bank is where money is destroyed, and the girls decide to dip into the bins, just a tad, since it's just going to be thrown away.

Bridget lives with her husband Don (Ted Danson) and they have severe financial problems that could cost them their home, and their upper class standard of living. Don can't find work so Bridget picks up a job at the bank in the janitorial department. There she meets Nina, a single mother of two boys who's in charge of shredding the money, and Jackie, a young hip dancing girl in charge of moving the money from one area to another.

When Bridget gets tempted to touch money she looks at all day, she tries to come up with a plan of taking some of it home with her. Together with Jackie and Nina, the threesome come up with a plan to smuggle money out at the end of each shift. The women try to stay one step ahead of the authorities who are onto them even though they can't prove anything.

Overture Films
Director: Callie Khouri
Writers: Glenn Gers, Callie Khouri
Producers: James Acheson, Goldie Hawn, Frank Demartini

Sister Helen (2001) NR - 3 Stars

Good documentary on the life of Sister Helen and the halfway house she runs in South Bronx. Sister Helen was an alcoholic and became a Benedictine Nun after her life had touched bottom with the death of both her children (1 murdered) and also her husband. She got sober and vowed to turn her life around.

At age 70, she a strict nun with a potty mouth and takes no crap from the 21 men staying at her home. She's heard the lies before and only offers the men tough love. Some finally make it and some do not but all of their lives are changed forever with her death.


Awards:
2002 - Sister Helen - Sundance Film Festival - Director's Award.

R & R Films Inc.
Directors: Rebecca Cammisa, Rob Fruchtman
Producers: Rob Fruchtman, Rebecca Cammisa

Vacancy (2007) R - 2½ Stars

I guess the conecpt of the movie idea was okay, just not well executed. It seemed like the whole town is a bunch of dummies that don't pay attention. It just wasn't very believable.

David (Luke Wilson) and Amy Fox (Kate Beckinsale) are driving along when their car breaks down in the middle of nowhere. There is only one motel near by so they settle in for the night to make the best of it. There is a VCR in the room with a bunch of tapes so they decide to put one in and see what's on it. The tapes consist of low budget slasher type movies that seem strangely familiar. As they are viewing, they notice the films were shot in their room. The setting is exactly the same and now they realize they are being video taped for some sickos next movie. David and Amy must now find a way to get out of the room before they become the killers next fright flick.

Sony Pictures
Director: Nimród Antal
Writer: Mark L. Smith
Producer: Hal Lieberman

I viewed 9/19

Grosse Pointe Blank (1997) R - 2½ Stars

BTW the high school shown was filmed at my Alma Mater, John Marshall High School in Silverlake, CA. But even though, the movie didn't entertain me that much.

Martin Blank (John Cusack) returns to Grosse Pointe, Michigan for a job assignment and to attend his high school reunion. But what does he tell the people he's been doing these past 10 years? He's a hired assassin but he is growing tired of his job. His psychiatrist, Dr. Oatman (Alan Arkin), thinks it's a good idea for him to move back to Grosse Pointe as he is not thrilled having an assassin for a patient. At the reunion he meets his high school sweetheart, Debi Newberry (Minnie Driver), who still holds a grudge against him for standing her up.

Mr. Grocer (Dan Aykroyd), is a fellow hit man that wants to join forces with Martin and won't take no for an answer. Martin has to pull off one final hit.

Buena Vista Pictures
Director: George Armitage
Writers: Tom Jankiewicz, D.V. DeVincentis, Steve Pink
Producers: Roger Birnbaum, Susan Arnold, Donna Arkoff Roth

I viewed 1/19

The Golden Compass (2007) PG - 3½ Stars

A very elaborate production and visually the movie is stunning but acting wise, it lacks. The best part to me was the Polar Bear "Ice Bear" fight. Sometimes I felt there was more CGI than competent acting going on. There's a lot left unsaid that made me question the movie instead of loosing myself in it. For example, what time period are we supposed to be in? How did Lyra become to live in the dorm where she did? At first I questioned why Lyra would talk to this strange bearded man and then just leave aboard a ship with him. The ending apparently brings the lure of a sequel but a let down after a fairly good battle scene. I'm not sure why the movie had so many problems being labeled anti god or anti religious. Could it be the witches? It's just a fantasy good vs. evil story to me but I think it could have been so much better.

Our star is a young girl who befriends a bear and travels to the north to save her best friend. Lyra Belacqua (Dakota Blue Richards) is a 12 year old on the quest of a life time. The Magesterium is working to maintain their power within a developing society of people wanting to think for themselves. They're against people like her uncle, Lord Asriel (Daniel Craig), who wants to travel to a parallel world and then is almost poisoned for his non conformity.

The Golden Compass is the last of it's kind and everyone wants a look at it. But Lyra is the true owner as she is the only that can read it. The compass shows the owner, with it's hidden codes, the answers to all truths. Lyra uses it to travel north to find her best friend and the other children who are being separated from their demons. Every human has a demon, your soul in the form of a creature traveling outside of your body. Together with the Egyptians, the flying witches, the fighting Ice Bears, a crazy arrogant Mrs. Coulter (Nicole Kidman), Lyra tries to complete her quest.

2007 - The Golden Compass - Academy - Best Visual Effects.

New Line Cinema
Directors: Anand Tucker, Chris Weitz
Writer: Chris Weitz
Producers: Deborah A. Forte, Bill Carraro

I viewed 5/08

The King (2005) R - 3½ Stars

I thought this was a real good movie through most of it but the ending was pretty weak. The characters sucked me in, only to be let down at the end.

20 year old Elvis Sandow (Gael García Bernal) has just gotten out of the Navy. He's looking for his biological father that abandoned him when he was young. When he finds out his father is Pastor David Sandow (William Hurt), he goes to Corpus Christi, TX to confront him. It seems that Pastor Sandow wants to forget that part of his sinful life for Elvis was conceived out of wedlock. Elvis agrees to allow Pastor Sandow to break the news to his family his own way but meanwhile violates Sandow's daughter Malerie (Pell James) who becomes pregnant with his child. The two sneak out a lot and her brother Paul (Paul Dano) follows them and threatens to tell on him. That costs Paul dearly and when the truth comes out, this family will never be the same.

THINKFilm
Director: James Marsh
Writers: Milo Addica, James Marsh
Producers: Milo Addica, James Wilson

I viewed 10/18

Michael Clayton (2007) R - 4 Stars

Clooney, Pollock and Winton give award winning preformances as they play off each other for control. You'll be entirely thrilled with the ending of the movie. It's true, the truth can be adjusted.

Michael Clayton's (George Clooney) job is the "fixer-upper" for a New York law firm. Having been a District Attorney, Michael knows all the loopholes of law and how to quickly get people off. Arther Edens (Tom Wilkinson) is Michael's mentor and close friend and lately the firm thinks Arthur is loosing it. Marty Bach (Sydney Pollack) the law firms president tells Michael to keep him in check as his behavior lately is questionable.

Karen Crowder (Tilda Swinton) is a litigator for a major company who is about to settle out in a three billion dollar law case. With so much to gain she becomes greedy and arrogant and will stop at nothing to take down her enemy. Arther is very close at finding the evidence needed to stop the settlement when suddenly he is found dead in his apartment. When Michael tries to figure out what really happened to his friend, he is almost killed too. But in the end Karen's greed costs her big time and justice is served.

Awards include:

2007 - Michael Clayton - American Film Institute - Best Picture
2007 - Michael Clayton - National Board of Review - Best Actor
2007 - Michael Clayton - Kansas City Film Critics Association - Best Supporting Actress

Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution
Director: Tony Gilroy
Writer: Tony Gilroy
Producers: Jennifer Fox, Steven Samuels, Sydney Pollack

I viewed 4/19

Happy, Texas (1999) PG13 - 3 Stars

I just love the versatility of William H. Macy acting. Here he plays a goofy, coming out of the closet, gay sheriff and he's great as usual. The story line is pretty silly but none the less it does have some funny moments. The acting is pretty good which helps make up.

Harry (Jeremy Northam) and Wayne Wayne Wayne Jr. (Steve Zahn) are two escaped prisoners who steal a motorhome only to find out it belongs to two gay male judges who are late getting to a beauty pageant. When they arrive in the town of Happy, Texas, Sheriff Chappy Dent (William H. Macy) gets them into the bank right away to collect half their pageant money. Being the con men they are, Harry and Wayne decide to take on the roles of two gay beauty pageant judges but are highly disappointed when they discover the girls are only 8 years old.

Harry has his eye on "Joe" Josephine McLintock (Ally Walker) the owner of the local bank. In a small town like hers, business is conducted with a hand shake and keys to vaults are left in top desk drawers. Harry makes quick note of that while he plans in his head how to rob the bank leaving Wayne to train the girls for the pageant. Wayne has no idea what to do with the girls and their teacher, Ms. Schaefer (Ally Walker), patiently tries to grasp the new techniques of his training.

Wayne and Harry are seen fighting many times which brings Sheriff Dent back into the picture as he asks Harry for a date. Staying true to character, he must accept. Wayne does start seeing a light at the end of his tunnel when he and Ms. Schaefer have wild sex.

With day of the bank robbery, the "Little Miss Fresh Squeezed" pageant event and the cops are hot on Wayne and Harry's tail, what could go wrong?

1999 - Happy, Texas - Independent Spirit Award - Best Supporting Actor.

Miramax Films
Director: Mark Illsley
Writers: Ed Stone, Mark Illsley, Phil Reeves
Producer: Mark Illsley

I viewed 5/08

In Bruges (2008) R - 3½ Stars

The movie takes some time to get used to their accents so you can understand what they are saying and catch everything. You may want to play with closed caption just so you don't miss some of the dialect. I liked the movie in it's quirky form. It's not really a comedy but more a "dramedy." Two assassins are on vacation while awaiting further orders from the boss, in Bruges, Belgium. They are sent there because the boss thinks it's a fairytale land that everyone should see at least one time in their lives.

Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson) have just completed a routine hit. Routine that is until Ray accidentally kills a child in the process. It seems there was a small boy standing behind his target and Ray has not come to terms with killing a child. When Ken tries to relax and await the new orders, by touring the countryside, Ray is distracted and becomes a real kill joy for Ken. When boss man Harry (Ralph Fiennes) calls and tells Ken he wants him to ace Ray for killing a kid, Ken decides to carry out the plans. Ray is actually thinking of taking his own life and Ken arrives to save Ray from himself rather than shoot him.

But Ray meets a girl in Belgium Chloë (Clémence Poésy), and thinks that his life may have just gotten some new meaning. Along with Ken's help, Ray makes his escape to another land to carry on his new life. Harry is not pleased and comes to Bruges to take matter into his own hands. When he finds Ken has helped Ray escape, he wants his revenge on Ken. But Ray, who's supposed to be long gone, is returned to Bruges just in time to be delivered to Harry on a plate. It's show down time and who will come out on top?

Focus Features
Director: Martin McDonagh
Writer: Martin McDonagh
Producers: Peter Czernin, Graham Broadbent

I viewed 8/19

Mamma Mia! (2008) PG13 - 3½ Stars

Okay men are going to definitely label this one a chick flick but it really is a fun musical for all. It's playful, Meryl Streep is very good and the movie is done quite nicely. The music is all enjoyable with many good songs I hadn't heard in a while. Sure it's hammy in parts, but it's a musical so everything is over exaggerated. It's not going to make it to my personal collection, but still an enjoyable watch.

Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), is getting married and yearns to have her father walk her down the isle and give her away. Problem is, her mother Donna (Meryl Streep) was a free loving yet rebellious teenager and three different men could fit this bill. Sophie secretly invites the three men, Sam (Pierce Brosnan), Harry (Colin Firth), and Bill (Stellan Skarsgård), to her wedding as guests of her mother. The three arrive and Sophie must hide them, while trying to uncover her true roots, before her mother knows there here. Too late, the cat is out of the bag and Mamma is having to do some double stepping. But eventually all will work out and Donna will learn it's never too late for love.

Universal Pictures
Director: Phyllida Lloyd
Writer: Catherine R. Johnson
Producers: Gary Goetzman, Judy Craymer

I viewed 1/19

Hancock (2008) PG13 - 3½ Stars

I was a bit disappointed in the concept of this movie. Not like "Superman" or "Spiderman" seems like reality to me, however this idea was borderline silly. I just loved Will Smith, in his powerful performance in "I Am Legend" but to me this was plain silly. To me, it's more of a comedy than a believable drama but still a decent rental.

Hancock (Will Smith), is not your average superhero. He wants to do good, but the fact that he is an alcoholic, clouds his judgement when it comes to properly addressing a problem. He's sarcastic, crude and doesn't really care much what the public thinks of him. As he saves the life of Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman), from being hit by an oncoming train, it costs the tax payers of Los Angeles plenty from all the damage he causes, trying to protect. The people have finally had enough of his shenanigans and Ray, feeling indebted to the Superhero, takes on the mission of giving Hancock a new public image.

Public Realtions is Ray's job and he is sure he can change Hancock's perception by the public. On the other hand, Ray's wife Mary (Charlize Theron) is not pleased when Ray is brought home and literally dropped off, with his car, in the front yard. But there's a close bond between them all that put's Hancock back on track, to becoming the greatest Superhero the world has ever seen.

Sony Pictures Entertainment, Columbia Pictures
Director: Peter Berg
Writers: Vy Vincent Ngo, Vince Gilligan
Producers: Will Smith, James Lassiter, Akiva Goldsman

I viewed 11/08