Blu-ray thumbs

[Johann]

THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT (2010)


Annette Bening and Julianne Moore star as a lesbian couple who’ve successfully raised two kids.
The kids are curious about their father (Mark Ruffalo), and track him down via the sperm bank.
They meet, they hit it off and he goes to dinner with the moms.
He’s charming and attentive, something Julianne feels is lacking in her marriage.
She eventually kisses him, in an awkward moment. Things lead to a sexual fling, defying her lesbian marriage. This movie focuses on marriage in general, it’s not a statement or manifesto.
There is no movie like this, and It’s topical, addressing real world problems.
Golden globe winner for Bening!
Directed by Lisa Cholodenko.

[Chris Knipp]

I reviewed it at the time. I found the acting excellent, but thought it got mired in detail. It was popular with some, and a critical hit.

[Johann]

You go into great detail (with accuracy) about the film.
I’m not particularly drawn to such a movie but I’m glad I saw it.
Ebert noted that marriage is unnatural, that we are not raised to co-habitate with another adult!

[Johann]

BY THE SEA (2015)


Written and directed by Angelina Jolie, who is not a bad filmmaker!
This was made during her honeymoon with Brad Pitt in Malta.
It’s about a couple whose relationship is rocky, and they get away to France in the 60’s.
It’s got a fairly languid pace, with gorgeous imagery- seems Jolie wanted a cinematic record of their honeymoon.
Apparently this was also made as a tribute to her deceased mother, who loved 1960’s films.
Thumbs up. She should direct more. She’s got skill.

[Johann]

THE HANGOVER (2010)

“The highest grossing R-rated comedy ever” was a bust for me.
I never laughed at a single thing in this movie.
It was just redundant, redundant, REDUNDANT.
Jäegermeister, a mattress, a tiger, a baby, Mike Tyson and Las Vegas.
Trashed hotel room. A missing friend, an Asian naked guy locked in the trunk of a car.
All of this is supposed to be funny. It’s not. It’s Retarded.
It felt like someone was constantly farting in your face and laughing about it.
Nothing is logical or plausible here.
I intended to watch all three Hangover films tonite.
I read the synopses’ for the sequels and opted to save myself the torture.
Thumbs way down.

[Johann]

A MAN APART (2003)


Vin Diesel stars as a former gang member turned DEA Enforcer.
He works at the California/Mexico border and in L.A. busting up cartels.
It’s no masterpiece but it’s watchable.
Gritty, violent and it has a realism that is pretty authentic.

[Johann]

Two movies I’m warning you to avoid, they’re bad & cliched:
Running Scared with Paul Walker
And
Alex Cross with Tyler Perry

[Johann]

THE WACKNESS (2008)


This is a coming-of-age tale from the summer of 1994 in NYC and it’s quite good.
Josh Peck stars as Luke Shapiro, who lives at home with mom and dad.
He deals marijuana as a front so he can get therapy from his psychiatrist (a great Ben Kingsley).
Luke has a series of troubles and highs (pun intended).
There’s some good scenes here, the acting is pretty good for amateurs.
But it’s the retro soundtrack that really bumps……I want the soundtrack, it’s that good.

[Chris Knipp]

Pretty good for amateurs?

[Johann]

Yes with the exception of Ben Kingsley the cast is Amateur

[Johann]

THE PROFESSOR (2018)


This is by all accounts a flop, directed by Wayne Roberts.
Johnny Depp plays a college professor of Literature who finds out he has stage 4 lung cancer.
How he chooses to deal with this news is to drink, smoke, eat pot cookies, drink some more, have gay sex, wallow in misery and humiliate his class.
I searched for something redeeming- there was nothing.

[Johann]

THE BROTHERS BLOOM (2008)


This movie is saved by Rachel Weisz, who’s wonderful.
Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo are the brothers, whose reputation precedes them. They are well-known con-men, and this movie takes us around the world for their schemes. Love for Penelope (Weisz) threatens their cons.
Directed by Rian Johnson with beautiful cinematography/ locales, this film requires a little suspension of disbelief to buy it totally.
It’s a comedy, but I found the laughs few and far between.
It also stars the late Robbie Coltrane as a museum curator.

[Johann]

SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME (2021)


Probably the best Marvel movie so far, I wasn’t sure I’d like the Multi-Verse concept, but it works.
Peter Parker asks for help from Dr. Strange (a fantastic Benedict Cumberbatch) and he gets it, in a way. Past Spider-Men are resurrected, along with their villains, who must be defeated again.
Great CGI and some great action sequences here.
It’s a long movie, but it’s satisfying, especially if you love Spider-Man movie lore.
Willem Dafoe and Alfred Molina chew scenery, they steal the movie.

[Chris Knipp]

THE BROTHERS BLOOM (2008)


This movie is saved by Rachel Weisz, who’s wonderful.
Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo are the brothers, whose reputation precedes them. They are well-known con-men, and this movie takes us around the world for their schemes. Love for Penelope (Weisz) threatens their cons.
Directed by Rian Johnson with beautiful cinematography/ locales, this film requires a little suspension of disbelief to buy it totally.
It’s a comedy, but I found the laughs few and far between.
It also stars the late Robbie Coltrane as a museum curator.

I wrote a review - though you may not want to read beyond the first paragraph.
http://www.filmleaf.net/showthread.p...2233#post22233

[Johann]

Good review Chris- you fill in the details.
You’re right that there’s not enough danger to the cons or the brothers themselves.