Winter's Bone

A wonderful movie which takes you inside the world of the hill people of the Ozark mountains and really gives you a sense of the culture. The main character Ree played by Jennifer Lawrence is wonderfully portrayed and the supporting actors are phenomenal. She searches through the whole move for her lost father and encounters all kinds of scary "relatives" along the way. Beaten, threatened and finally she finds out exactly what happened to her drug "cooking" father. Great story line and it really pulls you in to the culture.

It is a small movie which no doubt will win many critics awards and deservedly so. The acting is great, the cinematography is wonderful and the story is interesting.

It does such a good job of portraying the scary culture of the Ozarks so much so, that I would never want to visit there let alone live in that type of environment. My "relatives" aren't always inclined to beat or kill me, so I'll stay where I'm at thank you.

-M

A Single Man

This is a beautiful movie. If you can deal with the subject matter, mainly gay lovers, then this movie is worth seeing. I personally thought this was the best movie of 2009. I saw Avatar and that was amazing, but as far as a serious and well made movie, this was the best of the year.

Colin Firth plays a professor at a small community college in Los Angeles who just lost his lover to a car accident. He is traumatize and contemplating suicide when he meets a number of interesting characters as he battles with his loss. Julianne Moore plays his best friend and is a great supporting actress in this movie, carrying some great scenes and witty dialogue.

For a first time director, Tom Ford does a great job of making this movie look like a fashion ad for the 1960's. Every shot is flawless and the colors are magnificient. Definitely rent this one if you can handle male nudity. If you can't, Broke Back Mountain is an alternative, or maybe The Hurt Locker.

Whip It!

I admit it. I like Drew Barrymore movies. I'm not ashamed that I watched Fever Pitch and enjoyed it. And this movie is no different. It's a good little story about a young girl, Bliss (Ellen Page) living in a small town in Texas and struggling to break out.

Her parents are completely dysfunctional and while her dad wants her to be a football player, her mom wants her to win beauty pageants. Geeze, no wonder the kid's confused. All the acting in it is good really with the exception of Drew Barrymore who's character is a stoner and really just not essential to the plot. I think if the character were a little different it would have been funny.

As the movie progresses, Page discovers roller derby is her way to express herself and so she lies and then tries out for the worst team, the Hurl Girls. She finds herself surprisingly good at skating and takes to it with passion. There's a romantic lead thrown in which really isn't terribly romantic. I think they hired a guy from a band who should have stuck to music rather than try to act. The whole movie is more like a coming of age story on roller skates. Page is still her self deprecating self but not as acidic as she was in Juno. Good movie for a date night at home.

-M

She's Outta My League

I thought this movie would be a cute little romantic comedy and that's pretty much what it was, and nothing more. The lead character played by Jay Baruchel is very likeable as is Alice Eve, but it's not really that great of a movie.

First of all the film's premise is really not all that believable. Not because she's hot and he's not. No, the real problem I had is that it takes place in Pittsburg! Pittsburg?! A hot girl like that in Pittsburg? No...I don't think so. Don't get me wrong there are beautiful women everywhere, but they never stay in the town they're born in, and if they do stay in a town like Pittsburg, they're fat and pregnant by the time they're 26 years old.

Yeah that's my biggest problem with the movie.

Now all you steel town lovers, don't be pissed at me. (Actually, Pittsburg is a big financial hub now). It just doesn't make sense, and then the fact that her boyfriend is a big time pilot, who flies in Pittsburg. No...not working for me.. Alleghany Airlines became US Airways years ago and moved to Nashville, so don't pull that crap with me. That's compeletely unbelievable. Other than the setting the support characters are funny, and there are some good parts. Alice Eve is devastatingly beautiful, but it's definitely a rental...even in Pittsburg.

-M

Castle in the Sky

Sorry it's been a while since I reviewed anything but this movie is definitely worth the rental. Another brilliant film from Hayao Miyazaki and this one was made almost 25 years ago! It is the very first film ever produced by Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli and it is brilliant as are most of his films.

Like all of Miyazaki's films this one has an environmental theme, with the lead character Sheeta being kidnapped for her pendant which radiates a special blue light. She is descended from the original rulers of Laputa (Castle in the Sky) which is a legend much like Atlantis is today. However this legend supposedly still exists, and Sheeta must find the Castle in the Sky too fulfill her destiny.

With the help of her new found friend Pazu, Sheeta escapes the clutches of the army and a group of pirates and sets out to find Laputa. It is also Pazu's dream to find the city as well since his father first photographed Laputa years ago. As the two friends set out to find the Castle in the Sky, along the way they are pursued by both pirates and the army each trying to steal the pendant from Sheeta for themselves. How it ends I'll never tell...

The two lead characters are again wonderfully crafted and the whole movie has that great Miyazaki future and past feeling. When you see his movies you are definitely transported to another world entirely. This movie is great for parents and kids alike. Rent it for its beautiful imagery, its great story and its wonderful theme about the power of love.

-M

Drop Dead Gorgeous

One of the classic comedies that no one has ever seen. Starring Kirsten Dunst, Denise Richards, Ellen Barkin,Amy Adams, Kirstie Alley, and Brittany Murphy. What an amazing movie that most people haven't seen or heard of for that matter. Rent it if you see it in a store or download it on Netflix. I don't say this about too many movies, but watch it and you won't be disappointed. Very funny.

Food Inc.

Okay, so I'm not a big believer in conspiracy theories or the evils of "big business", but like all industries the food industry has been reduced to just a few large conglomerates in the US. This movie is an "eye opener" as to how our food is processed and how it has changed our lives. It documents how the industry has changed over the years as a result of the need created by fast food. What's interesting is it doesn't judge, it just tells the story of how the way we eat has changed and not for the better.

Well documented and extremely interesting, the film depicts how the agri-businesses have changed to accomodate the demand for fast food and developed systems which work but are inherent with risks; especially e-coli. It's frightening and overwhelming because it seems there is no way to stop the business machine. However, the movie has a rosie outlook because it offers a solution in the end. This is a very good documentary and I recommend it to anyone who is interested in what you're putting in your mouth. And that includes vegetarians.

-M