Hollywood Blogger

69% Beowulf
Beowulf’s groundbreaking animation, stunning visuals, and talented cast make for an extremely entertaining time at the movies.

August Rush
There s nothing like a good ol melodrama to kick off the holidays. Throw in a creepy villain (Robin Williams in a supporting role) and you have an implausible knee-jerker of the classic variety. [Rated PG]

25% Slipstream
Slipstream is a failed experiment; confusing instead of coherent.

28% The Game Plan
Despite The Rock’s abundant charisma, The Game Plan is just another run-of-the-mill Disney comedy.

2% Good Luck Chuck
Good Luck Chuck squanders a decent premise with an excess of gross-out humor and dull, shopworn slapstick.

44% Bella
Despite some fine performances and heartfelt moments, Bella is ultimately a simplistic, mostly pedestrian drama.

Movie Review: Dan in Real Life
Combined Rating: 78% (S:72%; P:85%) - I wondered after seeing the film if I enjoyed the it as much as I did, despite its slight shortcomings (Juliette Binoche I know you might like to lighten up every now and then but I dont recommend it unless there is chocolate involved), because of where I am in my life. Would someone who has found that someone else derive as much meaning and comfort from this film? I cant say. What I can say, as someone who knows what it means to be lonely, DAN IN REAL LIFE knows what it means to be surprised by life and love and how these moments and people need to be appreciated and cherished. It also knows that anyone who might be feeling lonely on any given day or for months at a time needs to be reminded that surprises still happen.

Movie Review: The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Combined Rating: 51% (S:65%; P:41%) - The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford is a maddening mess of a movie. There is a very good film buried somewhere beneath the mountains of film that director Andrew Dominik shot. Sadly, Dominik just didn’t have the distance from the material to step away and allow someone else to cut the film a little more closely. There is a masterpiece buried somewhere in all of this celluloid though we will likely never see it. The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford will go down as one of the great ambitious misfires in history.

Smiley Face
Anna Farris spaces out in this comedy as a stoned actress who enters After Hours territory as she tries to replace a bunch of brownies, pay off a drug deal, and…oh yea, make it to an audition. [Rated R]

64% Things We Lost in the Fire
Things We Lost in the Fire is a well-acted, beautifully filmed reflection on love, loss, addiction and recovery from life’s obstacles.