MIB³ (Men in Black 3)

☆☆1/2

+
Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones provide a few laughs in their return as Agents J and K in “Men in Black 3.”
Agent J time travels back to the 1960’s to keep an alien (Boris the Animal) from killing Agent K and destroying the world.

Josh Brolin gives a great performance as the younger Agent K.
_
The story falls flat, time-travel doesn’t make sense, and the feel good ending raises a lot of questions.

Rated PG-13
1 hr. 45 min.

Visit the website and see the trailer.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

☆☆☆☆1/2

+
Director John Madden gives us the right mix of comedy and drama in the “Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” where we get to know (well-developed characters) seven British retirees who come to India to stay in the “newly restored” Marigold Hotel.

The accommodations are not what they expected…and either are the events that change their lives.

Excellent Cast and Performances: Dev Patel (“Slumdog Millionaire”), Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, Penelope Wilton, Maggie Smith
_
If you want an action adventure this film is not for you.

Rated PG-13
2 hr. 3 min.

Visit the official website and see the trailer.

Dark Shadows

☆☆☆

+
In this fun and well-played vampire romantic comedy (written by Seth Grahame-Smith and John August), Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp)
is released in 1972 after being forced by a jealous witch (Angelique:Eva Green) to spend two centuries in a locked coffin.
Michelle Pfeiffer and Helena Bonham Carter give spot-on performances.
_
“Dark Shadows” could have been (and should have been) funnier with a stronger story.
We don’t get to know the supporting characters that could have added so much to the story.

Rated PG-13
1 hr. 53 min.

Visit the official website and watch the trailer.

The Avengers

☆☆☆☆1/2

+
In this action-packed adventure…filled with laughs…the superheroes (Thor (Chris Hemsworth), the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Captain America (Chris Evans), Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), and the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson)) come together to take on Loki, who is out to destroy the world.

Already knowing these characters from previous movies, allows director Joss Whedon to jump right into a story that is loaded with top-notch special effects, pacing, and acting.
_
The attack on New York City felt very similar to a few other blockbusters.

Don’t leave too early...two extra scenes...one during...and one after the credits.

Rated PG-13
2 hr. 22 min.

Visit the website and watch the trailer.

The Five-Year Engagement

☆☆☆

+
In this amusing romantic comedy, Jason Segel and Emily Blunt star as Tom and Violet a newly engaged San Francisco couple who are desperately trying to make it to the altar…but life gets in the way.

Emily Blunt and Chris Pratt give solid performances.
_
Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller’s screenplay will make you laugh and maybe even make you cry…but the movie is too long, the pacing is wrong, and the tone is uneven.



Rated R
2 hr. 4 min.

Visit the official website and see the trailer.

Chimpanzee

☆☆☆☆

+
Filmed in the jungles of Africa over a 3 year period, this documentary not only examines the fascinating day-to-day life of the chimpanzee, but it also tells the charming story of a newborn chimp named Oscar…who faces danger after losing his mother…but a surprising adoption saves Oscar’s life.
_
Don’t leave too early. Stay for the credits to get a glimpse of the filming of “Chimpanzee.”

Rated G
1 hr. 17 min.

Visit the website and see the trailer!

Bully

☆☆☆☆

+
Directed by Lee Hirsch, “ Bully” is the heart wrenching, and at times infuriating, documentary that examines America’s bullying epidemic.
This must-see-film tells the story of how five bullied students, their families, and their school administrators deal with this serious problem.
_
“Bully” falls short in it’s examination of the problem…we don’t get a chance to learn about the bullies themselves. Why do they bully? What are their family dynamics? How do they feel about what they are doing? Do they realize they are bullies?

Rated PG-13
1 hr. 34 min.


Visit the movie website.

Click here to see the trailer!

Mirror Mirror

☆☆☆1/2

+
“Mirror Mirror,” a fun and fresh new spin on the tale of Snow White, stars Julia Roberts as the wicked queen who is determined to take Snow White’s (Lily Collins) throne and handsome prince (Armie Hammer).
_
Some don’t want yet another take on this familiar tale.

Rated PG
1 hr. 35 min.

Visit the website and watch the trailer.

Jeff, Who Lives at Home

☆☆1/2

+
Writers and directors, Jay and Mark Duplass ("Cyrus") put together a solid cast and offer-up a few laughs in a story about Jeff (Jason Segel), who is 30 and still lives at home, his widowed mother Sharon (Susan Sarandon), and his estranged brother Pat (Ed Helms).
_
In spite of a cast that elevates the humor and storyline…when you put together a 30-year-old pot smoking loser, an unhappy marriage, a cheating wife, and two feuding brothers…it’s hard to find much to laugh about.

Rated R
1 hr. 23 min.

Visit the website and see the trailer.

The Hunger Games

☆☆☆☆1/2

+
Based on Suzanne Collins’ bestseller, “The Hunger Games” tells the captivating and truly riveting tale of a futuristic North America where a yearly reality show randomly selects 24 contestants between the ages of 12 to 18 to fight to the death.

Jennifer Lawrence delivers a strong performance as Katniss Everdeen, a 16-year-old who volunteers to take her younger sister’s place in the deadly competition.
_
Even though the violence is toned down to keep a PG-13 rating…this movie is not for young children.

Rated PG-13
2 hr. 22 min.

Visit "The Hunger Games" official website and watch the trailer!

21 Jump Street

☆☆☆1/2

+
Channing Tatum (“The Vow”) and the always-endearing Jonah Hill deliver the comedy in the laugh-out-loud story (co-written by Hill) of two new police academy graduates who get assigned to a special project that takes them back to high school to bring down the local drug supplier.
_
One scene goes too far…and is just gross.
Keep the young ones at home.

Rated R
1 hr. 49 min.

Visit the website and see the trailer.

The Lorax

☆☆☆

+
Rich in color and fun for the young ones…“The Lorax,” based on Dr. Seuss' classic children’s book, is the environmentally themed story of the Onceler who devastated the forest and it’s creatures by cutting down all of the truffula trees in spite of the Lorax’s protests.
_
Be ready for a theater full of children…this one is for them.
The “adult-crossover” isn’t as strong as expected.

Rated PG
1 hr. 34 min.

Visit the website and watch the trailer!

We Need to Talk About Kevin

☆☆☆☆

+
Based on Lionel Shriver's novel, “Let’s…Kevin” is a gripping psychological thriller starring Tilda Swinton in a mesmerizing performance as Eva…a mother struggling to understand and love her enigmatic son Kevin (Ezra Miller) who repeatedly says and does vicious things.
_
It’s difficult to believe that family and friends didn’t eventually see what Eva saw...the sociopathic side of Kevin.

Rated R
1 hr. 52 min.

Visit the website and watch the trailer.

The Flowers of War

☆☆☆☆

+
“The Flowers of War” tells the moving and compelling story of John Miller (Christian Bale) a mortician who finds himself in a cathedral trying to protect a group of schoolgirls and a group of courtesans while the Japanese Army invades Nanking (China’s capital city) outside of the walls of the church.

Outstanding Cinematography
_
Violence (Battle Scenes and Rape)
Could use more character development.
Subtitled…over half of the movie is in Japanese and Mandarin.

Rated R
2 hr. 26 min.

Visit the website and see the trailer.

Oscar Winners 2012

Best Picture
☆The Artist


LEAD ACTOR
☆Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"

LEAD ACTRESS
Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"

BEST DIRECTOR
☆Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"

SUPPORTING ACTOR
☆Christopher Plummer, "Beginners"

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
☆Octavia Spencer, "The Help"

WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)
☆"The Descendants," Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash

WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
☆"Midnight in Paris," Woody Allen

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
☆"Rango," Gore Verbinski

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
☆"A Separation," Iran

DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE)
"Undefeated," TJ Martin, Dan Lindsay and Richard Middlemas

DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT)
"Saving Face," Daniel Junge and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)
☆"The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore," William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg

SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)
☆"The Shore," Terry George and Oorlagh George

ART DIRECTION
☆"Hugo," production design: Dante Ferretti; set decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Robert Richardson, "Hugo"

COSTUME DESIGN
Mark Bridges, "The Artist"

FILM EDITING
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall

MAKEUP
☆"The Iron Lady," Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
☆"The Artist," Ludovic Bource

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
☆"Man or Muppet" from "The Muppets," music and lyrics by Bret McKenzie

SOUND EDITING
☆"Hugo," Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty

SOUND MIXING
☆"Hugo," Tom Fleischman and John Midgley

VISUAL EFFECTS
"Hugo," Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossman and Alex Henning


☆starmoviereviews.com prediction

Oscar Predictions 2012

BEST PICTURE
War Horse

☆The Artist

Moneyball

The Descendants

The Tree of Life

Midnight in Paris

The Help

Hugo

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

LEAD ACTOR
Demián Bichir, "A Better Life"
George Clooney, "The Descendants"
☆Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"
Gary Oldman, "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy "
Brad Pitt, "Moneyball"

LEAD ACTRESS
Glenn Close, "Albert Nobbs"
☆Viola Davis, "The Help"
Rooney Mara, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"
Michelle Williams, "My Week With Marilyn"

BEST DIRECTOR
☆Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
Alexander Payne, "The Descendants"
Martin Scorsese, "Hugo"
Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"
Terrence Malick, "The Tree of Life"

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Kenneth Branagh, "My Week with Marilyn"
Jonah Hill, "Moneyball"
Nick Nolte, "Warrior"
☆Christopher Plummer, "Beginners"
Max von Sydow, "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"


SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Bérénice Bejo, "The Artist"
Jessica Chastain, "The Help"
Melissa McCarthy, "Bridesmaids"
Janet McTeer, "Albert Nobbs"
☆Octavia Spencer, "The Help"

WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)
☆"The Descendants," Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash
"Hugo," John Logan
"The Ides of March," George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon
"Moneyball," Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin. Story by Stan Chervin
"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," Screenplay by Bridget O'Connor & Peter Straughan

WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
"The Artist," Michel Hazanavicius
"Bridesmaids," Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig
"Margin Call," J.C. Chandor
☆"Midnight in Paris," Woody Allen
"A Separation," Asghar Farhadi

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
"A Cat in Paris," Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli
"Chico & Rita," Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal
"Kung Fu Panda 2," Jennifer Yuh Nelson
"Puss in Boots," Chris Miller
☆"Rango," Gore Verbinski

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
"Bullhead," Belgium
"Footnote," Israel
"In Darkness," Poland
"Monsieur Lazhar," Canada
☆"A Separation," Iran

DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE)
"Hell and Back Again," Danfung Dennis and Mike Lerner
"If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front," Marshall Curry and Sam Cullman
☆"Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory," Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs
"Pina," Wim Wenders and Gian-Piero Ringel
"Undefeated," TJ Martin, Dan Lindsay and Richard Middlemas

DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT)
"The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement," Robin Fryday and Gail Dolgin
"God Is the Bigger Elvis," Rebecca Cammisa and Julie Anderson
"Incident in New Baghdad," James Spione
"Saving Face," Daniel Junge and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
☆"The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom," Lucy Walker and Kira Carstensen

SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)
"Dimanche/Sunday," Patrick Doyon
☆"The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore," William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg
"La Luna," Enrico Casarosa
"A Morning Stroll," Grant Orchard and Sue Goffe
"Wild Life," Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby

SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)
"Pentecost," Peter McDonald and Eimear O'Kane
"Raju," Max Zähle and Stefan Gieren
☆"The Shore," Terry George and Oorlagh George
"Time Freak," Andrew Bowler and Gigi Causey
"Tuba Atlantic," Hallvar Witzø

ART DIRECTION
"The Artist," production design: Laurence Bennett; set decoration: Robert Gould
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2," production design: Stuart Craig; set decoration: Stephenie McMillan
☆"Hugo," production design: Dante Ferretti; set decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo
"Midnight in Paris," production design: Anne Seibel; set decoration: Hélène Dubreuil
"War Horse," production design: Rick Carter; set decoration: Lee Sandales

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Guillaume Schiffman, "The Artist"
Jeff Cronenweth, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
Robert Richardson, "Hugo"
☆Emmanuel Lubezki, "The Tree of Life"
Janusz Kaminski, "War Horse"

COSTUME DESIGN
Lisy Christl, "Anonymous"
Mark Bridges, "The Artist"
☆Sandy Powell, "Hugo"
Michael O'Connor, "Jane Eyre"
Arianne Phillips, "W.E"

FILM EDITING
☆"The Artist," Anne-Sophie Bion and Michel Hazanavicius
"The Descendants," Kevin Tent
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
"Hugo" Thelma Schoonmaker
"Moneyball," Christopher Tellefsen

MAKEUP
"Albert Nobbs," Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston and Matthew W. Mungle
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2," Nick Dudman, Amanda Knight and Lisa Tomblin
☆"The Iron Lady," Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
"The Adventures of Tintin," John Williams
☆"The Artist," Ludovic Bource
"Hugo," Howard Shore
"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," Alberto Iglesias
"War Horse" John Williams

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
☆"Man or Muppet" from "The Muppets," music and lyrics by Bret McKenzie
"Real in Rio," from "Rio," music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown; lyrics by Siedah Garrett

SOUND EDITING
"Drive," Lon Bender and Victor Ray Ennis
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," Ren Klyce
☆"Hugo," Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon," Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl
"War Horse," Richard Hymns and Gary Rydstrom

SOUND MIXING
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Bo Persson
☆"Hugo," Tom Fleischman and John Midgley
"Moneyball," Deb Adair, Ron Bochar, Dave Giammarco and Ed Novick
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon," Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J. Haboush and Peter J. Devlin
"War Horse," Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson and Stuart Wilson

VISUAL EFFECTS
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" Tim Burke, David Vickery, Greg Butler and John Richardson
"Hugo," Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossman and Alex Henning
"Real Steel," Erik Nash, John Rosengrant, Dan Taylor and Swen Gillberg
☆"Rise of the Planet of the Apes," Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White and Daniel Barrett
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon," Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Matthew Butler and John Frazier

☆These Oscar predictions are based on what I think will win NOT on what I think SHOULD WIN.☆

The Woman in Black

☆☆☆1/2

+
Based on Susan Hill's novel, “The Woman in Black” is a solid thriller starring Daniel Radcliffe as Arthur Kipps a young lawyer whose wife died during the birth of their son.
Kipps is sent to a remote village to settle the legal matters of an estate owned by Alice Drablow…now a vengeful ghost.
_
Why do these characters always stay in the haunted house? Once you see a spirit or two…it’s time to leave.

Too often films ruin the mystery by showing the monster, spirit, etc. too early. “Woman…” does a decent job of keeping this ghost mysterious.

Rated PG-13
1 hr. 34 min.

Visit the website and see the trailer.

A Separation (Jodaeiye Nader az Simin)

☆☆☆1/2

+
This award winning film (Golden Globe: Best Foreign Language Film) tells the absorbing story of Simin, who wants to leave Iran with her husband (Nader) and daughter (Termeh), in hopes of finding a better life for Termeh.
_
May be too slow and quiet for some.

In Persian with English Subtitles


Rated PG-13
2 hr. 3 min.

Visit the website and watch the trailer.

Albert Nobbs

☆☆☆☆1/2

+
In an Oscar nominated performance, Glenn Close plays Albert Nobbs in the engaging and touching story of a women posing as a man in order to make a living in 19th century Ireland.

Albert eventually meets Hubert Page (outstanding Oscar nominated performance by Janet McTeer)…a friend with whom he shares his secret.
_
An actor playing a character of the opposite sex doesn’t always work (as in the film “Yentl”)…and although it is surprising that the people in Albert’s world didn’t pose more questions…Close gives a convincing performance.

Rated R
1 hr. 53 min.

Visit the official website and see the trailer.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

☆☆☆☆

+
Discovered on Jeopardy: Kids’ Week and new to the world of acting, Thomas Horn gives an outstanding performance (that requires him to be in almost every scene, narrate the film, and deliver a wide range of emotions) as Oskar an 11-year-old boy whose father dies in the World Trade Center on 9/11.
Obsessed and grief stricken, Oskar sets-out on a quest to find the lock that fits a key he found in an envelope (with the last name Black written on it) in his father’s closet.




_
The idea of an 11-year-old kid going to visit every person in New York City with the last name of Black is outrageous…not to mention his Mother allowing him to do it (the film does explain this…but it still hard to buy).

Rated PG-13
2 hr. 9 min.

Visit the website and see the trailer.

2012 Oscar Nominations

BEST PICTURE
War Horse

The Artist

Moneyball

The Descendants

The Tree of Life

Midnight in Paris

The Help

Hugo

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

LEAD ACTOR
Demián Bichir, "A Better Life"
George Clooney, "The Descendants"
Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"
Gary Oldman, "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy "
Brad Pitt, "Moneyball"

LEAD ACTRESS
Glenn Close, "Albert Nobbs"
Viola Davis, "The Help"
Rooney Mara, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"
Michelle Williams, "My Week With Marilyn"

BEST DIRECTOR
Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
Alexander Payne, "The Descendants"
Martin Scorsese, "Hugo"
Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"
Terrence Malick, "The Tree of Life"

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Kenneth Branagh, "My Week with Marilyn"
Jonah Hill, "Moneyball"
Nick Nolte, "Warrior"
Christopher Plummer, "Beginners"
Max von Sydow, "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"


SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Bérénice Bejo, "The Artist"
Jessica Chastain, "The Help"
Melissa McCarthy, "Bridesmaids"
Janet McTeer, "Albert Nobbs"
Octavia Spencer, "The Help"

WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)
"The Descendants," Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash
"Hugo," John Logan
"The Ides of March," George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon
"Moneyball," Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin. Story by Stan Chervin
"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," Screenplay by Bridget O'Connor & Peter Straughan

WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
"The Artist," Michel Hazanavicius
"Bridesmaids," Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig
"Margin Call," J.C. Chandor
"Midnight in Paris," Woody Allen
"A Separation," Asghar Farhadi

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
"A Cat in Paris," Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli
"Chico & Rita," Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal
"Kung Fu Panda 2," Jennifer Yuh Nelson
"Puss in Boots," Chris Miller
"Rango," Gore Verbinski

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
"Bullhead," Belgium
"Footnote," Israel
"In Darkness," Poland
"Monsieur Lazhar," Canada
"A Separation," Iran

DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE)
"Hell and Back Again," Danfung Dennis and Mike Lerner
"If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front," Marshall Curry and Sam Cullman
"Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory," Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs
"Pina," Wim Wenders and Gian-Piero Ringel
"Undefeated," TJ Martin, Dan Lindsay and Richard Middlemas

DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT)
"The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement," Robin Fryday and Gail Dolgin
"God Is the Bigger Elvis," Rebecca Cammisa and Julie Anderson
"Incident in New Baghdad," James Spione
"Saving Face," Daniel Junge and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
"The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom," Lucy Walker and Kira Carstensen

SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)
"Dimanche/Sunday," Patrick Doyon
"The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore," William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg
"La Luna," Enrico Casarosa
"A Morning Stroll," Grant Orchard and Sue Goffe
"Wild Life," Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby

SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)
"Pentecost," Peter McDonald and Eimear O'Kane
"Raju," Max Zähle and Stefan Gieren
"The Shore," Terry George and Oorlagh George
"Time Freak," Andrew Bowler and Gigi Causey
"Tuba Atlantic," Hallvar Witzø

ART DIRECTION
"The Artist," production design: Laurence Bennett; set decoration: Robert Gould
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2," production design: Stuart Craig; set decoration: Stephenie McMillan
"Hugo," production design: Dante Ferretti; set decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo
"Midnight in Paris," production design: Anne Seibel; set decoration: Hélène Dubreuil
"War Horse," production design: Rick Carter; set decoration: Lee Sandales

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Guillaume Schiffman, "The Artist"
Jeff Cronenweth, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
Robert Richardson, "Hugo"
Emmanuel Lubezki, "The Tree of Life"
Janusz Kaminski, "War Horse"

COSTUME DESIGN
Lisy Christl, "Anonymous"
Mark Bridges, "The Artist"
Sandy Powell, "Hugo"
Michael O'Connor, "Jane Eyre"
Arianne Phillips, "W.E"

FILM EDITING
"The Artist," Anne-Sophie Bion and Michel Hazanavicius
"The Descendants," Kevin Tent
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
"Hugo" Thelma Schoonmaker
"Moneyball," Christopher Tellefsen

MAKEUP
"Albert Nobbs," Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston and Matthew W. Mungle
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2," Nick Dudman, Amanda Knight and Lisa Tomblin
"The Iron Lady," Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
"The Adventures of Tintin," John Williams
"The Artist," Ludovic Bource
"Hugo," Howard Shore
"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," Alberto Iglesias
"War Horse" John Williams

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
"Man or Muppet" from "The Muppets," music and lyrics by Bret McKenzie
"Real in Rio," from "Rio," music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown; lyrics by Siedah Garrett

SOUND EDITING
"Drive," Lon Bender and Victor Ray Ennis
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," Ren Klyce
"Hugo," Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon," Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl
"War Horse," Richard Hymns and Gary Rydstrom

SOUND MIXING
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Bo Persson
"Hugo," Tom Fleischman and John Midgley
"Moneyball," Deb Adair, Ron Bochar, Dave Giammarco and Ed Novick
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon," Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J. Haboush and Peter J. Devlin
"War Horse," Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson and Stuart Wilson

VISUAL EFFECTS
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" Tim Burke, David Vickery, Greg Butler and John Richardson
"Hugo," Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossman and Alex Henning
"Real Steel," Erik Nash, John Rosengrant, Dan Taylor and Swen Gillberg
"Rise of the Planet of the Apes," Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White and Daniel Barrett
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon," Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Matthew Butler and John Frazier

Visit The Academy Awards website!

The Iron Lady

☆☆☆☆1/2
+
Meryl Streep gives a compelling, Oscar worthy performance as Margaret Thatcher who overcame class and gender barriers to become The United Kingdom’s first and only female Prime Minister.

This engaging story is told through flashbacks as Thatcher…dealing with dementia in her later years…looks back on her personal and professional life.
_
Don’t miss this movie based on other reviews!

Rated PG-13
1 hr. 45 min.

Visit this site and see the trailer.

Visit the UK site as well!

Visit this site and see interviews and everything Streep!

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

☆☆☆
+
A smart mystery… “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy” (based on the novel of the same name) tells the story of George Smiley, a retired MI6 agent, brought back to uncover a possible double-agent.

Excellent performances from an all-star cast including: Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Ciarán Hinds, John Hurt
_
May be a little too smart, long, and boring

Be ready to stay completely focused for 2 hours and 8 minutes…or else you WILL be lost.

Rated R
2 hr. 8 min.

Visit the official website and see the trailer.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

☆☆☆☆1/2

+
“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” offers suspense, drama, and mystery as it tells the story of journalist Mikael Blomkvist (strong showing by Daniel Craig), who after being found guilty of libel, is hired…along with Lisbeth Salander (raw…spot-on performance by Rooney Mara) to solve a 40-year-old murder mystery.

In many ways…better than the Swedish version (2009)…
_
…with the exception of explaining details
…and some confusion and gaps in the storyline

Rated R
2 hr. 37 min.

Visit the website and watch the trailer.

The Artist

☆☆☆☆
+
The Artist is an original (certainly not the first…but creative and non-traditional) black and white silent (for the most part) film that tells the entertaining story of George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) a silent film star whose career comes to a halt when the “talkies” come to Hollywood.

Writer/Director Michel Hazanavicius brings the silent film genre back to life with a whole lot of heart and fun…along with excellent performances by Berenice Bejo (rising star Peppy Miller) and Dujardin (George).
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The story is not new (hints of “Sunset Blvd”)

“The Artist” reminds us that we don’t always need all the special effects, over-the-top action scenes, and multi-million-dollar budgets to make a movie great.


Rated PG-13
1 hr. 40 min.

See the trailer for "The Artist."

War Horse

☆☆☆

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Based on the novel of the same name by Michael Morpurgo, “War Horse” is the moving story of Albert (Jeremy Irvine), a teenage boy who becomes attached to his family’s horse (Joey). The pair are separated by war…both going to battle.
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In many ways the movie is just too perfect (the overdone final shot of the family), and in other ways far from perfect (inconsistencies with the horses used).

Films use manipulation…but Spielberg over did it in this one.

Underdeveloped characters and storylines

Rated PG
2 hr. 26 min.

Visit the official website and watch the trailer!

We Bought a Zoo

☆☆☆1/2
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“We Bought a Zoo” (based on the book of the same name by Benjamin Mee) is the charming true story of a father (Benjamin Mee played with care by Matt Damon), in a struggle to keep his family together, buys a run-down house with a built-in “bonding project”…a zoo on the property.

Maggie Elizabeth Jones who plays Mee’s 7-year-old daughter Rosie is a natural in front of the camera.
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Director Cameron Crowe gives us a film that is just a little too sweet, and it begs the question: How much did the screenwriters enhance the real story?

The relationship of Benjamin’s 14-year-old son with a zoo employee doesn’t work…or even make sense.

Rated PG
2 hr. 4 min.

Visit the website and watch the trailer!

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

☆☆☆
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Robert Downey (and some very good special effects) takes a so-so movie and makes it a little better in a return performance as detective Sherlock Holmes.
Joined by his faithful sidekick Dr. Watson (Jude Law) and gypsy Simza Heron (Noomi Rapace star of the Swedish version of “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”), Holmes faces-off with Professor Moriarty who has an evil plan to assassinate key European diplomats creating a war…from which he plans to benefit.
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“…A Game of Shadows” is somewhat confusing and way too long.

Rated PG-13
2 hr. 8 min.

Visit the website and see the trailer.

My Week with Marilyn

☆☆☆☆

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Michelle Williams, in an Oscar worthy performance, embodies the iconic Marilyn Monroe…who while filming “The Prince and the Showgirl” meets, befriends, and spends a memorable week with Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne) a young Oxford graduate working as an assistant on the film.

Even with the physical differences between Williams and Monroe, It’s easy to forget you are not watching Marilyn.
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I found myself wanting more than just a week.


Rated R
1 hr. 39 min.


Visit the website and see the trailer!

Young Adult

☆☆☆

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Charlize Theron’s Golden Globe nominated performance is the best reason to see “Young Adult”…the story of Mavis Gary (Theron), a writer who returns to her hometown and makes a desperate attempt to get her now married high school boyfriend back.

The ending offers some hope.
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Hard-to-watch movie with a pathetic main character that makes a viewer want to jump into the screen to keep her from screwing-up everyone’s life…including her own

Rated R
1 hr. 33 min.

Visit the official website and watch the trailer.

Shame

☆☆☆1/2

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“Shame” is the disturbing yet absorbing story of Brandon Sullivan (a raw performance by Michael Fassbender “X-Men: First Class”) a successful New Yorker trying to deal with an overpowering sexual compulsion.

When Sissy (another fine performance by Carey Mulligan) comes to stay with her brother he cannot tolerate her neediness, and her presence not only interrupts his secret life…it also reminds him of their terrible family history.



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The story and characters seem incomplete…more information about the terrible family history might add more depth.

Rated NC-17
1 hr. 39 min.

Visit the website and watch the trailer.

The Muppets (2011)

☆☆☆1/2

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In this fun, heartwarming comedy Gary (Jason Segel), Mary (Amy Adams…in a role nearly as endearing as Giselle), and Walter (the Muppets’ biggest fan) leave Smalltown, USA for a Los Angeles vacation where they visit and end-up trying to help save the Muppet Theater…with the help of Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, and Animal.

All-Star supporting cast (including cameos): Chris Cooper, Rashida Jones, Alan Arkin, Jack Black, Billy Crystal, Zach Galifianakis, Kathy Griffin, Ricky Gervais, Emily Blunt, Alan Arkin, James Carville, Whoopi Goldberg, Selena Gomez, Neil Patrick Harris, John Krasinski, Sarah Silverman, and more.
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Each time the characters mention that they are in a movie…it pulls the viewers right out of the story.

Rated PG
1 hr. 42 min.

Visit the movie website and see the trailer!

Like Crazy

☆☆☆1/2

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In this award-winning film (Best Picture Sundance Film Festival), Anton Yelchin (“Charlie Bartlett”) and Felicity Jones give strong and truly genuine performances as Jacob and Anna…two people that meet and fall in love while attending college in Los Angeles.
Being a citizen of England, Anna is expected to return after graduation to comply with the rules of her visa.
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Time jumps and montages keep viewers from really knowing the characters and understanding their developing love.


An ending that some will love and others will hate.

Rated PG-13
1 hr. 29 min.

Visit the website and see the trailer!

Hugo

☆☆1/2

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Based on Brian Selznick's New York Times bestseller ("The Invention of Hugo Cabret”), Hugo is the curious story of an orphaned boy (another excellent performance by Asa Butterfield…”The Boy in the Striped Pajamas”) who lives in the walls of a Paris train station while desperately trying to complete a project he began with his late father…the rebuilding of an automaton.

Visually interesting…and the 3-D is worth the extra $$.
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So much potential…but there is very little magic, mystery, or adventure in this film.

Rated PG
2 hr. 6 min.

Visit the website and see the trailer.

Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1

☆☆

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“Twilight” fans are sure to enjoy “Breaking Dawn” (Part 1), based on Stephenie Meyer’s fourth novel.
The story of Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward (Robert Pattinson) continues…marriage, honeymoon, and baby.

Great ending shot!
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Uneven acting, slow story, distracting make-up, more unintentionally funny moments….

Don’t leave too early…extra scene after the initial credits roll.

Rated PG-13
1 hr. 57 min.

Visit the website and watch the trailer.

The Descendants

☆☆☆☆1/2

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"The Descendants" (based on the novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings) is the story of Matt King (one of George Clooney’s best performances to date) and his two daughters (Scottie played by Amara Walker and Alexandra played by Shailene Woodley) who are forced to come together and deal with a family crisis.

Director Alexander Payne ("Sideways") skillfully manages to balance heartbreak and humor.

Look for Oscar nominations (Best Picture, Best Actor (Clooney), and possibly Best Supporting Actress (Shailene Woodley).
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There are times when you don’t know whether you should laugh or cry.

The voiceover may not work for some viewers.

Rated R
1 hr. 50 min.


Visit the website and watch the trailer!

J. Edgar

☆☆☆☆

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“J. Edgar,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio in an award-winning performance, is a fascinating look at the public and private life of the enigmatic J. Edgar Hoover…a man who headed the Federal Bureau of Investigation for nearly 50 years…all the while struggling with a personal secret.
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How much fact?
How much fiction?
How much embellishment?

Rated R
2 hrs. 17 min.

Visit the website and watch the trailer.

Jack and Jill

☆☆1/2


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In this crazy comedy that delivers plenty of laughs, Adam Sandler stars as Jack…a Los Angeles advertising executive…and Jill…Jack’s obnoxious twin sister from the Bronx who comes to visit, overstays her welcome, and turns everything upside down.
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“Jack and Jill” is a little too silly and has too much “potty” humor.

In an embarrassing supporting role, Al Pacino plays Al Pacino (with a twist)…an actor who falls head over heals for Jill.


Rated PG
1 hr. 33 min.

Visit the official website and watch the trailer.

Tower Heist

☆☆☆

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"Tower Heist" is the amusing tale of employees from a New York high-rise who set out to get revenge on a billionaire resident who stole their pension fund.

Strong cast includes: Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Alan Alda, Casey Affleck, Matthew Broderick, Tea Leoni, Gabourey Sidibe
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The resemblance to the Bernie Madoff case may turn-off some movie-goers.

Many of the movies best moments are in the trailer.

Rated PG-13
1 hr. 39 min.

Visit the website and watch the trailer.

In Time

☆☆☆1/2

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“In Time” is an original and thought-provoking futuristic action-thriller where time is used as currency…and human life only continues after age 25 by acquiring extra time.

Stars Justin Timberlake (who proves once again that he can stand his ground as an actor), Amanda Seyfried, and Cillian Murphy.
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Lacks character development

The message (rich vs.poor) is heavy-handed.

Rated PG-13
1 hr. 49 min.

Visit the website and watch the trailer!

Real Steel

☆☆☆1/2

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Based on the short story "Steel," by Richard Matheson, “Real Steel,” starring Hugh Jackman as ex-boxer Charlie Kenton is a heartwarming story (set in the year 2020) of a father and son who connect through the popular sport of robot boxing.

The CGI robot boxing scenes add some fun and excitement.
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Sentimental and Predictable
Violence
Strong Language

Rated PG-13
2 hr. 6 min.

Visit the "Real Steel" site and watch the trailer!

Take Shelter

☆☆☆☆

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“Take Shelter” is a tense and absorbing drama (with a touch of the supernatural) starring Michael Shannon (Oscar nomination: “Revolutionary Road”) in an award-winning performance as Curtis LaForche…a family man struggling with violent dreams and hallucinations which cause him to behave in an irrational manner.

Is he foreseeing the future…or suffering from the initial stages of mental illness?

Jessica Chastain (“The Help”) turns-in an excellent performance as Curtis’ wife Samantha.

A thought provoking final scene that is open to interpretation.
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May be too slow, too long, and a bit confusing for some movie goers.

Rated R
2 hr.

Visit the website and watch the trailer.

What's Your Number?

☆1/2


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“What’s Your Number” (inspired by Karyn Bosnak's novel “20 Times a Lady”) is the somewhat amusing comedy starring Anna Faris (full of potential as a comedic actress) as Ally Darling, who with the help of her neighbor (Chris Evans: “Captain America”), tracks down all of her ex-boyfriends…because she is certain one of them has to be the man for her.

A little “eye candy” for everyone.
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This movie should have been so much better…but it suffers from a terrible script.

Almost every line meant to be funny…falls short of a laugh.

If you want to see this movie, you better hurry!

Rated R
1 hr. 46 min.

Visit the website and watch the trailer.

The Ides of March

☆☆☆☆

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Based on the play “Farragut North” by Beau Willimon, “The Ides of March” is the smart and engaging story of Mike Morris (George Clooney… director and co-writer as well) a liberal thinking politician vying for the Democratic nomination for president.

Ryan Gosling gives a solid performance as Stephen Meyers…Morris’ campaign press secretary who ends-up in a political scandal that threatens their White House hopes.

Excellent cast: Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Marisa Tomei, Jeffrey Wright, and Evan Rachel Wood
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People talk about the surprising political corruption depicted in this film…if anything it’s a mild look at the real thing.

“Ides…” doesn't quite reach the level of excitement that it should.


Rated R
1 hr. 38 min.

Visti the website and see the trailer!

50/50

☆☆☆1/2

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Based on a true story, “50/50” impressively manages to take the story of Adam’s (skillful performance by Joseph Gordon-Levitt: “Inception”) life threatening spinal cancer and lift it up with some genuine humor…thanks to his best friend Kyle (Seth Rogen: “Knocked Up”).

Anna Kendrick (Oscar nomination “Up in the Air”) lights up the screen as Adam’s “new to the job” and truly conflicted psychiatrist, Katie.

Bryce Dallas Howard (“The Help”) stars as Adam’s cheating girlfriend and Anjelica Houston (Oscar winner “Prizzi’s Honor”) as his overbearing mother.

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Kyle (Seth Rogen) is raunchy (sexual humor and language) and loud...but it works for the character.

Adam’s relationships with his mom and girlfriend were “under-developed.”

Rated R
1 hr. 39 min.

Visit the website and watch the trailer!

Moneyball

☆☆☆☆

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More than an entertaining sports story…"Moneyball" (based on true events) is an engaging story of Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane (well-played by Brad Pitt) who is trying to put together a winning team with a budget that makes it impossible to hire top major league players.
Beane, along with the help of Yale econ grad Peter Brand (strong performance by Jonah Hill) begin to improve their record by looking at baseball differently.
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Since the film is based on a true story there are very few surprises.

Some viewers say…too much spitting.

Rated PG-13
2 hr. 6 min.

Visit the "Moneyball" website and watch the trailer.

Contagion

☆☆☆☆

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In this dramatic thriller, Gwyneth Paltrow returns from a business trip with what she suspects is jet lag…but it’s actually the beginning of an international virus outbreak that terrifies the world.

Oscar winning director Steven Soderbergh seamlessly guides the film…back and forth in time…showing the progression as well as the origin of the deadly virus.

The all star cast includes Oscar winners: Matt, Damon, Kate Winslet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Marion Cotillard , along with Oscar nominees Jude Law and Laurence Fishburne.
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A few of the storylines lack depth…for example we don’t a chance to know and understand Dr. Leonora Orantes (played by Marion Cotillard).


Rated PG-13
1 hr. 46 min.

Visit the website and see the trailer!