Reviews

I watched All of Us Strangers last night and I was emotionally stirred. Deeply emotionally stirred. It's Based on Taichi Yamada's 1987 novel Strangers which I have not read but now intend to.

It's more or less "I see dead people" with a twist. But it's more than that. Much more than that. Beautifully crafted, smartly written, wonderfully acted. Yes, it's ultimately sad. Heartbreakingly sad. It may take a few moments to sink in but in the end it's got a unique perspective that is fresh, honest, and hugely rewarding. There's no escaping it, this movie stays with you and gets to you.

For anyone who has lost their parents, or just the thought of losing your parents is in your head, man this movie is for you. How this wasn't up for Best Picture escapes me. Well, then again maybe it doesn't. I'll never think of Willie Nelson's "You've Been On My Mind" in the same way again. A true, historic cinematic moment right there.

The two main characters are gay, and if you have any homophobic tendencies this movie may be a tough watch for you, but lordy I hope that doesn't stop you. In my opinion this movie earns its chops and should be put at the top of your viewing list.

First, let me say Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist is one of my favorite shows on TV. With that said, to me, the simple question is, does this Zoey Christmas movie stand on its own outside of Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist universe? And the answer is probably not.

There are some high points (Clark family rendition of Wish You Were Here) at the Christmas dinner table, but unfortunately they were outweighed by too many forced scenes that felt, well, forced!

Add, this is Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist AND it's a Christmas movie!-where's the magic? Where's that heart soaring, soul tingling magic moment we all expect? Should have been, could have been that black and white Zoey and Dad dance at the Christmas tree lot, but they dipped in that well already (and much more successfully) so for me that felt insincere and kind of shallow.

All in all, moderately entertaining, but in no way on the same level as the series. Still, hope and pray they find a way to bring this normally uplifting, magical show back on the air. They've earned it and we the fans deserve it. It's that special.

After watching this movie I said "wow, what a tough challenge this must have been turning that story into cinema." And that's without reading Sebold's acclaimed book. But kudos to Jackson, Walsh and Boyens for their beautiful soul searching rendering of such tough, heart wrenching subject matter. All the chatter of the CGI this or that. I thought the heaven sequences were stunning, fantastical, wondrous and masterfully interwoven with the story. I thought Jackson was in rarefied form and his directing was chillingly effective. *Spoiler*--When Susie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan) was lured into George Harvey's (Stanley Tucci) underground chamber, the scene shifting back and forth from the chamber to the Salmon's dinner table as the tension continually mounted was nothing less than Hitchcockian.

Each and every character was well drawn and vital to the story's outcome. Tucci is an obvious shoe-in for Best Supporting actor, but Mark Wahlberg's performance was so well-tuned and nuanced it may have been even more impressive. Ronan and Rose McIver (Susie's sister Lyndsey) deserve serious award consideration as well.

I watched this movie twice, and enjoyed it even more the second time. In my opinion "The Lovely Bones" should be a front runner for Best Picture, as well as serious consideration for Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress. It's that good.

When I first read that the Lord of the Rings trilogy crew of Jackson, Walsh and Boyens were doing this book I was to say the least a little skeptical. After watching their efforts, my hat's off to these cinematic artists.

A nice slant on losing a loved one with an interesting twist at the end that relates to the title. One loose end left out there was disappointing, but enough sharp writing and character development to make it worth while for most who would be attracted to this type of movie in the first place.

My biggest criticism was the pacing. Especially David Gillies' character (Thorton Harper) who looks like he could be Dr. Oz's son. I thought he could have delivered a little more depth to his performance, but Ron Perlman sufficiently picks up the slack. Barbara Hersey's character Hilda started off with a lot of fire but someone dropped the ball and almost let it flicker out. Nice Hallmark ending for those needing a little fluff in your life.

I'm sure for the handful of people that read this I'm going to probably get a 0 out of 12 found this review helpful. It seems, almost without exception that positive reviews are deemed helpful but negative ones are not.

With that said, I felt this was one of the most disappointing, if not the most disappointing Pixar film yet. The story was obviously pieced together almost as an after thought. It was flawed, and at times preposterous.

First, what I liked. The opening 15 minutes. When the young boy and girl met, fell in love, grew old together, and then...well then the rest of the movie happens. Also, very much enjoyed the little boy scout character.

Again, a spoiler alert is called for here. In the opening scene, Carl Frederickson, the 78 year old hero of the story, is a little boy watching a newsreel in a movie theater of his hero, an intrepid adventurer who travels the world in his airship (blimp). Jump forward seventy years later and our 78 year old hero runs into his hero, at least thirty years his senior and the hero looks and acts like a man in his late 50s or early 60s. I mean, Please! Then, the dogs. Oh yes, those cutified, electronic collar talking dogs. Are you kidding me? Who came up with that idea? Ugh!!! We know the idea of "Up" came from the Japanese masterpiece "Howl's Moving Castle." But how that could have a rating on IMDb of 8.1 and "Up" a rating of 9.1 just boggles this person's mind.

Clint Eastwood has a way of redefining genres. What his unforgettable Unforgiven did for westerns, Gran Torino very well may do for dramas. He loves to head fake his audience as he cleverly sidesteps stereotypical characters and concepts. You think you know Clint Eastwood, think again.

This isn't Dirty Harry or Josey Wales, nor is it Million Dollar Baby or Mystic River. This is come to expect the unexpected 21st century Clint Eastwood. Like a vintage wine, he keeps getting better with age. And like the Gran Torino in "Gran Torino" this is a modern day classic that glistens in the sun.

Without giving away too much let me just say be prepared to laugh your ass off, repeatedly throughout most of the movie. And then be ready to stand up and applaud when he head fakes you again at the end. And then just smile and shake your head as he sings us through the credits.

One of the better flicks of the year.

Danny Boyle goes to India. This is one helluva director who really likes to play the gamut. From "Trainspotting" to "Millions". From "28 Days Later" to "Slumdog Millionaire". The only thing any of these movies have in common is they're extraordinary works of film-making that both critics and consumers seem to love. And you won't find a blockbuster among them, and you probably never will from Mr. Boyle. But the lack of box office recognition will probably be the last thing on Boyle's mind come award season when "Slumdog Millionaire" predictably becomes an Academy Award sleeper. Is it that good? You betcha! The style, the substance, the tone, the story all scream wow! And all defy description. It's a heart wrenching, gut wrenching, heart tugging, heart warming, soul searching, spirit lifting, epic drama that is as much romantic as it is harrowing, as suspenseful as it is funny.

Slumdog is the name attached to orphans that grow up in the human cesspool of Mumbai India that somehow manage to survive much like poly wags would in stagnant pools of waste back here in America. Against all odds. Miracle against miracle, this slumdog grows into a smart, streetwise young man, who makes it onto India's version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" And...well, without spoiling the film, all I'll say is "he doesn't." "Want to be a millionaire, that is." Smart, intuitive, unpredictable and refreshing. With a Hollywood ending that's only succeeded by it's Bollywood ending. Is this one of my favorite movies of the year? You betcha! The film's location and occasional use of subtitles will dampen it's overall appeal. But this should find a very loyal and enthusiastic following on DVD and Blu Ray.

From a business perspective, in some ways I can understand why this movie is going direct from the film festivals straight to DVD. It's smart, funny, engaging, and even takes time to poke fun at itself. And with a marquee cast of Meg Ryan and William Macy a theatrical run would have probably sucked up a lot of speculative investment dollars the studio didn't have or wasn't willing to risk.

In the last month or so I've seen "Body of Lies," "Eagle Eye," "The Chageling," "Ghost Town," "Happy-Go-Lucky" and "Burn After Reading," and to my amazement, "The Deal" is probably the most overall satisfying watch of them all. My expectations were limited, so not expecting much is a good way to be pleasantly surprised. And I was. Very! William H. Macy and Steven Schacter have written a lot of television movies together but this was their first theatrical stab. And they hit a bulls eye. Admittedly, it's a movie about a movie, and it's not going to appeal to Joe the Plumber or Joe Six-pack. But you don't have to be a Hollywood insider to feel the chemistry, get the humor, or root for the romance. The characters were plausible. The relationships were genuine. And the humor was biting. Meg Ryan and William Macy are near the top of their comedic game and they deliver in an unexpectedly satisfying way.

BTW, Macy and Ryan are listed way down the cast totem pole in the credits, but they are the main star vehicles that drive this film and keep it moving. Macy has a commanding comedic touch he nurtured in "Fargo," and adds a sprinkle of tragedy he borrows from "The Cooler." And Ryan, rekindled her spark from "You've Got Mail" and delivers probably her most satisfying performance since.

Really, for movie lovers, a pleasant, satisfying and completely unexpected delight.

P.S. I checked 'spoiler' alert as a precautionary measure. I don't believe I gave anything away.

As enthralling as the first half hour was the last 30 minutes was so authentically ugly that I actually left the theater feeling dark and muddied! The movie was poignant, penetrating and profound driven by a breathtakingly flawless performance by Daniel-Day Lewis. Yet, in my opinion, the movie wasn't perfect like so many have written here.

Lewis' sidekick partner was virtually missing in action through most of the story, and that left a serious void. And, the metamorphic transformation of Daniel-Day's character, from an angry, layered, pained soul to the personification of human evil left me a little confused, if not disturbed.

Daniel-Day Lewis should win best actor, but this film SHOULD NOT win best picture. That should go to Michael Clayton or No Country For Old Men.