Walk the Line Drama The life and times of Johnny Cash. Not much more to say than that.I'm not really a big fan of Johnny Cash. This is not to say I don't like him. I like most of what I've heard of his music, but really don't know much about him. Joaquin Phoenix does a fantastic job in this movie as does Reese Witherspoon. I really liked this movie. 4 out of 5.
Nine Lives Drama It is what it says. This movie takes a look at the lives of 9 women. You get a glimpse of just a few moments of their lives. There are some rather intense, uncomfortable moments in the movie...but we were both drawn in. Until the end. Credits began to roll and Cori and I in unison yell "What?". We both felt a little cheated. In the time that we were introduced to the characters (at least most of them) I began to care about them and wonder what happens next. Sure my imagination could probably come up with something, but....(perhaps I am being lazy here)...I want to KNOW what happened to them. Too many unanswered questions. Excellent acting. All brings it to a 3 out of 5.
Elizabethtown Drama Nothing's going right for Drew. He's lost his job (and a whole lotta money for his company), his girlfriend breaks up with him and his father dies. He must now go to get his father's body. On the way he falls in love with a flight attendant. Ok, now you don't need to see it. The only thing I liked about the movie was at the end the flight attendant has mapped out a route across country for him to drive with his father's ashes, complete with music and unique "must see" items. Let me be clear, what I liked about that was the concept. I'd love to drive across country (preferably in the summer with the top down on the mini) and to have a guide and music like that would be awesome. I did not necessarily like those scenes in the movie. I gave this a 2 out of 5. I did finish it...otherwise it would be a 1.
North Country Drama Based on a true story it covers the sexual harrassment trial (and the events that lead up to it) of one of the first women miners in a Minnesota iron mine in the 70s. It was unbelievable to me that not so long ago these women went through such incredible harrassment...though I guess honestly I'm not entirely surprised having worked for so many years in a very male dominated industry. Another excellent role for Charlize Theron...not to mention Francis Mcdormand.
Just Like Heaven Romantic Comedy A writer moves into a great (and furnished) apartment in San Francisco, available only on a month to month basis because of a family tragedy. However the apartment comes with a little more than he bargained for. A young woman appears insisting that the apartment is hers, then promptly vanishes into thin air. He thinks she's a ghost, she believes she's very much alive. They search for the truth and in the meantime fall in love. Stars Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo (both of whom I like). Ok, as hokey as it may sound I liked it. 4 out of 5.
Proof Drama While a brilliant mathematician suffers from a mental disorder, one of his daughters cares for him...then later struggles to come to terms with his death and her life. She has inheirited his genius, but will she also inherit has illness? Little bit slow, but not bad. 3 out of 5.
Rent Musical Suprisingly I've never seen this musical onstage, but thought I'd go ahead and check it out as a movie. Follows the lives of a group of friends as they deal with love, loss, AIDs and trying to make ends meet. Maybe it just didn't translate to film well, but I really didn't care much for this one. I gave it 2 out of 5. If half-stars were possible on Netflix it might get a 2.5.
Don't Tell Anyone Foreign A young man in Peru comes to terms with his sexuality. Acting was ok, the plot was just too much. If I like a movie, or at least a drama, it's because I care about the characters. That didn't happen here in the least bit. Not worth the time I spent. 2 out of 5.
Saw 2 Horror Really, I'm not sure about the horror classification. Thriller maybe. Anyway...our favorite killer (who doesn't actually kill) "Jigsaw" is back. I was a big fan of the first movie, though I must confess I watched most of it from between my fingers. Figured I'd see how this one was. This time he's collected a number of people with one thing in common in a house and is slowly poisoning them. In the house he has also hidden a limited supply of antidote. What would they be willing to do to try and get it? This one was ok. I didn't like it near as much as the first. Cori put it best when she describe it as too chaotic. There were just way too many people in that house. In the end, they did try to throw in a little bit of a twist (nowhere NEAR as twisty as the first one) and, of course, they left the door open for yet another sequel. I think they're pushing their luck. 3 out of 5.
