Brave

Movies to See Right Now

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Matthew McConaughey in KILLER JOE

Killer Joe is NC-17 for a reason and will either thrill or disgust you; that notwithstanding, it pops and crackles with excellent performances by Mathew McConaughey and Juno Temple.  Ruby Sparks is an hilariously inventive romance that probes whether realizing a fantasy can bring happiness.  The Intouchables is a crowd pleasing odd couple comedy – an attendance record breaker in France.

It’s worth seeking out the compelling documentary Searching for Sugar Man, about the hunt to uncover the secret fate of an artist that didn’t know that he was a rock star.  The same holds for Bill W., the story of the reluctant leader of a movement, the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous.

The brilliantly made Louisiana swamp fable Beasts of the Southern Wild enters the life and imagination of a child and celebrates her indomitability. It’s on my list of Best Movies of 2012 – So Far.

Farewell, My Queen is a lavishly staged and absorbing French drama of Marie Antoinette’s Versailles at the onset of the French Revolution; it features excellent performances and was shot at Versailles itself.

The wistfully sweet and visually singular Moonrise Kingdom is another must see, and it’s hanging around some theaters.  Adults will enjoy Brave, Pixar’s much anticipated fable of a Scottish princess, and it’s a must see for kids.

The Dark Night Rises is too corny and too long, but Anne Hathaway sparkles. Magic Mike has male stripping, but no magic.  The relationship drama 360, which opens this week, is a snoozer.

I haven’t yet seen the franchise thriller The Bourne Legacy with Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker).  You can read descriptions and view trailers of upcoming films at Movies I’m Looking Forward To.

My DVD pick this week is the American spy documentary, The Man Nobody Knew: In Search of My Father, CIA Spymaster William Colby.

Movies to See Right Now

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Emile Hirsch, Gina Gershon, Thomas Haden Church and Juno Temple in KILLER JOE

Killer Joe, which opens this week, is NC-17 for a reason and will either thrill or disgust you; that notwithstanding, it pops and crackles with excellent performances by Mathew McConaughey and Juno Temple. 

The Intouchables is a crowd pleasing odd couple comedy – an attendance record breaker in France.

The brilliantly made Louisiana swamp fable Beasts of the Southern Wild enters the life and imagination of a child and celebrates her indomitability. It’s on my list of Best Movies of 2012 – So Far.

Farewell, My Queen is a lavishly staged and absorbing French drama of Marie Antoinette’s Versailles at the onset of the French Revolution; it features excellent performances and was shot at Versailles itself.

Dark Horse is an engaging dramedy from writer-director Todd Solondz (Welcome to the Dollhouse, Happiness); it has his trademark quirkiness, but without the trademark perversion.

The wistfully sweet and visually singular Moonrise Kingdom is another must see. Adults will enjoy Brave, Pixar’s much anticipated fable of a Scottish princess, and it’s a must see for kids. To Rome with Love is an amusing Woody Allen comedy, but not one of Woody’s masterpieces. If you really like Neil Young, then see Neil Young Journeys. The exceptionally popular The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is continuing its long run in second-run houses.

The Dark Night Rises is too corny and too long, but Anne Hathaway sparkles. Magic Mike has male stripping, but no magic.

You can read descriptions and view trailers of upcoming films at Movies I’m Looking Forward To.

My DVD pick this week is from Turkey, the long, enthralling and profound Once Upon a Time in Anatolia.  I must add that The Movie Gourmet is the only place where you can read about Killer Joe and Once Upon a Time in Anatolia in the same week!

Movies to See Right Now

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THE INTOUCHABLES

The Intouchables is a crowd pleasing odd couple comedy from France, which is finally opening more widely.

The brilliantly made Louisiana swamp fable Beasts of the Southern Wild enters the life and imagination of a child and celebrates her indomitability. It’s on my list of Best Movies of 2012 – So Far.

Farewell, My Queen is a lavishly staged and absorbing French drama of Marie Antoinette’s Versailles at the onset of the French Revolution; it features excellent performances and was shot at Versailles itself.

Dark Horse is an engaging dramedy from writer-director Todd Solondz (Welcome to the Dollhouse, Happiness); it has his trademark quirkiness, but without the trademark perversion.

The wistfully sweet and visually singular Moonrise Kingdom is another must see. Adults will enjoy Brave, Pixar’s much anticipated fable of a Scottish princess, and it’s a must see for kids.  To Rome with Love is an amusing Woody Allen comedy, but not one of Woody’s masterpieces.  If you really like Neil Young, then see Neil Young Journeys. The exceptionally popular The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is continuing its long run in second-run houses.

The Dark Night Rises is too corny and too long, but Anne Hathaway sparkles.  Magic Mike has male stripping, but no magic.

You can read descriptions and view trailers of upcoming films at Movies I’m Looking Forward To.

My DVD pick this week is Woody Allen: A Documentary.

Movies to See Right Now

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BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD

The brilliantly made Louisiana swamp fable Beasts of the Southern Wild enters the life and imagination of a child and celebrates her indomitability.  It’s on my list of Best Movies of 2012 – So Far.

The wistfully sweet and visually singular Moonrise Kingdom is another must see. Adults will enjoy Brave, Pixar’s much anticipated fable of a Scottish princess, and it’s a must see for kids.   If you can still find it, I recommend the romantic character study Take This Waltz, starring the great Michele Williams in an exploration of attraction and fulfillment from a woman’s perspective.

Continuing a very long run, the story of aged Brits seeking a low-budget retirement in India, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, is a proven crowd pleaser. Men In Black 3 is delightfully entertaining, as Will Smith time travels back to 1969 and meets the young Tommy Lee Jones (nailed by Josh Brolin).

To Rome with Love is an amusing Woody Allen comedy, but not one of Woody’s masterpieces. Prometheus is a striking and well-acted sci fi adventure with a horror film tinge; I recommend it for sci fi fans.  If you really like Neil Young, then see Neil Young Journeys.

Magic Mike has male stripping, but no magic. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter has blood-sucking, irony and not enough of either to justify watching it.   Your Sister’s Sister wastes a promising premise and a superb performance.

I haven’t yet seen Dark Horse, The Dark Knight Rises or Farewell, My Queen, which open this weekend.  You can read descriptions and view trailers of upcoming films at Movies I’m Looking Forward To.

My DVD pick this week is the documentary This Is Not a Robbery, the true story of a nonagenarian serial bank robber.

Movies to See Right Now

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TAKE THIS WALTZ

The romantic character study Take This Waltz stars the great Michele Williams in an exploration of attraction and fulfillment from a woman’s perspective.  Take This Waltz is only going to be widely available for one more week – so see it now! The brilliantly made Louisiana swamp fable Beasts of the Southern Wild opens this weekend and more widely next weekend.  Both are on my list of Best Movies of 2012 – So Far.

The wistfully sweet and visually singular Moonrise Kingdom is another must see. Adults will enjoy Brave, Pixar’s much anticipated fable of a Scottish princess, and it’s a must see for kids.  

The story of aged Brits seeking a low-budget retirement in India, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, is much more than a fish-out-of-water comedy. Men In Black 3 is delightfully entertaining, as Will Smith time travels back to 1969 and meets the young Tommy Lee Jones (nailed by Josh Brolin).

To Rome with Love is an amusing Woody Allen comedy, but not one of Woody’s masterpieces. Prometheus is a striking and well-acted sci fi adventure with a horror film tinge; I recommend it for sci fi fans.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter has blood-sucking, irony and not enough of either to justify watching it.  Your Sister’s Sister wastes a promising premise and a superb performance.

You can read descriptions and view trailers of upcoming films at Movies I’m Looking Forward To.

My DVD pick this week is the hockey comedy Goon.

Movies to See Right Now

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Seth Rogen and Michelle Williams in TAKE THIS WALTZ

I’ve seen both Take This Waltz and Beasts of the Southern Wild.  They are special movies and each is worth the effort to see as soon as you can.  It’s easy to find Waltz right now, and Beasts opens more widely next weekend.

The wistfully sweet and visually singular Moonrise Kingdom is another must see. Adults will enjoy Brave, Pixar’s much anticipated fable of a Scottish princess, and it’s a must see for kids.   Turn Me On, Dammit! is a wise, sympathetic and funny Norwegian coming of age comedy.

The story of aged Brits seeking a low-budget retirement in India, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, is much more than a fish-out-of-water comedy. Men In Black 3 is delightfully entertaining, as Will Smith time travels back to 1969 and meets the young Tommy Lee Jones (nailed by Josh Brolin).

To Rome with Love is an amusing Woody Allen comedy, but not one of Wody’s masterpieces.  Prometheus is a striking and well-acted sci fi adventure with a horror film tinge; I recommend it for sci fi fans. 

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter has blood-sucking, irony and not enough of either to justify watching it.  Your Sister’s Sister wastes a promising premise and a superb performance.

You can read descriptions and view trailers of upcoming films at Movies I’m Looking Forward To.

My DVD pick last week was the recent Oscar Winner for Best Picture, the magical almost-silent romance The Artist.

This Week’s Movies To See Right Now

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MOONRISE KINGDOM

Elena, a vividly dark and brilliantly acted Russian drama that simmers throughout, is one of the best films of 2012, but now getting hard to find in a theater.  The wistfully sweet and visually singular Moonrise Kingdom is another must see.

The Intouchables is a crowd pleasing odd couple comedy from France.  Adults will enjoy Brave, Pixar’s much anticipated fable of a Scottish princess, and it’s a must see for kids.

Bernie, a very funny dark comedy by Richard Linklater, shows off Jack Black’s talents in a whole new light. The story of aged Brits seeking a low-budget retirement in India, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, is much more than a fish-out-of-water comedy. Men In Black 3 is delightfully entertaining, as Will Smith time travels back to 1969 and meets the young Tommy Lee Jones (nailed by Josh Brolin).

Prometheus is a striking and well-acted sci fi adventure with a horror film tinge; I recommend it for sci fi fans. Rock of Ages is a lighthearted and funny musical that makes the most of a self-mocking Tom Cruise and the hair bands of the 80s.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter has blood-sucking, irony and not enough of either to justify watching it.  Oslo August 31 is the utterly authentic portrait of a suicidal Norwegian junkie that doesn’t pay off enough to justify the the grim inevitability. Your Sister’s Sister wastes a promising premise and a superb performance.

I haven’t yet seen Woody Allen’s To Rome With Love, which opens this weekend.  You can read descriptions and view trailers of upcoming films at Movies I’m Looking Forward To.

My DVD pick this week is the recent Oscar Winner for Best Picture, the magical almost-silent romance The Artist.

Brave: girl power and Pixar quality

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Brave is Pixar’s much anticipated fable of a Scottish princess.  Pixar is a brand name that represents excellence in animated movies, and Brave continues the tradition.

As we have come to expect, the animation is magnificent.  The heroine is a girl with an exuberant tangle of unruly red curls, and it’s difficult not to enjoy her wild head of hair in every scene.

The other Pixar trademark is depth of story.  Other studios can make a girl power story with mother-daughter conflict, but Pixar brings more to the table here, with themes of making immature mistakes and then growing up and taking responsibility.

Brave‘s story isn’t as deep – and Brave isn’t as good – as those of Toy Story, WALL-E and Up, but even mid-level Pixar is better than movies from Disney, DreamWorks or other animation studios.   Adults will enjoy Brave, and it’s a must see for kids.

3D or not to 3D?  I was satisfied with the 2D and would definitely recommend against paying the premium for 3D.

 

Movies to See Right Now

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ELENA

My top pick this week is still the wistfully sweet and visually singular Moonrise Kingdom.

One of the best films of the year is Elena, a vividly dark and brilliantly acted Russian drama that simmers throughout.

The Intouchables is a crowd pleasing odd couple comedy from France.  Bernie, a very funny dark comedy by Richard Linklater, shows off Jack Black’s talents in a whole new light. The story of aged Brits seeking a low-budget retirement in India, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, is much more than a fish-out-of-water comedy.  Men In Black 3 is delightfully entertaining, as Will Smith time travels back to 1969 and meets the young Tommy Lee Jones (nailed by Josh Brolin).

Prometheus is a striking and well-acted sci fi adventure with a horror film tinge; I recommend it for sci fi fans.  Rock of Ages is a lighthearted and funny musical that makes the most of a self-mocking Tom Cruise and the hair bands of the 80s.

Oslo August 31 is the utterly authentic portrait of a suicidal Norwegian junkie that doesn’t pay off enough to justify the the grim inevitability.  Your Sister’s Sister wastes a promising premise and a superb performance.

I haven’t seen Pixar’s Brave or the totally just wrong Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Killer, both of which open this weekend. You can read descriptions and view trailers of upcoming films at Movies I’m Looking Forward To.

My DVD pick this week is a film that I KNOW you haven’t seen, the working class comedy The Locksmith.

June at the movies

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June 2012 looks pretty promising at the movies.  June 15 is the opening for the always quirky Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom, which premiered in Cannes.

We’ll also get Elena, a Russian contemporary noir about a rich guy who marries his nurse and then tells her that he is leaving his fortune to someone else.  Plotting ensues.

That weekend, I’m also looking forward to the opening of the Kristin Scott-Thomas thriller The Woman in the Fifth, the screen version of Broadway’s Rock of Ages and an indie dramedy with Emily Blunt, Your Sister’s Sister.

The next weekend, June 22, brings the opening of Woody Allen’s latest, To Rome With Love.  We’ll also get to see two blockbusters – Brave, Pixar’s much anticipated fable of a Scottish princess and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, the movie from Seth Grahame-Smith’s bestselling novel

Finally, Take This Waltz with Michelle Williams and Seth Rogen opens on June 29.  33-year-old Canadian actress Sarah Polley wrote and directed;  Polley’s debut feature was Away From Her, my pick for best movie of 2006.  I’ve seen Take This Waltz and it’s a very special movie.

You can read descriptions and watch the trailers on my Movies I’m Looking Forward To page. Here’s the trailer for The Woman in the Fifth.