It's Complicated

Judging by the trailer of this movie, it had very little to offer in the line of individuality and a lot to offer in the area of cliches. Yes, the trailer was right. It's Complicated (2009) is a film which promises to be exactly same as all of the other romantic comedies, but thanks to it's appealing cast-Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin-it could rise above the doom of failed romantic fluff.
Jane (Streep) has been happily living her life being divorced, a mother to three wonderful children, and owning a fantastic bakery. But in an encounter with her ex-husband, Jake (Baldwin), she starts having an affair with him. Things are made 'complicated' when her newly divorced architect Adam (Martin) falls in love with her too.
Meryl Streep is the greatest actress ever, and without her in the lead role, this movie would have fallen to the ground, literally. It's Complicated is really a movie for the older crowd, because they will probably get more of the jokes than I did. However, there are two particularly funny scenes in this movie, which had me in fits--just thinking about them now makes me laugh. Nancy Meyers is, well, as expected, but this movie is so much better than The Holiday was.
It's Complicated is not the greatest comedy ever, but still worth a watch, mainly because of its great cast, Meryl Streep especially.
7/10

Persona

Right now, I feel the only people who can make truly wonderful films are Europeans. You know, films that mean something and are more than meets the eye? Like Persona (1966). Okay, I admit it wasn't really my cup of tea. But the fact that it is Swedish and totally unique just makes it a really good movie.
One day, actress Elisabet (Liv Ullmann) decides to become mute. She is sent to a hospital to get better, and maybe start talking again, where she meets Sister Alma (Bibi Andersson), a nurse who is willing to take her on holiday. The pair go to the beach, and Alma talks and talks about her problems, while hoping to get Elisabet to open up about her true feelings too.
Film essayists and studiers love this film because of it's amazing shots. Literally, Ingmar Bergman is a genius. The way he uses the camera to convey a certain emotion, to shoot a scene, is amazing. If it was directed by any old person it would have been a flop. Since watching this film, the more I realised that I have to go to film school. However, this film is help up only by it's wonderful direction. I watched it and I thought, 'hang on, where's the story?' Maybe it's the whole point of this movie, but it lacked the narrative that it probably needed to translate to the intelligent part of the mainstream audience. There are a lot of loose ends, and it didn't fully satisfy me.
Persona is a legend in itself. Sweden really does produce some great movies.
7/10

Planet 51

To be perfectly honest, animated movies that are not made by Disney or PIXAR really worry me. I mean, none of the ones I have seen, with the exception of Shrek 1 & 2 (NOT including Shrek the Third) and Mary and Max, have been particularly good. Planet 51 (2009) is no exception. Just shows you have to be the pros to make the best children's entertainment.
An American astronaut Captain Charles 'Chuck' Baker (voiced by Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson) lands on a weird planet, thinking he is the first person to discover it. But to his surprise, there is life on this planet--green alien-looking species who think the human is the alien in that situation. The aliens fear that the humans will take over their livelihood, but found out they aren't such a threat after all.
Well, I don't know why, but this film was a combination of boring cliches and offensive crude jokes. Not usually the recipe to create a good kids film. I'm not sure what the age group was here; sometimes it felt like a silly little comedy for teenagers, then it felt like it was for the little toddlers, and then it just got confused and started throwing offensive and poxy jokes all over the place hoping to please the viewers. To be honest, some kids might like it, but this is probably one of those movies an adult should watch while they are under the influence of something strong. In other words, you don't need to watch it.
4/10

Paranormal Activity

With District 9 coming out in the same year, it really makes me wonder...is the cheap documentary style film creating the most amount of hype after the Twilight franchise? Paranormal Activity (2007) was billed as the scariest movie of all time. Now I ouldn't say it was overly scary, but that is probably because I watched it during the day. God help me if I watched it at night.
Katie and Micah are a young couple living in San Diego, leading what appear to be normal lives. But since Katie was young, she has been followed and haunted by what is thought to be a 'demon', and it continues to wreak havoc while she is sleeping. Micah decides to have a camera film them to pick up what is happening in their house, and what they find starts messing with their lives and their ability to be normal.
I had no idea why this film caused so much hype, and still don't. I found it quite boring in the first 45 minutes, and it wasn't until the film finally started getting into it towards the end that I garnered interest in it. Okay, I will admit, I found some of the scenes in this film particularly terrifying and unsettling, and I will probably be haunted by them for a few weeks to come. But, this isn't the scariest movie ever made. It probably will be if you watch it alone, in the dead of the night. Oh, and please, please, do not make Paranormal Activity 2, it isn't needed.
7/10

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

I imagine that the only reason people would want to see this film is because it features Heath Ledger in his actual last performance. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009) got most of it's credibility from Ledger's time on screen, because, of course, he was magnificent. And then you have Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell completing his role. Why three? I would have just done with Johnny Depp.
Doctor Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) travels around with a troupe of performers trying to get people to watch and experience his 'magic' and other-worldly things. He invites his audience into the 'imaginarium', where their dreams can come true. Though all of this is very surreal and perfect, the audiences are getting more than they bargained for, along with the troupe of performers...including his daughter Valentina (Lily Cole) who is falling for the wrong person.
In some ways, I felt I had to love this film because of Heath Ledger. In other ways, I just did not get it. It was a visual masterpiece, filled with exuberant performances (one great one from Lily Cole, who I thought was just a super-model) and amazing direction. But it fails to tap into the viewers mind, and unfortunately falls flat in places where it could be aiming for the sky. However, with that said, it is still a film which will enthrall everyone who sees it, thanks to the appearance from Heath Ledger.
6/10

Zombieland

With all the comedy/horrors coming out these days, it is hard to sort the comedies from the horrors and then the comedy/horrors. I'll tell you now, Zombieland (2009) is one of the best, if not the best, comedy/horrors out there. This was like the gorey version of The Hangover.
In a world where the human race has almost been completely wiped out by zombies, there are four very special human survivors. First are Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), a guy trying to go to college but also trying to survive, and Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), a tough guy who wants Twinkies and to kill all of the monsters. On their travels, they meet Wichita (Emma Stone), a hot girl who steals money for a living, and her younger sister Little Rock (Abigail Breslin). They band together to try and make it through life, and not become a zombie.
You have no idea how stupid this film sounds. But the trend in Hollywood seems to be this: make a movie with a stupid storyline and the critics/public will love it. Make it too complicated and they won't. Zombieland succeeds in being both a comedy and a horror, but it is first and foremost a comedy. The performances are sharp, in fact the whole thing is sharp, but the real shiner here is the script. Be prepared for one of the coolest movies to surface last year.
8/10

La Vie En Rose

I cannot begin to even try to describe how wonderful Marion Cotillard is. I loved her in Public Enemies. I loved her in Nine. But I astronomically LOVED her in La Vie En Rose (2007). Honestly, if you have not seen this film, and/or a great performance, then La Vie En Rose is for you.
La Vie En Rose looks at important parts of the life of French singer Edith Piaf (Marion Cotillard). It follows her story from when she was a young child living in the slums of France, to when she was a fading woman close to her death, with the songs that made her famous packed in between.
This movie is by no means perfect. It excels in the cinematography and set design area, but the script and story is a little lop-sided. While at times it seems boring, there is one thing to get you through--Marion Cotillard. When she is on screen, nothing else matters. She is Edith Piaf...it is exactly like seeing the real thing on screen. Okay, so you may think I am going a little over the top on how great Marion Cotillard is, but you have to see it for yourself. Her performance in this is probably one of the best performances I have ever seen. Thank goodness she won that Oscar.
My advice to you is: please go get this film, it is a revelation. I have nothing more to say but that.
8/10

Sherlock Holmes

The past few years have churned out re-imaginings of classic novels. Sherlock Holmes (2009) is the latest story to get the modern treatment; complete with an all-star cast and returned-to-form director Guy Ritchie.
You probably know the story--Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) is one of England's best detectives, along with his friend Dr. Watson (Jude Law). When a string of chilling murders occur, Holmes and Watson embark on trying to catch the killer, who is the presumed dead Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong). Holmes and Watson are joined by the beautiful and intelligent Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams) on the case of all cases.
Sherlock Holmes was a perfectly adequate film. It wasn't great, yet it definitely wasn't a disaster. Robert Downey Jr. is, of course, the true star of the show. This guy is a genius, and honestly, that Golden Globe for Best Comedic Actor was well deserved. He literally throws himself into every role he gets. The film benefits from the support of Mark Strong and a lovely Rachel McAdams, who are two under-rated performers who we should be seeing more of in the awards circuit. Guy Ritchie's direction is inspired, and uses whirlwind visuals to adapt to a new audience. This is by no means a masterpiece, and will probably bore the younger generation, but may shock Sherlock fans. Then again, this is possibly one of the better movies to come out of the Holiday movie period.
7/10

The Prestige

Well, Inception is coming out veeeeery soon, and I wanted to get up to speed with all the Christopher Nolan movies (I have only seen The Dark Knight, yet I call him my favourite director haha). The Prestige (2006) is one great example of Nolan's talents, even though I am sure all of his films are.
Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) used to be friends and assistants to magician Cutter (Michael Caine). But when Angier's beloved wife dies during a trick, he leaves and pursues other areas. Borden becomes a magician, and when Angier finds out, he becomes jealous. It all becomes a story of rivalry when these two become better and better at performing, and Angier becomes obsessed with out-doing Borden.
This is one of those films which you think you have sussed out, but then it turns and you have to suss it out all over again. I must admit, with one watch I find myself a little confused about what happened during it, and will definitely be watching it again at a later date. The Prestige is a film which is dripping with the genius of Christopher Nolan, and I don't think words can describe how great this guy is. If you want a film which has perfect performances and actually gets your brain working, try this one...and then watch it all over again.
8/10

The Secret of Kells

I don't really know what to say about The Secret of Kells (2009). In some ways, I loved it for it's creativity and genuine loveliness, but then again it lacked a bit of spark that most animated films have. It's pretty commendable though that this film got an Academy Award nomination.
A young boy, Brendan, is sent on an endearing adventure to complete the famed 'Book of Kells'. Yet, on his journey he finds danger, and struggles to keep on a straight path to his freedom. He meets a fairy Aisling, who guides him along and eventually allows him to complete his task.
Okay, so I just think the reason me and The Secret of Kells didn't click was because...well, I'm not sure. It's like a half and half for me. On one side, I loved it because it was quite different, and dipped out of dark moments into seemingly happy ones, while remaining totally balanced. But on the other is this unknown side, that just wants to be loved but failed to grab my attention. Which was a shame, because I felt it didn't have the same spark as the Pixar films have. However, this is a great animated effort to come out of Ireland, a country which clearly needs to make more films.
6/10

Did You Hear About the Morgans?

Okay, so Sarah Jessica Parker and Hugh Grant aren't my two favourite actors ever. I mean, I love SJP in Sex and the City and I used to have a mad crush on Hugh Grant when I was nine year old, but they aren't really that great. And, yeah, Did You Hear About the Morgans? (2009) got some pretty bad reviews. Yet, I love films that get bad reviews, because they are so goddamn funny!
Meryl (SJP) and Paul (Grant) Morgan are a couple who are about to be divorced. They go out one night for dinner, but end up witnessing a murder. Now they are wanted dead by the murderer, and the police thinks it's only best for them to go to a little country town in Wyoming under witness protection. Can they survive the move from New York life to the quiet country life?
Yeah, it sounds silly. Oh, it is pretty silly. Okay, reeeeeeally silly. I think this movie is blinded by it's sillyness. But I could still enjoy it, because I just basked it the films utter stupidity and incapibility to make any sense out of the situation at all. SJP and Grant are at their best--portraying selfish dim-witted people who have had the 'Hollywood wake-up' to life. If they ever remake this film, I would love to see Jessica Simpson in it, because this is the sort of crap she'd be into. And Mary Steenburgen, please go back to drama! However, this is a good way to spend time.
5/10

The Brothers Bloom

So...there's just one thing I wanna know about this movie: when was it supposed to be set?? Because the costumes and other things surrounding the main characters were seemingly old fashioned, but the rest of the movie was quite modern. However, that cast aside, is this one of our first glimpses at the new wave of ultra-weird film-making??
Stephen (Mark Ruffalo) and Bloom (Adrien Brody) are two of the world's best con-men, and travel everywhere with Stephen's mysterious Japanese girlfriend Bang Bang (Rinko Kikuchi). Stephen decides to include a wealthy and lonely heiress Penelope Stamp (Rachel Weisz) to their list of conned people, and tells Bloom to pretend to fall in love with her. Things get tricky when he actually does fall in love with her though.
This film says quirky all over...it's just a film which surprises and entertains in the most unlikely ways. To be perfectly honest, I didn't care much for it, and only watched it because it seemed like the best option out of the lot. I thought it would be your average con drama...but it wasn't. It was quite funny, and had a bit of violence thrown into the mix. However, this film lacks depth and focuses too much on trying to be quirky. But it's most valuable asset--great performances from it's all star cast--make this film worth the watch.
7/10

Iron Man

I honestly have no idea why I didn't watch Iron Man (2008) before now. I have been missing out on such an awesome movie! Superhero movies usually aren't my cup of tea, but this one is not the sort of superhero movie you find in a bargain bin at the Warehouse.
Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is a billionaire head of a weapons manafacturer who was captured in enemy terroitory, with what seems as no way of getting out. But thanks to his genius ideas, he builds a suit of armour to escape-and succeeds. Stark realises that he is on to something, andd he modifies that suit and makes himself 'Iron Man', becoming a reluctant hero along the way.
This is a surprising film. I think it is because it is not too outlandish and unbelievable, and that many can actually relate to this hero, which is a rare and redeeming quality little seen in these types of films. Iron Man is totally dominated by Robert Downey Jr., who is definitely one of the greatest actors to appear on our screens in the past few years. This film has everything a film needs, and just blows it up. So, we know it's great. Honestly, if you haven't seen Iron Man, I suggest you run down to the DVD rental store and get it out, it is amazing!
10/10

Away We Go

I must admit, I've been pretty slack at watching movies lately. Away We Go (2009) is a comedy directed by Sam Mendes (wait, did I just say that?!). Even for me, it's pretty hard to believe, considering his last film was Revolutionary Road, which was probably one of the most depressing movies of all-time. And by the look of his imdb.com profile, Mendes has never directed a comedy. Really? Sam Mendes directed this??
Burt (John Krasinski) and Verona (Maya Rudolph) are a couple in their 30's who are expecting their first child together. They decide they need some moral support to parent this child, so they go for a trip across America to find everyone they knew that might help them in the future. But their journey proves that they just need to find a place which feels like home to them, instead of just going with everyone else.
To be honest, I think this film is trying to be a grown-up version of Juno. I mean, look at the poster...looks familiar, doesn't it?? The film is by no means a great one, it has it's funny moments, and those funny moments come from the support cast--especially Allison Janney and Maggie Gyllenhaal. Maybe this isn't the film that can really prove that Sam Mendes can direct a comedy, but maybe a few more go's could get him to strike comedy gold? But overall, it's a charming, heart-breaking sort of film that you watch then forget about.
6/10