tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67047364471022610362012-01-30T00:54:21.591-05:00moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.comBlogger1371100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-69247133941044168792011-02-22T20:43:00.077-05:002011-02-27T00:38:40.199-05:00

“Predictions for the 83rd Academy Awards”The 83rd Academy Awards will be aired this coming Sunday, February 27, 2011 and it is appearing like The King's Speech will come out the most ahead. However, there are a few potential upsets I see coming, as The Social Network may take away a bit of thunder for a couple of the major categories. So here are my own predictions for who I think will take

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-55292072721521100592011-01-28T20:02:00.055-05:002011-01-31T22:46:08.056-05:00

“Reactions to the 83rd Academy Award Nominations” Up to a few weeks ago, David Fincher’s The Social Network seemed to be the favorite to beat in this awards season. But that buzz tide has started to turn dramatically with The King’s Speech grabbing the Producers’ Guild Award for Best Picture and now leading the pack of the 83rd Academy Award nominations with a total of 12 nods. The Coens’

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-71503629790057483702011-01-11T16:09:00.043-05:002011-01-25T20:03:37.788-05:00

“The Best (and Worst) Movies of 2010” Upon first reflection, I was thinking to myself that 2010 was not really a strong year for movies, with mainstream Hollywood churning out the usual dribble like The Bounty Hunter and Sex and the City 2 seemingly every other week. But once I thought back at the more artistic movies that I saw last year, I realized that, while there was not a plethora

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-47740443537767188052010-10-06T18:00:00.074-04:002010-10-11T08:30:53.223-04:00

“The Social Network” USA. 2010. Directed by David Fincher. Screenplay adapted by Aaron Sorkin. Based on the book, “The Accidental Billionaires” by Ben Mezrich. Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Armie Hammer, Max Minghella, Rooney Mara, Brenda Song, Josh Pence, Dennis Grayson, Joseph Mazzello, Patrick Mapel and Douglas Urbanski. Rating: ★★★½ Perhaps

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-36952557923683201292010-10-04T19:10:00.055-04:002010-10-06T22:58:56.760-04:00

“Let Me In” USA. 2010. Written for the screen and directed by Matt Reeves. Based on the source novel and screenplay by John Ajvide Lindqvist. Starring: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Chloe Moretz, Richard Jenkins, Cara Buono, Elias Koteas, Sasha Barrese, Dylan Kenin, Chris Browning, Ritchie Coster, Dylan Minette, Jimmy Pinchak and Nicolai Dorian. Rating: ★★½ If I had not seen Tomas Alfredson’

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-64611811554642369512010-09-25T20:34:00.112-04:002010-10-06T22:59:08.792-04:00

“The Town” USA. 2010. Directed by Ben Affleck. Screenplay adapted by Peter Craig, Ben Affleck and Aaron Stockard. Based on the 2004 novel, “Prince of Thieves” by Chuck Hogan. Starring: Ben Affleck, Rebecca Hall, Jeremy Renner, Blake Lively, Chris Cooper, Slaine, Owen Burke, Titus Welliver, Jon Hamm, Pete Postlethwaite, Dennis McLaughlin and Corena Chase. Rating: ★★½ I am trying

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-4776765816030948092010-08-21T10:14:00.132-04:002010-08-23T20:12:59.087-04:00

“Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” USA. 2010. Directed by Edgar Wright. Screenplay written by Michael Bacall and Edgar Wright. Based on the original graphic novel by Bryan Lee O’Malley. Starring: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Ellen Wong, Alison Pill, Johnny Simmons, Mark Webber, Satya Bhabha, Chris Evans, Brandon Routh, Mae Whitman, Keita Saitou, Shota Saito and Jason

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-10093302907184606402010-08-16T21:39:00.132-04:002010-08-19T21:29:43.023-04:00

“The Expendables” USA. 2010. Directed by Sylvester Stallone. Story by David Callaham. Screenplay by David Callaham and Sylvester Stallone. Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Eric Roberts, Randy Couture, Steve Austin, David Zayas, Mickey Rourke, Gary Daniels, Terry Crews, Giselle Itié and Charisma Carpenter. Rating: ★★ This summer has seen a

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-65754175698002054082010-07-26T06:57:00.002-04:002010-08-18T09:57:58.616-04:00

“Salt” USA. 2010. Directed by Phillip Noyce. Written by Kurt Wimmer. Starring: Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Hunt Block, Daniel Olbrychski, August Diehl, Daniel Pearce, Andre Braugher, Cassidy Hinkle, Olek Krupa, Corey Stoll, Vlasidiav Koulikov, Kevin O'Donnell, Gaius Charles and Olya Zueva. Rating: ★★ The previews for the latest spy actioner, Salt have been

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-25996637587116919262010-07-19T21:45:00.009-04:002010-08-25T22:18:45.711-04:00

“Inception” USA. 2010. Written and directed by Christopher Nolan. Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Cillian Murphy, Ken Watanabe, Marion Cotillard, Dileep Rao, Tom Hardy, Tom Berenger, Pete Postlethwaite, Michael Caine, Lukas Haas, Tai-Li Lee, Claire Geare, Magnus Nolan, Taylor Geare and Jonathan Geare. Rating: ★★★★ Christopher Nolan said he spent

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-60861023538373006262010-07-12T19:01:00.000-04:002010-08-18T09:56:42.955-04:00

“Toy Story 3” USA. 2010. Directed by Lee Unkrich. Screenplay by Michael Arndt from a story by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich. Starring: the voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty, Don Rickles, Michael Keaton, Wallace Shawn, John Morris, John Ratzenberger, Estelle Harris, Jodi Benson, Emily Hahn, Laurie Metcalf, Blake Clark and Teddy Newton. Rating: ★★★

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-38586099517254351772010-03-06T11:40:00.000-05:002010-04-04T00:53:19.088-04:00

“The Best (and Worst) Movies of 2009” 2009 was not a great year for movies. In fact, this was a year when I found myself somewhat actually struggling to choose ten truly memorable movies that stayed with me. This awards season may have been nominating movies like Inglourious Basterds, The Blind Side and Up in the Air but they represent solid goodness, not greatness and would be less

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-7831592811917308722009-12-12T18:54:00.000-05:002010-02-05T08:16:53.701-05:00

“Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire” USA. 2009. Directed by Lee Daniels. Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher. Based on the novel, “Push” by Sapphire. Starring: Gabourey Sidibe, Mo’Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz, Sherri Shepherd, Stephanie Andujar, Chyra Layne, Xosha Roquemore, Amina Robinson, Angelic Zambrana, Aunt Dot and Nealla Gordon. Rating: ★★★★ When

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-31616427140535959082009-10-11T19:59:00.000-04:002009-10-17T17:46:34.301-04:00

“Mother” South Korea. 2009. Directed by Bong Joon-ho. Screenplay by Bong Joon-ho and Park Eun-kyo. Story by Bong Joon-ho. Starring: Kim Hye-ja, Won Bin, Jin Ku, Jeon Mi-seon, Yoon Je-moon, Song Sae-byeok, Kim Byung-soon and Moon Hee-ra. Rating: ★★★½ From the very opening scene of Bong Joon-ho’s latest film, Mother where we see the titular character swaying and dancing in the hay

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-57174936936798477382009-08-18T17:41:00.000-04:002009-08-29T12:42:59.002-04:00

“Up” USA. 2009. Directed by Pete Docter and co-directed by Bob Peterson. Screenplay by Bob Peterson and Pete Docter. Story by Bob Peterson, Pete Docter and Thomas McCarthy. Starring: the voices of Ed Asner, Jordan Nagai, Christopher Plummer, Bob Peterson, Delroy Lindo, Jerome Ranft, John Ratzenberger, David Kaye, Elie Docter and Jeremy Leary. Rating: ★★★★ The latest wonderful

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-14885210090878886572009-06-02T10:29:00.000-04:002009-06-14T15:22:03.616-04:00

“Ip Man” Hong Kong. 2008. Directed by Wilson Yip. Screenplay written by Edmond Wong. Starring: Donnie Yen, Simon Yam, Ka-Tung Lam, Yu Xing, Siu-wong Fan, You-Nam Wong, Chen Zhi Hui, Lynn Xiong, Hiroyuki Ikeuchi, Yu-Tang Ho and Shibuya Tenma. Rating: ★★★½ There is a point in the Hong Kong martial arts movie, Ip Man in which an angry, combative opponent of the titular hero mocks the

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-11948076788816835742009-04-09T19:42:00.000-04:002009-04-13T01:14:55.417-04:00

“Observe and Report” USA. 2009. Written and directed by Jody Hill. Starring: Seth Rogen, Ray Liotta, Michael Peňa, Anna Faris, Dan Pakkedahl, Collette Wolfe, Jesse Plemons, Celia Weston, John Yuan, Matt Yuan, Randy Gambill, Alston Brown, Cody Midthunder, Deborah Brown, Aziz Ansari, Patton Oswalt, Eddie Rouse, Lauren Miller, Rafael Herrera and Ben Best. Rating: ★½ Observe and

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-42476568824288535302009-03-29T16:27:00.000-04:002009-03-30T04:05:31.908-04:00

“Two Lovers” USA. 2008. Directed by James Gray. Written by James Gray and Ric Menello. Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Gwyneth Paltrow, Vinessa Shaw, Moni Moshonov, Isabella Rosselini, John Ortiz, Bob Ari, Julie Budd, Elias Koteas, Samantha Ivers, Jeanine Serralles, David Cale, Evan Lewis, Anne Joyce and Marion McCorry. Rating: ★★★ Few actors working in movies today can essay inwardly

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-39905181614883964052009-03-17T11:55:00.001-04:002010-08-29T23:27:04.366-04:00

“Watchmen” USA. 2009. Directed by Zack Snyder. Screenplay by David Hayter and Alex Tse. Based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Starring: Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Patrick Wilson, Stephen McHattie, Carla Gugino, Matt Frewer, Laura Mennell, Rob Labelle and Gary Houston. Rating: ★★ You cannot blame Zack

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-57630286641224288662009-02-26T23:16:00.000-05:002009-04-13T02:56:54.822-04:00

“Reactions to the 2009 Oscars” Even with the fresh presiding of host, Hugh Jackman, the Oscars this year was more of a ho-hum affair. You cannot fault Jackman for that, as his opening song and dance number was a welcome contrast to the usual, now somewhat tiresome routine of a stand up comic. The ceremony, however, was still too long and had a sense of overt smugness among celebrities in

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-50524688224091646042009-02-10T18:36:00.000-05:002009-02-21T09:35:35.295-05:00

“2009 Oscar Winners Predictions” It is time to predict who will actually take home Oscar and while the general nominations are relatively easy to guess, the actual winners are usually harder to predict. In a backwards way, I wish there was a year when many of my predictions are moot because that would mean I am not second-guessing political factors and other trends and the vote is based more

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-20852266906339164672009-01-22T21:59:00.000-05:002009-01-26T16:17:30.083-05:00

“Reactions to 2009 Oscar Nominations” So the Academy Award nominations are now finally out and there were some surprises and even greater disappointments. Here are the comparisons between my predictions and the actual nominations as well as my personal reactions to the latter by category. The titles and/or names that differ between my predictions and the actual nominations are noted in red

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-49873861083968568172009-01-21T21:40:00.000-05:002009-01-23T01:36:47.140-05:00

"Predictions for Oscars 2009 Nominations"2008 overall had fewer standout American films than a rich year like 2007 and thus did not offer quite as much diversity. As a result, the Oscars® may perhaps be a little easier to predict this time around compared to last year’s. Slumdog Millionaire seems to be the front runner right now for Best Picture and other major categories, perhaps because the

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-87320907692801315842009-01-20T09:56:00.000-05:002009-02-06T01:43:23.572-05:00

“The Best (and Worst) Movies of 2008” It has been true for quite a number of years now, but more than any other year, the best films of 2008 had the pervasive trend of flying “under the radar.” Contrary to popular opinion, there were actually a good lot of movies to write home about (so many of them foreign films), which is why I compiled more than 10 extra movies as memorable runner-ups in

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-52387711304438775302009-01-12T22:09:00.000-05:002009-01-18T11:43:27.585-05:00

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” USA. 2008. Directed by David Fincher. Screenplay written by Eric Roth. Screen story written by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord. Inspired by the short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Starring: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Taraji P. Henson, Julia Ormond, Tilda Swinton, Jason Flemyng, Mahershalalhasbaz Ali and Elle Fanning. Rating: ★★½ David Fincher’s

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-16685893659285254912009-01-06T19:13:00.000-05:002009-01-07T12:12:33.722-05:00

“Revolutionary Road” USA. 2008. Directed by Sam Mendes. Screenplay by Justin Haythe. Based on the novel by Richard Yates. Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Kathy Bates, Michael Shannon, Kathryn Hahn, David Harbour, Richard Easton, Zoe Kazan, Jay O. Sanders, Ryan Simpkins and Ty Simpkins. Rating: ★★★½ Nine years after he explored the detrimental results of becoming stuck

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-17029181377188357452009-01-05T22:36:00.000-05:002009-01-07T17:47:47.421-05:00

“Ponyo on the Cliff” Japan. 2008. Written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. Starring: the voices of Yuria Nara, Hiroki Doi, Akiko Yano, Jôji Tokoro, Yuki Amami, Tomoko Yamaguchi, Kazushige Nagashima, Tomoko Naraoka, Shinichi Hatori, Nozomi Ohashi, Tokie Hidari, Emi Hiraoka, Rumi Hîragi, and Kasuko Yoshiyuki. Rating: ★★★ It is often said that older people start to return to a much

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-29713283411117227292008-12-06T11:27:00.000-05:002008-12-07T09:32:30.408-05:00

“Twilight” USA. 2008. Directed by Catherine Hardwicke. Screenplay by Melissa Rosenberg. Based upon the novel by Stephanie Meyer. Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Billy Burke, Ashley Greene, Peter Facinelli, Nikki Reed, Jackson Rathbone, Kellan Lutz, Cam Gigandet, Taylor Lautner and Anna Kendrick. Rating: ★★ I cannot say for the original, wildly popular source novel

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-44001023724933399312008-11-21T20:32:00.001-05:002008-12-06T17:12:15.317-05:00

“Let the Right One In” Sweden. 2008. Directed by Tomas Alfredson. Screenplay by John Ajvide Lindqvist based on his own novel. Starring: Kåre Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson, Per Ragnar, Henrik Dahl, Karin Bergquist, Mikael Rahm, Karl Robert Lindgren, Ika Nord, Peter Carlberg, Anders Peedu, Paul Olofsson and Cayetano Ruiz. Rating: ★★★★ The Swedish movie, Let the Right One In takes the

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-71844281099076669682008-11-03T23:19:00.000-05:002008-12-03T16:27:16.885-05:00

“Changeling” USA. 2008. Directed by Clint Eastwood. Written by J. Michael Straczynski. Starring: Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich, Jeffrey Donovan, Amy Ryan, Colm Feore, Michael Kelly, Sanford Clark, Gattlin Griffith, Devon Conti, Denis O'Hare, Jason Butler Harner, Geoff Pierson, Reed Birney and Peter Gerety. Rating: ★★★ Few corruption cases have been as baffling as the one

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-76133285101405277822008-10-30T07:58:00.000-04:002008-12-03T16:28:00.686-05:00

“Frozen River” USA. 2008. Written and directed by Courtney Hunt. Starring: Melissa Leo, Misty Upham, Michael O’Keefe, Mark Boone Junior, Charlie McDermott, James Reilly, Nancy Wu, Michael Sky, John Canoe, Pun Bandhu, Jay Klaitz, Dylan Carusona, Rajesh Rose, Joey Chanlin and Adam Lukens. Rating: ★★★½ In the very first shot of Melissa Leo in Frozen River, the camera pans a close-up

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-41419793967279585412008-10-21T06:01:00.000-04:002008-12-03T16:29:04.909-05:00

“The Secret Life of Bees” USA. 2008. Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood. Screenplay adapted by Gina Prince-Bythewood. Based on the novel written by Sue Monk Kidd. Starring: Dakota Fanning, Queen Latifah, Sophie Okonedo, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys, Paul Bettany, Tristan Wilds, Nate Parker, Shondrella Avery and Renee Clark. Rating: ★★★ There is little doubt that Gina

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-5034368427133191322008-10-18T17:09:00.000-04:002008-12-03T16:29:23.305-05:00

“Body of Lies” USA. 2008. Directed by Ridley Scott. Screenplay by William Monahan. Based on a novel written by David Ignatius. Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, Mark Strong, Golshifteh Farahani, Oscar Isaac, Ali Suliman, Alon Abutbul, Vince Colosimo, Simon McBurney, Mehdi Nebbou and Michael Gaston. Rating: ★★½ Bewildering modern day politics and Hollywood movie

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-30551762903904214052008-09-26T09:05:00.000-04:002008-12-03T16:29:45.893-05:00

“Burn After Reading” USA. 2008. Written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. Starring: George Clooney, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton, Brad Pitt, Richard Jenkins, David Rasche, J.K. Simmons, Pun Bandhu, Olek Krupa, Michael Countryman, Kevin Sussman, J.R. Horne, Hamilton Clancy and Armand Schultz. Rating: ★★★ Now that they have properly bounced back from a past

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-70069110394784584962008-09-18T20:54:00.000-04:002008-12-03T16:29:59.214-05:00

“Righteous Kill” USA. 2008. Directed by Jon Avnet. Written by Russell Gewirtz. Starring: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Carla Gugino, John Leguizamo, Donnie Wahlberg, Brian Dennehy, Trilby Glover, Alan Rosenberg, Saidah Arrika, Sterling K. Brown, Barry Primus, Melissa Leo and Alan Blumenfield. Rating: ★★ Back in 1995 when Michael Mann decided to pair Robert De Niro

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-6658829866263233892008-09-15T17:36:00.000-04:002008-09-16T16:36:16.833-04:00

“The Hottie & the Nottie” USA. 2008. Directed by Tom Putnam. Written by Heidi Ferrer. Starring: Paris Hilton, Christine Lakin, Joel David Moore, Johann Urb, Adam Kulbersh, The Greg Wilson, Marianne Muellerleile, Kathryn Fiore, Morgan Rusler, Erin Cardillo, Kayley Scott Collins, Caleb Guss, Kurt Doss and Alessandra Daniele. Rating: 0 stars (and that's being nice) The Hottie and the

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-92019020459566685932008-08-28T22:41:00.001-04:002008-12-03T16:30:43.732-05:00

“Tropic Thunder” USA. 2008. Directed by Ben Stiller. Screenplay by Ben Stiller, Justin Theroux and Etan Cohen. Story by Ben Stiller and Justin Theroux. Starring: Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Brandon T. Jackson, Jay Baruschel, Steve Coogan, Nick Nolte, Matthew McConnaughey, Bill Hader, Brandon Soo Hoo, Danny R. McBride, Amy Stiller, Valerie Azylynn, Matt Levin, David

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-35515193865716353762008-08-20T12:12:00.001-04:002008-12-03T16:30:53.550-05:00

“[Rec]” Spain. 2007. Directed by Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza. Written by Jaume Balagueró, Luis Berdejo and Paco Plaza. Starring: Manuela Velasco, Pep Sais, Ferran Terraza, Jorge Serrano, Javier Botet, David Vert, Maria Lanau, Claudia Font, Manuel Bronchud, Vicente Gil, Carlos Lasarte and Carlos Vicente. Rating: ★★★½ You have seen shaky POV cam before and the horror elements

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-16422593440429278732008-08-16T15:39:00.000-04:002009-01-05T01:47:38.745-05:00

“Taken” France. 2008. Directed by Pierre Morel. Written by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen. Starring: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen, Xander Berkeley, Leland Orser, Katie Cassidy, Jon Gries, Olivier Rabourdin, David Warshofsky, Holly Valance, Nathan Rippy, Camille Jappy and Nicolaus Giraud. Rating: ★★★ What if a super spy like Jason Bourne in his middle-aged years got

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-6682054488128751812008-07-29T13:05:00.000-04:002008-12-03T16:31:10.773-05:00

“The Chaser” South Korea. 2008. Directed by Na Hong-jin. Written by Hong Won-chan, Lee Shin-ho and Na Hong-jin. Starring: Kim Yoon-seok, Ha Jung-woo, Seo Yeong-hie, Kim Yoo-Jeong, Koo Bon-woong, Lee Sang-gyu, Jeong In-gi, Park Hyo-ju, Choi Jung-woo and Min Kyung-jin. Rating: ★★★½ The Chaser is an unusually effective thriller from South Korea that fearlessly puts out all the

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-15866650541386172182008-07-20T21:29:00.000-04:002010-07-19T23:29:39.499-04:00

“The Dark Knight” USA. 2008. Directed by Christopher Nolan. Screenplay by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan. Story by Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer. Based on characters created by Bob Kane. Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Monique Curmen, Ron Dean, Cillian Murphy, Chin Han and Eric Roberts.

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-48162796336612046882008-07-19T15:59:00.000-04:002008-12-03T21:48:40.877-05:00

“Wanted” USA. 2008. Directed by Timur Bekmambetov. Screenplay by Michael Brandt, Derek Haas and Chris Morgan. Story by Michael Brandt and Derek Haas. Based on the comic book series by Mark Millar and J.G. Jones. Starring: James McAvoy, Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman, Thomas Kretschmann, Terrence Stamp, Konstantin Khabensky, Dato Bakhtdatze, Chris Pratt and Lorna Scott. Rating: ★★★

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-35455294672033253172008-07-08T06:43:00.001-04:002008-12-03T16:32:34.176-05:00

“Get Smart” USA. 2008. Directed by Peter Segal. Screenplay by Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember. Based on characters created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry. Starring: Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson, Alan Arkin, Terrence Stamp, Terry Crews, David Koechner, James Caan, Bill Murray, Patrick Warburton, Masi Oka, Nate Torrence, Ken Davitian, David S. Lee and Dalip Singh. Rating: ★★

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-86795915870876080352008-06-30T15:46:00.000-04:002009-02-06T01:55:17.411-05:00

“WALL·E” USA. 2008. Directed by Andrew Stanton. Screenplay by Andrew Stanton and Jim Reardon. Story by Pete Docter and Andrew Stanton. Starring: the voices of Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin, Kim Kopf, Kathy Najimy, John Ratzenberger and Sigourney Weaver, and Fred Willard. Rating: ★★★★ The word, wondrous was invented for movies like WALL·E, which is more than perfectly

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-51344834026067291522008-06-27T11:27:00.000-04:002008-12-03T16:32:49.892-05:00

“Kung Fu Panda” USA. 2008. Directed by Mark Osborne and John Stevenson. Story by Ethan Reiff and Cyrus Voris. Screenplay by Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger. Starring: the voices of Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Ian McShane, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Randall Duk Kim, James Hong, Dan Fogler, Michael Clarke Duncan, Wayne Knight, Kyle Gass and JR Reed.

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-23378305526643107492008-06-21T20:15:00.000-04:002008-12-03T16:33:04.955-05:00

“The Happening” USA. 2008. Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, John Leguizamo, Ashlyn Sanchez, Betty Buckley, Spencer Breslin, Robert Bailey, Jr., Frank Collison, Jeremy Strong, Alan Ruck, Victoria Clark, Alison Folland, Kristen Connolly and Cornell Womack. Rating: ★★½ I have not had as mixed a reaction towards a film as I have had

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-69824789221990817902008-06-17T09:28:00.000-04:002010-08-21T20:56:30.604-04:00

“The Visitor” USA. 2008. Written and directed by Thomas McCarthy. Starring: Richard Jenkins, Haaz Sleiman, Danai Jekesai Gurira, Hiam Abbass, Marian Seldes, Maggie Moore, Michael Cumpsty, Bill McHenry, Richard Kind, Tzahi Moskovitz, Amir Arison, Neal Lerner, Ramon Fernandez and Waleed Zuaiter. Rating: ★★★★ Many may regard Thomas McCarthy’s The Visitor as a parable or even a

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-28752891469124608872008-06-05T22:04:00.000-04:002008-12-03T16:33:22.156-05:00

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” USA. 2008. Directed by Steven Spielberg. Story by George Lucas and Jeff Nathanson. Screenplay by David Koepp. Starring: Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett, Karen Allen, Shia LaBeouf, Ray Winstone, John Hurt, Jim Broadbent, Igor Jijikine, Dimitri Diatchenko, Ilia Volokh, and Alan Dale. Rating: ★★ There is a distinct difference

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-15521638608257519682008-05-19T19:49:00.000-04:002008-12-03T16:33:49.478-05:00

“The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” USA. 2008. Directed by Andrew Adamson. Screenplay by Andrew Adamson, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. Based on the novel by C.S. Lewis. Starring: Ben Barnes, Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Sergio Castellitto, Peter Dinklage, Warwick Davis, Vincent Grass, Pierfrancesco Favino, Cornell John, Damian Alcazar

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-84757830292298180842008-05-13T09:22:00.000-04:002008-12-03T16:33:55.850-05:00

"Redbelt” USA. 2008. Written and directed by David Mamet. Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Emily Mortimer, Alice Braga, Tim Allen, Max Martini, Joe Mantegna, Rebecca Pidgeon, Jose Pablo Cantillo, Rodrigo Santoro, Randy Couture, Ricky Jay, David Paymer, Enson Inoue and Cyril Takayama. Rating: ★★★ “There is nothing from which you cannot escape,” says the martial arts instructor

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-87233177267214130972008-05-04T12:54:00.001-04:002008-12-03T16:34:03.923-05:00

“Iron Man” USA. 2008. Directed by Jon Favreau. Screenplay by Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, Art Marcum and Matt Holloway. Based on comic book characters created by Stan Lee, Don Heck, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby. Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow, Leslie Bibb, Shaun Toub, Faran Tahir, Sayed Badreya, Bill Smitrovich and Clark Gregg. Rating: ★★★½

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-12727944400370240812008-04-17T14:48:00.000-04:002008-12-03T16:34:19.425-05:00

“Forgetting Sarah Marshall” USA. 2008. Directed by Nicholas Stoller. Written by Jason Segel. Starring: Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Russell Brand, Bill Hader, Liz Cackowski, Maria Thayer, Jack McBrayer, Taylor Wily, William Baldwin, Davon McDonald, Steve Landesberg, Jonah Hill, Paul Rudd, Kala Alexander. Rating: ★★★ Forgetting Sarah Marshall marks a more mature return to

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-48039432173327862062008-04-05T10:16:00.000-04:002008-12-03T16:34:51.684-05:00

“Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day” USA. 2008. Directed by Bharat Nalluri. Screenplay by David Magee and Simon Beaufoy. Based on the novel by Winifred Watson. Starring: Frances McDormand, Amy Adams, Ciaran Hinds, Lee Pace, Shirley Henderson, Nick Colderelli, Tom Payne, Stephanie Cole, Beatie Edney and Clare Clifford. Rating: ★★★ Curious how upbeat and cheery the title, Miss

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-16603526568114949532008-03-25T12:30:00.000-04:002008-12-03T16:34:58.185-05:00

“Doomsday” UK. 2008. Written and directed by Neil Marshall. Starring: Rhona Mitra, Bob Hoskins, David O’Hara, Alexander Siddig, Malcolm McDowell, Adrian Lester, Rick Warden, Nora-Jane Noone, Myanna Buring, Leslie Simpson, Chris Robson, Sean Pertwee, Darren Morfitt, Craig Conway and Lee-Anne Liebenberg. Rating: ★★ There is a slight sense of love for post-apocalyptic movie classics

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-5978686944305766392008-03-04T09:55:00.000-05:002008-12-03T16:35:09.058-05:00

“In Bruges” UK/Belgium. 2008. Written and directed by Martin McDonagh. Starring: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Ralph Fiennes, Clemence Poesy, Jordan Prentice, Jeremie Renier, Elizabeth Berrington, Thekla Reuten, Eric Godon, Anna Madeley, Inez Stinton and Sachi Kimura. Rating: ★★★½ In Bruges is a riveting, fascinating crime thriller that begins as a buddy-travel comedy and builds

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-31276341050086959542008-02-26T02:12:00.000-05:002008-05-02T14:40:36.270-04:00

“Oscar Winners Reactions” I am not going to beat around the bush in saying that this year’s Oscars® has actually been the most satisfying in quite a long time. After being disappointed again and again at the Academy’s questionable choices, this is the first time in many years where I feel they have gained some true credibility in going for real quality over popularity. And despite the

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-88827723953429742008-02-10T13:50:00.000-05:002008-05-02T14:45:35.727-04:00

“Oscar Winners Predictions” The time is here when we put our heads together to see if we can be a step ahead of the Academy and read their minds. Thankfully, there are more rewards in predictions with the news of the likelihood that the writers’ strike will be resolved very soon and that there will be a starry Oscar® ceremony after all. Of course, what the familiar patterns and trends, or “

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-22734049607103398522008-01-24T21:00:00.000-05:002008-05-02T14:49:30.061-04:00

“Oscar Nominations Reactions” The funny thing about Oscar® predictions in many years is that you don’t know whether you want to be right or wrong. We know most of the popular Oscar® patterns but we are disappointed when the Academy does not think outside the box. In such a great cinematic year like 2007, the Academy responded quite well to the wealth of filmic audacity on display and,

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-47085326867170229962008-01-21T17:24:00.001-05:002010-10-04T20:57:00.309-04:00

“Cloverfield” USA. 2008. Directed by Matt Reeves. Written by Drew Goddard. Starring: Michael Stahl-David, Jessica Lucas, T.J. Miller, Lizzy Caplan, Mike Vogel, Odette Yustman, Margot Farley, Theo Rossi, Anjul Nigam, Brian Klugman, Kelvin Yu, Liza Lapira, Lili Mirojnick and Ben Feldman. Rating: ★★★ Cloverfield seems to be the culmination of the recent trend of handheld

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-66888889822255935192008-01-21T17:21:00.000-05:002008-05-02T14:56:43.596-04:00

Oscar Nominations Predictions: At the risk of suffering from the same debacle that was the Golden Globes, the Oscar® show must go on and thus so must the nominations. To my delight, this has been one of the trickiest and most unpredictable years to pick, which really indicates the wide variety of artistic films the year had to offer. It is hard to narrow down to just five nominees in some

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-33125396617759063142008-01-19T12:31:00.000-05:002008-12-03T16:36:15.028-05:00

“Michael Clayton” USA. 2007. Written and directed by Tony Gilroy. Starring: George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, Sydney Pollack, Michael O’Keefe, Ken Howard, Merritt Wever, Austin Williams, Sharon Washington, Denis O’Hare, Julie White, Sean Cullen, David Lansbury, and Susan Egbert. Rating: ★★★½ His eyes are always weary while facing a client whose legal mess he has to

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-19500765726438581302008-01-09T18:37:00.000-05:002008-12-03T16:36:21.970-05:00

“Superbad” USA. 2007. Directed by Greg Mottola. Written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. Starring: Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Bill Hader, Seth Rogen, Martha MacIsaac, Emma Stone, Aviva, Joe Lo Truglio, Kevin Corrigan, Clement Blake and Erica Vittina Phillips. Rating: ★★ It was bound to happen at some point soon. The younger the characters in Judd Apatow’s

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-50685735647927596122008-01-05T14:19:00.001-05:002008-12-03T16:36:40.642-05:00

“The Bucket List” USA. 2007. Directed by Rob Reiner. Written by Justin Zackham. Starring: Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman, Sean Hayes, Beverly Todd, Rob Morrow, Alfonso Freeman, Rowena King, Annton Berry, Jr., Verda Bridges, Destiny Brownridge, Brian Copeland, Ian Anthony Dale and Jennifer Defrancisco. Rating: ★★½ They ought to make a special lifetime achievement award for Morgan

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-17244758192722294382007-12-31T00:26:00.000-05:002008-09-02T09:09:11.670-04:00

“The Best and Worst Movies of 2007”Best Movies of 2007 Though the tiny overlap between cinematic greatness and box office success has remained more or less the same, 2007 has been a year filled with surprising cinematic riches. While the big studios often produced sequels that merely mooched off the glory of past franchises with many disappointing results, those who sought more originality

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-63013726163302041882007-12-28T21:18:00.000-05:002008-12-03T16:37:03.249-05:00

“Atonement” USA. 2007. Directed by Joe Wright. Screenplay by Christopher Hampton. Based on the novel by Ian McEwan. Starring: James McAvoy, Keira Knightley, Saoirse Ronan, Romola Garai, Vanessa Redgrave, Brenda Blethyn, Juno Temple, Felix von Simson, Charlie von Simson and Alfie Allen. Rating: ★★★★ Atonement tells the story of two lovers whose potential for luxurious bliss in

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-77569064115461382502007-12-27T14:07:00.000-05:002008-12-03T16:37:11.029-05:00

“The Great Debaters” USA. 2007. Directed by Denzel Washington. Story by Robert Eisele and Jeffrey Porro. Screenplay by Robert Eisele. Based on the article by Tony Scherman. Starring: Denzel Washington, Nate Parker, Jurnee Smollett, Denzel Whitaker, Jermaine Williams, Forest Whitaker, Gina Ravera, John Heard, Kimberly Elise, Devyn A. Tyler and Trenton McClain Boyd. Rating: ★★★½

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-75077847537677451452007-12-25T22:43:00.000-05:002009-01-28T21:29:59.671-05:00

“Juno” USA. 2007. Directed by Jason Reitman. Written by Diablo Cody. Starring: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, J.K. Simmons, Allison Janney, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Olivia Thirlby, Eileen Pedde, Rainn Wilson, Daniel Clark, Darla Vandebossche, Aman Johal and Valerie Tian. Rating: ★★★½ The key to embracing Juno is to harbor the anticipation of seeing real growth throughout. The

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-31491725668507745692007-12-24T11:27:00.000-05:002010-10-06T23:01:22.821-04:00

“Charlie Wilson’s War” USA. 2007. Directed by Mike Nichols. Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin. Based on the novel by George Crile. Starring: Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Ned Beatty, Terry Bozeman, Brian Markinson, Jud Tylor, Hilary Angelo, Cyia Batten, Kirby Mitchell, Emily Blunt and Peter Gerety. Rating: ★★★ At a time when average citizens find it

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-6076918149800393662007-12-22T20:36:00.000-05:002007-12-31T00:43:13.158-05:00

“Christmas Movie Marathon” In this season of peace and rejoice, I thought I would take a look at some perennial Christmas classics that band us together in the holiday spirit, the recent hits with the potential to become one of the classics and the clunkers that cause us to depressingly retreat to our corners. The Classics: It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) – How can this movie not grow more

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-54099855217905007852007-12-20T19:11:00.001-05:002008-12-03T16:37:36.059-05:00

“August Rush” USA. 2007. Directed by Kirsten Sheridan. Story by Paul Castro and Nick Castle. Screenplay by Nick Castle and James V. Hart. Starring: Freddie Highmore, Keri Russell, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Terrence Howard, Robin Williams, William Sadler, Marian Seldes, Leon G. Thomas III, Mykelti Williamson, Aaron Staton, Alex O’Loughlin and Jamia Simone Nash. Rating: ★★★ August Rush

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-57448548885521381492007-12-20T07:36:00.000-05:002008-12-03T16:37:42.753-05:00

“The Brave One” USA. 2007. Directed by Neil Jordan. Story by Roderick Taylor and Bruce A. Taylor. Screenplay by Roderick Taylor, Bruce A. Taylor and Cynthia Mort. Starring: Jodie Foster, Terrence Howard, Nicky Katt, Naveen Andrews, Mary Steenburgen, Ene Oloja, Luis Da Silva, Jr., Blaze Foster, Rafael Sardina, Jane Adams, Gordon McDonald, Zoe Kravitz, John Magaro and Victor Colicchio.

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-46063102974039118182007-12-18T08:18:00.000-05:002008-12-03T16:37:58.658-05:00

“Paris, je t’aime” France. 2006. Idea by Tristan Carné. Feature film concept and transitions by Emmanuel Benbihy. Written and directed by Olivier Assayas, Frédéric Auburtin, Gurinder Chadha, Sylvain Chomet, Ethan and Joel Coen, Isabel Coixet, Martin Combes, Wes Craven, Alfonso Cuarón, Willem Dafoe, Gérard Depardieu, Christopher Doyle, Richard LaGrevenese, Vincenzo Natali, Alexander Payne,

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-3877329183364151492007-12-15T12:01:00.000-05:002008-12-03T16:38:05.643-05:00

“I Am Legend” USA. 2007. Directed by Francis Lawrence. Screenplay by Mark Protosevich and Akiva Goldsman. Based on the novel by Richard Matheson. Starring: Will Smith, Alice Braga, Charlie Tahan, Dash Mihok, Salli Richardson, Willow Smith and Joanna Numata. Rating: ★★★ Most people will say the reason you must go see a movie like I Am Legend in theaters is to see the astonishing shots of a

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-78451026771131743592007-12-13T09:19:00.000-05:002008-12-03T16:38:19.317-05:00

“Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead” USA. 2007. Directed by Sidney Lumet. Written by Kelly Masterson. Starring: Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Albert Finney, Marisa Tomei, Rosemary Harris, Aleska Palladino, Michael Shannon, Amy Ryan, Bryan F. O’Bryrne, Blaine Horton, Arija Bareikis, Leonardo Cimino and Lee Wilkof. Rating: ★★★½ Sidney Lumet’s latest film, Before the Devil

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-58434544590521709002007-12-12T14:03:00.001-05:002008-12-03T16:38:33.926-05:00

“Dan in Real Life” USA. 2007. Directed by Peter Hedges. Written by Pierce Gardner and Peter Hedges. Starring: Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, Dane Cook, Alison Pill, Brittany Robertson, Marlene Lawston, John Mahoney, Dianne Wiest, Emily Blunt, Norbert Leo Butz, Amy Ryan, Jessica Hecht and Frank Wood. Rating: ★★★ There is a pointed line towards the beginning of Dan in Real Life when

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-5819484388960666292007-12-02T18:30:00.000-05:002008-12-03T16:38:45.002-05:00

“No Country for Old Men” USA. 2007. Written for the screen and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. Based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy. Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson, Kelly McDonald, Garret Dillahunt, Tess Harper, Barry Corbin, Stephen Root, Rodger Boyce and Beth Grant. Rating: ★★★★ The Coen brothers’ No Country for Old Men opens with the

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-32997071719252375032007-11-24T11:36:00.000-05:002008-12-03T16:38:53.128-05:00

“Enchanted” USA. 2007. Directed by Kevin Lima. Written by Bill Kelly. Starring: Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden, Timothy Spall, Idina Menzel, Susan Sarandon, Rachel Covey, Jeff Bennett, Kevin Lima, Emma Rose Lima, Jodi Benson, Teala Dinn and Fred Tatasciore. Rating: ★★★½ Enchanted is like a grand, livewire musical symphony of all the Disney fairy tales we grew up loving

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-25949092362314568422007-11-23T20:15:00.000-05:002008-12-03T16:39:00.168-05:00

“Reign Over Me” USA. 2007. Written and directed by Mike Binder. Starring: Adam Sandler, Don Cheadle, Jada Pinkett Smith, Liv Tyler, Saffron Burrows, Donald Sutherland, Robert Klein, Melinda Dillon, Mike Binder, Jonathan Banks, Rae Allen, and Paula Newsome. Rating: ★★★ The central fear that drives Mike Binder’s Reign Over Me is the fear of seeking help. Many critics have questioned

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-9920419580874912872007-11-07T18:08:00.000-05:002008-12-03T16:39:07.021-05:00

“Lars and the Real Girl” USA. 2007. Directed by Craig Gillespie. Written by Nancy Oliver. Starring: Ryan Gosling, Emily Mortimer, Paul Schneider, Kelli Garner, Patricia Clarkson, R.D. Reid, Nancy Beatty, Doug Lennox, Joe Bostick, Liz Gordon, Nicky Guadagni, Karen Robinson, Maxwell McCabe-Lokos, Billy Parrott and Sally Cahill. Rating: ★★★★ The first important thing to make clear

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-1088298369208587232007-10-15T20:49:00.008-04:002010-08-26T14:06:06.112-04:00

The Greats: “The Shawshank Redemption” USA. 1994. Directed by Frank Darabont. Screenplay by Frank Darabont. Based on the short story, “Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption” by Stephen King. Starring: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton, William Sadler, Clancy Brown, Gil Bellows, Mark Rolston and James Whitmore. The most distinguishing quality of Frank Darabont’s masterful

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-77756591498977358712007-10-01T09:33:00.000-04:002008-12-03T16:39:22.817-05:00

“In the Valley of Elah” USA. 2007. Directed by Paul Haggis. Screenplay by Paul Haggis. Story by Mark Boal and Paul Haggis. Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, Susan Sarandon, Jason Patric, James Franco, Barry Corbin, Josh Brolin, Frances Fisher, Wes Chatham and Jonathan Tucker. Rating: ★★★ Look at Tommy Lee Jones. What grizzled pain and weariness he can project with his

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-56365888357471267612007-09-23T13:19:00.001-04:002008-12-03T16:39:30.648-05:00

“Eastern Promises” UK. 2007. Directed by David Cronenberg. Written by Steven Knight. Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, Vincent Cassel, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Sinéad Cusack, Jerzy Skolimowski, Sarah-Jeanne Labrosse, Mina E. Mina, Aleksander Mikic, Joself Altin, Tatiana Maslany and Raza Jaffrey. Rating: ★★★★ David Cronenberg’s latest film, Eastern Promises is like a photo

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-50091445810695951062007-09-08T12:18:00.001-04:002008-12-03T16:39:38.280-05:00

“3:10 to Yuma” USA. 2007. Directed by James Mangold. Screenplay by Halsted Welles, Michael Brandt and Derek Haas. Based on the short story by Elmore Leonard. Starring: Russell Crowe, Christian Bale, Ben Foster, Peter Fonda, Logan Lerman, Dallas Roberts, Alan Tudyk, Gretchen Mol and Benjamin Petry. Rating: ★★★★ There was a time when Westerns engaged audiences on the level of a

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-73577172213045869392007-09-07T17:28:00.000-04:002008-12-03T16:40:05.338-05:00

“Stardust” USA. 2007. Directed by Matthew Vaughn. Screenplay by Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn. Based on the novel by Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess. Starring: Charlie Cox, Claire Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert De Niro, Sienna Miller, Nathaniel Parker, Kate Magowan, Mark Strong, Jason Flemyng and Peter O’Toole. Rating: ★★★ It’s been some time since a real fairy tale like The

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-41058601308773927962007-08-31T09:12:00.000-04:002009-01-12T22:46:49.841-05:00

“Zodiac” USA. 2007. Directed by David Fincher. Screenplay by James Vanderbilt. Based on the novel by Robert Graysmith. Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Edwards, Robert Downey, Jr., Elias Koteas, Chloe Sevigny, Brian Cox and Dermot Mulroney. Rating: ★★★½ Whenever a series of murders go unsolved and unpunished, there is an inherent human drive and fascination to

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-74274825301657311312007-08-27T09:19:00.003-04:002008-12-03T16:40:26.869-05:00

“Mr. Bean’s Holiday” UK. 2007. Directed by Steve Bendelack. Story by Simon McBurney. Screenplay by Hamish McColl and Robin Driscoll. Starring: Rowan Atkinson, Max Baldry, Emma de Caunes, Willem Dafoe, Karel Roden and Jean Rochefort. Rating: ★★½ “Stupid is as stupid does,” the idiot savant, Forrest Gump famously said and no one makes stupid funnier than Rowan Atkinson as Mr. Bean,

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-42671308170406904182007-08-23T14:51:00.000-04:002008-12-03T16:40:41.258-05:00

“Black Sheep” New Zealand. 2007. Written and directed by Jonathan King. Starring: Nathan Meister, Danielle Mason, Peter Feeney, Tammy Davis, Glenis Levestam, Tandi Wright, Oliver Driver and Matthew Chamberlain. Rating: ★ “Black Sheep,” is supposed to be a horror spoof, I guess, but it is really like a one-note gimmick told by a lazy and redundant jokester who keeps on repeating

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-7616413914247494012007-08-18T22:48:00.008-04:002010-08-26T08:59:57.806-04:00

The Greats: “Army of Shadows” France. 1969. Directed by Jean-Pierre Melville. Screenplay by Jean-Pierre Melville. Based on the novel by Joseph Kessel. Starring: Lino Ventura, Paul Meurisse, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Simone Signoret, Claude Mann, Paul Crauchet and Christian Barbier. Jean-Pierre Melville’s “Army of Shadows” is one of the most emotionally brutal movies I’ve ever seen. Not physical,

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-54209528549123217492007-08-18T22:32:00.004-04:002010-08-26T09:00:11.577-04:00

The Greats: “Breathless” France. 1960. Directed by Jean-Luc Godard. Screenplay by Jean-Luc Godard. Story by François Truffaut. Starring: Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean Seberg, Daniel Boulanger, Jean-Pierre Melville, Henri-Jacques Huet and Van Doude. Handheld camerawork, long takes, jump cuts, iris in and out shots. These techniques are familiar today but they startled and exhilarated

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-10252935844975337782007-08-04T16:25:00.001-04:002008-12-03T16:41:10.337-05:00

“Little Manhattan” USA. 2005. Directed by Mark Levin. Written by Jennifer Flackett. Starring: Josh Hutcherson, Charlie Ray, Bradley Whitford, Cynthia Nixon, Willie Garson, Tonye Patano, Josh Pais, John Dossett and Talia Balsam. Rating: ★★★½ When I was in kindergarten, I remember there was a girl whom I thought had quite a crush on me and my parents would tease me about her. She

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-30978829529210631202007-08-04T16:24:00.001-04:002010-07-24T22:06:09.610-04:00

“Sunshine” UK. 2007. Directed by Danny Boyle. Written by Alex Garland. Starring: Cillian Murphy, Rose Byrne, Chris Evans, Michelle Yeoh, Hiroyuki Sanada, Benedict Wong, Troy Garity and Cliff Curtis. Rating: ★★ Perhaps I wouldn’t dislike “Sunshine” so much if I hadn’t had such high hopes walking in. But the director is Danny Boyle, who never repeats himself and has fearlessly

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-58062020758384700922007-08-04T15:31:00.001-04:002008-12-03T16:41:27.575-05:00

“The Bourne Ultimatum” USA. 2007. Directed by Paul Greengrass. Screenplay by Tony Gilroy, Scott Z. Burns and George Nolfi. Story by Tony Gilroy. Based on the novel by Robert Ludlum. Starring: Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, Joan Allen, David Strathairn, Scott Glenn, Paddy Considine, Edgar Ramirez and Albert Finney. Rating: ★★★½ The astonishing thing about the first two films of the

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-89353546770284115962007-07-31T12:24:00.001-04:002008-12-03T16:41:35.718-05:00

“La Vie en Rose” France. 2007. Directed by Olivier Dahan. Written by Olivier Dahan and Isabelle Sobelman. Starring: Marion Cotillard, Sylvie Testud, Pascal Greggory, Emmanuelle Seigner, Jean-Paul Rouve, Marc Barbe, Gerard Depardieu and Clotilde Courau. Rating: ★★★★ The moment I first saw Marion Cotillard as Edith Piaf in the new biopic, “La Vie en Rose,” I could not restrain my

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-74301597351272109212007-07-31T12:15:00.000-04:002008-12-03T16:41:54.403-05:00

“Hairspray” USA. 2007. Directed by Adam Shankman. Screenplay by Leslie Dixon. Based on the 1988 John Waters film and the musical by Mark O’Donnell. Starring: Nikki Blonsky, John Travolta, Amanda Bynes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Zac Efron, Elijah Kelley, James Marsden, Taylor Parks and Queen Latifah. Rating: ★★★½ Remakes are coming in more than anticipatory

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-24220365164186498392007-07-29T15:44:00.000-04:002008-12-03T16:42:05.463-05:00

“A Mighty Heart” USA. 2007. Directed by Michael Winterbottom. Screenplay by John Orloff. Based on the book by Mariane Pearl. Starring: Angelina Jolie, Dan Futterman, Irfan Khan, Will Patton, Archie Panjabi and Denis O’Hare. Rating: ★★★½ Everyone watched the news as it happened in January 2002. A Wall Street reporter named Daniel Pearl went out to interview an Al Qaeda terrorist

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-53392101071379534272007-07-15T23:53:00.000-04:002008-12-03T16:42:13.715-05:00

“Sicko” USA. 2007. Documentary written and directed by Michael Moore. Rating: ★★★½ I’ll readily admit that I’m not a big fan of Michael Moore. He does make documentaries that are eye-opening but also makes them too sarcastic and manipulative with culturally familiar music and images to make more commercially accessible and entertaining as in “Bowling for Columbine” and “Fahrenheit

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-50071288612803566202007-07-15T01:28:00.001-04:002008-12-03T16:42:20.593-05:00

“Days of Glory” Algeria/France. 2006. Directed by Rachid Bouchareb. Written by Rachid Bouchareb and Olivier Lorelle. Starring: Jamel Debbouze, Roschdy Zern, Samy Naceri, Sami Bouajila, Bernard Blancan, Aurelie Eltvedt and Mathieu Simonet. Rating: ★★★½ “Days of Glory” is a valuable film for many reasons. Chief among them is that it recognizes the Algerian men who fought with the

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-1938678604184507422007-07-14T17:35:00.000-04:002008-12-03T16:42:27.601-05:00

“Because I Said So” USA. 2007. Directed by Michael Lehman. Written by Karen Leigh Hopkins and Jessie Nelson. Starring: Diane Keaton, Mandy Moore, Gabriel Macht, Tom Everett Scott, Lauren Graham, Piper Perabo and Stephen Collins. Rating: ★½ “Because I Said So” opens with a black-and-white montage of various loving mothers and daughters hugging and embracing each other. I’ll bet

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-57709798375581552372007-07-14T00:22:00.001-04:002008-12-03T16:42:34.234-05:00

“Breach” USA. 2007. Directed by Billy Ray. Story by Adam Mazer and William Rotko. Screenplay by Adam Mazer, William Rotko and Billy Ray. Starring: Chris Cooper, Ryan Philippe, Laura Linney, Caroline Dhavernas, Gary Cole and Dennis Haysbert. Rating: ★★★ “Breach” opens with an archival news clip from February 2001 of Attorney General Ashcroft announcing in public that Robert

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6704736447102261036.post-9194064306575927992007-07-10T14:41:00.000-04:002008-12-03T16:42:45.207-05:00

“White Hunter Black Heart” USA. 1990. Directed by Clint Eastwood. Screenplay by Peter Viertel, James Bridges and Burt Kennedy. Based on the novel by Peter Viertel. Starring: Clint Eastwood, Jeff Fahey, George Dzundza, Charlotte Cornwell and Norman Lumsden. Rating: ★★★ There is a theory that a truly great film director has to be obstinate and uncompromising to any opinion or

moviejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271805889551694001noreply@blogger.com0