Saturday, April 4, 2009

Inkheart, 2008

There is a soft-spot in my heart for Brendan Fraser. Despite the fact that he almost always stars in B movies. Inkheart is no exception. Fraser stars as Mo 'Silvertongue' Folchart, a man who has the ability to "read" characters out of books and into real life.

Inkheart (2008)

Based on the book by Cornelia Funke, this film had enormous potential but the extreme over-acting (directed by Iain Softley) and annoying script (really, you really think the characters would talk that way? really?) by David Lindsay-Abaire, made this film almost painful to watch.

Oh, also why do all the characters have English accents except for Fraser? I guess on the upside, at least he wasn't trying to use one...

Melody's Stars: *


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Friday, April 3, 2009

Bolt, 2008

Cute movie about an Action Hero dog, Bolt (voice of John Travolta), who doesn't know he's actually just a TV actor. When producers decide to add some drama to his show by "kidnapping" Bolt's human, Penny (voice of Miley Cyrus), things go horribly wrong when Bolt leaves the set for the first time ever in his attempt to save her.

Think The Truman Show for a younger audience.
However, older audiences will enjoy it too.

Bolt (2008)

There are some confusing messages as well as some dramatic chase scenes, so not for young children who scare easily.

Directed by Byron Howard and Chris Williams.
Screenplay by Dan Fogelman and Chris Williams.

Melody's Stars: * * *

Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, 2008

Based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1921 short story, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is anything but short. Almost three hours long, it follows the life of Benjamin (Brad Pitt) who was born old and died young. Along the way he falls in love with a girl named Daisy (Cate Blanchett). While most of the time their love seems creepy, for a few years in their 40s their outward ages "meet in the middle."

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

The makeup, visual effects, special effects and art direction were all quite good.
Directed by David Fincher.
The screenplay by Eric Roth, who is probably best known for his Oscar winning screenplay Forrest Gump.

When you have a formula that works, why mess with it?



Melody's Stars: * * *

Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

I.O.U.S.A., 2008

Please watch this film:

I.O.U.S.A. (2008)

This documentary examines the financial mess our country is in with basic language, engaging graphics, and knowledgeable interviewees. Every politician in this country should be required to see this film: if we don't understand how we got into the mess, how can we get out of it?

A non-partisan view of a very political concern. Who knew, money doesn't grow on trees....

Directed by Patrick Creadon.
Based on the book Empire of Debt by William Bonner.

Melody's Stars: * * * * *


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Monday, March 9, 2009

Die Welle, 2008

Based on a true story, high school teacher Rainer Wenger (Jürgen Vogel) decides to teach his students about autocracy by creating one in his class. When the class project grows beyond his control, the consequences are bigger than anyone would have predicted.

Die Welle (2008)

A very thought provoking film, Die Welle explores the human urge for community. The film depicts the comfort and sense of belonging that a group creates as well as the dark side of following a crowd.

Kudos to Dennis Gansel who not only plays the part of high school student Martin but also wrote (along with Peter Thorwarth) and directed this film!

Great soundtrack.
Based on the novel by Todd Strasser, and the classroom experiment The Third Wave created by California high school teacher Ron Jones.


Melody's Stars: * * * * *


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Rachel Getting Married, 2008

When Kym (Anne Hathaway) gets out of rehab on the eve of her sister's wedding, emotions run high. Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt) feels--with good reason--that Kym is always trying to steal the spotlight. Meanwhile their dad (Bill Irwin) attempts to
solve problems through his cooking.

Rachel Getting Married (2008)


A character driven ensemble piece, with fine performances by all, Rachel Getting Married explores the odd mix of tension and love in a dysfunctional family's relationships.

The film is shot in a gritty, camera-shake, art-house style, so the audience feels like a fly-on-the-wall. The closeness creates an uncomfortable feeling; as if you're forced into sharing private moments with total strangers.

The editing leaves something to be desired, especially towards the end when the wedding reception seems to last about six hours and does nothing to drive the plot or deepen our understanding of the characters. Well, perhaps it does help us relate to Kym's feeling of having to get away by any means possible! The approximately 15 minutes of music and dancing really should have been cut by more than half.

While a neatly-wrapped typical ending is not at all what this film needs, a bit more clarity on Rosa's (Roslyn Ruff) appearance at the end seems only fair.


Directed by Jonathan Demme.
Written by Jenny Lumet.

Melody's Stars: I have decided not to rate this movie.


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, 2008

Watching this film, I realized that I may have outgrown teen movies. Also the teens in movies are always doing stuff that no regular high school student would actually do. Like wandering around NYC at 4AM trying to track down a band, getting into a stranger's van to change clothes, allowing your (drunk) best friend to leave in said van with three strangers, fishing a phone and some gum out of a toilet; the list goes on.

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008)

Michael Cera and Kat Dennings star in this film about a never-ending night. Filled with typical Hollywood cliches, an unrealistic plot, and mediocre acting, unless you're watching this film because your parents wouldn't let you, you won't be too enthralled. I am surprised to discover that it's based on a book.


Directed by Peter Sollett.
Written by Lorene Scafaria.
Based on the novel by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan.

Melody's Stars: * *


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Thursday, February 26, 2009

The Reader, 2008

Kate Winslet, Ralph Fiennes, and David Kross star in this bizarre love-story about a 15-year-old boy's coming of age.

Michael Berg (David Kross as the younger and Ralph Fiennes as the older) gets sick one day on the street and a stranger, Hanna Schmitz, helps him out. When he goes back to thank her for her kindness, they end up naked in her bathtub.

About fifteen years his senior, Berg's attempts at courtship are adorably awkward. He takes Schmitz for country bicycle rides, buys her lunch, and reads to her everyday after school. But when Schmitz leaves one day without notice, Berg is left with heartache and questions.

Years later Berg sees his love again: on trial as a Nazi prison guard. Berg is filled with overwhelming emotions, but rather than confront Schmitz (or even allow his presence to be known) he wimps out time and again. The older Berg is an unlikeable character, showing no sign of a spine. When he finally does confront Schmitz, she is so old that it is not a fair match. He also asks all the wrong questions.

Ultimately The Reader is more about the listener. It is Schmitz who the audience wants to know better. A lonely, confused, and twisted soul who takes on a child as a lover, seems to see her job as prison guard the same as any other job, and takes a life sentence in jail rather than admit she cannot read.


The Reader (2008)


Yet another fictional WWII film, this one is more sex less gore.The Reader may make you cringe if you think about the fact that David Kross turned 18 in July, 2008. When did they film this?


Directed by Stephen Daldry.
Screenplay by David Hare.
Based on the book by Bernhard Schlink.

Melody's Stars: * * *


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Sunday, February 22, 2009

81ST ACADEMY AWARDS (List of winners)

Hugh Jackman's opening was a good start to the evening.
I love Natalie Porman's pink dress.
Seth Rogan and James Franco's look at the movies that are never nominated (comedies) is great.
No big surprise, Slumdog Millionare swept the night.

Here are my picks and who won:

Performance by an actress in a supporting role
MY PICK: N/A
WIN: Penélope Cruz

Best animated feature film of the year
MY PICK: N/A
WIN: "WALL-E"

Adapted screenplay
MY PICK: N/A
WIN:“Slumdog Millionaire”

Original screenplay
MY PICK: “Milk”
WIN: “Milk”

Best animated short film
MY PICK: Didn't see any of them
WIN: "La Maison en Petits Cubes"

Achievement in art direction
MY PICK: "The Dark Knight"
WIN: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

Achievement in makeup
MY PICK: N/A
WIN: “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

Achievement in costume design
MY PICK: "The Duchess"
WIN: "The Duchess”

Best Live Action Short
MY PICK: N/A
WIN: "“Spielzeugland (Toyland)”

Performance by an actor in a supporting role
MY PICK: Robert Downey Jr. or Heath Ledger (2 very different performances...)
WIN: Heath Ledger

Best Documentary Feature
MY PICK: It wasn't even nominated.
WIN: "Man on Wire"

Best Documentary Short
MY PICK: N/A
WIN: "Smile Pinki"

Visual Effects
MY PICK: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
WIN: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

Achievement in cinematography
MY PICK: "Slumdog Millionaire"
WIN: "Slumdog Millionaire"

Sound Editing
MY PICK: N/A
WIN: "The Dark Knight"

Sound Mixing
MY PICK: "WALL-E"
WIN: "Slumdog Millionaire"

Film Editing
MY PICK: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
WIN: "Slumdog Millionaire"

Music (Score)
MY PICK: "Slumdog Millionaire"
WIN: "Slumdog Millionaire"

Music (Song)
MY PICK: N/A
WIN: "Jai Ho"

Foreign Language Film
MY PICK: Wasn't Even Nominated.
WIN: "Departures"

Directing
MY PICK: Undecided.
WIN: Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionare)

Best Actress in a Leading Role
MY PICK: Anne Hathaway (haven't seen the movie yet, but like the actress) or Angelina Jolie (which I did see)
WIN: Kate Winslet

Best Actor in a Leading Role
MY PICK: Richard Jenkins
WIN: Sean Penn

Best Picture
MY PICK: "Frost/Nixon"
WIN: "Slumdog Millionaire"

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Flow: For Love of Water, 2008

Hundreds of years ago Native Americans assumed that no one could own the land. It is a resource that everyone has a right to use as needed. Then the Europeans came along and changed that idea. Today we are possibly facing a similar turning point with water.

What would life be like if you had to spend 50% of your income on clean water for your family? In a world of diminishing resources, this is more than a theoretical question for some. Flow examines the future of one of our most vital resources on earth.


Flow: For Love of Water (2008)


While it seems a no-brainer that everyone should have a right to clean water, I wish that the film had not simply taken this assumption and instead asked questions such as:
  • What are the costs associated with piping clean water into small towns?
  • Who should be responsible for these costs?
  • Is the cost that people are asked to pay a lot more than what it actually costs?
  • In areas of high pollution, who is doing the polluting and are they taking responsibility for the damage left behind?
  • Everyone should be able to access clean water, but what are the costs involved in doing this?

The film poses some very important questions, but in an extremely one-sided way. Flow asserts that water has been stolen by big corporations. Perhaps this is simply a documentary that exposes how corporate fat-cats are getting rich at the expense of the poorest people on earth, but it seems that there is more to the story than that. I wish that the filmmakers had asked the question: "What are the reasons that water is so scarce for some? It is simply greed or are there larger issues at play?"

Directed by Irena Salina.


Melody's Stars: * * *


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

I Love You, Man, 2009

Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, and Rashida Jones ("Karen" on NBC'sThe Office) star in this "bromantic" comedy about best friends.

When Peter Klaven (Rudd) proposes to his girlfriend Zooey (Jones), he realizes that he doesn't have anyone to be his best man. After numerous failed "man-date" attempts to find his bff --including a quite memorable one with Doug (Thomas Lennon from Reno 911)--Klaven is ready to give up on friendship.

Then Sydney Fife (Segel) enters his life. Fife and Klaven are fast friends; that is until the new friendship threatens to ruin his relationship with Zooey.

I Love You, Man (2009)

I Love You, Man is a comedic rollercoster ride. While there are a number of laugh-out-loud moments it also drags at points. Not recommended for young people or those who offend because it is filled with crude humor. This is a total "bro-flick" [chick flick for men].


Directed by John Hamburg.
Written by John Hamburg and Larry Levin.


Melody's Stars: ***


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Flash of Genius, 2008

Based on actual events, Flash of Genius follows the bittersweet story of inventor Bob Kearns (Greg Kinnear). With the support of his wife (Lauren Graham) and their six children, Kearns invented the intermittent windshield wiper. With his business partner (Dermot Mulroney), Kearns brings his design to Ford. At first they are interested, but then he is told that there will be no deal.

When Kearns discovers that Ford no longer wants his product because they have stole his design, he finds a lawyer (Alan Alda) to take up his case. Ford agrees to settle for a large sum, but Kearns refuses to take the offer without public acknowledgement of his work.

Unable to move on with his life until Ford admits that they used his designs, Kearns risks his the well-being of his health, family, and job in order to gain public credit.

Flash of Genius (2008)

This film moves a bit slowly towards the end, but is otherwise very good. My favorite moment is probably when Kearns is cross-examining himself.


Directed by Marc Abraham.
Written by Philip Railsback.
Based on an article by John Seabrook.

Melody's Stars: ****


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Body of Lies, 2008

Leonardo DiCaprio stars as CIA agent Roger Ferris working in the middle east. While he runs operations on the ground everyday, his boss (Russell Crowe) tells him what to do from the comfort of Washington D.C. Ferris struggles to follow orders while also doing what he thinks is best.

Body of Lies (2008)

Interesting but sometimes hard to follow plot. An out-of-place love story is thrown in when Ferris falls for a local nurse (Golshifteh Farahani).

Enjoyable acting, decent soundtrack, lots of explosions, and a painfully graphic torture scene.

Directed by Ridley Scott.
Written by William Monahan based on the novel by David Ignatius.

Melody's Stars: **


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Friday, February 6, 2009

Changeling, 2008

Based on actual events, Changeling tells the story of Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie) and her fight to find her missing son Walter (Gattlin Griffith).

In 1928, when Collins' son disappeared, the LAPD consider the case closed after returning a boy who was not Walter Collins. When Mrs. Collins declared the boy was not hers, the police chief had her locked up in a mental hospital in an attempt to avoid bad press. While Collins never found her son, she was vindicated and the LAPD faced corruption charges.

Powerful, thought provoking, frightening, and heart-wrenching, this is one of the best films of 2008.

Changeling (2008)

If I were to change anything about Changeling, it would be to cut out about 20minutes. Just over 140minutes, it is a tad too long. That said, for a 2 and a half hour film it moves very quickly.

Produced, directed and original music by Clint Eastwood. Is there anything that this guy cannot do?! I did not realize that in addition to being a talented actor/producer/director, Eastwood also is a gifted composer and plays the piano.

Written by J. Michael Straczynski.
Beautiful costumes by Deborah Hopper.


For more info about the real Walter Collins:
The Boy Who Vanished–and His Impostor
Wiki Christine Collins

Melody's Stars: *****


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Sunday, February 1, 2009

The Love Guru, 2008

I watched this film expecting nothing and it fully delivered. Perhaps it is because my expectations were set so low that I am allowing this film one star. This could have been a really good, funny film (and for the first 15-minutes it actually was) but instead The Love Guru is painfully typical.

The Love Guru (2008)

Mike Myers plays a Guru who wants to be as famous as Deepak Chopra. To attain his goal, he must help the manager of an ice hockey team (Jessica Alba) get her star player back on track. The movie features Justin Timberlake, John Oliver, Meagan Good, Romany Malco, Jim Gaffigan, and Stephen Colbert (Colbert plays an off-the-wall sports announcer who is fighting a drug addiction).

Guest appearances by: Deepak Chopra, Jessica Simpson, Kanye West, Val Kilmer, and others.

While there are a number of funny bits (most notably two Bollywood dance spoofs), The Love Guru runs about an hour too long, is filled with moments that make you physically cringe, lots of jokes about bodily functions, and numerous double entendres.



Melody's Stars: *


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Slumdog Millionaire, 2008

Slumdog Millionaire follows the life of Jamal Malik (Dev Patel, Tanay Chheda and Ayush Mahesh Khedekar). A boy from the slums of Mumbai, Jamal and his tough older brother Salim (Ashutosh Lobo Gajiwala, Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail) are left to fend for themselves after their mother dies. Throughout, Jamal tries his best to protect his best friend, and later love interest, Latika (Freida Pinto, Rubiana Ali).

When Jamal becomes a winning contestant on the TV show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, he finds himself defending his correct answers to the police. Highly acclaimed and well recommended, I expected a lot from this film. While it did not disappoint, I expected more.


Slumdog Millionaire (2008)


I would give this movie only 3 stars but because of the beautiful cinematography (Anthony Dod Mantle) it is worth seeing in theaters. I also really enjoyed the soundtrack.

Directed by Danny Boyle. Co-director (India) Loveleen Tandan. In English and Hindi with English subtitles.


Melody's Stars: ****


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Friday, January 23, 2009

The Rocker, 2008

When Fish (Rainn Wilson), the drummer for up-and-coming rock band Vesuvius, is dropped from the band just as they hit it big, his life is ruined. 20 years later he gets a 2nd chance when his nephew's garage band suddenly needs a drummer for their gig at prom. Refusing to grow up, Fish convinces the young band (and their parents) to go out on the road for a tour. But when their manager books them to open for Vesuvius, the band's commitment is tested.


The Rocker (2008)


I had very high hopes for The Rocker because the cast list is filled with comedic talent: Will Arnet (George on Arrested Development) Fred Armisen (Obama on SNL), and Christina Applegate. As Fish, Rainn Wilson had too much Dwight in him (the character he plays on NBC's The Office) and not enough Rock'N'Roll. The style of deadpan humor that works so well for Dwight's character, is painfully out of place. The best part of this movie is actually Demetri Martin's cameo as a music video director.

In the same way that a comic who laughs at his own jokes isn't funny, The Rocker failed because it tried too hard.

Directed by Peter Cattaneo. Writing credits go to: Maya Forbes & Wallace Wolodarsky for the screenplay and Ryan Jaffe for the story.


Melody's Stars: 0


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Thursday, January 22, 2009

The 81st Annual Academy Awards

The 2009 Academy Awards nominations have just been announced. Click on Oscar for a link to the list:


2009 Oscar List


Among the nominations are a bunch of films on my list to watch: Slumdog Millionaire, Rachel Getting Married, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and Changeling.

One movie that I hadn't planned to see is Revolutionary Road but given its 3 nods, perhaps it is worth checking out??

Also not on my radar, The Wrestler with Mickey Rourke.

Great to see Richard Jenkins nominated for Best Actor in The Visitor.

It is rare to ever see comedies get the slightest nod (animated ones excluded), so it's interesting to see that Robert Downey Jr. has a Best Supporting Actor nomination for Tropic Thunder. (A movie that was hilariously bad. Completely vulgar but--when I saw it--kept a full theater laughing out loud). Since he's up against the late Heath Ledger for his role in The Dark Knight, I have a feeling that poor ol' Downey isn't going to win.

Unfortunately I have yet to see any of the Foreign Language Films or documentaries on the list. That will soon change....

Monday, January 19, 2009

Pride and Glory, 2008

Edward Norton, Colin Farrell, Noah Emmerich and Jon Voight star in this action/drama about a family of NYPD cops. When a case reveals departmental scandal, family ties are shaken.


Pride and Glory (2008)

Mention must be given to cinematographer Declan Quinn for top-notch work. For example, watch at the beginning of the movie when Emmerich's character arrives at a crime scene and the camera never cuts away.

As usual, Edward Norton delivers a great performance. This movie would have been four stars if it didn't start to drag at the end. Also, there are a number of characters in this film who only speak Spanish and they did not bother to subtitle them.


Directed by Gavin O'Connor

Melody's Stars: ***


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

American Teen, 2008

Filmmmaker Nanette Burstein's American Teen follows the lives of seven teens in a small town in Indiana.

American Teen (2008)

If it weren't for MTV shows like Laguna Beach, this might be a "breakout" documentary but instead it is nothing new: Typical voyeurism with an added splash of very creative animations.


Melody's Stars: **


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Taken, 2008

When the daughter of former a spy, Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson), wants to go traveling around Europe with her best friend, he reluctantly agrees. His ex-wife thinks that he is being an over-protective Dad, until the two girls (played by Maggie Grace and Katie Cassidy) are kidnapped and sold as sex slaves.

Taken (2008)

A story about a father's love for his daughter, Mills quickly flies to Europe where he has to use his skills and old work connections to try and rescue his daughter and friend before all tracks are gone.

While Taken is a well-produced, compelling story I really wish that I did not watch this movie because it has some pretty horrible scenes in it and I left with nightmares.

Directed by Pierre Morel.

Melody's Stars: ***


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

The Boys from Baghdad High, 2007

Follows four high school boys from Baghdad. Much of the footage is shot by the boys themselves.

The Boys from Baghdad High (2007)


An interesting view of life in a war-torn country, that asks the question: how different are we really?



Melody's Stars: **


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Sunday, January 18, 2009

I Served the King of England (aka Obsluhoval som anglického krála), 2006

Released in the states this past year, I Served the King of England is a very sweet, sad, film about Jan Díte (Oldrich Kaiser), a young servant who longs for fame and fortune.

I Served the King of England (2006)

When World War II comes to Prague, Dite tries hard to ignore the changes around him and proceed as if life were normal. Watching, you can't help but both despise and adore Dite.

Directed by Jirí Menzel. Based on a novel by Bohumil Hrabal.

Melody's Stars: ****


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Quantum of Solace, 2008

Believe it or not, this is the first James Bond movie that I have ever viewed. From what I'm told, it is typical Bond: lots of fighting, objectifying women, and Bond doing whatever it takes to capture his guy. I'm also told that the older Bond movies had a lot of cool invented gadgets that he would use. This film could have used a few of those.

Quantum of Solace (2008)

I cannot compare this to other Bond movies, so I compare it to other Action/Adventure spy movies that I've seen.

Directed by Marc Forster, the movie stars Daniel Craig as 'James Bond,' Judi Dench as 'M,' and Olga Kurylenko as 'Camille.'

Melody's Stars: **


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona, 2008

After first viewing this film I would have given it '0' stars. A stereotypical Woody Allen film--complete with an unnecessary narrator--Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona is about two friends (Rebecca Hall and Scarlett Johansson) who meet a man in Barcelona and the mixed-up love triangles that follow.

Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona (2008)

For some reason this film has stuck with me though. Mostly because it questions why and how we fall in love and the reasons people do or don't stay together. For that reason, I am giving it a few extra stars. Also, there are a number of talented actors to watch. If you have seen No Country For Old Men, this film highlights the talented Javier Bardem in a completely different role.


Melody's Stars: ***


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Frost/Nixon, 2008

Based on the 2007 play by Peter Morgan, Frost/Nixon chronicles the 1977 interviews between Robert Frost and President Richard Nixon. While I have not seen the stage play, Morgan's screenplay is quite engaging.

Frost/Nixon (2008)


Ron Howard directs and produces this docudrama starring Frank Langella as Nixon and Michael Sheen as David Frost.

The movie features Kevin Bacon, Sam Rockwell, Rebecca Hall, Kate Jennings Grant, Clint Howard (Ron's brother) and Rance Howard (Ron's father).

Melody's Stars: *****


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Saturday, January 17, 2009

City of Ember, 2008

I'm not quite sure why, but I really liked this film. For an action/adventure family film it is not too cheesy and the young stars (Saoirse Ronan as Lina Mayfleet and Harry Treadaway as Doon Harrow) are quite likable. Bill Murray often gets on my nerves, but I even enjoyed his performance as Mayor Cole.

City of Ember (2008)


There are a number of intense scenes (including a very hungry mole rat) so I would not recommend this movie for most children under 10.
Directed by Gil Kenan the movie also features Tim Robbins and Liz Smith.

Melody's Stars: ****


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

WALL-E, 2008

WALL-E is a robot love story with a message. When humans trash the earth so badly that there is no room left for living plants, they move to another planet where they grow fat and lazy while machines do everything for them.

I can't decided if this movie was hyped-up so much that it could never live up to my expectations, or if, perhaps, it really is only so-so.

WALL-E (2008)

Cast includes the voices of Fred Willard, Kathy Najimy, and Sigourney Weaver.
Directed by Andrew Stanton.


Melody's Stars: ***


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Welcome to Macintosh, 2008

Welcome to Macintosh is a documentary about the history of Apple Computers and how they have transformed the world.

Welcome to Macintosh (2008)

Content-wise this is a 3-star film, but the soundtrack is so painful that I am taking away a star because of it.

I am taking away another star because this film really could have been edited in a more interesting way. While the run-time is under an hour and a half, it feels much longer. For example, each time they introduce a new person in the film the screen goes white and their name appears in the "lower-third" for a few seconds. I realize that this is a bit of a play on Apple's style of commercials, but it is dead air and I would prefer to see this info while also hearing what the person has to say. Also, while it is the nature of documentaries to have "talking heads," I believe that filmmakers Robert Baca and Josh Rizzo could have done more to make this film feel active.


Melody's Stars: *


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Friday, January 16, 2009

Bring Back the A-Team, 2006

British presenter Justin Lee Collins loved the A-Team as a child and now he's on a mission to reunite the cast. One by one he ambushes the former cast members and convinces them to attend his reunion party. Only Mr. T proves to be hard to track down and Justin worries he won't be able to reach him in time.

The A-Team


While not a ground-breaking documentary by any means, this is a clever and fun film. The film looks at behind-the-scenes tension between the late George Peppard and Mr. T.

Melody's Stars: ***


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Iron Man, 2008

Robert Downey Jr. plays Tony Stark, an eccentric millionaire inventor who decides to fight the "bad guys" in the body armor he invents. Gwyneth Paltrow plays his assistant, Pepper Potts, the low-self-esteem nerdy assistant who lets down her hair, takes off her glasses and becomes a sex symbol. It isn't hard to notice that the only female characters in this movie are either sex symbols or victims. A good portion of the movie is spent showing Stark working on his inventions or driving his cars. Some cool CGI stuff.

Iron Man (2008)

If you are a comic book fan, you probably already saw the movie twice. But for everyone else, you can probably find a better use of 126 minutes.
Directed by Jon Favreau.


Melody's Stars: 0


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

The Day After Tomorrow, 2004

When the Vice President (Kenneth Welsh) refuses to listen to scientist Jack Hall (Dennis Quaid), the USA is unprepared for a huge global disaster courtesy of Mother Nature.

If you can get past things like cell phones still working when half of New York is underwater, huge ships sailing past the New York Library, and why if scientist Dad is smart enough to tell his son (Jake Gyllenhaal) to stay indoors from the cold he thinks he will survive a snow-shoe trek from D.C. to Manhattan, this movie isn't half-bad. It does contain a typical-Hollywood cringe-worthy ending though.

The Day After Tomorrow (2004)


Wanting to be sure that no one confused him with the bad guy VP who wasn't friends with the scientist, former VP Al Gore produced a movie based on this film two years later. I guess Gore didn't realize that The Day After Tomorrow is a fictional film?




Melody's Stars: ***


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Felon, 2008

After an intruder breaks into his home, Wade Porter (Stephen Dorff) kills the man with a baseball bat. Since the intruder was unarmed and attempted to flee, Porter is arrested and sentenced with jail time.

While his wife (Marisol Nichols) and son (Vincent Miller) struggle at home without him, Porter struggles in the "big house." Gang fights are part of everyday life, and Porter is thrown into the middle of it all.

When "lifer," John Smith (Val Kilmer) becomes his new cellmate, Porter quickly learns a few things about surviving prison life.

Felon (2008)

Directed by stuntman Ric Roman Waugh, Felon is very well done but is not for the faint-of-heart since there is almost non-stop graphic violence.

Melody's Stars: ***


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Sunday, January 11, 2009

The Accidental Husband, 2008

This movie made me cringe it was so predictably bad. If for some reason you plan to watch it you might want to stop reading because I'm about to "spoil" the plot.

The Accidental Husband (2008)


Uma Thurman plays Love Doctor Emma Lloyd who gives advice on a radio show. When she suggests that a female caller postpone her wedding, the jilted husband-to-be, fireman Patrick Sullivan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), seeks revenge. His downstairs neighbor, a young Indian boy who likes to hack computer systems, has just the solution; he marries Emma and Patrick.

When Emma goes with hubby-to-be Richard Bratton (Colin Firth) to apply for her marriage license she discovers that she is already wed. Emma goes to find her "computer-glitch" husband and annul the marriage. She finds him in a local bar where he gets her drunk and brings her to his apartment. The next morning, Emma rushes off to work where her Dad shows up with her Mom's wedding dress. Then both Richard and Patrick call her and she tries to juggle the calls. Then Patrick shows up with the annulment papers. For some reason she allows him to join her at the wedding cake tasting. The cake tasting scene is slightly funny. Emma and Pat pretend that they are actually engaged when a woman starts asking them questions.

Later that night Emma has a book-signing. The woman from the cake-tasting is there and it turns out that she is the wife of a Big Cheese who is about to liquidate Richard's company. But because she liked "Richard" at the cake tasting, she makes her husband meet him. Since "Richard" is actually Patrick, Emma has to think quick and tells everyone that the real Richard is her little brother. With some pressure from Emma, both Richard and Patrick agree to play along.

Emma,"Richard", the woman, and her Big Cheese husband all go off to an "Indian bar mitzvah." (Don't ask.) Emma and Patrick start to have fun and almost kiss, which freaks Emma out so she calls her Daddy and goes home. At last she can relax while Dad makes pancakes for breakfast. Well, until a teenage girl joins them in the kitchen. Emma thinks this is her Dad's new girlfriend and she storms out. (Later she learns it's the girlfriend's daughter and they all makeup).

Emma runs back to Richard who is happy because the Big Cheese had fun at the Indian party and has saved his job.

But Patrick still has the annulment papers. And when he goes to return them at her work, he and Emma have a hot make-out session in the elevator. So now Emma's confused again. She continues to give out her radio advice, but now she doesn't really believe what she is telling her callers. She goes to Patrick's apartment and sleeps with him.
The next morning, Emma discovers the truth about how Patrick met her when she looks in his trashcan. Super mad, Emma confronts him in the shower and runs out the door. He follows to explain. They just happen to stop in front of the store where Patrick's ex-fiancee works. He asks Emma "Do you know that woman?" Then he explains and tells her that he wanted her to know how it felt, to bring her down a peg. Emma runs off and then we see the requisite montage.

Emma decides to marry Richard. But the night before, while on-the-air, Patrick calls to tell her that he loves her. So Emma sits in the church knowing she can't marry Richard. Richard arrives and shows her that he never filed the annulment papers. "I know when I've lost" he explains. Emma then sets off the fire alarm and requests Patrick's Fire House to come to put it out.

The movie finally ends with Emma (in wedding dress) and Patrick driving off in the firetruck.

Filled with stereotypes, terrible lines and a totally predictable plot, this is one of the worst romantic comedies that I have ever seen.



Melody's Stars: Fail!


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Saturday, January 10, 2009

The Promotion, 2008

Doug Stauber (Seann William Scott) is a "shoe-in" for promotion to Manager with the supermarket chain he works at until Richard Wehlner (John C. Reily) arrives in town from Canada. The two men compete for the same job in this bittersweet "comedy."

The Promotion (2008)


Given the number of talented comedic actors in it, this film it should have been really funny but I don't think that I laughed once while watching it. Seann William Scott may be hilarious as the character Stifler, but otherwise he lacks comedic timing.

That said, any blame for the lack of humor really has to be placed on Writer/Director Steve Conrad. There are numerous scenes that have outrageous comedic potential but Conrad wrote and/or directed them too straight. For example, there is a scene at the company retreat where Jason Bateman plays a team-building coach. This scene has potential for over-the-top comedy but instead you watch it feeling slightly sad for John C. Reily's character.

The Promotion also features Jenna Fischer and Fred Armisen. Neither of these actors were really even given a chance to do anything in this film.


Melody's Stars: *


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

The Visitor, 2008

I saw this movie at the Ritz East with my Dad. We hadn't actually planned to see this film. I had read the current reviews online and we had decided on a comedy. I guess I did not pay enough attention to the title of the film we chose or the Ritz it was playing at. We got to the theater just as it was starting, and quickly realized that this didn't look like the movie that we had picked.


The Visitor (2008)


The Visitor starts out rather ominously and I really began to wonder what we had gotten ourselves into. Thankfully this movie is really good and I am glad that we ended up seeing it together. My Dad enjoyed it.

It is a movie about a college professor and a young couple who unexpectedly enter his life. Richard Jenkins delivers a very fine performance. Also stars Haaz Sleiman and Danai Jekesai Gurira. Written and directed by Thomas McCarthy.


Melody's Stars: *****


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Jumper, 2008

This movie is so unremarkable that I know someone who accidentaly ended up watching it twice--I guess the first viewing must have "jumped" from his memory. If you are a Hayden Christensen fan who enjoys the paranormal then perhaps this is the movie for you. Otherwise it is probably not worth your time.

Jumper (2008)

Staring Hayden Christensen and Rachel Bilson. Directed by Doug Liman.

Melody's Stars: 0


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Son of Rambow, 2007

Set in England in the early 1980s, a young boy from a religious family becomes friends with a trouble-maker who owns a video camera. The unlikely friends pair up to make a movie together. Complications arise when a popular French exchange student wants to join in.

Son of Rambow (2007)

Staring Bill Milner, Will Poulter and Jules Sitruk. Directed by Garth Jennings. Bittersweet, funny coming-of-age story.

Melody's Stars: ***


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Lakeview Terrace, 2008

I'm really not sure what the point of this movie was. If it was supposed to be a suspense/thriller movie, it failed. If it was supposed to be a horror movie, it failed. If it was supposed to be an insightful drama it also failed in doing that. If it was supposed to show how people can be really stupid sometimes, I guess it partly succeeded.

Lakeview Terrace (2008)

Directed by Neil LaBute. Stars Samuel L. Jackson, Patrick Wilson, and Kerry Washington.

Melody's Stars: 0


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Ghost Town, 2008

Ricky Gervais, who plays the boss in the BBC's The Office, is a cantankerous but lovable dentist who wants nothing more than to be left alone. When he accidentally dies for a few minutes, his life is changed by New York City's ghosts who will just not leave him alone.


Ghost Town (2008)



This movie starts off really good, with a lot of laugh-out-loud moments, but somewhere in the latter part of the movie the humor slows down and you're left waiting for things to wrap up. Also stars Greg Kinnear, Aasif Mandvi, and Claire Lautier.


Melody's Stars: ***


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

Step Brothers, 2008

For the most part, I like Will Ferrell. Some people don't. But he usually can make me laugh. And teamed up with John C. Reilly, Richard Jenkins (The Visitor, 2008), and Mary Steenburgen this movie starts off with a comic bang. If you're in the mood to play along with the premise that two 40-year-old men still live at home and behave like 13-year-old boys, this movie is quite fun.


Step Brothers (2008)

Unfortunately towards the end, Step Brothers gets all Hollywood sappy and that kind of ruins things. But there are quite a few laugh-out-loud moments in here (and not just the ones shown in the trailer).


Melody's Stars: ***


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

The House Bunny, 2008

From the preview I had hopes that it could be ones of those really bad but secretly funny guilty pleasure movies.



The House Bunny (2008)


But no, this movie was so bad that I had to create a new rating for it: FAIL.


Melody's Stars: fail!


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time
Fail=So bad it doesn't even make the rating system

The Baxter, 2005

One of my all-time favorite movies, I stumbled upon The Baxter in the video store one day.


The Baxter (2005)


Written, directed, and starring Michael Showalter, this is a very funny, cute, romantic comedy about what happens after the "nice guy" is left at the alter for the "hot leading man." Also stars Michelle Williams, Elizabeth Banks, Paul Rudd and Michael Ian Black. Kudos to Peter Dinklage who plays an uptight wedding planner.



Melody's Stars: *****


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Milk, 2008

Based on a true story. Harvey Milk, California's first openly gay elected official, and Mayor George Moscone were both murdered by former San Francisco Supervisor Dan White.
White's lawyers claimed that he went on the rampage after eating too much junk food, thus coining the term "Twinkie Defense."

Milk (2008)


Sean Penn, James Franco and rest of cast deliver fine performances. If you enjoy the film, you should also check out the play "Execution of Justice" by Emily Mann which is based on the trial People vs. Dan White.

Emily Mann



And also the documentary The Life and Times of Harvey Milk:


The Life and Times of Harvey Milk (1984)

Melody's Stars: ****


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time

Righteous Kill, 2008

Al Pacino and Robert De Niro pair up in a movie that really should be better. They are cops on the hunt for a serial killer--similar to the TV series Dexter, the serial killer only makes "righteous" kills. The plot gets kind of confusing at times but despite that I was still able to predict the ending about half-way through the movie.

Righteous Kill



Melody's Stars: **


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time

The Women, 2008

This movie:

The Women (2008)


is a remake of this movie:

The Women (1939)


Hopefully the original was better, because this movie really didn't need to be any longer than the preview.


Melody's Stars: 0


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time

W., 2008

It seems wrong to come out with this movie while George Bush is still in office. The proverbial ink isn't even dry and Oliver Stone has already made an "historical" film.

W. (2008)

But I guess it's just as well because this movie was already 2 hours too long, I can't imagine if he attempted to cover the past few months. The financial situation alone might add another hour. This movie honestly felt longer than George W. Bush's entire presidency at times. If you're stuck in an airport security line or waiting for paint to dry there are a few moments worth watching.



Melody's Stars: *


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Seven Pounds, 2008

This movie was a bit too long. Sad but sweet story starring Will Smith and Rosario Dawson. Directed by Gabriele Muccino.


Seven Pounds



Melody's Stars: ***


Rating System:
*****=Worth Buying
****=Worth Seeing in Theaters
***=Worth Renting
**=Worth Watching on TV
*=Worth Watching if also cleaning house or doing paperwork
0=Total waste of time