Last movie you watched......

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Had its amusing moments, though I found my mind wandering at times.

 

I watched "The Dreamers" for the pure fact that Eva Green is naked for 45% of the movie.

 

Hotel Transylvania. (I'm a big kid at heart.)

Usually, these cartoon movies have some reason to keep the adult interested. This one didn't. I was not expecting a father-daughter angst story. A couple laughs, but it could have been funnier.

 

State of Play

 

"Hope Springs."

I think it sells itself out at the end, but the ride there is really wrenching. I can't say I enjoyed it - I'm not sure it's meant to be enjoyed. But it was raw and real and a tremendous cautionary tale for all of us.

 

That's a very good reason, I would say.

 

"Elvis Meets Nixon" Bob Gunton is a hoot as president.

 

Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God.
Great documentary about the child abuse cover-up in the Catholic Church.

 

in the starz loop these days is 'reign over me,' circa 2005, adam sandler's first attempt at dramedy, is vastly underappreciated. a moving weepfest with stellar prformances by sandler, as a devastated widower whose wife and 3 young daughters were on one of the 9/11 planes, and don cheadle as an old friend who tries to help him get propped up. great soundstrack (the who, springsteen, prarl jam, jackson browne). awesome eye candy supplied by liv tyler and stunning saffron burrows. saw it again today for first time in 5 years and was reminded how effective it is. effective for me. extremely moving to me on a personal level, as it will be to anyone grieving a loved one lost in a horrific accident way before their time.

 

"Flight."

Highly entertaining if flawed Denzel Washington new DVD release. He's nominated for Best Actor for it, I believe.

Some quick thoughts:

* Father-son stuff was unearned - reminded me a lot of "Super 8," which also tried to wring father-son tears out of Coach Eric Taylor and the main character when it didn't establish the relationship.

* In fact, I don't think that "Flight" does a great job establishing relationships between Washington and much of anybody. So the climax is also kind of unearned, because of that.

* Some of the lawyering stuff toward the end took me out of things, because it wasn't believable. He has this enormous testimony in front of a federal agency the next morning, and to prepare, his lawyer brings by ... a small accordian folder with some suggested answers to probable questions? Also: There is no way that the agency head would have asked him for his opinion on who was drinking. It doesn't matter. His friend said he didn't know what his objection was. I'll help: "Objection. Calls for speculation."

* Great acting, though. Cheadle, Washington, Greenwood, and Goodman are all outstanding.

* Excellently paced.

 

Agreed. That movie is emotionally powerful.

 

"The Good Shepherd." Meh.

Between that and "Zero Dark Thirty," though, I now firmly adhere to the belief that there is no reason a movie should run over 2:15.