Sweeney Todd

Really good film. Before seeing this film I had heard that it was much darker and bloodier than what most people thought it was going to be. I don't agree. Yes there is a lot of what is suppose to be blood but I think it is obvious that it is suppose to be fake blood too. When you have the slitting of throats and blood that looks like paint spraying every time it looks just like what it is (a show). The darkness of the film is really just an added side effect of the moods from the characters. When everything is loving and peaceful in the flashbacks the scene is bright and cheery, years later when depression, hate, and loneliness have set in everything is much darker. The music in this film is quite good with some new comers that I hope to see more of. Toby played by Edward Sanders, Anthony played by Jamie Campbell Bower. Both actors will hopefully be in many things to come. As for the rest of the cast they were all par for the course. Alan Rickman is a fantastic villain, Helena Bonham Carter is always a fantastic mad woman, and Johnny Depp is always a great loner, there were short moments I was reminded of Edward Scissorhands with a slightly darker side. If you are a person that likes musicals I highly recommend this movie. I give this film an A.

http://www.sweeneytoddmovie.com/ US site

http://wwws.warnerbros.fr/sweeneytodd/ French Site

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0408236/ IMDB

Cloverfield

Not able to grade this film.
I'm a person that doesn't like to read synopsis of films before I go to see them. Honestly the only thing I knew about this film was it was a monster movie based in New York city. I had no knowledge about the whole thing is in point of view format and I am a person that gets really sick with that motion. Since seeing all of 20 min of this film I have heard many people say if you can handle the Blair Witch Project you will be fine with this. Personally I'm not agreeing with this. Although Blair Witch bothered me some and there was movement it was suppose to be 3 film makers doing a documentary, as opposed to this film where you have a guy that says he doesn't even know how to use the camera all holding it and moving it. So there is large swaying movements that were just personally too much for me. I know I'm not the only person bothered by this because there was a line to get refunds when I went to go get mine.
I will say what I saw of the acting, lighting, editing, and set it all looked pretty good.

http://www.cloverfieldmovie.com/ US site

http://www.cloverfield.fr/ French site

http://www.cloverfield.co.ua/ Russian site

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1060277/ IMDB

The Golden Compass

I was not impressed. With all the previews, the actors, the special effects it all just came down to it was ok. The great moments of this film reminded me of The NeverEnding Story but there weren't that many great moments. There are some movies that just flow from one part to another. This film felt very divided between home, journey, discovery, and war. The imagination in this is wonderful, and the acting was really quite good I left the movie feeling disappointed, and missing something. Children will love it, the war isn't bloody when someone dies they disappear in to a wind of what looks like star dust, and they will get to see things that make the imagination stretch. I did hear other adults complain of the same problem I had at the end though. I give this film a B.


http://www.goldencompassmovie.com/ site links to other languages

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0385752/ IMDB

Murder by Death

It's been a long time since I laughed this hard. This has to do with mystery writers all getting called to solve a murder that is still going to happen hours after they get there. This film has an amazing cast of Alec Guinness, David Nivien, Peter Falk, and Maggie Smith just to name a few. There are scenes so funny you will have to pause and dry your eyes to keep watching. I would really love to give you specifics but this being a mystery-comedy that would really ruin it. This film gets an A. See it see it see it.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074937/

My Girlfriend's Boyfriend (1999)

For a film that was made in the 90's it definitely didn't feel like it. While the story is cute and the acting is somewhat decent for an small film with an even smaller budget. At least that is what I'm guessing with the size of the cast and other things. The best and the worst part of this film would have to be the physical comedy in it. On of the characters is tall and very clumsy. In the start it was kind of the thing that got me wanting to see more but it does get old after a while. There are no large names in this except for Deborah Gibson (yes the 80's teen pop idol Debbie Gibson), and maybe Chris Bruno which you might recognize depending on what TV you watch.
I give this film a B-.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119740/

Juno

Best movie I have seen in over a year. The acting is wonderful, story is endearing always keeping interested. There is truly something for everyone in this film, this is not a comedy, drama, or teen bop flick, it is a story about life. There is even a small scene for horror fans (not the birth) . Ellen Page does a fantastic job of being the 16 year old pregnant, punk, smart, sarcastic girl. Michael Cera (most will know him as Evan in Superbad) is a great clueless but loving biological father of the baby. Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner as the couple looking to adopt the baby are wonderful. She is an uptight yuppie while he still has the heart of a rocker, and the parents of Juno played by Allison Janney and J.K Simmons are realistic keep it interesting. The dialog in this film is witty and fast, while giving no chance for breaks so go to the bathroom first. I give this film an A+.

http://www.foxsearchlight.com/juno/

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0467406/

Serenity

Don't see this until you have seen all of the Firefly episodes!!!! Many people will tell you that you don't have to see Firefly first but personally I think it 's essential in getting to know the characters. They don't backtrack about anyone in this film, and although I can see where you would still like the film if you didn't know some of the characters from before I personally you will never feel a true sense of why it is you like them so much if you don't go through some of the earlier adventures with them. Joss Whedon is an amazing writer/director that truly brings other worlds, dimensions, and creatures to life making them very much real. The acting in this film is top notch, the special effects weren't overdone which would have been easy to do, and so there is also that sense of realism. This film gets an A. If you are any kind of a Wheadon fan this is a must see all the way.

http://www.serenitymovie.com/ US

http://www.uipfrance.com/sites/serenity/ French

http://java.europe.yahoo.com/uk/uip/serenity/index.html UK

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379786/ IMDB

Atonement

The acting in this film is everything you have heard and more, the scenery and cinematography were amazing. You truly feel like you are in 1930's England ( or what I would imagine it to be anyway ), and the base storyline to this film is really very good. All that said to be honest I really didn't love this film. The film is 130 minutes long and feels like so much more, the dialog is written in such a way that out of everyone there is only one character that I cared about. I'm not sure if it was direction, or editing, or just that it was possibly a really good book that didn't transfer over to film well. I looked at the time twice while watching this film, waiting to leave but not willing to because I paid for it. I am giving this film a B-. I so wanted to give this a higher grade with the wonderful acting, and all but I just can't. If you see this film I would love to know your thoughts on this.

http://www.atonementthemovie.co.uk/site/site.html English site

http://movies.universal-pictures-international-germany.de/abbitte/site/site.html German site

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0783233/ IMDB