Lincoln Plaza Cinema

ie My new favorite theatre…this place is awesome. There are no stupid people that go here…it’s mainly independents and foreign films so it attracts a more intellectual crowd. Seriously these people sit through the credits. I’ve found my people.

In The Dark – Married Life

Genre: Romance/Suspense/Drama

Tagline: Do you really know what goes in the mind of the person of whom you sleep?

Ebert gave it: 3 stars

The only way to start this post is to say I am in LOVE. I’m in love with the time era, I’m in love with the days you could drink and smoke in the office, when women were secretaries and got to wear red matte lipstick all the time and were wined and dine. And I’m in love with Pierce Brosnan…I haven’t seen him in a while and I must say he just gets better with age! Can a movie be suspenseful without a bunch of fighting and yelling – yes…takes me back to the olden days of film making.But more importantly let’s get to the movie. Married Life is the story of Harry (Chris Cooper) and his need for true love…not just sex and his wife Pat (Patricia Clarkson) and her need for sex. Harry begins to have an emotional affair with young Kay (Rachel McAdams). He comes clean about his lies to his best friend, Richard (Brosnan) and introduces his new love over drinks. Richard is immediately charmed by her as well and begins his mission to swoop in and rescue the young maiden from a web of lies…by weaving some of his own.As the story unravels Harry decides telling his wife the truth would ruin her (after all she is just a housewife!) so he decides to kill her and spare her the details. With the plan in mind he moves forward in its execution – all while still having a good old fashioned relationship with Kay.My favorite part about this movie is the way it is told. Brosnan tells the story like we are close confidants, sipping a stiff drink and smoking a cigarette. The way he narrates makes this movie classic. If you are the kind of person who goes to movies to see action and sex don’t go to this one – chances are you are too stupid or too immature to sit through a strictly dialogue movie. I couldn’t even call this a drama – because contrary to popular belief there isn’t much drama. It is so vintage and thoughtful and doesn’t need the fluff and frills of modern day cinema. Patricia Clarkson lights up the screen and shows that beneath every housewife is a person…and secrets (not in a cheesy Desperate kind of way) – I LOVED her – her voice, her mannerisms – she embodies this old school decor perfectly.Although it is all talking and no action there are so many twists and turns you’ll never guess how it will end. Just like Harry’s younger women is not your typical affair, this is not your typical movie and characters are not what they seem. And remember how I hate everyone lives happily ever after movies? The ending to this can be taken so many different ways that I love it! Happy or not…I love it! 
My Rating:

This movie was perfect! I loved the sophistication and the old Hollywood feel. I’m a sucker for it what can I say. If you are intellectual and have a refined taste go see this movie! BRILLANT! (with only one minor continuity error…but it is still good)

In the Dark – Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

 

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Tagline: Every woman will have her day

Ebert gives it: again, I saw one he didn’t

So I just recently relocated to NYC, the big apple and this was the first movie I went and saw by myself since I moved. Let me tell you – the theatre was PACKED!! And I had to sit next to to old biddies who kept saying ‘huh?” Annoyance. But it didn’t stop me from enjoying a light hearted comedy about romance in the time of war. No, no, no Atonement here – the war is more of a background fear…we see it the same way the young people in the movie see it.Guinevere Pettigrew (Francis McDormand) has found herself unemployed yet again and out on the street. After wandering around like a homeless, hopeless bag lady (minus the bag) she steals a job from her employment agency to assist miss Delysia LaFosse (Amy Adams), a lounge singer with big dreams and a pocket full of boys. Delysia hire Miss Pettigrew on the spot after she helps her out of a pickle with her quick thinking and wit. Miss Pettigrew is whisked away into the world of money, fashion and silencing hearts. As the story unfolds we see that Delysia has some choices to make, between her one true love or her fake love and career. Miss Pettigrew learns about pretending and teaches an important lesson about follow your heart.This doesn’t seem like a movie I would enjoy, but I really did. Amy Adams is one of my favorite actresses right now (She had me at Junebug). There is something about her doelike eyes and red hair and this movie uses those two assets to play up her character who must flirt to get out of so many problems. I also love, love, LOVE Frances McDormand and this is a great part for an aging actress (I know, I know…but it is totally true – that’s Hollywood) The music and cinematography sweep you into a world that is tiptoeing on the line of World War II, a war that the younger generation doesn’t believe will happen and that stirs up old memories for their elders.This movie doesn’t get deep, there is nothing profound or overly exciting about it. It’s just a good flick to get lost in, plus there is this really cute boy who plays the piano. His name is Lee Pace, and he is the star of this mediocre show called Pushing Daisies (just kidding coworker!) He is yummy and I love him. The music, the costumes, the characters – what’s not to love. Every once in a while you need to see a movie that is just filled with good feeling. Those tragic war love stories have been done and yes they are sad and/or glorious, but they take a lot out of you. Miss Pettigrew gives you a break and shows you what life was like before the tragedy hit, what the golden years were like when it was all about cocktails and piano bars – and you know I wouldn’t mind living a love story like that.

My Rating: Yeah I might lose some street cred with that, but I wish I had a Miss Pettigrew to teach me a lesson about being myself, following my heart and finding love…(it’s ok, I’m gagging a little too – but a movie that makes ME feel warm and squishy inside must be working some kind of magic)

In the Dark – Vantage Point

 

Genre: Action

Tagline: 8 strangers. 8 points of view. 1 truth

Ebert gave it: nothing…apparently he really knows how to pick ‘em I would like to start by saying there may be 8 main characters in this movie…but I’m pretty sure we never see all 8 points of view…that’s right, they lied! damn advertisers (*wink) Anyways, yeah…So the President is attending an anti-terrorist summit in Spain, where little does he know some terrorists are plotting his death. When they strike all hell breaks loose, but everyone sees something…and alone these things don’t add up, but together they piece together what happened and who is behind it.

I think this movie wanted to be like Crash or Babel…but it loses that feeling by rewinding to the beginning every time you get another clue – if you like seeing the same part over and over and over and over again then you’ll love this movie.So the President is attending an anti-terrorist summit in Spain, where little does he know some terrorists are plotting his death. When they strike all hell breaks loose, but everyone sees something…and alone these things don’t add up, but together they piece together what happened and who is behind it. (see that is annoying huh?)Like I said before we don’t see all 8 points of view, we see only what we need to…but if you are smart like me you need not see it more than once because I figured it out – like usual. This is any typical Dennis Quai movie – that’s right, it is amazing! Maybe Matthew Fox should stick to Lost, which is known for being successful with its plot twists.

Sorry this review is a rough one, but when the movie is shallow and bad what do you expect? seriously? what? The one thing I’ll say was good – the car chase…if you like a scene that doesn’t know when to stop it was a great one. The one thing I hated most – the writing. Listen to Quaid’s lines, so profound, give this guy an award (don’t worry though, he did his own stunts to props to that)

My rating: Ick. My dad stayed awake but just like a lot of repeated shots of the lowest level of vodka  I was ready for bed. 8 people, 8 points of view, 8 wasted dollars (or 11.75 if you live in NY) There were way too many untied loose ends that get sloppily tied together – no one likes sloppy, ask my ex.

Just a Random

Anyone else think it’s weird that on the commercial for Atonement coming out on video the song Apologize by Timbaland is playing throughout? Yeah, that is strange because when I think really bad adapted movie from a beautiful novel (yeah I finally read it!) I think someone should be apologizing..ha ha. No it makes no sense…the stupidity that goes with that movie just doesn’t stop!!