In The Dark – Away We Go

Genre: Comedy with a splash of drama

Tagline: Doesn’t have one…

Ebert gave it: 3.5 stars

Burt and Verona are expecting their first baby. No they don’t live in a house with white picket fences, no they aren’t married and no they don’t even have careers. Burt and Verona have love, and that makes the fact that their windows are taped up with cardboard and they are both living in a college state of mind. After being ditched by Burt’s parents, who decide to leave the country before the baby is born, Burt and Verona decide there is nothing left in this town and it’s time to go exploring for the perfect place for baby. First stop is Phoenix, AZ to see Verona’s old boss and then on to her sister. Verona’s boss portrays those upper middle class mothers who day drink and have verbal diarrhea in front of their children – probably causing them seriously issues in the long run. Next is Madison, WI (holla!) where they go to witness the parental genius of the liberal feminist, Ellen. Or LN as she calls herself. After a stroller issue Burt and Verona head even further north to Montreal to visit their barren, sound of music loving college friends and finally land in Miami where Burt’s wife has just abandoned the family.

In the Dark – Rachel Getting Married

Genre:  Drama

Tagline: there isn’t one…but if it there were it would be in the form of a song played by a cool instrument.

Ebert gave it: 4 stars

I’m used to seeing Anne Hathaway being happy go lucky, doing her little comedies that are fun and light hearted where she gets the guy in the end. I’m also used to having a little sister who sometimes gets on my last nerve but that would never do anything that would seriously hurt my feelings if she could help it. This movie was full of things that I was not at all used to.

Rachel’s getting hitched and her sister gets a pass out of rehab to attend the festivities. (see not so normal) It’s great that the sisters can put the past behind them and have some fun on the joyous days leading up to the big one, or it would be great but these two  girls fight like cats and dogs for their father’s attention, and he honestly doesn’t know how to give them the attention they need. Kym used to be a model who got hopped on drugs and can’t quite find the words, or the right time to say sorry for the hurt she caused, and her sister’s wedding rehersal dinner isn’t really the time. Rachel has everything going for her with a great husband entering the family, but also has strange ways to win fights by making announcements. She also has a bitchy bff who takes the maid of honors place and rubs it in the sister’s face. Oh the sisters’ doesn’t have a steady family either, her parents are divorced and her mom can barely be bothered to attend the wedding.

In the Dark – Changeling

Genre: Drama

Tagline: To get her son back she did what no one dared.

Ebert gave it:

How do you know when a movie will get an Oscar nomination and the director will be a front runner when the nominations come out? Well, besides the Golden Globe nominations already coming out…? When Clint Eastwood is the director, the movie has a powerful and emotional plot and there is a strong female lead (I know Mystic River didn’t have the last one…but 3 strong males is good enough). Eastwood likes to direct movies about women who don’t give up, women who have something to fight for and movies that twist and turn to keep you on an emotional rollercoaster and the ending in the dark.

In the Dark-Milk

 Genre: Drama

Tagline: His life changed history. His courage changed lives.

Ebert gave it: 4 stars

Milk, does a body good. The movie does your body, your mind, and your soul good too. A movie about a politician who not only made changes while in office, he changed minds while running for office.

            Harvey Milk is reaching a pivotal age and feels like he hasn’t accomplished anything in his gay life, so he moves to San Fran with his younger, super fine boyfriend (James Franco) and opens a camera shop. However, the community doesn’t welcome them with open arms. Life as a gay was dangerous, and Milk thought the only way to change it was to get elected and make some changes. After many failed attempts he finally sees success. We see that the road to change doesn’t always leave the hero in a happy personal life. While his career skyrockets and his community becomes more and more friendly and open minded, Milk finds himself failing in his personal life. Lucky for Harvey, some of his best friends are the ones aiding in his success.

            The story is amazing and uplifting, but I found it sad that it wasn’t that long ago that there was so much hate in the world against people who are in love. It’s a load of bullshit if you ask me. The best part? Milk was a politician, he was a friend, a business owner, a lover, a fighter, a leader – none of those things are defined by race, gender or sexuality – if you didn’t think it before, how could you not after seeing this. It doesn’t matter, we’re all in this together.

            After seeing Sean Penn portraying Harvey Milk there is no doubt he will own a little golden man for his mantel. Penn is by far one of the most diverse actors of our time, the guy can play psychos, politicians, gays, straights, killers, mobsters, stoners – and every time he blows us away. There is one point in the movie that was so raw and moving that made me say shit, he’s got it in the bag. Mark my words, Best Actor. But Penn isn’t the only amazing actor, and certainly not the most surprising in the film. Franco who plays the hunky boyfriend is great at showing the struggle of sitting in the shadows of a difference maker while still being madly in love. He has some resemblence to Heath Ledger though, and that totally freaked me out. But most surprisingly was Emile  Hirsch. I only hope that this is the beginning of this kids career, he stole the show. After the credit rolled he is the supporting actor I remember the most. Jaw dropping. It proves actors do their best work stepping outside their comfort zones. Oh and we all know Josh Brolin was great, he rarely isn’t…

            

I give it 5, yuppers, 5 flasks. If you are feeling down about the human race or you just want to feel uplifted and want to see how one man changed so much go see Milk. Even if you don’t want to do any of those things, go in honor of Harvey Milk, who touched so many lives, opened so many minds and never gave up his fight or his hope. 

In the Dark-Marley & Me

Genre: Comedy

Tagline: Heel the Love (stupid, I know…it doesn’t even make sense…heel just rhymes with feel…heel doesn’t mean feel…??)

Ebert gave it: 3 stars

Marley and Me was the saddest, most depressing movie of the Christmas season. Sure the puppy is a cute distraction from the tragedy in this flick, but after a while I saw through it all.

            Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson do a great job trying to cover up the underlying sadness as well with their comedic acting skills and on screen chemistry. But in case you aren’t getting this, the family dog is not what made me walk out of the theatre feeling blue and maybe even slightly suicidal.

            The Grogans get married, (aww, sweet), they move to Florida to stay warm all year round (precious), both get jobs as journalist in the drop of the hat – and here is where the plot gets sad (notice the dog isn’t even here yet). Jenny has her dream job at the Sentinal, she has the bylines and the fame in the journalism world while her husband is working at a decent paper writing shitty little ditties about stupid city things. Not ready for kids they get a puppy, a puppy that reminds me a lot of my puppy Gigi. This dog is so naughty I’m not sure anyone would ever ask for kids, in fact after a week with that dog I would have my tubes tied. But Jenny doesn’t and proceeds to have a family. Unfortunately she realizes that her dream life with the kids, cute house and the dog leaves no room for her career. Yup Jenny gives up her writing for the rugrats and the devil dog. Meanwhile Johnis now writing his own column, yeah writing about whatever he wants, writing whenever he wants, with his picture in the paper (and not even enjoying it)and a following while his wife yells bad dog about 50 million times a day. Anyone sensing some resentment?

Ok, seriously though, I am cynical. Always have been and always will be and the movie wasn’t about the unfair life of a housewife, clearly since it was written by a man. The movie is about a family dog and how with life’s ups and downs this dog helps them get through it. As bad as Marley is, he seems to know when it’s time to calm down and be the best friend he was meant to be. Funny how dogs have that sense, they take care of you when you need it.  But all good things come to an end, and that is what makes this movie “mean” as I sniffled to my family.

            My first dog’s name was Casablanca, Cassie, named for the great classic. She was the best damn dog – no biting, no pissing on the floor, not even a bark – seriously this thing sneezed when she wanted something. It was one of the saddest days when we had to put her down after she got a brain tumor, but dammit she lived a great little dog life. All these emotions were stirred up while I watched Marley grow, and mature and get old, but it’s nice to know that a furry friend can touch your life so much…and that I’m not the only person obsessed with my dogs.

My Rating:           

  I like dogs, I like Jennifer Aniston, I like Owen Wilson so there are three flasks right there. Plus it was a Christmas family movie that I actually laughed out loud while watching and didn’t throw up from corniness – four flasks from me! The worst part was anticipating the end, my advice – don’t check your watch and maybe you’ll never see it coming.