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Nights in RodantheDiane Lane and Richard Gere reunite on screen again for NIGHTS IN RODANTHE, a romantic romp on the beach with two suffering spouses (not each others) away for the weekend and far away from their troubles.Visit the official movie siteSeen the film? Post your review |
Meryl Streep is Julia Child and Amy Adams is Julie Powell in writer-director Nora Ephron’s adaptation of two bestselling memoirs: Powell’s Julie & Julia and My Life in France, by Julia Child with Alex Prud’homme.
Based on two true stories, Julie & Julia intertwines the lives of two women who, though separated by time and space, are both at loose ends...until they discover that with the right combination of passion, fearlessness and butter, anything is possible.
In this movie clip from JULIE & JULIA, Julia Child explains her love of food with her husband played by Stanley Tucci (who also starred with Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada).
MOVIE REVIEW
Two women, over forty years apart, are floundering in government jobs, trying to decide what to do with their lives. Two husbands, both supportive and nurturing, are asking their women, “What do you love? What do you really like to do?” Both answers centered around food.
The first woman, the wife of a diplomat, found herself in Paris with nothing to do. When asked what she loved, her answer was, eat! So to occupy her time, she enrolled in a French cooking school and eventually the Cordon Bleu. Taking her passion and competitive nature with her, she threw herself into the art of French cooking and then turned around and taught the art to other American wives. Realizing that there were no French Cookbooks published in the English language, she partnered with two like-minded French women and the Mastering The Art Of French Cooking was born. That woman was Julia Child.
Over 40 years later, a woman living in Queens, New York, is frustrated that her dream of being a writer has been derailed. With the encouragement of her husband, she decides to start a blog recreating all of Julia’s 524 recipes in 365 days. The blog leads to an article and the article leads to a book. Julie And Julia, by Julie Powell, is published.
Meryl Streep plays Julia Child and Stanley Tucci plays her supportive husband, Paul. Meryl’s Julia is larger than life, very tall, and a force to be reckoned with. Just short of being a character, Meryl’s Julia was fun, humorous and a bit over the top. At times you wished that the entire movie was based on her life. But upon reflection, that may have been too much. Having the second story, focusing on Amy Adam’s Julie Powell, added warmth to the film and complimented Julia’s tart nature. Like adding sugar to lemonade, one ingredient without the other would have been unpalatable. But together, you have a nice refreshing mix. That is the way I felt about this film.
Chris Messina is winning as Julie Powell’s husband Eric. His job was to put things in perspective and to diffuse the situation when things got out of control. My only complaint about this film is that both husbands were too good to be true. Once again, Hollywood has provided me with an unrealistic image of what to expect from men. Oh, if it were only true.
I recommend Julie And Julia. I really liked the alternating story lines and I liked the underlining message as well. When you do what you love, even when it doesn’t pay, you come out a better person for the effort. Here’s to us all finding our own bliss. Bon Appetite.
Visit her blog at LAMelbox.blogspot.com
| Release Date: | August 07, 2009 | |
| MPAA Rating: | PG-13 | |
| Starring: | Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Stanley Tucci, Chris Messina, Linda Emond | |
| Directed By: | Nora Ephron | |
| Produced By: | Nora Ephron, Laurence Mark, Amy Robinson, Eric Steel | |
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Vin Diesel returns to action hero status in Babylon A.D. opening August 29th. |
The Proposal's Sandra Bullock, Oscar nominee Thomas Haden Church, and The Hangover's Bradley Cooper star in a hilarious tale of a woman who, after falling hard for a guy, thinks they're an item; unfortunately, he thinks she's stalking him?
Bullock's Mary Horowitz is a cruciverbalist - a crossword puzzle constructor. Her brain spins at warp speed with an endless stream of arcane information. She can come up with the perfect word - and dozens with the same meaning - at a moment's notice, but "normal" behavior eludes her.
Sandra Bullock has developed a comedic style where her misfit characters are slightly exaggerated, but so emotionally grounded, that in spite of her slapstick antics, we find ourselves caring for her. It is while we are laughing at her and with her, that she sneaks in little moral messages. And, when implemented correctly, we come out a little better and wiser in the end.
Sandy is very likable, and when matched with the proper co-star, she’s endearing. However, in All About Steve, she spends so much time chasing Bradley Cooper, a behavior I completely understand, that we never really see them together longer enough to see if their chemistry works.
This movie is not as emotionally satisfying as her last film, The Proposal. I found All About Steve to be less of a romantic comedy and more of a social satire. The film questions the integrity of our news media and asks the question, what’s normal? For me the culminating scene is when Thomas Hayden Church, playing a vain, glory seeking, news reporter, approaches a group of protesters who have now become well wishers and supporters of Mary, Sandra Bullock’s character. When one of the well wishers steps up to him, the well wisher points to the news media and all the chaos and frenzy that surrounds them. He then says, “That is what you created.” Then he indicates the crowd behind him holding a silent vigil and says, “This is what Mary created.”
Throughout the entire film the new media mocked the very people that they were exploiting. Without hitting us over the head, the movie asks us, which is crazier, the people making the signs and burning candles, while standing out all day showing their support, or the news media, who interviews, features them, and feigns mock sympathy.
Throughout all the laughter, this film gave me a lot to think about. I enjoyed the humor, but I appreciated the message as well. To quote Bradley Cooper’s imperative to Ms. Bullock, “Stay as you are, don’t change a bit.”
Melanie Wilson
Visit her blog at LAMelbox.blogspot.com
Release Date: September 4, 2009 (20th Century Fox)
Genre: Romance, Comedy, Adventure
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Bradley Cooper, Thomas Haden Church, Ken Jeong
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From director Robert Rodriguez (Planet Terror, Spy Kids, Desperado) comes a new adventure film inspired by his kids.
In the suburb of Black Falls, all the houses look the same and everyone works for BLACK BOX Unlimited Worldwide Industries Incorporated, whose Mr. Black's BLACK BOX is the ultimate communication and do-it-all gadget that's sweeping the nation. Other than keeping his parents employed, however, Mr. Black's BLACK BOX has done nothing for 11-year-old Toe Thompson, who just wants to make a few friends... until a mysterious rainbow-colored rock falls from the sky, hits him in the head and changes everything. The Rainbow Rock does Mr. Black's BLACK BOX one better: it grants wishes to anyone who holds it. Before long, wishes-gone-wrong have left the neighborhood swarming with tiny spaceships, crocodile armies, giant boogers... and outrageous magical mayhem around every corner.
In this clip, the family has a close encounter with a blob monster (William H. Macy, Jimmy Bennett). Then watch the trailer.
(Warner Bros. Pictures) Release: 08/21/2009
Genres: Action/Adventure And Kids/Family
Rating:PG
Starring: Jimmy Bennett, Devon Gearhart, Trevor Gagnon, Jon Cryer, James Spader
Directed By: Robert Rodriguez
Produced By:Dan Lin, Hunt Lowry, Stacy Cohen
Add a commentOver twenty years ago, aliens made first contact with Earth. Humans waited for the hostile attack, or the giant advances in technology. Neither came. Instead, the aliens were refugees, the last survivors of their home world. The creatures were set up in a makeshift home in South Africa’s District 9 as the world’s nations argued over what to do with them.
In this clip from DISTRICT 9, the aliens are evicted by the government to be moved to a different district but the District 9 residents are not making it easy.
Interview with Director Neill Blomkamp "Making a Sci-Film For $30 Million
Genres: Sci Fi
Release Date: August 14, 2009
MPAA Rating: Rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America for bloody violence and pervasive language
Starring: Sharlto Copley, David James
Directed By: Neill Blomkamp
Produced By: Peter Jackson, Carolynne Cunningham
District 9
If I had to use one word to describe this film, that word would be transforms. This movie is all about transformations. In the beginning, a humanitarian act towards some very unfortunate aliens, transforms through greed and avarice, into an act of repression and neglect. A simple basic need like food and shelter, is transformed into a means of exploitation and manipulation. And a simple, bureaucratic man, transforms through circumstances, into a hero, when his eyes are opened by the truth. This movie is all about transformations.
District 9 is a classic example of good Science Fiction. You take a social issue, like immigration, or the creation and existence of slums, and you disguise it by making it about something else. Then when you become familiar with the story and recognize what it is really about, you are already on your way to a fresh perspective and hopefully a new world view. That is the beauty of Science Fiction.
Sharlto Copley, who plays Wikus Van De Merwe, transforms in more ways than one. The character arc that Sharlto has to go through is tremendously effective, especially for such a new and unknown actor. Director Neill Blomkamp, really puts his friend through the ringer, and his commitment to the role pays off. Sharlto Copley is a star to be watched.
As an entertainment, District 9 delivers, too. There are cool aliens, guns, explosions, and a robot battle that was much more effective than anything I saw in The Transformers. Technically, this modestly budgeted film was expertly produced, and every dollar that was spent, is evident on the screen. This film is a good summer action flick, with a conscience, and it’s definitely worth being seen. It is also a film worth discussing.
Melanie Wilson
Visit her blog at LAMelbox.blogspot.com
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Sandra Bullock (TWO WEEKS NOTICE, SPEED) returns to comedy in THE PROPOSAL alongside Ryan Reynolds (X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE), Malin Akerman(THE WATCHMEN), and Oscar Nunez (TV's THE OFFICE).
In THE PROPOSAL, when high-powered book editor Margaret (Bullock) faces deportation to her native Canada, the quick-thinking exec declares that she's actually engaged to her unsuspecting put-upon assistant Andrew (Reynolds), who she's tormented for years. The unlikely couple head to Alaska to meet his quirky family and the always-on-control city girl finds herself in one comedic fish-out-of-water situation after another.
In this film clip from THE PROPOSAL, Andrew's grandmother (Betty White) and mother (Mary Steenburgen) inform the fake couple they are sharing a room and a baby maker blanket during their stay.
| Studio: | Walt Disney Pictures | |
| Release Date: | June 19, 2009 |
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