Film Tweets- 2011

The Artist (2011)- As a silent film lover, I ate this up. It's charming, breezy & visually rich. Intentions unclear though. ****1/2 out of 5

Eccentricities of a Blonde-haired Girl (2010)-Strange but works as admittedly dull story told by a man whose idealism is shattered. *** of 5

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943) (second viewing)- I still believe that this is one of the best films ever made. ***** out of 5

The Squid and the Whale (2005)- Enough smart, truthful insights to balance indulgent depressive blather. ***1/2 out of 5

Children of Paradise (1945)- Breathtaking scope & gorgeous to look at. Shakespearean-esque tragedy is rich and satisfying. ***** out of 5

Grand Illusion (1937)- A masterpiece. Rarely naive in showing the humanity that exists underneath the putrid exoskeleton of war. ***** of 5

Yi Yi (2000)- Rich familial parable of loss of innocence. Bit melodramatic, but very poignant. ****1/2 out of 5

The Swell Season (????)- Not about Once, or music, or fame, or relationships, or Glen, or Marketa. It's aimless & so boring. ** out of 5

Three Colors: Blue (1993)- A visual and directorial triumph even though its narrative suffers from overreaching ambition. **** out of 5

Oldboy (2003)- A bit loopy at the end, but Park Chan-wook tells this sick, twisted tale with such cinematic joy. Great ride. ****1/2 of 5

Cars (2006)- Doesn't reach the stratosphere of other Pixar films, but Cars looks amazing & it's really entertaining. **** out of 5

Hereafter (2010)- Three relatively empty narrative threads lead to an ending that's anticlimactic & shallow. A self-serious bore. ** of 5

Midnight in Paris (2011)- Admittedly slight, but very breezy, satisfying & surprisingly insightful. Wilson's excellent. ****1/2 out of 5

Another Year (2010)- ...in the life of good people paying attention to those who almost deserve to be forgotten. Sad & astute. **** of 5

L'Avventura (1960)- Brilliant, vicious showcase of how entitlement leads to abhorrent dehumanization. Unpleasant masterpiece. ***** out of 5

The Green Hornet (2011)-With a different director, different writers, different actors & a different plot, this could have been good ** of 5

Tokyo Story (1953)- On the nose, but w/ help of Ozu's masterful framing, rebuke of society's attitude of elderly is beautiful. ****1/2 of 5

Source Code (2011)- Slightly awkwardly directed, but very smart & satisfying. **** out of 5

Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2011)- Found Herzog an unwelcomed distraction from works of art/history that speak for themselves. *** out of 5

Tree of Life (2011)- Imperfect but oh so beautiful. Ambitions blow the mind! ****1/2 of 5

Waiting for Superman (2010)- Guggenheim's indulgences aside, doc opens eyes to massive problems w/ education, yet offers hope. ****/5

Stonewall Uprising (2010)- At a time when homophobia isn't a reasonable option, this historical doc is perfectly balanced. Insightful ****/5

Persona (1967)- Bergman's No Exit. A mesmerizing, mind-blowing treatise on existential nihilism. Unforgettable. ***** out of 5

Somewhere (2010)- Main character, world & journey lack truth, and if there is truth, it's not compelling at all. **1/2 out of 5

La Dolce Vita (1960)- Be careful what you wish for... one of the most beautiful and cynical films I've seen. Glorious experience. ***** of 5

Casino Jack (2010)- Watchable, but brutally sarcastic tone invites viewers not to take serious crimes seriously. *** out of 5

Going My Way (1944)-Naive w/ all the subtlety of a train derailment, but Crosby & Fitzgerald are great & charm is undeniable. ***1/2 of 5

Odd Man Out (1947)- Starts as a weak heist film and then twists and turns into one man's living purgatory told exceptionally well. **** of 5

These Amazing Shadows (2011)- Slightly unfocused yet interesting ode to the National Film Registry. ***1/2 out of 5

Certified Copy (2011)- Life as imitations on top of imitations. Open to interpretations, all of which hold up perfectly. Fascinating *****/5

Camera Buff (1979)- Wholly personal and devastatingly sad exploration of the responsibilities and sacrifices of an artist. ****1/2 out of 5

Love & Other Drugs (2010)- 2 movies in 1: one- abrasive fratboy sex comedy & other- overly earnest love/disease story. Both bad. ** of 5

Of Gods and Men (2011)- Beautiful, sad and sobering true story of devotion to religion at its best and worst. ****1/2 out of 5

The American (2010)- Slick, but completely predictable and painfully languid. Self-seriousness stifles any entertainment value. **1/2 of 5

Being There (1979)- One of the best endings in all film. Saves an otherwise cloying, manipulative gimmick that goes on too long. ***1/2 of 5

Dog Day Afternoon (1975)- Weakens whenever Sonny steps outside, but Pacino's performance & human truths are undeniably great. **** out of 5

Made in Dagenham (2010)- Hawkins is solid & tale is inspiring, but it's predictable, on the nose and riddled with cliches. **1/2 out of 5

Ajami (2010)- It's Babel in the West Bank except slightly clunkier. A sad, solid look at religious tensions boiling over. ***1/2 out of 5

Before Sunset (2004)- Quite different, yet just as good as Sunrise, though much more grounded, melancholy and mature. ***** out of 5

Before Sunrise (1995)- So refreshing to spend time with two smart, decent people just enjoying each other. Honest & poignant. ***** out of 5

Inside Job (2010)- Infuriated and disgusted after watching? Absolutely. Goes on an unwise tangent or two but still effective. **** out of 5

Eat, Pray, Love (2010)- Nicely-packaged, yet naive & condescending travelogue that claims to explain reality through fantasy. **1/2 out of 5

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (2008)- Few laughs in between a barrage of badly written songs. Will please a only a niche audience. ** of 5

Paranormal Activity 2 (2010)- Devoid of any fresh ideas. A whole lot of nothing leads up to an effective conclusion. **1/2 out of 5

The Next Three Days (2010)- Always self-important, often illogical and downright silly, yet consistently entertaining. *** out of 5

Touch of Evil (1958)- Though narratively flawed, Welles delivered a directorial masterpiece. ****1/2 out of 5

The Rules of the Game (1939)- It's all idle fun and silly games until someone gets hurt. Beautiful and biting. ***** out of 5

A Canterbury Tale (1949)- Would you put glue in people's hair in order to force appreciation of history? The Archers would. ***** out of 5

Sweet Smell of Success (1957)- Oh the scandal and the sleaze! It's so scandalous and sleazy! Such scandal & sleaze! ****1/2 out of 5

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)- Pure camp. Monroe in Diamonds...Best Friend scene sparkles. Rest is stupid & sometimes fun. *** out of 5

Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer (2010)- Totally one-sided and totally fascinating. Gibney's presentation is great. **** of 5

Restrepo (2010)- Amazing film making in complete service to the young men giving everything to protect an unprotectable valley. ****1/2 of 5

The Night of the Hunter (1955)- An indulgent masterpiece. Laughton says to take your realism and shove it. Nearly perfect film. ***** of 5

For Your Consideration (2006)- O'Hara shines, but others are Inconsistent due to performances at different levels of absurdity. **1/2 of 5

Let Me In (2010)- Perhaps too faithful to Let the Right One In, a great movie. Yet, that also means this film is quite good as well. ****/5

The Other Guys (2010)- Occasional laughs aren't enough to make up for the dumb action and the many jokes that fall flat. **1/2 out of 5

The Parking Lot Movie (2010)- Stays true to the spirit of the lot and its attendants, though pathos makes for a long 70 mins. ***1/2 of 5

Winchester '73 (1950)- James Stewart, Shelley Winters, Indians & an amazing final gunfight. That's how I like my westerns. ****1/2 of 5

The Headless Woman (2009)- A frustrating and compelling look at illusions of superiority as shown through a bourgeois coverup. **** of 5

Catfish (2010)- Painful outcome is inevitable. Fascinating expose on the victims of the anonymity of the internet. Unforgettable. ****/5

The Lady Vanishes (1938)- Completely preposterous and yet a whole lot of fun. ***1/2 out of 5

Best in Show (2000)- Hit or miss comedy with more than enough hits to carry the film. ***1/2 out of 5

Mary and Max (2010)- Mean-spirited & ugly. Asks us to laugh at, pity and then care about its main characters. ** out of 5

I Know Where I'm Going! (1943)- Lovely little romance imbued with The Archers' signature cinematic style and charm. ****1/2 out of 5

The Elephant Man (1980)- A gorgeous achievement. Sentimentality is more than earned. Tragic and life affirming. ***** out of 5

I Wake Up Screaming (1941)- Thoroughly satisfying noir. Beautifully lit & extremely atmospheric. B-level gem. **** out of 5

Double Take (2010)- A bit pretentious, but ultimately a fascinating argument for the Cold War as macguffin. **** out of 5

Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him?) (2010)- Straightforwardly tells of a brilliant & tragic talent. ***1/2 of 5

The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers (2010)- Ellsberg's a great narrator. Fascinating doc. ****/5

The Company Men (2011)- Wealthier victims of the economy make for a somewhat compelling watch. At times way too earnest. *** out of 5

Blue Valentine (2010)- Gosling & Williams are amazing! Devastatingly sad tale of what often happens after the honeymoon phase. ****1/2 of 5

Animal Kingdom (2010)- Atmospheric and tense. Jacki Weaver is quite good. Familiar tale of innocence shattered by crime family. ***1/2 of 5

Dogtooth (2010)- Unapologetic showcasing of taboos as metaphor is respectable if not slightly pedestrian. ***1/2 out of 5

The Art of the Steal (2010)- Engrossing activist conspiracy doc. Storytelling is better than one sided argument presented. ***1/2 out of 5

Tales from the Script (2010)- Looks like it was edited as part of a junior high media class. Slapdash screenwriting insights. **1/2 out of 5

Alamar (2010)- Environmental message feels tacked on, but father/son story is subtly sweet, smart and sad. Lovely little film. ***1/2 of 5

Rosemary's Baby (1968)- Genuinely terrifying and undeniably beautiful. Farrow's fantastic. Few clunky scenes. ****1/2 out of 5

The Social Network (2010) (Second viewing)- Enjoyed it even more this time. Just as rewarding & minor quibbles all but disappeared. *****/5

Waking Sleeping Beauty (2010)- Turns into gossipy tale of egos, but within, there's fascinating history of Disney's renaissance. ***1/2 of 5

Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)- Judy Garland's a force of nature in a delightful musical that's perhaps a bit too sweet & sentimental. ****/5

Trash Humpers (2010)- Performance art that's a brutal condemnation of those choosing to consume hatred and live as hypocrites. **** out of 5

True Grit (2010)- Solid story told well, acted well and shot well. Sadly, though, this is a huge step down for the Coens. ***1/2 out of 5

44 Inch Chest (2010)- Great performances, but monotony hurts the execution of a fundamentally clever screenplay. *** out of 5

Casino Jack and the United States of Money (2010)- First half is clear and the overall scope is impressive, but this doc is scattered. ***/5

Robin Hood (2010)- Dull, muddled storytelling, murky cinematography and indecipherable battle sequences. **1/2 out of 5

Rabbit Hole (2010)- What a surprise departure for Mitchell! Tricky subject matter handled with a great deal of acumen. ****1/2 of 5

Temple Grandin (2010)- Danes is spectacular in an earnest yet inspirational look at autism & accomplishment. Compelling watch. ****1/2 of 5