Take Me Home: Movie Review

Simple road trip rom-com taking the expected route.

"Take Me Home" is from husband and wife team Sam and Amber Jaeger and is an adult romantic comedy about hitting the road. Thom (Sam Jaeger) lives a destitute life of lies unable to get a job or pay rent and illegally drives a taxi to make some quick cash. Claire (Amber Jaeger) is a successful business woman newly separated from her husband and feeling the pain of her childhood separation from her father.		2011 Directed by: Sam Jaeger Screenplay by: Samg Jaeger Starring: Sam Jaeger, and Amber Jaeger

Girl Walks Into a Bar: Movie Review

Walks into the bar with intrigue but then forgets the purpose.

Girl Walks Into a Bar is, at once, both better and worse than it was marketed as: A witty comedy with a cast of strangers in inter-locking stories. It’s the inter-locking stories part that gets disconcerting. That generally means we get too many loosely-related stories with too many characters that we barely get to know with meaningless plot lines that don’t go anywhere. This movie isn't that, it's mostly better.		2011 Directed by: Sebastian Gutierrez Screenplay by: Sebastian Gutierrez Starring: Carla Gugino, Zachary Quinto and Aaron Tveit

Ruby Sparks: Movie Review

 

A romantic comedy born from fiction where everything has already been written.

Calvin (Paul Dano) is trying to write a book, a follow-up to his “next great American novel” success story from 10 years ago. He’s been trying to write this new book for 10 years, but nothing comes out. His therapist gives him a writing assignment: take your dog Scotty out for a walk and then write about the type of girl you might meet. Ruby Sparks is born.		2012 Directed by: Jonathan Dayton, and Valerie Faris Screenplay by: Zoe Kazan Starring: Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan

Virginia: Movie Review

Undertones of mental illness, religion and politics take Virginia to interesting places.

Virginia (Jennifer Connelly) is one seriously disturbed woman. One possible look at it is that she was screwed over by having an affair with an aspiring Senator, Dick Tipton (Ed Harris), who left her pregnant and alone to raise her son as a single mother. “Virginia” has a number of storylines, some in present time, some in flashbacks, but all resulting from the affair between Virginia and Sheriff Tipton.		2010 Directed by: Dustin Lance Black Screenplay by: Dustin Lance Black Starring: Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris

A Beginner's Guide to Endings: Movie Review

 

A life adventure for three common-sense-lacking, dysfunctional brothers. 

“A Beginner’s Guide to Endings” begins with Duke White (Harvey Keitel) rattling off odds of chance, of life, of games, and of death. He’s determined to kill himself one way or another and see if his death can give his sons better odds at living a semi-functional life. He has five sons, from three different women, and we first meet them at his funeral.		2010 (with 2012 release) Directed by: Jonathan Sobol Screenplay by: Jonathan Sobol Starring: Jason Jones, Scott Caan, Paulo Costanzo and JK Simmons

Your Sister's Sister: Movie Review

 

Navigating three relationships with dialogue and a twist that ends a beat too early.

“Your Sister’s Sister” is an indie romantic dramedy. One that tries to say so much with so little; “little” in terms of story and setting. It’s a dialogue driven film about relationships. Jack (Mark Duplass) is depressed, mourning the loss of his brother. His friend Iris (Emily Blunt) sends him up to her father’s cottage for some alone time and beautiful scenery.		2011 Directed by: Lynn Shelton Screenplay by: Lynn Shelton Starring: Mark Duplass, Emily Blunt and Rosemarie DeWitt

Ingenious: Movie Review

Walking the typical drama-comedy line but with great camaraderie.

“Ingenious” (formerly known as “Lightbulb”) is a typical drama-comedy about putting yourself out there and following your dreams no matter how broke or desperate you become. But don’t worry, it’s not as cliché as it sounds. It plays out with comedy and their ideas are anything but commonplace. Matt (Dallas Roberts) and Sam (Jeremy Renner) are life-long friends trying to make it rich with the next genius idea.		2009 (with 2012 DVD release) Directed by: Jeff Balsmeyer Screenplay by: Mike Cram Starring: Dallas Roberts, Jeremy Renner

Safety Not Guaranteed: Movie Review

With witty lines and well written characters we’re entertained through to the original ending.

“Safety Not Guaranteed” is based on an actual classified ad placed in a magazine, looking for someone to go back in time with. The real ad was just a joke for last-minute content. The movie, though, wonders what if it wasn't a joke. One young writer and two young interns are assigned to the story to figure out who is behind the ad, and how crazy he is.		2012 Directed by: Colin Trevorrow Screenplay by: Derek Connolly Starring: Aubrey Plaza, Mark Duplass, Jake M. Johnson, Karan Soni

The Forger: Movie Review

A beautifully shot story of art in Carmel, California that gets a little lost on its way.

The Forger stars Josh Hutcherson as Joshua, a teenager who was basically born on the wrong side of the tracks but wanders into an upscale community. He’s artistically gifted and this community – Carmel, California – is full of people determined to live the high life even if their honest talents don’t quite get them what they wanted. It has the basic struggles of the haves versus the have-nots and good versus evil.		2012 Directed by: Lawrence Roeck Screenplay by: Carlos De Los Rios Starring: Josh Hutcherson, and Hayden Panettiere

Thank You for Smoking: Movie Review

 

Arguing out of moral quandaries and into a place among classic satirical comedies.

Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckhart) talks. He could argue why America is the best government in the world (igorning errors in syntax) even if they sound like arguments for why it isn't. What he does is spin smoking cigarettes into a good thing. He's the spokesperson for Big Tobacco and he doesn't have to convince you that smoking is good for you, he just has to convince you that it's not not good for you.		2005 Directed by: Jason Reitman Screenplay by: Jason Reitman Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Cameron Bright and J.K. Simmons