It's Kind of a Funny Story on DVD

Official Site: "What’s a 16-year-old boy doing playing music and table tennis with adult psychiatric patients – on a school day? It’s kind of a funny story…It’s Kind of a Funny Story, adapted from Ned Vizzini’s 2006 novel of the same name, is the new comedy-drama from acclaimed writer/directors Ryan Fleck & Anna Boden (Half Nelson, Sugar).

It’s @5:00 A.M. on a Sunday in Brooklyn. Craig Gilner (played by Keir Gilchrist of United States of Tara) is bicycling up to the entrance of a mental health clinic; this bright 16-year-old is stressed out from the demands of being a teenager. Before his parents (Lauren Graham [of Parenthood] and Jim Gaffigan [of Away We Go]) and younger sister are even awake, Craig checks himself into Argenon Hospital and is admitted by a psychiatrist. But the youth ward is temporarily closed – so he finds himself stuck in the adult ward.

One of the patients, Bobby (Zach Galifianakis of The Hangover), soon becomes both Craig’s mentor and protégé. Craig is also quickly drawn to another 16-year-old displaced to the adult ward, the sensitive Noelle (Emma Roberts of the upcoming Scream 4), who just might make him forget his longtime unrequited crush Nia (Zoë Kravitz of the upcoming X-Men: First Class). With a minimum five days’ stay imposed on him by the adult ward’s staff psychiatrist Dr. Eden Minerva (Academy Award nominee Viola Davis), Craig is sustained by friendships on both the inside and the outside as he learns more about life, love, and the pressures of growing up."

This was an enjoyable little film.

Tamara Drewe on DVD

 

Jacket: "When journalist Tamara Drewe returns to her parents' house with a new assignment - and a new nose - sets the surrounding countryside's male hearts aflame, breaking the picturesque tranquility and transforming the village of her youth into a swirling maelstrom of temptation, seduction, and tawdry gossip. But when a bit of silly mischief puts lives and loves at risk, Tamara Drewe must choose between getting it all and getting the right one. In this fun, witty romance, director Stephen Frears (The Queen, Dangerous Liaisons) perfectly captures the spirit of the beloved graphic novel."


I really enjoyed this. I wish I had time to watch it more than once! It's like watching a saucy soap opera. The snarky teenager had to be my favorite character.

A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop (2009)

 

Jacket: "It looks like a perfect plan: the affair will come to a cruel but satisfying end when a Chinese noodle shop owner plots to execute his unfaithful wife and her lover. But the lover has a lethal plan of his own in this violent tale of adultery and revenge based on the Coen Brothers' debut classic, BLOOD SIMPLE."

This was crazy! Several times I shook my head thinking "what am I watching?" and laughing through the most absurd bits.

Hot Tub Time Machine on DVD

Way funnier than I had anticipated.

Never Let Me Go on DVD

Jacket: "Kathy (Carey Mulligan), Ruth (Kiera Knightly) and Tommy (Andrew Garfield) are best friends who grow up together at an English boarding school with a chilling secret. When they learn the shocking truth - that they are genetically engineered clones raised to be organ donors - they embrace their fleeting chance to live and love. Based on the acclaimed novel by Kazuo Ishiguro (The Remains of the Day), Never Let Me Go is an intriguing exploration of hope and humanity."

It is a rare thing when a story shocks me. I had heard of the book and always meant to read it and as usual hadn't gotten around to it. What a mistake that was! This is a head-trip! The story felt so everyday until it folded over organically into the sci-fi realm. And I think that the simplicity of the story is what impressed me the most.

Carey Mulligan and Andrew Garfield play so well off each other's pain and angst of the unknown. The viewer can't help but feel their inner turmoil. And even though you know how this will end, you have a small glimmer of home that it could change. If only.

RED on DVD

Now this is what a shoot-em-up film is supposed to be. Take note Angelina.

John Malkovich is crazy! He absolutely steals this movie. Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, Mary Louise Parker and Morgan Freeman round out the kick-ass crew.

Secretariat on DVD

Official Site: "Disney presents an astonishing true story bursting with hope, heart, and courage. Diane Lane and John Malkovich lead a celebrated cast in this inspirational motion picture from the producers of Miracle, Invincible and The Rookie.

Behind every legend lies an impossible dream. Witness the spectacular journey of an incredible horse named Secretariat and the moving story of his unlikely owner, a housewife who risked everything to make him a champion. Out of the gate with never-before-seen bonus features, Secretariat is hours of pulse-pounding entertainment for the whole family!"

I needed an inspirational film tonight as I sit at my computer working.

This film shows you that no matter what life throws your way, you keep pushing forward. Other people may not believe you. That's okay, you just have to believe in yourself!

Salt on DVD

Who is Salt? Who cares? I don't think the audience knew even when it was over. It felt like a just a few shoot & chase scenes strung together.

The American on DVD

 

 

This is not your typical 'assassin having a mid-life crisis' kind of film. I, unfortunately, did not give it my full attention the first time, but learned that this is the type of film to be watched without distraction, with a glass of wine and digested slowly. 

 As a side note, if you have little experience with Europeans films you may have a hard time getting into this. I do admit, I'd have liked to have seen a little more momentum in the story.

Animal Kingdom on DVD

Official Site: "Following the death of his mother, 17-year-old Joshua 'J' Cody (newcomer James Frecheville) moves in with his doting grandmother, Smurf (Jacki Weaver), and her three criminal sons—the Cody boys. The eldest, “Pope” (Ben Mendelsohn) is an armed robber, in hiding from a cadre of renegade detectives. Then there’s Craig (Sullivan Stapleton), a successful but volatile drug dealer, and the youngest, Darren (Luke Ford), who naïvely follows his brothers' lead.

Just as Pope's business partner and best mate, Barry Brown (Joel Edgerton), decides that he wants out, tensions between the Codys and the police explode. J finds himself at the centre of a cold-blooded revenge plot that turns his family upside down and throws him directly into the path of senior homicide detective, Nathan Leckie (Guy Pearce).

Animal Kingdom is a powerful crime drama that tells the story of a tense battle between a criminal family and the police and of the ordinary lives caught in the middle."

Whoa. This is a great Australian crime story that familiarly echoes my favorites like Goodfellas and The Godfather. 

Collapse (2009)

 This is not the story of David versus Goliath. It's David versus a planet of Goliaths.

While I was watching this I kept thinking of the film Conspiracy Theory. Is this guy for real? Why is this making sense? Can this really happen to our society? The more I think about it, the scarier the inevitability seems. This film is a frightening wake-up call.


Jacket: "... COLLAPSE is the story of Michael Ruppert, former Los Angeles police officer turned rogue reporter whose eerie prediction of the current financial crisis shocked millions. Now Ruppert is warning of a new meltdown, one rooted in oil, economics, and covert U.S. policies that are leading us all towards unprecedented global disaster.  Is he a prophet who can clearly see America's terrifying future, or a conspiracy theorist fueled by fear and paranioa? And if Ruppert is right, can this slide into catastrophe be stopped?..."

The Town on DVD

 

Jacket: "As he plans a job that could result in his gang's biggest score ever, a longtime thief plans a way out of the life and the town while dodging the FBI agent looking to bring him and his bank-robbing crew down."

Officially my second favorite film of 2010!