No Reservations (2007)

I expected much more than I got here with this cast. Catherine Zeta-Jones, Aaron Eckhart, and Abigail Breslin? Those are all very good actors. And yet, in the end, they all let me down. Aaron Eckhart is completely bland, with no defining characteristics other than "carefree and exactly what the main girl needs". Catherine Zeta-Jones plays the stereotyped cold-hearted businesswoman. Abigail Breslin is the way-too-precocious child that brings them together. Somewhere along the way, cooking's involved, but we don't really care about that either. There's no creativity, no surprises, no charisma, no nothing that makes this movie stand out. (If I were a real movie critic I'd be connecting all those "no"s to the title of this movie. But I'm not.) Even as far as romantic comedies go, this one is unmemorable. 2 stars.

Million Dollar Baby (2004)

This movie has made me change my mind about Hilary Swank. I was unimpressed with her acting abilities up until this point and considered her capable but far from stellar. But in this movie she so fully captures her character and made her a joy to watch. I loved watching her climb to the top of her game. I don't even like boxing movies, but I enjoyed this one.

(Some spoilers ahead.) Then the big accident happens, and the momentum of the movie takes a HUGE turn. We're given no hint that this is where it's heading (unless we already know the general plot of the movie, which I did) and the sudden switch of atmosphere is a little bit disconcerting, although probably an accurate emotional track to take us on. The pacing is also slightly off at the end. Clint Eastwood's decision seems to be made too quickly. I saw him wrestling with it but never felt that he came to a conclusion, until suddenly the job was done and he left. (Spoilers end.)

Overall, the movie is very well-crafted, and deserved most of its acclamations. I just wonder how I would have taken it had I not known the overall arc of the story. And the best thing about this movie is Hilary Swank's performance. The rest is excellent, but she rises above and beyond. 3.5 stars.

Star Trek (2009)

Nobody thought a Star Trek reboot would work, even those who already liked J. J. Abrams. You can reboot Bond, Superman, or Batman... But the Star Trek characters were forever solidified in the original actors' performances. And yet it somehow was a very good movie. It remains faithful to the original (although - spoilers - it doesn't have to now that they're apparently all set in a parallel universe, so we'll see how THAT works out). At the same time, it's very mainstream and very accessible to even those who aren't familiar with the Star Trek universe. Good action sequences, good character-driven moments, and the casting is excellent. Simon Pegg as Scotty was the highlight, but every one of them does a good job in their roles. Overall, a very good addition to the series. 4 stars.

The Princess and the Frog (2009)

Disney hasn't had a decent traditionally animated movie since The Emperor's New Groove in 1999. It's been a flurry of straight-to-DVD sequels, as well as the odd original movie nobody saw (*cough* Home on the Range *cough*). This movie has a few rough moments, an occasional joke that broke the movie. Disney has always excelled, however, at telling a story rather than just tossing wisecracks into the mouths of anthropomorphic animals, and here the story comes through loud and clear. Although none of the songs are phenomenal, they all add something to the movie's atmosphere and work well.

This movie doesn't stand out as anything special, and is certainly not going to go down in the annals of history as anything spectacular, but it is a step up for Disney. We'll have to see where it goes from here. 3.5 stars.

Crumb (1994)

This is the true story of a truly broken artist. He is the most functional of his family, the rest of which seems to be holding on to sanity by a thread. This documentary is enlightening but at the same time terrifying. The man is incredibly talented but has an intense disdain for humanity and sets out to isolate himself from everything and everyone he does not approve of. This bleeds through into his comics, which are funny and dark and controversial.

This movie is a difficult one to watch. He and his family are painful to listen to. He himself has a perpetual nervous, awkward smile on his face, laughing at the most inappropriate moments in his brothers' interviews as they talk candidly about wanting to kill each other and molesting women on the street. If you want a fascinating insight into the mind of... well, something of a mad genius, this is worth watching. As far as I'm concerned, it is too painfully awkward for me to ever want to watch again. And I'd be very careful who I recommended it to. 3 stars.

The Fisher King (1991)

This is wild, magnificent, superb, extravagant... I can't even think of enough adjectives to describe this movie. It's in some ways a movie very grounded in realism, with a very funny, very identifiable story of loss and trying to get back on your feet... and then it spins off into this beautiful fantasy realm where dragons roam the land and Grand Central Station is turned into a giant ballroom (in one of my new favorite movie scenes of ALL TIME). It is beautiful. It is stunning. It is moving. It is hilarious. It is most definitely worth watching. 4.5 stars.

Catch Me If You Can (2002)

This was more focused on relationships than I expected, and less focused on the story of how the guy managed to get away with this for so many years. It's a fascinating story, though, and an amazing character study of one of the most daring, luckiest criminals in history. DiCaprio is excellent in his role here - flexible, charming, believable, but tiring quickly of life on the run. The opening credits set the tone for this almost-whimsical story that is very close to the true story of Abagnale. Definitely one to watch. 4 stars.