ethanbyrd

I loved Lars and the real girl and this is one of the few movies where an actor's performance has won the movie for me. Ryan Gosling is very good as the titular character. Lars and the Real Girl is an example of how even the most ridiculous premise can be used to construct a smart, touching motion picture. The film sounds like it was developed with Adam Sandler or Will Ferrell in mind, but the key here is that, while there are laughs to be had, Lars and the Real Girl is intended to be taken seriously. This is not a rude, crude, lewd comedy. It takes an idea that could easily be reduced to a series of sex jokes and pratfalls and develops it into something intelligent and thoughtful. But, yes, even taken seriously, it's nothing less than absurd, and the filmmakers know that. Such recognition is a key to debut director Craig Gillespie's success because he understands how to get the audience to the place where they embrace the characters and believe their situations rather than laugh at them.

Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine is a great character study. Blue Jasmine is testimony to the fact that a great script and a fantastic performance can make a film. Cate Blanchett won an Oscar for this performance and rightly so- she pretty much carries the film. Woody Allen can be polarizing but when he gets it right the product is worth savoring. Blue Jasmine could be the new York auteur's best work in recent years. If you haven't seen it then you owe it to yourself to catch this flick.

You should definitely give this Rob lowe- James Spader film a chance. Bad Influence is a nice Curtis Hanson movie about a yuppie who gets influenced by a socio-psychopath and swirled in a bad life. Starring then young hot shots Rob Lowe and James Spader who play well against one another Bad Influence has a decent enough 80s soundtrack and a nicely paced screenplay. It could have been so much more had it been directed by a more assured director (maybe Curtis 10 years older) because the subject matter is so damn fascinating but this is a good enough effort to wholeheartedly recommend.

Superman Returns was a valiant effort by Brian Singer but sadly both the director and the lead actor Brandon Routh's careers haven't flourished. The film was criticized for its length upon release but it wasn't a disaster either critically or financially. This is what this film eventually is- a middling affair that would soon be forgotten in the deluge of superhero films that were to follow that decade onwards. You can give it a watch though and there are some great scenes scattered throughout.

This is an incredibly underrated and unheard-of film. The Kung fu scenes are amazing as is the philosophy behind the fighting which is never really shown in movies. Go watch it to gain insight into the art of Kung fu. (Underrated Chinese move).

One of the greatest films ever made Jurassic Park is a classic already. Steven Spielberg is at the top of his game as we see some of the most amazing special effects ever put on screen. Although somewhat different than the Michael Crichton novel the film can easily hold its own (and some feel it has even surpassed the book) in being an absolute entertainer filled with Dinosaurs one could never imagine were possible to see onscreen. This is a must watch for anyone and everyone from kids to teens to families. (Must watch Dino mania)