"You're the best friend I've got."

Crash - an interesting ensemble piece that confronts the racism that infiltrates our daily lives. The film is littered with stars. There isn't a real coherent story however the audience meets characters and re-meets them later in different scenarios and see them crossing each others paths. This movie does not have a resolution but rather introduces issues and lets them percolate in the audience's mind.

I enjoyed this film. I was not expecting to enjoy the drama that unfolded. I liked how the movie provoked, prodded, and in the end gave no answers. Or at least did not attempt to give answers but sort of shed a light on the audience's thinking. I am not sure it deserved the Oscars but it did deserve the buzz. Rent it.

"What have you got to say to Grandma?"

Triplets of Belleville - excellent animated film. There is little to no dialogue in this film. The story is simple a grandmother and grandson live together. The grandson grows up to be a bicyclist trained by his grandmother. In the middle of the race the grandson is kidnapped and shipped to America in an underground gambling ring. His grandmother goes on a quest to reclaim him.

The music in this movie is great and moves the plot along nicely. It is visually quite simplistic but gorgeous. This movie has won a number of awards and they were deserved. Rent it, if you haven't already seen it.

Hmmm: infedelity, pediphilia, paranoia

Little Children - a slow moving film based upon a novel. The cast is superb. Set in an idyllic suburb, the film focuses on Kate Winslet a stay at home mother taking care of her daughter. Patrick Wilson is a stay at home dad who is taking care of his son, while studying for the bar, which he has failed three times before. Additionally a convicted child molester has recently moved into town to live with his mother.

Kate's character (Sarah) is out of sink with the other stay at home mothers. She has not embraced her life. On a dare Sarah begins chatting with Patrick's character (Brad). While their relationship evolves innocent enough at first it eventually becomes an affair. Jennifer Connelly plays Brad's breadwinning beautiful wife - she is excellent.

This movie is too slow. It could have used some editing - heavy. While the storyline is well done the films snails' pace distracts from the dimensions hidden in this film. There is a narrator who could have been used more dynamically. Not all secondary characters are treated equally, for one Sarah's husband is after a shallow glance is dismissed from the plot.

There are many characters that are given a sharp glance by the audience and then forgotten by the film maker. Overall I think this had potential to be a great moving and thought provoking film but due to lack of proper editing (most likely due to source material being so voluminous) it is barely watchable. Only a select few will be able to sit through this film and be entertained, just because it is a satire does not give it an excuse to be lengthy and dull in places.

"Well did you accomplish anything besides a possible pregnancy?"

Scoop - an interesting Wood Allen film. Typical Woody Allen fare - Woody is center stage as a magician. Scarlett Johansson(Sandra Pronsky) is a college reporter visiting a childhood friends in London. While partaking of Woody's act Sandra is visited by the ghost of a reporter who informs her that a Lord (Hugh Jackman) is the Tarot Card Killer. She decides this is a lead she has to follow up as the reporter's ghost continues to haunt her. Woody assists her because the ghost appears to him as well.

I enjoyed this movie for the most part. My only complaint was that Scarlett Johansson was a sour note in this interesting ensemble piece. It seemed as though she wasn't told that she was acting in a movie - not a play. Her exaggerated voice, facial expressions and reactions were a bit much. I felt like she was a high school actor thrust into a movie. She kept movie to the forefront of the scene but not in a good way - she began to grate.

I still was amused by the story and the interaction with all the other players. I would say catch this on tv, unless you are a Woody Allen fan. This would be worth the rental even with Scarlett acting her heart out for the back row of the theater. Someone should have told her, it's ok, you don't have to project the audience will get it.

'"I did not have sex with that woman. I wanted to..."

Man of the Year - I thought this movie would depict what the United States would be like under the leadership of John Stewart. Robin Williams plays Dobbs a comedian who has a fake news program. During a Q&A a guest asks him whether he would consider running for president. This is the premise of the film and it unfolds from there.

There is a sub plot involving the computer company that is changing the voting system away from paper ballots to computers. Laura Linney works for the computer company and discovers a problem with the system.

This movie is interesting. It doesn't say as much as it could have but it is interesting and worthwhile nonetheless. Robin Williams is great as is Laura Liney. Christopher Walken is delightful as Dobbs' agent. Rent it, I was entertained.

"My daddy's in a coma."

Strangers With Candy - I must first state that I have not seen much of the tv show. I only catch snippets of it on Comedy Central. This may have hindered my enjoyment of this film. Therefore I can only say this was not my favorite of movies.

Jerri Blank (Amy Sedaris) is an ex-con who is determined to start her life over from the moment she messed it up. She is convinced this will help her father awaken from the coma he slipped into shortly after her life fell apart. So she returns to high school determined to do things right.

There are some excellent portrayals in this film. Deborah Rush is excellent as the put upon step mother of Jerri Blank. Stephen Colbert is delightful as a married science teacher who is having a homosexual relationship with the art teacher. Sarah Jessica Parker plays an interesting guidance counselor. Matthew Broderick even guest stars as a rival science teacher.

There are some funny and interesting parts in this film. However, there are some uncomfortable parts as well. I am not sure if the funny parts outweigh the uncomfortable parts. Not sure, if you watch the show I am sure this film will tickle your fancy but only few who are unfamiliar with the show will enjoy it to its fullest.

"You're off the chain right now!"

Hot Fuzz - first off, I loved this movie. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost star in this film. Simon Pegg, of the Shaun of the Dead fame, stars in this movie. He plays Nick Angel, a great cop who is too good at his job. He is transferred to an idyllic town where he is quick to try and set things "right."

He is assigned a partner, Danny. Soon a series of deaths plague the town, but they appear to be "accidents." He begins to question the actions of the citizens and discovers that the town is not as idyllic as it appears.

This film made me laugh out loud. I started quoting this movie while I was in the theater. It is an homage and making fun of the blockbuster cop movies with an emphasis on Bad Boys and Point Break (being Danny's favorite movies). I was delighted to see Timothy Dalton in this film.

I think this is a must see for anyone who enjoyed Shaun of the Dead. If you are entertained by police films this is a film for you!

"I could gain everything by doing nothing."

Notes on a Scandal - this movie was delightfully wicked, deliciously disturbing and very much lived up to the hype that swirled around my brain. Dame Judy Dench is excellent. She is superbly oblivious to the reality that surrounds her. Cate Blanchett is touching, reviling and understood.

The movie unfolds from Judy Dench's point of view. She is caustic and witty when she writes in her journal. Even though the movie is narrow the edges are plain. The audience knows there is something off. Judy is Barbara and Cate plays Sheba.

Barbara and Sheba meet at school. Barbara is an old battle ax and Sheba is fresh meat - an airy art teacher. They become friends. Sheba is married to an older man and has two children. Barbara lives alone with her cat. Barbara eventually learns that Sheba is having an affair with one of her students a 15 year old boy.

The movie spins and dives. It is engaging and frightful. I highly recommend this film. It is delicious. No other words are needed.

'"Girls, mom's going to take things into her own hands..."

Happily N'ever After - a star studded cast and a script/idea full of potential. The plot is simple. In Fairytale Land there is a wizard who ensures that there is a balance between good and evil in the well known fairy tales. There is a narrator who is apparently a kitchen boy in the palace of Prince Charming who has fallen in love with Ella, as in Cinderella. He is not so fond of Prince Charming, who is apparently as dumb as a box of rocks who only knows how to follow his own copy of his fairy tale.

The wizard goes on vacation leaving two idiots in charge of the scale. Ella's step mother discovers the scale and shifts the balance in every story to the side of evil. The movie falls apart not because the story is uninteresting. In fact I found the idea for this story very interesting, I have always wondered what it would be like if the bad guys won. But this movie lacks plot, there are holes galore - the most glaring is Ella's blind following of Prince Charming.

The critics basic complaint was the kind of animation - more akin to Jimmy Neutron and Jane and the Dragon - that did not bother me at all. The music was fine - I don't know why anyone complained about that. This movie is not worth the rental. I would be interested in a remake - one that has an actual plot would be nice.