Little Miss Sunshine

IMDB link: Little Miss Sunshine
Source: Cinema
Viewed: November 28, 2006

I went into this thinking I would like it, but in the end, I think I'd give it about a 5 out of 10. (Were we to give out such ratings, which we don't.) It tried too hard to be chaotic and funny, and that almost always ends up irritating me. Alan Arkin was great, and Steve Carell and the boy (Dwayne) were amusing. - T

I agree that the movie wasn't great, but I think I liked it more than Tom did. I liked the theme (winners and losers), although the treatment was somewhat cliched. I liked some of the characters, especially Dwayne. I think it ended up getting too plot-driven rather than focussing more on the characters. - A

The Queen

IMDB link: The Queen
Source: Cinema
Viewed: November 27, 2006

I was expecting a nice bio-pic about Queen Elizabeth the Second, about whom I know little, but I soon realized that this was as much about the Al Gore of queens, the queen to be who would never be, as it was about Elizabeth Regina II. I don't really understand why this was made. It could have just been imagined by the viewers, especially those with clear memories of certian events in 1997. The monarch is unfeeling - no wait, she's human! Wait, we all are! Yay! Helen Mirren's performance was very good, but I found myself constantly questioning the dialogue. It's all just supposition, is it not? It's all just historical fiction. I don't know why I didn't feel the same way about "Capote," but then, Truman Capote was a much more public figure than the queen is... I don't know, maybe I just need more time. - T

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with my colleauge across the aisle on this one. I liked it. It was a lot like a bio-pic, in fact. Especially when the biographer doesn't have access to the subject of the biography. I thought it was an interesting exploration of a moment in history, combining documented public aspects of Lady Diana's death with private actions and emotions that had to be interpolated to some extent. The movie wasn't perfect, but I enjoyed it. - A

Sabrina

IMDB link: Sabrina
Source: DVD collection
Viewed: November 24, 2006

This might be the first time I've seen this all the way through. I liked it quite a bit. Beautiful black and white. - T

I've seen this movie ten times, at least. It held up pretty well, although the beginning was a little sillier than I remembered it. It's solid once Sabrina goes to Paris, though. Her dress with yards of skirt and way off the shoulder is still quite fabulous. - A

Galaxy Quest

IMDB link: Galaxy Quest
Source: DVD collection
Viewed: November 23, 2006

Still hilarious. - T

Clever, funny, cute, and heart warming. A classic. - A

Three Kings

IMDB link: Three Kings
Source: Netflix
Viewed: November 22, 2006

Funny how one day you can be laughing at death, and the next you can be horrified by it. When I went to see this in the theater, I didn't think I'd like it much and was pleasantly surprised. It holds up well after seven years. It's a funny, interesting, politically charged movie. It was critical of the U.S. involvement in the first Gulf War... imagine what they'd have to say about it this time! - T

The politics of the movie hit me harder this time than the first time I watched it, but it doesn't overwhelm the picture. It depicts war on a very human scale. The characters are likable. The reality of war, not so much. - A

Casino Royale

IMDB link: Casino Royale
Source: Cinema
Viewed: November 21, 2006

From its beautiful beginning animation sequence full of mandelbrot clubs and shattering diamonds to the extended parkour chase scene, this movie gets off to a great start. Overall, I think this is my favorite Bond movie ever. I didn't even know the lead actor's name while I was watching the film (Daniel Craig), but he still made me forget the others who came before him. Those guys were just smug, spoiled brats. This guy is a soulless killer. A perfect hero for the Gen-X'er in me. His response to the question "Shaken or stirred?" was worth the price of admission all by itself. Sure, it turned into the worst kind of soap opera for about twenty minutes toward the end, but then it came to its senses just in time for the credits. - T

I really liked it. I see every Bond movie, but I don't know when I've enjoyed a Bond movie more. Bond seemed more human. Nice to have fewer crazy gadgets and megalomaniacs. Le Chiffre was a convincing villain with a wonderfully disturbing feature. I don't want to leak anything! Now shake or stir yourself and go see this movie. - A

La Pianiste (The Piano Teacher)

IMDB link: La Pianiste
Source: Neflix
Viewed: November 7 and 11

This movie is not fun to watch. To be honest, it's damn uncomfortable viewing. So uncomfortable, in fact, that we stopped watching half-way through. When we did watch the end, there wasn't even any pay off for the discomfort, at least as far as I could tell. The acting must have been very good, I think, to produce such ickiness, but the lesson for today is to stay far away from this movie. - A

Uncomfortable, unpleasant, irritating and unrewarding. The music is nice. - T

Shortbus

IMDB link: Shortbus
Source: Cinema
Date viewed: October 28, 2006

We read about this movie in The Dig. The review made it seem like it might be interesting, and it was interesting, but I'm not sure how good it was, if you see what I mean. Justin Bond, as himself, was notable. - A

There were some good performances, and more of certain things than you usually see in Hollywood films, but overall, they weren't enough. - T