Wednesday, December 31, 2008

2008 Movie Reviews


12/25/08 - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - 4 Stars - Brad Pitt ages backwards.

12/25/08 - Gran Torino (R) - 3½ Stars - Clint Eastwood saves the neighborhood.

12/25/08 - The Reader (R) - 3½ Stars - Kate Winslet Nazi May-December stunner.

12/25/08 - Marley & Me - 3 Stars - Jennifer, Owen and a dog = family.

12/25/08 - The Spirit - 1 star - Graphic novel made boring.

12/25/08—Valkyrie—1 star—Hard to believe Tom Cruise as a Nazi.

12/19/08—Seven Pounds—2½ stars—Will Smith gives away everything.

12/19/08 - Yes Man - 2½ Stars - Jim Carrey remakes “Liar Liar”.

12/15/08 - The Wrestler (R) - 2½ Stars - Mickey Rourke plays himself.

12/12/08—Frost/Nixon—4 stars—Frank Langella as Nixon after the fall.

12/12/08—The Day the Earth Stood Still—2 stars—Lame remake with Keanu Reeves

12/12/08—Doubt—4 stars—Meryl Streep as no nonsense nun. Great cast.

12/05/08—Cadillac Records - 3 stars - 50’s R&B bio with Beyonce as Etta James.

11/26/08 - Four Christmases - 3 stars - Fractured family very funny.

11/26/08 - Milk (R) - 3½ stars - Sean Penn political epic.

11/26/08 - Australia - 1 stars - They should have left this epic down under.

11/21/08 - Twilight - 3 stars - Teenage vampire romance.

11/21/08—Bolt—2½—John Travolta show dog cartoon.

11/14/08—Quantum of Solace—3½ stars—Lousy title, good enough Bond.

11/12/08—Slumdog Millionaire (R)—3½ stars—Horatio Alger story—a favorite.

11/12/08—Role Models (R)—2½—Bad boys try to go good.

10/31/08—RocknRolla (R)—2½—Guy Ritchie “Lock Stock” follow—crazy loud.

10/31/08—Zack and Miri Make a Porno (R) – 1 star – Kevin Smith comedy flop.

10/24/08 - High School Musical - 3 stars - Kids graduate and sing! Fun.

10/24/08— Changeling (R) - 3 stars - Clint Eastwood serial killer period piece

10/24/08—Pride and glory (R)—2 stars–Crooked cop drama—same old same old

10/17/08—Rachel Getting Married (R)—Anne Hathaway as addict at wedding.

10/17/08—Sex Drive (R)—1 star—cheap teen sex comedy.

10/17/08—What just Happened? (R)—1 stars—DiNiro inside movie biz story. HoHum

10/17/08—Happy Go Lucky—2½ stars—Happy girl, grumpy driving teacher.

10/17/08—The Secret Life of Bees—3½ stars—Great cast.

10/10/08—Body of Lies—3 stars—DiCaprio and Crowe CIA thriller—good.

10/10/08—City of Ember—2 stars—sci fi kids story—same old same old.

10/10/08—The Express—3 stars—inspiring football story.

10/03/08—Flash of Genius—3 stars—Greg Kinnear as inventor.

10/03/08—Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist—2½ stars—Teen romance & music.

10/03/08—How to Lose Friends and Alienate People (R)—2½ stars—indie comedy

10/03/08—Beverly Hills Chihuahua—3 stars—Comedy that barks and bites.

09/26/08—Eagle Eye—3 stars—teen action thriller.

09/26/08—The Duchess—3 stars—Keira Knightley as Princess Diana ancestor.

09/26/08—Nights in Rodanthe—2½ stars—Diane Lane, Richard Gere romance.

09/26/08—Choke (R)—2 stars—Sam Rockwell as sex addict—iffy.

09/26/08—Miracle at St. Anna (R)—1 star—Spike Lee rambling war epic.

09/19/08—Ghost Town—3 stars—Ricky Gervais sees dead people. Hilarious.

09/19/08—Towelhead (R)—3½—Alan Ball drama of Arab American teen girl.

09/19/08—Lakeview Terrace—1 star—Another Samuel Jackson clunker.

09/12/08—The Family that Preys Together—2 stars—Same old same old Tyler Perry.

09/12/08—Righteous Kill (R)—2 stars—DiNiro and Pacino in a disappointing match.

09/12/08—Burn After Reading (R)—3 stars—Quirky Coen bros. comedy with George Clooney.

09/12/08—I Served the King of England—4 stars—Foreign film Oscar nominee.

09/12/08—The Women—1 star—Classic drama remade as sitcom.

08/26/08—Traitor—2 stars—Don Cheadle—spy or terrorist? Bad script.

08/28/08—Frozen River (R)—3½—Melissa Leo powerful indie drama.

08/28/08—Disaster Movie (R)—1 star—lives up to its name.

08/22/08—College—Zero—sub comedy rip off.

08/22/08—Elegy (R)—3½ stars—May/December romance with Ben Kingsley.

08/22/08—Hamlet 2—3 stars—Steve Coogan hilarious as high school drama teacher.

08/22/08—The Longshots—3 stars—Ice Cube inspirer about girl pee wee football star.

08/22/08—The House Bunny—2½—Anna Faris funny in Playboy comedy.

08/22/08—Death Race (R)—2 stars—Roger Corman schlock remake.

08/20/08—The Rocker—1 star—Rainn Wilson weak old guy rock and roll comedy.

08/15/08—Vicky Christina Barcelona—2½—Woody Allen comedy without Woody.

08/15/08—The Clone Wars—2 stars—Cartoon George Lucas—does he need money?

08/15/08—Henry Poole is here—1 star—Creepy homeless guy comedy.

08/13/08—Tropic Thunder (R)—3½ stars—Comedy of the year with Ben Stiller and company.

08/06/08—Pineapple Express (R)—2½ stars—Seth Rogan in another drug comedy.

08/06/08—Man on Wire—3½—Great documentary on Twin Towers wire walker.

08/06/08—Bottle Shock—3 stars—charming true wine making story.

08/06/08—Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2—1 star—Again?

08/01/08—Swing Vote—3 stars—Kevin Costner as everyman which no one saw.

08/01/08—American Teen—2 stars—Documentary but teens play to camera.

08/01/08—The Mummy 3—again?

07/25/08—Tell No One (R)—3½ stars—French thriller worthy of Hitchcock.

07/25/08—Brideshead Revisited—3 stars—classic.

07/25/08—X Files: I want to Believe—1 star—I believe this does it.

07/18/08—The Dark Knight—Batman’s biggest movie ever thanks to Heath Ledger.

07/18/08—Mamma Mia—3 stars—Meryl Streep sings exuberantly.

07/11/08—The Wackness(R)—2½ stars—1990’s coming of age.

07/11/08—Hellboy 2—2½ stars—Still fun.

07/11/08—Meet Dave—2 stars—Eddie Murphy at his most mediocre.

07/11/08—Journey to the Center of the Earth—1 star—Brandon Frasier 3D weak.

07/03/08—Gonzo—3 stars—Hunter Thompson documentary

07/02/08—Hancock (PG-13) 3 stars — Will Smith as the last man on earth.

06/27/08 - WALL-E - 4 Stars—Animated futuristic robot romance among the year’s best.

06/27/08—When Did You Last See Your Father? 3 stars Colin Firth father son struggle.

06/27/08—Wanted (R)—3 stars—Angelina Jolie kicks a**.

06/20/08—Mongol (R)—3 stars—Ancient epic

06/20/08—The Love Guru—Mike Myers at his most silly.

06/13/08—Kung Fu Panda—3 stars—Kids love this panda kung fu comedy cartoon.

06/13/08—The Incredible Hulk—3 stars—Edward Norton gives comic book heft.

06/13/08—The Promotion (R)—2 stars—Low budget comedy and looks it.

06/13/08—The Happening—1 star—So so sci fi with a limp ending.

06/06/08—The Fist Foot Way—2½—kung fu comedy with some snap.

05/30/08—The Strangers (R)—0—Torture porn.

05/22/08—Indiana Jones 4—2 stars—Disappointing Indiana finale—I hope.

05/16/08—Chronicles of Narnia-2½ -More of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

05/09/08—Speed Racer—1 star—Lightweight tribute to old tv show.

05/08/08—Son of Rambow—2½ —Creative comedy.

05/02/08—Made of Honor—2—Uninspired chick flick.

04/18/08—Young at Heart—4 stars—Wonderful documentary about senior singers.

03/14/08—Horton Hears a Who—3 stars—Nice Dr. Seuss fable.

03/07/08—Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day—3½ stars—Francis McDormand excels.

02/14/08— Definitely, Maybe—2½—The title reveals the review.

02/14/08 - Spiderwick Chronicles—2½ Stars - Long and dense.

02/01/08 - Over Her Dead Body - 3 stars—Eva Longoria as a ghost.

01/18/08 - 27 Dresses - 3 stars - Always a bridesmaid.