Surveillance

2008, Thriller (Rated R)
Starring: Julia Ormond, Bill Pullman, Pell James

Two FBI agents show up in a small town police station to uncover the events that led up to a grisly murder scene. There are killers on the loose and this is not their first crime in this small town. As the agents begin questioning the surviving witnesses-a little girl, a junkie, and a police officer-a major unexpected twist occurs. You find out that people definitely are not who they seem as they each tell their version of how the events went down.

• The best word I can think of to describe this movie is ugly. Dirty evil small town cops, sick and twisted killers, a family and a couple of junkies all come together in a way that make this movie very ugly. Ugly people doing ugly things.
• It definitely keeps you guessing and wondering along the way, which to me is a good quality in a movie.
• There is a very unexpected twist about 1/2 way through.
• I'd say go ahead and watch it but just be prepared for some ugly sick and twisted scenes.

4 STARS

Sunshine Cleaning

Comedy/Drama, 2008 (Rated R)

Starring: Emily Blunt, Amy Adams

Rose was the popular cheerleader in school but her life has not exactly panned out the way she had hoped. She enlists her sister Norah to go into business together in the "niche" industry of crime scene post-mortem clean up in their small town.

• Rose is a 30 something single mom struggling to make it. She just wants to feel good about herself and her life. It's a story about a woman finding her way but without all the glitz of movies like Confessions of a Shopaholic.
• So many woman including myself can probably identify with Rose. Nobody wants to be the popular cheerleader who ends up a failure.
• Oh boy, I would not have the stomach to do what they do. Just regular cleaning up after folks would be hard for me without all of the blood and guts.
• There is a scene in the movie where Rose (Amy Adams) is in bed waiting for her lover and she is wearing a lavender chemise with white polka dots from Victoria's Secret. I know this because I have the very same one!! It's one of my favorites.
• I really liked this movie.

4 STARS

Camille

Romantic Comedy, 2008 (PG 13)

Starring: Sienna Miller, James Franco

Camille is a happy bride in love and will do anything it takes to make it to her honeymoon destination even if her new husband is less then enthusiastic.

• I was trying to figure out why in the hell is this beautiful sweet girl in love with this evil no good ex con who obviously could care less about her. Even worse, why is her family so happy about it?
• As the movie goes on you figure out why. Simply put Camille is in love. No one can tell her anything when it comes to her new hubby so that's that.
• This movie is part comedy, part drama, part way too silly but somehow it works.
• Love is something else.
• Very sweet and cute movie.
• Sienna Miller turns on the southern accent and I love her portrayal of this sweet character. She is so talented. I didn't even realize she had an English accent (not American) until I saw her in an interview.
  
  
  4 STARS

Where God Left His Shoes

Drama, 2008 (NR)

Starring: John Leguizamo, Leonor Varela

A man tries to find a job in order to qualify for an apartment on Christmas Eve so he can get his family out of a homeless shelter for the holidays.

• My heart really went out to this family.
• The situation for the family literally just goes from bad to worse as they are evicted from their apartment and find themselves in a homeless shelter.
• Frank feels so terrible that no matter how hard he tries he can't do anything to help his family. The odds are totally against him.
• What moved me to tears is seeing that no matter how little they had there was still so much love between Frank and his wife. He had nothing to offer her but his love and no matter how bad things got she always loved him back.
• Wonderful movie.

5 STARS

Watch Trailer Here

The Last House On The Left

Action/Horror, 2009 (R Rating)

Director, Wes Craven

• I watched the unrated DVD version.
• A devious evil threesome kidnap two innocent teenagers who just so happened cross paths with a boy who is helpless to stop them from their murderous intentions.
• Riveting.
• The scene where they attack Mari is very gritty. It was quite long and seemed to go on forever to the point where it became very uncomfortable to watch.
• So much tension.
• I don't think I moved until this one was over.
• My goodness that girl is a fighter.
• I let out a loud "YEAH" at one point. Couldn't help it.
• Towards the end of this movie I literally had to let out a breath because I was holding it and didn't even realize it.
• There is a 1972 version that might be worth watching.

See Movie Trailer

5 STARS

Push

Mystery/Suspense, 2009 (PG13)

Starring: Dakota Fanning, Chris Evans

• Way too much going on in this movie for it to be any good.
• Watchers, pushers, it went on and on but not in a good way.
• Fanning is a great little actress though. Even in this bizarre almost senseless movie she managed to deliver a great performance. I was surprised to see her in this. She's way better then this movie.

2 STARS

I Love You Man

Comedy, 2009 (Rated R)

Starring: Jason Segel, Paul Rudd, Rashida Jones

• A man gets engaged and becomes very aware that he has no friends and of the fact that he never really has. The search is on to fill up his wedding party roster.
• Laugh out loud funny.
• Rudd's character is so amazingly awkward and goofy that it's almost embarrassing to watch him interact with others at some points. But it is hilarious.
• He is basically, a female in a straight man's body. I like men to have a sensitive side but I think he would be a little much for me.

5 STARS

The Soloist

Drama, 2008 (PG13)
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Morton Downey Jr

• A reporter out looking for a story and happens to run into a mentally ill homeless man who just so happens to be a former Julliard student.
• The main story is between the reporter and the homeless man but there is a pretty good underlying story as well between he and his ex wife/boss.
• Great acting of course-you don't expect anything less from Foxx and Downey.
• Made me feel just a little bit hopeless about the plight and problems of mentally ill homeless people. Seems to be yet another impossible issue to really fix.

5 STARS

The Edge Of Love

Drama/Foreign, 2008 (Rated R)
Starring: Keira Knightley, Sienna Miller, and Matthew Rhys

Basic Rundown: A love story set during World War II in which Vera (Keira Knightly) is a spunky independent women who performs in a night club to make ends meet during the war. She re acquaints herself with her teenage crush Cillian (William Killick) who is married to wild and crazy Caitlin (Sienna Miller) just before she meets handsome soldier William (Matthew Rhys) whom she marries right before he ships off. Vera, Caitlin, and Cillian form an interesting threesome and both marriages are tested to the limit by events that take place while William is away and the incident that occurs upon his return.

• Excellent acting.
• Held my attention.
• My blood was boiling towards the end because Vera's so called best friend Cillian selfishly turns on her at the end even after all she did for him and his crazy wife.

5 STARS

Julia

Drama, 2008, Rated R

Starring: Tilda Swinton (Julia)

Basic Rundown: Julia is a raging alcoholic who makes a habit of one night stands with random men. After getting fired from her job she decides to go in on a money making scheme with a mentally unstable fellow AA member that includes a kidnapping that spirals way out of control. She ends up on the run from the law and everyone in between

• Great Acting. Swinton is amazing.
• Riveting
• This Lady is a woman who does some really kick ass and horrible things but for some reason I can't dislike her. She just keeps going and going and going and going....

5 STARS

Martyrs

Foreign/Horror, 2008 (NR)

Starring: Morjana Alaoui, Mylene Jampano

Rundown: This movie is about a child who escaped from a horrific torture chamber as a child and what happens when she ends up back at the scene of her torment 15 years later.

• This movie is in a word disturbing.
• I have never seen anything like it.
• Extremely graphic and violent.
• I have a high tolerance for violence and gore in movies and even I was left stunned after what I saw. I simply didn't know what to think.
• Certain images from the movie replayed in my head hauntingly so even a couple days after watching.
• It had me literally looking up the word 'martyrs' on wikipedia and then pondering its meaning and how it ties in with the movie.

5 Stars

Watch Trailer Here

Slumdog Millionaire

Drama, 2008 (Rated R)
Starring: Dev Patel, Frieda Pinto


Rundown: A boy accused of cheating his way to the top of the Indian version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire recounts incidents in his life upon questioning by the police that revealed the answers to the questions presented on the show. Somehow his life of poverty in India provided him the knowledge needed to progress to the big money rounds of the show.

• This movie was a pure joy from start to finish.
• I kind of "slept" on this one. I'd heard a lot of great things about it but it took me a long time to get around to watching it. Too long.
• There is a fabulous love story woven into the plot.
• My eyes and my attention were glued to the screen, especially at the end.
• This movie had me literally jumping for joy, shouting and crying. I'm actually glad I watched this DVD at home so I could let loose.

5 STARS