Away We Go

Starring: John Krasinski, Maya Rudolph
Drama, 2009

A thirty something not ever getting married couple embark on a cross country journey to find out where they should settle down to have their baby after finding out that his parents are moving out of the country. Along the way they meet up with old friends and learn a little bit from each along the way.

• I liked this movie. Verona and Burt just seem like a very real couple that anyone could actually relate to. The movie is just very grounded and rooted in reality which I like to see sometimes because not everyone has a hot job in marketing and lives in a loft style NYC apartment you know?
• It has comedic moments but it isn't over the top in any way.
• Great acting and a nice message about life and a lot of things that people worry about think about on a day to day basis.

3.5 Stars

The Unknown Woman

Starring: Kseniya Rappoport, Clara Dossena

Drama, 2006 (Foreign/subtitled)

Director: Giuseppe Tornatore

A determined Ukranian woman who escapes a life of prostitution and moves to a new town to start fresh. Starting out in the building of her target she eventually schemes her way into becoming a nanny/housekeeper to a family of three. She is leading the typical life of an impoverished foreigner but she actually has quite a bit of cash which she uses to set herself up. She has a tough and austere demeanor and as her past comes back to haunt her we find out why.

• This movie was interesting and different. I loved it!! It's so hard to know which foreign films to get and I can't remember how I even discovered this one but I glad I did.
• Right away you know that this woman is running from something and trying to get something but we don't really find out what that is until towards the end of the movie.
• The story line includes a number of flashbacks not always in sequential order that give us clues as to her tortured past and what it is that she is so afraid of. Sometimes flashbacks can be annoying and overly confusing but these worked.
• Clara Dossena who portrayed Irina's charge is a great little actor. All the acting was amazing and the story line kept me on the edge of my seat.
• The random dramatic bursts of sound throughout the movie were timed perfectly to set the tone and kept pace with the momentum of the story line.
• When the credits started rolling the first thing I said was "Wow."

5 STARS

State Of Play

Starring: Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Robin Wright Penn, Helen Mirren
Drama, 2009

The apparent murder of a politician's research assistant sets off a string of events and other deaths that reveal a plot my a private military company to take control of government based intelligence operations. In a newspaper reporter's search to find the truth he discovers things he didn't know about his good friend and politician Stephen Collins (Affleck).

• This movie really held my attention with a good story line, good acting, and a little bit of action thrown in.
• I have a hard time keeping up with overly intricate plots and characters but I did OK with this one.

4 Stars

Management

Starring: Jennifer Anniston, Paul Zahn (2008)

Romantic Comedy

This heartfelt movie was about a man who lives and works at a small town hotel owned by his parents who meets a young professional just passing through town on business. After making an advance on her and deciding that she is the love of his life he pursues her across the country.

• Paul Zahn plays Mike perfectly. He is so not Sue's type, but there is something so goofy, sweet, and lovable about Mike that even she somehow can't resist his awkward and so not cool advances.
• This movie is a testament to the power of love and how it doesn't always make sense. When you feel it, you feel it and often will do whatever you have to in order to pursue it no matter what the odds. Sometimes it's right there in your face and you don't even know it but once you do...it's amazing.
• If you love a good love story like I do then you will love this movie like I did.

5 Stars

Drag Me To Hell

Starring: Alison Lohman, Justin Long

Horror, 2009

A loan officer who does not provide a mortgage extension to an old sick woman is cursed. Over the next three days she is tormented by an evil spirit as she competes for a coveted promotion and the good graces of her boyfriend's mother.

• I watched the unrated theatrical version.
• I liked this movie a lot more then I expected. It had all the makings of a really bad horror movie but I was pleasantly surprised.
• Not once, but twice I screamed out in fear. Lots of bodily fluids in this one, be prepared!
• It was refreshing somehow because although it had a classic horror movie kind of formula it still kept me guessing. Aside from the evil spirits trying to drag me to hell bits it actually had a decent story line.
• Some of the special effects were a little fake but that didn't really bother me.
• I wondered at first why Lohman was even in this movie. This is such a departure from her usual dialogue driven dramas. There is just something so vulnerable and and sweet about this actress . She did a great job and although going into it I thought this movie was "beneath" her I think the movie rose to her standards-for a horror movie of this nature.

4 Stars

Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past

Romantic Comedy, 2009 (PG-13)
Starring: Jennifer Garner, Matthew McConaughey, Michael Douglas, Lacey Chabert


Drawing on the age old scrooge concept a shallow, self centered womanizer is visited by the ghosts of his girlfriends past, present and future to help him see the error of his ways before it's too late.

• Very cute and funny movie
• Some of the dialogue was so sappy sweet and cliche but oh how I loved it. It's so romantic. The kind of thing that makes my heart melt.
• The message is kind of black and white but I buy it 'cause I'm all for love and romance. Those who don't buy into it are not likely to agree.
• Moral of the story: If you don't believe in love and lead a single loveless bachelor type man's man lifestyle you an empty shell of what you could be. Accordingly, the life you lead along with everyone you touch will be negatively impacted.

4 Stars

Lymelife

Drama, 2008 (Rated R)
Starring: Rory Culkin, Jill Hennessey, Kieran Culkin, Alec Baldwin, Timothy Hutton, Cynthia Nixon, Emma Roberts

A coming of age story in which a young boy must deal with the reality of the life he thought he knew falling apart when he discovers that he doesn't have the quite so happy family he thought he did. Meanwhile he is in love with the girl next door who's father has contracted Lyme disease and finds himself jobless and miserable in his own marriage.

• The movie can be kind of slow at times but overall I liked it.
• Great ensemble cast: All are amazing actors in their own right.

3 Stars