Movie Reviews
What's at the Movies
May 2009
by Carolyn McFaulAgree or disagree, Carolyn would love to hear what you think. Click on the link to E-mail your thoughts to Feeedback@ClevelandWomen.com
Duplicity
Very entertaining from writer-director Tony Gilroy who also did "Michael Clayton". Julia Roberts and Clive Owens play corporate spies who find a lot of time for romance in between their double dealing.
I didn't think it was as good as some of her previous movies. No wonder big corporations are in trouble if this is how they really operate. There are a lot of flashbacks and flying constantly to different countries etc.
125 minutes
PG 13 For language and some sexual content
Carolyn's Rating - B
Critic's rating - C+-
The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons
Director David Fincher and star Brad Pitt made an epic sized film based on a most peculiar premise; A man is born old and ages backwards. I found this movie very interesting and all the plots and story lines kept my attention. The day Benjamin was born, his father left him on a door step and a nursing home attendant took him in and became his mother. The story deals with his upbringing in the home and all the "live-ins" who resided there. Go see it!
160 minutes
PG 13 for brief war violence, sexual content, language and smoking
Carolyn's Rating - B+
Critic's Rating - B+
State of Play
An entertaining political journalism thriller from Director Kevin Macdonald (The last King of Scotland) with Russell Crowe and Rachel McAdams as reporters trying to break a big story without getting killed. It kept me interested and on the edge of my seat, although Crowe's stringy hair and dress made me cringe. What has happened to dress codes for the work place? Ben Affleck does a nice job - he and Crowe are old college buddies. It has an interesting twist to the ending. Crowe unravels a multi-layered conspiracy involving a congressman (Affleck)
127 minutes
PG 13 for some violence, sexual references and brief drug content
Carolyn's Rating - B
Critic's rating - B+
The Soloist
A touching drama based on the experiences of Cleveland-native Nathaniel Anthony Ayers (Jamie Foxx). He struggles with mental illness and homelessness. The musician forms a friendship in Los Angeles with columnist Steve Lopez (Robert Downey Jr.) This was a good movie, but somewhat depressing to me, although I know this sort of thing goes on in the world and it is representative of how they live and survive. The acting is excellent. Lopez has a lot of compassion and love in him. This is a true story, there are 90,000 homeless people in California, this is sad for us who live in the richest country in the world.
119 minutes
PG 13 for mature theme, some drug use and language
Carolyn's Rating - B
Critic's rating - B
Ghost of Girlfriends Past
Mathew McConaughey does get under your skin in this picture playing the cocky lady's man. He's a fashion photographer who goes through supermodels the way banks go through money. He's so oversexed and over booked that he has to break up "in bulk" - three women dumped by conference call. Anyway, his brother is about to be married and he shows up and makes a fool of himself. All of a sudden Connor Mathew starts tripping through his past. The ghosts aren't all that interesting and of course, McConaughey finally grows a heart. According to the critics, Michael Douglas, Jennifer Garner and Anne Archer have the best lines. To me they were risqué. I know its rated PG 13 but I think 13 is too young to be hearing and seeing all this over-sexed stuff. Nowadays anything and everything goes, and I for one don't like it.
100 minutes
Rated PG 13 for sexual content throughout, language and drug references
Carolyn's Rating - C-
Critic's rating - B-
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