The Kids Are All Right (Grade A)

Director:  Lisa Cholodenko

Any Awards?  Yes Golden Globes and Independent Spirit Awards--and will probably get some more

CAST:  Julianne Moore; Annette Bening; Mark Ruffalo; Mia Wasikowska; Josh Hutcherson; Yava DeCosta; Kunal Sharma; Eddie Hassell; Zosia Mamet; Joaquin Garrido;  Rebecca Lawrence

plot summary : Joni (Mia Wasikowska) and Laser (Josh Hutcherson), are the children of same-sex parents Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore).  They both have the same father/sperm donor and want to know who he is. Sperm-donor dad (Mark Ruffalo) would be happy to become part of this ready made family--often with seriously funny outcomes. But his arrival complicates the household dynamics, and nobody is sure where or how he fits in -- if at all

sez says: here is a delight of a story--superbly acted --and universal in its truths.  What makes a family a family?  What is marriage?  What do children need?  Serious stuff and taken up with a lesbian couple who are parents-and who are treated just like ANY other married couple who are parents.  Refreshing--plus full of happy laughter--from an A+ script/dialogue.  All that all might sound a little dorky ... well it isn't--it is great 

mjc say:  exchanges between the married couple rendered authentically in the script.

Iron Man 2, 2010 (Grade C)

Director: Jon Favreau

Awards -- none that we know of and wouldn't expect any

Cast:  Robert Downey Jr.; Don Cheadle; Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sam Rockwell, Mickey Rourke, Clark Gregg, John Slattery, Jon Favreau, Paul Bettany, Kate Mara, Leslie Bibb, Gary Shandling

sez says:   Didn't expect much so was pleasantly surprised. A diverting romp, standard super hero fare, Robert Downey jr can be fun to watch. Edged up to stupid but never went completely over the edge. Better than expected. and a great cast

MJC:  this movie was a perfect complement to the trash thrillers that I am reading. Yes!

Bounty Hunter, 2010 Grade (F)

Director: Andy Tennant

Awards?  No way this will win any awards

Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Gerard Butler, Jason Sudeikis, Jeff Garlin, Siobhan Fallon, Peter Greene, Joel Garland, Dorian Missick. Adam Rose, Christine Baranski, Cathy Moriarty, Carol Kane

sez says:  What a sorry bit of tripe this is. I had heard that Jennifer Aniston had some comic talent. If you are to judge by this movie it just ain't so. There have been great movies made about dueling couples whose relationships have gone south but who are still attracted to each other (His Girl Friday and  Bringing Up Baby are two that come to mind immediately.)  Those movies have spunky stories, fun action, great scripts, and talented actors and they can continue to be enjoyed fifty plus years after the were made. None of the above applies to The Bounty Hunter.  It is not the genre that is the problem.  The story is a problem, the acting is a problem, the script is a problem. This is just a dog of a movie.  The plot: Neither she nor he will admit to their faults; he is apparently just a real loser  She a self involved reporter.  They have to work out their estrangement while supposedly solving a mystery. The premise is not so bad but it sure didn't work here.

MJC says:  Jennifer Aniston is pleasure to look at but the pleasure is drained away by the imbecilic plot and ridiculous dialogue of this vacuous excuse for a movie.  

Valentines Day, 2010 (Grade D)

Director Garry Marshall
Cast: Ashton Kutcher, Jennifer Garner. Jessica Alba. Kathy Bates, Jessica Beil, Bradley Cooper, Eric Dane, Patrick Dempsey, Hector Elizondo, Jamie Foxx, Julia Roberts, Topher Grace, Anne Hathaway, Queen Latifah, Taylor Lautner, George Lopez, Shirley MacLaine. Emma Roberts, Taylor Swift.

Sez Says ... A good cast peppered with real talent but a silly movie. Love takes many forms from teenage enthusiasm to the wonders of the elderly dancing in the moonlight in a graveyard--- in case you don't get the symbolism. Not particularly funny or fun and the biggest revelation the story offers is that you true love may be your best friend and/or that a mother's love may be more substantial than romantic love 

MJC Says:  much as I am a sentimental slob this movie never took off  to send the heart strings quivering. Perhaps it is just too many movies over the years but the plot was as predictable in it's parts as in it's whole from the teenagers being discovered by mom when they plan a tryst in the girl's house to the final discovery that your best friend is the one you should be with. 

Knight & Day, 2010 (Grade C+)

Director: James Mangold
Cast: Tom Cruise; Cameron Diaz; Peter Sarsgaard; Jordi Molla; Viola Davis; Paul Dano; Falk Hentschel; Marc Blucas; Lennie Loftin; Maggie Grace Dale Dye

sez says: Knight and Day was really fun. Tom Cruise plays a boy scout (or is that an Eagle Scout) super hero. He is polite and honest and loyal and true, and infallible -- and Carmen Diaz gets to show her stuff as a first rate comedian.  She plays the tom-boy / woman car mechanic, in boots and a party dress.  The story is predictable and it is not what you are going to enjoy.  We have all seen this story dozens of times in various guises. There are really good guys and really bad guys. And there is never any question about who is who.  The point of the movie is the romp of getting from start to finish --with lots of  fun banter-dialogue and some laugh out loud moments. This may not be art--but it is fun. Grade C+