Jellyfish (Meduzot) (2007)

Jellyfish (Meduzot) (2007)
Directors: Shira Geffen, Etgar Keret
Writer: Shira Geffen
Stars: Sarah Adler, Nikol Leidman and Gera Sandler

The stories of three disparate women intersect at a Tel Aviv wedding. Newly single Batiya (Sarah Adler) works with the catering crew; Filipina Joy (Ma-nenita De Latorre) attends the event as the caregiver of an elderly woman; and the bride (Noa Knoller) sees her honeymoon dreams go up in smoke. Directed by popular Israeli novelist Etgar Keret and his screenwriter wife, Shira Geffen, the film won the Camera d'Or at Cannes.

My Rating: 3 of 5 "Liked It"

The mystery of the little girl is what kept me going throughout this film, and even though it isn't really solved, I still like how it ended. Each character is unique and flawed in many ways. It was fun to see how they would work through their problems (and if they would survive the struggle.) Overall, good story and worth the time to watch.

The Rage in Placid Lake (2003)

The Rage in Placid Lake (2003)
Director: Tony McNamara
Writer: Tony McNamara
Stars: Jordan Brooking, Ben Lee and Rose Byrne

Precocious, bohemian teenager Placid Lake, finishes high school and decides to do the one thing that will annoy his new age parents the most- go straight! With a few weeks spent reading a library of self-help manuals, Placid has it all sorted out- and he has the haircut and the cheap suit to prove it. Can Placid Lake retire his rage in the pursuit of beige; embrace conformity and leap on the fast track to corporate success? Will his 'brainiac' friend Gemma be able to talk him out of this economic rationalist madness? And will poor Doug and Sylvia survive the ignominy of having a son with a burgeoning future in insurance? Never underestimate the evil of banality!

My Rating: 3 of 5 "Liked It"

This movie is a twist on the usual rebellious teenager film. I found the characters entertaining and sympathetic, and I got a lot of good laughs out of it. If you're looking for something quirky and funny, with a hint of a dark edge to it, check this movie out.

What Dreams May Come (1998)

What Dreams May Come (1998)
Director: Vincent Ward
Writers: Richard Matheson (novel), Ronald Bass (screenplay)
Stars: Robin Williams, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Annabella Sciorra

Chris Neilson dies to find himself in a heaven more amazing than he could have ever dreamed of. There is one thing missing: his wife. 

My Rating: 2 of 5 "It Was Okay"

Well, if you're in the mood for something depressing, this is the movie for you. My initial interest in this movie was the art side as opposed to the story (though the story was really good.) There's several scenes in this movie that take place inside a painting, so it's fun to see how they visualized the characters' interaction with a slippery, colorful world.

I feel like so much was crammed in this movie, that it would have been better if, maybe, it was a television series. I haven't read the novel, so I don't know how much was changed, but I imagine the novel delves much deeper into the different aspects of Chris's worlds and the characters within.

I dunno if I would have chosen Robin Williams as the actor for this movie. I'd have to think pretty hard on who I would cast in his place, but in general I find it hard to take Robin Williams serious. He's just so good at being funny and smart that when I see him in an epic role, I feel distracted. Anyone else like that- perhaps even with different stars?

The Hustler (1961)

The Hustler (1961)
Director: Robert Rossen
Writers: Sidney Carroll (screenplay), Robert Rossen (screenplay), Walter S. Tevis (novel)
Stars: Paul Newman, Jackie Gleason and Piper Laurie

"Fast" Eddie Felson is a small-time pool hustler with a lot of talent but a self-destructive attitude. His bravado causes him to challenge the legendary "Minnesota Fats" to a high-stakes match which begins Fast Eddie's lifelong struggle against his greatest opponent of all- himself.

My Rating: 4 of 5 "Really Liked It"

This movie is like an exploration of a single character, Fast Eddie. Fast Eddie is a con-artist inside and out of the game. I really liked Eddie, and despite him being a generally...I don't want to say 'sly' or 'sleezy', but those are the best words I've got right now- despite being a sly guy with a penchant for self-destructive behavior, I really like him.

Happy ending or not? You be the judge.

12 and Holding (2005)

12 and Holding (2005)
Director: Michael Cuesta
Writer: Anthony Cipriano
Stars: Conor Donovan, Jesse Camacho and Zoe Weizenbaum

After his twin brother is accidentally killed by vengeful bullies, a disfigured 12-year old boy and his friends face the harsh realities of death, hormones, and family dysfunction. 

My Rating: 3 of 5 "Liked it"

Netflix really needs to stop recommending me depressing movies. How does this happen? I guess I watched all the happy movies featuring children so now I'm just left with all the sad ones. Oh well.

I liked this movie. It follows three main characters and their development into young adolescence. If you're a fan of the drama genre, then this is a good movie for you.

The Unloved (2009)

The Unloved (2009)
Director: Samantha Morton
Writers: Tony Grisoni, Samantha Morton
Stars: Molly Windsor, Robert Carlyle and Susan Lynch

Lucy is eleven years old. Having been neglected by her estranged mother and father, she is placed in a children's home. Through her eyes, we follow Lucy's struggle to cope with the system.

My Rating: 4 of 5 "Really Liked It"

What strikes me most about this movie is the mood. It's bleak but captivating, and something about it just feels so raw. It feels like truth. I really feel for the characters and really feel like I understand them even though their experiences are so different from my own.

Apparently this movie was made for TV? I need to look into it a bit more, but that's what IMDb says. That actually surprised me, since I don't associate made for TV movies with having such high quality.

Following (1998)

Following (1998)
Director: Christopher Nolan
Writer: Christopher Nolan
Stars: Jeremy Theobald, Alex Haw and Lucy Russell

An older man listens to Bill's story about being a callow writer who likes to follow strangers around around London, observing them. One day, a glib and self-confident man whom Bill has been following confronts him. He's Cobb, a burglar who takes Bill under his wing and shows him how to break and enter. They burgle a woman's flat; Bill gets intrigued with her (photographs are everywhere in her flat). He follows her and chats her up at a bar owned by her ex-boyfriend, a nasty piece of work who killed someone in her living room with a hammer. Soon Bill is volunteering to do her a favor, which involves a break-in. What does the older man know that Bill doesn't?

My Rating: 2 of 5 "It Was Okay"

I might have the unpopular opinion on this. I wasn't interested in the characters, so I wasn't interested in paying attention to their problems. I thought the concept for the movie was pretty cool, but I didn't get enough information at the right times to keep my curiosity peaked throughout.

Honestly, I got bored with it and walked away to do something else, only to come back literally two minutes later and discover the credits were rolling. Christopher Nolan ("Memento") is known for having his movies come together in the last frickin' thirty seconds, so I had to restart the last five minutes to catch the punchline. The punchline, as can be expected, was really good, but if I'm bored with the freakin' movie after seventy minutes of being jerked around, then I'm not even gonna watch the punchline.

So, it was alright. Probably won't watch it again.

All About Eve (1950)

All About Eve (1950)
Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Writer: Joseph L. Mankiewicz (screenplay), Mary Orr (story "The Wisdom of Eve") (uncredited)
Stars: Bette Davis, Anne Baxter and George Sanders

Writer-director Joseph L. Mankiewicz's sharp script anchors this story about New York City theater life, with Bette Davis playing an aging Broadway diva who employs a starstruck fan (Anne Baxter) as her assistant, only to learn the woman is a conniving upstart. The now-classic All About Eve won Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director (Mankiewicz), Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor (George Sanders).

My Rating: 5 of 5 "Loved it!"

AH I LOVE THIS MOVIE. Seriously, the entire film is quotable. The dialogue was smart and funny and witty and so very real. And F* Eve man, whadda crazy chick, hahaha.

I just had so much fun watching this movie. Every single character and quirks and interesting scenes and great things to say. Jeeze, just thinking about this movie makes me want to watch it again. Even if you're not into old films, I highly recommend you check this one out.

I Love You Phillip Morris (2009)

I Love You Phillip Morris (2009)
Directors: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa
Writers: John Requa, Glenn Ficarra
Stars: Jim Carrey, Ewan McGregor and Leslie Mann
Rated: R
Genre: Comedy/Drama/Romance

Steven Russell is happily married to Debbie, and a member of the local police force when a car accident provokes a dramatic reassessment of his life. Steven becomes open about his homosexuality and decides to live life to the fullest - even if it means breaking the law. Steven's new, extravagant lifestyle involves cons and fraud and, eventually, a stay in the State Penitentiary where he meets sensitive, soft-spoken Phillip Morris. His devotion to freeing Phillip from jail and building the perfect life together prompts Steven to attempt and often succeed at one impossible con after another.

My Rating: 2 of 5 "It was okay"

This movie suffers from Jim Carrey. Sorry, I'm not a Jim Carrey fan, and I'm pretty much certain that this film would have been twenty times better without him (though that's my opinion on all Jim Carrey films.) I thought the movie was interesting to a point, but I probably wouldn't have bothered with it if I wasn't watching it with friends.

Cherry (2010)

Cherry (2010)
Director: Jeffrey Fine
Writer: Jeffrey Fine
Stars: Kyle Gallner, Laura Allen, Britt Robertson
Genre: Comedy/Drama

An Ivy League freshman gets an unexpected education when he falls for an older woman and her 14 year-old daughter develops a crush on him.

My Rating: 4/5 "Really Liked It"

What I loved most about this movie was the characters. Not only are the main characters entertaining and interesting, but all of the surrounding characters have depth as well. This movie is a really good "dramedy" because the situations are so absurd that you have to either laugh or cry, and it's got just the right amount of humor to make you laugh instead. It's well worth a watch.