Archive for September, 2010

Echo Lake Productions

David Duchovny, Demi Moore, Amber Heard, Ben Hollingsworth, Gary Cole, Glenne Headly, Lauren Hutton, Chris Williams, Andrew DiPalma, Ric Reitz

Well, talk about your dysfunctional family!  I don’t want to give away too much of the story as you might not have heard the premise this film is based upon, and if you don’t know the kicker going in, then it’s a lot more fun.  I did not see previews for this, and I did not have any expectations going in.  This is a clever concept for a film.  Let us just say this is one of the most screwed up “familes” you’ll ever see.   Mom is a control freak who is the “boss”.  Dad is a golf nut who spends all his time on the golf course.  Brother is in the closet.  Sister is a nympho who can’t help hitting on every older man in sight.   Mom and Dad sleep in separate rooms.  But on the surface, they sure seem like the perfect couple that everyone wants to aspire to be.

“Keeping up with the Joneses” is obviously the theme of this movie, but you will have to admit, it’s a whole different ball game with this bunch.

Some of this film is funny, some is tragic.  But mostly it’s a satire on modern life, but in a way I’ve never seen before.  I think it was a very interesting movie and gave me lots to think about.

Demi Moore is not bad as the driven housewife, but Duchovny doesn’t quite cut it for me as the Dad.  I think a better casting choice could have been made here.  He’s not terrible, but he is probably the weakest link.  The next door neighbors are a sad lot as well.  Both are very good in thier roles.    Everybody needs to step back and look at their flaws and try to redeem themselves.  Some do, some don’t.  Most people don’t change, they just continue making the same mistakes.

The Joneses are certainly not someone I’d like to follow, but since nobody in the family appears to have a job, I guess their life style is pretty amazing!   Categorizing this film is a challenge too.  It’s not overly a comedy, neither is it much of a romance.  I guess the closest is Drama, but I’m checking all 3 because it’s definitely some of each.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

 

 

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Movie Rentals Releasing Today Tuesday September 21th, 2010

  • Robin Hood
  • The Secret in Their Eyes
  • Ondine
  • (Untitled)

Author: EdG

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BBC Films, Pathe

Alex Pettyfer, April Pearson, Dimitri Leonidas, Calvin Dean, Tuppence Middleton, Georgia King, Mary Nighy, Olly Alexander, James Floyd, Sophie Wu
Tormented is a cute little old fashioned horror film.  It’s simply a ghost story.  For fans of horror films, this is pretty standard.  It’s got pretty good chills and pretty good, “clever” ways of death (death by paper cutter?). 

It is an English film, made by the BBC, so it’s sometimes hard to follow.  All the kids talk like the kids from “erry Pot-tair” but that’s part of the fun.  Basically, a student has committed suicide due to all the bullying and now he’s back to insure his revenge on those that hurt him.  I’m not sure why he had to wait till he was dead to get the strength to fight back, but that’s the idea. 

Typical horror fare of teens having sex before being off’d and kids going to wild parties being picked off.

Next we have everyone feeling remorse and taking the blame for what they’ve done.   There are a few twists and some red herrings here and there along the way.

This is not classic cinema by any means, but for fans of straight forward Friday the 13th type films, this is a vaild entry in that genre.  It’s very simple, but effective.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

 

 

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Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, 21 Laps Entertainment

Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Mark Wahlberg, James Franco, Leighton Meester, Taraji P. Henson, Jimmi Simpson, Common, William Fichtner, Kristen Wiig, Mark Ruffalo, Mila Kunis, Ray Liotta

This has been a funny week for films!  Date Night is a lot funnier than it ought to be!  This is the first time I laughed out loud in a long time.  There are some really crazy scenes!   Everyone has seen the previews for this, and that about sets up the scenario.  A couple is in a rut, kids, jobs, and household problems make life really boring and very tiring.  They try to go out for a date night once a week, but even that is repetitive. Suddenly one of their friends announces they’re getting a divorce, and Phil (Steve Carell) decides to make it a big night and take his wife Claire (Tina Faye) to a trendy new restaurant in Manhattan.  Unfortunately people make reservations months in advance.  So the find another couple who didn’t show, and hijack their reservations.   Then their meal is interrupted by a couple goons who they think work for the restaurant.  But instead their lives are in jeopardy as they search for the real “Tripplehorns” and the missing flash drive!  

Then things go from bad to worse to even worse.  Everything that can go wrong does, and there’s no way to tell who are the good guys and who are the bad guys.   Mark Wahlberg has a role as a hysterical security expert.   Ray Liotta has a small part as the gangster who started it all.   There is one of the most hysterical car chases in history.  I don’t want to give it away, but it goes on for a long time in the most ludicrous of situations ever recorded.  That scene is worth the price of admission alone. 

All the characters are well developed and there are new twists and turns at every point.    At one point Phil and Claire are in a strip club, and the only way in is to pose as a stripper.  Claire goes into the dressing room and comes out in costume with a wig.  That whole part is hysterical too.  All in all it was a very enjoyable evening watching this thing, and I’m glad it was finally available to the Netflix customers.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

 

 

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Movie Rentals Releasing Today Tuesday September 14th, 2010

  • Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
  • Letters to Juliet
  • Just Wright (Blockbuster Exclusive – Neflix October release)
  • Princess Ka’iulani
  • Casino Jack and the United States of Money (Documentary)

Author: EdG

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