Slumdog Millionaire

Slumdog Millionaire

Director: Danny Boyle

Starring: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto

MPAA: Rated R for some violence, disturbing images and language (This movie should have been rated PG-13, anyone who is hesitant about watching R rated movies scroll to the bottom of this post where this is explained because you don’t want to miss
Slumdog Millionaire because of a poor rating. If I had just said it was rated PG-13 you would have watched it and never known the difference.)

WOW, brilliant, beautiful, gripping, heart wrenching, amazing, all these words just scrape the surface of the masterpiece Slumdog Millionaire. I love movies that portray so much hope and love, and at the same time are so tense one feels like biting his nails the whole film. There is no question at all why Slumdog Millionaire won Best Motion Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted screenplay (and 5 more) at the 2009 Academy Awards. I wish I had taken the time to see this film in theaters.



The true question is, “Why this film was rated R”. The movie was lass offensive than 90% of the movies out there and because it has branded with an R rating many people will not take the time to see it and be enriched by its beauty. My mother for instance would love this film because it is a gripping humanistic movie that tells a story about love and overcoming obstacles in a very tasteful way. Any violent of scary or even sexual situation is done in a way that captures realism, but does not go over the top the way many films do. Instead the scene cuts away or the camera movies in another direction so that a dead body is not seen or something like that. Thus the message is sent but the audience is not exposed to a gut wrenching or disgusting scene.



Slumdog Millionaire is set in modern day Mumbai on the west coast of India. A young man from the slums is a contestant on India’s Who Wants To Be a Millionaire. As each question is asked the man is sent back through childhood memories that relate to each question. Two brothers, Jamal and Salim, are orphans trying to stay alive in the most tragic surroundings I have ever seen portrayed on film. The streets are made from garbage, the houses built from trash, the water is filthy and brown, and these two beautiful children run through the streets and play in the water with the biggest smiles, they are so happy in their pitiful state. As they get older the two boys choose different directions in life and the drama played out between them is enthralling.

The movie does jumps around quite a bit from past to present, and it takes some getting used to. I also had a hard time distinguishing different characters from the other especially when they were young boys. But as the film progressed I got used to the nationalities and then I had no problems. I found it very interesting to hear Hindi spoken throughout the whole move and have it incorporated with English. The movie uses a lot of subtitles but the main characters all speak a lot of English too, so there is an almost seamless blend throughout the film where one language starts and the other ends. The new culture was fun for me to watch and learn from. I have watched very few Hindi movies and so there was a little bit of a culture shock to Slumdog Millionaire, but the story was so captivating I jumped right in and loved every minute of the film.



You can’t go wrong with picking Slumdog Millionaire. It will change your life, the way only 2 hours of cinematic pleasure can. This movie is perfect, 10 out of 10. I can’t think of anything that made this move less than a wonderful film of hope and love. There are heart pounding moments, nail biting scenes, comedy and drama, Slumdog Millionaire is a masterpiece and a tragic loss for those who do not see it.

Sex/Nudity – 5 out of 10 – A girl is seen dancing in a belly dancer style costume, her abdomen is showing. In another scene girls dressed in “clubbing garb” somewhat immodest dance seductively with men. Two boys walk into a whore house there are some couples shown from above, a little bit of kissing is seen. A teenage boy forces another boy out of a hotel room so he can be alone with a girl, it is implied they have sex. A teenage girl gets out of a shower we see the tops of her bare shoulders, a teen age boy, with his eyes closed and head turned, hands her a towel.

Violence/ Gore - 6 out of 10– There is a small gun fight with a little bit of blood. A large riot between Muslims and Hindus breaks out in a slum. There is a lot of fire, people being hit with poles and sticks. We see a man lit on fire running. A young man is interrogated by the police, his head is dunked repeatedly into a bucket of water, he is hit a few times, and electrocuted, he spits out bloody saliva once. A little boy is knocked unconscious and them blinded by 3 men so he can beg on the streets at a higher rate. 2 young men scuffle and hit each other a few times. The disturbing images include a boy imagining he and another boy are thrown from the top of a building, a boy escapes from being locked in a outhouse by jumping down the hole, and we see a dead woman floating face down in a pool of water.

Profanity – 5 out of 10 - 1 or 2 “F” words in the background or subtitled in Hindi, 10 or so other mild obscenities, a few religious expletives.
See it is a PG-13 film with and R rating!

Everybody’s Fine

Everybody’s Fine

Director: Kirk Jones (director of Nanny McPhee)

Starring: Robert De Niro, Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale, Sam Rockwell,

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for thematic elements and brief strong language.

Everybody’s Fine is a beautiful study into families that captures the audience’s heart and pulls at their heart’s strings. It is a wonderful film that easily gets an 8.5 out of 10. It is a little bit of a holiday move in that it is about a family coming together and growing closer, but only one scene actually takes place during the holidays, and so it is one of those holiday films that can be watched any time you want to feel good, cry a little bit, and laugh.

De Niro is a retired blue collar worker who, after the death of his wife, feels his grown children are slipping away from him and he is losing connection to his family. He raised his children to be successful and happy and wants to see them all and know they are okay. So he embarks on a road trip to see his children and be with them.



The movie is a slower film, it’s pacing is similar to The Boys Are back, another beautiful film about strengthening family relationships, but the pacing does not detract from the film at all. It kind of adds to the apprehension De Niro’s character feels as he travels across country to see his children. There are beautiful landscape shots and a little theme of telephone wires following the road across thousands of miles. As De Niro travels we hear telephone conversations some of his children calling each other and some of other conversations. I guess it sounds a little weird my describing it, but it makes sense in the film.



It was nice to a see a good family film without any sex, nudity, and limited swearing. This move is not really a comedy, all though there are definitely some funny scenes, that is not what this movie is about. Themes in the film revolve around deceit in families, hiding truths, and trying to avoid disappointment, and coping with loneliness. I imagine this is a movie that grown up sons and daughters and widowed spouses can identify with. Everybody’s Fine is a film about a grown up family and the challenges that a family can face in the wake of a tragedy and when they are spread across the country.

The director did a good job with the film’s pacing. The script is believable and doesn’t cross into the land of cheesy drivel that so often happens in dramas. It is a clever, all the more so because the actors are so good. De Niro is the stern father whose children try to hide their imperfections from because they fear his disappointment in them. The children play their parts well, and we feel a swell of emotion as we see them through De Niro’s eyes as the little kids they once were.



I highly recommend this feel good movie. It is beautiful and fun. My wife cried during it, and I even got a little choked up. Again I say this is an easy 8.5 out of 10, there is just so much to this movie that I wouldn’t want people to miss. It is a film with a broad audience base, so a lot of people in different stages of life can enjoy the many elements of the film. Everybody’s Fine is an excellent family film!

Sex/Nudity – 3 out of 10 - In a brief clip there is a water fountain/statue of ancient Greek style of a little boy holding his penis, urinating. There is also a discussion of sexual preference confusion. In one scene a woman giving a man a lift suggests a motel he can stay the night at. He thinks she is making a sexual proposition, she says she is sleeping in her truck.

Violence – 3 out of 10 - There is an attempted mugging and scuffle, one man is thrown down to the ground.

Profanity – one “F” word and a few other mild expletives, a few religious exclamations. The language is pretty uncalled for, the “F” word is during a mistake while golfing, but it is kind of muttered and I only noticed it because I always watch my movies with the subtitles on.

The Damned United

The Damned United

Starring Michael Sheen (Frost/Nixon), Timothy Spall (Peter Pettigrew from Harry Potter) , Colm Meany (Chief O’Brien in Star Trek), and Jim Broadbent (Prof. Slughorn from Harry Potter)

MPAA - Rated R for language.

I forgot how much films from the UK liked using the “F” word and this movie was no exception. I also forgot how good they are at incorporating that word into their dialogue, making it sound more like the words stinking or shoot in our daily language. That being said, to those who are not offended by this word then The Damned United is a brilliant film and takes its place in among the greats following the theme, “pride cometh before the fall”.



This is not a sports film. There might be two or three scenes with football (European not American) footage, and these shots are impressive, but anyone wanting to see Remember the Titans for soccer should realize this is not a move about sports. Instead this is a true story about a man’s rise to greatness and his pride; how pride can destroy relationships and careers. I can’t give too much away, but this is a great study in relationships and the acting in this film is flawless in its portrayal of life.



The film follows the true story of acclaimed football manger Brian Clough, his rise to stardom as coach for Derby County, and his tragic fall over Leeds United. Michael Sheen of Frost/Nixon and Timothy Spall (Peter Pettigrew in the Harry Potter franchise) star together as fellow coaches, one consumed with pride the other trying to be the friend who can pull them through. The story is gripping and the friendship is almost tangible. Sheen and Spall are fantastic actors who carry this movie through to the end.

Pride and loyalty are major themes in this film. Watching as Sheen digs himself into a huge hole and seeing Spall trying to save his friend is touching. This film explores the things that can happen because of a carried grudge and does an excellent job portraying life’s challenges. The screenplay is written by Peter Morgan who was also wrote Frost/Nixon and The Last King of Scotland, two amazing true story adaptations. With a track level like that no wonder The Damned United is so damned good!



The Damned United is a superb film. It has a plot that is riveting and characters and dialogue that pulls the audience in different directions laughing and cringing at times. This film is an easy 9 out of 10. It is an excellent achievement in film.

Sex/Nudity – 1 out of 10 – There are a few locker room scenes where we see bare chested men. A man kisses another man in a friendly happy way, not in a sexual way.

Violence/Gore – 4 out of 5 -There are a few bloody sports injuries and some cheap punches in the middle of a soccer game.

Profanity – 9 out of 10 – 50 or so “F” words and various other explitives.

The Informant

The Informant


Director: Steven Soderbergh

Starring: Matt Damon, Melanie Lynskey, and Scott Bakula

MPAA: Rated R for language.

The Informant is as quirky and fun as Ocean’s 11. It doesn’t have the star power of the Oceans trilogy, but it beats the living heck out of 12 and 13 (I guess that is not saying much though). It is a winner all the way around. It is the first of three true stories I have watched today and my wife and I just couldn’t believe it’s veracity it was so outrageous. If you liked The Informant than go check out Find Me Guilty, because it is another quirky true story that will make you bust a gut laughing. This is The Office meets Oceans 11 without the heist. It also reminds me a little of Fight Club when we get Edward Norton’s monologues during the film. Matt Damon does something similar in The Informant. Discussions can be going on around him that seem to have some relevance to what is happening but the audience doesn’t get to hear them, instead Matt Damon’s character talks in his head about French ties and trying to get them into the States without declaring them at customs. It is really quite hilarious. “I am Mikal’s odd sense of humor!”(Fight Club joke!)

The whole movie can best be summed up as quirky. Matt Damon’s character is a genius, and Damon carries it out flawlessly. Half the time the audience is not sure who is being played. This is definitely a new character for Damon, he is not the silent Linus from Ocean’s nor is he the muscle bound Bourne, instead we see a returning to elements used in Good Will Hunting, as this brilliant character tries to stay afloat in the company he is slowly burning to the ground. He is like Will Hunting because he has enormous charisma that seems to charm everyone, and he also has a propensity for lying his butt off. I think Damon added some weight and definitely lost some sense of style as he took us back 20 years to early 90s corporate America.

I can see why this move didn’t go as mainstream as others in Soderbergh’s library. It is a film geared for adults, thus the R rating. If it had been rated PG-13 than it would have looked like a film for younger audiences, and it just plain isn’t interesting to a 13 year old audience. The swearing in the film is pretty mild, so it seems the rating was put there only to limit the audience a little, which is okay because we are all adults here right. I guess this is just another example, like It’s Complicated, of how the MPAA is a little bit ridiculous in its rating system.

The Informant is hilarious, but it also has some sad and serious moments which serve to balance the film. It gives it a little bit more of a realistic edge to it, and it feels a lot more believable because of it. The script is hilarious, and Damon’s acting is great as well. I don’t have any complaints really about this film at all. It was well thought out and well put together. The Informant is not the best film you’ll see this year but it is well worth the time to watch it. I’ll give it an 8 out of 10.

Sex/Nudity – None –no kissing, no sex, a little sexual dialogue; a reference to a co worker and how attractive she was and it was a shame she was getting married.

Violence/Gore – None

Profanity – 6 out of 10 – About 6 “F” words, maybe one or two more, but most of them are said in the back ground and without subtitles on there would be no way to know they were said. There were about 20 other uses of the “S” word, “A” word, and a few other mild obscenities.

What Doesn't Kill You

What Doesn’t Kill You


Director: Brian Goodman

Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Ethan Hawke, and Amanda Peet

MPAA - Rated R for language, drug use, some violence and brief sexuality.

A beautiful drama about the lives of two young street thugs growing up on the streets of south Boston; heart and soul and love, this is really what is at the center of What Doesn’t Kill You. Mark Ruffalo is amazing in this rough a tumble part, a real difference from the Hugh Grant style shy love interest he usually plays. He is backed by Ethan Hawke who plays a pretty stock character. He is not bad at all, but his character requires very little in the way of exploring new fields for Hawke. Both are a powerful duo however and with the mix of Amanda Peet as Ruffalo’s wife there are some pretty touching and intense moments in the film.

What Doesn't Kill You is pieced together a little differently than some movies. It kind of jumps from scene to scene a little bit throwing off continuity and it takes a little while to get used to this style. I almost shut the film off after about 20 minutes because I didn’t think the movie was going anywhere, but I stuck with it and I was not disappointed. The film makes a little too much use of the “F” word and while it works for the characters, they being uneducated and in the streets, it gets in the way of what could be have better dialogue. The screenplay doesn’t really focus on the script and doesn’t need it as badly as it needs the many and sometimes seemingly random scenes to build the plot and characters.

What was really good about What Doesn’t Kill you is its overlying moral message and its ability to put together a realistic story line about what really happens to people whose lives are left to unproductive activities. Ruffalo and Hawke go through a struggle that is much deeper than the fight to make some dough and keep up the reputations as the baddest on the block. They are trying to find what is truly important in their lives and what really matters. As the armed robberies, fist fights, and drugs pile up their lives become less free and more and more they find themselves painted into a corner.

This makes for a very interesting story, even though it takes a little longer than it should to take off. The intro really starts off with a bang and it hooks you, but then you have to suffer through some random scenes until you get the hang of the director’s style, over all though you are in for a treat. It is a gritty ride, with lots of bumps and what not but it is well worth it. What starts out as a questionable meal turns into a delicious feats and an emotional roller coaster. While not an amazing film What Doesn’t Kill You still gets an 8.5 out of 10 in my book.

Sex/Nudity – 5 out of 10 - a few women are seen in underwear at different times. One woman in a tight shirt and booty shorts is asked to dance for a man; she dances suggestively for a second. One woman is straddling a shirtless man in her underwear, he rejects her. A husband and wife kiss passionately but the scene cuts before anything happens. We see a shirtless man a few times.

Violence/Gore – 7 out of 10 - There are a lot of fist fights and guns. One man is shot at close range several times. A man is seen in the hospital after having been shot, he is in a lot of pain. A man is put in a car with two other men, the shoot his arm and question him, then from outside the car you see and hear several gun shots; we assume the man is killed. The violence is very realistic and fairly brutal. There is not a lot of blood, but plenty of violence.

Profanity – 10 out of 10 – The “F” word is used persistently throughout the film and other expletives liter the dialogue as well. It is not a badly written script, just heavy on the language.

50 Dead Men Walking

50 Dead Men Walking

Director: Kari Skogland

Starring: Jim Sturgess and Ben Kingsley

MPAA - Rated R for strong brutal violence and torture, language and some sexuality.

In what is probably one of the most overlooked films of the last few years Jim Sturgess (of the thriller 21) and Ben Kingsley deliver star performances in the supercharged action thriller 50 Dead Men Walking. This is an excellent film, the UK’s version of The Departed. This film has top notch cinematography, an excellent plot and decent acting that put this film into the almost “A” class of cinema.
I really loved the gritty cinematography of 50 Dead Men Walking for anyone who has seen the crime drama Street Kings or Training Day you know what I mean. The filming has a dark rich quality which makes things seem a little dirtier a little grittier. It also makes for a more picturesque quality to the footage that is very appealing to the eye. It added to the thrill of the chase and torture scenes. There is more suspense in this film then I have seen in a lot of this independent crime dramas.



The plot is kind of a blend between Harrison Ford and Brad Pitt’s The Devil’s Own and the more recent Departed starring Matt Damon and Leonardo Dicaprio (as I said above). Jim Sturgess is a young adult Catholic in the midst of the Irish upheaval in the 90s. He is poor and can’t make a living. Ben Kingsley, playing a British handler, recruits Sturgess to be an informer in the dangerous terrorist organization the IRA. Sturgess moves through the ranks trying to prevent bombings and hits to be carried out by IRA gun men. Through it all the audience is biting their nails on the edge of their seats fearing for Sturgess’ character’s life. There is not a moment when the movie is too slow or too random. Everything comes together in a great mix of drama and thrills.

The script, directing, and acting are all top notch. Sturgess has a great Irish accent, and is very good in his role as a young informant trying to stay alive. He is a lot more interesting to watch in this film as opposed to 21(not a bad film but Sturgess wasn’t all that great). Now he show a lot of promise in this role. Ben Kingsley plays the part of the wizened old spy who knows the business and sees Sturgess as a surrogate son. It is an oft played role by the aging Kingsley, but his toupee helps add credibility to his part. I prefer the shaved Kingsley I think he comes off more menacing without hair. The pair are quite good together and the acting is better because the script and plot are so well put together.
Over all this film is a great adaptation and works wonderfully on the screen. The fact that it is taken from a book actually written by Martin McGartland (played by Jim Sturgess in the film) about actual events in Martin’s life really helps add to the quality here.



This movie is very good but serious watch. I would give it an A- like maybe 9 out of 10, or at least a high B. It was just so well done I can’t believe it did not get more notoriety. Check out 50 Dead Men Walking, it is worth it, I loved it!

Sex/Nudity – 7 out of 10 – There are two scenes where we see a couple having sex. One scene they are completely covered by blankets but the movement and sound alludes to their activities. They are interrupted and we see him bare from the waist down and she holds a blanket across her chest to expose only bare shoulders. In another scene we see her bare legs around his bare legs and some thrusting, their shirts are on.

Violence/Gore – 8 out of 10 – There are riots, shootings, explosions, splattering blood, the works. The violence is not done in a cartoon or comedic fashion it is all very serious. There are a few torture scenes. The violence is not in any way gratuitous, there is not effort made for any ridiculous amounts of blood, but it is still a bloody film.

Profanity – 8 out of 10 – I read on the IMDB that there about 100 “F” words. I don’t think there were that many, and if there were it was not in the main dialogue it was more in the peripherals so to speak. There were quite a few uses of the “F” word, and a lot of other swear words used too.

Up In The Air

Up In the Air

Director: Jason Reitman (Juno, Thank You For Smoking)

Starring: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman, Danny McBride, Melanie Lynskey

MPAA: Rated R for language and some sexual content.

Up In The Air is a very good film, but because I knew it was going to be good I was not knocked off my feet by how incredible it was. In fact, while my wife loved it, I really did not get why this movie is so hyped. It is really good, I am not saying that it wasn’t I just was expecting to be blown away…and it failed to blow me away. I was blown away by Michael Clayton, that was an amazing film, and I expected that from Up In The Air. That is not to say that this was a bad film; it was excellent.



Reitman has a vicious wit that is really apparent in Thank You For Smoking and comes through in this drama/comedy as well. He is a talented director and screen writer that makes his message clear, and does a good job making a movie with a heart and soul. Combining that with top notch acting from Clooney, and a powerful performance from Kendrick (Twilight’s fun and flirty Jessica), this movie is witty and entertaining masterpiece.



Clooney works for a company that is hired out by other companies to go to workplaces and do corporate firings. He travels thousands of miles and hundreds of days out of the year, across the country to meet with people personally to fire them so their bosses don’t have to. He has perfected the art of air travel and the art of firing people and making them like…almost. Kendrick’s character comes in fresh out of graduate school with plans on re-vamping this ancient company and moving them into the new decade. So Clooney is burdened with the chore of taking Kendrick around the country a a slew or corporate axings, showing her the ropes. On their trip he finds greater purpose in life and she discovers new elements to her life.




The almost bubbly awakening to this movie is deeply overshadowed by the element of despair as the film is deeply entrenched in today’s economic crisis. Clooney is the enemy and friend, the hermit in the midst of crowds trying to live apart from people while trying to guide them through the last few moments of their abruptly ended careers. The film is very funny, and has a lot of nice happy moments. And then Reitman brings us back to reality as we are put face to face with people who have come to the edge in their work.



The use of realistic interviews to really pound at the heart’s of his viewers, and then minutes later a grim wit puts a smile back on our faces. Up In The Air is fantastic, and while I wasn’t blown away this film is an easy 8 out of 10 stars. Great scripting, sharp witted dialogue, and a smooth moving plot with a good message make this film well worth watching.

Sex/Nudity – 7 out of 10 - A man and a woman go to eachother’s hotel rooms a few time so have sex. We see a woman in one scene completely nude from the back as she walks across a room to lay on a bed, we get a glimpse of her brest as she turns to the side. A man and woman talk about the different pieces of furniture they made love on, she is nude lying on a bed (we see her bare shoulders) he is presumably nude (we see his bare chest).

Violence/Gore - none

Profanity – 7 out of 10 – 20 or so “F” words, and maybe 20 more other swear words including religious exclamations, the “S” word, “A” word and the like.

The Time Travler's Wife

The Time Traveler’s Wife

Starring: Eric Bana, Rachel McAdams

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, brief disturbing images, nudity and sexuality

Well this movie is a cute little romance (not a comedy...at all) with a sci-fi element to twist your mind and try to hook the guys. And while you do get hooked the problem is you are also so confused by plot holes and time paradoxes that you really just want the movie to finish and resolve it’s self so you can actually understand everything that is going on. But then it ends and you are still scratching your head and you feel like you just lost in a game of chance to a street magician and you knew you were going to lose but you still can’t quite figure out how you lost.

Eric Bana plays the time traveler. He is a research librarian who since the age of 6 or so has the power to travel in time. The problem is he can only travel with in his life time to important events, there is one exception, which I want go into because it is extremely important…kind of, but it is like the one plot twist so I can’t give it away. The other flaw in this time traveling deal is that it is as involuntary as sneezing. Bana is about to start shaving and boom and he can’t take anything with him, including clothes. So he winds up naked at every destination, then he breaks in to people’s stores or jacks people’s wallets so he can have some clothes until seconds later poof he evaporates into time and you kind of wonder what the heck was the point of all that.



On top of the bizarre premise to the film there is also the problem of some of the driest acting on record. Bana and McAdams are usually pretty fun to watch. I thought Bana was hilarious in Funny People dropping his Australian accent, and McAdams is pretty cute. But this film was pretty limited in the on screen chemistry department. Bana is stern and gruff the whole time and is tolerable at best. Couple Bana’s chip on the shoulder attitude that with the brooding McAdams and the film drags on like a dubbed Korean soap opera.



This might be one of those movies that girls think is amazing and romantic and heartwarming, but in reality it is a confusing mish mash of romance, strained relationships, and a twisted sci-fi premise. It is a movie that creates barley enough emotional connection to the characters to force you to watch in puzzled apathy while really nothing interesting happens. There are a lot more movie out there worth watching. This movie was like choking down a bony Velociraptor and getting his razor sharp toe claw stuck in your throat. The Time Travelers Wife is a 5 out of 10, not the worst movie ever made, but a lot worse than most.



Sex/Nudity – 6 out of 10 - A guy time travels naked a lot, we see silhouettes of his naked body and see his bare chest a few times. There is some sex and kissing. We see a woman’s bare buttock as she gets out of bed after sex. She pulls on an over sized shirt to cover her top half but her butt is still visible.

Violence/Gore – there is one fist fight and some tense chasing scenes. A man breaks and enters a few buildings and a car. One man is shot and we see him bleeding in the stomach area.

Profanity – 12 or so uses of the “S” word and “A” word. There are a few other swear words and religious exclamations throughout.

It's Complicated

It’s Complicated

Director: Nancy Myers

Starring: Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin and John Krasinski

MPAA: Rated R for some drug content and sexuality.(This movie was more tame than some PG and PG-13 movies)

We loved Away We Go so much that we just had to go see another flick with John Krasinski and the only one we knew of was It’s Complicated. So my wife and I headed over to the dollar theater and soon we found ourselves rolling on the floor in hysterics throughout this Nancy Myers hit. This is one of those main stream films that is so excellent one is astounded by it. Yes there are some cookie cutter elements to this movie that are expected in all romantic comedies, but what is so great about It’s Complicated is that it is done so well that you can overlook the little flaws, if there are any, and just soak up the movie.

Nancy Meyers is the genius (writer and director) behind masterpieces like The Holiday and Something’s Got To Give, she also directed the Mel Gibson & Helen Hunt hit What Women Want. Well the talent that made those films so good really comes out in this one, and makes it a winner. It’s Complicated gets somewhere between an 8 to an 8.5 out of 10. It is a fantastic film that comes off almost flawlessly. This is also one of those “R” rated films with no “F” words (or any other swear words) no bare breasts, and really no reason to be “R” at all.



This movie falls into the classic romantic comedy genre, but is a little different mainly because it is about adults in adult relationships. The story is about Meryl Streep's character who is finally getting over her ten year old divorce, when after an evening of drinks and dancing she finds herself in bed with her ex-husband Alec Baldwin. He is having troubles at home with the new trophy wife and finds comfort in the arms of his familiar old wife. During their affair Meryl Streep’s character finds herself attracted to her architect, the “girl’s best friend” type Steve Martin. Between sorting out her feelings for both men and trying to hide her affair from her grown children, this situational comedy delivers laugh after laugh, with a good piece of drama in there too balancing out the comedic highs.

John Krasinski’s small role as the oldest daughter’s fiancé is hilarious. He gets caught in the middle of the deceit and plays a hilarious confidante type. He is the basic “Jim” from the office, but that is what makes him so fun. Meryl Streep is gorgeous at 60 and as funny as ever. She is truly an acting legend and she does not disappoint in this film. Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin are each fantastic actors and carry their roles flawlessly. They have such great comedic timing and are absolutely a riot; they really make it a hard decision (as love interests) to choose between, both for the audience and for Meryl Streep’s character. The top notch cast of great actors really helped pull this movie off. It couldn’t have made it without them. It would have been good, but not a great film.



The family side of this movie was great too. It is nice to see a film where there is more than one child, and the kids are not all screwed up. They are normal kids and as an audience we can really connect with them and their situation. On one hand you want the family to be back together again, on the other hand you want the other love interest to succeed. The love triangle is funny and sad, and well…complicated.



For anyone who liked What Women Want and Something’s Got To Give then It’s Complicated is right up your alley. My wife and I and the old ladies behind us in the theater were all busting a gut because it was so funny. It is also a sweet movie about a family, and the elements of comedy and drama make this a very satisfying film. The Flicks-a-saurus Rex calls this flick a great meal complete with appetizers and dessert. YUMMY!

Sex/Nudity – 6 out of 10 - There is some sexual dialogue in the film. We see a man lying naked on a bed with a lap top placed in front his groin (it covers from his belly button to about mid thigh). When he gets up we see his bare buttocks. We see a woman slip off her robe and she is seen from the shoulders up, and a man is shown shirtless a few times. There are a few scenes where a couple is shown lying in bed after intercourse, in one scene they are still in their clothes (the woman’s top is
open and we can see her bra) and in another scene they are under the blankets. We also see a woman in the bathtub but only her shoulders are visible.

Violence/Gore – 0 –

Profanity – 4 out of 10 - 10 or so religious exclamations and about 10 other swear words “S”, “A”, and a few other profanities. Some PG movies have more swearing.

The Rocker

The Rocker

Starring: Rainn Wilson (The Office’s Dwight), Christina Applegate, Josh Gad,

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for drug and sexual references, nudity and language

Rainn Wilson is hilarious in The Rocker. This is School of Rock meets the Office; and while not as good as School of Rock, The Rocker is still a hilarious film with good music and fun acting. This is more of a snack film as far as movies go. I was in the mood for a light hearted film without any serious undertones and this movie is just that. It is as light as The Office and follows very much in this sort of comedic genre.

What is good about the Rocker is Rainn Wilson. He uses the bizarre and eccentric humor of Dwight to make his character Fish into a 40 year old that never really grew up. Fish got booted at a young age from a band that is supposed to be the fictional version of Aerosmith or something like that. The group goes big because they ditched Fish and now Rainn Wilson’s character is plagued daily by the fact that he could have been in the world’s greatest band. Fish’s second chance comes as he becomes the drummer for his nephew’s high school band; he takes the kids on tour and learns a little bit about growing up.

This film could have been just another one of those lame movies about adults who just can’t seem to grow up, and it kind of was. It was different because there is a lot of maturity shown by the kids to counter balance the rampant foolishness we see in Wilson’s character. Wilson and the kids are all pretty funny and they do a good job in the film. Again it is not a brilliant movie, but it is fun to watch. If you like Rainn Wilson then don’t miss this movie, if you like The Office, again this is a winner. If you are looking for a meaty film that you can dwell on the intellectual and moral questions that are brought up… then go read a book, because this is not for you. We’ve got a 7 out of 10 here; nothing earth shattering as far as cinematography goes, but this is a pretty fun film.

Sex/Nudity – 5 out of 10 – We see a man’s bare buttocks and he drums naked with conveniently placed objects hiding private areas. We also see a man in his underwear and a close up of a man’s crotch (he is hearing leopard print pants). There is teen kissing and a man talks about his desire to have sex with a woman (he is rather explicit in his talk).

Violence/Gore – In a very cartoon style a man attacks a group of men driving a van. He is struck by the van and thrown from it a few times, but he gets up every time and there is no blood or damage at all. There is other scenes of slapstick comedy involving falling, hitting his head, spraining ankles, wrists, and other caricatures of injuries.

Profanity – 1 or 2 mouthed or uttered “F” words. I wouldn’t have caught them if I had not had the subtitles on. There are a few other swear words maybe 25 or so in total.

Away We Go

Away We Go

Director: Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Road to Perdition, Jarhead)

Starring: John Krasinski (Jim from The Office) & Maya Rudolph (from Saturday Night Live) with cameos from Jeff Daniels, Jim Gaffigan, and Maggie Gyllenhaal

MPAA: Rated R for language and some sexual content.

Juno and Reign Over Me meet The Office in this brilliant and sweet romantic journey. I laughed my head off and I was also touched by the delicate and sweet moments in this film. Away We Go is a delicious meal; the kind of movie the Flicks-a-saurus Rex can dig into and savor its succulence. I am not going to lie this film is not for everyone, it has a slow feel to it that makes some people wonder what is going on, what is the point of the film.

Away We Go is directed by Academy Award winner Sam Mendes (Best Director American Beauty), and some of that realism he uses in American Beauty and Road to Perdition comes out in Away We Go. There are long scenes of dialogue that feel so realistic it could be you and your wife there speaking to each other.

John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph are 30-something-year-olds who haven’t really started life. They are living together just getting by when the surprise of a life time comes, she’s pregnant. So they take a long vacation across the USA to find out where they are going to live and raise their child. The hook up with old friends and family and see different family types; families in pain and families so awkward I just had to cringe in my chair. There is a little bit of an emotional roller coaster as we are taken from city to city and see the different people and life events that are faced. It is funny, sad, and wonderful.



Krasinski and Rudolph are hilarious in a sarcastic and sometimes brooding fashion. This isn’t Jim from The Office on the screen; it is a nerdy guy who is not very sure of himself. Their relationship is so much more believable because it is not a frill Hollywood romance that happens with a glance, this is a relationship that is portrayed with real ups and downs and real love. It was so refreshing to see a love story that was not about selfish sexual desires; instead it was about two people trying to do what’s best for their family.

There really are some awkward scenes in Away We Go. Kind of like the style of dialogue in Juno or Reign Over Me, where people pause more and create dialogue with silence. Films are trending towards this style anyways and I really enjoy it. There are also some slap stick comedy parts, but it takes a little while to really get into the film. I loved it, and give it a 9 out of 10 easily. I wouldn’t change a thing about it. The acting is great, the plot well thought out and well put together, and the script is hilarious.


Sex/Nudity – 7 out of 10 - No nudity, but we do see a woman breast feeding two of her children at the same time and we can kind of see the side of one breast. There is a lot of sexual discussion throughout the film. Some of it is a little edgy but most of it is done in an adult context. There is one scene in a Karaoke strip club and we see one man without a shirt on dancing. A woman comes out and does a dance around a stripper pole but she is clothed and it is a very sad dance, not at all sexually arousing. Then two more women come out on stage and the scene turns away from the stage. A man and a woman are seen kissing in bed and he moves under the covers presumably to have oral sex, she moans a little bit and then they proceed to talk about her vaginal flavor. All you see is her head at the top of the bed talking to his head under the blanket.

Violence/Gore – 0 – no violence, no gore … a little slapstick humor when a man falls down.

Profanity – 7 out of 10 – A lot of sexual references and 10 to 15 “F” words. 3 or 4 uses of the really bad “C” word and various uses of other swear words as well.

The Boys Are Back

Starring: Clive Owen

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for some sexual language and thematic elements.

A beautiful film about a father raising two sons in the Australian outback, Clive Owen struggles to balance family and work, while grieving his wife’s death, in The Boys Are Back. This film was a meaty movie that you can really dig into. It is sad and tense and beautiful. This film is a must see, with beautiful shots of Australian landscape and a gripping and realistic story.

I rented this flick because I wanted to see an emotional film with some comedy and tragedy all mixed together. I hadn’t read anything about it, but I like Clive Owen generally and the little boy looked so cute. I knew this would be the right flick to watch with my wife and after the first ten minutes I wanted my mom and dad and everyone to see this little tear jerker.



A quick warning, this film is done in a slower pace than other popular films, this is not a romantic comedy, it is beautiful film about the delicate balance that must be struck between family and the outside world, about becoming a parent, about the decisions of the heart that change lives. As you can tell I really enjoyed The Boys Are Back. I would give it a 8.5 out of 10. I really don’t think there could be much to add to this film. It had some touching moments as Clive Owen tries to raise his sons, and there were some funny moments too.

The only thing that may have been missing was a real high tension scene. There wasn’t really a point of greatest climax. While the film was emotional and took you on a roller coaster of ups and downs, it was more of a gentle ride and didn’t take the audience to that breathtaking moment. Instead the film was a steadily moving, and at sometimes lagging, train ride around the amusement park instead of thrill ride. I came away feeling like I had been on a journey through the outback and through the characters lives, and I loved it.

This movie is a great rental that you may actually watch a couple of times. The wide shots of the countryside are gorgeous, and the relationship between Clive Owen and his boys is just as beautiful. I highly recommend this movie. As Clive Owen says in the film, “it is like Home Alone except there are three of us.”




Sex/Nudity – 3 out of 10 - Some discussions raised center around a man’s adultery and leaving his family. We also see a little boy and a teenage boy in underwear at different times. A young boy and his older brother are seen playing in the bathtub together, we see bare shoulders.

Violence/Gore – 3 out of 10 - A man gets head butted in the nose and he gets a bad bloody nose.

Profanity – 5 out of 10 - There are a few English swear words, “bloody” and so on. There are about 30 uses of the “S” word, “D” words, and “H” words, and also a few religious exclamations.

The Princess and the Frog

Walt Disney’s The Princess and the Frog

MPAA: G

The Flicks-a-saurus Rex enjoyed his little snack last night at the cinema. The
Princess and the Frog was a little snack that sent me back a few years to when I was a kid watching all the Disney classics for the first time. We’ve got maybe a 7 out of 10 here with Princess and the Frog. It was kind of like The Emperor’s New Groove meets The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Not that there was a hunchback or anything, but the movie had light, off the cuff, quick, almost Saturday Night Live humor, and a mix of some of the creepier scenes from Hunchback. It was a fun film to add to the kid’s library of Disney flicks, but did not compare to the brilliance of Beauty and the Beast or Aladdin.

In our age of computer animated sensations like Up and Shrek, it seems almost ludicrous for Disney to bother with a film that falls into step with the classics it made starting with Snow White. I first thought it was just a gimmick to get grandmothers and mothers to drag the next generations down memory lane, and while yes it was a little nostalgic, it was mostly a tribute to an era of animation that will soon be so antiquated no one will ever make a film like this again.



One thing that bothered me was that we really never got to know the bad guy the way the classics do. Disney is famous for the saying “the villain we love to hate” well this film gave us a pretty mediocre villain. He wasn’t so diabolical and twisted that we just loved every scene that he was in like Jafar or Captain Hook, instead he was about as flat as the animation that depicted him. We get no look at his back story, and from the beginning he just jumps in to being naughty, he was almost boring. His shadow was more interesting than he was.

I was also not thrilled by the music. When the Lion King was over the audience all walked out of the theater with “Hakuna Matata” running through their heads; in contrast I had forgotten the songs in Princess and the Frog by the time the last song was over. It was pretty disappointing to come out of a Disney film and not have any cool choruses running through my head.

I enjoyed the New Orleans jazz scene that was the theme of this film. The jazz was a fun background piece. The main characters were fun and even better were the side characters that we met along the way. The plot was from the same cookie cutter for most kid’s films but there were some fun twists to the classic tale of Princess and the Frog. And for those of you looking to pick a fight with the racial issues behind a black Disney princess, well have fun, there wasn’t much to the racial side of things.

So hurry you guys take those little dinos of yours to Princess and the Frog. It is a fun family film that even the parents will laugh at!

Frost/Nixon

Director: Ron Howard

Starring: Frank Langella as Richard Nixon and Micheal Sheen as David Frost also with Kevin Bacon, Sam Rockwell, and Oliver Platt

MPAA: Rated R for some language.

Frost/Nixon is a great film, the modern sequel to All the President’s Men (not exactly but similar). The Flicks-a-saurus Rex can definitely sink his teeth into this flick and come out very satisfied. It is a brilliant true story that takes the audience into the wake of Watergate and Nixon’s resignation from presidency.

A few notes on this film real quick; Frost/Nixon is another one of those films that cannot be rated R but it was. There is nothing in this film that is R rated. There is no nudity, no violence, and the F words in this film are no more than any PG-13 film on the market.

Also Frost/Nixon is a perfect example of what First Amendment scholars call Governance and Check on Government Power. The media, because of its protection under the freedom of speech, is a perfect check on the government because it has the power to expose corruption. Frost/Nixon shows a pivotal point in history where America’s biggest crook is given the closest thing to a trial he could ever get, and the film captures this momentous occasion perfectly.


David Frost is a talk show host a performer who decides he wants Richard Nixon on his talk show. This is his struggle to get his show aired, for the world to take his show seriously, and to show the world Richard Nixon at possibly his most candid public moment. How this movie missed an Oscar is beyond me. Everything we loved in All the President’s Men was here again. There was excellent acting, scripting, and filming.

Frank Langella was a brilliant Richard Nixon. When the movie was over and I was watching the special features I could see where Langella picked up his ideas from.
He had Nixon’s voice and attitude down to a pat. He played Nixon with a power and tragedy that made you feel contempt and pity on the man who wanted greatness but went down in a ball of fire. Michael Sheen was dwarfed by Langella, but it was perfect. He was supposed to be a talk show host who had no idea what he was getting himself into and when he faced off with Langells’s Nixon, it was like a bad match up in a boxing ring, Sheen’s David Frost was down for the count. But then he picked himself up and buckled down to business and brought the audience to a stunning climax with Nixon against the ropes.

The scrip and plot really dived in to the characters of Frost and Nixon. The movie set up the ultimate rumble in the jungle, a fight to the death where only one of the two fighters could come out of the ring on top. The struggle against the networks that David Frost was engaged in while he was also trying to prep for battle with Nixon was nail biting, and the insights into Nixon’s exile from the political realm brought a smug sense of tragedy to the audience. Frost/Nixon is a must see for anyone interested in political history or the role of media in America. This movie is an 8.5 out of ten, a delicious meal of tender, medium rare, Triceratops steaks.
If you liked All the President’s Men, this is a must see and vice versa!

Sex/Nudity - We see a naked woman get out of bed for a second, she is in shadow, and the man next to her is bare from the chest up. We also see a man skinny dipping in the ocean and we briefly get a glance at his bare buttocks.

Violence/Gore – There is news footage from the bombing in Cambodia. The images are very tragic and there is blood shown

Profanity – 5 “F” words or its derivatives and 20 other “A” or “S” words during the film. A lot of the swear words you can’t even hear unless the subtitles are on.