Les Misérables
I’ve been somewhat obsessed with Les Misérables ever since I saw the show on Broadway circa 1987. And again in London. And Chicago. And Atlanta. So to say I was…
Rust and Bone (De rouille et d’os )
Rust and Bone opens with a man and a little boy hitchhiking, then on a train scavenging food from left-behind scraps. This is Ali (Matthias Schoenaerts) and his young son…
Anna Karenina
If ever there were a Chick Flick shoo in, this should be it. A tragic heroine foolishly throwing off her shackles for a forbidden love, and all wrapped up in…
Silver Linings Playbook
Lots of hype surrounds Silver Linings Playbook and I'm not sure I buy into the Best Picture scenario, but as rom-dramedies go, there are not a lot of comparable films.…
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part Two
I read all the books, okay?? So yeah – I absolutely had to see this thing through to the end. So there! I did it! I watched, and survived, all…
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
The problem with being a wallflower is that wallflowers can come and go virtually undetected. So while I generally liked The Perks of Being a Wallflower when I saw it…
Ruby Sparks
I went into this film knowing absolutely nothing about it, except that Mainstream Chick had seen it and thought maybe as the Arty One, I would get something from it…
Moonrise Kingdom
You know from the first frame of Moonrise Kingdom that you are watching one of Wes Anderson's movies. They're not like anyone else's. The textures are more textured, the children…
The Amazing Spider-Man
Yes, the story is somewhat different. But it’s also kinda the same. And therein lies the rub. There’s nothing wrong with the Spider-Man reboot – it just doesn’t need to…
Magic Mike
Magic Mike is a movie with a split personality. It’s raucous fun that morphs into something surprisingly non-superficial (relatively speaking). Of course, if you’re in it strictly for the eye…
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
I’m still processing this one. As far as apocalyptic movies go, I certainly liked it (way) better than last year’s Melancholia. But you really need to be in a reflective…
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
There are movies that only the British seem capable of pulling off, populated with non-caricatured older people who have depth and interesting stories to tell. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel…
The Five-Year Engagement
The Five-Year Engagement picks up where most rom-coms leave off -- with the proposal. Tom (Jason Segel) pops the question to Violet (Emily Blunt) exactly a year after they meet…
The Lucky One
At last check, The Lucky One had a rather unlucky 21% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. I think that’s a little harsh. Sure, the movie is pure, unadulterated chickflick-romantic-drama-sap with a…
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen may sound like a boring documentary, but it’s actually a rather charming chick flick that will likely need strong word of mouth to expand its…