Lymelife

[3/5 stars] Most certainly does not put the fun in dysfuntional, but that’s part of its strength. The casting is odd, but oddly perfect, with everyone turning in exceptional, complex performances. There is a feeling of unease, of unpredictability, throughout the film. I felt cold just watching it. However, one thing you won’t feel is hopelessness for the characters. It’s a solid, believable film.

Posted by Lee Gabel - Mar 9, 02:27 AM. post this at del.icio.uspost this at Diggpost this at Yahoo! my webpost this at Google Bookmarkspost this on Facebook
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Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

[3.5/5 stars] Fun movie, good friends, good music, bursting with youthful energy. What else do you need? Recurring bits that are actually funny helps. Smart dialogue. Lots of laugh out loud moments. It is clear that the friends in the film really care about one another. It didn’t feel superficial and it left me feeling nostalgic for my own youth, but not in a envious, “wish I had done that different” kind of way. Here’s to all nighters with good friends.

Posted by Lee Gabel - Mar 8, 12:08 AM. post this at del.icio.uspost this at Diggpost this at Yahoo! my webpost this at Google Bookmarkspost this on Facebook
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Awake

[2.5/5 stars] Explaining the premise, the hook, and showing how the movie ends in the first two minutes can backfire in a big way. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t. In this case, it works, sort of. What we’re left with is a reasonably suspenseful movie peppered with meaningless flashbacks, some mercifully short embarrassing voice-over and shameful portrayals of very complex medical procedures. The twist that comes next is cleverly disguised, but it only leaves one outcome for the movie and you can smell it a mile away. Critics panned this, but it’s not quite that bad.

Posted by Lee Gabel - Mar 7, 01:56 AM. post this at del.icio.uspost this at Diggpost this at Yahoo! my webpost this at Google Bookmarkspost this on Facebook
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The Champ

[3.5/5 stars] A solid, emotionally compelling story backed by equally strong performances. John Voight plays Billy Flynn masterfully and the debut performance of Ricky Schroder as his son is honest and heartbreaking. Although a little melodramatic at times, the final sequence had me in tears. Over thirty years later, the themes and subject matter (gambling, single parenthood, alcohol abuse, depression) is still as important today as it was then. It is a shame Hollywood doesn’t make more films like this today.

Posted by Lee Gabel - Mar 6, 02:26 AM. post this at del.icio.uspost this at Diggpost this at Yahoo! my webpost this at Google Bookmarkspost this on Facebook
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Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

[4/5 stars] A brilliant portrait of resilience and absolute belief in ones self, and in others, to overcome a teenager’s worst nightmare. At times, very hard to watch due to the mental and physical abuse. The film has a level of authenticity and rawness that is missing from most of today’s cinematic offerings. But what really sets this film on a different level are the performances. Newcomer Gabourey Sidibe as an uncanny ability to capture not only our hearts and sympathies, but the characters she interacts with as well. Mo’Nique’s portrayal of Precious’ mother is frighteningly real, a true monster. The rest of the cast is peppered with a few familiar faces playing real characters. This is a very strong film that tells one story very well.

Posted by Lee Gabel - Mar 4, 12:27 AM. post this at del.icio.uspost this at Diggpost this at Yahoo! my webpost this at Google Bookmarkspost this on Facebook
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Mini Movie Review Archives
 

Beginning in June 2007, for every movie I watched, I wrote a review in approximately 100 words or less. I have certainly seen more movies than this, perhaps thousands. My goal was to try and encapsulate my raw, visceral feelings immediately after watching the film. Some films deserved more than 100 words, most decidedly less. Yes, I am a movie fanatic and have no life. ;)

February 2010 [-]

22-02-10 Last House on the Left

21-02-10 The Reader

13-02-10 Avatar

07-02-10 The Hurt Locker

January 2010 [-]

31-01-10 Defiance

30-01-10 Wendy and Lucy

27-01-10 One Week

25-01-10 Bridge to Terabithia

24-01-10 Eden Lake

23-01-10 A Haunting in Connecticut

18-01-10 Don't You Forget About Me

18-01-10 Daybreakers

17-01-10 Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer

16-01-10 Adventureland

11-01-10 Watchmen

10-01-10 Sunshine Cleaning

10-01-10 Noise

10-01-10 The Crow

06-01-10 The Soloist

05-01-10 Revolutionary Road

03-01-10 Sunshine

03-01-10 17 Again

03-01-10 The Haunting of Molly Hartley

03-01-10 Outlander

03-01-10 Prom Night

December 2009 [-]

29-12-09 Changeling

28-12-09 Elegy

28-12-09 Two Lovers

26-12-09 Role Models

26-12-09 Doomsday

23-12-09 Made of Honor

22-12-09 Sex Drive

22-12-09 PontyPool

20-12-09 Thick as Thieves (The Code)

19-12-09 Fanboys

19-12-09 The International

11-12-09 Knowing

10-12-09 Fred Claus

10-12-09 Transporter 3

10-12-09 The Four Seasons

07-12-09 The House Bunny

07-12-09 Diminished Capacity

07-12-09 Control

07-12-09 Meet The Robinsons

04-12-09 Seven Pounds

03-12-09 Mad Hot Ballroom

02-12-09 Meduzot (Jellyfish)

September 2009 [-]

28-09-09 Don't Look Now

20-09-09 Get Smart

20-09-09 Anamorph

18-09-09 RocknRolla

17-09-09 Appaloosa

16-09-09 Speed Racer

13-09-09 Terms of Endearment

13-09-09 Double Indemnity

12-09-09 Leatherheads

12-09-09 Pineapple Express

10-09-09 Hellboy 2: The Golden Army

09-09-09 Mamma Mia!

09-09-09 Blindness

02-09-09 The Other Boleyn Girl

July 2009 [-]

30-07-09 Death Race

29-07-09 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

29-07-09 The Hangover

24-07-09 Towelhead

14-07-09 Zack and Miri Make a Porno

14-07-09 Eagle Eye

10-07-09 Starman

10-07-09 Tropic Thunder

June 2009 [-]

18-06-09 The Love Guru

09-06-09 The Strangers

09-06-09 Hancock

May 2009 [-]

29-05-09 Terminator Salvation

28-05-09 Traitor

12-05-09 Star Trek

08-05-09 You Don't Mess with the Zohan

06-05-09 State of Play

April 2009 [-]

30-04-09 I Love You, Man

21-04-09 Boy A

10-04-09 Snow Angels

10-04-09 Encounters at the End of the World

10-04-09 Baby Mama

02-04-09 The Hammer

02-04-09 Son of Rambow

March 2009 [-]

29-03-09 The Promotion

26-03-09 Bee Movie

26-03-09 The Secret (Si j'étais toi)

24-03-09 Paranoid Park

24-03-09 Kaw

23-03-09 10,000 B.C.

20-03-09 88 Minutes

19-03-09 Eagle vs. Shark

18-03-09 Forgetting Sarah Marshall

18-03-09 Chapter 27

18-03-09 Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay

06-03-09 Flawless

October 2008 [-]

31-10-08 Dark Water

30-10-08 In the Valley of Elah

29-10-08 I Am Legend

22-10-08 The Goonies

07-10-08 Ghost Town

02-10-08 American Gangster

July 2008 [-]

30-07-08 Hot Rod

29-07-08 The Dark Knight

15-07-08 You Kill Me

13-07-08 The Heartbreak Kid

12-07-08 The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters

11-07-08 Other People's Money

10-07-08 Cherry Falls

09-07-08 Eragon

07-07-08 History of the World - Part 1

05-07-08 Snow Cake

03-07-08 The Return

02-07-08 To Sir, With Love

02-07-08 The Painted Veil

01-07-08 Wanted

June 2008 [-]

30-06-08 Martian Child

29-06-08 Halloween

28-06-08 Recount

26-06-08 We Are Marshall

25-06-08 Fame

24-06-08 Freedom Writers

22-06-08 Flicka

21-06-08 The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift

20-06-08 1408

20-06-08 28 Weeks Later...

18-06-08 Evan Almighty

02-06-08 I Know Who Killed Me

May 2008 [-]

30-05-08 In the Land of Women

26-05-08 Arachnophobia

23-05-08 The Reaping

22-05-08 Spider-Man 3

21-05-08 Transformers

20-05-08 Mr. Brooks

20-05-08 Mr. Brooks

09-05-08 Brian's Song

08-05-08 Hollywood Flies

07-05-08 Letters from Iwo Jima

07-05-08 King Corn

06-05-08 Sicko

02-05-08 The Morning After

01-05-08 One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest

April 2008 [-]

29-04-08 On Golden Pond

26-04-08 The Killing Fields

25-04-08 Jindabyne

23-04-08 Grindhouse: Double Feature

22-04-08 Year of the Dog

20-04-08 St. Elmo's Fire

18-04-08 Away from Her

16-04-08 Reign Over Me

16-04-08 Knocked Up

15-04-08 Blades of Glory

13-04-08 Fido

12-04-08 Manufacturing Dissent

08-04-08 Next

08-04-08 The Mist

05-04-08 Bronco Billy

03-04-08 Eight Below

03-04-08 The Hoax

01-04-08 The Paper Chase

March 2008 [-]

31-03-08 The Outlaw Josey Wales

29-03-08 Man of the Year

28-03-08 Fracture

25-03-08 Vacancy

25-03-08 Perfect Stranger

23-03-08 There Will Be Blood

22-03-08 300

21-03-08 The Number 23

20-03-08 Premonition

20-03-08 This Is Spinal Tap

20-03-08 Disturbia

16-03-08 Jaws

12-03-08 Gone Baby Gone

12-03-08 The Queen

February 2008 [-]

22-02-08 Broadcast News

19-02-08 Notes on a Scandal

17-02-08 Against All Odds

15-02-08 Here On Earth

13-02-08 Music and Lyrics

12-02-08 The Astronaut Farmer

05-02-08 The Holiday

05-02-08 American Dreamz

02-02-08 Breach

02-02-08 Shooter

02-02-08 Black Snake Moan

01-02-08 How to Eat Fried Worms

January 2008 [-]

24-01-08 Into the Wild

23-01-08 The Host (Gwoemul)

22-01-08 Alpha Dog

21-01-08 The Lookout

20-01-08 The Falcon and the Snowman

18-01-08 Hacking Democracy

18-01-08 Home Front

14-01-08 Superbad

08-01-08 Agnes of God

07-01-08 Ocean's Thirteen

07-01-08 Until Death

06-01-08 The Fountain

06-01-08 King of New York

02-01-08 Jesus Camp

November 2007 [-]

22-11-07 Invasion of the Body Snatchers

20-11-07 Wag the Dog

18-11-07 Smokin' Aces

17-11-07 Animal Factory

16-11-07 Deep Star Six

15-11-07 Catch and Release

15-11-07 Slither

13-11-07 Hollywoodland

06-11-07 Children of Men

06-11-07 Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story

06-11-07 Turistas (Paradise Lost)

June 2007 [-]

30-06-07 Jawbreaker

29-06-07 On the Waterfront

26-06-07 Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

24-06-07 Contact

24-06-07 GoodFellas

24-06-07 Mystic River

24-06-07 Casino

24-06-07 The Departed

24-06-07 Bully

24-06-07 The Shawshank Redemption

24-06-07 F/X

24-06-07 The Gauntlet

24-06-07 Barnyard

21-06-07 The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio

20-06-07 Open Water

20-06-07 The Jacket

20-06-07 Enduring Love

20-06-07 Munich

20-06-07 The Constant Gardener

20-06-07 Syriana

20-06-07 Layer Cake

19-06-07 Walkout

18-06-07 Superman Returns

17-06-07 Bon Cop, Bad Cop

16-06-07 Super Size Me

16-06-07 White Noise

16-06-07 Escape from New York

16-06-07 Brick

16-06-07 Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

16-06-07 Pieces of April

16-06-07 Incident at Loch Ness

16-06-07 Cube

16-06-07 District B13 (Banlieue 13)

16-06-07 The Rage in Placid Lake

16-06-07 The Warriors

16-06-07 Strings

16-06-07 How to Get the Man's Foot Outta Your Ass (Baadasssss!)

16-06-07 It's All About Love

13-06-07 The Break-Up