Chloe (2010)

Rating: 5/10

Staring: Julianne Moore, Amanda Seyfried, Liam Neeson, Max Thieriot

Director: Atom Egoyan

Chloe, the newest entry from writer/director Atom Egoyan (The Sweet Hereafter, Adoration), follows in the dramatic footsteps of his past films, bringing to the screen deeply developed and observed characters like few others can. While not on the same level as The Sweet Hereafter, Egoyan's strongest film, Chloe presents a fairly common premise packed full of character nuance, which sustains the film. For instance, the character of Chloe (played brilliantly by Amanda Seyfried, who gets better and more attractive with each film she is in) is on the surface a professional escort hired by Julianne Moore to determine if Moore's husband (Liam Neeson) is cheating on her. However, through Chloe's minute mannerisms such as tiny smiles here and there, it is apparent that much more is going on below the surface. Her character eschews predictability (at least until towards the end), instead leaving the audience always a bit off kilter, wondering what will happen next.

Seyfried's performance is at the same time sexy, but also childlike, which keeps the audience a bit uncomfortable, but in a good way (somewhat in the same way as the young girl Eli in Let The Right One In). Julianne Moore again is fantastic, being both relatable to the audience while still being a cold fish to almost every character in the film. Her struggle to find herself and to regain her standing within her own family feels real and cleverly leaves her character more vulnerable to manipulations of Chloe. Liam Neeson's performance is also strong, but it is Moore and Seyfried's performances here that will be remembered (along with their sex scene together).

Chloe is definitely a bit more accessible and mainstream than The Sweet Hereafter and Adoration, the other film of his I've seen, but sadly it just falls short of becoming a great film or one that I probably will remember come the end of this year. It is still definitely worth the watch as it trumps performance and character-wise many of the dramas that you will see (at least in the first half of the year).

Robin Hood (2010)

Rating: 6/10

Staring: Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett, William Hurt,

Mark Strong, Mark Addy, Oscar Isaac, Danny Huston,

Eileen Atkins, Max von Sydow

Director: Ridley Scott

Oscar winner Russell Crowe stars as the legendary figure known by generations as “Robin Hood,” whose exploits have endured in popular mythology and ignited the imagination of those who share his spirit of adventure and righteousness. In 13th century England, Robin and his band of marauders confront corruption in a local village and lead an uprising against the crown that will forever alter the balance of world power. And whether thief or hero, one man from humble beginnings will become an eternal symbol of freedom for his people.

Robin Hood chronicles the life of an expert archer, previously interested only in self-preservation, from his service in King Richard’s army against the French. Upon Richard’s death, Robin travels to Nottingham, a town suffering from the corruption of a despotic sheriff and crippling taxation, where he falls for the spirited widow Lady Marion (Oscar® winner Cate Blanchett), a woman skeptical of the identity and motivations of this crusader from the forest. Hoping to earn the hand of Maid Marion and salvage the village, Robin assembles a gang whose lethal mercenary skills are matched only by its appetite for life. Together, they begin preying on the indulgent upper class to correct injustices under the sheriff.

With their country weakened from decades of war, embattled from the ineffective rule of the new king and vulnerable to insurgencies from within and threats from afar, Robin and his men heed a call to ever greater adventure. This unlikeliest of heroes and his allies set off to protect their country from slipping into bloody civil war and return glory to England once more.

Iron Man 2 (2010)

Rating: 7/10

STARING: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow,

Don Cheadle, Jon Favreau, Mickey Rourke,

Sam Rockwell, Samuel L. Jackson,

Scarlett Johansson, Garry Shandling

DIRECTOR: Jon Favreau

The summer movie season officially kicks off today with what could be the biggest movie of the year: Iron Man 2, which reunites director Jon Favreau with now-superstar Robert Downey, Jr. The plot kicks off moments after the first movie ended and so does the entertainment, as the movie more or less lives up to the hype in satisfying fashion.

In Iron Man 2, the title character, also known as Tony Stark, is now a household name across the globe. Millions of people love him and would do anything to get his autograph, but a few select parties see him in another light, namely the U.S. military, who wants his technology; his rival Justin Hammer, who wants his fame; and a badass Russian dude named Ivan Vanko, who wants him lying dead in a ditch.

As with 99% of sequels, Iron Man 2 is bigger, bolder, but not necessarily better, though in this case it's only marginally inferior to the original product. The sequel maintains the same visual style and comical wit while amping up the action and cast credentials. Oscar nominee Mickey Rourke plays Vanko, Oscar nominee Don Cheadle replaces Terrence Howard as Rhodes, superb actor Sam Rockwell plays Hammer, and, best of all, sexy temptress Scarlett Johansson is there to steam things up.

As mentioned before, Iron Man 2 is funnier than the first movie, but at the expense of character development. This doesn't take a huge toll on the overall experience, but Downey Jr. seems to have been handed twice as much [well-written] dialogue while tension-filled scenes between he and Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) have been reduced to comical bits more than anything else. The decision by Rhodes to don the "Iron Man" suit, fight his best friend and then give the suit to the military (which some would call stealing) is downright head scratching; the picture needed to spend more time developing his rationale and torn loyalties. It's around this same time that the movie begins to drag just a little, as the picture transitions from its excellent first half to the more action-oriented finale.

Iron Man 2 is not without its flaws, but it's still a high adrenaline, exciting and funny movie. Iron Man 2 exceeds expectations at nearly every turn, and is great sign for the rest of the summer.

The Back-Up Plan (2010)

Rating: 6/10

STARING: Jennifer Lopez, Alex O'Loughlin,

Eric Christian Olsen, Michaela Watkins,

Noureen DeWulf, Melissa McCarthy, Danneel Harris

DIRECTOR: Alan Poul

After years of dating, Zoe (Jennifer Lopez) has decided waiting for the right one is taking too long. Determined to become a mother, she commits to a plan, makes an appointment and decides to go it alone. On the day of her artificial insemination, Zoe meets Stan (Alex O'Loughlin) – a man with real possibilities.

Trying to nurture a budding relationship and hide the early signs of pregnancy becomes a comedy of errors for Zoe and creates confusing signals for Stan. When Zoe nervously reveals the reason for her unpredictable behavior, Stan commits fully and says he's in. Never before has love seen a courtship where a wild night of sex involves three in a bed – Stan, Zoe and the ever-present massive pregnancy pillow. Or, where "date night" consists of being the "focal point" at a near-stranger's water birth which does for kiddie pools what "Jaws" did for swimming in the ocean. The real pregnancy test comes when both of them realize they really don't know each other outside of hormonal chaos and birth preparations. With the nine month clock ticking, both begin to experience cold feet. Anyone can fall in love, get married and have a baby but doing it backwards in hyper-drive could be proof positive that they were made for each other.

Date Night (2010)

Rating: 7/10

STARING: Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Mark Wahlberg,

Taraji P Henson, Jimmi Simpson, Common,

William Fichtner, Ray Liotta, James Franco,

Mila Kunis, Kristen Wiig, Mark Ruffalo

DIRECTOR : Shawn Levy

The presence of Carell and Fey lifts this comedy far beyond what it could have been. Their sharp improvisational skills give us a terrific look at a slightly tired marriage, even as the plot gets increasingly trite.

Phil and Claire (Carell and Fey) are a typically frazzled New Jersey suburban couple with two lively kids and no real time to connect with each other. Even their regular date nights seem to get easily derailed. Then they plan an evening in the city, which takes a surprise twist when they're mistakenly cornered by a couple of gun-pointing thugs (Simpson and Common) who are working for a notorious mob boss (Liotta). Now on the run, they seek help from a well-connected old contact (Wahlberg), while a cop (Henson) is tenaciously on their tails.

Levy keeps things moving with direction that's efficient and unobtrusive, although the action scenes are staged with a surprising inventiveness.

Meanwhile, Klausner's script makes some telling observations even when the narrative wobbles. But it's the cast that makes this worth seeing, from Carrell and especially Fey's impeccable timing to the gang of up-for-it A-list supporting actors, all of whom gleefully dive into their roles and keep us laughing.

Clearly much of the dialog was improvised, although the closing-credits outtakes show how much funnier it could have been without the constraints of the story and studio. Yes, there's a loud groan whenever the plot needs to be pushed into the next ludicrous set piece, and the whole thing feels far too violent for a comedy. But there are genius moments along the way, including Fey's relentless flirtation with Wahlberg, Franco and Kunis' hysterically obtuse low-lifes, and the scene in which Fey and Carell engage in some media-crowd roleplay to get into a restaurant (although their stripper pole routine is a bit embarrassing).

But what makes the film more than just fluff is its gently astute portrayal of a couple who has let the fire go out of their relationship, even though they're still very happy together. It's a little difficult to imagine the inventively hilarious Carrell and Fey as people who have trouble finding that spark, but it's certainly good fun watching Phil and Claire rediscover it.

Letters to Juliet (2010)

Rating: 5/10

STARRING: Amanda Seyfried, Franco Nero,

Gael Garcia Bernal, Vanessa Redgrave, Christopher Egan

DIRECTOR: Gary Winick

Like “Mamma Mia!” for Shakespeare fans — and by “fans,” I mean those who only know “Romeo and Juliet” and a few sonnets, and who think of that play’s suicide pact as a model relationship — “Letters to Juliet” figures all you need to woo a certain kind of moviegoer is miles of gorgeous scenery, an unquestioning belief in destiny and the large-eyed presence of Amanda Seyfried.

The boxoffice will likely reward the movie’s limited ambitions, but expect eye-rolling alongside the swoons at this bland, predictable picture, whose sole assets are a cute premise, the Italian countryside and the dignity Vanessa Redgrave brings to a part that, on the page, is quite beneath her.

Redgrave plays Claire, an Englishwoman who, vacationing in Italy 50 years ago, was among the many girls who write letters to Shakespeare’s doomed heroine and place them on a wall in Verona. Her letter goes missing until aspiring writer Sophie (Seyfried) decides to answer it in Juliet’s voice, urging the now-aged woman to seek out the boy she loved and lost during her Italian summer.

Seyfried has stumbled across this Miss Lonelyhearts-ish “letters to Juliet” business while on a romantic vacation with her fiance (Gael Garcia Bernal) that has somehow become a working trip for him. (“It’s a win-win!” he says each time the two find things they can do independently of each other.) She’s only too relieved when Claire follows her advice, shows up in Verona and lets her join the quest while Sophie’s hubby-to-be is off hunting rare wines and truffles for his restaurant.

Naturally, Claire is escorted by a grandson so incredibly rude, so opposed to the silliness of True Love, that Sophie must somehow manage to fall for him by the penultimate reel. (Christopher Egan, who plays the unlikely love interest, should be sending thank-you cards to Bernal, whose performance is so devoid of the qualities that typically make Bernal lovable onscreen that even this snotty, narrow-eyed Brit looks like a step up.)

While we wait for the inevitable, viewers get a stiff dose of sappy Italian pop music in between bouts of Andrea Guerra’s busy score, long drives through the countryside and a few genuinely amusing moments as the seekers find one elderly Italian man after another who would be only too happy to pretend to be Redgrave’s once-and-future lover. Wouldn’t we all, boys.

The pleasure of seeing a pair of lovestruck senior citizens reunite pushes the movie’s last chapter in a happy direction, and those who ask little more from love than a clumsy balcony climb and a last-minute transatlantic flight or two will leave the theater more than satisfied. For everyone else, may we suggest those Shakespeare romances that actually had happy endings?

Catch and Release (2006)

Rating: 4/10

STARRING: Jennifer Garner, Timothy Olyphant, Sam Jaeger,
Kevin Smith, Juliette Lewis, Joshua Friesen

DIRECTOR: Susannah Grant

So this is my first review of my very first blog, i have always wanted to write reviews for the movies instead i became a journalist, which is good as long as it pays my bills. So back to the business and talk about this movie.

Jennifer Garner has come off her last season of “Alias” and the birth of her daughter to star in a new romantic comedy. Well, it’s not really a comedy where she’s concerned. Most of the humor comes from other members of the cast.

The movie tells the story of a young woman named Gray Wheeler (Garner) whose fiancé dies on the eve of their wedding. Not quite a widow, but full of pain, Gray tries to put her life back together. However, skeletons come out of the closet, including the fact that her fiancé had a kid in L.A. with a non-therapeutic masseuse. As Gray deals with her grief and hurt – both from her fiancé’s untimely death and the revelation of his extracurricular affair – she starts to fall in love with someone else.

Directed and written by Susannah Grant, who penned films like “Erin Brokovich” and “In Her Shoes,” this movie isn’t exactly breaking new ground. In fact, every other independent film script by some aspiring writer deals with a bunch of guys who have the hots for the one female friend in the group. It’s not a big surprise to discover that Grant also used to write for “Party of Five.” The level of angst in the script is a dead giveaway.

Ultimately, the film tries to tackle too much at once, and it crumbles with little support by the cast. Like Julia Roberts, Jennifer Garner is pretty much a one-note actress who can only play a limited number of characters. Unfortunately, this isn’t one of them.

While there’s things to say about Jennifer Garner in this film, I feel more compelled to talk about Kevin Smith, who plays Gray’s all-you-can-eat buddy. He seemed oddly out of place in this movie yet strangely appropriate. After all, his BFF Ben Affleck is Garner’s real-life hubby. But his casting is odd because this is really the first time he stepped out of his own movies for a major role. Otherwise, his acting gigs have been nothing more than cameos, Jay & Silent Bob tributes and a stint on “Degrassi” in which he played himself.

Of course, Smith pretty much plays himself in “Catch and Release,” so much so that he got to choose his own wardrobe. It makes you kind of wonder if he and Jennifer Garner would have this very relationship if Affleck met an untimely demise.

Ultimately, Smith is the funniest thing in the film, ending up with some of the best lines. Unfortunately, Smith spends more time stuffing his face on screen and being the target for fat jokes than actually being a real character in the film. He and his weight is such a focus of the film that it’s tempting to sting him with a line like “It’s a good thing they shot this film in widescreen format because it was the only way to fit Smith’s fat ass into the frame.” But I’m sure he’s already telling that very joke to family and friends, as is his self-deprecating style.

Gee whiz! You’d think Kevin Smith is the love interest. Sadly, he’s not. Timothy Olyphant is. Yet Olyphant’s portrayal of an indie director who falls for Gray is so weak that he doesn’t actually feel like the star of his own movie. Often, the supporting cast can make or save a movie, Here, they don’t have much of a shot. Juliette Lewis plays the dead fiancé’s “other woman,” and she’s got the most irritating and hideous demon child in tow through half of the film.

The one nice thing about “Catch and Release” is the scenery. Filmed in Boulder, Colorado, it’s a giant advertisement for the Patagonia hippie lifestyle. And half of the budget must have come from the Celestial Seasoning tea company considering the brand gets more screen time than FedEx did in “Castaway.”

Unable to work as a comedy, romance or drama, this film isn’t to catch or release. Best to just let this one swim on by.