Alice in Wonderland (2010)
Bottomline: Enjoyable and entertaining film worthy of your time and money.
Pros: Johnny Depp at the Mad Hatter. Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen. Crispin Glover as Stain. The imagination and vision of Tim Burton.
Cons: Language tended to be fast paced and thick in the brogue -- thus making it hard to understand. Like Anne Hathaway's look but her mannerisms were annoying. The end was too fast and neat.
Where Can I See This Movie? Seriously? Have you been living under a rock? It's at the theater.
Interested in an even better Burton-Depp Colloboration? Check out Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Interested in seeing Mia Wasikowska in another good role? Check out That Evening Sun (2009)
Caveat: The movie is rated PG; however, there are some scenes that could be scary to kids under the age of 10.
QMR Opinion: This is why I enjoy going to movies in the movie theater. The lights go down and the magic begins. Burton is a master at creating alternate realities that transport you beyond where you sit. Combine that with his clear chemistry with Depp and you have a good movie on your hands. Burton allows Depp to fly here as the Mad Hatter and he is matched by a terrific supporting cast including Helena Bonham Carter, Crispin Glover and a myriad of voices including one of my favorites -- Alan Rickman as the Blue Caterpillar. The movie is fun, exciting and imaginative. We saw it in 3-D and enjoyed the effect tremendously. Mia Wasikowska turns in a good performance as Alice but she is not allowed a lot of rein here and tends to get overshadowed by Carter and Depp. When we return from Wonderland, we see that Burton has become tired -- so the end is quick and way too neat. Go to this movie and have some fun!
A Serious Man (2009)
Bottomline: Fans of the Coen Brothers will love this movie. People who are not fans of the Coen Brothers will be confused. Look. . .you either get it or you don't.
Pros: Michael Stuhlbarg is terrific as Larry Gopnick. The cinematography is fabulous.
Cons: There is no plot. It's odd. And you have to pick up some Yiddish quickly.
Where Can I See This Academy Award Nominee? It is now available on DVD.
Recommendation: Watch the DVD extras -- especially the Hebrew/Yiddish section for Goys.
QMR Opinion: Gopnick is having a bad day. Well, let's just say he is have one of the worst days/weeks ever. His wife wants a divorce. His son smokes dope. His daughter ignores him. His brother may be crooked. He's up for tenure. He gets sued. It's enough to make any good Jew run to his rabbi -- in this case, Larry went running to three. This is a darkly comic movie and I found myself laughing at what is no doubt the Coens' own special brand of humor. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture, A Serious Man is not for everyone. However, if you love the Coens (yes, that's me), then you need to see it. Love the dialog!
Little Big Man (1970)
Bottomline: One of my favorite movies.
Pros: Terrific performance by Dustin Hoffman as Jack Crabb but, honestly, my favorite performances are turned in by Chief Dan George and Richard Mulligan.
Cons: The movies is way long and epic.
Where Can I See This Movie? It was playing on Turner Classic Movies when I saw it. It is available for rent on DVD.
Interesting Note: Movie is listed in Guinness Book of World Records as showing the greatest aging of an actor -- Hoffman goes from being 17 to being 121 years old.
QMR Opinion: If I catch this movie while surfing, I have to watch it. What a great epic film with Hoffman turning in a terrific performance that is poignant, comic and redemptive. The movie is taken to the next level by great performances from Faye Dunaway and Chief Dan George. However, in the my latest viewing of this movie, I was particularly impressed by Richard Mulligan as General Custer -- what a terrific over-the-top performance!
I Love You, Man (2009)
Bottomline: Crude, rude and funny in parts.
Pros: Paul Rudd (am I developing a man crush?). There are some funny moments.
Cons: Do men really talk like this? I've been married forever so I don't really know. Jon Favreau plays a jerk and, frankly, his jerkiness took away some of the enjoyment of the movie.
Where Can I See This Movie? It's available on DVD.
Want to See Paul Rudd in a Better Movie? Pick up Role Models (2008) (plus I like KISS better than Rush).
Recommendation: Watch the gag reel in the DVD Extras.
QMR Opinion: This is another movie in the recent spate of movies showing men acting like great big old stupid kids. There are a lot of crude jokes. Incredibly crude language. Rudd plays a guy who has no guy friends and he needs to find at least one before he gets married. He finds Jason Segel. And then hilarity ensues. Overall the movie is fine as a rental. There is this weird conversation at the wedding that goes on way too long -- like an SNL skit that lasts about a minute too long.
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