Criminal

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: September 10, 2004

DVD Release Date: April 12, 2005

Plot 411: A career criminal hooks up with a kid who is in a jam and they stumble upon a big league heist.

Review: John C. Reilly plays Richard, a career criminal with twos strikes against him. He lives his life as one long con job and takes whatever he can from everyone around him. When his long-time partner disappears on him, Richard recruits a young Mexican guy named Rodrigo (Diego Luna). He quicky changes his name to Brian to make him sound "white" and decides to test out Brian's skills. As Richard and Brian move from one mark to the next, they come across a heist that is too good to be true. This gig is the largest job that Richard has ever been confronted with and he just about foams at the mouth in anticipation of the rewards. This was an interesting take on heist films. It gives us a look at the tricks people play to survive as a thief. While other films make criminals look glorious and slick, this film's characterization of a con man is unimpressive. Reilly is totally unlikable in this role and is unapologetic for his actions. I guess this is a true nature of a shyster. Luna does pretty well, even while speaking English.

Watch It: For a slightly different type of con movie. This film shows that life as a criminal is not all flash like in Ocean's Eleven.

Skip It: Because despite being a heist film, it's kind of slow going for the most part.

Paris, je t'aime

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: June 21, 2006 (France) / May 4, 2007 (USA)

DVD Release Date: November 13, 2007

Plot 411: The city of love serves as the backdrop of 18 short films about love.

Review: This film was a vignette about love, in all of its forms. Each story covered a different type of love, featured different groups in society and was the vision of different directors. The shorts provided a brief glimpse into people's lives, and the last movie about an American tourist's first visit to Paris wraps up the entire film quite nicely (albeit in very bad American-accented French). I liked how so many different versions of love could be incorporated into this project: young love, old love, new love, mother-son, father-daughter, lost love, found love, etc. Some of my favorite shorts are about a mime family, a couple who resorts to prostitutes to liven up their marriage and a mother who sings a Spanish lullaby to a child that is not her own. In a way, it's similar to Love Actually, but the audience isn't given as much time with all the characters. Just when you start liking them, their story is over and we're moving on to the next short. Some of the topics are humorous while others are simply heartbreaking. However, all of the shorts depict real situations that we all may face in life, and this is what makes the film perfect. Some of the actors in these films are Juliette Binoche, Willem Dafoe, Nick Nolte, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Elijah Wood, Emily Mortimer, Rufus Sewell, Natalie Portman, Gena Rowlands and Gerard Depardieu.

Watch It: If you're a fan of indie movies because each short film felt like an artistic endeavor.

Skip It: If you like to have a definite resolution at the end of your movies. Many of these will leave you hanging or make you want to see more.

Away We Go

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: June 5, 2009

DVD Release Date: September 29, 2009

Plot 411: One couple's cross-country journey in search of home.

Review: Burt (John Krasinski) and Verona (Maya Rudolph) are soon-to-be parents searching for a place to start over and raise their family. On their journey, they visit friends and family across the US in hopes of finding the perfect location. As they travel, they encounter a diverse selection of parenting styles, child-rearing issues and potential marital problems. This is a sweet road movie about a couple who is ready for the next big stage in life. They begin by looking toward others for advice about how their lives should be. They wonder if they're screw ups. However, as they go along they grow as a couple and realize that nothing matters besides their family. There's no need to conpare notes with anyone because each family's goals are different. There are some great performances from supporting actors, like Catherine O'Hara, Jeff Daniels, Jim Gaffigan, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Chris Messina. But the best supporting role was performed by Allison Janey.

Watch It: For the very cool music by Alexi Murdoch.

Skip It: If you're not into indie romantic comedies because I'd say this is a pretty good representation of that genre.

SherryBaby

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: January8, 2006

DVD Release Date: January 23, 2007

Plot 411: Recently released from prison, Sherry tries to reconnect with her young daughter while adjusting to life again.

Review: Maggie Gyllenhaal is Sherry, a woman who has served her time in prison and is transitioning into the real world at a half-way house. A former heroin addict, Sherry teeters on the brink of breaking her sobriety. She attends AA meetings and tries to get a job. She also attempts to reconnect with her daughter Alexis (Ryan Simpkins), who has been living with Sherry's brother Bobby (Brad William Henke) and his wife Lynnette (Bridget Barkan). Sherry is eager to have her daughter completely in her custody, but Bobby and Lynnette resist rushing the relationship. Lynnette believes Sherry is a bad mother and doesn't deserve to have Alexis. Bobby just feels sorry for his sister's troubles and tries to be both supportive of her and protective of his niece. Sherry's life outside is desperately unstable. Although she means well and has a good heart, she has difficulties with boundaries and appropriate behavior. This movie is gritty and portrays a piece of real life that is emotionally disturbing at times. However, at other moments, you are given so much hope for Sherry's situation. The difficulties she struggles with are the realities faced by many people. Despite the bad things Sherry does, you cannot help but cheer in her corner and hope for the best.

Watch It: For another impressive and authentic performance by Gyllenhaal.

Skip It: Because this movie is raw, through and through. It doesn't pull any punches at all.

Secretary

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: September 20, 2002

DVD Release Date: April 1, 2003

Plot 411: A secretary and her boss share an unusual and unconventional relationship that surpasses the employer-employee boundaries.

Review: Maggie Gyllenhaal is probably one of the greatest actresses of this generation because of the types of roles she's willing to take a chance on. Who the hell would've thought someone who was cast in The Dark Knight would also play a girl in a BDSM relationship in Secretary? Gyllenhaal's character Lee is a girl with some social and emotional issues. She is young, pretty and very shy. Her mannerisms are cautious and hesitant. To her new boss Mr. Grey (James Spader), these are the things that are most attractive about her. He attempts to fight off his attraction by releasing it through angry outbursts and verbal abuse. However, when this is only met by Lee's submissive reactions and her need to please him, he is done for. The movie discusses a BDSM relationship openly, which may be shocking to some. However, it portrays the lifestyle with respect and even a bit of humor. Rather than jumping on a moral high horse spouting the benefits of diversity and the sexual revolution, the movie quietly tells its tale and allows the audience to decide for itself. On the surface, it may seem to some that Lee demeans herself by acquiescing to Mr. Grey's outrageous behavior (work related and not). His utter domination of her will be overwhelming, especially to feminists. But when you look deeper, you find that they share a symbiotic relationship and that it really isn't that out of balance. Both have needs that are being met by the other, which is a thoroughly traditional effect of romantic involvements. The movie is an unconventional love story about two socially awkward people who find one another in the vast sea of conformity.

Watch It: With a wide-open mind to fully get at its meaning.

Skip It: If you're fiercely traditional.