The Brothers Bloom

Rating: PG-13

Movie Release Date: May 15, 2009

DVD Release Date: September 29, 2009

Plot 411: Two brothers commit their last con ever.

Review: This is a quirky little comedy flick starring Mark Ruffalo as Stephen and Adrien Brody as Bloom, two orphaned brothers who found conning early in the game. As adults, they turned it into an artform and made their way around the world through it. The cons were always elaborate plays concocted by mastermind Stephen. Bloom, always the more reluctant participant of the two, usually ended up playing his roles superbly. When Bloom finally reaches the end of his rope and quits, Stephen entices him into doing one last con. With their silent but deadly partner Bang Bang (Rinko Kikuchi), the boys set out to pull one over on an eccentric millionaire named Penelope (Rachel Weisz). As the plot progressed, I found myself getting more intrigued. I think it's a well-written script and the actors were all great. I especially think Weisz did a wonderful job. Ruffalo and Kikuchi were master comedians, despite the fact that Kikuchi played a mainly silent role. The humor and witt of this movie was amazing. Because Stephen and Bloom's lives have been one continuous con after another, the line between reality and fantasy is blurred. You're never quite sure what's part of the plan, who's in on it and how things will play out. This is a testament to Stephen's ability for scheming. I also loved the overall feel of the movie - from the cinematography to the sound design. The set design was also great, especially since the brothers are ardent globe trotters.

Watch It: For really great stuff from Ruffalo and Brody.

Skip It: Because while it's definitely taking you on a journey, it takes a while to get there. You definitely need to wait for the reveal and some might not have that kind of patience.

Shutter Island

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: February 19, 2010

DVD Release Date: TBD

Plot 411: Two U.S. marshals go to Shutter Island, a facility that houses the criminally insane, to investigate a missing patient.

Review: Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his partner Chuck (Mark Ruffalo) are assigned to a case involving a missing woman who is believed to have escaped the mental ward. Dr. Crawley (Ben Kingsley) is the liaison at the island and tries to help them by giving them access to the buildings, grounds and patients. The facility is heavily guarded by armed officers as only the extremely violent or crazy people get sent to the island. The film uses dreams, hallucinations and visions to jump between the past and the present, creating doubt in the audience's mind as to what is real and what isn't. There have been movies like this in the past, but I think this one was carried out very well. While the twist is nothing new and almost too easy to figure out, I still felt that the film was able to take you on a ride. I wish that Ruffalo had a bigger, better part. However, he probably did the best that he could do with what he was given. All the juicy parts were given to DiCaprio, and I wouldn't be surprised if he was nominated for some awards. Also in this film are Max von Sydow, Patricia Clarkson, Michelle Williams, Emily Mortimer, Jackie Earle Haley and Elias Koteas.

Watch It: For a throwback to film noir that keeps you at the edge of your seat.

Skip It: If an intense Leo is a turn off. He's pretty much the focus of the show and you can't escape him or his frown lines.

Just Like Heaven

Rating: PG-13

Movie Release Date: September 16, 2005

DVD Release Date: February 7, 2006

Plot 411: An overworked doctor awakens from her accident to find that she's a ghost of her former self.

Review: As if 13 Going On 30 didn't make all of womankind fall in love with Mark Ruffalo, he's gotta go and make Just Like Heaven. This guy, who appears to be like the average Joe, somehow gets it right in every movie he makes. I'm glad to see that after achieving some fame with these initial rom coms, he's moved on to other genres and spread his wings. Ruffalo (David) plays opposite Reese Witherspoon (Elizabeth) in this film set in San Francisco. Elizabeth is a dedicated doctor who gets into an accident. When she wakes up, she is shocked that David is living in her apartment. She does all she can to get him out while he does the same (although it's with some hocus pocus mumbo jumbo since he thinks she's haunting his home). David even consults new ager Darryl (Jon Heder) for help with getting rid of his ghost. The movie opens up and the audience is able to play off Ruffalo and Witherspoon's chemistry. This is a lovely romantic comedy, especially if you're in the mood for a movie about destiny.

Watch It: For Ruffalo's easy going performance. The guy never seems to overact in any of his roles.

Skip It: If you're not looking for a run-of-the-mill rom com. While I thoroughly enjoyed it, it's not much different than others of its kind.

You Can Count On Me

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: November 17, 2000

DVD Release Date: June 26, 2001

Plot 411: Young siblings who are orphaned when their parents are killed in an accident meet again as adults in their small hometown.

Review: This is a moving look at how a sister and brother have lived their lives since being orphaned at a young age. Sammy, played by Laura Linney, is a single parent of an 8-year-old boy named Rudy (Rory Culkin). She's a loan officer at the local bank and believes herself to be in control of her life. She is organized, responsible and God fearing and tries everything in her power to be a good example for her son. When her brother Terry (Mark Ruffalo) blazes into town, her well-constructed charade seems to fall apart. In contrast to Sammy's well-thought out life, Terry is a free spirit who roams wherever life takes him. This way of life is partly in reaction to his parents' death. He is the typical good-natured screw up who always means well but somehow manages to do more bad than good. The interaction between these three characters is intriguing and played out in a way that many people can relate to it. The realism of the characters, their emotions and the situations they find themselves in help move the film along so that there's never a lull. Any one of us could make the same mistakes as these characters. We possibly know people just like them. Once again, Linney is great at portraying middle America and the emotions that are revealed on her face are so simple and elegant yet so moving. This movie is a snapshot out of a disfunctional family's typical day, but it is in no way devoid of hope and love.

Watch It: For a slice of life not often cut by Hollywood.

Skip It: If you shy away from character-driven drama. This is all character and dialogue.

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Blindness

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: October 3, 2008

DVD Release Date: February 10, 2009

Plot 411: An epidemic of blindness hits a city and when the government quarantines the infected people all hell breaks loose.

Review: This was an eye-opening movie because it really made you realize how valuable your sight is. When their sight was taken away, the group of quarantined people really got chaotic. Despite having one person (Julianne Moore) with sight who tried to keep order while hiding her ability, the community really degenerated into a downward spiral. It's as if people regressed to their wilder, more animalistic natures. Maybe that's our true nature and our sophistication and order are merely a good cover? The fear of the unknown is a really powerful motivator and can change the way any sane person would act. Self-preservation instincts are still wired to human instinct no matter how civilized we appear. Another interesting thing is that the people in this movie are anonymous. We don't know anyone's name. We only know their occupation, like the doctor (Mark Ruffalo), as if because they're blind they don't have an identity anymore. We never find out the cause of the epidemic, which I think is a good way to end the film. It leaves the door open to the idea that this is possible and makes you ponder how you would react if a similar situation would occur.

Watch It: For an intriguing look at human nature.

Skip It: If psychological dramas bore you.

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