Mr. And Mrs. Smith

Rating: PG-13

Movie Release Date: June 7, 2005

DVD Release Date: November 29, 2005

Plot 411: An unassuming married couple discover that they're spies for competing agencies.

Review: I know I should hate Angelina Jolie for causing the break up of Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston with this movie, but somehow I just can't do it. Jolie plays Jane and Pitt plays her husband John. The couple live somewhere in suburbia, own a minivan and have a manicured lawn. However, despite appearances, Jane and John actually lead very exciting lives. They are both secret spies who work for secret agencies. They are so secret that they do not even know the other is a spy. Intriguing yes? The movie is filled with tons of action and humor. It's no wonder Pitt ran off with Jolie after making this film. Their chemistry is very apparent in this movie, which makes it all the more entertaining to watch. The lightning-quick action does not always occur with guns blazing. It's also present in their banter back and forth. Overall, a good time will be had by all. Also in this film are Vince Vaughn, Kerry Washington, Adam Brody and Michelle Monaghan.

Watch It: For the butt-kicking action sequences and witty humor.

Skip It: If you're on Team Jen. It'll only make you angry.

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

Rating: PG-13

Movie Release Date: December 25, 2008

DVD Release Date: May 5, 2009

Plot 411: The life story of a man who ages backward and how this affects his interactions with people.

Review: The main reason for my watching this movie was because the main concept of this plot was intriguing. It is about a man who is born with all the physical characteristics of someone in his 80s. Throughout his life, Benjamin (Brad Pitt) physically regresses toward infancy but his mind matures toward adulthood. This simple idea could be explored in so many different ways that I was curious to see how it would be developed. The why of Benjamin's condition is not explained at all in the movie, which is a little disappointing. It just is. Overall, I thought they could've done a better job with the storyline. I felt as though some of the obstacles weren't resolved in a satisfactory manner. Perhaps it's just me but I'd prefer to have a reasonable explanation for the events that occur. This movie failed to provide them despite being over two hours long. On a positive note, the cinematography of this movie is just breathtaking. The contrasts in Benjamin's life are stark and revealingly reflected in the film's color palette. The gorgeous golden hues used when he's in love with Daisy (Cate Blanchett) are even more beautiful when compared to the steely blue of a hospital or the dark browns of a cellar room. This was just one of those movies that are truly beautiful to look at. I loved the scenes with snow fall. Gorgeous. Besides Pitt and Blanchett's performances, a notable actor is Taraji P. Henson, who plays Benjamin's mother. She exudes such a belieavablely caring, maternal nature that it's really a departure from her character in Hustle & Flow.

Watch It: For it's great visual beauty, including its choice of lead actors.

Skip It: If you're looking for answers. There are none. It's just the story of his life, and often lives aren't wrapped up nicely.

Burn After Reading

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: September 12, 2008

DVD Release Date: December 21, 2008

Plot 411: A confidential disk is found by gym workers and is used to blackmail a former CIA analyst - affairs occur, the government is perplexed and National Security may or may not be compromised.

Review: This movie really wasn't what I expected. I thought this was an outright comedy. (I mean, c'mon. Have you seen Brad Pitt in the trailer?) It turned out to be more of a dark comedy or tragic comedy. There were still some pretty funny stuff happening but it was more subtle. I guess you could describe this film as partly being a government/spy movie satire and an ill-fated love story. Besides the few humorous scenes though, I thought this movie was really slow. I haven't seen a lot of Ethan and Joel Coen films, but I imagine their humor must be similar to this one. I watched "No Country for Old Men" and loved it, but I suppose this is a different type of movie. The one person I loved in this movie was John Malkovich's character because you could see him slowly falling apart in every scene. It was brilliant.

Watch It: If you're a Coen fan and to see Brad Pitt's dance moves (though not as good as Tom Cruise's moves in "Tropic Thunder.")

Skip It: If you don't have the patience to wait for this one to develop. It takes a while for things to fall into place.

Trailer:

Nosferatu

Rating: Not Rated

Movie Release Date: March 4, 1922 (Germany)/June 23, 1929 (USA)

DVD Release Date: January 2, 2001

Plot 411: A green real estate agent is sent to a count's castle to finalize a deal and realizes that the count is actually a vampire or nosferatu.

Review: I really enjoyed this silent film. It was very dark and gothic. Apparently, this film in and of itself got the ball rolling that sunlight can kill vampires, according to Wikipedia. It amazes me that this one depiction could so revolionize the myths. I also liked that this vampire was just plain creepy. He wasn't the beautiful, pristine, aristocratic version who could seduce you with a mere glance. There's something to be said about the pure horror of a nosferatu rather than the romaticized version we're used to.

Watch It: For an old school (or fresh, depending on your own personal perspective) look at the vampire genre. I really liked some of the camera tricks that enhanced his evil and grotesqueness.

Skip It: If you prefer your vampires to be Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise lookalikes.

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