Babies

May 31.

"BABIES!"

OK, now, I don't think of myself as an ooey-gooey-must-snuggle-the-babies kinda person, but this movie is so cute. And, maybe more than cute it is enlightening.

Watching the lives of four babies – Bayar in Mongolia, Hattie in San Francisco, Mari in Tokyo, and Ponijao in Namibia – from birth to sleeping, eating, bathing, and first steps, words, and birthdays is really eye opening. It's amazing to see how people live, and don't care about dirt! in other parts of the world. And, honestly, watching the San Franciscan family use a lint roller on Hattie seems ridiculous after watching Ponijao play with dirty water bottles and, well, dirt.

The documentary, made by French film maker, Thomas Balmes, tells the story of life through these babies' eyes. From the low-to-the-floor cameras and no subtitles explaining what the adults are saying, the viewer really gets to experience the world as these babies do.

Robin Hood

May 30.

Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe teaming up for "Robin Hood" sounded like a great idea. And then the reviews poured in. I almost skipped the movie but still wanted to see what the two could do with this great story. I'm glad I did because I liked it so much more than the critics.

Scott and Crowe gave Robin a real, gritty feel. And, Cate Blanchett, (Maid Marion) can do no wrong. I got a little lost in the history, which is based on folklore, so who knows, but loved the new look at this story I've seen told many ways.

"Robin Hood" takes place before Robin Longstride steals from the rich and gives to the poor. This movie tells the story of how this man became Robin Hood. All I can hope is that there's a part two!

Sex and the City 2

May 29.

I loved the "Sex and the City" series when it was on HBO, so when the first movie "Sex and the City: The Movie" came out I was nervous but not totally disappointed. Sure, there were some issues, but I added the DVD to my SATC collection and have even watched it a second time. When SATC2 was announced, I was even more skeptical. And, once the reviews started I thought there is no way this is going to be good at all.

So, watching with Boba, who might be an even bigger SATC fan than I am, I had no real expectation. I definitely left more satisfied than Boba, but that's not really saying a lot. I think it was mostly sad to watch the women who have everything they ever asked for complain about what they have. There really was no story, and the stories for each of the women were weak and insulting to the fans. The jokes were not funny, forced, and full of puns. And, the fashion was far from forward and completely ridiculous.

I do miss SATC, but I'd much rather pop in an old DVD and watch Carrie and the girls when the writing and the stories were great. I have heard rumors of a third movie and I really hope they don't do it.

Whip It

May 29.

I really expected to like "Whip It," even though it didn't get great reviews. I thought the mix of Ellen Page, Drew Barrymore and the group of brash, roller derby women would be fun. And, I guess it was for the first half.

The first half was good. I would have liked more roller derby. It looked hard and pretty painful, but it's the reason I was watching – a look into this world I can't even imagine. By the second half the movie took this fast-forward pace, with the introduction of character situations and conclusions all at once.

It's too bad "Whip It" wasn't better. I think it had a good script and some good talent, but the story telling was lacking. Hopefully, first-time director, Drew Barrymore, will try again and be more successful.

Broken English

May 22.

Love, love, love, love "Broken English," which is why I own it.

Parker Posey is perfectly weird and quirky as unlucky-in-love Nora. I cringe as I watch her get excited about the wrong men and then make huge mistakes with the right ones. And, it's easy (for me at least) to get lost in Julien's sexy, French accent, but the greatness of the story is hoping Nora takes a chance on something.

I think I would have been satisfied if the movie ended about 10 minutes before it did, but I'm really glad it didn't. Interpretation is a great but sometimes you just want to see it.

Iron Man 2

May 16.

I loved the first "Iron Man"and expected a lot, maybe too much, from the sequel. Robert Downey Jr. was great and the story was good, but it felt myself drifting during the long, drawn-out middle.

I thought Mickey Rourke was going to add a lot more to the movie than he did. He was good but there wasn't enough of him. And, there were only a few really good action sequences.

There were also parts that I think other people loved because they are real comic book fans, but I didn't care about – like everything with Scarlett Johansson and Samuel L. Jackson.

I'll just have to wait a little longer for the start of the great summer movie season. And, I'm sure I'll still see part three.

Letters to Juliet

May 15.

I'm going to save the story of how I, once again, ended up at a dumb romantic comedy on a Saturday afternoon and say "Letters to Juliet" is my new guilty pleasure.

Even though it's full of the contrived rom-com bullshit, where the cute girl has a jerky, self-involved boyfriend and meets a guy she hates but eventually realized he's her soulmate, I still got caught up in the sweetness and the Italian countryside.

Sophie (Amanda Seyfriend) is adorable but the better part of the movie and the story I really cared about was Claire's (Vanessa Redgrave) lost love from 50 years before.

There were funny moments, most notably a scene where an old, Italian man cursed his dead wife's mustache, but these movies are never really funny, are they?

Kick-Ass

May 8.

I liked, but didn't love "Kick-Ass." It was funny and unique but a little weird. I was with the story for the first half, as Dave turned himself into Kick-Ass. And, I was totally buying into the fact that when he encountered his first crime he was going to be able to handle himself. But, once he took on the first criminal and then the strange twist for the second and third, the cartoonish movie turned a bit too real.

I feel equally split about the young Hit-Girl. She was either the best or the worst thing about the movie. The actress, Chloe Moretz, is definitely amazing. She’s full of funny, smart energy, but the characters charm was overshadowed by her vulgarity.

It seems like this movie should have been made for young teens, but because of the language and graphic violence it wasn’t appropriate.

Adam

May 6.

Gigi and I wanted to see “Adam” when it came out last year but never got around to it. So, when her husband was off to a midnight showing of another movie, we poured some pear vodka, popped some popcorn, and watched it with Pepper and Samantha.

I felt an immediate like and sadness for Adam, played by Hugh Dancy, from the first scene. The movie is billed as a romance, and there is a love story, but really it’s a look at this sheltered man living with asperger's syndrome.

The movie is funny and touching and you I really believed in the connection between Adam and Beth. The end wasn’t what I thought I wanted but after it was over I felt like it was right.

Greenberg

May 2.

Funny and sweet and touching and sad and honest. "Greenberg" is my first favorite movie of 2010. Even though people were walking out of the theater and one woman loudly declared, "I hate this movie," I loved it.

The story of Roger Greenberg played by Ben Stiller, was real and raw. Greenberg just got out of a mental institution and is watching his brother's house in L.A. for six weeks. He meets with old friends and spends time with his brother's, much younger, assistant, Florence, played perfectly by Greta Gerwig.

The conversations and relationships are flawed. They don't run smoothly and are not choreographed for the screen. The story is written and directed by Noah Baumbach, who uses these techniques often. And, Jennifer Jason Leigh, who also has a small roll as Greenberg's ex-girlfriend, is a co-writer of the film.

Sometimes movies about reevaluating life lay the lessons on too thick. They try to make everyone right at the end of two hours and it feels fake and empty. "Greenberg" is not like that. It doesn't seem to care how the viewer feels. The characters are true to who they are, even if that makes us uncomfortable. There are so many lines and scenes that explain life exactly how it is, for good or for bad. The movie also has one of my favorite endings ever.

"Greenberg" is unresolved and perfect.

The Joneses

May 1.

This unique look at consumerism and family was good, but not great. "The Joneses" starts as the perfect family, lead by Demi Moore and David Duchovny, move into the perfect house, on the perfect street in Anytown, USA. The characters, who are not actually a family, market products and themselves to people in this wealthy (to me) neighborhood.

There are some funny scenes, mostly involving Duchovny, and the premise is so interesting that I was on board for most of the movie. But, by the last act the messages of what's important in life sort of steam rolled over anything good leading up to the conclusion.