2 Film Geeks

In Time (2011) - 61.6%

-Glen

In the future time is money, and everyone will stop aging at 25. The only way change things is to change how you value time.

Cast - 6/10

Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Cillian Murphy, Olivia Wilde, Vincent Kartheiser, Alex Pettyfer, Johnny Galecki

I want to focus in on the secondary characters before I get to the main duo in this film.

Read More

The Skin I Live In (2011) - 60.8%

-Glen

Sometimes even an expert plastic surgeon can’t heal all the scars that a life can make.

Cast - 6/10

Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya, Jan Cornet, Marisa Paredes, Fernando Cayo

It was good to see Antonio Banderas back with the director that made him famous in America from when he did Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down. He was oddly entertaining as he wasn’t his typical over stereotypical self as usually seen by Puss n’ Boots from the Shrek series. Instead he was dark side to. He delivered a good performance that was more unique than usual.

Read More

Paranormal Activity 3 (2011) - 64.1%

-Glen

23 years ago, 2 little girls lives were forever changed by a series of videotapes recorded in their home. This is the story of those tapes.

Cast - 8/10

Katie Featherston, Sprague Grayden, Lauren Bittner, Chrsitopher Nicholas Smith, Chloe Csengery, Jessica Tyler Brown, Brian Boland

The casting in this film is pretty great as were the past two films in this series. Katie Featherston who plays Katie in this film is excellent and is a shame couldn’t use her more. But since this film is supposed to be found footage from when she was a young that is quite understandable.

Read More

Take This Waltz (2011) - 83%

-Rowena

Marriage is tough.  Cheating is tougher. 

Cast - 8/10

Seth Rogen, Michelle Williams, Luke Kirby, Sarah Silverman

Michelle Williams has come a long way since her days on Dawson’s Creek.  What set her apart from Katie Holmes and made her the one with an Oscar nomination is still a mystery to me but I can’t deny that she can act.   Well.  Surprisingly well. 

Read More

Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark (2011) - 50.8%

-Glen

When Sally moves into a an old house being restored by her father and his girlfriend, she encounters more than couple reasons to leave the light on at night.

Cast - 5/10

Katie Holmes, Guy Pierce, Bailee Madison, Jack Thompson, Alan Dale

This was a bit of a surprise to see Katie Holmes take a role in a movie like this, but at the same tme it would almost seem that she is dying to dig her claws into any movie in the last 2 years before everyone forgets who she is. As you can probably tell, I am not her biggest fan but wasn’t annoyed by her overall performance in this movie. 

Read More

Melancholia (2011) - 78%

-Rowena

Life happens for a troubled family against the backdrop of the world being obliterated by another planet.  

Cast - 7/10

Kristin Dunst, Alexander Skarsgard, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Charlotte Rampling, Stellan Skarsgard, Keifer Sutherland

Kristin Dunst (Justine) is probably one of the last actors I’d choose to see in a leading role in a movie I intend on watching in its entirety so it was surprising to find her…tolerable.  That’s it. 

Read More

Drive (2011) - 90%

-Glen

Stuntman by day, wheelman by night. There isn’t anything he can’t do behind a wheel.

Cast - 9.5/10

Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks, Christina Hendricks, Ron Perlman

Ryan Gosling is the perfect fit for this role. It was essential the Driver be a man who is quiet, thoughtful and merciless when anyone close to him is in jeopardy. That was exactly what this film is, merciless. The shock factor at points when Ryan is driving for a job to help his girlfriend’s husband is a dramatic pace change in the movie that is really exciting.  Ryan executes a nice guy quality in this film that was a welcome change from the typical overconfident or over the top hero character we see in films. He becomes very likable with very few lines of dialogue throughout the film and loves driving the streets of L.A. at night listening to dark moody pop music with the feel of a David Lynch movie.

Read More

Inside Job (2010) - 72.5%

-Glen

In 2008 it seemed like the four horseman of the financial apocalypse had arrived, Larry Summers, Alan Greenspan, Henry Paulson (Goldman Sachs) and Richard Fuld (Lehman Brothers).

Cast - 7/10

Matt Damon

Matt narrates this movie and tries to bring some clarity to the issues leading up to the collapse of the American financial system in 2008. Matt does a great job explaining CDO’s, sub-prime lending, dividends and even touching on derivatives a bit to those us that didn’t major in economics.

It’s like you knew i disliked you and you keep doing things to make me respect and like you.  -Rowena

Read More

One Day (2011) - 55%

-Rowena

Dexter’s and Emma’s relationship, starting with a drunken intimate night in college is revisted on St. Swithin’s day, once a year, every year for twenty years.

Warning: Spoilers ahead. 

Cast - 9/10

Anne Hathaway, Jim Sturgess, Patricia Clarkson, Rafe Spall, Ken Stott, Romola Garai

First things, before I get into the cast I have to say that I’ve been waiting for this release since I finished this book last summer, on BC Day weekend, I believe it was.

Read More

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008) - 90%

-Rowena

After his tv star girlfriend, Sarah breaks up with him, Peter takes a trip to Hawaii to recover, only to find that she’s at the same resort with her new boyfriend. 

Cast - 10/10

Jason Segel, Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Russell Brand, Paul Rudd, Jonah Hill, Bill Hader, Jack McBrayer

Jason Segel who also wrote this script (thus all the muppet references) was fun to watch as Peter, the devastated dumpee.  His chemistry with everyone in the cast from Bill Hader to Paul Rudd, to Mila Kunis was apparent. 

Read More