"The Last  Station"  2009    Helen  Merian; Chris. Plumber   other notables.

  If you wonder what Russian  writer/philospher  ,Leo Tolstoy, was all about, then this is NOT for you.    However, it is not listed as documentary, so  it isn't !

Nevertheless, I thoroughly  enjoyed this  glimpse  of Tolstoy and his  life/love  contradictions.  Actors superb.   Briefly covered L.Tolstoy's final years of introspection and his idealist values, such as, love conquers all  and some of his actual quotes like, " Greed  is evil".  Ha...how apropos to issues  today too !

"The  Wrestler" 2010    " Inside "look at wrestling circuit people and the huge emotional and physical impact that  wrestling  doles out....  O'Rourke  acts so perfectly for this lead role  and  I just wanted to take him home and "heal" him  on  all 4 levels of Maslow's hierarchy  !

"The  Wrestler" 2010    " Inside "look at wrestling circuit people and the huge emotional and physical impact that  wrestling  doles out....  O'Rourke  acts so perfectly for this lead role  and  I just wanted to take him home and "heal" him  on  all 4 levels of Maslow's hierarchy  !

"Marley and Me"    2010,I think.      I am dog  owner/lover/shelter volunteer ;; therefore, I am too biased.   I identified with  most all the  "dog -teaches- human "

life lessons, of which were  laugh out loud  funny, while still  meaningful.  I wish I had taken more kleenex to  this movie....really.

ooo you gave me some good ideas, jodie! thanks!!! and thanks for the synopsis , barry!!! i'm watching "it's a wonderful life" for the several'th time, but i get something new out of it each time!

these are GREAT reviews, maggie...of two movies i VERY much want to see. thank you so so much!!!!!

Maggie   thanks a zillion..."Inside Job"  is the first movie I will hunt for. 

 library has ordered  "Inside Job" and  I hope to see it before I tail-it to Florida.

 a silly-sized romance with fantasy elements  and humour attempts  pretty much describes  "Date Night", starring Tina Fey,Steve Carrell.... a hum-bug  for me.

i got that and then returned it. before i saw it. i just wasn't into silly. i want to see the joan rivers documentary that is out on dvd....

The Fighter is the movie to see. Great story about a quiet man amongst a family that is loud (metaphors here) seeking to cut out a life for himself. He finds a woman who supports, see's, and can hear him. The movie is not about boxing and the title is so appropriate for the story. Go see and let me know what you think. Warning: violence, sex, drugs, and lots of foul language. I closed my eyes during the violent scenes. I am a fan of Mark Wahlberg.

True Grit

If you’re looking for a hot movie, True Grit is your smoking gun. Rarely do I come out of the theater these days not feeling ripped off.  To see this one, I would have paid extra.   Filmmaking at its best.

Jeff Bridges plays whiskey drinking, overweight Marshall, Rooster Cogburn, from Fort Smith, Arkansas, and he gives one colorful performance. He teams up with Matt Damon, playing Texas Ranger, La Boeuf, to track a man through the Arkansas wilderness.

Rooster is being paid by fourteen-year-old, Mattie Ross, to track her father’s killer, Tom Chaney.  She insists he take her with him as part of the deal. Texas Ranger la Boeuf is after Tom for killing a Texas senator, so the three unlikely companions ride off in search of Ned Pepper’s Gang, when they get a tip Tom Chaney is riding with them.   Along the way, these three strangers, who sometimes  despise each other, develop  a startling  fondness and appreciation for each other they didn’t expect.

What to love about this movie: the  development of characters. A young, brave, smart mouthed heroine- Mattie Ross-who can hold her own in the tumbleweed world of whisky drinkers, and trigger happy men.  The one-eyed Cogburn, who during downtime will drink, shoot and miss, but gets his aim right when it counts, in life, as well as death. And Texas Ranger, La Boeuf, who grows tight on you like moss on a log. 

During gun battles and downtime we get to know each shiny one. Even minor characters  blinked enough to light up the film and linger in your heart.

Although it was gritty-hence, True Grit-  it wasn’t over the top. There was  comic relief, too, at just the right moments. And those quirky characters who brought it to life under a night sky smeared with stars.

In my book, nine out of ten stars.

I saw the original True Grit by accident. My best friend and I were going to see a movie and when my mother dropped us off the feature had changed. In those days there were only single-screen theaters so unless we wanted to go on errands with my mother we had to watch John Wayne! We were about 9 years old. UGH! Imagine my surprise when I sat in my seat mesmerized by the performances. I don't usually like remakes, but Dorraine's review makes it seem worthwhile. 

I see mainly family movies with our two small daughters, but that's just in the theaters. At home we watch rented and borrowed DVDs. 

My taste changes. Lately I want to see romantic dramas. It's a phase! A film that resonated with me recently was Days of Heaven with a younger Richard Gere. When it was released in 1978 I saw it because he was such a heartthrob (and still is imho) but could not appreciate it at all. In fact I remember thinking it was slow and boring. This time, a few years later for both Richard and me, I saw why it was critically acclaimed. It is a work of art. 

I recommend it highly. 

heard this rob reiner movie is adorable!

Not having seen any of the ones nominated, I really don't have an opinion.  Some of the ones that were nominated that I'd like to see are The Kings Speech, Black Swan and The Kids Are Alright.

I caught most of an old flick the other day (hubby had it on while battling a bad back) and it was pretty good (if a little off in the facts department).  The Al Jolson Story.  I didn't realize he did so much more than The Jazz Singer.  Quite the showman!!!

is "the kids are alright" going to get overlooked? has anyone seen this?

while visiting a friend we watched a video I had never heard of that I think should be seen by all women...

Iron Jawed Angels....if you do not already know what it took to get the vote for women you will after you see this film..very good and very thought provoking.....

Nope - you aren't the last person, Lisa.  That would be me!  I detest going to the theater...and haven't quite bought into Netflix yet, so I'm still way behind most of the world as far a cinema goes.

I liked the book, so recommend you read it.  I will watch the movie when it comes to cable...if it comes to HBO or Showtime.  (Yes, it was on STARZ this weekend, but we don't get that.)  But mainly for the scenery.