Month: May 2008

Three sentence movie reviews–All the Real Girls

Every once in awhile I fall in love with a movie as I did with this one. This movie portrays the most real reflection of an early-twenties relationship I have ever seen. As a bonus, it also contains delightful vignettes which have little to do with advancing the story, but are wonderful.

Darn it, I need one more sentence. It’s just a single word: Magic!

Also, don’t you think the phrase “every once in awhile” should have morphed into one German-esque looking word: everyonceinawhile.

I also feel the same about the phrase “this morning”. Let’s remove that space. We say it as one word anyway. “thismorning”

Gone, Baby, Gone. Dennis LeHane

Gone, Baby, Gone Gone, Baby, Gone by Dennis Lehane

My review


rating: 3 of 5 stars
I get obsessive about some things. I rented the movie Gone, Baby, Gone on a Friday and liked it so much I watched it again on Sunday. I reserved the book from the library and had it by Tuesday. Part of my affection for the movie, it must be told, had to do with Casey Affleck’s Patrick Kenzie, but the other part had to do with how incredibly cool his partner Angie was. The movie didn’t spend a lot of time worrying about her which I find rare as Hollywood seems to exist partly to keep women in their place. But that’s a post for another day.

So I shouldn’t have been surprised when I got the book and Angie is even cooler than she was in the film. Ah, Hollywood, you never let me down. Anyway, good book. Fast-paced, funny with very good character sketches as well as good social commentary. I like Dennis LeHane especially for those last two traits.

Overall the book was solid and I was pleased to find out there are several books with these two characters. I’ll be reading them.

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Three sentence movie reviews–In Bruges

A wholly uneven film. Despite excellent performances from Brendan Gleeson and Ralph Fiennes, as well as lovely views of Bruges, I didn’t like it. Sometimes funny and violence work for me (Fargo) and sometimes they don’t (this film.)

This was my mom’s choice for Mother’s Day. I think she has a crush on Colin Farrell.

Review of Persepolis: Story of Childhood

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi

My review


rating: 3 of 5 stars
Graphic novels aren’t really my medium. The boyfriend loves them and reads them all the time, but my habit of skimming doesn’t really lend itself to the graphic novel format. But, having seen and loved the movie, I thought I would read the first part of Satrapi’s story.

It was fine. Like I said, not my medium. I liked the movie better, as it contained all the things that were in the book, but with prettier art.

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Three sentence movie reviews–Gone, Baby, Gone.

This movie surprised me, and halfway in, I had no idea what direction it was headed. South Boston/Dorchester is beautifully filmed and Casey Affleck is entirely underrated as a leading man. I liked this so much I watched it again two days later.

Most excitingly, the bar at the end of the movie was right around the corner from where I used to live. I used to jog by it all the time. And that, is why South Boston and myself didn’t get along so well. Less time jogging, more time in the bars and they probably would have liked me better.

Review of the Hatbox Baby

The Hatbox Baby The Hatbox Baby by Carrie Brown

My review

rating: 2 of 5 stars
Last month I loved the novel I read by Carrie Brown. This month, I wasn’t as enchanted. The story had some interesting points to it. I enjoyed learning about doctors in the 1930s who attempted to save preemie babies. The one in this novel had to have the infants in his care on display at world fairs and expositions. He used the proceeds to fund his research.

I enjoyed meeting several people involved with the World’s Fair in Chicago. Overall, the plot line was interesting, but nothing gelled. I never grew attached to any of the characters or their stories. I finished it, and that was the end of my relationship with that book.

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Three sentence movie reviews–Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

Jason Segel seems to be a less raunchy member of the Apatow mafia, so this movie skews a tiny bit older than Superbad, or even Knocked Up’s adolescent humor. One of the things I enjoy about Apatow-influenced movies is that beneath their yucky boy-centric antics, they are willing to explore the feelings of the male species circa 2008. Still not a movie you want to take your grandmother to, but very enjoyable, especially Kristen Bell and Russell Brand.

Matt and I celebrated our sixth anniversary with a double feature of Iron Man and Forgetting Sara Marshall.

Three sentence movie reviews–Iron Man.

“But Robert Downey Jr. IS an alcoholic superhero!” exclaims my friend, and that is the true success behind this movie. Just as Soon I Will be Invincible is the perfect superhero novel, Iron Man is the perfect superhero movie. Funny, touching,–did I mention that Robert Downey Jr. is in it?–fast paced, and with lots of gadgets.

If I had one more sentence I would finish with “Well worth two hours of your time and $10.00 of your money.”