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While the original is still my favorite, I love that this expand the universe so much more. I can't wait to see what Marvel is going to do. It's unprecedented.



Agent Coulson: Good luck! We need you!
Tony Stark: More than you know.
Agent Coulson: Not that much!

He’s Just Not That Into You is an odd movie for me. I love it, and yet there are things about the film I dislike. For instance, any scene with Anna & Ben I skip through on DVD, and I cannot watch half of the scenes with Gigi without being embarrassed.

I think what it comes down to is not that I dislike the film, but it’s actually well enough made that certain things the characters do actually activate parts of my personality. For the storyline between Anna & Ben that means the fact that I can’t tolerate people that cheat on their significant others gets kicked in and I can’t stand to watch their scenes – it literally makes me mad at Ben that he would cheat on his wife, and upset at Anna that she would be okay with taking a married man away from his wife.

The case of Gigi isn’t as severe. What resonates with me about Gigi, is that though she is much bolder than I there are parts of her character that I see so clearly in my personality that I literally become embarrassed for her. While I can watch all of her scenes, I literally become emotionally tense as she goes through situations with men. When she finally hits on Alex after the party I usually talk to the screen and tell her just to “leave!” – of course I know she won’t listen, but I swear to you my brain just wants her to avoid embarrassment.

You’d think as He’s Just Not That Into You isn’t really a relaxing film for me to watch, I wouldn’t enjoy it enough to watch a lot. Truth is, I do love watching it. I think it’s a well made film, and there are parts of the film that don’t make me embarrassed or upset. I think one of the best, most heartfelt stories about love is in the film between Beth & Neil. Theirs is a story line I would actually watch more of, but their place in the film helps to round out everything else that may make the film an “interactive” home viewing experience for me.

What can I say, this is one “chick flick” that I like.

Alex: I dunno... I like you
Gigi: You do?
Alex: Well, yeah, okay, don't start doodling my name on your binder, okay.

Six months after Tony Stark revealed his alter ego to the world, he is more famous and more alone than ever. His party-boy lifestyle enhanced by his new fame, Tony finds little time for the running of Stark Industries and turns the empire over to Pepper, and takes on a new assistant named Natalie. However, this new level of fame comes with consequences – the government wants to take the Iron Man weapon away, Rhoadie is pulled between friend & country, rival Justin Hammer is the new government weapons man and an old secret from the Stark family past surfaces in the form of Ivan Vanko. Vanko is set on proving Tony Stark is a fraud and invents a rival technology and alter ego bent on destroying Iron Man & Tony Stark.

Jon Favreau has done it. He’s proven that he and his franchise have the stuff; he’s turned out a quality movie that isn’t just a great sequel to a fantastic first part, but it’s a great movie on its own. Iron Man 2 is a sequel that lives up to its original and helps to make what we love about that world even better than it was before.

One of the elements that makes Iron Man 2 such a spectacular film is that while being a summer blockbuster, and an action film Favreau and writer Justin Theroux managed to remember that the effects and action are meaningless unless there is a story behind all of it. There is a story in Iron Man 2, a great one and what makes it great it exactly what made Iron Man great – it’s story about a flawed man that decides to do better.

Tony Stark is and always will be an amazing character, and in Iron Man 2 Stark ends up on a free fall, rushing towards rock bottom as he deals with fame, life and the monster in himself. Stark has the entire world at his fingertips and yet he is living completely out of control, drunk on power and fame. Robert Downey Jr. again takes a powerful turn as Stark and lends the role great gravitas, centering Tony’s arch which is one that is eerily similar to a spiral he was on earlier in his life.

Don Cheedle is also notable as Col. Rhodes and had one of the hardest parts in the film as he took the role over from the ousted Terrence Howard. However, by the end of Cheedle’s first scene you will forget Howard completely and be glad for the grounded air Cheedle gives Rhodes and his relationship torn between his country and Stark.

Perhaps what is the most comforting about Iron Man 2 is the obvious care shown throughout the film to create the Marvel Universe. This is a film about Tony Stark, but woven throughout the film are subtle hints that perhaps there are other things going on there as well, things that Nick Fury & SHIELD aren’t telling Stark or any of us.

This is a movie that will be seen multiple times by most audience members, and I urge you that when you go, especially if you are a fan of the Marvel Universe – stay until the end of the credits.

Director: Jon Favreau
Writer: Justin Threoux
Tony Stark: Robert Downey Jr.
Rhodey: Don Cheedle
Natalie Rushman: Scarlett Johansson
Pepper: Gwyneth Paltrow
Ivan Vanko: Mickey Rourke
Nick Fury: Samuel L. Jackson
Agent Coulson: Clark Gregg
Howard Stark: John Slattery
Happy Hogan: Jon Favreau
Jarvis: Paul Bettany

Ivan Vanko: If you could make God bleed, people will cease to believe in Him. There will be blood in the water, and the sharks will come. All I have to do is sit here and watch, as the world will consume you.

When I heard that the non-fiction, self-help book He’s Just Not That Into You was being made into a movie I rolled my eyes. I totally didn’t understand why that would happen or how it could make a good film. However, now that I’ve seen He’s Just Not That Into You I do have to say that I found the film to be thoroughly enjoyable.

For anyone that’s been living in a cave for the past 5+ years He’s Just Not That Into You is the book that dispels all the romantic mythos that we girls hang onto so tightly, the signals we look for if a guy likes us, the reasons he might not be calling, etc.; the book gives the simple answer – if the guy is not pursing you, he’s just not into you.

To translate this into a movie the screenwriter centers on about 10 characters, all going through various parts and kinds of relationships: Gigi is the single and mingling one who dissects everything from the opposite sex, Connor is hopelessly into Anna, Anna is the hottie who convinces herself the married man will fall for her but dangles the other men in her life on a string, Ben married his college sweetheart Janine but didn’t want to and is trying to find a way out, Alex is the restaurant manager who has shut himself off to the opposite sex thinking he has the game figured out, Neil is the good guy in a committed relationship to Beth but can’t stand the thought of marriage, Beth is the successful working woman who loves Neil but wants a proposal, and Janine senses her marriage is going badly but is distracting herself in every way possible. By using these characters the screenwriter tangles together a complex web of relationships that touches on just about everything under the spectrum of love and life and somehow each and every character manages to undergo a gentle and important arch.

My hat goes off to Ken Kwapis for managing to take such a complex story with a myriad of characters and make it not just into an intelligible movie but an entertaining and charming one. I honestly think that He’s Just Not That Into You is the movie that they were trying to make when Someone Like You was made but He’s Just Not That Into You is infinitely better. I also really enjoyed the transitional device in the film of the “interviews” and titles; it was reminiscent of When Harry Met Sally and worked very well.

One of the best things about this film is the cast. This film has an enormous amount of talent in it and is one of the best ensembles I’ve seen in a very long time.

Director: Ken Kwapis
Writers: Abby Kohn & Marc Silverstein
Gigi: Ginnifer Goodwin
Connor: Kevin Connolly
Anna: Scarlett Johansson
Ben: Bradley Cooper
Alex: Justin Long
Neil: Ben Affleck
Beth: Jennifer Aniston
Janine: Jennifer Connelly
Kelli Ann: Busy Philipps
Mary: Drew Barrymore

Gigi: Maybe his grandma died or maybe he lost my number or is out of town or got hit by a cab...
Alex: Or maybe he is not interested in seeing you again.

So I finally got along to seeing Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Woody Allen’s latest take on love and romance. I do have to say that the film was worth the wait.

In traditional Allen fashion this is a confused and tangled story of characters looking for their life, their passion and their loves. Vicky and Cristina are best friends though they are as different as can be and decide to head to Vicky’s relative’s in Barcelona for the summer; Vicky is engaged to Doug a devoted but boring man and working on her Masters in Catalan culture, Cristina is a flight artist that cannot decide her medium and doesn’t know what she wants in a romance. Out for dinner one night they meet Juan Antonio who invites them to Oviedo with him for a weekend of culture and love making – he does not hide that this is his motive. Cristina is intrigued by Juan Antonio an pressures rigid Vicky into accompanying her with Juan Antonio. Though Vicky and Juan Antonio don’t immediately hit it off they do end up carrying a flame for each other that they hide as Juan Antonio begins a relationship with Cristina that becomes incredibly complex and eventually includes his ex-wife Maria Elena.

I am someone who has never been affected by the charms of Penelope Cruz, I really don’t think she is that good of an actress – in English. I think too much is going on in her head to translate from Spanish to English and as a result I have never really enjoyed her performances; however, she speaks mainly Spanish in Vicky Cristina Barcelona and I was amazed how large a difference it made in her performance. I can now begin to see the kind of talent that she really has, and I hope she can bring it to an English language film.

It is common knowledge that Scarlett has become Allen’s new muse. The funny thing about Scarlett’s muse status is that Allen didn’t want to work with her. In her first role with Allen in Match Point another actress was slotted in her part and dropped out at the last minute – Scarlett stepped in. Since working with her Allen can’t get enough of her. What was most interesting to me in their latest endeavor is that I believe in essence Scarlett was playing the traditional Allen character. Cristina is the Alvy Singer character who has impossible neurosis, quirky mannerisms, talks far too fast and is the crux of the tale – Cristina is the backbone of the story.

I used to consider Woody Allen an overrated filmmaker. However, in my post-film school life I have actually found a place for him in my film catalog. I deeply enjoy his movies and think that he is a filmmaker that has contributed to the art of film. I thank Scarlet Johansson for taking a last minute role in Match Point and reigniting Woody Allen’s zest for filmmaking.

Director & Writer: Woody Allen
Cristina: Scarlett Johansson
Vicky: Rebecca Hall
Juan Antonio: Javier Bardem
Maria Elena: Penelope Cruz
Doug: Chris Messina
Judy Nash: Patricia Clarkson
Mark Nash: Kevin Dunn
Narrator: Christopher Evan Welch

Juan Antonio: We are meant for each other and not meant for each other. It's a contradiction.

The Prestige was on one of the movie channels last night and I accidentally tuned into it – and I could not turn it off. I forgot how brilliant The Prestige really is; it is an enthralling film filled with brilliant performances, a great cast and an amazing sotry.

I cannot tell you that the story behind The Prestige is simple as I do with some of my other reviews, nor can I tell you all about it as that would spoil the surprise. What I can tell you is that this film improves with every viewing because more layers of the story become clear to the viewer.

My favorite thing about the film is actually how it is structured; the film is structured like a magic trick. One of the characters sets up this structure at the beginning of the film; every magic trick contains three parts, the pledge where the magician shows you something ordinary but of course it isn’t ordinary, the turn where he takes the ordinary object and makes it extraordinary, and finally the prestige where the pay off of the magic trick is revealed - without the prestige the trick is worthless.

The pledge in this film seems so very ordinary; Cutter, Alfred, Robert & his wife Julia work for a magician and the Robert & Alfred have aspirations to become magicians in their own right. While performing a trick they have done hundreds of times something goes wrong and Julia is killed. Distraught, Robert blames Alfred for Julia’s death and both men leave their positions seeking to better the other as the world’s best magician a rivalry fueled by Robert’s anger at Alfred. Alfred and Cutter join forces to help bring Alfred’s magic to the public.

The turn is the middle of the film; Alfred has lived up to his word and created what appears to be the world’s greatest magic trick and no one can duplicate it. Alfred becomes massively popular and eclipse's Robert’s glory; the two men begin to compete even more than before and each forsee’s the other’s next step. Angered even more, Robert seeks to discover how Alfred’s illusion is managed and finally has Alfred stopped from performing his trick by having him arrested and tried for murder.

The prestige is what I cannot reveal, but it truly is the point in the movie where Christopher and Jonathon Nolan take what seemed to be an ordinary rivalry and turn it into something you never expected and a masterful bit of writing that makes the entire movie that precedes it more worth the viewing. Just like promised, the prestige of this film makes the entire movie worth watching again and again.

When I tell you that this movie is different I am not exaggerating. The story is more complex and layered that I can explain here without ruining everything for you. I think that this movie surprises and confuses people, but it is so worth your time.

Director: Christopher Nolan
Writers: Christopher and Jonathon Nolan
Alfred: Christian Bale
Robert: Hugh Jackman
Cutter: Michael Caine
Julia: Piper Perabo
Olivia: Scarlett Johansson
Tesla: David Bowie
Sarah: Rebecca Hall

Cutter: Every great magic trick consists of three parts or acts. The first part is called "The Pledge". The magician shows you something ordinary: a deck of cards, a bird or a man. He shows you this object. Perhaps he asks you to inspect it to see if it is indeed real, unaltered, normal. But of course... it probably isn't. The second act is called "The Turn". The magician takes the ordinary something and makes it do something extraordinary. Now you're looking for the secret... but you won't find it, because of course you're not really looking. You don't really want to know. You want to be fooled. But you wouldn't clap yet. Because making something disappear isn't enough; you have to bring it back. That's why every magic trick has a third act, the hardest part, the part we call "The Prestige".