Critics Club meets every month. Everyone has a great time discussing the film! Coordinator is Cathy Kane, 938-7916.
Next Critics Club
When: Tuesday, June 15th
Where: Bethel Cinema
Time: 7pm
Contact: Cathy Kane, 938-7916, catharinekane@yahoo.com
If you would like to join us please email Cathy Kane at catharinekane@yahoo.com or call 938-7916 several days before the movie so that we can decide which movie to view.
Afterwards we sometimes head over to Greenwoods for some drinks.
Previously Critiqued Films:
The Critics Club viewed the movie Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day is a movie filled with cameos and multiple story lines, all of the love nature of course. The film feels as calculatedly sentimental as one of those bland pink candy hearts. What it lacks in charm, humor, and intelligence, it makes up for in sheer volume. Critics club recommends you save your money and rent it when it comes out on DVD.
The Critics Club viewed the movie Pirate Radio. Sometimes history just isn’t as much fun as it should be. Pirate Radio, a rowdy, mostly hilarious British comedy-drama about the offshore radio stations that blared rock ’n’ roll to a desperate young UK audience in the 1960s, would much rather show us a good time than stick to the facts. Writer-director Richard Curtis (“Love Actually’’) has made a party, not a movie, and if the party goes on much too long, at least the guests are great company and the host’s taste in music is impeccable. Classic rock enthusiasts will want to stick around through the end credit sequence, which features an array of album covers
Critics Club viewed the movie Whatever Works. This classic Woody Allen movie, with all of its NYC wackiness, is an overdone-but-enjoyable effort with an unexpected surprise: an optimistic ending. It was a comical version of musical chairs -- in which mismatched characters encircle, attract and repel each other - feeling a bit forced at times and often losing itself in excessive verbiage. However, it is that excessive verbiage, given to us by the comedic genius of Larry David that in turn makes it a truly entertaining movie. Larry, playing the role of Borus, provides some hilariously twisted mentorship to an up and coming actress, Evan Rachel Wood. Most would agree with Woody's philosophy of life and find his insight into human nature amusing. Critics Club enjoyed the brilliant banter, hilarious situations and wonderful acting and would highly recommend it as a rental.
Critics Club viewed the animated movie 9 by Tim Burton. This is post-apocalyptic adventure as imagined for a teen crowd, and what it lacks in depth it makes up for in action. The movie is dark, and will certainly frighten younger viewers. We felt the movie was immensely creative and well thought out and with all the twists and turns it definitely kept our interest. You should see it for its pure visual genius.
In Funny People, George, played by Adam Sandler, a famous comedian whose personal life is sorely lacking. He cheated on his one great love, Laura and spends his middle-aged days - and nights - pursuing a string of meaningless dalliances. A medical diagnosis prompts him to take stock of his unexamined life. George is by turns funny, imperious, engaging and self-obsessed but always compelling. It is easily Sandler's best and most multi-faceted performance. Seth Rogan is more low-key, but wonderful, as Ira, a struggling comic working at a deli. After Ira's quirky stand-up routine at a comedy club, George hires him to write jokes, a gig that becomes much more, as George exploits Ira's good nature in myriad ways. Its only major flaw is its length - nearly 21/2 hours - which, in most cases, is excessive for a comedy. But thanks to some endearingly funny moments, it recovers its way.
Critic's Club viewed the movie Star Trek last month. Star Trek is a movie that is great enough to appease the most hard-core buffs, while opening up the final frontier to a whole new generation of fans who have yet to appreciate Star Trek's combination of sci-fi action, campy humor and yin-yang philosophical tussle between logic and emotion. Star Trek is definite must see.
Critics Club viewed the movie Sunshine Cleaning. In this movie Amy Adams and Emily Blunt play two sisters who are struggling through life. Alan Arkin also has a major rule which is very reminiscent of Little Miss Sunshine. We felt Sunshine Cleaning was satisfying, with excellent acting in a very moving yet light hearted story.
Critics club viewed the movie Revolutionary Road. Revolutionary Road is a better version of "American Beauty" but without the laughs. It's not a good choice to lighten a burden or brighten a night but if you go, you will be rewarded with fantastic acting and a wonderful movie.
Critics club viewed the movie Slumdog Millionaire. This was an eloquent and heart-wrenching portrayal of the struggles many face in third-world countries. We felt that this movie was a 21st century fairy tale with UNBELIEVABLE HEARTBREAK and redemption. Driven by fantastic energy and a torrent of vivid (and sometimes horrible images) of India old and new, Slumdog Millionaire is a blast. You may even feel like dancing in the aisles yourself.
Critics club viewed the movie Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Through the lens of an eight-year-old boy largely shielded from the reality of World War II, we witness a forbidden friendship that forms between Bruno, the son of Nazi commandant, and Shmuel, a Jewish boy held captive in a concentration camp. The imagined story of Bruno and Shmuel sheds light on the brutality, senselessness and devastating consequences of war from an unusual point of view.
Critics Club viewed the movie Righteous Kill. Although we all enjoyed this movie, I couldn’t help but think that it was just a recycled cop/serial-killer flick. The only difference was the star studded cast of Pacino and DeNiro elevated the acting you normally see in those types of movies. Critics Club agreed that it was a good movie, but one that you can wait to rent not a must see.
Critics Club viewed the movie Tropic Thunder . This star studded comedy keeps you laughing from the moment the fake trailers start to the unforgettable Tom Cruise ending. It is raunchy, outspoken -- and also a smart dissection of art, fame, and big-budget productions. When it is all over, you'll probably have the fondest memories of Robert Downey Jr.'s work, it is truly Oscar worthy. Critics Club agrees that it is a must see.
The Critics Club viewed the movie Sex and the City. This movie was just an extension of the show with the exception of being 2 hours and the addition of Jennifer Hudson. All in all Sex and the City, the movie, taps directly back into the show's primal appeal, which is the sweet, sad, saucy delight of sharing these women's company. A great summer flick!
The Critics Club viewed the movie Smart People. This movie was a drama/comedy about a very intellectual but flawed family. We found Dennis Quaid's purposely protruding belly and Sarah Jessica Parker's hair distracting to say the least. We did enjoy this slow semi-sad drama (especially Thomas Hadden Church’s character who brought out what little humor the film had) even with all its faults.
Critics Club viewed the movie Juno. Juno speaks of the ramifications of choices from several generational perspectives. We all agreed that this ultra-smart-mouthed comedy about a planned adoption, that goes weirdly awry, was a movie worth seeing.
Critics Club viewed the movie The Darjeeling Limited. The Darjeeling Limited is about the rewards and resentments of brotherhood. The real enjoyment of this movie is not in its great ensemble of actors but rather India’s exotic, spiritual and mysteriously beautiful land. Unfortunately, the story between the actors leaves you with an emotional void.
Critics Club viewed the movie Death at a Funeral. Death at a Funeral is about a dysfunctional British family that does something so terribly wrong that you don't even want to watch, yet, it was just so hilarious and heartwarming that you were glad you did. It is very reminiscent to other British comedies like Benny Hill and Mr. Bean where you are constantly feeling anxious while laughing at the same time.
Critics club viewed the movie Stranger Than Fiction . In this film Harold Crick (played by Will Ferrell), discovers that he is the creation of a novelist with a predetermined destiny. He sets out to find his creator and begs her to set him free instead of killing him off. Harold enlists the help of Jules Hilbert (played by Dustin Hoffman) who is a literature professor, who comically examines Crick’s real-world problems through the lens of theory. Will Ferrell's performance in Stranger Than Fiction is fantastic and the movie's so good, it's the feel-good movie of the year
Critics Club viewed the movie Little Miss Sunshine last month. We all agreed that it was the funniest movie we’ve seen in a long time. It's "National Lampoon's Family Vacation" but only smarter and funnier.
Critics Club viewed the Woody Allen movie Scoop last month. In this film, Woody gets back to the sly humor that is in all of his classics. If you love Woody's punch lines and delivery, you'll be willing to wade through this simplistic plot, waiting for the next gem. No more than a Hitchcock style movie with the addition of Woody Allen’s schtick, but in the dog days of summer it was a pleasure to watch.
Critics Club viewed the movie Pirates of the Caribbean-Dead Man’s Chest last month.
Okay, you’ll have to bear with me because this is not an easy one to critique. First off let me start by saying the first Pirates of the Caribbean was truly a masterpiece. It was everything (and more) that you could ask for in a pirate adventure, action-packed, Disney theme-park ride inspired movie. Kids and adults alike fell in love with the over-the-top Captain Jack Sparrow played by Johnny Depp. With that said -Yes indeed, Pirates 2.0 is a theme-park ride. And (unlike the first edition) this is how the entire movie feels. The moviegoer is over stimulated and under satisfied with a story that never seems to start and doesn’t really end. In the first movie you enjoyed watching the film because it was exciting and fun and somewhat unique, but in the second you actual feel like Disney put you on the ride but instead of the ride only being 4 minutes long you are strapped to your seat for over 2 1/2 hours!!! BUT, I have to say that if you ask any 13 year old who saw the movie I’m sure that they would say it was awesome. So here’s our advice, if you have children then it is a definite must see; but if you don’t then skip it and you can probably skip renting it as well because you might want to wait until the third installment and if it looks promising then just see that – believe me you won’t miss anything.
Critics Club viewed the movie The Lake House last month. Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock enjoy the perfect love affair - if only time didn't separate them. In a strange twist of time and fate, Kate (Sandra Bullock) and Alex (Keanu Reeves) send endless love letters to each other but are doomed to a romance that is just out of reach. This film, directed by Alejandro Agresti, was a refreshing take on an old tale of unrequited love. Although at times it was a bit predictable we truly enjoyed the parallel time which the two main actors were separated by.
Critics Club viewed the movie Water last month. This film, while small in scope, delivers in a big way. Water, is a very powerful depiction of the atrocites and greed committed in the name of religion. The script, by director Deepa Mehta, doesn't try to over-hype the situation, either with exaggerated suffering or over-dramatized relationships. The situation that the Indian widows find themselves in, abandoned by their families, shunned by society, is already powerful enough without the need to over-dramatize the story. Additionally, director Mehta's brilliant use of color, lighting and cinematography enhances the film greatly. A masterpiece in every way!
Film Viewed: Thank You For Not Smoking
What do you get when an over-confident lobbyist is met with a challenge? Tons of laughs and a great story line to go with it. Thank You For Smoking was thoroughly enjoyed by critics club last month. Playing a Big Tobacco lobbyist, Aaron Eckhart puts his golden news-anchor good looks and smooth conviction together to try and persuade you that cigarettes aren’t all that bad for you. Confronted by health zealots out to ban tobacco and an opportunistic senator (William H. Macy) who wants to put poison labels on cigarette packs, Nick goes on a PR offensive, spinning away the dangers of cigarettes. Naylor travels to Hollywood in his quest to make smoking sexy again and there he meets his Left Coast match in the Kimono-wearing Rob Lowe as the slick agent more concerned with feng shui than facts. This movie is loaded with great visual gags and witty one liners from all of the cast members; you’ll feel like seeing it again just to catch all the one-liners that you may have missed the first time around.
Film viewed: The Libertine
Critics Club gave it a Thumbs Down!
In The Libertine, Johnny Depp shines through the murky gloom of 17th-century England in this nauseating biopic about the little-known John Wilmot, aka the Earl Of Rochester, a debauched poet who proved mad, bad and very dangerous to know for all who hovered around his seductive light. Although we agreed that Debb played his role well, we also agreed that the dialogue was boring, the sets dark and gloomy, the story long suffering, and the actors simply sad. Johnny Depp fans might enjoy this ugly and grotesque side of the usually charming actor but all others should avoid it at all costs.
November 2005
Filmed viewed: Capote
Critics Club gave it a Thumbs Up!
Capote, directed by Bennett Miller,
honors its subject by doing just what Truman Capote did. It teases, fascinates, and haunts.
In this film, Phillip Seymour Hoffman attains that rare achievement that is the hallmark of great Academy Award performances - he doesn't merely play the role of Truman Capote, he inhabits him.
The story takes place between 1959--when the Clutter family was murdered in Kansas--through the writing of Capote's classic "nonfiction novel", IN COLD BLOOD. Along the way, he befriends one of the killers, Perry Smith (played by
Clifton Collins, Jr.) and it changes his life forever. This movie is bleak, depressing and stark, in its tone, content, and presentation. Everything on the screen is gray, blue and green, further magnifying its somber tone. It doesn't let the audience off easily, and gives us plenty to ponder as the end credits roll.
Capote was an incredibly thought provoking movie that was very realistic in its portrayal of life in 1959. All of us that attended the movie gave it a thumbs up.
March 2005
Filmed viewed: Bride and Prejudice
Critics Club gave it a Thumbs Up!
Bride and Prejudice is a Bollywood take-off on Jane Austen's most famous novel. Imagine a musical comedy version of the nineteenth century story, set in twenty-first century India. All the themes and social commentaries from the book are there along with Mrs. Bakshi with her four beautiful marriageable daughters, the handsome, aloof Will Darcy, and smarmy Johnny Wickham. Directed by Gurinder Chadha, who also directed Bend it Like Beckham, it is one of the funniest films we've seen in a long time. None of us had ever seen a Bollywood* film, so a lot of the laughs were directed at the over-the-top production numbers. The cheesiness was actually exhilarating, the costumes were breathtaking, and the scenery was amazing!
*Bollywood refers to films made in Bombay, India and characteristically feature elaborate song and dance numbers, much melodrama, and not a hint of sex (or even kissing!)
February 2005
Film viewed: Sideways
Critics Club gave it a Thumbs Up!
Sideways, directed by Alexander Payne, was a revealing examination of life, wine, fidelity, and the bizarre workings of men’s minds. First, there is Miles, (Paul Giamath) who is a middle-aged man distressed about his lack of success as a novelist. Then there’s Jack, (Thomas Haden Church) who is an equally unsuccessful actor on the verge of getting married. As a pre-wedding gift, Miles takes Jack on a trip to wine country. This is when you observe the beautifully small-scale study of personal foibles and romantic uncertainty. We hope you enjoy this movie as much as we did!
November 2004
Film viewed: I Heart Huckabees
Critics Club gave it a mixed review!
I Heart Huckabees, is a cerebral zany romp through existentialism! Are we connected to the universe or chaotically separated and alone? As far as intellectual comedies go, we thought it was very good and extremely different from anything we had ever seen before. This film, however, is not for the commercial driven audience. Don't walk into the theater expecting anything because this movie will not leave you satified especially if you like slapstick humor, but if you have no expectations and are open, this movie is quite a treat! The only fault we had with it was that it sort of dragged in the middle and that one of our critics found a scene involving a lot of mud revolting (if you see the film then you will know what we are talking about). I can't forget to mention that Lily Tomlin and Dustin Hoffman were wonderful in their betrayal of existential detectives!
October 2004
Film viewed: Garden State
Critics Club gave it a Thumbs Up!
Garden State begins as a rather wry comedy filled with memorable scenes and images that will have you chuckling to yourself. But it's true power lies in the way it morphs into an awakening of sorts for the main character (Braff from the comedy Scrubs). That change is partly due to his medical sobriety but has more to do with Samantha (played beautifully by Natalie Portman), a charming and quirky girl who is an emotional torrent determined to open up Andrew in ways he seems incapable of. All of us in the Critics Club thoroughly enjoyed this quirky movie and will never look at Braff the same way again.
August 2004
Film viewed: Before Sunrise
Critics Club gave it a Thumbs Down!
Before Sunrise, re-examines the twosome (Ethan Hawke/Julie Delpy), who first met in the movie Before Sunset. The movie is a conversation that starts erratically and uncomfortably after a nine year hiatus. Intense dialog, but be prepared! This movie is merely a two hour dialog with only props and walking to change the pace. If you enjoy intruding upon a reflective conversation, you will really enjoy this. If you need more action/characters/plot, this movie is not for you.
