Let's Go to the Movies...

Fall is here!Changing leaves, cooler weather, the onset of the Holidays- all good, of course, but one of the biggest perks of Fall are the movie releases. The long awaited switch from the summer blockbusters to the more serious Oscar contenders surface in early Fall. It amazes me how each Fall, the movies that come out, seem to be quite similar. This year it appears that gangster, drug dealing, good cop/bad cop subject matter is the theme, undoubtedly riding on the coattails of Mr. Marty’s, The Departed.

I heart these movies:

We Own the Night
Gone Baby Gone
American Gangster

My reviews would not do justice to these 3 movies- just go see them, then let me know what you think. I cannot even pick a favorite!

Unrelated movie topic:
Lars & The Real Girl- this was SUCH a great flick, Ryan Gosling once again nailed his role playing a sweet, strange mid western man boy who becomes delusional due to his extreme loneliness, I actually got a bit teary eyed at the end, my 2 friends laughed…I feel better now, that the reviewer from the Chicago Tribune also cried at the end of the complex, but oddly light “man and blow up doll” movie


Movies that have caught my eye and I have yet to see:

No Country for Old Men- Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Tommy Lee Jones, this looks great! I love the mix of the cast, it looks like a Robert Rodriguez film, but done by the Cohen brothers, I can’t wait to see how this crime thriller goes down and how the brothers bring in their irreverent humor
Reservation Road- Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Ruffalo & Jennifer Connelly, not that into JC, but very much into JP & MR, has gotten mixed reviews- mostly stating that the lead roles were miscast, I am interested in seeing JP play a husband/father who goes through an emotional journey as he attempts to cope with the death of his son
Into the Wild- directed by Sean Penn, this is my main interest in seeing this, that and the fact it is based off the best selling novel which I did not read
Margot at the Wedding- Starring Jack Black, Jennifer Jason Leigh & Nicole Kidman, not a huge fan of NK, but love JB & JJL, we will see, my expectations are on the lower end at this time, but I am completely intrigued by the story line & setting
Before the Devil knows your Dead- starring Marisa Tomei, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, I could probably take or leave this one, the preview did nothing for me, but I have heard amazing things, from trusted sources, so this one is on the list
Lions for Lambs- Starring Robert Redford, Tom Cruise & Meryl Streep, uuuuuuuughhhhhh Tom Cruise- Really? It is relieving to know that no one cast him, he hired himself and came up with a lot of cash to afford MS & RR, despite my deep dislike for TC, I love the title & am curious to see how the story plays out

My predictions for award season (award shows include, but are not limited to The Globes, the Oscars, the Spirit Awards & Sundance recognition):

Could put money down (think I already have) on these guys:

Denzel Washington- American Gangster
Russell Crowe- American Gangster
Ryan Gosling- Lars & The Real Girl
Mark Walberg- We Own the Night
Joaquin Phoenix- Reservation Road AND/OR We Own the Night
Javier Bardem- Love in the Time of Cholera
George Clooney- Michael Clayton
Natalie Portman- The Other Boleyn Girl

Against my better judgment:

Tom Hanks & Julia Roberts (for Charlie Wilson’s War- unfortunate, but you know it’s true)