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Scott Pilgrim vs the World (2010) 9/10 is Michael Cera playing something close to his usual character in a fun and unreal video game inspired world, in which he must fight guys in the style of a Street Fighter fight in order to win the affections of a hot girl (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) he likes. After seeing the trailer I was sure I would hate the film, having found out that it's based on a comic and also being sick and tired of Cera. But I read some positive reviews and thought I'd give it a try. That was totally the right thing to do because it's a really silly and fun picture filled with little details and things and moments that are just right, and clever but are never too obvious or in your face. Hilarious performances by Brandon Routh, Chris Evans and Kieran Culkin.
The Town (2010) 8/10 is a Boston-set bank heist crime film starring Ben Affleck and Jeremy Renner. The gang grew up and live in what's said to be the bank robbery capital of the world, where the skills are passed down father to son like. Everything is solid: it successfully treads what seems like a tricky line between reasonably real-feeling blue collar drama and thrilling, unrealistic action spectacle. The characters aren't just there to push the story along and they are generally well acted - even Ben Affleck comes across reasonably. Please don't misunderstand: I didn't particularly like his performance - he isn't convincing - in this film but I didn't want harm to befall him either. The best scenes outside of the action are when he and Renner are bantering back and forth. Renner's character is such an asshole he makes Affleck look less bad by association, which I suspect was exactly the intention. The story is pretty compelling and throws up a few new tricks, and the action scenes are pretty well handled.
He's Just Not That Into You (2009) 5/10 is a safe, dumb romantic comedy with an ensemble cast comprising of Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Connelly, Kevin Connolly, Bradley Cooper, Ginnifer Goodwin, Scarlett Johansson and Justin Long. WHEW! What a long list of people! I expect the romantic entanglements between them all will turn out to be different than what they seem at first. This is well-made and has a reasonably capbably cast but it isn't a good movie - it's cynical and manipulative and aims at a pretty rotten and stagnant audience who will have presumably lapped this shit right up and felt very good about it afterwards. Sharp-featured married couple Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Connelly are having trouble 'cause HE'S met Scarlett and SHE'S a bitch and has found his cigarettes! Her DAD died of lung cancer! (what part of that didn't HE understand?) HE blamed the fag pack and ashtray on BUILDERS but when she questioned the foreman (Luis Guzman) HE DENIED IT TOO! Meanwhile Ginnifer Goodwin is having a string dates that all have had the gall not to call her afterwards. She needs help from womaniser Justin Long who can help her to decipher that tricky code male men use when they say and do EXACTLY what they mean. Jennifer Anniston and Ben Affleck are a couple and there's something about a boat. Drew Barrymore has the horriblest shittest storyline in which the only male contact she can get - other than from the fawning, simpering homosexuals at her work - is via phone, text, email, gooseberry, shitspace and shitbook and all the rest of that bullshit. (HER THING IS THAT ALL HER DATES ARE NOT FACE TO FACE BECAUSE HER LIFE IS SO BUSY AND MODERN). Ben Affleck's was the likeablest character in the film until the very end when he threw his long-held conviction out for no reason at all. Kris Kristofferson has a heart attack. The End.
Pi (1998) 7/10
The Night of the Hunter (1955) 9/10
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009) 8/10
The Ring Two (2005) 5/10
Robocop (1987) 9/10
Monsters Inc (2001) 8/10
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