Stranger Than Fiction

four.

I knew I would love this movie as soon as I saw the previews. I thought the idea was creative and unique, making us step outside our own stories and wonder if we should fight how it's currently being written.

Brokeback Mountain

four.

I finally got over my embarrassment about renting this film and spent Friday evening watching this incredibly emotional flick.

I didn't believe the relationship between Ledger and Gyllenhaal (not of their characters, but in their performance), but the performances of the wives and the parents were disturbingly authentic.

I think what was most uncomfortable was realizing that our own desires (whether forbidden or not) have the potential to destroy our lives and, even more disturbing, the lives of those closest to us and whom we love.

Cloverfield

three

I tried to go into this movie without any expectations, but the constant bickering over what this movie was or wasn't between two close friends made that impossible.

I think the idea was unique, daring, and unusual, but I'm not sure it was executed well. The film attempts to make a statement about those involved in media (devout followers will surely know leagues more about this film than the average movie-goer because of the extra information offered online unavailable to those just watching the movie). It was different to watch in a first-person type narrative rather than a third-person omniscient (if that parallel to literature can be made), but the constant shaky movement of the camera made me nauseous.

Props for an incredibly different spin on the age-old Giant Monster movie, focusing on the individual humanity as opposed to epic tragedy.

No props for a movie that literally made me want to vomit.

Girl With A Pearl Earing

three and a half.

I can't say that this movie was fulfilling to watch, but I enjoyed the experience. I'm generally against watching a film adaptation without first reading the book, and I know still that the book is probably a lot better, but I haven't finished it yet and a suite-mate rented it, blah blah blah. However, I think having a basic understanding of the plot and seeing another's vision and interpretation will be really helpful for my own reflection.

The movie production was bizarre, but I liked the artistic vision it created. At first it was disconcerting to watch the transition shots, expect them to move a certain way, and have them go entirely against the status quo. After a while I really appreciated it because the camera movements shed light--literally--on the world and works of Vermeer.

My Girl

four.

I'm a bit biased about this movie, as I grew up watching it almost everyday.

Vada Sultenfuss grows up in a funeral home with her widowed father and grandmother. She is very confused about death, continually coming up with new ailments that she believes she has contracted. Her best friend is Thomas J., and his death is something she struggles to both understand and cope with. It's a great story of first love and loss and the adolescent understanding of reality.

The film is direct, which is what makes it so easy to connect with. Vada, while eccentric, still forces [not unpleasantly] us to empathize and view the world with her. Her troubles to express her soul in creative writing doesn't translate into the actual film -- we embark on her journey with her and are fully immersed.

The Namesake

four.

First off: I love Indian culture. I've always been fascinated - ever since I studied India in fourth grade. I think the people are beautifully unique.

This film was a wonderful glimpse into the difficult adjustments that immigrants have to make to make a successful existence. Their children, born and raised in a different culture, struggle to find a balance between who they are and who they want to be. Their son, Gogol (Nikhil), named after the Russian author his father reveres, spends most of his life rebelling against his parents and his heritage. It takes a family tragedy to give Gogol a sense of self and his namesake.

While I think that the director attempted to fit too much into a two hour movie, the sincerity of emotion keeps us enthralled.

War (Rouge's Assassin)

one and a half.

I'm not much of an action movie buff, but I can usually at least stay attentive. This film failed to hold interest, I found myself wishing for it to be over - twenty minutes in! The script was badly written, the plot twist was so outrageous as to not be believable, the transitions were repetitive, and the action scenes were overdone.

The film failed to capitalize the talents of Jason Statham and Jet Li, with unfortunate results.

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium

three.

Molly Mahoney is the insecure store manager of Mr. Magorium's magical toy store. The eccentric store owner decides it's time for him to depart and gives the store to Mahoney. The cast is diverse and unique, and like most children's movies the film is intent on teaching the magical power of imagination and letting the playful nature in oneself flourish.

Overall, I really enjoyed the movie. The story was unique, and the not-so-subtle symbolism was still effective. The emphasis on tapping into inner-strength teaches us how life -- and art, and creativity, and music -- are critical to fulfillment of potential and finding happiness.

Meant for the child in all of us.