Unknown (2006) - 2/5

Unknown (2006)

I wanted to like this movie b/c it has so many things that appeal to me: I hadn't heard of it, good actors that I like, independent, low budget (at least that look'n'feel) and you are lost w/ the characters and learn as they do.

While I think the acting was good, I didn't think the characters were fleshed out. It seemed like they tried, but I didn't buy it. Maybe b/c I cdn't rely on anything b/c their memories and development were questionable (more in spoilers).

The people in the warehouse seemed to be 'going thru the motions' and not really getting anywhere and the character development wasn't effective.

The outside plot was unclear and also felt like fluff or 'killing time' until they cd get to the end and resolve things.

There's a lot going for this,but ultimately I think it lacked heart and soul required for this kinda thing. Maybe it was the result of a quick shooting schedule since it is an indie type thing.

SPOILERS

By the end, there were too many twists piled up on top of each other in rapid succession that it kinda lost the effect. He's a good guy, no a bad guy, no an undercover cop, no a bad undercover cop, w/ a plot w/ the other guy's wife, no ultimate a good guy, huh?

Elizabethtown (2005) - 3/5

Elizabethtown (2005)

I heard this movie compared to "Garden State" and while I can see that, I think "Garden State" is considerably better. I think the tone is more consistent in "GS" and the acting is better also.

Orlando Bloom doesn't pull it off. I don't think he can 'do' emotion: the scenes requiring any type of bigger emotions from him fell pretty flat and akward.

It didn't seem like this movie cd decide if it wanted to be serious, funny, introspective, etc. In the end, that means it's none more often than not.

Kirsten Dunst was particularly good to me. I normally don't think too much of her, but she did a good job.

SPOILERS:

The best part of this movie was the last ~30 mins where he's driving across country w/ his dad's urn. The tone completely changes IMO and for the better. Invoking images of him w/ his dad and their love (which is missed for the rest of the movie not knowing what kind of relationship they had...which may be the point???) and the beauty of the time alone despite the death of one of them. :)

The 'fiasco' of the shoe isn't believable. No company wd put so much behind one person's creation who is just a guy w/a cubby hole of a desk. If they did, they wdn't have made it that far. Also, they wd have done test marketing, etc. It just distracted that it was so unbelievable.

Also, the mom's 'conversion' near the end from high-strung widow to practially stand-up comic was awkward.

The Aviator (2004) - 4/5

The Aviator (2004)

Great acting. Blanchett, Alda and DiCaprio are at their best in my opinion. Unfortunately, it's hard for me to see DiCaprio as anything other than a babyface, but he came close and everything else was very impressive: his expressions, stance and mannerisms, voice (though maybe a little thin), etc. He was as good as he cd be and much better than most.

I loved the way Scorsese modeled the filming of the periods as they wd have looked during those years. Some scenes have the 'off' coloring as it wd have been filmed back then. Great device.

I wdn't say this movie is very 'informative' or gives a lot of answers yet it isn't close to a documentary either. It's a great blend of truth and artistic interpretation/storytelling as a biopic probably sd be.

I'm intrigued by Hughes so I enjoyed it on that level too.

And while I'd love to learn more about what happened after the movies timeline, I've seen enough on it to know that we don't really know it all clearly. So I'm glad they didn't even get into it.

The Devil Wears Prada (2006) - 3/5

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

Meryl Streep was great. Undeniable.

The story was fair and somewhat cliche and/or predictable though not done poorly.

The characters were good, but Streep really made the movie as good as it was going to be.