Welcome to Reel Insight

As I hope you've guessed by now, Rachel and I have decided to merge our blogging efforts.  We have started a new blog at Reel Insight that we'll be running together as we keep the podcast going and stop posting new stuff on our individual sites.  Thank you so much to all the people who have helped make this blog so much fun to do that I want to keep doing it.  Today is Rachel's 5-year blogaversay, and mine will be in a week, so I will continue posting here for another week, and then jump on over to Reel Insight.  I really hope you'll join us there!  Thanks.

Reel Insight Episode 76: Woody Harrelson

I know, you can't believe we're finally covering Woody.  We've been holding off knowing what a big movie star he is.  Okay, that was sarcastic, but we really did have a great time covering his movies - there were a lot more that we could have talked about too.  In addition to Woody's career, we discuss The Lorax, Rio, and Like Crazy (starring our future Star of the Week Anton Yelchin).  Our random topic this week is about movies that should have been made into franchises.  We're not really afraid that The Hunger Games (or reason for choosing Harrelson) isn't going to go the distance, but there were a few that we're still disappointed didn't get made into a full franchise.  Check it out and let us know what you think, either in the comments or send us an e-mail reelinsight@ gmail

Reel Insight Episode 74: Amy Adams

We had a guest!  It was wonderful have another international guest as Joel Burman from Deny Everything and shepherd of the LAMB joined us to talk about the career of Amy Adams.  It was a fun episode - we talked about our new movies.  Our random topic was the perception of Sweden in cinema, and the state of Swedish cinema.  Turns out Rachel knows more than I thought!  Let us know what you think at reelinsight at gmail and we'll read all about it.

Reel Insight Episode 72: Oscar Nominations!

Check out our new episode - we discuss lots of things that annoy us and thrill us about the Oscars - and of course we never agree.  Lots of fun is had and TONS of movies discussed.  Send us feed back at reelinsight at gmail.com!

Reel Insight Episode 71: Ewan McGregor

Our first episode of 2012 was so much fun to record. I hope you have as good a time listening - might I recommend some alcohol?  We talk about what we've been up to (Any suggestions for my upcoming 30 days of Oscar posts are most welcome) and what we've seen lately (Larry Crowne and Wild Target).  Our random segment this week is because Rachel "has a burr in her ass" about some of the new technology issues that are pissing her off.  Let us know what you think about them.  Then we get into a pretty funny star of the week discussion about Ewan McGregor (the young Obi-Wan himself).  Let us know what you think - send us an e-mail at Reel Insight at gmail.

New movies with Ewan McGregor
The Island - This movie sticks in your head.  The basic premise is that society has evolved to a point where we can create clones to provide organs when aging or accident strips humans of health.  However, the company that promises organs to the very wealthy can't just grow organs without the person around them, which is against society's rules.  So these clones are raised in secret and in order to keep them complacent underground, they are told that the world has been contaminated and they must live underground and stay away from one another.  However, they can win the lottery and go to "The Island", a preserved paradise.  McGregor and Scarlett Johanssen live in this society, and when ScarJo wins the lottery, McGregor has to figure out what to do - go with her or break out.  Lots of questions about what it means to be a clone or to create "slaves", and quite a few really good action sequences.  I liked this much more than I thought I would.  4 of 5 stars/lambs

Brassed Off - A very British indie-type love story drama about a brass band made up of coal miners in England.  They're in danger of the Tories closing their mine and being out of work, and the town closing up.  But they play on. McGregor is the romantic lead, but Pete Postlethwaite is the band's conductor and is the main driver of the story.  Charming, and terrific soundtrack of Brass Band music.  4 of 5 stars/lambs


Trainspotting - I remember watching this in college a LOT.  But I can't say I remembered it.  And now I can't figure out why I would watch this many many times over. Every few decades, definitely, but several times in a year?  It's so bizarre - and I know that's the point.  Danny Boyle's heroin-induced look at a group of losers who are trying to make their way in the world.  McGregor narrates the story (which definitely inspired Aranofsky's Requiem for a Dream) of him trying to get off drugs, and then the strong desire to get back on them.  There are a lot of amazing actors I would never have known back then, but are common now (Johnny Lee Miller, Kevin McKidd, Robert Carlyle, Kelly McDonald among many others you'll recognize).  A really terrific beginning (whether it was or not) for them all, strong acting, insanity, and a wonderfully crafted movie that sticks with you for ages. 5 of 5 stars, for being awesome, not because I liked it.

Beginners - I have heard a lot about this movie, particularly Christopher Plummer's performance.  But other than than I have trouble understanding what they loved about this movie.  McGregor is the son of a man who after his wife's death tells his son he's gay, and goes into the lifestyle with a vengeance.  Sadly, that exploration is cut short by cancer.  The movie is told in flashbacks, with the current story a romance between McGregor and Melanie Laurent (who I really want to be my friend, she seems awesome!).  The continuity between the two stories is the terrier, Arthur, that is particularly needy and cannot be left alone, so he's in most scenes.  If the dog hadn't been there, I would have had a hard time enjoying the film.  It's fairly slowly paced, and ultimately is pretty depressing when you think about this man who raised a son and had a wife for so much of his life living a lie about himself.  They try to explore that dichotomy - it seems McGregor's obsession for much of the film - but it ultimately didn't get very far.  Good, but not great.  3 of 5 stars/lambs

Deception - Very odd thriller co-starring Hugh Jackman as a bad guy, and Michelle Williams as the love interest.  Lots of stolen identities, an anonymous sex-club and thievery.  I don't want to give too much away, but it's nice to see Jackman as a bad guy.

Incendiary - More with Michelle Williams, though this time she's British.  While she's having an affair with McGregor (a journalist), her husband and son are killed when a terrorist bombs a soccer stadium in London.  This of course screws her up quite a bit.  And with his help she investigates it a bit and finds the family of one of the terrorists and befriends them (they have no idea where their father/son has gone or that he was one of the bombers).  Her dead husband was also, ironically, on the bomb squad, and his boss knew that her family was in danger and she gets pissed that he didn't do more to protect them.  I really liked Williams playing British, it worked well.  Not a great movie subject though.

Reel Insight 2011 wrap up

I'll get back to my computer soon but you'll have to give me a bit. But I didn't want you to wait to find out about our 2011 wrap up on Reel Insight. Check it out on iTunes or podimatic. Either way enjoy your New Years Day!

Our 70th Episode does a wrap-up of our Top 5 movies of 2011, the worst 5 of 2011, and our most anticipated movies of 2012.  Some very interesting discussion.   Just to give you some background, below is the list of 2011 movies I've seen.

An * denotes a film I saw in theaters.  The others I saw on DVD.

1. Country Strong*
2. The Green Hornet
3. Barney’s Version
4. No Strings Attached*
5. The Company Men
6. Gnomeo & Juliet
7. Just Go With It*
8. Cedar Rapids
9. Unknown*
10. The Adjustment Bureau*
11. Beastly*
12. Rango*
13. Jane Eyre
14. Limitless*
15. The Lincoln Lawyer*
16. Paul*
17. Source Code*
18. Arthur
19. Soul Surfer
20. The Conspirator
21. Water for Elephants
22. Something Borrowed
23. Thor
24. Bridesmaids*
25. Pirates of the Caribbean 4*
26. Midnight in Paris*
27. X-men First Class*
28. Super 8*
29. Bad Teacher*
30. Horrible Bosses*
31. Harry Potter 7.2 *
32. Captain America*
33. Friends with Benefits
34. The Change-up*
35. Rise of the Planet of the Apes*
36. The Help*
37. Contagion*
38. The Lion King 3D*
39. 50/50*
40. Moneyball*
41. Red State
42. Tower Heist*
43. Melancholia
44. Breaking Dawn Part 1*
45. The Muppets*
46. Sherlock Holmes 2*
47. Mission Impossible 4*
48. Crazy, Stupid Love

Reel Insight Episode 68: Robert Downey, Jr.

It only took 67 episodes to get to one of my favorite actors of all time.  The weird thing is, it's based almost exclusively on a more than 10-year-old crush, and some very recent good work.  But that's in the second half of the show.  First, Rachel and I discuss some new movies we've seen - all 2011 releases, some DVD and some in theaters, particularly Our Idiot Brother, Friends with Benefits, It's Kind of a Funny Story, and Drive.  Our random discussion goes into spoilers - whether we try to avoid them, and what constitutes one in the first place (fair warning - if you haven't seen The Sixth Sense, Psycho or The Usual Suspects, this "might" spoil the big reveal, and seriously what are you waiting for?).  Send us your feed back before Dec. 21 to make it into the next show.  Enjoy.

New movies with RDJ this week:

Natural Born Killers - Oliver Stone and Quentin Tarantino should not be allowed to make movies together.  The story of two homicidal maniacs, the movie tries to show what demons they really were.  However, it does it by using the media to prove that the rest of the world encouraged their insanity.  RDJ plays the host of a True Crimes TV show that is profiling the married couple (played with flair, if not talent, by Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis).  Of course eventually he ends up the topic of his show rather than the host, but in general it's just way over the top trying to put together a crazy movie.  There are moments when they're pretending Lewis' childhood is really an episode of "Leave it to Beaver", but they're saying horrible things about abuse and whatnot, and the juxtaposition sounds like it would be interesting, but it really doesn't work.  Just makes everyone in a lunatic. 1 of 5 stars/lambs

A Scanner Darkly - This movie is much better than the way it was made suggests.  The painted animation over live-action is not particularly interesting.  But the story is a fascinating look at identity and who controls your identity - you, society or a little of both.  Keanu Reeves (sort of) plays a cop who has been assigned to infiltrated a drug den of Woody Harrelson and RDJ to find their suppliers.  It's a little way into the future and a large segment of the population is addicted to substance D.  Reeves also becomes addicted (to fit in) and loses the ability to distinguish between his real life and his overcover life.  One of the really neat things the movie does, that probably requires the strange animation to pull of is the cops' outfits.  They wear specially designed suits that completely protect their identity, even from one another.  It means you never really know who might be a cop.  RDJ does the drug dealer fast talking over the top cuckoo really well.  I really want to watch it again already.  3.5 of 5 stars.  If you like the animation this is awesome.  I found it hard to watch.

Air America - Much in the spirit of Good Morning, Vietnam, this movie takes a good look at what the US was doing in Southeast Asia in the 1960s and 1970s.  Specifically, this is the story of pilots working for a US company (think Blackwater) that supplies refugees in Laos.  Nixon has denied the war has moved to Laos, so it's all hidden or off the books.  Mel Gibson (in all his 1990s glory) is a pilot - but he's been sequestering guns all over the country as his "retirement" and he's just about had it pretending that they're not supporting the drug trade and arming both sides of the conflict in Vietnam.  RDJ has just arrived as a young hot shot, and likes the politics and moral questions even less.  It's a good movie, and does make you think that in 15 years we'll see movies like this about Iraq and Afghanistan.  3.5 of 5 stars/lambs

Reel Insight Episode 67: Kirsten Dunst

There were some big surprises and a few duds (of course) in this week's movie list.  However, the previous sections were also more fun than usual - check out a discussion of Breaking Dawn: Part 1 and The Muppets.  Also, we seek advice on how to purge our DVD collections - anyone had success and managed to not regret sending away their DVDs?  It turns out Rach and I both treat them a bit like security blankets, even if we never manage to rewatch them.  Alas.  Enjoy!

New Movies with Kirsten Dunst this month:

Melancholia - Thankfully there has been a lot of buzz lately about this movie, though it is still available for rent on itunes (which is how I saw it).  I really expect that buzz will continue come Oscar time, particularly for visual effects, and perhaps for some acting awards for Ms. Dunst.  She plays Justine, a young women just married to Alexander Skarsgaard (seriously beautiful and kind in this - the opposite of his True Blood persona in many ways).  They've arrived at their reception, thrown by her sister (Charlotte Gainsbourgh) and brother in law (Keifer Sutherland).  It's wonderfully awkward and painful, but you watch Dunst going through the motions of trying to be normal and holding life together.  It turns out she suffers from terrible depression and a horrible family history of random evil.  The second half of the movie revolves around her sister, after Justine has completely fallen apart and gone into deep depression.  Meanwhile, the world might end as a gorgous star is on a collision course with earth.  We see the sisters reverse positions as Justine holds it together now that the worst has arrived and her sister falls apart.  Really wonderfully made.  Lars Von Trier makes some dreadful awful movies, but this one is particularly amazing and gorgeously shot.  Just go with it for a while and it pays off big time.  4.5 of 5 stars/lambs

Lover's Prayer - Dunst plays the daughter of a Russian princess who is a uber-tease trying to get men to swoon.  She befriends the neighbor son (Nick Stahl) and draws him into her web.  She's beautiful but the teasing is terribly annoying. Dreadful movie and painful acting.  Skip it. 1 of 5 stars/lambs

Deeply - An odd mixture of stories that I should probably rewatch, but I won't.  Lynn Redgrave lives on a coastal island (off Maine, I think), and is telling a story to a distraught teenager who has come to the island to recover from the death of her boyfriend.  The story follows Dunst and the curse that was put on the island causing the fish to disappear every 50 years and wreak havoc on the island.  2 of 5 stars/lambs (only doesn't get a 1 because I'm not sure I fully understood what was going on).  

Reel Insight Episode 66: Cillian Murphy

I know, you're probably saying WHO?  But I promise you'll recognize many of the movies he's been in.  But first, we have a guest, Nick from Random Ramblings of a Demented Doorknob, our final winner of quotable quotes.  He chose to join us on this particular actor's career.  We discuss a bit more from Tower Heist and Nick and Rachel talk Crazy, Stupid, Love and urge me to see it immediately.  Our random segment is about the new trend of making movies out of board games.  Let us know what you think!

New movies with Cillian Murphy

Peacock - Check this out as soon as you can.  A terrific look at multiple personalities - what would you do if people liked one of your personalities better than the others.  Our discussion about this one really opened my eyes.  Stellar cast including Ellen Page, Susan Sarandon, Bill Pullman and several other character actors you'll recognize. 4 of 5 stars

Red Eye - A thriller starring Rachel McAdams as a hotel manager taken hostage on a plane and told to move a senator to a new room in her hotel or Murphy will have her dad killed.  McAdams does a good job being terrified, but ultimately beats the crap out of Murphy, who starts out particularly likeable and ends up remarkably hateful.  Great movie.  4 of 5 stars

Breakfast on Pluto -  The story of Patrick "Kitty" Braden, a young transgendered orphan fathered by the local priest.  He grows up and we follow the adventures as he tries to pass as a woman and have adventures. Also starring Liam Neeson.  A tour de force of acting for Murphy, but too over the top on the whole.  Not a great cohesive story line.  

Disco Pigs - One of Murphy's first features, he's quite hard to understand behind the accent and never shutting up sort of running speech.  He's obviously a little disturbed trying to make his friendship with his neighbor, Runt.  Not good. 2 of 5 stars

Reel Insight Episode 65: Melissa Leo

Well, Rachel and I have learned our lesson.  I bet you never thought we would, but we have now vowed to stop picking actors/actresses based solely on the fact they have a new movie coming out and/or we think we like them.  Recent Oscar-winner Melissa Leo has taught us well.  Look carefully at the actor's filmography and THEN choose to feature them.  We were so happy to be done, we actually forgot to record the Top and Bottom 3 segment - we did that later!

Also a discussion of The Company Men and the new release In Time as well as some talk about collecting film memorabilia (apologies in advance).  Check it out and let us know what you think.

New Movies seen with Melissa Leo

Don McKay - Starring Thomas Hayden Church as the title character who returns to his hometown when his high school love sends him an e-mail.  Elizabeth Shue is dying, Leo is her creepy caretaker.  Nothing is what it seems, and the various twists make it worth watching.  Definitely not a thriller or horror like they suggest, it's still pretty dark.  3.5 of 5 stars/lambs

Racing Daylight - A nearly so bad, it's good variety, this is a weird historical story meets modern story with Leo, David Straithairn and Jason Downs play the three main characters (all the actors play a modern and historical character).  Leo is Anna/Sadie an odd woman who returns to care for her grandmother with a crush on the handy-man.  She starts going crazy and thinks she sees Edmund (Downs) a Civil War era soldier in the mirror and slowly morphs into his love and basically does go crazy.  The movie is told in 3 segments from 3 different characters POV.  It totally doesn't work, but it's so ridiculous it's fun to watch.  1.5 of 5 stars/lambs

Welcome to the Rileys - An odd look at a couple who lost a child and she (Leo) is dealing by never leaving the house, and he (James Gandalfini) is dealing by having affairs.  He's about to take his latest to New Orleans, but she dies.  He goes alone and meets Kristin Stewart in a strip club.  He falls for her a bit and goes home with her - but just to take care of her it seems.  Eventually Leo gets up enough courage to go after him and she falls for Stewart to and wants to take care of her.  However, she's too damaged to let them and runs off.  Not a particularly complicated movie and nothing much happens, but the acting is pretty good.  2.5 of 5 stars/lambs

Confess, American Gun, and most of her other movies have her as a really really minor character.  Watch them for another reason if you must.

Reel Insight Episode 64: Morgan Freeman!!!!

Rachel and I knew that this was going to be a long discussion.  Before we even started we'd both seen more than 20 of his films.  Now we've seen quite a few more and this is a seriously awesome episode, mostly just because we had a ton of fun making it (I'm not sure that we care if you agree that it's awesome, it was just fun to make).  Recorded over 2 nights (that's how Rachel gets sober halfway and I perk up a bit).

We also discuss 3 still-in-theater movies, 50/50, Contagion, and The Ides of March.  Our random discussion this week involves the trailer for the upcoming The Avengers movie.  Enjoy and send us an e-mail to tell us what you think - you've got 2 weeks!

New movies seen with Morgan Freeman this week:

Feast of Love - I don't think I described this well during the podcast.  Greg Kinnear is a coffee shop owner unlucky in love - we first meet him just as his wife Selma Blair decides she's gay.  We meet his friend, Freeman, a professor on sabbatical recovering from the loss of his son to a drug overdose.  We also get to know one of the baristas who falls in love at first sight (that actually works out for the most part).  Kinnear meets another woman and falls in love again - except she's really still in love with her lover, a married Billy Burke.  We follow all of these stories over time.  The movie finds the balance between indie quirky and box-office schmaltz and walks the line quite well.  Freeman anchors the story as we watch him struggle to find meaning in love and advise his friend. 4 of 5 stars/lambs

Chain Reaction - A really bizarre movie that had potential and then they cast Keanu Reeves as a machinist who discovers the answer to an unlimited clean power source.  Freeman works for a shady government agency who is trying to prevent the free energy from destroying world markets.  Keanu has to escape with Rachel Weisz when they're accused of killing one of the other scientists and blowing up the lab.  Lots of chasing around and trying to figure out what's going on.  2 of 5 stars/lambs

Brubaker  - Freeman's first feature length film.  It stars Robert Redford who takes on his job as the warden of a Southern prison farm by entering as a prisoner and finding out how awful the conditions are within the prison.  Freeman has one great speech threatening another prisoner - you can almost believe it's Red (from Shawshank) in his first year or so in prison, just in the wrong state.  It's mostly boring and told in a style of film common in the late 1970s that I don't care for, but it's not bad.  3 of 5 stars/lambs

Edison (aka Edison Force) - This was painfully awful.  A group of cops are part of F.R.A.T., an unsupervised unit that can do whatever they hell they want to ensure justice.  Starring LL Cool J and Dylan McDermot as the cops - McDermot getting crazier and LL becoming disillusioned with the rough life.  Meanwhile Freeman is a newspaper editor who is mentoring Justin Timberlake (now you know why I saw this).  Timberlake is trying to break the story about this secret group, and is threatened and endangered along the way.  Not particularly violent and not well written or acted, it falls pretty far down the list.  1.5 of 5 stars/lambs

Reel Insight Episode 63: Bryce Dallas Howard

Bryce Dallas Howard brought us an interesting week.  Sometimes when we pick an actor/actress we know a lot about them, and have seen a lot of their movies.  Sometimes we just pick someone who just has a new movie coming out with a quick glance at their career to be sure they have enough movies to make a Top and Bottom 3.   This week we were pretty surprised finding out our original perceptions didn't play out once we saw them all and talked about her career.   This week we also discovered Barney's Version, Trust, and The Lion King 3D.  Oh, and TV Talk makes a return appearance talking about the new fall shows I saw (Rachel wasn't as interested).  Check it out and please send us your feedback.

Movies I saw with Bryce for the first time this week

Manderlay - Lars von Trier makes really strange movies.  I think their concepts are really great (Dogville had a lot of originality) but for whatever reason, Manderlay couldn't keep up - though a supposed sequel.  Howard arrives at a plantation with her mobster dad (Willem Dafoe) and they find out slavery is still going on in the 1920s.  Howard stays and wants to teach the slaves what it means to be free.  It's as bad as it sounds like it would be, and it's done without a set, just minimalist space filling.  1 of 5

Loss of a Teardrop Diamond - This is one of Howard's only real leading roles, and she does a good job getting the whole movie going being a kooky Memphis debutante attending her coming out parties and asking Chris Evans (the grandson of a former governor, now the son of a drunk) to be her escort.  It all comes to a head at one party where she loses one of her aunt's diamond earrings.  When Evans won't help her find it, and starts hanging out with another girl, she goes off the deep end for a while.  She's got issues for sure, but it's a pretty good period piece.  3 of 5

The Village - I didn't want to see this because I don't like being scared.  But Rachel assured me it would be okay, and she was right.  It was a pretty great creepy movie.  This strange village has to stay away from the woods surrounding them because "things that they don't speak of" will attack them.  The twist is a good one, and I like the general relationships between all the different characters - the cast is amazing (Brendan Gleason, Judy Greer, Joaquin Phoenix, William Hurt, Cherry Jones, Celia Weston, and Sigourney Weaver) and keeps the film from being too weird. Adrian Brody is the exception, I really didn't like his performance.  4 of 5 stars/lambs

Lady in the Water - Another M. Night Shyamalan movie, based on a fairy tale.  It's an interesting concept, particularly with the "meta" movie references.  A good cast props up the weak and sometimes ridiculous story, but overall, it doesn't quite make sense enough to keep you interested.  It runs just a bit too long to keep the interesting parts of the story going, but the idea that an Asian fairy tale was coming to life was a great concept, but it just couldn't keep me interested. 3.5 of 5 stars/lambs

Book of Love - She's only in a few minutes, but this is a crazy story.  Simon Baker and Frances O'Connor are married, and O'Connor has an affair with Gregory Smith (a high school swimmer) but then the couple takes him to Disney world, and everything falls apart.  Just an odd Indie movie.  2 of 5 stars/lambs

Reel Insight: Coming soon

If you've listened this past week, you'll know that Reel Insight has switched to a bi-weekly format.  That means we'll be back next Monday.  So, for now listen to older episodes, send us some feedback (good feedback could become fodder for guest appearances), and hear all about how the podcast is changing (TV Talk is gone?) and what you think we might do to make it even better.  We're having fun planning ahead for it all.

Meanwhile, here's a short video to entertain you during our week off. This always makes me smile.

Episode 61: Cameron Diaz

This week we finally reached our Cameron Diaz episode - I say finally because she's been on the schedule for months and kept getting shuffled.  But once she was on the schedule we'd both started watching her movies so this week she was an easy choice.  We have a discussion of new movies, Jane Eyre and Priest, and then future movies coming this fall, with a little controversy of course.  Then on to Ms. Diaz.  And stay tuned for big announcements during the episode.

New movies seen with Cameron Diaz this week:

Vanilla Sky - I had avoided this one for ages.  It was the beginning of Cruise/Cruz and the trailers made it very confusing and more than a little creepy looking.  What it actually is probably did defy the trailer experience, so they did the best they could.  But I have a lot of trouble seeing what people didn't like about the movie.  I really really dug it.  It's a romance at heart - what will we do to try to stay with the love of your life?  But thrown in with that is a strange crime drama where Cruise, in a Phantom of the Opera mask, is in prison telling his story to Kurt Russell's psychologist and trying to get to the bottom of what happened.  It's a good mystery with a terrific arc for Cruise.  I actually can't wait to see it again.  4.5 of 5 stars/lambs

Any Given Sunday - Another movie I'd avoided due to its length and the Oliver Stone factor.  But the cast wasn't something to be denied during Cameron week.  Al Pacino as the coach, James Woods and Matthew Modine as the team doctors, and Dennis Quaid as the older Favre-esque quarterback being replaced by Jamie Foxx's young rookie.  Then Diaz as the team owner with her mom Ann-Margaret.   It's more about the business of football than you'd ever need to know, but still a fairly compelling story.  3 of 5 stars/lambs

A Life Less Ordinary - Another terrific director (Danny Boyle) and I just missed this one.  I blame it on Ewan McGregor's hair. He's a janitor about to be replaced by a robot and kidnaps the boss' daughter (Diaz).  However, he's not really a criminal mastermind, and Diaz helps him along as she was kidnapped as a kid.  Meanwhile, two angels (Holly Hunter and Delroy Lindo) have been tasked with ensuring they fall in love and stay that way.  It's a big more complicated than it needs to be, but overall was a lot of fun with depth and humor (if terrible hair).  

Feeling Minnesota - This impressively awful.  Keanu Reeves has just been released from jail and is attending his brother's wedding (outdoors in Minnesota in winter?) of Vincent D'Onfrio and his "prize" Diaz.  He found out some accounting snafus for the mob and they rewarded him with Diaz.  She doesn't like him and screws around with Reeves, a lot.  Then of course there's a long drawn out mob-like mystery trying to get her back and find the money the mob lost.  Ridiculous.  She almost won me over after she dies and comes back to life (Camille did), but sadly it didn't help.  1.5 of 5 stars/lambs

Very Bad Things - I'm convinced movie titles can be a bit prophetic.  This was really really really bad.  Staring Jon Favreau as a man engaged to Diaz and on his way to Vegas for his bachelor weekend with Daniel Stern, Christian Slater, Jeremy Piven, and Leland Orser.  While there Piven accidentally kills a prostitute while having sex with her.  When a security guard comes to investigate they kill him too.  Eventually they start killing each other, and Diaz gets in on the action in a Bridezilla attempt at the perfect wedding.  Don't watch this.  1 of 5 stars/lambs

The Green Hornet - Seth Rogan wrote this, and it's pretty easy to tell because he DOESN'T STOP TALKING! As a comic book/super hero movie it's pretty interesting, but no super hero is better because he talks criminals to death.  Kato is not a bad side-kick given his ability to develop interesting weapons, but that's about it.  As part of the love triangle between the two, Diaz does a good job holding up her part of the equation.  Basically fairly blah.  2.5 of 5 stars/lambs

Reel Insight Episode 59: Zooey Deschanel and Ryan!

Hey guys - first, I have to say I'm going on hiatus for a least a week, perhaps two.  I've started my new job and I'm pretty sure I should be working hard for the next few weeks.  There won't be any Wednesday movie mashup but I'll try to keep posting the Reel Insight updates for the next few weeks.   So I'm not going anywhere, I'm happy, healthy and gainfully employed.

For our 59th episode, the man formerly known as the Mad Hatter (now he's just Ryan - YAY!) joins us and drops a pretty big announcement.  Go check out his new and improved site at The Matinee.  We discussed the lovely and amazing Zooey Deschanel. Our advice for her is to stop making bad indie movies since she's more than capable of making awesome movies of any variety.   The finale of "Twin Peaks" is discussed and we chat about a little more Captain America, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and Crazy Stupid Love.

Oh, and there's a special announcement too!  Check it out.

New movies seen just for Ms. Deschanel:

The Go-Getter - This was terrible.  A young man steals a car and befriends its owner (Deschanel) over her cell phone, which was left in the car.  He goes on a journey searching for his older brother to tell him their mom died.  Lou Taylor Pucci (Thumbsucker) plays the lead and isn't a Paul Dano or Patrick Fugit, but both of those might have improved this movie.  BORING.  1 of 5 stars/lambs

The Good Life - This time Patrick Fugit was in the film, but doesn't play the lead.  That's left to Mark Webber who is a young man with no hair, and seemingly no future, but with the world on his shoulders.  He falls for Zooey who is obviously a little screwed up, but she eventually makes him see that he doesn't have to take care of everybody around him (a mom who lets the electricity get turned off on Christmas, a family who has almost nothing, and a friend who owns a movie theater, but can't remember to pop the popcorn without help anymore).  Some good moments, but overall not good.  2 of 5 stars/lambs

Gigantic - I have trouble figuring out what this movie was really about.  It seems like a set of really odd characters who all interact, but actually have no story.  Paul Dano plays a luxury mattress salesman who has always dreamed of adopting an Asian baby.  John Goodman comes in to buy a bed, but he travels lying down in cars.  His daughter (Deschanel) comes to arrange for the mattress delivery and hits it off with Dano.  That's about all I can figure out happened.   After that I lost interest.  2.5 of 5 stars/lambs

Flakes - This movie was really great, mostly because it didn't try to be anything more than it was.  It didn't try to be more quirky, it didn't try to tell a "real" story.  It just tells the story of a "cereal bar" where the owner (Christopher Lloyd in his pajamas) and the manager (Aaron Stanford - Pyro from X-Men) and their customers talk about "vintage cereals" and the perfect combination of cereal.  Much like a High Fidelity or any cliched version of a comic book store, this story took on breakfast cereal.  Zooey plays Aaron's quirky artistic girlfriend who just wants him to get back to playing music.  So to "help" him, she tries to sabotage the store by helping a competitor douche across the street.  There's a little down and dirty commercial rivalry, but overall the movie is very cute and a particularly nerdy brand of original.  4 of 5 stars/lambs

Reel Insight Episode 57: John Cusack and David

A new guest!  David from Hoping for Something to Hope For was our guest.  He won the opportunity by playing our Anniversary Trivia game!  And he chose a favorite and remarkably prolific actor to discuss - John Cusack - making him and Joan the first sibling pair we've covered (make note for the next Anniversary!).  We also talk about Cowboys and Aliens, Thor and more discussion of Captain America.  Rachel and I are ALMOST finished with Twin Peaks, so please bear with us, we'll get there.   Have a listen and tell us what you think.  We love when you do that.

New movies with John Cusack:

The Grifters - This came out in 1990 and Angelica Huston was a big star and Annette Bening was really making her mark, and John Cusack was graduating from teen star.  Those are my only rationale behind the casting of this kooky movie that tries really hard to be serious, but I found to be really over the top, both in the violence and creepiness.  I like grifter movies, and this one didn't do a good job bringing us in on the grifting (a complicated odds-fixing scheme) and loses us for most of it. 2 of 5 stars

The Sure Thing -  I was recommended this by a college friend recently and was super excited to check it out.  And, Julie, you're totally right, I really liked it.  A very 80s version of It Happened One Night (check that one out too - BEST of the genre), it stars Cusack and Daphne Zuniga (Princess Vespa from Spaceballs) who are in English class together at a "Northeastern Ivy League School" and hate each other.  They end up sharing a ride to LA - Cusack to meet "The Sure Thing" his friend Anthony Edwards has set up for him, and Zuniga to see her stuffy boyfriend.  Of course shenanigans ensue and they have to rely on each other.  It's super cute, and they're both charming and relatable.  It doesn't really do anything new, but good fun.  4 of 5 stars/lambs

Better Off Dead - Personally, I found this movie way too quirky to be funny.  I know it's adored by many, but I just don't get the appeal.  1 of 5 stars/lambs

Eight Men Out - The story of the "Black Sox", players on the Chicago White Sox who took money from the mob to "throw" the 1919 World Series.  Shoeless Joe Jackson among them (and future star of Field of Dreams, those two films would make a TERRIFIC double feature).  The movie follows each of the players and shows some of their internal conflict about taking the money, tarnishing their reputations and the game of baseball.  It was good, but didn't blow me away and with all the drama it had to work with, I'm surprised it wasn't more dramatic.  3 of 5 stars/lambs

One Crazy Summer - Should have been called One Crazy Week since all the action wraps up in a week, and then text on the screen wraps up the rest of the summer.  Cusack is going to Nantucket for the summer with friends.  He meets Demi Moore on her way to claim an inherited house that owes $2000 on the mortgage or she loses the house.  She has a week to raise the money singing in clubs and Cusack and his friends help her.  It ultimately comes down to winning a regatta against the rich kids (including Jeremy Piven).  Very typical 80s teen comedy, completely with Bobcat Goldthwait.  2 of 5 stars/lambs

Reel Insight Episode 56: Helena Bonham Carter

This is one of my favorite episodes of late - we recorded it early and at night, so margaritas were present!  Of course that made the whole thing more fun (and even provides for a bonus star of the week after the credits!).  We discuss The Ramen Girl, Captain America and of course "Twin Peaks".  Then our wonderful star of the week - Mrs. Tim Burton - who had a tempestuous past with her other leading actors that gets discussed too.  Lots of fun was had by all.

Note - we've been having a bit of trouble with podomatic, so download or listen to the episodes directly from this page if necessary!

Or go download it here

New Movies for Helena Bonham Carter (HBC):

Lady Jane - This movie really appealed to me as I adore The Tudors, and this fits in right after Edward VII takes over from Henry VIII, and passes the crown to Lady Jane Grey (HBC), his cousin, rather than his half sisters - the Catholic Mary and Protestant Elizabeth.   Of course, that means there are a lot of plots against Jane and her husband Guilford Dudley (and very young Cary Elwes).  The movie seems to take a lot of liberties with their relationship (they hated each other, but in the movie eventually fall in love and want to rule together).  The super-overdramatic score makes the whole movie a bit crazy, but it fills a gap in the Kings and Queens of England story particularly well given she only served 9 days!  3 of 5 stars/lambs

Sixty Six -  HBC stars as the mother of Bernie Reubens, a young invisible Jewish boy about to have his Bar Mitzvah, which he assumes will be the greatest day of his life.  Unfortunately, 1966 is the year of the world cup, and the Bar Mitzvah is scheduled for the same day as the finals.  Bernie is convinced no one will come so he prays for England to not make the finals.  To complicate things his father's grocery store fails and he  has to find new work.  His dad (Eddie Marsan) is an odd OCD father who has never really gotten his son.  So with little money, the plans for the Bar Mitzvah keep getting smaller and smaller. You really feel bad for Bernie and his attempts to find identity by making a big deal out of becoming a man.  A very sweet coming of age/sports story as Bernie becomes obsessed with soccer following England's progress.  2.5 of 5 stars/lambs

A Room with A View - Based on the book by E.M. Forster, in her first major movie, HBC plays Lucy Honeychurch who is visiting Florence with her chaperone (Maggie Smith) and they meet very nice men who swap rooms with them so they may have a view of Florence.  This complicates HBC's marriage plans back in England when she gets engaged to a VERY effeminate Daniel Day-Lewis.  A good movie, particularly if you like British dramas.  But somewhat slow-paced if you're not into that kind of thing.  4/5 stars/lambs

Reel Insight Episode 55: Harrison Ford and Rachel's Mom

We've been hoping to cover Han Jones a few times now (doesn't have the same ring as Rachel's Indiana Solo does it?) and our Quoteable Quotes winner for June chose to join us in this discussion.  First, of course we do a pretty great back and forth on Harry Potter 7.2 with Monica (aka Rachel's Mom).  Some more Twin Peaks discussion - have we bored you completely yet?

New movies with Mr. Ford:

Crossing Over (2009) - The cast, including Ray Liota, Ashley Judd and lots of character actors you'd recognize promised a pretty interesting movie about the varied immigration policies in the US.  From a father being naturalized but maintaining old world ideas about his American daughter to a sweat-shop mother being deported and trying to get back to her son to a young Korean boy figuring out what this country might really be about to an Aussie actress who wants a green card to achieve her dreams.  Harrison Ford as the immigration cop ties all the stories together well.  As a movie about a topic covered extensively, I was pleasantly surprised by the originality and diversity of the cases of immigration.  Ford plays a softie cop who actually cares about some of these cases which makes the viewer care too.

Hollywood Homicide - This is the flipside version of his good cop in Crossing Over - he doesn't care about anything except his sideline real estate deals and the fact that his partner, Josh Hartnett, really wants to be an actor and is already a yoga teacher on the side.  Based on a true story, I'm just glad I don't live in LA and have to rely on these particular detectives to protect me.   Also, it's really terrible to watch Josh Hartnett pretend to act.

Blade Runner - I've tried watching this many times in the past and just never got into it.  I made myself pay attention to it all the way through and still didn't really get the love for it.  However, as a fairly complicated movie about lots of different topics, I'm sure I need to see it again.  If you love this movie, PLEASE encourage me to see it again and tell me why you love it. 

Reel Insight Episode 54: Jason Bateman

We had a pretty great time figuring out that Mr. Bateman has had a pretty strange career.  First, though, Rachel and I discussed Horrible Bosses and happythankyoumoreplease and get to the murder of Laura Palmer in "Twin Peaks" finally.  Though in true Lynchian spirit, we actually know nothing.  Then on to the career of Jason Bateman from child star to leading man, kinda.  Check it out!

New Movies watched with Jason Bateman this week:

Love Stinks - This was sooo terrible.  French Stewart stars as a TV writer (Bateman is the star of his show) who is a commitment-phobe.  Enter Bridgitte Wilson who desperately wants to marry.  The worst cliches of all bad romantic comedies.  

The Ex - Zach Braff and Amanda Peet are married and having a baby.  They relocate with Braff taking a job with Peet's dad (Charles Grobin).  Peet's high school crush, Chip (Bateman) also works there and of course Braff is intimidated by him and his relationship with Peet.  Oh, and he's a total douche who is completely trying to sabotage Braff and he's in a wheelchair.  It's a pretty strong departure for Bateman and it pays off.  Braff gets to shine as the crazy one and Bateman takes on the horrible guy rather than the straight man to others humor.  Not a terrific movie, but a great Bateman performance. 3/5 stars/lambs

The Switch - This one could have been really really terrible (see previous Aniston work), but it's actually pretty charming, mostly due to Bateman and Thomas Robinson as the kid.  They have great chemistry and strangeness and do a terrific job selling the concept.  The movie spends a LOT of time trying to sell the idea that Bateman switches his "jizz" with Patrick Wilson's donation.  However, Bateman was drunk and doesn't remember doing this.  Totally unbelievable.  But it still works as a movie.  3.5/5 stars/lambs

Reel Insight Episode 53: Kate Winslet

Sorry this is late, but the holidays got in the way (we enjoy the Canadian and American Independence Day celebrations this close to the border so that's a lot of independence).  Rachel and I talk about an actress from our favorite movies, I sing a silly little song, you get some crazy out-takes, we still don't quite get Twin Peaks and we basically just had a ton of fun.  So will you, check it out!

New movies watched with Kate Winslet:

Heavenly Creatures - This is a crazy movie.  Melanie Lynsky is really a New Zealander!  Kate Winslet doesn't get naked, but does commit murder.  Peter Jackson's first feature film is a sign of greatness to come - the story of two crazy young women who become obsessed with each other and the dream world they create that leads them to kill in order to protect it.  Nutso! Oh, and Kate Winslet's character is currently a best selling author, Anne Perry.

Quills - It was fairly inevitable that a movie would be created about the Marquis de Sade.  He was completely f&*'ed up.  The level of violence in the sexual novels he writes prevents him from being a literary or particularly creative person, but mostly just screwed up.  The movie follows Winslet, a maid in a mental institution housing the Marquis.  She passes his writing outside the prison and flirts with him.  Meanwhile Joaquin Phoenix is the administrator of the asylum and also in love with her.  Really screwed up movie that I just couldn't get behind, though the acting is pretty fantastic.

Iris - Really really sad story, also a real person, Iris Murdoch.  Kate plays her as a young woman flirting with Hugh Bonneville, while Judi Dench plays Iris as she's falling into Alzheimer's as her husband, Jim Broadbent turns in an Oscar-winning performance letting out a lifetime's worth of pent up anger.  Really terrific movie that is as good as it is heartbreaking.  Wonderful performances, particularly about a relatively unlikeable woman.