Trailer of the Day - Bridesmaids

Release date: May 13, 2011

Directed by Paul Feig

Red Riding Hood - Lurid, Loopy and Ludicrous

By Ann Hornaday

Washington Post

O, for the love of all that's Grimm, what hath "Twilight" wrought?

Hard on the heels of "Beastly," a modern retelling of "Beauty and the Beast," comes the revisionist fairy tale "Red Riding Hood," a lurid, loopy, utterly ludicrous enterprise that seeks to twist the ultimate fable of feminine fear and victimhood into an allegory for finding your inner bad girl.

Channeled by the ethereally beautiful Amanda Seyfried, the townsmaiden Valerie is all wide eyes and English-rose innocence as she longs for her soul mate, a humble woodcutter named Peter (Shiloh Fernandez), but is forced to marry the wealthier and far less dangerous Henry (Max Irons). When the town is attacked by the Big Bad Werewolf that resides in the nearby Very Dark Woods, the local priest looks for salvation in a hired werewolf-assassin named Father Solomon (Gary Oldman); soon the holy man has neighbors looking at one another for signs that one of them possesses distinctly lupine tendencies.

Director Catherine Hardwicke, who directed the first "Twilight" movie, reportedly considered Taylor Lautner for the role of Peter, a nod to Team Jacob that suggests she took on "Red Riding Hood" purely out of spite for having been fired from the lucrative vampire franchise. (She did hire "Twi"-dad Billy Burke to play Valerie's father.) At least that theory helps explain how she could have become involved in such a misguided project, which veers wildly in tone between self-seriousness and outright parody.

Hardwicke, a former production designer, has come up with a visual style that emphasizes the story's fanciful roots; her trees are evocatively spiky, and the wintry landscape is dotted with splashes of bright, unseasonal color.

But despite Hardwicke's pictorial gifts, she has no sense of tonal control; what might have been a fascinating exercise in creative anachronism a la Sofia Coppola's "Marie Antoinette" instead just looks like an episode of "Gossip Girl" set at a Medieval Times restaurant. (Tellingly, Hardwicke hired Coppola's frequent musical collaborator, Brian Reitzell, to compose the score, which reaches the apex of overreaching hipness in a vaguely lewd dance-slash-rave.)

For the strenuous effort Hardwicke puts in to juice up "Red Riding Hood" with hormonal lust and psychosexual meaning, the movie remains an oddly wan, bloodless affair. My, what big pretensions it has. And not a cogent idea in its pretty little head.

Cedar Rapids - Thoroughly Funny and Refreshingly Dark

Why this film is playing in 'select theaters' is beyond me! Perhaps it is because of the anbsence of a clear A-list lead actor. The irony is that its the cast that makes this very funny movie. Each actor is perectly cast and pulls off their assignment perfectly and uniquely funny.

What pushes 'Cedar Rapids' into the four star category is the edgy and sometimes dark script. Director, Miguel Artera cleverly pulls the dirty subjects of a young prostitute, a cheating wife, a meth house and fraud into a very light and refreshing comedy without making anything unrealistic. While everyone is really great, John C. Reilly and Anne Heche are particularly strong. Find this little movie and enjoy the belly laughs.

Blue Valentine - Avoids Taking the Easy Way Out

This may not have been the best movie of 2010, but it was my favorite.  Perhaps the most conditional four and a half stars I've ever issued. 'Blue Valentine' is really wonderful. Gritty, personal, edgy, beautifully acted and so real, BUT.... it is dark and unbelievably layered.

Like the decline of the relationship portrayed in the film, the depth of the story leaves you lacking for oxygen at times. All of us have known relationships like the one played out on screen and some of us have been in them. It's constantly painful and often hard to watch, but lovely at the same time.

The characters are not at all who they seem to be in the early minutes of the film, and they never stop evolving. By the end you know each of them intimately. There are components of their personalities you love and loathe. You want to hug and slap them both.

Where other films would have taken a turn toward idealism at the darkest depth of the story, director, Derek Cianfrance keeps going. It is refreshing if not depressing. There are no 'a-ha!' moments in this movie and its better for it.

Above all else are the stunning performances of Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams.  I was shocked by their true snubs by the Oscars.  Williams while nominated should have won.  Gosling, like the film was not even nominated.  Just silly.

So, make a point to see 'Blue Valentine' if you can handle the unapologetic reality. If not, see something lighter - it ain't for everybody.

The King's Speech - Perfect

Flawless. Visually superior to anything you'll see anytime soon. There is absolutely nothing about this film to criticize. Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush are totally perfect - especially Rush.

This is without question the best film of 2010 and should anything and everything for which it is nominated. The cinematography is stunning and director, Tom Hooper has outdone himself thanks to this outstanding cast.

I just can't say enough about this movie. 'Perfect' really says it all.

The Fighter - Persistent and Patient in Delivery

A gritty masterpiece! When I first saw the trailer for 'The Fighter' I assumed it was going to be average at best. I was so wrong. It might be the best boxing film I've ever seen. Ironically, the only weak spots are with the boxing sequences, but it's almost impossible to film realistic boxing shots.

Christian Bale is amazing, his Oscar for best supporting actor was a landslide. His is the BEST performance of ANY kind in ANY film ALL year. Melissa Leo won her Oscar for best supporting actress as Micky and Dicky Ward's mother.

Although I never thought I'd say this, Mark Wahlberg isn't bad either! It's clear that this film is his professional passion to this point and I am prepared to say that he was really good in it! Amy Adams' performance almost gets lost in the mix of brilliance, but she too turns in one of her best efforts ever too.

All in all I really loved the entire cast and the setting of where and how this film was shot. The supporting cast is made up of very real, "white bread" folks who look as if they were born, raised and still live in Lowell, Mass. DavidO. Russell creates a landscape that looks a lot like Boston area classics, 'Mystic River' and 'Gone Baby Gone'.

True Grit - Coen Brothers Craft Another Masterpiece

Thoroughly enjoyable and well done. Jeff Bridges continues to prove that he has emerged as the best actor working right now. Hailee Steinfeld is worthy of an Oscar nomination as the young girl, Maddie. The dialog of the film is very rich. It's as if every word was poured over. 'True Grit' is solid and articulate from beginning to end. 

The most surprising element of 'True Grit' is how thoroughly funny it manages to be.  Yet another solid effort by the Coen brothers.