Currently browsing the "Adaptation" tag.

I Don’t Know How She Does It

I Don’t Know How She Does It isn’t quite as bad as many of the reviews would suggest. But it is just mediocre in the (95 minute) moment – and gone from your consciousness completely by the time you get out of the parking lot.

One Day

Let’s face it. There haven’t been many (any?) good romantic dramas to weep through this summer. One Day attempts to fill the void. But alas, it misses the mark.

The Help

Fans of the book will be relieved to know that the movie does it justice, evoking all the same emotions – from disgust, disgrace and dignity to honesty, humor and hope.

Sarah’s Key

It’s been several weeks since I saw Sarah’s Key, but it’s the type of movie that sticks with you, as most Holocaust-era set films often do. But what sets this one apart is its spotlight on an event that I certainly don’t recall ever hearing about in school: a Nazi-authorized roundup of Jews in France in 1942. Not Germany (or Austria or Poland…), but France. Thousands of men, women and children were held for two days in cramped, unsanitary conditions at the Velodrome d’Hiver in Paris (think ‘Superdome’ during Hurricane Katrina) then carted off to concentration camps. That’s the context for the film’s story, which is based on a best-selling novel by Tatiana de Rosnay.

Ramona and Beezus

I loved Beverly Cleary books growing up. And now I remember why. They are filled with heart and humor and mischief and extremely relatable characters… especially if you’re a young girl, or used to be. So it came as a relief to see the essence of the books preserved in the big-screen version of Ramona and Beezus, even if it did feel – a lot – like a Disney Channel movie.

Dear John

Dear John seemed to come out of nowhere Super Bowl weekend to rake in more than $30 million and overtake Avatar atop the Box Office charts. But those aliens of Pandora needn’t worry too much. Movie-goers will write off Dear John way before it gets anywhere near Avatar’s record-breaking totals. Not that it’s a bad movie. It just doesn’t resonate beyond the theater walls. And I didn’t cry once!

A Single Man

A Single Man is a good movie, but not an entertaining one. Colin Firth delivers a quietly stunning performance as George Falconer, a middle-aged college professor struggling to get through life after the accidental death of his longtime partner, Jim. The movie is set in 1962 Los Angeles against a backdrop of fear involving the Cuban Missile Crisis and an undercurrent of anti-gay sentiment. The story revolves around a single day in George’s life – a day in which he goes about his usual routine while also preparing to commit suicide. Brief, intermittent flashbacks provide a glimpse of his 16-year love affair with Jim, whose funeral George could not attend because it was for “family only”. George’s overwhelming sense of grief and isolation upon hearing of his partner’s death is palpable… It’s a scene that could probably do more for the current crusade to legalize same-sex marriage than any petition or referendum.

The Blind Side

Simply put: If you liked Jerry Maguire or Antwone Fisher (both excellent films, by the way) then you’ll definitely like The Blind Side. It’s not so much a movie about football as it is a movie about human kindness, defining family, overcoming adversity, and beating the odds. In other words (if you’re a sap like me), bring Kleenex.