Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol
Hollow extension of this series. Liked all the actors, even Cruise didn’t bother me quite as much as usual. There’s sufficient tension, but the ending is really stupid, and once it’s over it’s just gone, except for the slight sugar high. To be expected, though.*
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Well-accomplished film version of the excellent novel. I was nervous about seeing it because I loved the book so much, but I respect Fincher’s work, and I wasn’t disappointed. As always with literature to film, wish there could have been more detail, and I don’t understand why they conflated the Anita and Harriet characters, but those aren’t really criticisms. Loved Ms. Salander in the book and in the film.**
Midnight in Paris
Woody Allen’s wonderful fantasia on the beauty of Paris. Similar to what he did in Manhattan. Doesn’t have Manhattan’s meaningfulness, but whimsical and delightful, a place where people get a second chance, even if the Hemingway character looked nothing like him. Very entertaining.**
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Visually entertaining action movie about Holmes and Watson trying to avert war. A lot of Guy Ritchie-type fun. Emblematic of our decline that the character most known for solving crimes with his mind now solves them by beating people up.**
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
Well directed, well acted film about how female friendship is far more binding and meaningful than anything else. Another excellent job by Wayne Wang, good acting, and nice artistic direction. Kind of lame thematically.*
Crazy, Stupid, Love
Movie about the members of a family trying to cope with love. It’s a little crazy but mostly stupid. Characters were all pretty much unbelievable. Great cast pretty much wasted. Should have known.*
Our Idiot Brother
Lighthearted and unfortunately-stupid movie about a guy who constantly gets in trouble because he is so loving, kind, and thoughtful of others. Didn’t find any of the characters very likable, even the good guy. It accomplishes pretty much what it tried to do, but that wasn’t really very much.*
