BradWesley123's Movie Journal- November 2013

While not as riveting as the similarly themed Recount, Game Change is another strong look behind the political curtain. The cast is great, with Moore making Sarah Palin more than a caricature.

November 9th

Game Change

Boring movie about a major historical event; nothing new. Parkland features a solid cast, but wastes them on paper-thin characterizations and countless clichés. Only James Badge Dale, as Lee Harvey Oswald's brother Robert, gives a performance with real depth, often making me wonder why they didn't just make the movie about him. On the technical side everything is pretty solid, with decent costumes and strong photography by Barry Ackroyd.

Charmingly funny coming-of-age story that's not quite original, but incredibly entertaining.

A ridiculous and cynical film that sets up a hell of a premise, one that's ripe for social commentary, and drops the ball big time.

An incomprehensible mess that so all over the place that you can help but admire the audacity of it all. That doesn't mean it's good though; it mistakes twists for plot development and things just sort of happen out of nowhere. It is entertaining though, I just can't deny that. The leads are strong here too, with both McAdams and Rapace possessing a sensuality that keeps the movie alluring, even at it's messiest.

While doesn't necessarily add anything new to vampire mythology, its very well made; director Neil Jordan and cinematographer Sean Bobbitt set a moody and atmospheric tone that propels the story forward. A strong cast add real emotions to the film that keep you invested until the end.

This should have been a fun, silly movie that would become prime summer entertainment. Unfortunately, they only nailed the "silly" part, so much so that it drifted into total stupidity. It just a big mess that borrows from several other films, while simultaneously never added even a hint of originality. The usually solid cast is off here too; Reynolds just seems bored and embarrassed and Bridges is way too over the top.

It is incredibly slight, but Prince Avalanche is a smart, funny character study featuring a return-to-form directorial effort from David Gordon Green, a great soundtrack from Explosions In The Sky & David Wingo, and two strong performances from Paul Rudd and Emile Hirsh.

Beautiful black and white photography, smart editing, and solid writing make Frances Ha a pleasant surprise. The entire cast does solid work, but there's never any doubt to whether or not this is Gerwig's film; giving a complex and charming performance. Easily the most accessible film of Noah Baumbach's career.

Not as fresh as the other films in the "Cornetto" trilogy; the tone is really all over the place and the laughs aren't as big. This is still a good film though, with a strong cast, especially Pegg, and some nice twists.