A Very Long Engagement - Emily Carlson

I really enjoyed this movie. I thought the sadness mixed with the qurkiness really made the film different. American critics have lambasted the director for this: I say, this is a French film, not American. What works there is different, I liked the change in pace and expectations. I would almost like to watch the movie again: reading the subtitles distracted me from the lovely scenes of old time Paris and the emotion of Audrey Tautou. I highly reccomend this film. Here are some summaries from IMDB:

Five desperate French soldiers during The Battle of the Somme shoot themselves, either by accident or with purpose, in order to be invalidated back home. Having been "caught" a court-martial convenes and determines punishment to be banishment to No Man's Land with the objective of having the Germans finish them off. In the process of telling this tale each man's life is briefly explored along with their next of kin as Methilde, fiancée to one of the men, tries to determine the circumstances of her lover's death. This task is not made any easier for her due to a bout with polio as a child. Along the way she discovers the heights and depths of the human soul. From the commander who wantonly and secretly destroys the men's pardon, to the amazing lengths one condemned man's friend goes to in an effort to save at least some of them. This movie operates at many levels. A love story. A mystery. A testament to brutality of "The War to End All Wars" and most particularly the men, women, and children affected by this dark and disturbing time in world history. Technically the cinematography (by Bruno Delbonnel) is amazing. Many scenes will have you asking how that was shot. The use of color, the score, the authenticity of the costume, the portrayal by the actors, the effects, and the story itself all combined to make a delightful feast of sound and vision. Look for a long cameo of Jody Foster. Amazing! Jean-Peirre Jeunet is a master. Written by Liam McBain

This film is inspiring, to follow what you believe and find your loved ones! A very moving film but very true to life! A story of five soldiers being summoned to No Mans Land and left to die. The film shows how these soldiers fought for their lives and how one particular solider, Manech, and his soon to be wife, played by Audrey Tautou, uncovers the truth to find out about his whereabouts. Written by Gem

Five desperate men shoot themselves in order to be relieved from the horrifying frontline at the Somme, in WWI. A court-martial decides to punish them by leaving them alone in no-man's land, to be killed in the crossfire. Then all hell breaks loose and they all die. Or not? One of these men's fiancée, a young girl who can't walk since age 3, receives information that makes her suspect his boyfriend might have gotten away alive. So she embarks in a painful, long and often frustrating ordeal to find out the truth. Written by Erwin van Moll {max404@hotmail.com}

From the director and star of "Amelie" (Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Audrey Tautou) comes a very different love story, "A Very Long Engagement," based on the acclaimed novel by Sebastien Japrisot. The film is set in France near the end of World War I in the deadly trenches of the Somme, in the gilded Parisian halls of power, and in the modest home of an indomitable provincial girl. It tells the story of this young woman's relentless, moving and sometimes comic search for her fiancée, who has disappeared. He is one of five French soldiers believed to have been court-martialed under mysterious circumstances and pushed out of an allied trench into an almost-certain death in no-man's land. What follows is an investigation into the arbitrary nature of secrecy, the absurdity of war, and the enduring passion, intuition and tenacity of the human heart. Written by bondish

Stardust - Emily Carlson

Wow. Not what I was expecting at all. A fantasy movie, very Princess Bride style. Loaded with stars like Michelle Pfeiffer, Claire Danes, Sienna Miller and Robert Di Niro, who should have left the script where they found it. Too long and over the top. I wouldn't reccomend it.

The passage from this world to the fantasy kingdom of Stormhold is through a breech in a wall by an English village. In the 1800s, a boy becomes a man when he ventures through the breech to prove his love for the village beauty by finding a fallen star. The star is no lump of rock, but a maiden, Yvaine, and Tristan, the youth, is not the only one searching for her: three witches, led by Lamia, want her heart to make them young. The sons of the dead king of Stormhold want her because she possesses a ruby that will give one of them title to the throne. Assisting Tristan are his mother, the victim of a spell, and a transvestite pirate of the skies. Will Tristan win his true love? Written by {jhailey@hotmail.com}

A young man named Tristan (Charlie Cox) tries to win the heart of Victoria (Sienna Miller), the beautiful but cold object of his desire, by going on a quest to retrieve a fallen star. His journey takes him to a mysterious and forbidden land beyond the walls of his village. On his odyssey, Tristan finds the star, which has transformed into a striking girl named Yvaine (Claire Danes). However, Tristan is not the only one seeking the star. Lord Stormhold's (Peter O'Toole) three living sons not to mention the ghosts of their four dead brothers all need the star as they vie for the throne. Tristan must also overcome the evil witch, Lamia (Michelle Pfeiffer), who needs the star to make her young again. As Tristan battles to survive these threats, encountering a pirate named Captain Shakespeare (Robert De Niro) and a shady trader named Ferdy the Fence (Ricky Gervais) along the way, his quest changes. He must now win the heart of the star for himself as he discovers the meaning of true love

Marie Antoinette - Emily Carlson

I watched this movie last night and at first I didn't like it. It's not an instant classic, like Pride and Prejudice, it's a little different with the rock music and a little akward at times. But I realized.. it's supposed to be like that. A glimpse into the world of Marie Antoinette. While I'm not a fan of Kirsten Dunst, I appreciate the movie now. It's not fabulous, but it's worth a watch. Here's a few reviews from IMDB.

"All eyes will be on you," says the Austrian duchess, Maria Theresa to her youngest daughter Marie Antoinette. The film, marketed for a teen audience, is an impressionistic retelling of Marie Antoinette's life as a young queen in the opulent and eccentric court at Versailles. The film focuses on Marie Antoinette, as she matures from a teenage bride to a young woman and eventual queen of France. Written by Scrltrose83

"Let them eat cake!" This is a motion picture detailing the life of Marie Antoinette after her betrothal to Louis XVI. From shoes to scandals, this movie outlines Marie Antoinette's nature, and her dedication to a life of fabulousness and outrageousness. We hear her utter those immortal words that caused such an outrage amongst the peasants of France, but we soon learn that it was a lie, as was much of her life. Written by Kristie M

Based on Antonia Fraser's book about the ill-fated Archduchess of Austria and later Queen of France, 'Marie Antoinette' tells the story of the most misunderstood and abused woman in history, from her birth in Imperial Austria to her later life in France. Written by David Gunning and Aimee Black

The Nanny Diaries - Emily Carlson

I saw this movie with my mom the other night.. and I agree with this review - it was horrible! I thought Scarlett Johansson was a good actress, but she's awful in this. And Paul Giamatti looks really freaky. I didn't even recognize him! The movie was WAY too over the top.

Marjorie Baumgarten, The Austin Chronicle

Directed By: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Laura Linney, Paul Giamatti, Alicia Keys, Nicholas Art, Donna Murphy, Chris Evans, Nathan Corddry, Judith Roberts
(PG-13, 105 min.)

An awful lot of good talent has been squandered in this by-the-numbers film version of the bestselling tell-all about the lifestyles and child-rearing habits of the rich residents of New York's Upper East Side. Last time out, co-writers and directors Springer Berman and Pulcini scored an artistic success with American Splendor, their film adaptation of Harvey Pekar's surly yet touching comic books about quotidian life in America. Their rendition of The Nanny Diaries, however, is flat-footed and tiresome, hitting the same notes over and over while tossing in an unnecessary romance and an acting performance by the musician Alicia Keys in a failed attempt to keep things spicy. Johansson and Linney are both excellent in the leads, as the college grad who takes a job as a nanny and the socialite/trophy wife whose self-obsession has no bounds. Linney, in particular, is at the top of her game here, with every inflection of her line delivery as perfect as her tasteful coif and grooming. Despite these well-shaped depictions (including that of American Splendor's Giamatti as the largely absent dad and husband), the film lacks any real bite or sass. It's hard to empathize with Annie Braddock (Johansson), a new college grad who's so daunted by the brightness of her future that she decides to downgrade her plans and accept a live-in nanny gig that Mrs. X (Linney) improbably offers to her when their paths cross in Central Park. Mrs. X is as stereotypically snooty as her son, Grayer (Art), is bratty – but of course, that's only until Annie (whose name everyone, in one of the film's running jokes, mistakes as Nanny) tames his overprivileged and underloved spirit. The same points are reiterated a number of times, though little evolves or changes. That's where the comments of a best friend (Keys) and mom (Murphy) help to fill out the story, as well as a coy romance with a guy (Evans) in an apartment upstairs. Annie's desire to become an anthropologist instead of the business exec she was schooled to become causes her to view everything she witnesses on the Upper East Side as a Museum of Natural History diorama. It's an effective device, although it seems somewhat similar to the ways in which the filmmakers handled the comic-books-to-real-life transitions in American Splendor. With all these spoons full of sugar, where's Mary Poppins when you need her?

The TV Set - Emily Carlson

I watched this movie last night, it was funny, quarky and different. A short movie with a lot of good acting. I enjoyed the satire of the TV pilot, even though I am not very familiar with Hollywood. I would highly reccomend this movie!

A television network is making a pilot of Mike's quirky comedy based on the aftermath of his brother's suicide. As the network suits ask for change after change, and as Mike struggles with compromise, there are strains on families, execs who show rushes to their children, leads who feel each other out, and assistants who put a smile on everything. Can an honest show get made in the world of reality TV chasing an audience of teen-aged boys? Written by {jhailey@hotmail.com}

David Duchovney's character writes a personal story that is being considered for a pilot. He is forced to accept a series of compromises from his choice for the male lead, to a intimate plot device (suicide), even down to the name of the pilot. On each issue he compromises his original vision in order to satisfy his desire to get the pilot 'picked up'. Rationalizing that having the pilot made in a compromised format is better than not at all, he gives in, only to see the final product turn out so far from the original smart and funny concept that he is ashamed of the outcome.

Eastern Promises - Emily Carlson

This movie is next on my Netfix list. It was named one of the best Independent movies of the year, and looks quite good.

The mysterious and charismatic Russian-born Nikolai Luzhin is a driver for one of London's most notorious organized crime families of Eastern European origin. The family itself is part of the Vory V Zakone criminal brotherhood. Headed by Semyon, whose courtly charm as the welcoming proprietor of the plush Trans-Siberian restaurant impeccably masks a cold and brutal core, the family's fortunes are tested by Semyon's volatile son and enforcer, Kirill, who is more tightly bound to Nikolai than to his own father. But Nikolai's carefully maintained existence is jarred once he crosses paths at Christmastime with Anna Khitrova, a midwife at a North London hospital. Anna is deeply affected by the desperate situation of a young teenager who dies while giving birth to a baby. Anna resolves to try to trace the baby's lineage and relatives. The girl's personal diary also survives her; it is written in Russian, and Anna seeks answers in it. Anna's mother Helen does not discourage her, but Anna's irascible Russian-born uncle Stepan urges caution. He is right to do so; by delving into the diary, Anna has accidentally unleashed the full fury of the Vory. With Semyon and Kirill closing ranks and Anna pressing her inquiries, Nikolai unexpectedly finds his loyalties divided. The family tightens its grip on him; who can, or should, he trust? Several lives - including his own - hang in the balance as a harrowing chain of murder, deceit, and retribution reverberates through the darkest corners of both the family and London itself. Written by Focus Features

Hairspray

I saw this movie last nite, it was enjoyable and fun. However, I think the original movie with Rikki Lake is a little better. I didn't think John Travolta was as convincing a mother, and Michelle Pheiffer was a little over the top. However, if you're in the mood for some light hearted non-heavy material, Hairspray is your movie. Here's a synopsis from IMDB.

May 3, 1962 begins the same as every other school day for Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky), a severly overweight high school student from Baltimore, Maryland. She endures a day's worth of boring classes so that she and her best friend Penny Pingleton (Amanda Bynes) can race home to catch their favorite TV program, The Corny Collins Show. The program, a teen dance show, is broadcast from Baltimore's station WYZT on weekday afternoons.

Some of the teenagers featured on the show also attend Tracy and Penny's school, in particular snobby rich girl Amber Von Tussle (Brittany Snow) and her heartthrob boyfriend Link Larkin (Zac Efron), with whom Tracy is madly in love. Amber's mother Velma (Michelle Pfeiffer) manages station WYZT, and goes out of her way to make sure Amber is prominently featured and that Corny Collins remains a segregated program. Corny Collins (James Marsden) and all of his "Council Kids" are white; black kids are only allowed on Corny Collins on "Negro Day", held the last Tuesday of each month and hosted by local R&B radio DJ Motormouth Maybelle (Queen Latifah).

Neither Tracy's plus-sized shut-in laundress mother Edna (John Travolta) nor Penny's strict Catholic mother Prudy (Allison Janney) approve of their daughters basing their lives around a TV show, particularly one where teens dance to "race music". Tracy's father Wilbur (Christopher Walken), a joke-shop proprietor, is far more lenient. On one day's show, Corny Collins announces that one of his "Council Kids" is going on a leave of absence, and auditions for a replacement will be held the next morning - during school hours. However, Velma turns Tracy away at the audition for being overweight and supportive of integration. Tracy is sent to detention for skipping school, but finds that detention hall is where the black kids hang out and dance. Tracy befriends the detention hall's best dancer, Motormouth Maybelle's son Seaweed (Elijah Kelley), who teaches Tracy several R&B dance moves. These moves secure Tracy a spot on The Corny Collins Show.

Tracy quickly becomes one of Corny's most popular Council Kids and a threat to Velma's quest to have Amber win the show's yearly "Miss Teenage Hairspray" pageant. In addition, Tracy also becomes a threat to Amber's courtship with Link, as he becomes increasingly fond of Tracy and less so of Amber. Tracy's popularity earns her a sponsorship offer from clothes salesman Mr. Pinky (Jerry Stiller), who wants Tracy to be the spokesgirl for his "Hefty Hideaway" boutique for plus-sized women. Tracy convinces Edna to accompany her to the Hefty Hideaway and act as her negotiating agent, and in the process brings her mother's days as an agoraphobe to an end.

At school, Tracy eventually introduces Seaweed to Penny, and the two are instantly smitten with each other. One afternoon after Amber deliberately gets Tracy sent to detention, Link gets himself deliberately sent there in support of her. There Seaweed invites the girls and Link to follow him and his sister Little Inez (Taylor Parks) to a platter party at Motormouth Maybelle's record shop. At the party, Maybelle informs everyone that Velma has canceled Negro Day. Tracy suggests that Maybelle and the others stage a protest march, which they plan for the next afternoon, a day before the Miss Teenage Hairspray pageant. Link, scheduled to sing at the pageant and worried about his budding career, backs out of the demonstration and accidentally offends Tracy in the process.

The next morning, Tracy sneaks out of the house to join the protest march, which comes to a halt at a police roadblock set up by Velma. The entire company of protesters is arrested, although Tracy manages to escape. She flees to the Pingletons' house, where Penny lets her hide out in a basement fallout shelter. However, Prudy discovers Tracy and calls the police, tying Penny to her bed upstairs with a jump rope. Seaweed and a few of the other detention kids (having been bailed out by Wilbur) arrive and help Tracy and Penny escape, and the kids concoct a plan to crash the Miss Teenage Hairspray pageant. Meanwhile, Link visits Tracy's house in order to look for her, and realizes that he is as much in love with her as she is with him. Seaweed and Penny also acknowledge their love during the escape from her house.

With the pageant underway, Velma, leaving nothing to chance, places policemen around and inside station WYZT in order to prevent Tracy from entering. In addition, Velma switches the tallies from the pageant's phone lines so that Amber is guaranteed to win. Penny arrives at the pageant with an incognito Edna, while Wilbur, Seaweed, and the Detention Kids help Tracy sneak past the police and into the studio in time to participate in the Miss Teenage Hairspray dance-off. Link breaks away from Amber to dance with Tracy; then he pulls Inez, who has just arrived at WYZT with Maybelle, to the stage to dance for the pageant.

Against all expectations, Inez receives the most votes and wins the pageant, officially integrating The Corny Collins Show. A perturbed Velma loudly declares her frustration, informing her daughter of the tally-switching scheme. Unknown to Velma, Edna has turned a camera on her, and Velma's outburst is broadcast live on the air, getting her fired. Meanwhile, The Corny Collins Show set explodes into a celebration as Link and Tracy cement their love with a kiss.