"It's Complicated." Here's my full review on Philly.com. The usual Nancy Meyers middle-aged woman wish fulfillment, although it has its moments, especially due to a herculean performance by Alec Baldwin.
"Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' By Sapphire"- This is a movie that touches on, literally, every bad thing in the world: rape, incest, poverty, child abuse, teen pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, urban hopelessness, illiteracy and welfare fraud; only the period setting keeps out 9/11 and the Holocaust. (The above list doubles as likely material for Sarah Silverman's next comedy routine.) But the originality of the premise and the powerful performances are quite impressive.
The most shocking thing about it: Mo'Nique, who two years ago was the host of "Flavor of Love Girls: Charm School," is going to win an Oscar.
The movie also provides us with the best keywords ever, published along with Armond White's review: oprahpreciousblacktylerperrywinfreyleedanielsitsmoniquelennykravitzrapedmolestedbeatensexfried chickenpigs feetbirthnationkkkku klux klanhalleberrymonstersballincestmariahcareypedophilia
"Sherlock Holmes." What an abominable film- Holmes and Watson dropped into a rejected Dan Brown novel. An insipid plot- based on none of the 60-some canonical Arthur Conan Doyle stories- and ugly visual style drown out a pretty damn good performance by Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes.
"New World Order." A documentary that takes the inane rumblings of radio/Interet nut Alex Jones and his various paranoid followers and pretty much takes them at face value. Sure, these sorts of subcultures can be interesting, but why couldn't the film have challenged these people more?
Posted by Stephen Silver at December 29, 2009 10:36 AM