Whip It

At first, I feared this would be another Ellen Page as 'cooler than hip' teenage angst movie. But within a few moments, it becomes a great, energetic, fun, girl power kind of movie. Drew Barrymore directed it and infused it with the happy kind of stuff she seems to project herself. If you have never understood the phrase "unself-conscious" regarding a movie, then you need to see this one. Not a second of it seem contrived to move the action forward. There is a sort of physical joy to these women who are in the roller derby. It's a gentler roller derby than the kind you'd see in a real professional venue-minimal blood and everyone has most of their teeth. These are the women who do it as a part time job. Of course, it seems trite in the retelling here, and it could be said you'd seen it all before. But it feels fresh and fun. Daniel Stern was my favorite as the father who is proud of his daughter who rejects beauty pageants and would rather roller skate and feel empowered by her agility and strength and not her looks. By the end of the movie, I was in love with its lightness and happiness and girliness. Everyone in Hollywood seems to be in this- in some sort of SNL guest star sort of way. Go see it.

Bright Star

Well, this is one slow, beautifully staged and costumed, theatrical film. I cannot imagine it being described as a date movie- I think it would bore a man to death. It is slower than it needs to be and longer than it needs to be. It is about the romance between the poet Keats and his young love, Fanny Brawne. The costumes are beautiful and very authentic. The acting is lovely. There are longing gazes, silly games, parental anguish, etc. It's not that much of a story, but it's a lot of acting. I can't say I'd see it twice, but it was lovely to see once.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

This is a 3D (Imax added in some spots) animated movie based on the children's book of the same name. CWACOM was one of my kids favorite books. The illustrations were fun and it was a simple story. But if you are looking for a retelling, you are going to be disappointed in a good way. An entirely new story with a few elements of the book is how this unfolds. The adults loved it, the kids loved it and it was fun for everyone. It's mostly about food falling from the sky. Half of Saturday Night Live provide the voices, and Anna Faris and Bill Heder with James Caan are in the lead. You'll recognize Mr T also. The animation is fantastic- and 3D really is a refined art now. I think it was a little long, but no children got restless, so it must be the right length for them. As an adult, you have to be quick because the adult references are thrown right in there with the kid stuff. But you should see it because it is nice not to have to watch blood or gore or adultery for just a little while. Alex particularly enjoyed the monkey played by Neil Patrick Harris. Bring along a kid if you've got one!

Julie and Julia

This is a movie about people- the fact that they love to cook and eat is really secondary. The women are the leads and the men are the supporters in this film. Unless you live on another planet, you probably all ready know it is about Julie, who starts a blog to follow her goal of cooking all of the recipes in Julia Child's cookbook in one year's time. Amy Adams plays Julie with her usual wide eyed sincerity. Streep takes the cake with her portrayal of the very tall, very driven, and optimistic Julia Child. One can only hope Julia Child was a woman of such enthusiasm and heart. This movie (though 15 minutes too long for the matter at hand) is charming. It is a tribute to the men who love to watch their determined wives complete a goal, even if that goal is, on the one hand lofty (Child's book) and the other, not so much (Adams determination to cook). The food is not the star just because it looks great on the table. It is the heart and hand of the cook that makes it so. I did love this movie. Alex loved it also- because it does show another couple in this world that loves to cook and eat like we do. Of course we made the bouef bourgignon when we got home!

District 9

This is a thoroughly enjoyable R rated (for violence and sexual references) scifi/action movie- if you like to see exploding humans, a little torture, a lot of gore, and creepy aliens. Unlike most "alien arrival" films, this one is presented as a documentary- and the aliens are not necessarily armed and dangerous, or brilliant or conniving. They seem more like a slave life form for some higher intelligence. There is pathos, humor, irony and more than a little confusion as to whose side you'd be on. Of course, some reviewers will try to make this into a socially conscious film about racism- I personally think that's a load of bull. I liked watching it for my "it is what it is" philosophy of movie going. The aliens were not especially likeable, but the humans are made out to be worse. I think the aliens were not that great and the humans were being human. You can make of that what you will. Or you can just enjoy it for the inventive premise and well written script. It's up to you.