Some Movies I've Seen Recently...

...and what I thought about 'em.

• Horton Hears A Hoo - the boys really enjoyed this... and I wasn't running screaming from the theater (like I want to during the Shrek films), but it just felt a little, well, plastic. And while there were inspired moments (mostly during the Hoo-ville scenes), it's not particularly Seussian. Sigh. (Better than Mike Myers in the Hat or the Jim Carrey That Stole Christmas by a mile, though.)
• Michael Clayton - The acting is solid, the direction is well-done, the cinematography is very good... but it just doesn't add up to all that much. "Lawyer who lost his way ethically finds it again" - to see this plot line done right, watch Paul Newman in The Verdict.
• Dan in Real Life - This was a sweet, understated film with some real heart in it. It probably didn't do well because both Steve Carrell & Dane Cook play real people rather than their normal "anything for a laugh" kind of characters - but if you like stories about families & love & pain & hope, this is the movie for you.
• Once - I fell in love with the song first - "Falling Slowly" is an amazing piece of music & totally deserved the Oscar it received - but I was surprised to find how much I liked the film. I hesitate to tell you much about it - some of the joy of the film is in discovering the story for yourself - and I esp. encourage you to avoid looking up the music video/trailer of "Falling Slowly", as it gives away way too much of the plot. Just see the film. (One warning: the film is rated "R" for harsh language... if that's a problem for you, don't see the film. Most of you know I'm pretty cautious about nudity/sex in a film - that is NOT a problem here.)