Blue Valentine - 6 stars out of 10

Blue Valentine - 6 stars out of 10

"Blue Valentine" is the anti-chick flick.  Instead of showing a fantasy love story, it explores a torn American marriage and the emotional implications on all who are involved.  The story is told out of sequence (mixing the start of the relationship with its current state) to impressivey show how the relationship has changed and even more impressively shows the acting diversity of Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling.  It's incredibly frustrating as Gosling tries so hard and Williams just won't have it, resigned to her fate of a doomed marriage.  The unsteady camera gives the film an effective realistic sensation of watching the lives of these two characters unfold in the first person.  The film contains several controversial scenes.  The abortion scene was incredibly uncomfortable, in that it is a subject matter which really has not been shown on screen in this way.  I applaud the directors for being so brave to show the emotional toll of an abortion on screen.  While this film deserves a decent rating for its acting, I would not recommend it due to its upsetting content - it is the ultimate downer.

On another note, there has been a great deal of controversy over the initial NC-17 rating of the film due to an intense no-nudity sex scene, bringing the question "What warrants an NC-17 rating?"  The question was raised "How can this film receive that rating while movies like The Human Centipede are rated 'R'?"  I agree that this scene is not nearly as bad as "The Human Centipede"; however, instead of allowing every intensely disturbing scene pass with an R-rating, perhaps we should be stricter with what constitutes an R-rating and hand out more NC-17 ratings.  The rating system is designed to protect children from movie content and I believe that it is a crime for any child to see a movie like the aforementioned ones.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail - 6 stars out of 10

Monty Python and the Holy Grail - 6 stars out of 10

"Monty Python and the Holy Grail" is a series of funny situations strung together (often loosely) by the story of King Arthur and his un-legendary knights.  Although I don't always get the British humor, many of the great one-liners in movie history come from this film.  I love this film for it's many classic scenes, but dislike the fact that it feels like a series of SNL skits instead of one cohesive unit.  Plain and simple: "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" is an entirely unique film and no other film will ever be able to replicate this brand of comedy.

Cats Don't Dance - 3 stars out of 10

Cats Don't Dance - 3 stars out of 10

Filled with great jazz music and tons of 1930's Hollywood references, "Cats Don't Dance" is better than the cover might indicate.  The plot and characters are average but the choreography (Gene Kelly's final project before his death) is fantastic!  I know that the studio welcomed the opportunity to use Natalie Cole's singing voice, but it really irked me that Sawyer's speaking voice wasn't remotely comparable to her singing voice.  It wouldn't be a bad idea to watch the musical numbers and fast-forward through the rest, particularly the second half which really slows down.  Favorite part of the film: At the end of the closing credits, it reads "No animals were harmed during the making of this film.  Although, some were erased and had to be redrawn."  Although the film cannot compare to Disney or Anastasia (the best non-Disney feature film out there), it offers some entertainment value, especially if you're a fan of classic actors and films.

The Stepfather (2009) - 6 stars out of 10

The Stepfather (2009) - 6 stars out of 10

"The Stepfather" exceeded my (admittedly low) expectations.  Instead of taking the scary movie route, this film thrives as a psychological thriller with a diabolical villain who is almost animalistic in his preying on vulnerable, recently single mothers.  The opening sequence is chilling as the music keeps you on edge just enough to be upset by the first twist (occuring within the first 4 minutes of the film).  Dylan Walsh makes a fantastic villain, quickly transitioning from caring boyfriend to psychotic antagonist and back again.  The film is pretty realistic up until the closing sequence but manages to end with the perfect final image.  It isn't your typical "bad" scary movie and is worth looking into.

The Fabulous Baker Boys - 6 stars out of 10

The Fabulous Baker Boys - 6 stars out of 10

"The Fabulous Baker Boys" is a unique look into small-time show business, though it sometimes resembles a slow-moving soap opera.  The movie features some excellent incidental jazz music throughout.  I give a lot of credit to the attention to detail in order to make sure that the Bridges boys appeared to be playing the diagetic piano parts within the movie's storyline.  Although the soundtrack was played by someone else, they learned to play all of the pieces on the piano and studied videos of the recording artist's hands.  Nothing bothers me more than piano hands that do not line up with the soundtrack and the result is excellent.  Unfortunately, by putting Jeff and Beau next to each other on screen, it becomes obvious why Jeff has been the more successful of the brothers.  Pfeiffer is incredible, stealing the show with her foul mouth and her seductive scene, singing on the piano.  It certainly isn't the best film that I've scene but is worth it for the chemistry between J. Bridges and Pfeiffer, not to mention the excellent jazz.

Hot Rod - 8 stars out of 10

Hot Rod - 8 stars out of 10

"Hot Rod" is the Happy Gilmore of its generation. Idiotic, random, and occasionally disgusting, Andy Samberg is hysterical as this hapless stuntman whose clever dialogue will earn your affections. The scene where he falls down the hill made me laugh harder than I have in years. The movie is incredibly slapstick but manages to deliver a decent plot with the feel of a long SNL skit. With a cleverly comedic cast (including wonderful eye candy in Isla Fisher), the quirky characters will have you rolling on the floor, trying to figure out what has just happened.

Bach's Fight for Freedom - 2 stars out of 10

Bach's Fight for Freedom - 2 stars out of 10

As a music educator, I have been showing this film to my students for several years... not because of the quality of acting, but because it's a way for my students to hear the music of Bach while learning about the social systems of the Baroque period. If there was an "Amadeus" or "Immortal Beloved" that used Bach as a main character (with quality acting), I would immediately trade in this Bach VHS. Every moment of this film feels like a made-for-school-educational-movie but it serves its purpose - "Bach's Fight for Freedom" has its place but does not need to be removed from the music classroom.