After.Life (2009)

Once in a while I decide to watch a horror film. To be honest I'm not much of a horror fan, mainly because horror films so rarely work for me. The film After.Life was an exception for me. This film added mystery and drama in ways that exceeded my expectations for a horror film.

Starring Laim Neeson, Christina Ricci, and Justin Long, this film is a dark story about the transition from life to death. Neeson plays an undertaker who appears to have a gift for helping people accept their deaths. His next client is a young school teacher Anna (Ricci) who can't accept her that she has died after a terrible car crash. Neeson works through the denial and rejection as he deals with Anna's grieving fiancee Paul (Long). Meanwhile Paul suspects that Anna isn't dead and drama builds as he finds more reasons to believe so. The question of who is dead and who is alive must be answered.

This isn't a blockbuster film but it has some high points. The acting is wonderful and makes up for some points in the film that seem to stray from the point. It's a thinker's film so don't expect monsters to jump out of the corner to scare you. I found the movie less predictable than most horror films of the last few years as well. In the end I'm glad I saw it and have little criticism besides the meandering points in the plot.

One point to make is that the film shows off a bit more of Christina Ricci than I expected. It doesn't add to the film but it's not excessive.

I would give this film a 3 out of 5 stars.

Film Rating: R
Time: 104 Minutes
 

The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)

From the desk of Genna DeLany, a review on The Lincoln Lawyer:

Mickey Haller is L.A.’s top criminal defense attorney – a fast living, freewheeling pro who does business out of the back seat of his classic Lincoln Town car. He knows all the ins and outs of the legal system and how to exploit them to his clients’ advantage. But after agreeing to defend a wealthy young man accused of rape and murder, Mickey suddenly finds himself embroiled in a deadly game of violence, vengeance and deception that threatens to not only end his career, but also his life.

The Good: Matthew McConaughey. He got a lot of praise for this role when this movie came and, and deservedly so. He did an excellent job of portraying emotions and inner turmoil through facial expressions and body language. He was believable throughout the entire film.

The story. It had me figuring it out as it went rather than 5 minutes in.  It’s not a story I’ve seen 10 times in other movies. It kept me interested until the end.

The Bad: Ryan Phillipe. He really wasn’t terrible, but I’ve never been a huge fan of him. He doesn’t have much stage presence. However, it does kind of work in this role. His character called for a sense of coldness, but I think there could have been a little more to him.

Recommend? Yes. There is some moderate language and the nature of the alleged crimes is very serious. So it is not for the younger crowd.

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars.

Doubt (2008)

This 2008 film earned five Academy Award nominations including three for acting. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis all worked in perfect harmony for this drama set in a Catholic school in 1964.

The story follows the stark difference between Father Flynn (Hoffman) and Sister Beauvier (Streep) who clash on the way things should be done. The differences become a problem when Sister Beauvier brings Sister James (Adams) into an investigation of Father Flynn  and his relationship with a young man in the school. Confrontation leads to confusion and contention as story unfolds. Sister James finds herself in the middle as she seeks for the good in the people involved.

This is one of those films I just didn't get around to. The mature subject matter was handled well and it kept a PG-13 rating which works wonderfully. I am always impressed by the talents of both Seymour and Streep but it was Adams who really impressed me this time. This is a wonderfully filmed movie with an incredible soundtrack, perhaps one of the best movies of the last five years.

This is a drama that you can really sink your teeth into. I give this a 4.3 out of 5 stars.

Moneyball

With one of the most anticipated films of 2011 Brad Pitt has hit a home run. Proven talent like Philip Seymour Hoffman and Robin Wright add their talents to this incredible film. In addition Jonah Hill proves himself in a serious role with a great performance. All of the remaining cast members take on their roles with great success and put together a great movie.

The film Moneyball is the story of the 2002 Oakland Athletics and the unconventional methods used in putting together their team. Based on the book by Michael Lewis this film focuses on the loss of their star players to teams with bigger payrolls.  Billy Beane (Pitt) enlists the help of Peter Brand (Hill) to find hidden talent with unpopular statistical methods. Hill is normally known for his sarcastic tone and comedic relief but this time he plays it straight and fits right in as the young statistics nerd. Beane's clashes with the manager (Hoffman) also make for some great dialogue as they spar over the old school and new schools of talent evaluation. The writing in this film is wonderful overall.

Another one of the major successes in the film is their ability to explain the different schools of baseball thought without being overly detailed. The game of baseball has a rich tradition and the film does a wonderful job showing the backlash that comes from pushing against the grain. This is done throughout the film without slowing the pace or taking away from the story. 

I would recommend this film to anyone. Despite being a sports film I believe that you don't have to be a fan to enjoy this amazing story. I also expect this film to gain some major attention when awards season begins. I give Moneyball a 4.5 out of 5 stars.