Crazy Heart: This is a very good movie with a great, Oscar-winning performance by Jeff Bridges and a great score. It’s also a realistic depiction of alcoholism and its consequences. Maggie Gyllenhaal shines as always. Colin Farrell is shockingly believable as a contemporary country music star.
Weekly Movie Recommendations
Movies to see right now
I’ve updated of the Movies To See Right Now page. La Mission is now in theaters (see post below). Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans is new on DVD Gran Torino, Strangers on a Train, Pan’s Labyrinth, Bob LeFlambeur and Airplane! are on TV.
My top recommendation is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in theaters. Now is the time to catch Broken Embraces (Abrazos Rotos) and Stranded: I’ve Come from a Plane That Crashed on the Mountains on DVD.
This week's Movies To See Right Now
Just made my regular Thursday update of the Movies To See Right Now page.
The Secret of Kells is now in theaters. Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans is new on DVD Gran Torino, Monterey Pop, Bob LeFlambeur and A Place in the Sun are on TV.
Movies to See Right Now is Updated
Just like every Thursday, I have updated the Movies To See Right Now page. The Secret of Kells is now in theaters. Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans is new on DVD Gran Torino, Monterey Pop and Bob LeFlambeur are on TV.
My top recommendations remain The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in theaters and The Hurt Locker, Precious and Up in the Air on DVD.
Movies to See Right Now – in Theaters, On DVD, On TV
In Theaters:
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo Rock-em, sock-em feminist suspense thriller built around the very original character of damaged, angry, master hacker Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace). Lisbeth makes Dirty Harry look like Bishop Tutu. The Swedish title was Men Who Hate Woman, and there’s lots of violence against women in this film, satisfyingly avenged. This is a whodunit with layers of romance, suspense, and sex, with even some Nazis thrown in.
A Prophet Probably the year’s best film so far – about a young French-Arab from his first terrifying day in prison to his release. It evokes the Deniro scenes in Godfather II, except set with gritty realism in contemporary France.
The Ghost Writer First class paranoid political thriller by Roman Polanski.
On DVD:
The Hurt Locker, Precious and Up in the Air. If you haven’t caught up with last year’s best, there’s no better time than now.
On TV:
Mon Oncle Perhaps the most deeply funny movie of all time, this is Jacques Tati’s masterful satire of modernist consumerism. The spare soundtrack might be the best ever. TCM 3/28/10
Shotgun Stories Character driven, gripping tale of three damaged brothers in the Bayou. Sundance Channel in late March and early April.
Layer Cake Contemporary British noir crime thriller with Daniel Craig. IFC 3/28/10
Outrage Documentary that convincingly exposes secretly gay politicians who vote against gay rights. This is not Florida Governor Charlie Christ’s favorite movie. HBO 3/3/0/10, 4/1/10.
Also in Theaters:
Alice in Wonderland in 3-D: Eye candy from Tim Burton.
The Runaways: Very well-executed Behind the Music arc. Good performances by Kristin Stewart and Dakota Fanning.