You Kill Me (2007) [R]

Funny black comedy about a hit man in Alcoholics Anonymous. Ben Kingsley has a blast playing Frank, a hit man for a Polish mob in Buffalo. Frank's problem is that his drinking is starting to interfere with his job. He is sent to San Francisco to dry out and he actually begins a new life: job in a mortuary, AA meetings, friends, and even a romance with Laurel (Tea Leoni, who doesn't make enough movies). Eventually the "new" Frank will have to return home to clear up some unfinished business.

If you have ever been to an AA meeting, you will really get a hoot at Frank's work ethic and his earnest approach to the program and the honesty with which he reveals himself at the meetings.

Black comedy is about things that usually are not considered funny. This movie fits that bill. While not a great movie, it is enjoyable. Any movie that makes me laugh out loud goes on my list!

DIRECTOR: John Dahl.  CAST: Ben Kingsley, Tea Leoni, Luke Wilson, Philip Baker Hall, Dennis Farina, Bill Pullman, Marcus Thomas.

AWARDS:  1 win & 2 nominations.

Quest For Fire (1981) [R]

This is a funny caveman movie. Not a farce, but mostly light-hearted and funny. Our three heroes are sent on a quest to find fire. Seems the tribe's fire has gone out and no one knows how to start a one from scratch!

The lead (Everett McGill) is, I guess, "handsome" by caveman standards. You might recognize Ron Perlman as one of the cavemen. The trio, of course, encounter dangers and adventures. They learn about laughter and humor. There is even romance. And, of course, they eventually learn to make fire.

The background to this movie is interesting. It is adapted from a book written in 1911, and made with the intention of being as scientifically factual as possible. It seems that for the most part, they did a good job. Desmond Morris, author of and zoologist, developed the body language and gestures used by the different tribes. Anthony Burgess, linguist and author of A Clockwork Orange, created the language the Neanderthals speak. The language spoken by Ivaka, (Rae Dawn Chong), is mostly Cree/Inuit of northern Canada, which apparently has caused some amusement among those who speak it,  since the words have little to do with the plot. This movie is not in English and does not have titles. Instead we hear the beginnings of language. Don't worry, you'll figure out everything.

At times touching, at times laugh out loud funny, this is an enjoyable movie experience. Unfortunately, it is not for the kiddies. Among the things our handsome hero learns is the missionary position.

DIRECTOR: Jean-Jacques Annaud.  CAST:  Everett McGill, Rae Dawn Chong, Ron Perlman, Nameer El Kadi.

AWARDS: Won one Oscar. Another 10 wins & 7 nominations.

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1990) [X or R]

This is a terrifying movie. It is loosely based on real-life serial killer Henry Lee Lucas. It is low-budget ($110,00), but it's low production values actually add to the movie's impact. It is easy to believe this movie, especially because the FBI estimates that there are at least 100 serial killers in the US today, many of them mobile, just like our Henry.

This movie is not just a series of killing scenes. In fact, the film does not show any actual killing, just the results, to the accompaniment of screams on the sound track. Instead, we get to know Henry. We find out about his past. We see him develop a friendship with Otis, his old cellmate, and Otis's sister, Becky. We even get some idea of why he kills.

What is so terrifying is not only that he gets away with the killing, but also how very calm and matter of fact he is while he commits the murders. The most horrifying scene is a home invasion, in which it is very easy to imagine yourself as the victim.

The movie originally received an X rating from the MPAA and no amount of cutting or re-editing would get them to change the rating.  It was then released in the US with no rating. I have seen both an X and an R rating attached to this movie. Leonard Maltin lists it as X, Netflix gives it an R. You decide!

Michael Rooker is very good as Henry. He is absolutely believable as a cold-blooded killer. Most of the actors in the movies were amateurs and friends of the director, doing him a favor.

Don't watch this movie by yourself! Get a friend to watch it with you and then follow up with a silly comedy. You'll still have nightmares.

DIRECTOR: John McNaughton.  CAST: Michael Rooker, Tracy Arnold, Tom Towles.

AWARDS: 9 wins & 7 nominations.

In Her Shoes (2005) [PG-13]

So often, a movie based on a book just doesn't measure up to the original material. That is not the case here. In the hands of the excellent director, Curtis Hanson (L.A. Confidential, Wonder Boys, 8 Mile), what could have just been a low grade "chick flick", is instead an insightful journey of two sisters finding themselves and reconnecting with each other.

Perfectly cast, Cameron Diaz and Toni Collette play Maggie and Rose, sisters with little in common but their past and their shoe size.  Maggie is wild, sexy, and always in some kind of trouble. Toni is straight-laced, struggling with her self-image (although she owns a ton of amazing shoes), and often the one who bails out Maggie when she fouls up. When Maggie finally goes too far, Rose disowns her. With nowhere else to go, Maggie travels to Florida to investigate their past, and ends up at a senior retirement community where she encounters Shirley MacLaine, who is ideal in the part.

Many of the seniors in the movie are amateurs, who, like the rest of the cast, deliver exceptional performances. This movie will pull you in and involve you. You will find yourself unable to take sides with either sister, instead rooting for both of them.

I promise that after the movie ends, you will find yourself at the library or the bookstore, looking for the book. While you're there, check out Good In Bed, also by Jennifer Weiner. In fact, after reading  and seeing In Her Shoes, I read every book she wrote!

Whether you have a sister or not, you will enjoy this movie!

DIRECTOR: Curtis Hanson. CAST: Cameron Diaz, Toni Collette, Shirley MacLaine, Mark Feuerstein, Ken Howard, Candice Azzara, Brooke Smith, Francine Beers, Norman Lloyd, Jerry Adler.

AWARDS: Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 4 nominations.

Little Big Man (1970) [PG]

A great romp of a movie. Dustin Hoffman is Jack Crabb, an 121-year-old man who recounts the story of his life, which is the story of how the West was settled. His adventures include life as a pioneer, an adopted Indian, a storekeeper, a gunman, and a friend of Wild Bill Hickok and many others, both real and fictional. Full of comedy, tragedy, history, and coincidences straight from Charles Dickens, this movie will charm you.

Usually a movie of this scope is called an "epic," but this film is so human that even though it covers a century, you won't feel the reserve that often accompanies the "epic." You'll laugh hard and soak your tissues! And forever more, you will call your children Contrary Indians!

Dustin Hoffman, as always, really shines, as he ages from a teen to the ancient man he ends up as. The many other actors you'll recognize are also wonderful. Keep an eye out for Chief Dan George as Old Lodge Skins (who was nominated for an Oscar), Richard Mulligan as General Custer (with a different take than had been portrayed up until then), and Faye Dunaway as Mrs. Pendrake. Probably the only bad thing in this movie is the awful makeup they put on Dustin to make him look 121-years old, which was considered a masterpiece of makeup artistry at the time.(See photo at right.)

DIRECTOR: Arthur Penn.  CAST: Dustin Hoffman, Faye Dunaway, Martin Balsam, Richard Mulligan, Chief Dan George, Jeff Corey, Alan Oppenheimer, Aimee Eccles, William Hickey.

AWARDS: Nominated for Oscar. Another 5 wins & 6 nominations.

Dangerous Liaisons (1988) [R]

This story has been made into a movie at least five times, but to me, this is the best version. The cast is wonderful, led by the amazing Glenn Close. The story takes place in 18th Century France where rich and bored aristocrats play games with other's lives. The Marquise de Merteuil(Glenn Close) would like to see one of her ex-lovers, Gercourt, humiliated. She enlists the assistance of Valmont (John Malkovich), to seduce Gercourt's fiance. At the same time, Valmont is interested in seducing Madame de Tourvel (Michelle Pfeiffer), a married woman known for her virtue. The Marquise and Valmont make a bet about Valmont's success, the prize being a night with the Marquise. And so the games begin.

If you enjoy intrigues, passion, double crosses and all other kinds of games that people play, you will enjoy this movie. The only misfit is the casting of John Malkovich, whose vocal qualities seem odd compared with the rest of the actors. Glenn Close, though, makes it all worthwhile. The woman has one of the most expressive faces I have ever seen.

Other versions of this story include: Cruel Intentions (1999), Valmont (1989) and Untold Scandal (2003).

DIRECTOR: Stephen Frears. CAST: Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Michelle Pfeiffer, Swoosie Kurtz, Keanu Reeves, Mildred Natwick, Uma Thurman, Peter Capaldi.

AWARDS: Won 3 Oscars. Another 12 wins & 14 nominations.

Away From Her (2007) [PG-13]

Sad movie about a woman (Julie Christie, amazing and still gorgeous) with early signs of Alzheimer's. As her condition worsens, she and her husband make arrangements for her at an extended-care facility. Tough on both of them, it is particularly hard for him, especially as the facility does not allow visitors for the first 30 days to help the patient make a better adjustment. It becomes even worse when once he is allowed to visit her, she not only seems to have forgotten who he is, but has transferred all her affections to another patient.

This movie is so good. The actors, especially Ms. Christie, are excellent. Even more remarkable is that this is the first directing feature by Sarah Polley, who at the time was under 30 years old. She also wrote the script, an adaptation of a short story, "The Bear Came Over the Mountain," by Alice Munro. Ms. Polley is an actor who has appeared in the 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead, the TV mini-series "John Adams" and other movies such as Go, My Life Without Me and The Sweet Hereafter. It is a real tribute to her talent that someone so young could direct such a sensitive movie about older people with such a highly regarded cast. She is a director to keep an eye out for.

DIRECTOR: Sarah Polley. CAST: Julie Christie, Gordon Pinsent, Olympia Dukakis, Wendy Crewson, Michael Murphy, Kristen Thomas, Alberta Watson.

AWARDS: Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 39 wins & 16 nominations.

Happy, Texas (1999) [PG-13]

This is a funny movie. Two prison escapees from a Texas chain gang, Harry Sawyer (Jeremy Northam) and Wayne Wayne Wayne Jr. ((Steve Zahn) steal a van and assume the identities of the owners: gay partners who are hired by small Texas towns to help their girls qualify for a beauty pageant.

When the van breaks down in Happy, Texas, they have no choice but to go ahead and do the job the town hired the others to do. The first surprise is that the girls are just that: little girls. Of course, everyone in the town thinks the two are gay which adds to their problems as they both find women they are attracted to. The sheriff of the town (William H. Macy in an excellent performance) also has a secret.

It is pretty funny watching these two help the girls prepare for the Little Miss Fresh Squeezed Preteen Talent Competition when they know nothing about such things. Wait til you see Steve Zahn wearing high heels and his choreography of a swan dance!

Although shot in only 29 days with a tiny budget, it doesn't look or feel low budget. This is a little, feel-good movie, with a fairy tale happy ending.

DIRECTOR: Mark Illsley. CAST: Jeremy Northam, Steve Zahn, William H. Macy, Ally Walker, Illeana Douglas, M.C. Gainey, Ron Perlman, Paul Dooley, Mo Gaffney.

AWARDS: 6 wins and 6 nominations

Hard Candy (2006) [R]

Here's a movie guaranteed to make everyone, especially the male viewer, very uncomfortable. Before her breakout role in "Juno", Ellen Page starred as Hayley Stark in this essentially two-character movie. A 14-year-old girl (even though Ellen was almost 20, she certainly does look 14 in this movie) turns the tables on the 32-year-old photographer, Kevin, (Patrick Wilson) she has been flirting with online.

Agreeing to meet him, Hayley goes back with him to his house. Kevin thinks its for fun and games, but this sexual predator is going get much more than he bargained for. And it turns out that Hayley has a bigger reason for her actions than just teaching him a lesson.

This movie is not easy-viewing. Depending on your age and/or gender you will either cheer her on or pray for her to stop. This movie is not gory: what Kevin goes through is more psychological than physical. In many ways, Hayley is a hero for our times.

DIRECTOR: David Slade. CAST: Patrick Wilson, Ellen Page, Sandra Oh, Jennifer Holmes.

AWARDS: 5 wins and 6 nominations

Being John Malkovich (1999) [R]

This is a pretty crazy movie, and while not completely great, it is worth a watch. John Cusack (I'll go anywhere he wants to take me!) takes a job on the 7 1/2 floor of an office building. One day he discovers a door behind his filing cabinets. He opens it, goes down a long tunnel, and finds himself inside John Malkovich's mind! After 15 minutes, he ends up dumped on the side of the New Jersey Turnpike. He decides to use this for his own ends, even granting others admission (for money, of course) as a sort of vacation destination, albeit for only 15 minutes.  What else can he do with this opportunity? Will John Malkovich find out? Pretty wild, huh? Of course! This is written by Charlie Kaufman and directed by Spike Jonze.

An almost unrecognizable Cameron Diaz plays his wife, (yes, that's her in the photo above!) and Catherine Keener, his mercenary girlfriend. John Malkovich plays himself.

If you are looking for something really out of the ordinary, this is it!

DIRECTOR: Spike Jonze. CAST: John Cusack, John Malkovich, Cameron Diaz, Catherine Keener, Orson Bean, Mary Kay Place, Charlie Sheen.

AWARDS: Nominated for 3 Oscars. 45 other wins and 48 other nominations.

Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974) [PG]

Ellen Burstyn is one of my favorite actresses. She always delivers. In this movie, she is Alice, a widow left with nothing but a young son. She packs up her car and they head for California, where she hopes to become a singer. On the way they run out of money and end up in Tucson AZ. She takes a job as a waitress, and with this new family of friends and a new love, played by Kris Kristofferson, she and her son learn to live and love again.

Yes, this is the movie that created the TV sitcom "Alice"! They took the setting and the characters from the diner, but certainly changed the tone and temper of the piece in the TV show. You will marvel at what they kept and what they left out and what a difference it makes between the film and the TV show. Vic Tayback, who plays Mel in both, is the sole carryover from the movie.

This movie is a great emotional journey, guaranteed to make you laugh AND cry. Ms. Burstyn won an Oscar for her performance. And it may surprise you to find out that Martin Scorsese is the director.


DIRECTOR: Martin Scorsese  CAST: Ellen Burstyn, Kris Kristofferson, Bill Green Bush, Alfred Lutter, Diane Ladd, Jodie Foster, Harvey Keitel, Vic Tayback, Valerie Curtin


AWARDS: Won 1 Oscar and 2 nominations; 4 other wins; 17 other nominations.

Some Like It Hot (1959) [unrated (my rating: PG-13)]

There are some movies that watching with someone seeing it for the first time is a real joy. Watching The Wizard of Oz with my then 4-year-old son, Gone With The Wind with my college boyfriend, and Some Like It Hot with anyone! In recent years, I've had the fun of watching this movie with three different people who were seeing it for the first time. Another friend called me right after seeing it because she was laughing so hard, she wanted to share the experience with me.

Jack Lemmon  and Tony Curtis play two musicians who witness the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, and of course, are spotted. Running away from their pursuers, they join an all-girls band on their way by train to Miami. Yes! Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis in DRAG! As you can see, they both make pretty ugly women.

One of the girls in the band is the very gorgeous Sugar Kane, played by Marilyn Monroe at her best, who is a little naughty and likes her booze. Both fall head over heels for her, competing with each other to win her heart. So it's in and out of drag we go.

This movie is full of fun and laughter from the very first second to the last. The last line is a screamer! It will be hard for you to ever say it again without remembering Some Like It Hot and laughing out loud.

DIRECTOR: Billy Wilder. ACTORS: Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, Marilyn Monroe, Joe E. Brown, George Raft, Pat O'Brien, Nehemiah Persoff, Joan Shawlee, Mike Mazurki.

AWARDS: Oscar + 10 others + 8 nominations

Primer (2004) [PG-13]

This low budget movie will amaze you. Shane Carruth, who directed, starred, scripted, produced, edited, scored, and helped shoot this movie, did it all with $7,000!

Four young men have started a business in a garage making error-checking devices. Two of them accidentally create a time travel machine and decide not the share this discovery with the other two partners. They figure out how to send themselves backward and forward in time, but run into trouble when they stop trusting each other. They face a few other problems: running into themselves when they are in a different time line, figuring out who is the real them, and the problem of natural degradation if they are a copy of a copy of a copy. They also have to find their answer to the question "If you always want what you can't have, what do you want when you can have anything?"


Yes, there is so much coming and going that it can get confusing. But I was so fascinated by this film that I actually went online to find maps and charts of their coming and going. It is intricate!

If you enjoy puzzles and figuring things out, this is the movie for you!

DIRECTOR: Shane Carruth. ACTORS: Shane Carruth, David Sullivan, Casey Gooden, Anand Upadhyaya, Carrie Crawford.

AWARDS: WINNER: Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize, Drama and Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize. 7 other nominations.