Black Swan (2010

Embrace your dark side.

Directed by Darren Aronofsky

Written by Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz, and John J. McLaughlin

Starring: Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey, Winnona Ryder

Nina's (Portman) life is consumed by ballet. Her mother (Hershey) is a former ballerina who wants to live her life through her daughter on stage. When her company's director Tomas (Cassel) casts Nina over veteran ballerina Beth (Ryder), and brings in new dancer Lilly (Kunis), Nina finds her life, and sanity unravel as she embraces both the angelic role of the White Swan, and the devilish role of the Black Swan.

This is one of the best movies I've seen all year. Natalie Portman loses herself in her role. The script is both beautiful and disturbing at the same time, and Aronofsky presents everything on screen with an artful eye. Everybody in the film played their parts awesomely. I sat down wanting to see Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis together in a movie, but honestly, I couldn't see the actors. Only their characters. This is one of the best psycho-sexual thrillers to come about since Fatal Attraction or Basic Instinct, and one I will soon never forget.

10/10

Rated R for strong sexual content, disturbing violent images, language and some drug use.

No, this is NOT for children. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone under 18. The violence, when presented is gruesome and graphic. (In one scene a woman stabs herself repeatedly in the face with a nail file.) The sex is also up front and graphic. Especially an extended scene where 2 women make love. No nudity is involved, but you can see all that they do to each other. There is also quite a bit of foul language, and a scene involving drug use. 18+

The DVD contains a 4 part making of featurette and previews of other Fox releases. The Blu Ray (Which I hope to own one day) contains the making of and other featurettes about the costuming and interviews with the stars.

The Runaways (2010)

It's 1975, and they're about to explode.

Directed and written by by Flora Sigismondi

Starring Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning, Michael Shannon, Scout Taylor Compton, Stella Maeve, Alia Shawkat, Johnny Lewis, Tatum O'Neil

Cherie Curie (Fanning) and Joan Jett (Stewart) want to create the first all girl rock group. They do this with the help of legendary music producer Kim Fowley (Shannon). After achieving huge success with Lita Ford (Compton) and Sandy West (Maeve) as the rock group The Runaways and their hit "Cherry Bomb," Curie develops a drug and fame addiction that could tear her family and band apart.

This is one of the best music biographies I've seen since Walk the Line. Stewart and Fanning are perfectly cast as Jett and Curie, not just playing them, but becoming them. There were times when I thought that they were using the real Runaways songs, while it was really the actresses singing. The movie gets hard to watch at times. Especially when it deals with Cherie's drug addiction. Fanning plays this part of Curie's life very realistically. I can't recommend this film more.

9/10

Rated R for language, drug use, and sexual content--All involving teens.

This movie is not for children. There is constant foul language, drug use, and a bit of nudity. I'd say 17+

The DVD contains a making of feature, a short promotional casting feature, and trailers for Chloe, Welcome to the Rileys (Starring Kristen Stewart) and The Bounty Hunter.

The Laramie Project (2002)

Written and directed by Moises Kaufaman
Starring: Dylan Baker, Steve Buscemi, Jeremy Davies, Clea DuVall, Peter Fonda, Camryn Manheim, Joshua Jackson, Laura Linney, Christina Ricci, Frances Sternhagen

In October 1998, Matthew Sheppard; a 21 year old gay man; was bound, beaten, and murdered. Later, a group of theatre students came to his small hometown of Laramie, Wyoming to write a play focusing on the townspeople's reaction. The play, and this film were compiled from over 200 interviews.

This is one of the most horrowing and realistic films I've ever watched. And one that I feel everybody needs to see at some point. While it's made for NBC counterpart "The Matthew Sheppard Story" aired the same night this premiered on HBO, this is the better film, because it focuses on the reactions of those involved in the town. The dramatizations were note perfect, and the documentary style of filming was really incredible. Made it even more realistic.

9/10

Not Rated

This film contains graphic descriptions of what happened the night Matthew was attacked. While the event wasn't depicted, you get the full visual image from the stories pieced together. There is also strong language, including derogitory terms for homosexuals. 15+

The DVD includes a commentary by the real theatre group who are depicted in the film.

Obsessed (2009)

All's fair when love is war.

Directed by Stephen Brill

Written by David Loughry

Starring Beyonce Knowles, Ali Larter, Idris Elba, Jerry O'Connell, Christine Lahti

Sharon (Knowles) and Derek (Elba) are happily married with a young son. One day, Derek finds that he has a new temp assistant named Lisa (Larter). What he doesn't realize is that Lisa always gets what she wants. And what she wants now is Derek. But she won't get him without a fight from Sharon.

I LOVE this movie. Ali Larter can get her crazy on with the best of them. Her fight with Beyonce at the end (It's not a spoiler. All the ads were centered around the Larter/Knowles brawl.) is one of the most well choreographed, and at times brutal fights I've seen in a movie. I believe that this will soon be my new guilty pleasure.

8/10

Rated PG-13 for sexual material including some suggestive dialogue, some violence, and thematic content.

There are some things to worry about with this film. The fight is pretty brutal. There is some language, and quite a bit of sexual material. 15+

The DVD contians trailers for other Sony releases, and a featurette about the fight scene.

Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)

Life is Precious

Directed by: Lee Daniels
Written by: Geoffrey Fletcher
Starring: Gabourey Sidibe, Mo'Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz

Precious (Sidibe) is 16, overweight, illiterate, and pregnant with her
second child by her father. Her mother (Mo'Nique) abuses and belittles
her every chance she gets. When Precious is sent to an alternative
school, she meets Ms. Rain (Patton), who teaches her that everybody is
worth something in the world, contrary to what her mother says.

This is quite possibly my new favorite movie of 2009. Very gritty,
realistic, and extremely hard to watch at times. Mo'Nique's
transformation to become Precious' mother has become one of my
favorite film performances. She earned that Oscar, and I'm glad she
won it. If you need a good cry, or just plain curious about the film
(like I was), check it out.

10/10

Rated R for child abuse including sexual assault, and pervasive language.

This is NOT for children. The language is very
rough and graphic, Precious is abused physically, emotionally, and
sexually. This film deals with heavy subject matter such as rape,
incest, and child abuse. 18+

Commentary by the director and writer, featurettes, a
deleted scene, and the trailers for this, and other films from studio
Lionsgate.

The Blind Side (2009)

Based on the extraordinary true story.

Written and directed by John Lee Hancock

Starring: Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quinton Aaron, Kathy Bates

Michael Oher (Aaron) is a homeless black teen in Memphis. One rainy night, he is taken in by Leigh Anne Touhy (Bullock). Little did either know they would both change each other's lives forever.

Not only is this my second favorite movie of last year, it is my favorite of Sandra Bullock's performances. When I watch it, I don't see Sandra. She becomes Leigh Anne. The same goes for the rest of the cast. I had no idea that country singer Tim McGraw played her husband until I saw his name in the ending credits. He was virtually unrecognizable in the film.

The story is wonderful, and the fact that it really happened makes it all the more better. By the ending credits each time I watched it, I was thinking about the journey each of the characters went on to become who they are now, and was in tears of happiness.

If you want a good cry one afternoon, you couldn't go wrong with this inspirational story.

10/10

Rated PG-13 for one scene involving brief violence, drug and sexual references.

This movie is perfect for the older members of the family. While it does contain some strong language, it's realistically used. The brief violence is a fist fight where one of those involved pulls a handgun. Michael's biological mother is a crack addict. I'd say about 13+

The DVD contains 4 deleted scenes and trailers for other Warner Bros releases.

Ten Inch Hero (2007)

Stop in, grab a sandwich, fall in love.

Written by: Betsy Moris

Directed by: David McKay

Starring: Elizabeth Harnois, Danneel Harris, Jensen Ackles, Clea DuVall, Sean Patrick Flannery, Alice Krige, John Doe

At Beach City Gril in Santa Cruz, California, the employees are 4 very close friends. Piper (Harnois) is an artist with a secret who is falling for single father Noah (Flannery); Tish (Harris) is a wild child at heart who's conquests number in the high double digits; Jen (DuVall) is a shy wallflower who has found possible companionship with a mysterious online buddy; and Priestly (Ackles) is the funky haired guy who dishes advice to everyone else. These 4 friends will find love in the most unexpected ways and places.

This is my favorite movie ever. Everything about it is perfect, from the cast, to the writing. Everyone who watches this can find a character to relate to. I can't figure out a reason why it took so long for this film to get released. I've shown it to many of my friends, and they all agree that it is a whole lot better than most of the crap that is released theatrically (see my review for Armored).

The movie has the right balance of funny, sweet, and dramatic. By the end, you will have run through every one of your emotions. I watch it on rainy days, or whenever I need a happy, pick me up cry.

10/10

While the film isn't rated, I'd say it would be a strong candidate for an R. There is infrequent strong language, 2 quite graphic sex scenes with full frontal nudity, and sexual references all around. (Like a scene where Piper and Tish teach Jen about "self satisfaction") 17+

The DVD includes a featurette on the music, a making of documentary, commentary, deleted scenes that could've easily been in the film, and the trailer. You can only get it at Blockbuter, but if you want to own it, it's quite cheap.