Shutter Island

A Federal Marshall, dealing with his own ghosts and demons, investigates the disappearance of a patient from the infamous mental institute.

Well done Scorsese. Typically I find his films to be 45 minutes too long. This one was perfect, time wise. Granted the story itself is totally predictable, it was still really entertaining. There are a few holes, but over all I was pleasantly surprised. It was extremely well cast and the production design is outstanding.

The plot is thought provoking and again perhaps a tad foreseeable but still it was a fun psychological thriller.

*** Must See

Rated R (for language and thematic material)

Valentine's Day

A series of stories all merge together to tell the story of Valentine's Day.

I know my synopsis's are becoming more and more vague. I don't mean to be so cryptic, but I can't help it when there isn't much there to summarize to begin with. OK so perhaps I am being a tad hard on this particular movie. I went in expecting something similar to Love Actually or even He's Just Not That Into You and was so horrifically disappointed.

The set up alone took 45 minutes and by the time they had introduced all of the characters, not only had I figured out the entire story line, but I no longer cared. I totally love and appreciate the idea of multiple vignettes and having them all mesh together to make up one full length feature ala the two above mentioned flicks, however if you are going to do that then you need to do it quickly and do it well.

Not one of the story lines was original or endearing. The characters were annoying, cliché, and presumptuous. Also I saw this movie two days before Valentine's Day in a packed theatre full of twenty to thirty something girls -- I would dare to say they were all disenchanted, one actually stormed out in a huff, and several yelled out in objection through out the movie -- not a good sign.

* ½ Not-A-Chance

Rated PG-13 (for sexual material)

SUNDANCE January 21st - 31st 2010!!

This year was another spectacular year at the Sundance Film Festival. I along with 3 of my girlfriends made the annual pilgrimage back to Utah for the event. It was very cold and snowed most of the time which made it all the more fun. Including the drive up and down the canyon at 2:00 AM in a white out -- SNOW! I miss it.

OK so I saw many many movies, 34 to be exact. Due to my pitiful attempt at staying on top of my movie reviewing I have opted to give a bunch of micro-reviews, considering that several of the films that I saw will never come to light I figure no one will care to read all 38 reviews, so here you have it: the good, the bad and the ugly.

Daddy Longlegs *
Get Low ***
Animation Showcase **
Shorts Program IV ***
Happy Thank You More Please ***
Space Tourists **
Buried ***
Family Affair **
Splice *
Blue Valentine **
Imperialists Are Still Alive *
Welcome to the Rileys **
Jack Goes Boating **
To Catch a Dollar ***
I am Love *
New Low **
Dry Land **
Night Catches Us ***
8: The Mormon Proposition ***
Lovers of Hate **
Nowhere Boy ***
Abel **
Four Lions ***
The Romantics *
The Shock Doctorine ***
Howl **
The Freebie ***
Waiting For Superman ****
A Prophet ***
Please Give **
Hesher ***
The Company Men **
The Runaways **
Women Without Men **