Moneyball

Billy Beane is the General Manager for the Oakland A's.  Faced with having lost his best players and having no money to buy new ones, he sets out to change the game.  With the help of a young economics graduate he tries to put together a championship team by buying runs, not players.

This was based on a true story and it's about Sports so already it has everything going for it.  What I wasn't expecting was the fact that this movie is truly character driven, it is not a comedy.  Keep that in mind if you find it running a tad long.

I absolutely loved this.  The cast was perfect.  Brad Pitt, the Robert Redford clone, was incredible.  Jonah Hill, is able to reign in his over the top awkwardness just enough, that you truly believe he is a bean counter.  Not to mention Phillip Seymour Hoffman, so impressive, even more so that he took such a small role and really ran with it.

Rocky, Rudy, Miracle, The Natural, Hoosiers, A League of their Own,  all some of my all time favorites. This could be up there. I don't want to reveal too much, but I will say this,  the ending, which baseball fans are all too familiar with, makes this story all the more great.

*** 1/2 Oscar Buzz


Rated PG-13 (for language)

I Don't Know How She Does It

Kate is a successful financial analyst, happily married, and the mother of two.  She seems to have it all but when she is offered a high profile account at her firm, her job takes center stage and she struggles to keep all the pieces together.

I have to admit that I actually liked this.  Granted, I went in with extremely low expectations.  I was prepared for Sex and The City 3, which, who are we kidding,  it kind of was... however truth be told it is by far the best episode in that trilogy.

You all know that Sarah Jessica Parker is capable of playing only one role, that of herself, well it actually worked here.  The dialogue is witty and smart.  The characters are funny and engaging.  The plot was predictable and a tad trite,  but hey, two out of three isn't too bad.  OK that is a blatant lie, but I laughed enough that I am willing to overlook the mundane storyline.

This is not something that anyone needs to rush out and see, but if one does see it you will be pleasantly surprised and delightfully entertained.

** 1/2 Rentable


Rated PG-13 (for sexual references and language)

The Debt

Three young spies cross into East Germany in the 60's to track down a Nazi war criminal.  Their heroic deeds are published in a book in the late 90's.  As the book gains notoriety the three spies must relive as well as come to terms with their past.

I liked this.  It was a fun espionage thriller, albeit a tad predictable.  It is also a smidgen confused in its use of language and subtitles as the characters randomly slip in and out of different languages.

The casting is great, particularly the group in the 60's.  They were much more engaging than their older counterparts. The ending,  I found to be slightly disjointed and unfulfilling.  Nevertheless,  it was still entertaining.

** 1/2  Not a Must See -- but theatre worthy


Rated R (for violence and language)