Now that I've been watching movies again, here's a list of movies I've seen recently with a "Yes" to indicate that you should see it, and a "No" to indicate that you should not see it. This is similar to the Thumbs-Up/Thumbs-Down method patented by Ebert, except without the explanation. You'll just have to trust me.
Juno: Yes.
No Country for Old Men: Yes.
Control: Yes.
Darjeeling Limited: No. Unless you like Wes Anderson.
Protagonist: Yes.
American Gangster: Maybe you should and maybe you shouldn't. I saw this as the second movie in a double feature with No Country For Old Men, and it suffered in comparison. Thumbs-Sideways.
Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?: I haven't seen this, but I have a feeling I "just wouldn't get it."
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead: Yes.
2 Days in Paris: Surprisingly, Yes.
Bella: No. I took a film class with the director of this film at The University of Texas. I think he needs to retake that class!
Dan in Real Life: No. The title and trailer promise a premise where the main character is an advice columnist living in a bubble who thinks he knows it all, but then something happens that forces him to admit he doesn't have all the answers when he steps into reality. But the movie isn't like that at all. The only change he makes is to leave New Jersey for a luxurious cabin in Rhode Island where everyone seems to think they're in a sit-com. He actually leaves fake life for an even faker life.
Gone, Baby Gone: Not sure. My brother and dad loved it, but my mom hated it. So that's a Thumbs-Sideways.
Into the Wild: Yes.
King of California: Sure.
Lars and the Real Girl: Yes.
Michael Clayton: No. I know this got some positive notices, but I thought it was a real yawner. A tip-off for me is that they placed the climax of the movie - when George Clooney's car explodes - at the beginning of the movie as a flash forward to entice the audience with a promise of future excitement. By the time the climax comes, we know it's about to happen. True, we also know why, which we don't know in the beginning, but so what? Things start to get exciting in the last scene of the movie, but that's of course where the movie ends. Not enough twists and turns. Some call it more intellectual for that. I call it a travesty for that. Well, it's not that bad. But still. A travesty from start to finish.
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford: Yes.
3:10 to Yuma: Yes.
Grace is Gone: No.
The Savages: Yes.
Bourne Ultimatum: Sure.
Stardust: Yes.
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