Mission: Impossible III

It's all about the rhythm and timing with this film and it is spot on. J.J. Abrams and his writing team have crafted a thriller with just the right amount of plot and stunts. And those stunts are stunning. They occur at just the right intervals and are thrilling to watch. Love Tom Cruise doing what he does best... purse lips, moisten eyes, look smoldering. You go Tom! Phillip Seymour Hoffman is frightening as the angry arms dealer. Loved that he did not camp up the part as some other actors might have done. Laurence Fishburne also deserves a notice in a role that had the audience laughing regularly even though he plays the annoying by the book administrator. Surprised to see the blatant dig at the Bush Administration's war policy near the end. Entertainment and politics do mix!
Favorite moment: The opening sequence.
73

Little Miss Sunshine

Very very nice! Though this film of family dysfunction is flawed it does not matter because the cast is so great. Steve Carell, Toni Collete, Alan Arkin, Greg Kinnear, Abigail Breslin, and Paul Dano are a great ensemble. I loved watching them all work together and try to work through their vices, dreams and hangups. The humor and sadness are nicely balanced as they hit the road to support their youngest member. The ending was very funny though a bit too Napoleon Dynamite for me. I'm sure there are plenty of dance as redemption film moments I am overlooking but that's the most recent one in my memory.
Favorite moment: Grandpa comforting Olive as she expresses her fears about losing.
72

Scoop

Damn Woody Allen is funny! This renaissance in his filmmaking is wonderful. Is it Scarlett Johansson or is it London or maybe that combo? Match Point was a terrific thriller and this is a terrific comedy. The story takes places in a slightly hyper reality where everyone is uber witty and/or charming. Allen and Johansson make a great pair of detectives as they try to followup on ghost Ian McShane's tip about the Tarot Killer. McShane is very funny also... a far cry from his character in Sexy Beast. Hugh Jackman is perfect as usual.... how can he be so multi-talented? Everyone plays their part with the comedic lightness necessary for such a silly story. Allen also continues to highlight amazing London and country homes and architecture. Wow! Thanks for taking me inside homes I would never hace seen! The story is wonderfully silly and had me laughing outloud throughout the feature.
Favorite moment: Woody's return from the lounge after the drowning. Ha!
71

Miami Vice

A very interesting remake of a show that is stuck in its own time. Michael Mann updates the MV motif and pays homage to the old show. Though I found the plot very confusing I enjoyed going along for the ride. I enjoyed Mann's cinematic choice of shooting this film in dark dark places. The characters are practically allergic to direct sunlight so we see them for the most part outside at night or inside during the day. Maybe cliche but it makes for some interesting shots and contrasts. The two leads work well together and the villains are villainous. An "Out of Sight" like subplot surfaces as the film also acts as a travelogue with visits to South America and Cuba.
Favorite moment: Crockett and his drug lord gal pal waiting to say goodbye.
70

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

Not as funny as Anchorman but still chock full of laughs. Really enjoyed Will Ferrell's sincerity as the Nascar racer who falls on hard times basically due to the plot needing him to fall on hard times so we can get some hard laughs. This is one of the flaws of the film. Basically since it's Ricky vs the world we lose some of the opportunities to see him go off on a single foil. That said it still made me laugh. Especially with Ricky's prayers to Baby Jesus. The product placement in the film is right in step with Nascar's product whoring. Not sure if this is the film Nascar expected to see when they agreed to help with its production.
69

Occupation: Dreamland

Very interesting documentary film from 2005 in which the viewer gets to hang out with a group of soldiers stationed in Fallujah before the big battle. The filmmakers allow the soldiers to tell their own stories and the viewer gets to see them during their goofiest and their scariest moments. I liked this film and appreciated hearing how some soldiers are just as confused as I am about what the war is really about. I also enjoyed the honesty of the soldiers who could care less about politics and just want to fight. It also has some great footage of the soldiers interacting with Iraqis and the resulting conversations highlight the impact that cultural ignorance has on the occupation. A followup film is in the making about the Battle of Falluja and the DVD contains some intense footage from the that.
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