Dallas Movie Screening

Dallas Movie Screenings started out as a mailing list on Yahoo Groups to facilitate finding free screening passes in the DFW area. When Yahoo Groups shut down, we are now posting screenings on our Facebook page at http://www..facebook.com/groups/dallasmoviescreenings
Earlier Reesa's Reviews can also be found at:http://www.moviegeekfeed.com

Logo art by Steve Cruz http://www.mfagallery.com

Website and Group Contact: dalscreenings@gmail.com

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Happy New Year


Hope everyone has a wonderful movie filled year. Of the 1147 released last year, I've seen only 244 of them. Here's my list of award picks for 2009. A list of my genre picks are at Movie Geek Feed Please share your best and worst in the comment section.



BEST PICTURE:
1. Avatar
2. Star Trek
3. Up In The Air
4. The Hurt Locker
5. Inglorious Basterds
6. 500 Days of Summer
7. Invictus
8. The Last Station
9. A Serious Man
10. Away We Go

DIRECTOR:
1. James Cameron - Avatar
2. Jason Reitman – Up In The Air
3. Kathryn Bigalow – The Hurt Locker
4. Clint Eastwood - Invictus
5. Quentin Tarantino – Inglorious Basterds

BEST ACTOR:
1. Jeff Bridges – Crazy Hearts
2. George Clooney – Up In The Air
3. Jeremy Renner – The Hurt Locker
4. Morgan Freeman - Invictus
5. Colin Firth – A Single Man

BEST ACTRESS:
1. Helen Mirren – The Last Station
2. Meryl Streep – Julie & Julia
3. Gabby Sidbe - Precious
4. Sandra Bullock – The Blind Side
5. Saoirse Ronan – Lovely Bones

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:
1. Christoph Waltz – Inglorious Basterds
2. Woody Harrelson – The Messenger
3. Christopher Plummer – The Last Station
4. Stanley Tucci – Lovely Bones
5. Christopher McCay – Me & Orson Wells

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:
1. Monique - Precious
2. Anna Kendrick – Up In The Air
3. Vera Farmiga – Up In The Air
4. Julianne Moore – A Single Man
5. Samantha Morton – The Messenger



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Coming Soon - Jan 2010

January 6
- Garbage Dreams (NY)
- Sweetgrass (NY)

January 8
- Bitch Slap (limited)
- Crazy on the Outside (limited)
- Daybreakers
- In Search of Memory (NY)
- Leap Year
- Pyaar Impossible (limited)
- Waiting for Armageddon (NY)
- Wonderful World (limited)
- Youth in Revolt

January 15

- 44 Inch Chest (LA; NY, DC, San Diego: January 29)
- The Book of Eli
- Fish Tank (limited)
- The Last Station (NY, LA)
- The Spy Next Door

January 22

- Creation (limited)
- Drool (LA)
- Extraordinary Measures
- The Girl on the Train (NY; LA release: February 19)
- Legion
- The Paranoids (NY)
- To Save a Life (limited)
- Tooth Fairy

January 29

- After Dark Horrorfest 4 - 8 Films to Die For (limited)
- Edge of Darkness
- North Face (NY, LA)
- Off and Running (limited)
- Saint John of Las Vegas (NY, LA; wider: February 12)
- When in Rome

January TBA

- Terribly Happy (NY, LA)


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Cruz Reviews New Address

Cruz Reviews is now Cruz Movie Reviews at http://www.cruzmoviereviews.com

Go check it out!


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Wednesday, December 30, 2009

A Single Man Review


A Single Man

Director: Tom Ford
Cast: Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Mathew Goode, Nicolas Hoult

George Falconer, a 52 year old British college professor is mourning the loss of his long time lover Jim. It’s Southern California in 1962. He’s not allowed at the funeral. He’s only told of the accident by a cousin a few days after it happened. Based on Christopher Isherwood’s novel of the same name, the story takes place in one day as George struggles with his grief and contemplates suicide.

George (Colin Firth) is neat, tidy, and extremely organized. His suits are impeccable; his shirts in his drawers are folded neat and pressed from the dry cleaners. He says he doesn’t become George until he has washed and dressed to present himself to the world. He has lived with his architect partner for 16 years in a mostly glassed walled house in the suburbs. Their neighbors considered them “light in the loafers”. If you’ve seen Milk, you would know that gay couples could not have enjoyed the openness of a relationship as they do today. He can’t sleep and moves through his day with the regularity of habit. We follow him through his routine while he has these chance encounters with neighbors, students, a guy trying to pick him up at the liquor store and buying bullets for his gun. His friend Charley (Julianne Moore) has invited him to dinner and drinks which he accepts. Before he goes he lays out all his things he emptied out of his safety deposit box. His life insurance policies, notes to his friends, a nice suit and instructions on how to knot his tie. He becomes frustrated on where and how to shoot himself without making a horrible mess. He ends up going to Charley’s house where she has dolled herself up perhaps trying to seduce her one time lover. Afterwards George ends up going back to the bar where he first met Jim and encounters Kenny (Nicolas Hoult) one his students who empowered by his earlier class regarding confronting your fears had admitted stalking George. His youth and puppy dog hero worship intrigues George who spontaneously joins Kenny in a swim in the ocean. When they return to his house, George seems to have come to a decision and disposes of his letters. The ending which I will not spoil, stays true to the book but will still come as a shock and feel completely unfair.

Directed and written for the screen by fashion designer Tom Ford, who financed this project on his own for his directorial debut. It is beautifully photographed in tinted hues, focusing on each frame like a Vogue magazine layout. The 60’s never looked so good. George’s dreams of drowning are enveloped in sadness as Ford’s camera lingers on the male form as an art piece. Colin Firth gives a sensitive nuanced performance, holding tight while he relives the memories of his relationship with Jim. After years of seeing Firth romp in Mama Mia and Bridget Jones, it’s wonderful to see him play such an inward character. Julianne Moore never ceases to amaze. She’s such a fearless actress who is not afraid to bare all those freckles or her age. While this movie shows promise for Ford’s future as a director, it’s moody and melancholy. It’s only claim to fame will be the award attention given to Colin Firth this year.
Review by: Reesa


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Sunday, December 27, 2009

Movies Scheduled for the Week of 12/27/09 - 1/2/10

Hope everyone had a nice holiday! Just want to let everyone know the Dallas Movie Screening now has a new front door.

http://www.dallasmoviescreenings.com/

You still have to join the group here at Yahoo, but this will be our "face". This is also a place where you can comment on the moderator posts listed there. If you have something particular to add, just write to one of the moderators, and we will put it up there for you. Everyone is welcome to add their two cents, reviews and whatever without having to join Facebook or MySpace. We hope you enjoy the new domain, and we welcome your feedback.

Amazing! Not one movie listed for the entire week! Hopefully there will be some last minute offerings, so keep an eye on your list mail.

Once more the Dallas Observer pass offer listed in their weekly was a bust. The DO rep showed up at the store and handed out only 10 of the ROE's an hour before the ad time. So just keep in this mind when going to fetch any of their passes. 50/50 chance of success.

December 27, 2009 - January 2, 2010


Sun
12/27

Mon
12/28

Tue
12/29

Wed
12/30

Thu
12/31

Fri
1/1

All Day
New Years Day
In front of the TV watching football

Sat
1/2


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Nine Review


Nine

Director: Rob Marshall
Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Judi Dench, Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz, Nicole Kidman, Fergie, Kate Hudson

In 1965 Guido Contini is a famed director starting a new movie called Italia. His past movies are known for interpreting the way world sees Italy and how Italians sees themselves. The press, the film crew, and the star of the movie are all waiting in anticipation to start shooting. Unfortunately Contini is stressed as he doesn’t have a script or any firm ideas of what he’s going to do.

Adaptated from Federico Fellini's autobiographical film , started as a Tony Award winning musical play staring Raul Julia and later Antonio Banderas as Contini. Banderas was considered for the film at one point. This version directed by Rob Marshall (Chicago) is handsomely photographed with great period sets, makeup and costumes.

Daniel Day Lewis surprisingly sings as Guido as he contemplates the women in his life that love him. His dead mother (Sophia Loren) who he hallucinates giving him advice, his costume director Lili (Judy Dench), his wife Luisa (Marion Cotillard), his lover Carla (Penélope Cruz), Vogue reporter Stephanie (Kate Hudson), his muse and star his movie Claudia (Nicole Kidman), and Saraghina (Fergie), the prostitute he encountered as a child. I had thought the number Nine referred to the number of women in Guido’s life, but Maury Yeston who wrote the music and lyrics, explained that it was taken from the body of work created by Fellini, and that if you add music to ,”it’s like a half a number more.”

Guido becoming increasingly overcome with the demands of everyone around him runs out of a press conference. He hides at a spa near Venice. He calls his wife, but toys with her coming down. Instead he calls his mistress who he houses in some crummy hotel near the train station. His producer finds out where he is and brings the movie crew down to work. Lili is creating costumes for a movie that has no plot or time frame, Claudia signs on to the movie despite not having seen the script which everyone keeps promising to send, his wife shows up at the spa and encounters the mistress. All the while Guido is chain smoking and unraveling.

Each of the women get a big musical number as if Guido’s realizing it from on his half finished movie set. The centerpiece is Kate Hudson’s go-go style “Cinema Italiano” number. Judi Dench shows her old school movie roots in a “Folies Bergère” stage show. The best surprise belongs to Penélope Cruz’s seductive performance "A Call from the Vatican".

As good and as interesting each little piece presented, the whole package is lacking in substance and cohesiveness. Daniel Day Lewis is a method actor, and he studied Italian for this role which he spoke consistently when not working. But he was so serious and depressing. It begs to wonder if Banderas would have lightened up the movie despite his physical vertical challenges next to Nicole Kidman.
Review by: Reesa


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Sherlock Holmes Review


Sherlock Holmes

Director: Guy Ritchie
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Mark Strong, Rachel McAdams

London in 1891 is full of unabated industry. It’s dirty, dingy and most likely just as odorous. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson race through the streets in carriages to arrive just in time to stop Lord Blackwell dressed in a ritualistic cloak perform a human sacrifice. He’s put in custody of Scotland Yard and sentence to hang. Dr. Watson confirms his death. But now Lord Blackwell has escaped from his crypt.

Directory Guy Ritchie has put a different spin in this version of the often portrayed crime sleuth and his trusty sidekick. Gone are the earflap cap and Meacham pipe of Basil Rathbone. Dr. Watson is no longer the bumbling assistant. Robert Downey Jr, and Jude Law give the combo a great chemistry and friendship, equal in both wisecracking, fighting and intelligence. Watson is well groomed and organized but with a penchant for gambling. Holmes engages in boxing for money, not big on personal hygiene, and doing questionable experiments on Dr. Watson’s dog.

Holmes and Watson discover that Blackwood (Mark Strong) is involved with a secret society of government leaders dabbling in occult dark magic whose aim is control the world. Blackwell is leading a nefarious plot that involves a mechanical device and parliament. Irene (Rachel MacAdams), the only woman who has fooled Holmes in the past has been hired to pursue Holmes in an attempt to steal the device. Holmes must solve the mystery of Lord Blackwell’s rise from the dead, while also contending with the new woman in Dr. Watson’s life. Watson is moving from their apartment, and aims to propose to Mary Marstan despite Holmes’s subtle attempts to sabotage his plans. He also must save Watson’s reputation from declaring Blackwell’s death after hanging.

The authenticity of the sets and costumes bring you closer to what London must have been like in those times. The lighting and dark shadow enhances the rainy atmosphere of city highlighting the dirt and grime of the industrial plumes. The camera follows the clues like a CSI episode that Holmes will interpret by end of the movie. The pace is fast, full of explosions, fighting and clever dialogue that in like most Guy Ritchie movies is often hard to decipher. This will be a good DVD to watch several times to find new things you missed the first time around.
Review by: Reesa


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Friday, December 25, 2009

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Crazy Heart Review


Crazy Heart

Cast: Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Robert Duvall, Colin Farrell
Writer/Director: Scott Cooper

Bad Blake is 57 and a onetime country music legend reduced to playing remote towns with local pickup bands in dicey venues like bowling alleys. He’s not allowed to put his bar bill on his artist tab thanks to his manager’s contracts. Which is a good thing because Bad Blake is a hard drinking, chain smoking, has been musician living off his past hits. He can’t even finish a set without stumbling outside to hurl. He takes better care of his guitar than he takes care of himself.

Blake plays his old tried and true sets for fans that are blissfully unaware of his drunken mess of a life. He’s living out of his old beat up car driving all around the Southwest. His manager wants him to get back to writing some new material for his former backup singer Tommy Sweet who is now a big slick modern C&W star. Blake insists he should do his own album, but his reputation and creative slump keep the record labels at bay.

While playing a gig in Santa Fe, he meets Jean Craddock (Maggie Gyllenhaal) a reporter wanting to do a story on him. He is attracted to her as she is not the usual one night stand drunken floozies that populate his life. Jean is charmed, but cautious as she’s coming out of bad relationship and has a 4 year old son to consider. But Blake who had been married four times previously is charismatic, talented and wins her despite his drinking and poor hygiene. She knows what she is getting into, but the fangirl in her is floored when Bad writes a song while lying in her bed.

Jeff Bridges inhabits Bad Blake like well worn cowboy boots. You can practically smell the booze radiating in those close up shots of Bad passing out on the floor in his BVD’s.
The part of the incorrigible musician wrecking havoc on the lives around them, had been done before, but in Bridges hands you feel you are watching something new. Blake is a lone wolf; he doesn’t keep any ties despite his attempts to forge one with Jean and her son. He’s not sober enough to realize this until it’s too late.

Crazy Heart is from a 1987 book by Thomas Cobb. Written and director by first-time filmmaker Scott Cooper with music by T Bone Burnett and Stephen Burton. Jeff Bridges performs the original material full of twang and heart as if was truly composed by Bad Blake. Colin Farrell turns up in a cameo role of Tommy Sweet who turns out to be different than what one expects after Bad’s constant grousing on his former protégé. The duet they perform is a surprise and a delight. The soundtrack also features music by legends Waylon Jennings, Buck Owens, Kitty Wells, George Jones, Lightin’ Hopkins, Townes Van Zandt and others.

This is a sparse laid back tale of a used up beaten down but immensely talented performer that that is enhanced due to Jeff Bridges sensitive and unflinching portrayal. He deserves the accolades that will certainly be bestowed come awards season.
Review by: Reesa




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Sunday, December 20, 2009

MoviesThis Week

Only a few more days til Christmas as my daughter likes to remind me daily. All
our movies are piled up on one day. Hopefully someone will sneak more in to
fill out the week. If I don't see you this week, y'all have a happy holiday!

December 20 - 26, 2009

Sun
12/20

Mon
12/21

7:30 pm
Sherlock Holmes
AMC Northpark

7:30 pm
Crazy Heart
The Angelika Dallas

7:30 pm
It's Complicated
Studio Movie Grill Dallas

Tue
12/22

Wed
12/23

10:00 pm
HORROR REMIX: YOU BETTER WATCH OUT
Studio Movie Grill Addison

Thu
12/24

Fri
12/25

All Day
Christmas Day
Home

Sat
12/26


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