The Twilight Saga: New Moon (PG-13)
"New Moon," the first sequel in the "Twilight" saga is only slightly better than the original, but it's also a moody, talky, sappy melodrama. Bella, the high-schooler human is thrown into a deep depression when Edward the vampire breaks up with her in the forest.
So what does she do? She starts spending time with Jacob the werewolf, played by a buff Taylor Lautner.
"New Moon" is all about a love triangle between a vampire, a human, and a werewolf, and in this sequel, Bella, played with ultimate angst by Kristen Stewart. She never smiles, only pouts, and at two hours and ten minutes, that's a lot of pouting.
"New Moon" is directed with a bucket of melancholy by Chris Weitz, and features a screenload of shirtless young men making all the girls in the audience swoon. And that's the point. The "Twilight" movies don't have to be great, they just have to work, making it an odd artistic phenomenon. And yes, "New Moon" does work, in an angst driven soap opera way.
The Messenger (R)
"The Messenger" is a rather remarkable and watchable film considering the subject matter.
Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson give Oscar level performances. They play dedicated soldiers assigned to the Army's Casualty Notification unit. Yes, they're the ones who deliver the worst news imaginable.
Now despite being a film about human beings in their saddest moments, "The Messenger" is also filled with heart and soul and compassion. This is the flip side to the combat film "The Hurt Locker." Both are two of the better films of the year.
The Blind Side (PG-13)
"The Blind Side" is a terrific film based on a true story and even better than I expected.
Sandra Bullock gives one of the best performances of her career playing a Memphis wife and mother who welcomes a homeless gentle giant into their home known only as Big Mike, and it's beautiful to watch.
Big Mike starts improving his grades and goes out for the high school football team, at the same time being embraced by the family and the father, also played-well by country-singer Tim McGraw. Initially, Big Mike has trouble learning the game, that is until mom gets involved.
"The Blind Side" is written and directed by John Lee Hancock, he directed "The Rookie" and "The Alamo." This is by far his best film and like all sports movies, it's more about life than it ever is about football.
"The Blind Side" is consistently honest, always entertaining, and never shies away from the fact that this true story is a genuine act of kindness for everyone involved, including Michael Oher, who went on to be a first round draft pick by the Baltimore Ravens. It's a rousing good film that says if you pay attention to the people around you, great things can happen.
