FilmFlashes.com Blog

Bored married couple (Steve Carell & Tina Fey) do their weekly date night with wild and crazy results after they are mistaken for a husband and wife team that has stolen “mob” money.  This contrived concoction does have its sweet spot as “issues” arise and are resolved between the believable husband and wife.

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While a bounty hunter (Gerard Butler) is chasing his ex-wife (Jennifer Aniston) on a warrant, she is in hot pursuit of a journalistic scoop implicating bad cops in this lame comedy.

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Is it possible that a really hot event planner (Alice Eve) could fall for a scrawny TSA security screener (Jay Baruchel) after a brief encounter at the Pittsburgh airport?

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Pedro Almodovar once again charms and beguiles audiences with his intriguing characters (Penelope Cruz, Lluis Homar, Blanca Portillo, José Luis Gómez, Rubén Ochandiano) and finely layered storyline that focuses on a blind writer/director (Homar) who must address his past in order to move on with his life.

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Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin and some savory culinary creations more than compensate for a waffling story line (ex-spouses having an affair) that generates laughs in spite of it’s composition.

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A roving employee terminator Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) is forced to change his flight patterns when his company mandates his mentoring of a new ivy league junior executive Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick) just as he’s beginning to enjoy the company of another frequent flyer   Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga).

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Audiences might have gained a better appreciation of regal routines with a bit more detail and historical perspective.  However the majestic costuming, noble venues, and striking characters (notably Emily Blunt as Victoria and Rupert Friend as Albert) allowed audiences to get a flavor for the period.

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  A baritoned narrator chronicles 500 days in the life of aspiring architect, current day greeting card writer, Tom Hanson (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and the object of his affection, Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel).

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A hard-hearted editor (Sandra Bullock) engages her hard-working assistant (Ryan Reynolds) to put in overtime on a scheme that will prevent her deportation to her native Canada.  While the plot holds few surprises, a warm emotive cast boosts ratings and happy feelings throughout (Betty White, Mary Steenburgen, Craig T Nelson, Oscar Nunez).

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An easygoing real estate agent (Paul Rudd) feels compelled to find a best friend when his fiancee (Rashida Jones) notices that he doesn’t have any male friends to fill the role of “best man” at their upcoming wedding.  What could have been sappy, turns out to be sweet and sassy thanks to the characters’ charisma and [...]

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Compatible star-power (Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck, Drew Barrymore, Kevin Connolly, Scarlett Johansson, Ginnifer Goodwin, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Connelly, and  Justin Long) helps to propel the misguided relationships in this introspective narrated comedy.

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An amusing romantic comedy that links an engaging “shopaholic” (Isla Fisher) with a charming magazine editor (Hugh Dancy) disintegrates into drivel faster than you can say “maxed out”.

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Kate Winslet and Leonardo DeCaprio play passionate against  volatile, as a Connecticut couple raising two young children in the mid 1950’s, frustrated by their entrappment in suberbia.  Sam Mendes (Winslet’s husband) directs the reunited stars (from the 1997 film ”Titanic”) in Justin Haythe’s adaptation of the 1961 novel by Richard Yates.
 
 

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Harvey Shine, an under-appreciated jingle writer (Dustin Hoffman) arrives in London for his daughter’s wedding, only to learn that his role as “father of the bride” has been usurped by his ex-wife’s (Kathy Baker) new husband (James Brolin). A chance meeting with an unlucky-at-love Brit (Emma Thompson) rekindles a spark in Harvey, [...]

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Screenwriters, Eric Roth and Robin Swicord bring to life this magical adaptation from the F. Scott Fitzgerald story about a man who ages backwards. Director, David Fincher guides the cast, including Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Taraji P. Henson, Tilda Swinton, Jason Flemyng, Elias Koteas and Julia Ormond, through Benjamin Button’s (Brad Pitt) lifetime of [...]

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 Will Smith delivers an incredible performance as a suicidal man who uses his IRS credentials to scrutinize seven perspective beneficiaries, including Woody Harrelson and Rosario Dawson.   To reveal more detail would detract from the drama and intrigue that keeps you captivated.

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Sweeping cinematography and scintilating chemisty between mega stars, Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman created the potential for a great pre-WWII, Aussi adventure.  However Baz Luhrmann’s unfocused presentation of cattle herds, Abornigines mystique, and rancher’s greed never draws audiences in, let alone keeps you engrossed for the lengthy (close to 3 hours) epic.

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Is there a chance for young love to survive when high school senior, Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) is smitten, but not bitten by her pale, brooding classmate (Robert Pattinson)?  This vampire chick flick, based upon Stephenie Meyer’s novels aimed at teen girls hits the mark with those dying for an uncommon take on mindless romance. [...]

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The Vuillards come together for the Christmas holiday to dig up old sibling rivalries, exhibit their psychosis, and support their mother (Catherine Deneuve) in her search for a bone marrow transplant. Depending upon your taste for French cinema, you will either become enthralled with the personalities and mannerism of the group surrounding [...]

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As Jamal Malik (Dev Patel), a “slumdog” from Mumbai is poised to win 20 million rupees on India’s version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” police officers (Saurabh Shukla and Irfan Khan) launch into a brutal interrogation based on suspicions that Jamal is cheating. Director Danny Boyle pairs up with Loveleen Tandan [...]

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Platonic roommates Zack (Seth Rogen) and Miri (Elizabeth Banks) are behind on rent and utilities and determine that producing a porn video is the best way to raise cash quickly. Depending upon your tolerance for toilet humor, you’ll find more than a few laughs in Kevin Smith’s new comedy that mixes business, friendship, fun, [...]

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Young Lily Owens (Dakota Fanning) escapes from her widowed father’s (Paul Bettany) South Carolina peach farm with her housekeeper (Jennifer Hudson) in tow, and makes a beeline across the state where she believes her mother had a connection.  They find lodging with the Boatwright sisters (Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys, & Sophie Okonedo), whose revelations and [...]

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Aunt Viv’s (Jamie Lee Curtis) pampered pooch, Chloe (voice of Drew Barrymore) gets a reality check when she strays South of the Border and mixes with mixed-breeds. It’s easy to suspend disbelief with excellent dog trainers guiding the facial expressions and body language matched to sound bites from the likes of Barrymore, Andy Garcia, [...]

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Not even the chemistry match between Richard Gere and Diane Lane can salvage this poorly scripted downer.
Please share your opinion regarding Film Flashes movie review of Nights in Rodanthe.

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A curmudgeonly dentist (Ricky Gervais) must start socializing in order to halt a hoard of not-quite-dead people who are hounding him for help. While the presentation is not the most clever or engaging you’ve ever seen, Ricky Gervais is perfect for the part and interacting with Greg Kinnear and Tea Leoni keeps you laughing, [...]

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Sensual Manhattan college professor (Ben Kingsley) explores his psyche and mortality when he hooks up with one of his students (Penélope Cruz). Isabel Coixet directs her stars with a heavy hand, lightening up with well placed supporting characters (Dennis Hopper and Patricia Clarkson) in this personal drama based upon Philip Roth’s novel, The Dying [...]

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With attractive characters Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem, Scarlett Johansson, and Rebecca Hall entwined in a beautiful romantic city (Barcelona), speaking Woody Allen’s witty sarcasm…who needs a storyline
Please share your opinion regarding Film Flashes movie review of Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

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Extra special effects highlight the battle between an ancient warlord (Jet Li) awakened from the dead and modern day adventurers (Brendan Fraser, Luke Ford, Maria Bello, John Hannah) trying to remedy historical research gone out of bounds. Throw in a few romantic interludes, and you’ve got a sequel worth watching.
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Meryl Streep truly is the “dancing queen” in the film version of the popular musical. Flamboyant gal pals (Julie Walters and Christine Baranski), a lovely daughter (Amanda Seyfried) about to be married on a breathtaking Greek Island, three possible dads (Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth & Stellan Skarsgård) invited to give the bride away, and an [...]

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A sexy stock broker (Cameron Diaz) and a good-looking guy (Ashton Kutcher) find themselves thrown together after a night of drunken bingeing in Las Vegas.
Please share your opinion regarding Film Flashes movie review of What Happens in Vegas.

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When a play-the-field kind of guy’s (Patrick Demp) best gal pal (Michelle Monaghan) goes off to Scotland, he realizes the attraction may be more than friendship. Charismatic characters and more than a few funny lines make this unoriginal concept acceptable light entertainment.
Please share your opinion regarding Film Flashes movie review of Made [...]

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Writer, Jason Segel creates continuous comedy when he casts himself in the lead role as Peter Bretter, a musician who flies to Hawaii after being dumped by his TV actress girlfriend (Kristen Bell), only to find that she is booked at the same hotel with her new boyfriend.
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A middle-aged, unemployed governess (Frances McDormand) seizes a job “opportunity” with a glamorous performer (Amy Adams) who has two, too many boyfriends (Lee Pace, Tom Payne, Mark Strong). The proper Miss Pettigrew jumps out of character to assist her new found friend/employer and in the process delights audiences with this late [...]

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Lebanese director, Nadine Labaki also stars in this Beirut version of “Barber Shop” focusing on the personal problems challenging a group of women who work or patronize her salon.
Please share your opinion regarding Film Flashes movie review of Caramel .

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A storybook princess (Amy Adams) reconsiders her future with prince charming (James Marsden) and his step-mother (Susan Sarandon) when she encounters a Manhattan lawyer (Patrick Dempsey) and his adorable daughter (Rachel Covey). Disney creates just the right mix of animation, singing, dancing, and storyline to please adults and children alike.
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A dad (Ryan Reynolds) on the verge of divorce humors his precocious daughter (Abigail Breslin) with the story of how he met her mother … with a slight twist. He changes all the names and a few facts and leaves us all guessing until the end who winds up with whom. [...]

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Katherine Heigl loves to help and participate in the weddings of friends and family, until her sister asks her to help plan her wedding to the man that Heigl has fallen for. It’s a cute enough romantic comedy as long as you don’t know too much in advance and expectations are elementary.
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A shy young Chinese girl (Wei Tang) transforms herself into a sophisticated insider during the World War II Japanese occupation of Shanghai. Ang Lee’s lengthy political piece, also featuring Tony Leung Chiu Wai and Joan Chen lightens up on the heavy drama only occasionally to showcase explicit sex scenes that leave nothing to the [...]

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A jealous young girl (Saoirse Ronan) ruins her sister’s (Keira Knightley) happiness when she accuses a suitor (James McAvoy) of a crime he did not commit. Flash backs, set during WWII envelope audiences in confusing scenarios and while there is a moving interview/explanation delivered by Vanessa Redgrave, it comes too late to rescue viewers [...]

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Lars (Ryan Gosling) is an endearingly dysfunctinal guy who deals with everyone’s insistance that he socialize, by befriending a life size blow-up doll that he purchases on the internet. His brother (Paul Schneider), sister-in-law (Emily Mortimer), the local doctor (Patricia Clarkson), and the homey townsfolk do their part to help “normalize” [...]

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