A Monkey Movie Report

A financially strapped elder care lawyer and wrestling coach takes some ethically challenged steps to provide financial security for his family and in the process he gains a wrestling prodigy foster son, the guardianship of an elderly ward, and gets involved in the life of a substance abuser who wants a steady flow of cash. The lawyer is basically a good guy who makes a wrong decision that nearly spirals out of control and nearly ruins all he's built.

Once again Paul Giamatti turns in a fine performance. His put upon portrayal of this nearly good character is spot on. He's everyman and the schlub you can't help but love and root for. He's all of us who try to do the decent thing no matter what and who pay the price when we for once try to take a shortcut. For my money he's one of the best actors of our time.

Amy Ryan is stellar as his wife who slowly accepts the new kid in her home. Bobby Cannavale's dickish sidekick friend of Giamatti's character is a standout as well. Alex Shaffer as the knocked around wrestling prodigy is a new talent to watch out for, at times he's a blank canvass for the other older characters to react to but at other times he's a mass of teen angst waiting to explode. My favorite Kiwi, Melanie Lynskey, is super as the kid's cash hungry mother.

All in all I really loved this fine character driven film. It's small in scale and scope but it tells a universal story about struggles we've all been through. Highly recommended.

A Monkey movie review and an appreciation

Pineapple Express is a very funny stoner action movie. It's from the Judd Apatow school of film comedies so you know it's going to be funny and it is, it's very funny in parts. The scenes early in the film where Seth Rogan goes to buy weed from and hanging out with his dealer reminded me of when I used to buy weed and hang out with my dealer back in the early and mid '80's.

Everyone in the film is likable, even the bad guys because they are so over the top stupidly bad. Don't expect profound cinematic truth or any heavy messages from this movie, but do expect laughs and a surprisingly high body count.

Highly recommended, pun intended.

Heavenly Creatures is one of my favorite films of all time. It's one of those films I watch at least once a year every year. I'm watching it again, I saw the first hour last night and I'll finish it tomorrow night, and every time I see it I notice or appreciate something new about it. Watching it this time around has given me a new appreciation for the Kate Winslet and Melanie Lynskey. They were but mere girls when they made this film but both of them created such vivid believable characters that it astounds me. Both of them had such little acting experience under their belts but both of them blow all the adult actors away in this movie, performance wise. To watch Lynskey look at Winslet with such adoration in her eyes as their friendship progresses is a thing of beauty, it's some of the finest acting ever captured on film.

If you've never seen this film, you need to see it at least once. It's a minor masterpiece and to me, it's the film that cemented Peter Jackson's reputation as a great film director. I highly recommend it.