The first few...

Well, I am trying this project again. I haven't even gone back to read and see how far I got last time, or when it all fizzled out for me. However, I have been inspired lately by good movies, not to mention the ease of watching now with instant Netflix. So here I go again. Of course, its not a great start when I already watched the movies but didn't blog about them yet! Lets see if I can do better from here on out?

January 1-4, 2011: Big Eden (2000), Black Swan (2010), True Grit (2010), Inception (2010), Easy A (2010)

I will start with Big Eden http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0212815/ perhaps I will figure out how to really do links this time around, but for now, this is how I have to do it! I thought this was cute. Its a fictional story about a gay man who goes home to a small town in Montana to tend his ailing grandfather. I liked the characters, and have always loved Arye Gross. It was worth watching, even if it did have a little "lifetime-ish" feel to it. You know, the kind you watch during the holiday season?? Yeah, thats the kind. A little on the improbable side, yet leaves you with a feeling of hope that someday the world will be a better place.

Black Swan http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0947798/ Hm...I don't know if I can write a review of this yet, because two days later, I am still not quite sure what I thought of it! As I was watching it, I was thinking...this is a really great piece of art. I loved the dancing, I loved the acting, especially Natalie Portman. I loved the grittiness that Aronofsky usually displays in his movies (though I haven't really loved any of his films...) and I loved the idea of the story. That being said, I don't know that I feel it lived up to the hype. Would I see it again? Probably. Do I think its the best movie I have seen this year? Nope.

True Grit http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1403865/ Wow. I loved this. I expected to like it, because I haven't met a Coen brothers movie that I didn't at least like a little, and I do enjoy a good western from time to time. I didn't expect to love it. I definitely didn't expect to want to see it again right away. Something about this movie made my heart full, no matter how cheesy that sounds. The story is pretty much this: a 14 year old girl (Hailee Steinfeld) sets off to track down her fathers murderer. She enlists the help of an aging, sometimes drunk Rooster Cogburn (played by Jeff Bridges) who is a US Marshall, and adventures ensue. Matt Damon plays a cocky Texas Ranger, and one of my favorite boys Josh Brolin, plays the villain. I loved this...wait...did I say that already? Well I freaking did. It had a lot of heart, it had witty dialogue, it was very well acted and darn it....it brought a tear to my eye. I hope to see Hailee Steinfeld during awards season because she nailed it! Great stuff, can't wait for a repeat viewing.

Inception http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1375666/(this was a second viewing for me, so I won't really say much about it) I loved it. I loved it the first time around, and loved it equally the second. I didn't feel like my second time really made me convinced I had it all figured out, but I still liked it enough to see it again for at least a third time. I loved the plot, the acting, the characters and of course the amazing dream imagery. Very well done and in my opinion, deserving of any praise that gets thrown its way...

Easy A http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1282140/ (another second viewing for me) great stuff. The highly entertaining, and very beautiful Emma Stone, who rocks my world these days...plays a young, smart and witty girl who gets caught up in rumors about her sexual encounters...comedy/drama ensues. This movie made me laugh more than once, which is rare for me these days in these "chick flick" type of movie. I loved everything about this movie and I recommend it to everyone who loves a good sweet but smart comedy. Definitely one of my favorites of this past year.