Movies 2010, Weeks 23 & 24

June 20-26, 2010
I watched a good amount of movies this week, then went to the film festival and watched even more!!
132) Google Baby. A documentary about the outsourcing of the surrogacy process.  It brought up many issues just in the presentation of the stories from different sides.  I wanted to know more about the egg donors and surrogates and less about the embryo traffickers.  Some of them were as skeevy as that sounds.  Some of the people in the process were really sympathetic characters.  The end was a let down.  Strong beginning but the story seemed to fall apart after awhile.  3.5 stars
133) The General.  Silent film from the AFI list about a train engineer rejected from serving in the C.onfederate army who loses the woman he loves.  Surprisingly entertaining.  They did a great job adding the music in recent years.  4 stars
134) A Nun's Story. Audrey Hepburn stars as a nun (a role for which she won a BAFTA) on her journey entering the convent.  I was intrigued from the outset.  Then around halfway through it slowed down.  But it picked back up and at the end of this 2 1/2 hour film, can you believe I wanted more??  Really enjoyed it.  4.5 stars
135) The Murder of Emmett Till. Documentary about the aforementioned.  Pretty riveting.  4.4 stars
136) Freedom Riders. Stanley Nelson documentary about the aforementioned.  AMAZING film!  You got to see some archival footage and photographs never seen before.  It was also interesting to hear more about the divides in the Civil Rights Movement often left out of film portrayals.  Really, really well done.  4.6 stars
137) The D.isappearance of McK.inley N.olan.  Documentary about a V.ietnam vet who went missing 2 weeks before he was supposed to come home and hasn't been heard from in 40 years.  After a sighting, his family goes to Vietnam to try to find him.  Great premise... I was not a fan of the execution.  I didn't believe anything most of the people in the film said.  I was disappointed by the ending(s).  3.3 stars
138) Men Who Swim.  A Swedish documentary about an all-male synchronized swimming team in Sweden.  Really funny and engaging from the outset.  Some of the seriousness that popped up was a bit jarring but ultimately a fun film that was fun to watch.  4 stars
139) The R.egretters.  A Swedish documentary about a conversation between 2 men who regret their s.ex change operations and now want to be men again.  Really interesting.  BUT the director was there and talked about how they had really directed this film which completely turned me off.  I knew it felt in some ways false but couldn't pinpoint it until then.  Without knowing that I would've left with a slightly better impression.  There were still some really amazing moments.  3.8 stars
140) Wo Ai Ni Mommy (I Love You Mommy).  This documentary about a Jewish family that adopts an 8-year-old girl from China who speaks no English won the US Feature award at the film festival.  Absolutely deserving.  The film was amazing.  You're on the difficult journey from the time they know she's coming to the family but the adoption is not complete, to the meeting and the adjustment period.  Great ending, moving film.  I really enjoyed it.  5 stars
141) The Invention of Dr. Nakamats.  HILARIOUS documentary about an eccentric 80-year-old Japanese inventor who holds the world record for most inventions at more than 3,300.  He also plans to eventually hold 6,000 patents when he dies at 144.  So funny.  4.3 stars

I also saw 8 shorts.  Of those, my favorites were "Maria's Way" about a cantankerous Spanish woman who counts the pilgrims who walk by her home; and "The Space You Leave" about parents with missing sons.  The former was funny, the latter was emotional & touching.

June 27- July 3, 2010
142) Woman of the Year.  Katherine Hepburn & Spencer Tracy star as a couple who work at the same paper and yet are torn apart by their work.  Interesting enough story with a ridiculous non-ending.  3.5 stars
143) The Good Guy.  Alexis Bleidel stars as a girl who becomes friends with her boyfriend's work protegé.  Pretty corny and ridiculous.  Rashan hated it way more than I did.  I was mildly amused by the bad.  3 stars
144) Death at a Funeral.  Martin Lawrence, Chris Rock, James Marsden (by far the best character) and everyone else in the whole world star a remake of the hilarious British comedy.  I don't want to be like everyone else and say the original was better... but speak truth.  It was.  This was too farcical, too out there, too stereotypical.  Yes, there were moments where I laughed... but there were more moments where I was wondering when it was going to end.  Stace HATED it.  2.9 stars
145) Valentine's Day. Predictable movie starring everyone you've ever heard of doing exactly what you thought they would.  The least predictable moments came after you were ready for the movie to go ahead and end.  Far too long at 2 hours.  Way too many main characters.  3.3 stars