for lack of anything better to yak about tonight & as if I don't have 70 exams and compositions to grade...

Recent off-the-top-of-my-head and in-no-particular-order link-heavy flick report! This is mostly dvd-viewing, and I'm borrowing the Netflix rating system:
* = hated it
** = didn't like it
*** = liked it
**** = really liked it
***** = it was stupendous or sim.

So here goes...

Friends with Money ** Despite the fact that this is one of the few times where Jennifer Aniston didn't distract the heck out of me herself, and despite an otherwise great cast of women (plus UK hottie Jason Isaacs) I didn't find this nearly as appealing as Nicole Holofcener's former offerings, Lovely & Amazing and Walking and Talking, both of which I loved. The acting is solid but the story will only be interesting if you like watching unbelievably rich (aside from the JA character and she seems to be well on her way to a better financial sphere towards the end w/o much effort on her part I might add) women with dream jobs and housekeepers whine about how bad their lives are for various reasons.... (Well it's no surprise to most of you when my anti-affluence snobism rears its head.) Frances McDormand's character is pretty funny, tho, and I found some of her situation a bit more relatable than the others despite her economic status. As long as I'm namedropping and all link-happy, Catherine Keener, much tho I love her, did pretty much her most familiar schtick here, which works great and is why she rocks, but still. (If you want to love her in a new light where she rocked equally, see Capote if you haven' t yet.) As for Joan Cusack, I felt like she wasn't given enough to chew on here.

The Great New Wonderful *** Poignant, really intriguing, occasionally baffling, and finally hopeful and renewing. Maggie Gyllenhaal is great of course and you'll recognize other faces here, like the brief glimpse of wondeful Edie Falco, but the story's the thing.

Sorry, Haters ***** Goes from disturbing to cringe-y to truly horrifying. And yet, yes, 5 stars. On her absolute worst day, Robin Wright Penn can make you completely forget there's an actress behind whatever she's doing onscreen... and believe me this is far from her worst day. (When is this woman going to get an Oscar? She's worthy of it here, tho I daresay it's not exactly Academy material...)

Lonesome Jim *** I think I missed something story-wise as it didn't really grab me but a couple of the characters were very worth being around for a while, esp. the one played by Mary Kay Place (as usual). Plus I recently realized I have always gotten a huge kick out of Kevin Corrigan.

Charles II: The Last King **** (aka Charles II: The Power and the Passion) Well it's no secret I love historical drama and this one is done quite well, to boot. It's not too recent; BBC did it in 2003 I think but the city library has the DVD now, yay. Directed by Joe Wright, of the latest P&P fame, but more importantly containing Rufus Sewell and Rupert Graves... what's not to like?! Shirley Henderson and Helen McCrory are both fantastic as usual, too, and you can't go wrong with a few meaty Diana Rigg moments. (The only thing I don't like about Helen in fact is that she got to Damian Lewis before I could contact him and share with him the wonder that is Susan, alas.^☼)

Hard Candy ***** which I know I already mentioned last week but,

O !
so so good, in a totally disturbing and thought provoking way, but there's more to it than that. As I said before, Ellen Page will rock your socks off tho you may not realize it until afterward since you'll be too busy digesting and reacting while it's still running. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by Patrick Wilson who I had long ago pegged as sort of a kinder gentler Josh Lucas. You heard it here first (well probably not) : the man has considerable depth! (And he made me ever more curious about Little Children, even tho viewing adaptations of favorite books is always dangerous...) If you can squeeze a second viewing in, it's worth it to notice the coloring, which really is striking. (Probably should have led with the visual aesthetics point, then it would have been more believable instead of sounding like I'm reaching... but I swear it is a valid compliment :) Just so you'll see I'm still quasi-objective, I will admit that the sped-up jerky camera thing was almost overdone... of course by then I was too far in to mind.

And needless to add, The Departed ***** A few more details than yesterday: quintessential Scorsese. The snack guy had said he thought it was Scorsese's best film since GoodFellas and I have to say that that is pretty on the mark. Great story, great rhythm, fantastic music, cool soundbite-y lines (esp. Nicholson of course ;), great cast, and fantastic acting by all. (I neglected to mention yesterday the very nice surprise presences of Ray Winstone and David Patrick O'Hara. Cor!)

^☼ BTW, anyone hear of any scientific evidence where slightly-pre-menopausal female Americans experience a significant increase in their jonesing for UK men? Might just be fall I guess... Makes you crave tea, tweed and Dickens?