Inside Job (2010)

WOW. Watching a documentary within such a short period of time of the subject matter is crazy. The argument is very compelling, and you should watch it to get a perspective on what happened to make the most recent recession come about.

From a filmmaking perspective, they did an excellent job of piecing everything together, keeping it graphically rich, and they included a great sound track. If more documentaries can pull this sort of filmmaking off, there's cause to believe today's children (including my own) might start watching documentaries like this to expand their worldview.

Having recently participated in a petition that seems to be gaining some ground, I found the political implications and discussion surrounding financial regulation fascinating.

Last, but not least, I really enjoyed this quote when discussing the use of drugs and prostitution by bank managers:

Neuroscientists have done experiements where they've taken individuals and put them into an MRI machine and they have them play a game where the prize is money. And they notice that when the subjects earn money, the part of the brain that gets stimulated is the same part that cocaine stimulates. -- Andrew Low, Professor & Director, MIT Laboratory for Financial Engineering

The Road (2009)

It was true to the book. The film making definitely gave an accurate portrayal of this post-apocalypse landscape, but otherwise not much else.

The Kids Are Alright (2010)

When searching for a term to describe it, I settled on 'authentic.' The portrayal is a nuclear family filled with non-standard roles, save the kids who portray fairly typical teenagers.

The climax of the movie gave a glimpse of how the family could have grown to accommodate another member and grow in a different direction, yet the conclusion has the family remain true to itself. It was funny without using a single punchline. You really should see this movie.

When You're Strange (2010)

As mind-blowing as is The Doors' music, this documentary takes you on tour with them, from starting their fire right through to their flame out.

My favourite quote: "Morrison is both innocent and profane, he's a rock and roll poet."

Conviction (2010)

Good movie. I found the pace expectedly slow, but the acting was well done.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2010)

It was all right, but with the caliber of some of the better kids movies out there, I expected more out of this one.

No Strings Attached (2011)

Much better than a lot of the Valentine's Day fare out there. It changed some of the roles and appealed to my emotional side. Natalie did a good job of growing her character emotionally, and Ashton gave his usual solid performance. Sure, he's type-cast these days, but we like him, so who cares.

Rabbit Hole (2010)

I was expecting something different. Even from the movie poster above I anticipated the characters to use their emotions to take them down dark paths or something. Instead, the movie was generally less emotionally intense than expected, the acting was great, and I ultimately enjoyed the movie.

Due Date (2010)

It was very funny! Zach gave his usual candid-but-hilarious lines, and Robert was respectably entertaining!

Burlesque (2010)

This is live performance entertainment brought to the small screen! Really, it is! Look, the plot might be predictable, and the movie might remind you of others (Coyote Ugly, Moulin Rouge), but the movie has undeniable charisma. It's sexy, has spectacular music, and exceptional performances! If you want high drama, get off the stage! If you want great entertainment, admission is worth it! I'm really looking forward to the DVD/Blu-ray extras, especially the 'alternate full musical performances'.