Review: BLACK SWAN

Darren Aronofsky said he was fascinated to make a re-imagening of Swan Lake because he thought the story of a girl who transforms into a swan to be similar to that of a werewolf. Frankly, I have never seen Swan Lake because I dismissed it… well, as a boring ballet about a swan. And I am still skeptical that a ballet performance would be able to capture the nightmarish thrill of this adaptation. If it does, then I can’t wait to see it. 

Review: NICK AND NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST

Don't let this picture fool you; Michael Cera is not this happy in the movie. He smiles about three times, and it never lasts very long.

His character is so monotone and sad the whole movie that is impossible to establish a likeable main character. Not to say Cera didn't do a great job with what he had.

Here's what I make of this movie: Hollywood decided they wanted to make a film that looks independent. It's as simple as that. And because of this incredible paradox, it is nowhere near as good as it would have been... if it was independent.

Why it's called Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, I have no idea. They both like music, but that seems to be the only clue.

Nick (Michael Cera) and Tris (Alexis Dziena) just broke up (what Nick saw in Tris in the first place is beyond me, as she just might be the worst person in the world). Nick is upset. As I said, he never really cracks a smile until the end of the movie. He meets a girl named Norah (Kat Dennings) one night at a show his band is playing. They hit it off, and the rest of the movie is about Nick learning to forget about Tris, and learning to love Norah. And it's not hard to love Norah - Kat Dennings totally steals the show here. She is really good, really real, and really funny. It makes her so much more likeable than Nick, to the point where you wish the movie was about her.

Imagine if Forgetting Sarah Marshall was set in New Jersey, with high school seniors. That's what this movie is.

Oh, and not nearly as good.

Not to say it was the worst movie I've ever seen. It has moments where I was laughing, and Ari Graynor's performance is truly fantastic, but with Michael Cera's newfound stamp of credibility, I thought this would be Juno quality.

Review: THE WACKNESS

Finally a movie about growing up in 1994. Luke Shapiro (Josh Peck), is an 18 year old drug dealer with a messed up life. His parents are broke and constantly fighting, he's graduating high school, he has no friends, and he still hasn't lost his virginity. Did I mention he's also a pot dealer? Even so, Shapiro spends his time selling drugs for money, as well as trading them to Dr. Squires (Ben Kingsly), a local therapist so he can have some one to talk to. Then he meets the step daughter of Dr. Squires, Stepahnie (Olivia Thirlby). Over the next few weeks of his summer, Shapiro experiences, loss, love, lust, friendship, and many things to help him become the man he was meant to be as Dr. Squires undergoes many trials and tribulations himself. In this coming of age story, its not about rising to the top, its just about learning to deal.