The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy

Grade: B

It’s nice to see a movie about gay characters that’s not betrayed by homosexual stereotypes, but screenplay stereotypes instead. Funny, charming, sweet, but also dour, unhappy, and maudlin. The film is at it’s best when it allows it’s characters time to explore OGTs – Obvious Gay Traits -- music and sports commentary, television memories, gay definitions. Unfortunately, the film also has a drug overdose, characters searching to “find themselves,” lesbians wanting to be impregnated by gay man and other mediocre story lines. A mixed bag of acting performances doesn’t help much. Still, it’s amazing to see a fun, mainstream movie about gay men talking as real gay men do, and it really is quite sweet, touching, and funny -- just wish the writing elevated it beyond TV sitcom quality. Very cute boys don’t hurt one bit.

More Movie Info: http://imdb.com/title/tt0222850/

Dancer in the Dark

Grade: D

Sorry folks, but for a movie to be stunning, moving, extraordinary or any of the other things some critics are saying about this thing – it first needs to be sit- throughable. When you look at your watch thinking 90 minutes has gone by and it’s been more like 30, you know you’re in trouble. Well-meaning and some terrific moments to be sure, but critical relationships are undeveloped or non-existent, the musical moments are just plain bad and drag out the story even further, and then there’s that God damn choppy camera work that never lets one forget for a moment you’re watching a movie. Artistic my ass.

More Movie Info: http://imdb.com/title/tt0168629/

Almost Famous

Grade: B+

Thoroughly enjoyable coming of age story, funny and sweet, albeit a bit underwritten in certain places. Make no mistake, Billy Crudup is a star waiting to be acknowledged – every performance is no less than fascinating, and often brilliant. Here he takes a severely underwritten role and creates a fully formed character, a self-centered rock star who still manages to be sympathetic. Kate Hudson and Frances McDormand also provide especially solid work here. But the real star is Director Cameron Crowe, whose reflections on what is essentially his true life story add a feeling of simplicity, gentleness, and reality throughout. Wanted an extra 15 minutes tagged on to the end, and the movie doesn’t quite feel as satisfying as it should, but still a nice ride.

More Movie Info: http://imdb.com/title/tt0181875/

Nurse Betty

Grade: C+

This one is really borderline. Can’t help but wonder if I saw a different movie from the one many critics are raving about. Choppy, disconnected, violence completely inappropriate to the general feel of the thing – what is this movie meant to be? A soap within a soap? Sometimes tender, sweet, and funny, but more often weird and discombobulated. Okay acting, although Morgan Freeman is really in a different film altogether.

More Movie Info: http://imdb.com/title/tt0171580/