Defiance (2008) (also Blu-ray). Good movie. It fails to come anywhere near greatness, but the story it tells is an interesting one and the fact that people went through anything resembling this is amazing. It is a film worth spending some time with and it will affect you emotionally, just be prepared to be left a little bit cold in the execution. Defiance plays well on the emotional impact and heroism implicit in what they do. If nothing else, you will come away with the wonderfully uplifting knowledge of a small group of people fighting the odds and saving lives. However, as touching as the impact of the story is, I cannot help but feel the film could have been better and more involving on a personal level.
He's Just not That Into You (also Blu-ray). The movie is a bit talky at times and the relationships may be over-simplified, but it does succeed in broad strokes. What makes it work as well as it does is the large cast and their ability to command your attention. Is it worth checking out? Sure. The film is a little silly, but it is fun.
Revolutionary Road (also Blu-ray). This movie is carried on the shoulders of Kate and Leo. These two are downright intense throughout and it's very hard to look away. I guess it helps that director Sam Mendes has these relationship things down pat; he is not a terribly visual director, but he knows to make it authentic. Then there is the dialogue, it sparks and snaps with aggression, depression, and sadness that is hard to enjoy, yet drags you into suburbanite hell. Just hope this never happens to you. Revolutionary Road is an unmatched experience. As much as I was captured and haunted by what unfolded on the screen, I cannot imagine drawing actual entertainment from it. That feels odd to type, considering this is a very good film. Still, I will not be revisiting this anytime soon.
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