The Exorcist IV: The Beginning- C+ (I'm being generous in comparison to the other 2 movies I watched today: Catwoman and Anacondas (2).

Carrie - A
The Rules of Attraction - A-

The Party- A Hilarious.

It's a Wonderful Life - A+

Wolf Creek (?)

I really have to think about it. The film takes a good 60 minutes establishing its characters, and I think it dragged a bit. But then, when the terror actually hits, I kept flashing back to those "happy" scenes while the shit was really hitting the fan.

B+? A-?

Watch Just Friends again on this past Wednesday. Had about 15% of it's seats filled. I still enjoy this film and Anna Faris rocks.

B+

The Producers - A

Crash - A-

Unusual movie, in terms of how much I like it. I liked it more this time than the first three times.

RUMOR HAS IT



"It’s really funny, true stuff."
-- Richard Roeper, EBERT & ROEPER

"Watching and laughing at the film, you'd never know it was such a troubled production. Here's to you, Mr. Reiner."
-- Phil Villarreal, ARIZONA DAILY STAR

"The story's a stretch, but there's something intrinsically likeable about the characters in Rumor Has It, an improbable romantic comedy about life, love and getting laid"
-- Urban Cinefile Critics, URBAN CINEFILE

"Rumor Has It is a lightweight comedy that only works thanks to a fantastic cast."
-- Scott Nash, THREE MOVIE BUFFS

"Even if it never quite jumps out of the tried-and-true mould, the sharp cast and clever script spice things up."
-- Rich Cline, SHADOWS ON THE WALL

"This is not a great movie, but it's very watchable and has some good laughs."
-- Roger Ebert, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

Rumor Has It, the latest romantic comedy to hit theaters, has a history of troubled production behind it. In development for a long time, screenwriter Ted Griffin had planned to make this his directorial debut. He had an A-list cast lined up along with a screenplay he was very confident with. Everything seemed to be going smoothly until shortly after production began, when Griffin was abruptly fired and replaced with director Rob Reiner. There were many rumors about what went on behind the scenes - including brawls between Griffin and star Kevin Costner, problems with the studio and many other situations. After Reiner took the helm the studio's confidence was renewed. The project continued on with Griffin's script and was finally ready for release. It arrives amidst a crowded holiday season but thanks to a high profile Christmas start gate it looks to be successful. I'm glad things worked out for the best, since Rumor Has It is a fun and enjoyable film that has a little something for everyone.

Sarah Huttinger (Jennifer Aniston) is at a weird place in her life. She has just recently agreed to marry her boyfriend Jeff (Mark Ruffalo) even though she isn't sure if that's what she really wants. Her career has stalled and she is stuck writing obituaries at the New York Times. And to top it all off, she is headed to Pasadena for her younger sister's (Mena Suvari) wedding day. Sarah hasn't really connected with her family since the death of her mother several years earlier, and feels a great amount of seperation from them as well. The only one who she has a strong relationship is her grandmother, the fiesty Katharine (Shirley MacLaine). But soon Sarah discovers that her family is even stranger than she thinks when a twisted series of events comes to light.

In the 1960's, Katharine seduced a young college student by the name of Beau Burroughs (Kevin Costner). He was half her age and attended school with her daughter and Sarah's mother, Rosalyn. But soon afterwards, Beau abandoned Katharine and began a relationship with Rosalyn - the girl he truly loved. But unfortunately, she decided to marry another man, none other than Earl Huttinger (Richard Jenkins), Sarah's father. After this series of events, Beau's close friend wrote a novel based on the incident - entitled The Graduate. A few years later, that novel became the smash hit movie sensation that had audiences everywhere talking. To Sarah's horror, she finds out that her grandmother is none other than the infamous "Mrs. Robinson." With this new knowledge, Sarah becomes determined to find Beau Burroughs and get him to reveal the truth about what really happened.

Rumor Has It is a fun film from beginning to end because it never takes itself too seriously. It is completely lighthearted and never dwells on dramatic moments for long. It works so well thanks to the excellent cast made up of several talented thespians. Jennifer Aniston is adorable here and is really charismatic in the lead role. She really shows some true comedic ability here as well. Kevin Costner, who I am not a fan of, is surprisingly good here and is easily at his most likable. His character could have come off as a pompous bachelor, but I'm glad they decided to make him sympathetic. Shirley MacLaine steals the show, however, in a hilarious performance. She gives the film some much needed spunk and garners laughs every time she is on screen. After an excellent turn in In Her Shoes, this is shaping up to be a fantastic year for her.

There are weak links in the cast though. Mark Ruffalo, who has seemingly been typecast in roles like this, is at his worst here, creating a bland and boring character. I usually enjoy his performances, but he was so unenergetic and boring - I really didn't care about his character at all. Mena Suvari isn't given enough to do to make a real impression. The other cast members are stuck in supporting roles and don't have enough material to work with. Kathy Bates, however, is great in an extended cameo.

The visuals in this film are surprisingly beautiful and really serve as one of the highlights. Whether highlighting the suburban areas of Pasadena to the lush surroundings of Half Moon Bay and wine country, this film is really wonderful to look at. This can easily be attributed to the strong direction of Rob Reiner. He does a much better job on this film than some of his previous works and this may be considered his comeback after a seemingly endless string of flops. The witty script by Ted Griffin is also notable. After crafting some hilarious sequences in both Ocean's Eleven and Matchstick Men, Griffin does so once again with this project. The writing is sharp and consistently amusing.

In closing, Rumor Has It is a real treat. It is filled with a little something for all audiences and features many talented thespians at their best. It may not be perfect, but the fun, lighthearted energy it has more than makes up for its flaws.

8/10 (B+)

the frighteners

A-

Master Of Crimson Armor a.k.a. The Promise - A

Domino - A

War of the Worlds - A-

White Christmas- A
The Family Stone- B+

Wicker Park - C
House of Wax - C
Brokeback Mountain - A
Cinderella Man - A-

The Frighteners A-

King Kong- A

Absolutely amazing film! One of the best films of the year for me. The running time didn't bother me at all. I thought it was well done in every aspect.

WOLF CREEK

D-

The movie is just Dirt!

MOZART AND THE WHALE - 7/10 ( B )

An interesting and offbeat romantic comedy with solid performances from the two leads. Josh Hartnett plays against type here as a man with autism who falls in love with a woman who has a similar condition. He does a solid job, giving a strong performance with a lot of heart and energy. Radha Mitchell is excellent as well and her character is fascinating to watch. The real flaw here, however, is the pacing and some aspects of the screenplay. It seems really rushed, coming in it around an hour and a half, and I would have loved to see more. The plot is also fairly predictable despite the offbeat subject matter. Anyways, this is a solid romantic comedy with great performances. I hope it ends up getting released in the United States eventually, for it's a sweet film with a lot of heart.

A River Runs Through It - B
Vanilla Sky - B-
Bad News Bears - C+
Cry_Wolf - C-
The Island - A-

Pulled an all-nighter.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - A+

Speaking of the EE, this is one of the greatest movies I've ever seen. Countless memorable moments and really beautiful to look at.

Charlie & The Chocolate Factory- A

I bought it on DVD, and I enjoyed it even more than I did in theatres. It's just such an amazing film. Great visuals, and very entertaining. I thought Johnny Depp did a great job, and I am in love with the score. It's so beautiful. Definitely places in my Top 10 of the year.

Fun with Dick and Jane - B

The Girl Next Door - A

Guess Who - B+

Happy Endings-B Solid dramedy with a great performance from Lisa Kudrow.