4 out of 5

Last year during Saturday night of the MS 150 weekend, Eric and I continued our tradition of going to see a film...this time it was Iron Man (2008,PG-13).  From ScreenIt!:

After seeing the military weapons he developed used in ways he hadn't imagined, a wealthy industrialist has a change of heart and creates an armored suit that nearly leaves him invincible, gives him the ability to fly, and affords him the opportunity to right his wrongs.

I give it 4 out of 5.

I recently watched Terror in Mumbai (2009).  From HuffPo:

When ten young men from Pakistan entered Mumbai aboard hi-jacked boats on the night of 26th November 2008, they had one intention: to create a terror that would grip international media and make the world sit up and take notice of Lashkar-e-Taiba -- the Army of the Righteous, a previously little known terrorist organization based in Pakistan.

And it's this intention, despite the extreme violence, allegations against Pakistan and shocking negligence of elements in the Mumbai police force, which really sticks with the viewer of Terror in Mumbai. The more you watch, the more you realize they succeeded.

The film has a unique perspective because it incorporates the cell-phone calls that the masterminds in Pakistan used to direct the terrorists during attack and footage of the sole surviving attacker being interviewed in police custody.  Here is the trailer:

I give it 4 out of 5.

I recently watched Boy Interrupted (2008).

On the night of Oct. 2, 2005, Hart and Dana Perry’s 15-year-old son Evan jumped to his death from his New York City bedroom window. This moving film is the story, told by his filmmaker parents and others who knew him, of Evan’s life and death, and his life-long struggle with bipolar disorder. It delves into the complexity of Evan’s disease, sharing his family’s journey through the maze of mental illness. In showing how one family deals with generations of loss and grief, the film defies the stigma related to mental illness and suicide and tells a human story that touches everyone.

For a parent of a kid who is presumably healthy but occasionally seems "bipolar" or makes suicidal statements, this film is chilling.

I give it 4 out of 5.

Today we watched Coraline (2009,PG) for family movie night.  From ScreenIt!:

A lonely and bored preteen discovers a tunnel in her new house that leads to an alternate reality where most everything is the same, save for attentive parents who have buttons for eyes and want her to join them there.

Finn needed some convincing ahead of time about watching a movie that had people with buttons for eyes.  We convinced him to give it a chance.  The boys enjoyed it.  Finn said, "It wasn't scary.  It was creepy.  Indiana Jones was scary."

I give it 4 out of 5.

Last night we watched Revolutionary Road (2008,R).  From ScreenIt!:

A 1950s era couple must contend with their unhappy marriage as well as unexpected developments that threaten to derail the wife's plan to save their relationship and make them happy.

I couldn’t help thinking of Mad Men with DiCaprio’s character feeling like a slightly-more-hip Pete Campbell.  Also, somehow the dysfunctional families and mood of this film somehow reminded of those in Ang Lee’s The Ice Storm.

I give it 4 out of 5.