Movie Madness Rundown

I have been severely neglecting my Movie Madness posts for the past couple of months. As you know Ben and I rent a ridiculous number of movies each week and have seen almost every new release unless it is a horror show or a really lame chick (or animal) flick. I am hesitant to put up all of the movies that we have recently seen since I know we don't exactly have PG taste. But what the heck, I like to think that some risque movies are worth viewing if they have a great story line and redemptive value. Here is a very brief rundown of a few of my personal favorites and also some definite losers that we have viewed:

Great
Gran Torino- Just finished Gran Torino today and was pleasantly surprised by this fantastic movie. Clint Eastwood's crusty character quickly grows on you and becomes endearing by the end of the flick. Just be warned that this movie has its fair share of foul language. Grade: A
The Reader- I was looking forward to watching Kate Winslet in a couple of her latest movies and I can say that The Reader does not disappoint. This movie gives the viewer a personal look into the illicit relationship between a young German boy and an older woman in post WWII Germany. This movie has LOTS of nudity (too much for my taste) but the story woven in between the nude scenes is riveting. Grade:A
The Children of Huang Shi- I don't know if this movie ever made it to the Big Screen but it called out to me from the shelf of our video rental joint. The Children of Huang Shi stars Jonathan Rhys Meyers (from The Tudors) in an interesting biography of the life of George Hogg, a British journalist who saved a group of orphans during the Japanese occupation of China in the 1930's. Grade: A-
The 4th Season of Weeds- I am a HUGE fan of Showtime's Weeds so I was anxious to devour the 4th season. In typical Weeds fashion, this television series does not disappoint. It has the perfect mixture of dark comedy and some good old fashion drama. For those of you who are not privy to what Weeds is all about, the series is based on the life of a suburban housewife that decides to start dealing pot after the unexpected death of her husband. Sounds a little morbid? Yeah, maybe. But this show rocks. Grade: A
Big Love- I have a bit of a fascination with the polygamist sub-culture that habitates in places like the state of Utah, so I was game when Ben brought home the first season of Big Love (don't worry I am not planning on adding any 'sister wives' to our happy home! ahaha). Big Love is based around the lives of a polygamous family that is trying to live a normal life in Salt Lake City. Big Love is big fun. The show has a slew of quirky/interesting characters and great writing. There is obviously a bit of sex in Big Love, but come on they're all married, right?!
Grade: A-

Good
He's Just Not That Into You- This is what my mother would dub 'a trashy little comedy." Based on the book by the same title, He's Just Not That Into You was a guilty two hour delight. After hearing mixed reviews about this flick (even despite its all-star cast) I was pleasantly surprised by its endearing storyline. It is worth a rent. Grade: B
Defiance- Ben thought that I should place this movie under my 'Good' category but I am still hesitating this decision even while I write. Defiance is decent enough movie. The flick stars Daniel Craig (the new James Bond) as a Jewish man who decides to create a community of Jewish survivors in a Russian Forest during WWII. The movie is violent and sometimes edges towards gory. Not totally my cup of tea but it was well-made. Grade: B-

Just OK
Revolutionary Road- After watching The Reader I was anticipating the release of Revolutionary Road. This 1950's biopic reunites the steamy duo of Kate Winslet and Leo DiCaprio- the story is based on the couple's tumultuous relationship. The dialogue is quick and witty. The acting is decent. But overall Revolutionary Road was a downer and the script didn't seem to go anywhere. Grade: C+
The International- If you are looking for a half-hearted, predictable, thrillerish, conspiracy movie, then check out The International. I generally like to watch Clive Owen films because he is my 'older man' crush but this movie just plain crushes my brain with boredom. Even the flashy international sets, Clive's accent and his lovely co-star Naomi Watts do not redeem this lame attempt at a thriller. Grade: C-

Phew... that is a lot of hours sitting in front of my television. It actually disgusts me a little in retrospect.