The Hurt Locker

4 out of 5

This movie is not for everyone. It was very well written and directed and kept me on the edge of my seat. Very suspenseful at times and touching at others. I do not have time for a full preview but want to focus on my favorite scene.

I have heard over and over that great screenwriting is showing about a character not telling. There was one scene in this movie that epitomizes this concept. Two men are at the top of a shelter waiting it out to make sure there is no one else that will shoot at them and the people they are with. They are sitting in the hot sun and wind for what seems like hours. One of the men has been known to be selfish and a risk taker. He cannot be trusted up until this point in the movie. The other man has been pushed to the limit by the former soldier and is just trying to stay alive. They are perched here together, forced to work as a team since there is no other choice. When the selfish risk taker seems to be ready to pass out from the heat, he asks a soldier to bring him some juice. The soldier does. We see the selfish, risk taker struggle to get the wrapper off the straw and get the straw into the juice box. What happens next is a great example of showing who a character is and not telling. This scene was worth the price of admission because it shifted the way we thought of this character and it changed how the other soldier saw him too. Great screenwriting!

I recommend this well written, well acted movie, but it is a stressful experience!

500 Days of Summer

5 out of 5

Finally! A smart, original, sweet romantic comedy without the high concept, far fetched quality. 500 Days of Summer is predictable in parts and extremely unpredictable and refreshing in others. In the predictable parts, the characters were written so well and the actors who played them were so lovable that I didn't care.

The tagline for the movie is: "Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love. Girl doesn't." How this simple concept unfolds is what makes this movie special. It has the creativity of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind without the high concept, which is harder to do! I do not want to tell too much about the creative storytelling that the writers and directors accomplish beautifully. That would spoil the pure joy of those moments. Just be ready to deeply relate to the characters, especially Tom, and laugh/cry with a real understanding of how the characters feel.

I find Zooey Deschanel a pleasure to watch. From gems like Mumford, to mainstream rom. coms. like Failure to Launch, Deschanel has a unique voice, attitude and style. She plays Summer to Joseph Gordon-Levitt's Tom. Gordon-Levitt is definitely the lead in this movie, and he has an unmistakable charisma and charm. I love his smile and dimples. He looks tortured one moment and elated the next. It is amazing the emotions that his face conveys! The range he showed in this movie is very impressive. Not to give anything away, but he tackled MANY different genres in this movie. Once you see it, you will understand what I mean.

Again, I do not want to tell too much about the movie. Just go see it! Movies like this renew my faith and belief that storytelling is not a dead art!