The Wrestler - ***/12
I used to be a huge wrestling fan, and it's insane the amount of pain these guys will put their bodies through for the sake of entertainment. Rourke is fantastic and I think he should have won the Oscar instead of Penn, but that's politics for ya. One of the best films of last year hands down, it's sad, it's inspiring, but it's never phony. It's a hard hitting film. Should have been nominated for best picture.
Tomei was also really good, hmm, I wonder if those nipple rings were real. I need to do some research.
Gran Torino - ***1/2
Great movie, if somewhat predictable. Eastwood is fantastic as a grumpy old bigot who can't let go of the past, this may be his most heartbreaking role since Unforgiven. I do think some of the supporting cast was a bit week, the stuff with the priest wasn't really necessary, and Thao was played by a non-professional actor and it really shows during the more dramatic moments.
Still, I think Eastwood was robbed of a well deserved Oscar nod for best actor.
Persuit of Happiness - ***
I thought this was gonna be a cornfest but I was pleasantly surprised, it's a typical rags to riches story but it's very well made and it never feels artificial, Will Smith is excellent.
I think Thandie Newton is an awful actress though, no woman is that f*cking bitchy.
Curious Case of Benjamin Button - **1/2
People call this a love it or hate it movie, well I didn't love it but I didn't hate it either. It's a very ambitious film, it's extremely well made, great score and cinematography. Pitt is really good in the lead. But you never really get inside the characters head, and even at 2 and a half hours, it goes through everything so fast, it's hard to have an emotional investment in anything, Blanchett is an undeniably great actress but I felt the chemistry between her and Pitt just wasn't what it should have been. And it seems all the supporting characters served only one purpose, teach a valuable life lession and then die.
A decent film, but it could have been much much more.
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