“Movie panel hates 'Blue Valentine' - San Diego Union-Tribune” plus 1 more

Movie panel hates 'Blue Valentine' - San Diego Union-Tribune

Posted: 06 Jan 2011 01:09 PM PST

movie review

By Union-Tribune

Thursday, January 6, 2011 at 1:09 p.m.

Movie Panel -- Katrina Dodson

Sherri Mead movie panel critic.

The Union-Tribune's movie panel saw "Blue Valentine."

Katrina Dodson

An Encinitas Realtor, 44, she belongs to the Cinema Society of San Diego.

Liked: "Blue Valentine" spotlights some fantastic acting by Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling in the lead roles.

Disliked: The superb acting is overshadowed by a virtually plotless movie about an imploding, loveless marriage. The director tries to shore up the paper-thin characters by shooting it like a reality show at real-time speed, but without building any connection between the filmgoer and the actors, I quickly became bored and was wishing it would switch to warp speed. The film covers only two days in the current life of this couple, but the film is interspersed with clips from the past. Unfortunately, these flashbacks do not make you care if the pair finds their way back together. At some point, you just hope both of them find someone more interesting to be with.

Would I recommend it? No.

Sherri Mead

A chiropractor, 49, she lives in Solana Beach.

Liked: Although the acting by Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling was well done, the thing I liked best about this movie was when it was finally over.

Disliked: The narrative focuses on a microcosm of time in the life of a dysfunctional couple. Since there was not really any story line to follow, it pans back and forth between the couple's depressing present and better times in the past when the newness of their love was still palpable. I did not care for any of the characters, except the couple's darling daughter, whose time in the film was too small to aid in any way. As for the technical side, the continual use of hand-held cameras, focusing in and staying for extended periods on people's faces as well as the purposely blurred backgrounds left me physically ill for a majority of the movie, making it very difficult to watch. If you get motion sickness, this is not your film.

Would I recommend it? Not to anyone, not even as a rental.

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Amanda Knox TV movie premieres next month - msnbc.com

Posted: 07 Jan 2011 07:41 PM PST

PASADENA, Calif. - The murder trial of University of Washington student Amanda Knox is recreated in a television movie that had the actors debating her innocence or guilt.

Hayden Panettiere plays Knox and she says it's a riveting story where viewers don't know if Knox committed the crime or not, and she's not sure anyone will ever know.

"Amanda Knox: Murder on Trial in Italy" airs Feb. 21 on Lifetime.

The movie focuses on the trial of Knox, who was convicted of murdering her British roommate in the rented house they shared in the university town of Perugia, where both were studying.

Knox's appeals trial began late last year in Perugia.

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Movie Film New Release

Saturday, January 8, 2011