Movies I Saw in September, 2008

Wow! I really slacked off this month! School and Money are destroying my movie-going abilities. I only saw ONE movie in September! I missed some classics (Lakeview Terrace...oh, Mr. Jackson, how you never fail to amaze me!)and there were some indie movies playing at Beach Regal that I missed (Transsiberian, Tell No One), so I am going to add something new (SURPRISE) that hopefully become a staple: I am going to list some random movies that you should rent, some of which you may not be familiar with, so you can have some ideas the next time you are at your movie renting place of choice.

BURN AFTER READING (Joel Coen, Ethan Coen) Very funny, Oddly violent, Supremely Coen-esque! A computer disk containing the memoirs of an ex-CIA agent (John Malkovich) is left at a small gym, where two employees (Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand) think they have found a top-secret government item, leading them to make failed attempts of bribery and espionage. This is a multi-layered satire on CIA thrillers and the people who get too involved. Brad Pitt is getting a lot of well-deserved praise for his role as Chad Feldheimer, a goof-ball health nut who thinks life is one big game, but everyone in this is perfectly cast. McDormand is an hilariously self-conscious female body-builder, and Malkovich is as good as ever as a foul-mouthed agent who has nothing left to lose. Tilda Swinton, George Clooney, and Richard Jenkins are also very good in a film that hearkens back to Coen Brothers classics Fargo, Lebowski, and even No Country. It's not for everyone (parts of the violence will immediately ruin the movie for some), but if you like quirky, slightly complex plots shown in a surprisingly light manner, then see it! FAVORITE SCENE: The ending of the movie is perfect. I won't tell you why, but I will say that some I talked with hated the ending. The Coen Brothers have a knack for polarizing people at the end of their films.

RENTALS!

Grace is Gone (2008)- John Cusack plays a man who loses his wife to the Iraq war, and takes his daughters on a road trip to cope.

A Few Good Men (1992)- A classic court-room drama, starring Tom Cruise (before he went crazy) and Jack Nicholson (who has always been crazy), with impeccable acting and a brilliant script.

Fletch (1985)- Chevy Chase's best movie, in my opinion, in which he plays Fletch, a journalist who has a knack for creating secret identities.