Most of the Cohen Brothers films are instant classics. No Country for Old Men, Fargo and Big Lebowski are all movies that most everyone love and will watch over and over. That being said, I feel like A Serious Man was their worst film yet and didn’t come close to living up to their previous films. The story is about a man whose life pretty much sucks all around, as he tries to deal with every aspect of his life coming crashing down. The first 15 minutes has nothing to do with the rest of the movie and I have no idea what the “hidden” meaning of it is. I honestly have no idea as to why it was nominated for Best Picture for this year’s Oscars as I found myself confused at times, bored throughout, and never really caring what would happen next. The Cohens are fantastic storytellers and always have a way to keep you intrigued until the very end, but this one is a complete flop in my mind. Maybe I just missed the meaning of the movie entirely and this really is a “best picture” worthy film, but I don’t plan on re-watching it to find out.Couples Retreat – B (Gotta Rent)
I had a lot of high hopes before I watched this film, and for the most part those hopes were at least semi-fulfilled. Having Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau and Jason Bateman all star in a movie about failing marriages has the potential for comedy gold. The movie isn’t laugh-out-loud hilarious and isn’t even something I would necessarily watch again, but it is funny enough to watch once. The first half of the movie is where the vast majority of the humor comes in, as the last 20 minutes or so becomes more serious and about solving their marriage problems. The male roles were all cast perfectly, but I think what really makes this not a great comedy is the actresses that play the female leads. Kristin Davis was the worst of the 3, becoming an increasingly hated character and not very funny at all. Having Kristen Bell and Malin Akerman star as the other two weren’t terribly miscast, but there’s no way that Vaughn and Bateman could ever land those women. Ironically enough Vaughn’s character is the most likeable, when I assumed his would easily be the one that I would have hated the most. Overall it’s a decent comedy that is worth watching, but don’t expect to be in hysterics by the end.The Time Traveler’s Wife – A- (Gotta Rent)
I found this to be far more enjoying than I was anticipating. It is a pleasant and heart-warming romance story about a woman who is in love with a man that uncontrollably bounces through time. The story follows McAdams’s character, having to try and live her life as normal as possible while the love of her life will periodically disappear for weeks, months, or even years. The relationship and chemistry between Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana is perfect, with McAdams specifically doing a great job. One key problem with all time travel movies is all of the paradoxes that are created. This film is no different, but does do a pretty good job tying up all the loose ends. As long as you do not dwell on the minor continuity errors and “think” too much about the movie then it can be very enjoyable. It takes a minute at first trying to figure out the concept of Bana’s character disappearing and reappearing at completely different stages in his life, while McAdams’s character is progressing through life at a normal pace, but once you establish yourself it’s fairly easy to follow and figure out what will happen. The Time Traveler's Wife is a perfect date movie that even a guy can enjoy.
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