Milwaukee Film Festival Picks

  The Milwaukee Film Festival kicks off September 27 and runs through October 11.  And this year’s line up is outstanding.  Packed with movies abuzz from festivals around the world, like Sundance, Berlin, etc… There’s a terrific mix of feature length and short films; some by big names in Hollywood and others by local Milwaukee ..

LIBERAL ARTS

CAROLINE: Liberal Arts is a very small movie that is open in limited release.  It was written and directed by Josh Radnor of How I Met Your Mother fame. Do you watch that show?RYAN: I do not.  Doesn’t this movie also have Zac Efron? CAROLINE: Yes, in a small role. Also Elizabeth Olsen of “My ..

HOUSE AT THE END OF THE STREET

RYAN: Here we go again.  Another horror movie with such promise, a couple notable actors and such high expectations.  And this time, I’m not as disappointed as the previous films in the genre this year. Jennifer Lawrence stars with Elisabeth Shue and Gil Bellows, whom I’ve loved since Ally McBeal!  KIM: Jennifer Lawrence’s extreme success ..

END OF WATCH

CAROLINE: End of Watch is a new cop movie starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña, and is directed by the guy who wrote Training Day. But don’t worry; this is not a cop movie like the others you’ve seen. RYAN: I love a good crime drama and this one has moments so suspenseful they actually reminded ..

TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE

RYAN: Clint Eastwood has returned to his acting roots in Trouble with the Curve, a new baseball film co-starring Amy Adams and JT.CAROLINE: We adore Amy so I was very concerned about the casting of Justin Timberlake.  I mean, seriously – how can one expect him to hold his own against the likes of these ..

THE MASTER

RYAN: This is the new movie from writer, director Paul Thomas Anderson who did There Will Be Blood, Magnolia, Boogie Nights… He’s prolific. CAROLINE: Quite and a darling of the academy at this point.  How was it? RYAN: Very good.  Expectations were super high because of the prestige he brings but also because we’re so ..

BACHELORETTE

RYAN: I was really quite excited to see this.  Women in comedic films are a big deal now… since Bridesmaids hit, several were greenlit and this is one such film.  And it should not have been. CAROLINE: Not have been greenlit? RYAN: Should not have been made, correct.  It’s awful.  It’s a sad state of ..

ARBITRAGE

RYAN: Arbitrage is the new drama starring Richard Gere and Susan Sarandon, and it seems to be loosely inspired by the life of Bernie Madoff. CAROLINE: Ha, totally. I think it was conceived as an original idea but there is many a parallel to the Madoff scandal.  And Richard Gere’s character’s job actually reminded me ..

THE WORDS

RYAN: This is the new romantic drama with Bradley Cooper and Zoe Saldana; Jeremy Irons, Dennis Quaid and Olivia Wilde. Oh, and Ben Barnes! KIM: I was a little underwhelmed by it.  I’m not sure what to make about the ending. RYAN: Me too.  It’s left up to interpretation, which I sometimes enjoy in a ..

COLD LIGHT OF DAY

RYAN: This is one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen. CAROLINE: I’m sorry.  Can you repeat that? RYAN: Yes.  This movie was painful. CAROLINE: How is that possible?!  It’s with Bruce Willis and Sigourney Weaver. RYAN: They embarrass themselves in this movie.  It’s schlock filmmaking. CAROLINE: Wow. RYAN: It’s, like, a spoof of an ..