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 RYAN:
I had such high expectations for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,"
thinking it would not only be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar, but
also win it.
CAROLINE: And now that you've seen it?
RYAN: It's causing me confusion for the whole year of film.
 CAROLINE: [laughs] Well, I thought it was good, but not the best film of the year.
RYAN: That's exactly what I'm saying. So what is the best film of the year?
 CAROLINE:
Ahhh, I see your point. This was definitely one of the most highly
anticipated films this year, but I was starting to wonder if it could
live up to all the expectations. And and two hours and forty minutes,
it's a lot to swallow.
RYAN: Anatomy of a film: "The
Curious Case of Benjamin Button" - the performances are great and it's
beautifully shot, but it's way too slow. I was equal parts riveted and
bored. So at the end of the day, I think it's a draw.
CAROLINE: I'm inclined to agree. There's a whole section with Tilda Swinton that could have been cut way down. I actually dozed.
RYAN:
Here's where you lost me because I loved that story line. I thought
Tilda was amazing in an interesting role that had a big impact on Brad
Pitt's character. And that's what the movie was ultimately about; how
people affect Benjamin Button's life. It was a quiet performance from
Brad in which he does a lot more reacting than acting.
 CAROLINE:
Can somebody please teach him how to do a proper Southern accent? I was
cringing at times. He would say "poi-fect" instead of "perfect," and it
was so odd. RYAN: [laughs] Yeah, I kinda noticed.
CAROLINE: Also, you have to wait well over an hour to see him in all his Brad Pitt-ian glory. Boyfriend is looking good.
RYAN:
It's a credit to how great the special effects makeup is that when he
finally looks so hot, it's a collective Oprah "Aha!" moment.
 CAROLINE: Cate Blanchett also looks fab, though totally airbrushed to look younger in some scenes and it was glaringly obvious.
RYAN:
She's also skinnier than I've ever seen her; it must have been shot
before she had her last baby. But she's still the greatest actress this
side of Meryl Streep.
CAROLINE: I loved the character of Queenie, who plays Brad Pitt's adoptive mom. She almost made me misty a few times.
RYAN:
Her name is Taraji P. Henson and she's a great actress. She gave a lot
of heart in some really emotional scenes. On the contrary, Julia Ormond
pretty much yanked me out of feeling any emotion in her scenes. I just
didn't buy her as the grown-up daughter of Cate Blanchett.
 CAROLINE:
Yeah, I didn't love how the movie was framed by present-day scenes.
It's a gimmick used in "The Notebook" and "Titanic" and others, and I'm
over it.
---BOTTOM LINE---
RYAN:
It's a beautiful movie that's too long and ultimately predictable. But
it's very moving and has effects that warrant a big screen viewing; so
I recommend that. But it's not a must-see.
CAROLINE:
It's definitely the holiday movie of the year in that both young and
old can enjoy it. It's not phenomenal, but it's good and very well
made. The whole aging backwards premise is pretty fascinating if you
really think about. It's based on an F. Scott Fitzgerald short story -
good work, F. Scott.
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The Ugly Truth
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Chandni Chowk to China
Sidhu, a simple cook from Chandni Chowk, longs to escape his dreary existence and looks for shortcuts with everything from astrologers and... More
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CAROLINE: Two movies we enjoyed are out on DVD this week. Let's start with the one we loved that no one saw, "Ghost Town," starring Ricky Gervais and Téa Leoni.
 RYAN: Don't forget Greg Kinnear! This was such a cute movie.
CAROLINE: It made me laugh, it made me cry; I really liked it. And our favorite gal from SNL, Kristen Wiig, is in it too.
RYAN:
I'm not sure why this movie got so overlooked, because it was
well-received critically. Maybe because it doesn't have any truly
A-list stars?
CAROLINE:
Who knows? I just know I loved it and it's definitely worth renting,
even if it's a little derivative. It's just so darn cute and
heartwarming.
RYAN: Next up is the Keira Knightley vehicle, "The Duchess," which also starred Ralph Fiennes.
 CAROLINE: Didn't we all think she was gonna get nominated for Best Actress for this? So much for that theory.
RYAN:
Well, only because she has every other year in those period pieces she
so enjoys doing. But I happen to think she was excellent in this.
CAROLINE: She was pretty good. And her wigs should win an Oscar.
RYAN:
They were huge! This movie seems to have gone by the wayside this
awards season but I'd definitely recommend it as a rental, especially
if you like British period pieces.
CAROLINE:
It's amazing how the Duchess Georgiana's life mirrored that of Lady
Di's. Some of the things she went through are truly shocking.
RYAN:
I really dug this movie, and I still think it merits awards for
costumes, sets, etc. We'll see what happens with the Oscar noms!
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© 2009
