The Intouchables

I cannot give this movie enough praise! I think really powerful movies must have three things... compelling characters, a meaningful story line, and effortless flow. Needless to say The Intouchables possesses these in abundance. Plus, this movie is based on a true story. So we have Philippe (Francois Cluzet), a wealthy widower who is a quadriplegic. He and his assistant are interviewing for a new caretaker. One after another comes conservative young men in sweater vests and khakis with health care qualifications and experience until Driss (Omar Sy) storms in. Driss is an alarmingly tall intimidating man wearing a  baggy sweat shirt and jeans yelling that he's tired of waiting. He makes it clear that he has no interest in the job and only wants his paper signed to get unemployment benefits. Unlikely as it may be, Driss catches Philippe's interest and is hired. Driss sticks around because of the lavish accommodations and the generous pay, which is a stark contrast to being homeless. As you could guess... the relationship has a rough start. Driss finds "babysitting" an adult man degrading and beneath him, but Philippe prefers this unsympathetic attitude to being babied. Despite their differences... their relationship ends up working, in fact, the two men form an unbreakable bond that changes both of their lives. I feel like I could never do this movie justice in a simple summary, you simply HAVE to go see it. What an amazing moving story!

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

As far as "end of the world" movies go... I'd have to say that this is my top pick! Seeking a Friend for the End of the World felt genuine and personal. I always love Steve Carell when he plays these thoughtful down to earth characters. Keira Knightley, on the other hand, tends to leave me disappointed, but then I realized... I only feel this way when she plays the dramatic, serious girl. Luckily, in this movie, she's the slightly kooky, slightly weird girl that I enjoy watching. These out-of-the-box characters work well for her, like in the movies Bend it Like Beckham and Love Actually. In the beginning of the movie there's an announcement that the end of the world is near and will be caused by Matilda, an asteroid headed for Earth. Dodge's (Carell) wife literally runs away from him never to be seen again, leaving Dodge alone in his apartment and alone in his life. Somewhere along the way Dodge picks up an abandoned dog and his helpless young neighbor Penny (Knightley). They set off on a journey to find Dodge's long lost love and to find Penny a flight home to England. The twists and turns of the journey as well as the growth and evolution of the characters are engaging to follow. I'm surprised to find such depth in human connection and I'm touched by the things that matter in the end.

Leon: The Professional

WOW... can't believe it took me so long to see this movie! Before anything... I must say that Natalie Portman never ceases to amaze me. This is her first movie and I've yet to see any acting even close to this level from a young actor. Her performance as Mathilda has no equal in my book. Anyway, back to the movie :). The Professonal follows the life of introvert hit-man Leon, played by Jean Reno. Leon lives modestly and quietly in a shabby apartment building. Down the hall lives a quirky little girl named Mathilda (Natalie Portman). To avoid her drug dealing dad, hooker mom, and bully older sister she spends a lot of time out in the hallway. The only person she cares about is her little brother. One day Mathilda is on her way home from the grocery and finds her apartment door ajar. Inside.. she sees her murdered family, even her baby brother. Leon takes her in a protects her, and upon request, he trains her to be a hit-man so that one day she may avenge her brother. "Bad guy" Stanfield, played by the talented Gary Oldman, is a corrupt cop who is in the drug business. Stanfield is responisble for the murder of Mathilda's family. Leon: The Professional is very fast paced and intense, a top-notch cop and criminal movie. If you haven't seen it and aren't easily disturbed by violence, watch it ASAP!

Sound of my Voice

Sound of My Voice is a movie that explores a fascinating but unsettling topic... cults. Based on a true story, young couple Peter and Lorna, who are journalists, decide to join a cult in order to gain insider information and expose the leader, Maggie, as a fraud. Maggie claims to be from the future with knowledge of the catastrophes to come and promises her followers salvation in exchange for their unconditional faith and obedience. The questions are... how far are Peter and Lorna willing to go to get their story? How will the pressure affect their relationship? Is Maggie who she says she is? I was drawn in by the layout of the movie... I was made to feel like I was joining the cult myself, in the room with the woman in white who says she is a time-traveler. The situations and conversations bring to mind important thoughts of the power of persuasion and peer pressure. I thought of the danger of faith without question. Brit Marling, who plays Maggie, is captivating and chillingly eerie. I was blown away by her performance. Sound of my voice will keep you guessing and thinking.