I think Doubt lived up to the hype, although as we argued in an earlier thread, it didn't achieve it's main objective with me (which is, that you're supposed to have 'doubt' as to whether ot not Hoffman molested the boy).

I think Benjamin Buttons was good, not great. But it didn't get great reviews across the board, so I can't say it's overrated.

Frost/Nixon was so much better than I expected it to be. Frank Langella WAS Nixon. Unbelievable. Actor Sam Rockwell, who I usually love (see him in the dark Snow Angel), was horribly miscast in this, though. The rest of the cast, Oliver Platt, Kevin Bacon...all solid.

Of course, Ron Howard doing what he always does, casts his brother as a cameraman. And, Ron has a scene that we know never happened. It's something that's really starting to disappoint me with his films. He did that in the great Cinderella Man. And now, in Nixon, to have Tricky Dick walk outside, and seem so depressed with a crowd of people. I haven't researched it, but I'd be willing to bet money that just didn't happen. He was smart enough to know that it would be in his best interest to at least smile and wave to the crowd, no matter how horrible the interviews inside went.

The Wrestler was great, but some scenes didn't work (like wrestlers applauding for each other in the locker room after matches). The Reader wasn't very good. It tried for these moral and legal questions, and it just didn't pull off the emotional punch it wanted. Very disappointing.

Slumdog Millionaire was a great film, I'm just not sure why the critics are acting like it's the best thing in the world. It had a few problems.

I saw Gran Torino last night, and most of my problems were before the movie even started.

I was rushing to meet friends at the theatre at 7:30. I was planning to see the movie in Hazard Center, then head up to a party in Carlsbad. I was running late to the show, and the street I turned down on Friars Road, had a bunch of ambulances and a fire engine. That took five minutes longer to go thru the mall.

There was a super long line, maybe 75 people, waiting to buy tickets. Luckily my friends already got me a ticket, knowing I was running late.

A woman in front of me rolled her wheelchair up to her friend, and he helped her get into a seat. It was odd, because I wasn't sure why she didn't just stay in her wheelchair.

The girl in front of us decided to turn around and tell us how excited she was by the movie and how her friends all loved it. And, each time Eastwood used a racial slur (and there wasn't one race he didn't insult, or one slang for Asians he didn't utter), she laughed harder and harder with each one!

This girl had told us all the theatres in town had sold-out on that showing.

I remember reading that the movie won the opening weekend box office previously, so it surprises me that it has such good word of mouth, that it's still raking in this kind of business. I guess people are just into seeing this Grumpy Old Man with a .44, instead of saying "Do ya feel lucky, punk?" He can whisper, "Stay off my lawn [insert racial slur here]."

Part of the problem with all his racial stuff is, it didn't pack a punch. We still know that when push comes to shove, Eastwood is going to be a softy, so if he has to yell a few insults at his neighbors, most people think it's not a biggie.

The movie also just does some horrible things with it's characters. He doesn't get along with his sons. And for good reason.

But when one of his adult sons calls, and his dad wonders why...and the son quickly asks "Are you still friends with that guy that gets season tickets to the Lions?"

You wonder if any son would really be that naive. Well, no, they wouldn't. Only in Hollywood.

Hey...my stepdad worked on our cars all the time when they broke down. We would just call him and ask him. But, if we were calling for money, and we suspected he might be on to us, we'd at least be smart enough to call and say "Just called to see how you were doing." Maybe the next day we'd call and say "Hey, let's do lunch." And on the third day, we'd ask for the loan. Or then see if he's still friends with the guy that has the Lions (er, Chargers) tickets.

Gran Tarino played like an afterschool special, where you see everything coming down Broadway (aside from the ending, which I did love).

I'm sure most of you won't be disappointed if you see it. I wasn't really disappointed with the movie, as much as I was with the critics that praised it; and are saying it should be nominated for Oscars. Nothing about this movie deserves an Oscar.

The only award it should receive, is if the Gran Tarino is entered in a car show.