Reviews

I am sorry for all those who have rated this highly. What did you enjoy? The plot was predictable, the humor sporadic and mostly exploiting boorish 21 - 35 year old male immaturity. Boy, I see enough of that in real life and indulged in some myself at that age. I really don't see how crass sexual innuendo with overworked lewdness is so appealing. Now, I enjoyed hangover a lot, so I don't have a problem with the genre, or the childish jokes, but this was different. If you haven't seen it, the plot predictably has the 4 protagonists going back in time to the 80s and examines the incidents that made them what they are today, giving them opportunities to change history a sort of Back to the Future meets Knocked Up. Unfortunately I enjoyed Knocked Up! Perhaps I am getting old!

OK, I enjoyed watching it and it showed us something of what faces the IED dismantling teams in Iraq. But, I heard from a reliable source, ie someone who has actually served out there that it is grossly overplayed and the key character, I hesitate to call a hero is way over the top. This reminded me of Black Hawk Down in feel and I actually enjoyed the tension of the earlier movie better.

I have to say, this looks like a typical Oscar political win, because they needed to give a female director the nod this year - it's like the year that Halle Berry, Denzel Washington and Sidney Poitier all got awards! A lot of people were up in arms because Avatar did not win best film, but I thought that District 9 and Inglorious Basterds were both better films than this rather pedestrian war flick.

When you have been watching movies for over 30 years and you come across a gem like Music Within, it keeps you coming back for more. This true story (The subject of the film Richard Pimentel verified the historical accuracy at the Dallas Film Festival screening) is both heartfelt, informative and laced sensitively with humor and insightful one liners. I had the privilege of seeing this at the Dallas Film Festival, though it does not apparently open for general release until September. After the screening, the Director, producer and both Ron Livingstone and Yul Vazquez were accompanied by Richard Pimentel himself for Q and A, which allowed some helpful insights not only into the making of the movie, but also the impact the movie is hopefully going to have on understanding those with disabilities and their assimilation into the workplace. The story itself unfolds chronologically and retells Richard's quest to find the 'music within' through a series of events including his own injury in Vietnam that caused a sever hearing disability and started Richard on the road to his eventual calling to aid others in finding work despite their disabilities. Eventually this even to a significant impact on the enacting of the Americans with Disabilities Act. As for the film itself, the acting of Ron Livingstone and Michael Sheen is particularly notable and I would be surprised if Sheen is not seen as a candidate for best supporting actor at the Academy awards next year. The other notable success is the outstanding screenplay. McKinney,Kennemer and Olsen may not yet be household names, but based on this showing, we will be seeing a lot more of their work in the future. Highly recommended - don't miss it when it comes to a cinema near you!

I am not sure what people mean by this being too melodramatic, but the three main characters are strong and convincing in this brooding and intense drama. I really felt like you were able to get inside the characters, and the non-linear storyline really added to the suspense and drama despite much of the conclusion being foregone. I thought de Toro was magnificent.

The treatment of death was also very thought provoking, with several different angles being explored through the accident and the illness. There was also some exploration of the relationship between parents and children, abortion and loss.

I recommend it, though I thought the sex scene was unnecessary.