Summary: Willie (Tom Sturridge) has a lot of love with a girl, Emma (Rachel Bilson) from her childhood and decides to reveal his feelings for her by traveling back home. Things are complicated by the seemingly delusional ways of Will and Emma's dying father and cheating boyfriend. Will is also a bit off including his love for Emma who has no idea he has been following her.

Review: Sturridge had some talents in this movie and makes an appeal as a broken yet kind man. Bilson was satisfactory. The movie had some humor and I only wish the beginning of the movie was a bit stronger. The movie was a bit darker, but it did have a sappy ending though.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: Is unrequited love the worst? How does a mind become broken? Can a wanderer with few possessions really be a right way to live?

Power Rating (Out of 5): 2, I'm glad I trudged through the movie. It was a slow watch in the beginning and didn't start to make sense until the end. It had some decent acting by Sturridge, but the beginning of the movie was very slow. It took a while to develop as things didn't make taht much sense until all the pieces were put together throughout the movie.

The Dilemma

Summary: Ronny (Vince Vaughn) and his best friend Nick (Kevin James) try to sell a business of combining electric engines to muscle cars for a Detroit company. Nick and his wife Geneva (Wionona Ryder) try to pressure Ronny into proposing to his long time girlfriend Beth. In a chance encounter, Ronny catches Geneva with another man. His qualms about telling his friend who is in a high pressure situation quickly leads his life to a downward spiral as he discovers relationships aren't as perfect as he thought they were and struggles how strong is his relationship with Beth.

Review: I think the movie was a little too serious, but Vaughn makes the movie. The plot was interesting, but for some reason everything just didn't mesh together. Kevin James seems to be a bit overrated to me for all his accolades for movies. I thought he was excellent on the television show King of Queens though. Connelly seemed decent even though I just don't think she fit the part too much. She seems very somber and is a good enough actress to warrant a better role. Wionna Ryder did an excellent job in portraying her character of a manipulative girl though. I liked the flashbacks during some of Ronny's stories though whether they were fiction or truth.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: Are we not meant to be monogamous? What is the loyalty code to a friend? How long do you have to know someone to know them? Are secrets okay? Friendship

Power Rating (Out of 5): 3 It had too deep a plot for a comedy and it wasn't as hilarious as it should have been. Vaughn still makes the movie though with his rambling. He always has those famous rants and in this movie the best one is against the 2nd cousin in the anniversary toast. I thought there have been plenty of better Vaughn movies and Connelly is too serious for a comedy.

Favorite Quotes:
Ronny: "Great moments are born from great opportunities. That's what you have here tonight, Nick. That's what you've earned here tonight. One shot. You take it 10 times you might miss nine. But not this shot, not tonight."

Source Code

Summary: An Army pilot wakes up in another man's identity in the last 8 minutes of his life. It's a "source code" or an alternative reality where Sean (Jake Gyllenhaal) has to find information about the train's bomber because a 2nd impending attack with a dirty bomb is suspected. He develops a connection with a passenger, Christina Warren (Michelle Mongahan) while trying to understand what's happening as he receives orders from Captain Goodwin (Vera Farmiga).

Review: Gyllenhaal was decent, Monaghan played a woman wit the smile you could fall in love with, and Farmiga played her role as a divided Captain well. The graphics were brilliant and the storyline was intriguing. The movie did bring into question of the greater society vs. the individual.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: What happens after death? Is there really a fate that we are all bound to? What are regrets? Can we really change the future sometimes? Majority vs. minority, soldier's death, does tapping into an alternate reality really create a whole new reality, what is identity, how does memory work, the little things, fate

Power Rating (Out of 5): 5 It was well made and definitely not just a tacky thriller. It had some nice themes going for it as well and had the layers of complexion in them.

Favorite Quotes:
Goodwin: The program wasn't designed to alter the past, but affect the future.

Colter Stevens: Beautiful day.

Colter Stevens: What would you do if you knew you only had one minute to live?
Christina Warren: I'd make those seconds count.
Colter Stevens: I'd kiss you again.
Christina Warren: Again?

Christina Warren: Look at me. Everything's going to be okay.
[suddenly the train explodes]

Colter Stevens: It's the same train, but it's different.
Christina Warren: Deep, I hope it's different. I feel the same way.

Colter Stevens: Do you believe in fate?
Christina Warren: Not really, I'm more of a dumb luck kind of gal.

Colter Stevens: This feels like exactly where we're suppose to be, doesn't it?

Black Swan

Summary: The movie starts with the crowning of a new Queen Swan, Nina, (Natalie Portman) and another ballerina Lilly (Mila Kunis). The former Queen Swan committed an act of getting into an accident because of her emotional state of being replaced as surmised by the director. It's a psychological thriller on how one deals with the pressure of being a ballerina and Nina worries about Lilly, her competition.

Review: The cinematography was great. The movie really was a thriller and had me pretty anxious at what was to come at times. The mood created was perfectly fit for the movie, but I think I just cringe at the sight of ligaments being outstretched to the point of snapping. Natalie Portman really shows her versatility as an actress and was fantastic in her role as a meek girl with suppressed emotions. Mila Kunis also does a great job exuding the sexuality she does in every role. The self mutilation by the Queen Swan was distressing. I did love the classical music though.

Further Questions/Philosophy/Theme: Does love inspire art as suggested by the director when he tries to release Natalie Portman sexually? Does it really take some kind of psychological damage or craziness to be "great" at something? Is there a greater theme to masochism? There was a nice theme of control and how discipline clash. The power struggles throughout the film were nice. The question of delusion with reality and identity are in play. Do we all have a black swan and white swan?

Power Rating (Out of 5): 4 It was a really made movie and I can see how it won all the awards it had, but I just didn't like it from a personal point of view. The emotions it touched upon were too personal for me and I guess I'm just not mature enough. I also found it hard to relate to ballerina, but I give the movie credit for captivating me for the entire time. I have to say it was a "good" movie though.

Favorite Quotes:
Thomas Leroy: Are you okay?
Nina: I'm fine.
Thomas Leroy: Nina.
Nina: What?
Thomas Leroy: I've already asked Lily.
Nina: Have you announced it?
[pauses]
Nina: After Beth do you really need another controversy? I'm here, Thomas. I'm doing it.
Thomas Leroy: The only person standing in your way is you. It's time to let her go. Lose yourself.

Nina: It's about a girl who gets turned into a swan and she needs love to break the spell, but her prince falls for the wrong girl so she kills herself.

Erica: It's the role, isn't it? It's all this pressure? I knew it would be too much. I knew it!

Nina: What happened?
Thomas Leroy: She walked into the street and got hit by a car. And you know what? I'm almost sure she did it on purpose.
Nina: How do you know?
Thomas Leroy: Because everything Beth does comes from within. From some dark impulse. I guess that's what makes her so thrilling to watch. So dangerous. Even perfect at times, but also so damn destructive.

Thomas Leroy: You could be brilliant, but you're a coward.
Nina: I'm sorry.
Thomas Leroy: [yelling] Now stop saying that! That's exactly what I'm talking about. Stop being so fucking weak!

Nina: I felt it. Perfect. I was perfect.

Killing Me Softly

Summary: Alice (Heather Graham) catches the eyes of a stranger, Adam (Joseph Fiennes) and a love blossoms even though she is engaged. Soon, she comes to find that he isn't who he is and there are clues that he is dangerous. His sister is played by Nathascha McEllone.

Review: The only positive about the movie was how hot Heather Graham was and the few bare breast shots. Heather Graham should really stick to just being a face and this movie really proves she has no acting skill at all for a drama or thriller. She seems decent in comedies and lighter television shows (Scrubs) though. The cinematography did seem decent at times, but there wasn't much substance.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: Do women just fall in love with the alluring and dangers of a mysterious man? Are passionate love affairs really just born out of a chance encounter of the eyes locking? It seemed like Alice really enjoyed giving up control to such a dominating man as evidenced by her "I loved it," sex scene with him controlling when she got to breathe.

Power Rating (Out of 5): 1 It wasn't a movie I particularly enjoyed and was bored throughout. I thought it had a chance to be a thriller, but it was just thrillingly boring. Despite all the sex scenes, it just felt like soft-core porn.

Impostor

Summary: Spencer Olham (Gary Sinise) is a top military scientist who has his world turned upside down when the government think he's a replicator and sent to assasinate the chancellor. Spencer Olham is determined to prove that he's not an impostor and is exactly who he thinks he is. He needs the help of his loving wife, Maya Olham (Madeline Stowe) for that. The replicator is supposedly sent by aliens on Alpha Centauri. This is another film based on the work of Phillip K. Dick.

Review: The movie was filmed well and Gary Sinese was decent in the role. Vincent D'Onofrio plays a decent agent who is tracking Olham.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: What makes a person themselves? Does a human have a soul and that's the difference between a replicator and a human even if it has the exact biological build and memories. The soul seems to be the same though as what makes us are our memories, soul, and biological form.

Power Rating (Out of 5) 4 The movie was much better than the reviews and was a thrilling chase while having the philosophical questions of what is identity and reality. It was a twisting story with many surprises. It's interesting to note that I would say this movie was comparable to the Minority Report which was released in the same year, but Tom Cruise made that one a hit. The budget was twice as large in Minority Report and its special effects were a bit better. Still, I didn't think it warranted that much more success while Impostor tanked.

Just Friends

Summary: Chris Brander (Ryan Reynolds) couldn't seal the deal with his best friend and crush Jamie Palamino (Amy Smart) and is given another chance ten years later after he becomes a LA music hot shot agent. He attempts to seal the deal, but reverts back to his awkward High School ways. Ana Farris plays a crazy musician that Reynolds is suppose to sign.

Review: The movie plot wasn't terrible and it was hilarious at times. The brother plays a nice supporting character to show how brothers are. The characters didn't seem to have a connection despite the film having its humorous movies. It was a film that was decently filmed and better than most romantic comedies.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: Can a guy and girl be platonic friends?

Power Rating (Out of 5): 3 It was a decent movie, but it suffers from the cliches of the theme. Ryan Reynolds seems to play the same character in every movie and he doesn't seem to have many different facial expressions.