Movie Reviews- Hippies, Dead People and Zombies

I haven't been able to see as many movies as I would like lately. I hope to pick up more in the next few weeks.

Taking Woodstock-(Demetri Martin and Liev Schreiber) ***
This movie was released a few weeks after the anniversary of Woodstock and I was pretty excited to see it. I had so many questions about Woodstock and how it was planned and the logistics of making an event like that happen. This movie did not answer any of them. I didn't know this going into it, but this movie is really about one person, Elliot Tiber, who at the time was an in-the-closet gay man living with his parents in upstate New York. He holds a permit for an annual music festival and when he finds out that the neighboring town that was supposed to host Woodstock pulled the permit, he steps up and offers to help. This movie is a coming of age story that happens to occur the same weekend as Woodstock. The details of the concert are a bit hazy and is really secondary to Elliot's story, which some key people involved in Woodstock have even said is inaccurate. So this movie was OK...disappointing because of what I thought it was going to be. I still don't have the answers to my questions about Woodstock and don't think I will. Apart from that, it is a well acted, often funny, sweet movie worth checking out on DVD. The best part is Liev Schreiber, who plays a drag queen and is absolutely hysterical. I have never been a fan of his, but this role made me a believer.

Love Happens - (Jennifer Aniston, Aaron Eckhart, Martin Sheen) ***
For some reason I thought this movie was going to be an updated version of Sleepless in Seattle. It isn't. I actually really enjoyed this movie and would recommend it for a night where you feel like shedding some tears. I know you probably think this is a love story but it is so far from that I think the previews and name do it a disservice. This is a movie about grief, how people handle it, or don't handle it, and how they continue living life without the one they love. Jennifer Aniston is her usual beautiful self but the role really isn't a stretch for her. Aaron Eckhart is likable and as the main character does a good job of balancing grief and public "fineness". Dan Fogler provides comic relief and helps further along the story. I cried in this movie...not the eyes leaking crying...but hard, trying not to sob loudly crying. The story is sweet and there is a scene with Martin Sheen and Aaron Eckhart that is heartbreaking. It feels weird saying that I enjoyed this movie, or even that I liked it. I was moved. It is a love story in a way, but not with Jennifer Aniston. Grab your tissues and cuddle up and watch this on DVD. You won't walk away feeling sad, but it isn't the feel good hit of the year either.

Zombieland - (Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg) *****
There are some books and movies that I love so much, that resonate to my core, that if you say you don't like them or don't get it, I will question our friendship and judge your intelligence. It might be wrong, or snobby or whatever, but that is the truth. There aren't many that affect me like this, and I know we are all entitled to our own opinions, but it happens and I am just being honest. Zombieland is one of those movies for me. This movie is fantastic. It's funny, it's cool, it has zombies (!), it's gruesome, but mostly it is laugh out loud funny. Woody Harrelson is awesome and Jesse Eisenberg nails the sweet dork role (very similar to his role in Adventureland). There really isn't a lot I can say about this movie because until you see it, it will sound ridiculous. Just go and see it. If you don't like it or don't think it is funny, do us a favor and lie to me.