Saturday Night Movie Recommendations with Abe

Welcome to a new weekly feature here at Movies With Abe. Absent a wealth of new film reviews during the weekend, I’d like to start providing a handy guide to a few choice movies currently playing in NYC as well as several films newly released on DVD. I’ll also aim to comment on those films I have not yet had the chance to see, and I invite you to add in your thoughts on any films I haven’t seen in the comments below. Understandably, some weeks will have considerably fewer releases to address than others.

Hanna (mixed bag): This loud movie about a child assassin is decently entertaining but overall not so fulfilling. It’s more another chance to see that Saoirse Ronan is a talented actress whose career should be very interesting to watch. Read my review from yesterday, and catch the film (if you want) at a number of theatres around the city.

I’ve seen precious little this week. I’m hoping to have a review of Meet Monica Velour up tomorrow, and I’d really love to see Ceremony sometime soon. If I have time, I’d want to see Meek’s Cutoff, Your Highness, and Arthur, in that order. I’m hoping that, after concluding some travels this past week and the upcoming holiday of Passover, I’ll have more of a chance to immerse myself in mainstream cinema, although, honestly, not many of the films I’ve just mentioned can be described that way.

New to DVD

Casino Jack (mixed bag): This late-December film came and gone without most noticing, same for the Hollywood Foreign Press, who nominated Kevin Spacey for a Golden Globe for his lively portrayal of lobbyist Jack Abramoff. The film is actually quite fun, even if it’s somewhat over-the-top and unserious. Check it out and enjoy a truly fanatic Spacey performance and a fun script.

I Love You Phillip Morris (mixed bag): This long-delayed Jim Carrey-Ewan McGregor gay-men-in-prison flick was nothing if not intriguing. It’s not terribly satisfying, however, though the performances by Carrey and McGregor are definitely dedicated and interesting to watch. It’s an uneven, fascinating experience that may or may not be worth your time and investment.

It’s a bit strange that Tron: Legacy was one of only five Oscar-nominated films in any category from last year that I didn’t see since I probably would have liked it. Maybe I’ll catch it this summer. I’ll be perfectly fine missing Little Fockers, and if I didn’t see the first two “Chronicles of Narnia” movies, it’s not looking good for The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.