Ruby Sparks (R) 7.0

Ruby Sparks (2012): A novelist struggling with writer's block finds romance in a most unusual way: by creating a female character he thinks will love him, then willing her into existence. (7.1)

Directors: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris
Writer: Zoe Kazan
Stars: Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan, Annette Bening

Okay so you have to buy into the silly premise of the storyline, but then that brings out quite a lot of humorous situations that keep the movie flowing. Sometimes you think that they are over-doing the "create your own girlfriend" part, but if you take a step back, it is only the trials and tribulations in various relationships. The visit to mom's "house" is brilliant. Without actually candy-coating the young romance, the story actually looks at deeper meaning and that's why the movie works. My Rating: 7.0

Crash (R) 8.0

Crash (2004): Los Angeles citizens with vastly separate lives collide in interweaving stories of race, loss and redemption. (7.9)

Director: Paul Haggis
Writers: Paul Haggis, Bobby Moresco
Stars: Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, Jennifer Esposito, Matt Dillon

Heh!  This is the "conversation about race" that the media is missing ... or more accurately, can't really conduct in its full explosive language and conduct. Sometimes the art really is the perfect medium for a reality check. A lifetime ago, I used to live in that same Los Angeles. Perhaps, back then I was oblivious to the racism just beneath the surface, or perhaps people have become a lot more edgy in the last twenty years, but I think this movie captures today's prejudices just waiting for the right moment to boil over. I loved the way how the story challenges the audiences' perceptions and then throws in a twist to mix things up just when you think you've figured it all out. Very good acting by the all-star cast. My Rating: 8.0

House of Cards (R) 8.5

House of Cards (2013– ): Francis Underwood is Majority Whip. He has his hands on every secret in politics - and is willing to betray them all to become President. (8.9)

Directors: James Foley, Allen Coulter, David Fincher, Carl Franklin, Charles McDougall, Joel Schumacher
Writers: Kate Barnow, Andrew Davies, Michael Dobbs, Sam Forman, Beau Willimon, Rick Cleveland, Keith Huff, Sarah Treem
Stars: Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright, Kate Mara, Michael Kelly, Kristen Connolly, Sakina Jaffrey, Corey Stoll

Woo hoo ... this is an excellent series. Very good writing, wonderful screenplay, superb acting, etc. etc.  (Many people have commented elsewhere how good this series is; I don't have to repeat it here.) The story itself is very absorbing. Since it is a Netflix series, you can't help yourself but watch one episode after the other. The power in the storyline comes from the fact that it is quite plausible and very close to the reality--at least what we think of as the mix of the politicians and the press--in today's Washington people using power, influence, money and sex for every advantage imaginable. Cinematography is quite nice and I especially enjoyed the nice time lapse sequences of Washington DC monuments. (I still can't get over the fact that Claire Underwood is Princess Buttercup; {sigh} The Princess Bride will never be the same again.) Can't wait for the next season. My Rating: 8.5

More Than Blue (PG) 7.5

More Than Blue (2009) 슬픔보다 더 슬픈 이야기: "K" loves Cream but has terminal cancer so he keeps his love for her secret and tries to find a mate for her before he dies so she will not be alone after he dies. (7.1)

Director: Tae-Yeon Won
Writer: Tae-Yeon Won (screenplay)
Stars: Sang-woo Kwon, Bo-young Lee, Beom-su Lee
Language: Korean (w/ English subtitles)

This is one of those movies that you don't "get" until the final sequence; and then you understand previous scenes full of emotions and background. The writer/director has made a good decision in keeping that part til the end of the movie. At times, some of the sequences feel quite silly; but they have more than superficial humor. Nice story, and good acting. I will probably watch it again. My Rating: 7.5

Vexille (PG-13) 7.0

Vexille (2007): Japan, 2077: A female agent named Vexille is dispatched to Tokyo to investigate whether Japanese are developing robotic technology, which has been banned by the U.N. due to its potential threat to humankind. (6.8)

Director: Fumihiko Sori
Writers: Haruka Handa, Fumihiko Sori
Stars: Meisa Kuroki, Shôsuke Tanihara, Yasuko Matsuyuki

I think this is by the same folks who did "TO" short animations. The sequences are brilliant. It is a combination of rotoscoping and cell-shading that gives quite nice looking sets. The dialog leaves bit to be desired. The story is quite compelling and interesting, though some have pointed out that the story is perhaps a retelling of parts of other similar ones. Still, I found the combination of the nice anime work and the (to me) unique story quite intriguing. My Rating: 7.0

Freakonomics (PG-13) 6.0

Freakonomics (2010): A collection of documentaries that explores the hidden side of human nature through the use of the science of economics. (6.3)

Directors: Heidi Ewing, Alex Gibney, Seth Gordon, Rachel Grady, Eugene Jarecki, Morgan Spurlock
Writers: Steven Levitt (book), Stephen Dubner (book)
Stars: Steven Levitt, Stephen Dubner

Every time economists try to present their craft as an exact science, I'm reminded of this by John Kenneth Galbraith: "Economics is extremely useful as a form of employment for economists." Sure, these two guys bring a new perspective to looking at every-day supply-and-demand kind of things, but can you quantify every single human behavior based on economics? (They themselves proved it wrong with that little story about potty training with M&Ms.) The movie, however, is kind of a jumble of mess because it is a collection of mini documentaries rather than a single coherent narrative. Yes, each one is interesting, somewhat, but for a feature-length movie? The sumo-wrestling segment is an interesting human story. The last one about paying kids to succeed in school is just boring and annoying. My Rating: 6.0

No Mercy (R) 7.5

No Mercy (2010) 용서는 없다: Eager to spend time with his visiting daughter, forensic pathologist Kang takes one last job investigating the death of a woman found in a river. An environmentalist takes credit, but the evidence doesn't add up. (7.0)

Director: Hyeong-Joon Kim
Writer: Hyeong-Joon Kim
Stars: Frank M. Ahearn, Hye-jin Han, Nam Kyung-eub
Language: Korean (w/ English subtitles)

As with several other Korean movies, the story with many twists is at the center-stage here. Moreover, the cast, the acting, the cinematography, and the way the story unfolds, all help build up the suspense. The casualness of the conversations in office settings seems to be overdone, but the whole general mannerism and the flowing dialog lend a certain charm to the storytelling (and, that's why I like to watch foreign movies in the original language). Initially, you'd think that this is yet another crime thriller of 'who done it kind.' Then the unraveling of the twists starts, and shows that there is more beneath the surface. Good storytelling and good acting. Perhaps, I would have ended it a bit earlier leaving the audience to wonder about the future of the characters; then again, some foreign movies aren't afraid to show provocative scenes. (Yeah, don't watch if you are squeamish.) My Rating: 7.5

The Hidden Face (R) 7.5

The Hidden Face (2011) La Cara Oculta (original title): A Spanish orchestra conductor deals with the mysterious disappearance of his girlfriend. (7.1)

Director: Andrés Baiz
Writers: Andrés Baiz (screenplay), Arturo Infante (story)
Stars: Quim Gutiérrez, Martina García, Clara Lago
Language: Spanish (w/ English subtitles)

This is another mystery story where a major plot item is not revealed until well into the story, so talking about it is difficult without spoiling it for someone else. The way the story is told on the screen very well preserves that suspense; and then carries it through to the end. The brilliance of the storytelling is emphasized by the fact that even after the audience knows a major secret, it still has to guess at from where the next twist is coming. The cinematography is nice, and the two major actresses are eye-candy giving the movie a whole lot more to look at. Nice use of the location(s) and a back-story to make the plot-line believable. My Rating: 7.5

Nine Queens (R) 7.5

Nine Queens (2000) Nueve Reinas (original title): Two con artists try to swindle a stamp collector by selling him a sheet of counterfeit rare stamps (the "nine queens"). (7.8)

Director: Fabián Bielinsky
Writer: Fabián Bielinsky
Stars: Ricardo Darín, Gastón Pauls, Leticia Brédice
Language: Spanish (w/ English subtitles)

If I say too much about the the story, it will spoil the whole thing for someone else. So then, suffice it to say that it is just brilliant. And, what a wonderful storytelling by the director, the cinematographer and the actors. At times, you think that they are making this up, on the spot, as in real life; and, that's the beauty of the movie; it just flows naturally. Very good acting, not just by the three main actors, but by the supporting cast as well. Contains very well disguised twists and turns which you will love at the end. It is best to watch this movie without knowing a single thing about who's who and what they are doing. When at the end of a movie if it makes you think back to earlier scenes and dialog, then you know the story was good and you were completely absorbed in it. This is one of those movies. My Rating: 7.5

The Color of Magic (TV) 7.0

The Color of Magic (TV 2008): As Rincewind involuntarily becomes a guide to the naive tourist Twoflower, they find themselves forced to flee the city of Ankh-Morpork to escape a terrible fire, and begin on a journey across the Disc. (7.0)

Director: Vadim Jean
Writers: Vadim Jean, Terry Pratchett (novels)
Stars: David Jason, Sean Astin, Tim Curry

I started watching the two part series without first realizing that it is based on the famous book series Disk World by Terry Pratchett. I have not read the books either, so knowing it ahead of time would have not made a difference. Taken on its own, this mini-series is pretty good with a very compelling storyline and quite good acting. You can tell that there is a lot of background behind some of these characters and some were well developed into giving possible future drama. For a fantasy story, some of the punchlines in the not-so-subtle jokes were enjoyable. I'm sure those who have read the books may find this quick rundown of a series somewhat lacking; isn't that always the case when a whole series of books are made into a short movie! But just looking at it from a stand-alone fantasy story, it is very much entertaining. My Rating: 7.0

Prometheus (R) 6.0

Prometheus (2012): A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race. (7.2)

Director: Ridley Scott
Writers: Jon Spaihts, Damon Lindelof
Stars: Noomi Rapace, Logan Marshall-Green, Michael Fassbender

Ugh, I should just stop watching the supposed blockbusters from Hollywood. This is said to be the prequel to Alien and marketed as a Science Fiction flick. There is no science, and the fiction in it is pretty bad. If you want to call something sci-fi, then at least have some science-y stuff, scientists acting the part (not behaving like morons); if you want to throw in space-y things, use the cinema magic to make space look interesting. This movie is just action sequences thrown together to get people to go spend money at the theater and that's it. Why does a robot behave like a vengeful lone-ranger? Why does the team leader wake up from hibernation with a bad attitude? Why are scientists idiotic morons, why are people in the team antagonizing each other from the beginning for no reason? This movie is just dumb. I want my two hours back. My Rating: 6.0