Margot at the Wedding

Noah Baumbach is definitely a star young writer/director, having created such films as The Squid and the Whale. In Margot at the Wedding, Baumbach does a great job bringing out the quirks, idiosyncrasies, flaws, and strengths of people, but the whole thing together just isn't as good as some of its parts. I love Nichole Kidman, and similar to the film itself she had her strong moments, but in the end she was average. Same thing with Jennifer Jason Leigh, who plays her sister, and Jack Black, who plays her sister's warped fiancé. One good thing about watching the whole movie is that you get to the final scene. If you make it that far, you will be rewarded. 3 out of 5. Joe

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

I was disappointed. Movie critic Carrie Rickey says it better than I, and I agree with her 100%:

"Everything about The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is longer than it needs to be. Its title, for one thing. Its duration - two hours and 40 minutes! - for another.
But mostly its excruciatingly deliberate pace makes you wonder if Andrew Dominik's film, as spare as it is self-important, intentionally unfolds in narrative slow-mo.
On the plus side, Brad Pitt's turn as the fastest (and most paranoid) gun in the West and that of Casey Affleck, as James' starstruck fan and killer, are sharp. Both are blunted and befogged by the film's atmospherics and glacial pace."

If you decide to watch this, take "no doze" and drink espresso. I score it a 3.5. Joe