My daughter is doing the 365 movie challenge this year.  As I have seen most of the movies with her during January, I thought I’d give it a go as well.  I can’t guarantee I’ll maintain momentum, so thought I’d do it a month at a time.  I may eventually drop back to just the movie title and a score but for now here is an overview of the quite eclectic selection of movies I watched this month.

1. An American in Paris      9/10

Stars: Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Oscar Levant

An American in Paris is a favourite of mine, due to the stellar cast and the wonderful Gershwin music. As usual in a Gene Kelly movie there is a great ballet sequence.  Unlike other Kelly movies though, this sequence occurs at the end of the movie, which means there is no dialogue for the last 20 minutes.   See this if, like me, you enjoy musicals and love Gene Kelly.
2. End of Watch  7/10

Stars: Jake Gyllenhal and Michael Pena

While I don’t usually enjoy documentary- style movies, this one works well. I enjoyed the interactions between the characters and the storyline was compelling. See this if you enjoy dramas about cops.

3. Election  5/10

Stars: Reese Witherspoon and Matthew Broderick

Not a bad movie with Reese Witherspoon as a high student and Matthew Broderick as the teacher tasked with overseeing the school elections.  Witherspoon is her usual perky self and Broderick gives an effective portrayal of the slightly jaded teacher.See it if you like high school movies.

4. Footloose 8/10

Stars: Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer, Diane Weiss and John Lithgow

Re-watched this movie which I originally saw in the ’80s, as my daughter had never seen it.  Kevin Bacon is superb as the slightly rebellious orphan who moves to the town where dancing is banned and causes a culture change.  The rest of the cast is also very good.  See this if you like movies about people who challenge the status quo.
5. Happy Endings   6/10

Stars: Lisa Kudrow, Maggie Gyllenhal, Steve Coogan

This is one of those movies where a number of storylines are interwoven to create a snapshot of the intertwining lives of the characters.  While not too challenging, it is a movie that requires you to focus on what is happening as you see how the various characters lives intersect.  All in all an interesting patchwork of stories
6. The Social Network  8/10

Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Armie Hammer and Justin Timberlake

The fictionalised story of the founding of Facebook is a great movie.  The cast works well and the story flows smoothly.  Eisenberg and Garfield are excellent in the roles and Timberlake gave a strong performance as Napstar founder, Sean Parker.  See this if you like biographical movies.
7. Hitchcock  9/10

Stars: Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren

This biographical flick tells the story of Alfred Hitchcock and Alma Reville, during the filming of ‘Psycho’.  Hopkins and Mirren are excellent, as usual.  The movie is compelling and enjoyable.  Another for fans of the biopic. But also one with universal appeal.

8. Mystery Woman: Snapshot 6.5/10

Stars: Kellie Martin, Clarence Williams III

This telemovie is part of a series about amateur sleuth, Samantha Kinsey (Martin) and Philby (Played by Williams) her enigmatic assistant and mentor in crime solving.  The characters are good, the storylines easy to follow and the general feel is one of good entertainment for a lazy Sunday afternoon.  See this if you like the amateur sleuth shows like Diagnosis Murder or Murder, She Wrote.
9. The Rum Diary  4.5/10

Stars: Johnny Depp,

Depp, in another of those roles he seems to prefer, plays an American journalist in Puerto Rico who comes into conflict with both his editor, who wants him to write puff pieces on tourism stories, and the locals whose culture he and his friend come in conflict with.  There’s a lot of drinking in this movie and it’s not that great.  Depp fans will probably enjoy it.
10. My Big Fat Greek Wedding  8/10

Stars: Nia Vardalos and John Corbett

Cross-cultural romance at it’s very best.  Vardalos is excellent as the Greek woman trying to balance her family’s cultural expectations with her growing romance with a handsome American.  Fans of movies about cultural identity might enjoy this.
11. Jack Reacher 6.5/10

Stars: Tom Cruise and Rosamund Pike

Cruise is good as the investigator trying to track down a sniper who killed 5 people.  Having read the books I expected to find that Cruise’s short stature would make him less believable as the title character, but effective camera angles helped to make him appear taller. Cruise was at his tough guy best.

12. Reindeer Games 3/10

Stars: Ben Affleck Gary Sinise, Charlize Theron

Heist movies are usually ok but I found myself thinking ‘Why am I watching this?’ and ‘What were you thinking, Ben?’. Not a movie worth recommending and certainly not one of Affleck’s finest moments.

13. Mean Girls 2  2/10

Stars: Meaghan Martin and Domm Lamkin

Not a fan of this sort of movie and this one lived up to all my expectations.  Sequels are sometimes better left unmade and that is certainly true of this one. Not a good movie.

14. Friday Night Lights 7/10

Stars: Billy Bob Thornton, Lucas Black

I am a fan of the TV series but had never seen this movie.  It was all I expected, though I felt that what was missing that is typical of the genre was the inspirational speeches one expects to see in sporting movies. definitely one for the sport movie fans.
15. Like Crazy   7/10

Stars: Anton Yelchin, Felicity Jones, Jennifer Lawrence

Quite a good movie about a British girl whose relationship with her American lover is tried by the issues related to the renewal of her visa.  Long-distance romance with pathos, a few laughs and a lot of drama.

16. Puncture   8/10

Stars: Chris Evans, Mark Kassen

Evans is excellent as the drug-addicted lawyer who takes on the United Medical group over its restrictions on a syringe that would prevent the spread of AIDS needlestick accidents.  An enthralling, compelling true story that would appeal to the Erin Brockavich fans.

17. Grey Gardens   7/10

Stars: Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange

Barrymore and Lange are excellent as the eccentric Big Edie and Little Edie Bouvier Beale. The movie moves a little slowly but the stars are extraordinarily good in this telemovie about the Beales.

18. Chasing Liberty  7/10

Stars: Mandy Moore, Matthew Goode and Mark Harmon

An entertaining movie about the trials of being the President’s daughter and the need for some privacy as the President arranges for a CIA agent to take care of his daughter while she runs away from the pressures of the first daughter role.  Harmon is very convincing as the President.
19. Zero Dark Thirty  7.5/10

Stars: Jessica Chastain and Joel Edgerton

Much of this movie is enthralling though. like all Kathryn Bigelow movies, it’s a little too long.  I was very engaged in the storyline of the hunt for Osama Bin Ladin.  Worth a trip to the cinema to see it if you have a chance.

20. The Last King of Scotland 7/10

Stars: Forrest Whitaker and James McAvoy

Whitaker is excellent as despotic ruler Idi Amin and McAvoy gives a strong performance as his personal physician.  It’s a trifle gory in parts, as one would expect in a movie about Idi Amin but it’s a very good movie.
21. Silver Linings Playbook  8.5/10

Stars: Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence

An excellent movie about two emotionally damaged people who help one another come to terms with their problems.  Cooper and Lawrence are excellent in their roles.  This is a movie I happily recommend to all.

22. The Courtship of Eddie’s Father    7/10

Stars: Glenn Ford, Ron Howard and Shirley Jones

A great classic and I am glad I revisited it.  Ron Howard is adorable as little Eddie who is trying to find anew wife for his widower father. Glenn Ford and Shirley Jones are excellent as always.
23. Legally Blonde       6.5/10

Stars: Reese Witherspoon and Luke Wilson

While not a great movie, it is entertaining with a cast that gels and a storyline that is engaging and amusing.  Witherspoon is in her element in this type of role.

24. We Bought a Zoo   6.5/10

Stars: Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson and Thomas Hayden Church

A nice little family movie with a likeable Damon as the widower father trying to build a new life for his kids by buying and running a zoo. You find yourself wanting him to make a go of this enterprise.

25. Have a Little Faith  5/10

Stars: Martin Landau, Lawrence Fishburne and Bradley Whitford

This movie was ok but seemed to drag a little. It had potential and the cast is good.  The highlight was the random singing by Martin Landau, who played the Rabbi who wants his eulogy planned and delivered by Whitford’s character.
26. Django Unchained    7.5/10

Stars: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz and Leonardo DiCaprio

This Quentin Tarantino movie is really good.  Foxx and Waltz are excellent in their roles; DiCaprio was great as the villain; the story moves along well.  Not too sure about the random Aussie accents in Tarantino’s cameo but overall a good movie.
27. Hello, Dolly!  9/10

Stars: Barbra Streisand, Walter Mattheu and Michael Crawford

This is a great classic musical.  It has everything you look for in a quality musical – excellent cast, wonderful songs, great costumes.  This is always worth watching, which is why I re-visit it every few years.

28. The Guilt Trip  8/10

Stars: Barbra Streisand and Seth Rogen

A great mother-son road trip movie.  Though I was dubious about the Streisand-Rogen pairing it worked well with lots of comedic moments.  There were a few ‘Aww’ moments that mothers can relate to. A great feel good movie.
29. Slumdog Millionaire   8/10

Stars: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto

This is a movie I have been wanting to watch for some time but never got around to.  It’s such a good movie I was sorry it took me so long to watch it.  Patel is fantastic as the young man from an impoverished area who wins ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” against all odds.

30.  How to Be a Serial Killer  6/10

Stars: Matthew Gray Gubler and Dameon Clarke  6/10

A dark comedy that has its moments but is one of those movies that leaves you unsure whether or not you liked it.  I suspect it has the potential to become a cult movie but only time will tell.  Gubler and Clarke do a good job and there are moments of humour.

31. Flight   8/10

Stars: Denzel Washington, John Goodman

Washington is excellent as the alcoholic pilot who successfully prevents his plane from crashing, saving 96 of the ‘102 souls on board’. Goodman is great as his drug supplier/friend and brings humour to the movie.  I could have done without so much of the sub-plot related to heroin addict Nicole (Kelly Reilly) as I found her character a little bland.  But a good movie overall.