"Coraline" (directed by Henry Selick)
- lush, detailed, beautiful stop-motion animation
- surprisingly creepy story
- suffers from an uneven pace
- flips the idea of a perfect world; shows the controlling aspects of such a society
- a few peripheral characters feel unnecessary
- voice talent is superb; Teri Hatcher makes a convincing villain.
- Grade: B
"Gigantic" (directed by Matt Aselton)
- the film's quirky elements feel forced and hamper the film's plot and tone
- Zooey Deschanel fares well as an eccentric, yet somewhat childish, girlfriend to Paul Dano's character
- Paul Dano fails to give his character a real personality. Such a shame after his great turn in 2007's "There Will Be Blood."
- hindered by pretentious symbolism that is neither comprehensible or illuminating
- manages to bring up some interesting ideas about one's transition to adulthood, but the ideas ultimately fail to resonate due to the film's numerous problems.
- Grade: C-
"The Soloist" (directed by Joe Wright)
- inspirational true story
- interesting cinematography; surprisingly varied for a mainstream film
- good, but not great performances; both Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr. feel detached from the material
- Foxx's acting is a bit too showy; would have preferred a more naturalistic performance
- script feels repetitive and sometimes slips into melodrama
- relies too heavily on voice over narration to convey the lead character's emotion and motivation; some scenes with extended dialogue feel too unrealistic
- steady pace; transitions well from flashbacks to the modern day
- at least somewhat outlines the many problems on the streets of L.A.
- It provides a realistic conclusion for the two main characters. Unfortunately this conclusion is marred by an annoyingly sentimental final scene.
- Grade: C+
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