Quinceañera (2006)

Aug 04, 2010 by Mr. Nau This coming-of-age drama tells the story of a Mexican-American teenager in Los Angeles, dealing with very strict working-class parents who kick her out of the house when she gets pregnant at fifteen. This beautiful story features believable characters who struggle with homophobia, sexuality, traditionalism, and gentrification. Grade: B+. IMDB: […]

Adventureland (2009)

Aug 02, 2010 by Mr. Nau Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart star in this romantic comedy about a college graduate (Eisenberg) who has to take a job at a run down amusement park and falls for the troubled Em (Stewart). The beautifully written screenplay is based on the experiences of the writer-director in the 1980s. […]

Youth in Revolt (2009)

Jul 31, 2010 by Mr. Nau Nick Twisp, a dorky teenager from Oakland, meets pretty young Sheeni, falls for her, invents a swashbuckling alter-ego named François, and journeys across California to find her. Michael Cera is funny as Nick and the supporting cast is talented, although the frequently aimless script seems written just for Cera. […]

The Painted Veil (2006)

Jul 23, 2010 by Mr. Nau Edward Norton, Naomi Watts, and Liev Schreiber star in this adaptation of the W Somerset Maugham novel about a epidemiologist fighting a cholera epidemic in China, his unfaithful wife, and her lover, a British consul. The backdrop, shot on location in China, is gorgeous and the acting performances first-rate. […]

Star Trek (2009)

Jul 21, 2010 by Mr. Nau JJ Abrams reboots the Star Trek saga in this exciting adventure that chronicles the early backstory of James T Kirk and the inaugural voyage of the original USS Enterprise. Chris Pine leads a brilliant cast as the iconic Kirk. This new imagining is full of humor, action, and menacing […]

Infamous (2006)

Jul 18, 2010 by Mr. Nau Toby Jones leads an exquisite cast in this sadly overlooked drama about Truman Capote’s research on In Cold Blood, which was released on the heels of the Oscar-winning masterpiece Capote. Sandra Bullock turns in a surprisingly confident performance as Harper Lee. This engrossing telling is well worth a look. […]

Venus (2006)

Jul 05, 2010 by Mr. Nau Peter O’Toole is picture perfect in this generation gap comedy about a famous, but elderly actor, Maurice, who becomes enamored with his best friend’s great-niece, who exploits his affection for her as they become friends. Newcomer Jodie Whittaker plays Jessie, providing a vulgar, common counterbalance to the cultured thespian. […]

How to Lose Friends & Alienate People (2008)

Jun 26, 2010 by Mr. Nau Simon Pegg stars in this fish-out-of-water comedy about an ascerbic culture writer who takes a job in a high-profile New York celebrity gossip magazine and pursues a famous starlet. Pegg’s character, Sidney Young, hilariously finds every conceivable way to annoy everybody, from colleagues to A-Listers. Grade: B+. IMDB: How […]

A Good Woman (2004)

Jun 16, 2010 by Mr. Nau Helen Hunt, Scarlett Johansson, and Tom Wilkinson star in this adaptation of an Oscar Wilde play about a New York socialite who spends the summer trying to attract the attentions of an English aristocrat on the Amalfi Coast during the 1930s. The high society drama make this period peace […]

Up in the Air (2009)

Jun 14, 2010 by Mr. Nau Ryan Bingham is a middle-aged consultant hired by companies to travel around the country and lay off employees. He is tasked with showing young Natalie the rules of the road. George Clooney and Anna Kendrick lead a beautiful cast, bringing this wonderful story of loneliness and redemption to life. […]

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