The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Spanks - 3

Director - David Fincher

Writers - Eric Roth and Robin Swicord

Starring - Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Julia Ormond and Tilda Swinton

Release Date - 25 December 2008

MPAA Rating - PG-13

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is an interesting concept for a film, but it didn't live up to the expectations I had for it. The makeup and digital special effects to make Cate Blanchett and Brad Pitt look younger and older were brilliant, as was the acting and direction.

A lot happens in the film, but nothing happens. The film starts in 1918 on the eve of the end of World War I and ends in 2005 when hurricane Katrina hits New Orleans. It is narrated by the main character's daughter reading the journal of Benjamin Button to her dieing mother. It goes from the birth of Ben as an old man, to his death as a baby. Ben falls in love, Ben travels the world, people die, Ben comes home, he falls in love again, more people die, he travels again, he comes home, he is a child. If your looking for a climax it never comes. It moves very slowly, it seemed like I was there for longer then the 166 minutes run time.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a thinking film, and it grows on you a little as you think about it more. It is also depressing and sad at times. I think if it were shorter I would have liked it a lot more. If I were you I would wait for the DVD to watch it.

Burn After Reading

Spanks - 3.5

Director - Ethan Coen & Joel Coen

Writers - Joel Coen & Ethan Coen

Starring - George Clooney, Frances McDormand, Brad Pitt, John Malkovich & Tilda Swinton

Release Date - 12 September 2008

MPAA Rating - R

Burn After Reading is not what I thought it was going to be from the trailer. The trailer made it seem like it was going to be more of a comedy like the Big Lebowski, but in reality it was a Coen Brothers movie that had a few really good laughs.

The film is about blackmail, online dating, national secrets, affairs, and physical fitness. John Malkovich plays a CIA analyst who quits his job, Tilda Swinton is his wife, George Clooney is a agent for the treasury department, and Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand work for the gym Hardbodies. They film follows how their lives are intertwined over the course of a few days, which happens because of Malkovich quitting his job at the CIA.

My only problem with Burn After Reading was it was slow getting started. Once everything was in place the movie felt like it just started. The film does a great job of keeping you thinking what will happen next, which you will probably guess wrong every time... I did. If you do go see it, pay attention because its one of those movies where you can miss something very easily and you will want to see again when it is released on DVD.