We go to the movies

Since we're talking movies here. I'd thought I'd add my couple of pennies.

Movie you need to see:

Bus 174: Quite simply the best movie I've seen since lost in translation, and possibly the best documentary I've ever seen. It works on so many levels: as drama, as education, as reality. A truly powerful story of a former street kid in Brazil who hijacks a bus. Shatteringly depressing and yet completely imbued with such a powerful humanity that it promises such hope. The helicopter shots of Rio are breathtaking. If you have a chance, don't miss it.

Movie you don't
Love, Actually: This movie is better described by the problematic themes that stink up this maudlin tripe. Powerful man-servant woman: There are 3! different relationships with this theme of man "falling" for his subservient (4 if you count the rock star/loser manager relationship).
Class issues: rich people are pretty and intelligent, poor people are stupid and ugly.
Body image issues: goes side by side the class issues (guess who the fat people are. Number of people called fat: 4. Number of people who are called "a whale" who are Emma Thompson: 1. Number of people who are repeatedly called fat who are skinnier than RZ in Bridget Jones:1
Racial issues: I'm not actually sure that this is a real problem here. It may even be progressive, but I don't trust this movie. There are four black people in this movie and two of them are played so that you're expecting some blond. Again, maybe okay, but if I ever see it again.
There are other things, but it's not worth it. I should note that I didn't dislike this movie when I was watching it. It just has an aftertaste like american beer.

Movie you should avoid at all costs:

Mystic River: Please don't see this movie. I haven't been so bored in a theatre in a very long time. The acting would be good if the writing weren't so atrocious. The ending feels like it was ripped off that Simpson's episode where Bart's doppleganger is given an air of evilness for no reason. Laurence Fishburne plays a mockery of himself.