Arbitrage

This high finance crime thriller is playing in theaters now.  Billionaire Robert Miller struggles to divest his empire before his fraud is discovered, but fate takes a nasty turn and he must trust an unlikely source.  Tim Roth, Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon star in the movie.  Arbitrage in economics and finance is the practice of a price difference between two or more markets--striking a combination of matching.  I can't give you more details without giving away the ending.  It is fast paced with lots of of twists and turns.  Morale of the story is that money talks and can move mountains.

Bourne Legacy

In theaters now.  This action packed thriller follows the Jason Bourne debacle.  The CIA finds itself dealing with a familiar threat when another estranged operative surfaces.  Jeremy Renner stars with Edward Norton, Rachel Weisz, and Joan Allen.  It would be helpful if you had a PHD in biology, chemistry  or medicine.  It took half the movie to understand this very technical plot.  A lot of filling viles with blood, syringes, etc. so not for those that are faint at the sight of blood or needles.  After an hour, I figured out that CIA was messing with the operatives blood and genetics.  Or maybe not.  It did not put the CIA or FBI in very good light.  I liked the previous Bourne movies better.

Expendables 2

In theaters now.  In this high octane thriller, Mr. Church brings the Expendables back together for an easy job--but things go wrong and one of the mercenaries is brutally murdered.  Now the band of hired guns goes on a mission of revenge in hostile territory.  I am not an action thriller movie seeker, however you have to love both Expendables movies.  I totally get it now.  This is what the guys love and there is none of that relationship/emotional stuff to think about.  Filled with unbelievable action (we know it is a fantasy), I even found myself rooting the Expendables on to victory.  Better than the NFL.  Simple story and with lots of action and bang, bang is a great break from reality.  I found myself imagining that I was Wonder Woman and going after the bade guys.  There is something to be said for a break from reality.  Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Chuck Norris, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger star in the movie.

Expendables

I saw this 210 DVD recently and loved it.  Mercenary Barney Ross leads a ragtag band of hired guns charged with overthrowing a South American despot.  No job a military unit is willing to touch.    But, on the ground, the team learns there is more to the mission then what they are told.  Unbelievable action scenes that are really a fantasy.  Stars Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Doph Lundgren, Jet Li, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Little White Lies

It's French and complicated but in a good way.  When Max and Vero's friend is seriously injured in an accident, they chose to go ahead with a planned birthday celebration at their beach house--an event that draws a convivial and happy crowd of friends.  My major complaint was the sub tittles often faded when they appeared white on white.  This happens more and more in foreign flicks these days.  This is the ultimate Beach House story.  The house is located on the Med in Southern France and is huge and beautiful.  The wine flows as does the food.  You will find yourself hungry and thirsty.  They actually have wine for breakfast.  The plot evolves around a number of relationship situations.  Actually, the Game of Thrones was easier to keep the characters separated.  For this reason, I am keeping it on my DVD list because it is worth seeing again.  Great scenery, fun party scenes, and great acting.  It stars Francois Cluzet (Untouchables), Marion Cotillard, Benoit Magimel, Gilles Lellouche, Valarie Bonneton.  It is playing in the theaters now.

 

Love Carrot 3

Now playing at Shirlington (haven't seen it anywhere else).  It is a Russian comedy--who knew they had a sense of humor.  Basic story is a Russian couple (he is a lawyer and she is an museum curator) are cutting a deal for three Faberge' eggs to go on a world wide exhibit.  He has a General for a father and she has the mother from hell.  Grandmazilla is living with them and grandpa comes to visit for two weeks.  Grandmazilla and grandpa can't stand each other and fight constantly.  A friend visits and breaks out a bottle of cognac.  All drink.  Grandmazilla and grandpa end up in bed with each other.  Everyone freaks out and during this trauma,  the couple's personalities switch with their respective parents.  The Faberge' Eggs are really part of a bigger scam which includes an unknown Tchaikovsky musical piece.  It was somewhere between vaudeville and the 3 Stooges.  All in all it was entertaining and I found myself laughing at the antics.  Nobody you have ever heard of starred in this movie.

The Change-Up

This 2011 DVD is a contemporary reality-warp comedy, single playboy Mitch and responsible husband-father Dave are best buddies who want each other's life-- and they get the chance when they magically swap bodies after a night of drunken revelry.  Stars Jason Bateman; Ryan Reynolds; Olivia Wilde; Leslie Mann; and Alan Arkin.  I am not sorry that I missed it in the theaters but the DVD was mildly entertaining for a rainy afternoon.