"The Kids are Alright" - in theaters

Based on the television commercials that I saw that advertised this film, I expected it to be a lot funnier. However, much like "Lost in Translation", the laughs were somewhat few and far between.

Don't get me wrong though, I really enjoyed this film (unlike the film mentioned above, ugh). It centers around two women, Jules, played by Julianne Moore, and Nic, played by Annette Bening, and their two children, Laser (no joke, that's his name) played by Josh Hutcherson, and Joni, played by Mia Wasikowska. Now, Joni and Laser (seriously, who names their kid after a beam?) are curious about the man who inseminated each mom in turn, so since Joni's 18, she looks him up. The sperm donor is none other than Mark Ruffalo, at his scruffy, charming best, and he soon folds into their lives like a cheap suit.

At first, Mark Ruffalo's character Paul is very charming, and you really dig him. But as he continues to develop relationships with each of these family members, I find him to be less so. At one point he begins to have an affair with Jules, which eventually, the entire family uncovers. I guess what's so icky (for lack of a better word) is the way that Paul behaves and how he weasels his way in to everyone's lives. He's quite a sleazeball when you think about it more, and it sort of makes my skin crawl.

And skeezebag though he may be, Mark Ruffalo does an excellent job at it. All of the cast should be commended on their performances, as they were all very believable, and they all make you care about what happens to this family. It's surprising that this movie came out during the summer as opposed to making a winter Oscar run, but hopefully at nomination time, it won't be forgotten.

So on the CWeave scale, I give this movie an 8. Points off for lacking humor, but bonus points to Josh Hutcherson, who shows a lot of potential.

Now, as a sex educator, I have to throw in my 2 cents. I understand how this movie could spur some controversy given that the main character identifies as a lesbian, yet has an affair with a man. Personally, I don't find this horribly upsetting, because I think that you're attracted to who you're attracted to, and that can't be helped. Labels are just labels, and they shouldn't define every feeling or behavior that occurs. I prefer to think of sexual orientation as fluid, which allows for change and deviation. But again, that's just my opinion...

"Shutter Island" - in theaters

I really wish that Leonardo DiCaprio would act in a nice romantic comedy. Why is it that he always has to play such complex, damaged characters? Seriously Leo... take a Xanax and make me laugh for crying out loud.

That being said, I actually did enjoy "Shutter Island". I was apprehensive to go and see it, mostly because I thought it was going to be more of a horror film, and we all know how I feel about horror films. But, I was pleasantly surprised. I only had to plug my ears twice (which is what I do when I get scared... it's weird, I know). The rest of the film is simply mysterious and suspenseful, and frankly, very entertaining.

Probably what I loved most about this entire film was Leonardo's come-and-go Boston accent, which he honed in "The Departed", and got to drag out into this film. He plays Teddy Daniels, a U.S. Marshall called to a mental facility on the aptly titled Shutter Island. A prisoner has escaped, and it's his and his new partner's (Mark Ruffalo, who's always such a delight to watch on screen in my opinion) duty to find the missing woman. But, being a Scorsese film, things are never that simple, and Teddy is soon investigating the hospital itself as well as facing his own personal demons. He has a rollicking case of PTSD from his time as a soldier in World War 2. That being said, the audience is treated to many flashbacks of Teddy as a soldier, wandering through a concentration camp, coming across corpse after corpse and shooting German prison guards. It's slightly horrific and gory, but necessary to understand the demons of Teddy's past and present.

I enjoyed the slight moment of Jackie Earle Hayley, who plays a prisoner in the dangerous Ward C of the hospital. He is one creepy dude, but his tete-a-tete with DiCaprio is fabulous.

The last line of the film has really stuck with me since leaving the theater this morning, so much so that I'm still thinking about it now. I'm tempted to write it here, but while I don't think it would tell much, I don't want to spoil the ending.

So, on the CWeave scale, I would rank this film an 8. While I don't think I'll own it, I do recommend that everyone see it. I promise, it's not as scary as it looks. And let's face it: you can't go wrong with Scorsese. Or at least most of the time you can't...