The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1929)

Con artist befriends some society boors in order to rob them during a country weekend. She is foiled by a would-be suitor who catches her in the almost-act and then is redeemed by choosing the high road which involves refusing to blackmail her hosts.  There’s a lazy romance shoved in around the edges, too. 

Eh.

C-

50/50 (2011)

It felt like the story was taking a while to get going, and when it was over I realized that it never really did get going.  I'm not quite sure why it felt a little “off” -- perhaps the main character just was too dishwatery for me to be upset on his behalf or his girlfriend was so obviously a self-centered flake that there was no room to doubt what was going to happen.

When a young guy is living an old guy’s life, a cancer diagnosis feels way less tragic than it should.

B-

Fast Five (2011)

A Gary pick (duh).

This is not anything I'd choose to see on my own, but I don't mind sitting through it (Gary's watched plenty of emotionally-draining dramas with me so I owe him).  It was both ridiculous and entertaining.

C+

Viva Villa! (1934)

Inept portrayal of a Mexican freedom fighter. He came off as a womanizing ignoramus who was only good at fighting...but not at honor.

Blech.

D

The Cabin in the Woods (2012)

Five college kids -- one of each type (slut, jock, etc) -- take a weekend at the titular cabin.  Scary hillbilly encounter?  Check.  Weird/menacing cabin decor?  Check again.  Kids who make decisions that most wouldn't make?  Again we have a check.  But there's a whole 'nother level to this seemingly standard set-up.

I saw this with my sister and liked it much more than she did.  I think perhaps I was primed for it, being a fan of Joss Whedon's Buffy-style danger/humor/darkness.  It just seemed so clever, though I admit that I was ready for it to end way before it actually did.  Probably would've better at a lean 80 minutes.

B

POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold (2011)

Morgan Spurlock sets out to make a movie about getting advertisers to fund the very movie he's filming.

I don’t think it told me anything I didn’t know about product placement and the necessary compromises that take place between advertisers and filmmakers, but Morgan Spurlock is engaging and I was interested despite myself.

B-