Lincoln Lawyer

Legal Thriller

Starring Matthew McConaughey, Ryan Phillippe, Marisa Tomei

Welcome back to real acting Matthew McConaughey! We haven't seen this part of you since A Time To Kill back in 1996. To be honest, I loved Fools Gold and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days as much as the last girl...but his over confident, tan, shirtless character with chiseled abs can only get him so far. 

This clever film approaches the bench with a kick-ass cast. McConaughey, Phillippe and Tomei are accompanied by great actors William H. Macy, John Leguizamo and Josh Lucas. Even country music star Trace Adkins makes an appearance. 

If I could, I would take this movie to trial because it is guilty of being a great movie. I will warn you though- don't watch any previews of it before you pop it in. The twists in the plot are better to learn during trial. 

Reel Recommendation: You have the right to remain silent, anything you do to not watch this movie can and will be held against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney - and it should be the Lincoln Lawyer. I rest my case.

Buried

Thriller

Starring Ryan Reynolds

90 minutes of Ryan Reynolds trapped in a wooden coffin in Iraq. Synopsis over. 

So for the critique, I will start with this: normally with movies where the character is in a trapped situation, the audience is privy to the actions going on around him or her. For example, in Iron Man we are shown what the terrorists are doing while poor Robert Downey Jr is locked up in the cave with some old guy. Okay that was the only example I could think of on the spot. Buried, however, kept that information from you the entire duration of the film. Not even flashbacks. This did a great job of frustrating me equivalent to the moment I thought I was stuck forever in my old apartment bathroom when I was home alone for the entire weekend. When the handle (probably built in 1912) fell off, I felt completely trapped. You all know that feeling of claustrophobic panic that rushes over you and triggers the uncomfortable hot flash. 

Another unique point about the movie was that it was shown in real time.  This kept me on the edge of my sofa - well as far as I could while still able to have two dogs on my lap. 

Here's the kicker, the date the movie takes place is October 23rd - the day Ryan Reynolds was born. How do I know this? Well my fiance just happened to be lucky enough to be born the exact day and year as Mr. Reynolds so that is his "thing." That is also the thing I had to hear before watching The Proposal, Van Wilder, Just Friends, and any other RR flick. So really I am the lucky one as I am married to his birthday twin!

Reel Recommendation: I feel like I was in a coffin for 90 minutes. I need some air but I'm still Buried in it.