srfm79

"It's Complicated" is marketed as yet another movie in the "mature people discovering things about themselves through funny, awkward situations in a down-to-earth but heart warming fashion" vein. Does it deliver? Well, yes, it is not badly done, but it is also quite formulaic, and if you have watched the last couple of movies with Diane Keaton as a woman discovering herself after meta-pause, there are a lot of situations that will not be all that surprising.

On the plus-side, the acting is good. Streep is funnier than the script, adding wonderful mimic to several scenes, and Baldwin is a joy to watch making fun of his aging, not-so- well-kept body. He and Streep are well cast opposite each other, never stealing the scenes for themselves. I am also now officially a fan of John Krasinski whose work in "Away We Go" was wonderful. He highlights his comic talent in a small, but charming role as the boyfriend of one of Streep and Baldwin's daughters. Steve Martin is a really good actor that is unfortunately too seldomly used for quasi-serious roles as here. (Last time I remember him doing that was in Lawrence Kasdan's bleak "Grand Canyon".) He is an interesting choice for a character that is not un-funny, but not hilarious either, in a movie that is, taken as a whole, a comedy.

The film did succeed in making me laugh several times (although not all the time) and for that I would always credit a movie with a grade above average or higher, when the funny moments are intentional, as they are here. But I am staying exactly at 6 - there are just a bit too many predictable scenes and stylized female coffee-table whimsiness packed into this offering.

"Serenity" is a very good, exciting sci-fi / adventure / action movie. A friend of mine found some of the acting substandard and was turned off, but I was hooked throughout the entire film. The visual format is perhaps not very grand (with aesthetics suited for a TV-show), but the editing and pace of action makes it one thrilling ride. It has some interesting quasi-philosophical points as well, dealing with moral, religious and political issues: The classic conflict of plights in ethics is demonstrated by crew leader Mal in the many situations where he has to decide whose life he should give the highest priority. The portrayed strength and danger of people believing to be right is also interesting, not only in connection with a discussion of religion, but also as a selling point for philosophy: we should, at least some times, doubt if we are right. And obviously the film has some points about freedom of speech and distribution of information to the public (think of the role of the Internet in oppressive regimes) - hence the tag line, "can't stop the signal". But do not expect to be educated - just expect to be entertained.