I am finally catching up on some movies that I have been wanting to see now that they are on DVD. Here are a few mini reviews from this weekend.

Alpha Dog: 3.5 Stars
There was so much lead up (2+ years) to this film and a lot of hype about Justin Timberlake's acting performance that I began to get somewhat leery of whether this would be worth a rental. I must say, I was prepared to hate it. I was pleasantly surprised to say that it was actually a well acted, cohesive, terrifying take on a truly horrific real life crime. On a very base level, it sheds some light on the lack of parental responsibility that is growing out of control in this country. If just one of the parents stood up and acted like one this tragedy might have been avoided. (If you are unfamiliar with the story behind Alpha Dog, please go here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16636250/) The best acting performances in the film go to Ben Foster, Sharon Stone, Shawn Hatosy and Anton Yelchin. Justin Timberlake is not great, but he is definitely good enough and has a few moments that prove that maybe with a bit more work he can make it as an actor. The only acting I felt wasn;t quite up to par came from Bruce Willis and Emile Hirsch, who play the father and son duo who are at the center of this whole mess. At times they fell short with the intensity and believability needed. I think that Emile was unfortunately out-acted by his co-stars, Foster especially. All in all, this is a movie worth renting as it provokes a sense of fury at the lives of overpriveleged drug fueled teens and the parents who stand idly by and are complicit in their decent into the underbelly of America.

Little Children: 3 Stars
This character driven glimpse into Suburbia is definitely worth renting. The acting is stellar all around and the stories are definitely engaging. Kate Winslet and Patrick Wilson have electric chemistry and portray such an innocent vulnerability that the viewer is not repulsed by their indiscretions. The supporting turns by Jackie Earle Haley, Jennifer Connelly and Noah Emmerich are all commendable and help create a cohesive narrative. The only fault I found with the film was its pacing. There were times when it lagged and I began to lose interest. I think it could have benefited from a bit more cuts in the editing room.

Notes on a Scandal: 4.5 Stars
Judie Dench shows us once again why she keeps getting nominated for Oscars. It was quite fun seeing Dench and Cate Blanchett go toe to toe in this one. They are both such commanding women and they played off eachother as well as a champion match at Wimbeldon. The movie had few faults, which is hard to say nowadays. Both actresses took their characters and showed us the 365 degrees of these flawed women with an intensity lesser actors would never have been able to imagine. Definitely rent this film.

Jesus Camp: 4.5 Stars
Horror movies are all the rage at the box office nowadays. Well, if you really want to see a terrifying film, rent Jesus Camp. I remember watching Blood Diamond and was horrified at how the poor children were being brainwashed to become child soldiers. I couldn't believe that was happening and gave myself a bit of reassurance knowing that I lived in America and we would never do anything like that to our children. Apparently I was wrong. Sure, the Evangelists profiled in this documentary aren't doping these kids with heroine and giving them machine guns, but they are taking away their basic right to free will and free thinking. 6 year old kids should be playing with their friends, not participating in Anti-Abortion rallies in Washington, DC. This film chronicles one of the largest Evangelist camps for kids in America. This summer camp is designed to create God's Army, in the words of the camp's creator. I think that this film is extremely well made and provokes conversation on both sides of the religions fence. I would be curious to hear what members of the Evangelical community thought of it.