1718 - Friends With Money

Another rematch for visual style inside of a talky film.  This one is shot pretty conventionally and simply, but works nicely because of it.  Nicole Holofcener isn't aiming to wow us with the visuals as much as she is with the story.  It's a cast filled of actresses that I love and they're all playing vastly unlikeable people, but their chemistry and commitment to the characters make it work somehow.  If you haven't seen it, the film is about a woman, Aniston, who is surrounded by friends far more well off than she is.  In a way the film is an argument against being wealthy as a way to solve all of your problems.  Most of the characters here are wealthy and still messed up regardless.  Their view on the world is skewed and somewhat terrible.  They believe they're instilled to whatever they want because they want it, and so why shouldn't they have it.  Sadly I think only Catherine Keener's character comes around in the end, whereas our "hero" Aniston appears to have found a way to get into the rich person's club, and we question if she's at all sincere about the way she's gotten in…
This is by no means a film for everyone.  The characters are not the kind of people you want to hang out with, and you might spend a great deal of the film wanting to bitch-slap them.  I believe that's the intent, and so I think for that this film is a success - even if it means that a lot of people would rather spend time watching a movie with characters they don't want to slap around.

1704 - Toy Story 2

For Epraim's second movie night he wanted to follow-up Toy Story with it's sequel. 
I think I really only saw this once, and the thing I always thought back to on this is the Sarah McLaughlin song part way through that gives us Jesse' heartbreaking back-story.  That moment still stings to watch, but never quite as much as the first time. 
Ephraim continued to be amazed by it all and followed along like a champ, asking solid questions along the way.  I'll say it again - it's amazing rediscovering films through kids.
As for me?  Well this isn't meant to be an insult, but I think that this one is the weakest of the three Toy Story films.  It's a really fun ride with our friends, and there's a lovely little message to it, but the it falls short of the other two (which are fucking great).  This sequel was rushed through, and the lameness of some jokes play into that, I'm sure.  *Did we really need a nod to Star Wars?*
This one takes from the first one and really opens up the world in terms of story and scope.  We learn more about Woody an Buzz's backstories, and since they can't reuse the gag of Buzz not knowing he's a toy, instead we get to see Buzz deal with a "new" Buzz who is unaware of the situation... that one's a bit easy guys.
So a really fun and solid Pixar film.  It's far from it's best or worst - but the thing about Pixar is that even when it's not amazing it's still pretty damn great (I write this having not seen Cars 2, which has been much bitched about).
I imagine anyone who wants to see this film has already.  I recommend it regardless!