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My Reviewer's Philosophy: I believe that every film has its audience. One man’s Citizen Kane is another man’s Texas Chain Saw Massacre. My purpose is to help you spend your entertainment dollars wisely. A bad review never kept me from going to a film I wanted to see, but a good review will sometimes get me to a film I never considered. As a movie lover I want you to go to the movies. When more people go to the movies, the more movies get made. But, I also believe that if you enjoy the films you see, you naturally will be inclined to go more often. So join me in supporting our film industry by going to a movie today. Hopefully I can steer you towards a good one. See you at the movies. Melanie Wilson

Monday, December 27, 2010

The King’s Speech

 There is a scene in The King’s Speech in which the royal family is standing on a balcony overlooking their loyal subjects. As they stand there practicing their royal wave it made me wonder how long royal families have been doing this. That’s the thing about being a royal; everything about the way you behave or live is ensconced in etiquette and tradition. From naming your children to how you eat dinner, very few decisions are truly your own. There is a rule and regulation for everything.
 
The King’s Speech tells the story of King George VI, Colin Firth (A Single Man) who becomes king when his older brother, Guy Pearce (The Hurt Locker) abdicates the throne to marry the American Wallis Simpson. His majesty King George VI is terrified to be king for one major reason, it includes making public addresses.
 
With a speech impediment for as long as he can remember, Bertie (his family nickname) has been bullied by his father, tormented by his tutors and teased by his siblings. He abhors speaking in public and he has been introduced to all the best elocutionists in the country. At a point of frustration he finally says no more! But his wife the duchess, Helena Bonham Carter (Alice In Wonderland) hears of a new teacher and she secretly goes to meet him. He is an Australian and has some new and controversial methods. She persuades her husband to meet with him, but they quarrel and he storms off. But later when he realizes that his odd methods do have merit, Bertie decides to put his trust in Lionel Logue’s hands, Geoffrey Rush (Pirates of the Caribbean).
 
In the sanctum of his office, Lionel demands complete equality in order to be effective. This is difficult for the shy prince; he has never interacted with common people in an intimate manner before. But his commitment is sincere and he’ll do anything to cure his stammer. He has a duty to fulfill and that duty includes giving speeches. The prince takes his responsibilities very seriously.
 
When the prince becomes king, the stakes become much higher. Bertie and Lionel work tirelessly to get him ready for his coronation speech. Breaking protocol, Lionel is granted full access and together they pull off the impossible, an articulate speech worthy of a king. Lionel and the King’s partnership last throughout his entire reign. Whenever the King had a speech, Lionel was there and their friendship lasted a lifetime.
 
The King’s Speech is a beautiful film about courage, duty and friendship. Colin Firth’s performance is inspiring and Geoffrey Rush portrays a man who values people over property. His impoverished lifestyle allowed him to help more students, but with the King’s patronage he was able to do much more. Geoffrey’s performance embodies Lionel with a hint of humility mixed with a large dose of bravado. Standing up to a royal could have had serious consciousness.
 
Helena Bonham Carter is also memorable as a supportive wife and mother. Her performance is sweet and nuanced as is appropriate for the future queen mother. I thoroughly admired this film and the performances in it. It is a wonderful tribute to a good man who never shirked his duty. He got his country through a war and earned the respect of the world. Everyone should see this film. It will move and inspire you.

Rating: First Run A wonderful inspiring story

I Love You Phillip Morris

In the Texas State Penitentiary is a man named Steven Russell who is serving a life sentence. He’s never killed anyone, he’s never used a gun, what he did was much, much worse; he embarrassed the state of Texas. Jim Carrey (The Grinch) plays Steven Russell, a man who did everything by the book until one day when he nearly loses his life in a car accident. While being loaded into an ambulance he has an epiphany, life is not worth living unless you can be yourself. So he leaves his wife, announces that he is gay, and begins a life of crime to support his new homosexual lifestyle.
 
Russell moves to Miami Beach, gets a boyfriend and become a feature in the decadent nightclub scene. Soon he is racking up major debt and starts committing insurance fraud to pay for his extravagant lifestyle. When the lies finally catch up with him and he’s thrown into jail, he becomes an expert of the law and a wizard of prison bureaucracy.
 
After multiple escapes and recaptures Russell meets Phillip Morris, Ewan McGregor (The Ghost Writer). Philip is a shy, sweet reserved man and Steven is totally smitten with him. When Phillip is transferred to another cellblock they begin a romance of secret letters. Then Steven accomplishes the impossible, he falsifies documents and gets himself transferred into Phillip’s cell.
 
Together they live in bliss with Steven protecting and caring for his more demure lover. But when they get separated again, Steven moves heaven and earth to reunite himself with his one true love, even to the point of faking his death.
 
This is an unconventional story of a love that knows no bounds. It is a story of a man who will cheat, lie and steal to be with the one he loves. It is a bizarre story, but true, and Jim Carrey plays Steven Russell with conviction (pun intended). I Love You Phillip Morris is strange, but it is also very sweet. It is a love story with obstacles and one that you’ll never forget.

Rating: First Run A story of a love that cannot be denied
 

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

How Do You Know

How Do You Know opens with a little boy attempting to hit a ball off of a tee. He swings, misses, swings, misses and misses again. Behind him a little blonde girl is watching intently. When the little boy walks away in disgust, the little girl steps up, places the ball on the tee and whacks it out of sight. As she marvels at her accomplishment, the little boy comes back and knocks her on her butt. Welcome to the world of women athletes.
 
Reese Witherspoon (Walk The Line) portrays Lisa, a professional softball player. Facing her impending birthday, she is waiting to see if she’ll make the national team again this year. As far as her colleagues are concerned, she is an indispensable member; her positive attitude and motivational skills make her a natural team leader. But at 30, Lisa is slowing down and the team now has a new coach. Lisa is getting the feeling that this year may be her last.
 
Lisa has devoted her entire life to softball, she has gone to the Olympics twice and her personal life has paid the price. Not having a team to play for is unthinkable for her. On one particularly low day, Lisa agrees to go out with a professional baseball player named Matty, Owen Wilson (Shanghai Noon). He pitches for a major league team and on the surface they are the perfect couple. They have everything in common, they both have golden hair, big smiles and trim athletic bodies. But on the inside they are completely different. Lisa is a smart, polite, independent woman and Matty is a little egocentric. As much as he tries to be sensitive and giving, it’s the little selfish things about him that she notices. How do you know when you are being too picky?
 
In an attempt to get Lisa out and dating, prior to her meeting Matty, one of Lisa’s teammates gives her phone number to her brother’s friend George, Paul Rudd (I Love You, Man). His first call was unexpected and he strikes out with Lisa. His second call doesn’t go well either, but when they accidentally meet at his father’s apartment building they agree to have dinner. Lisa just had a fight with Matty and she has found out that she has been cut from the team. George is having a bad day too. He just discovered that the U.S. government is indicting him for securities fraud. They eat their meal in silence, but an appreciation between them forms. Underneath they are the same kind of people, honest, upright, positive and kind. How do you know when you’ve met your soul mate?
 
Being a romantic comedy the rest of the film is about working things out. James L. Brooks regular Jack Nicholson (Terms of Endearments) plays George’s dad and Kathryn Hahn (Crossing Jordan) plays his loyal assistant. The writing is heartfelt, but not too saccharine, and what I loved the most about this film was the honest grounded performances. I was so touched by these characters that I hated to say goodbye. Reese is quickly becoming one of my favorite actresses and I’ve always loved Paul Rudd. Add in Owen Wilson, also a favorite of mine, and you have an irresistible mix. I found Kathryn Hahn lovely in this role and Jack as always, is Jack. For me it was a wonderful night at the cinema and I left feeling warm with a big smile on my face. How do you know when you’ve seen a good film? It’s the way it makes you feel and with this director and cast, it’s a no-brainer.

Rating: First Run I know I love this movie
 

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Little Fockers

We have all grown to love the Focker-Byrnes clan with the patriarch Jack Byrnes scaring the the bejeezus out of us. But what happens when that dynamic changes? In Little Fockers Jack Byrnes, Robert de Niro, is disgusted that his favored son-in-law Dr. Bob, Thomas McCarthy, has been caught cheating on his daughter. While he has been watching his other son-in-law Greg, Ben Stiller, his chosen one, Dr. Bob, has let him down. Now Greg looks like the prize son-in-law and everything Jack knows is being tested and challenged. Jack is feeling vulnerable these days, age is catching up with him and his heart is giving him problems. He needs someone strong and reliable to head the family when he dies and now that Dr. Bob is out, that role falls to male nurse Gaylord Focker.

With the coming 5-year-old birthday party of the Focker twins, Jack sees this as an opportunity to mentor his new favorite son. At first Greg is surprised and flattered by the attention but then he becomes suspicious. In trying to please his father-in-law Greg overextends himself financially and takes on a second position as a spokesperson for a new erectile dysfunction drug. The drug rep, Jessica Alba, is all flattery and praise and she even tries to seduce him. When Jack sees Greg in a compromising position he becomes irate at being fooled again. This leads to a confrontation and a comic meltdown which is the best part of the film.

Comically this movie felt like it had one bad spark plug. It would be chugging along firing on all cylinders and then bam, there would be a mis-fire. In the attempt to get all of the Focker-Byrnes in one film, some characters felt under-used and some felt out of place entirely. The Focker parents, Barbra Streisand and Dustin Hoffman were practically cameos and the best part of the under-appreciated Blythe Danner was seeing her in pearls trying to bring sexy back.

To crowd the cast even more, Laura Dern plays the director of an exclusive humanistic pre-school, and Harvey Keitel plays a strange ear-ring wearing contractor who tangles with Jack. Owen Wilson is brought back to test the Focker marriage and poor Teri Polo is pretty much relegated into the background and given little to do.

This film feels like it is trying too hard to please every one and therefore it becomes too much and overblown. The parts that really work are the scenes between Jack and Greg. It’s tough for an old lion to pass on the mantle to someone younger. Especially when you have never really appreciated him before. And for Greg, it’s terrifying when you wake up and realize that suddenly “you’re the man”. Our Greg is growing up and Jack is getting old. It’s funny, but sad too. Luckily we still have the original film to cherish. Like a photograph it’s good to remember our glory days.

Rating: First Run Not the best of the three, but worth seeing

The Fighter

What I admire the most about The Fighter is the intimacy of the film. From the very beginning you feel like you’re sitting on the couch in the Eklund-Ward house taking part in a family meeting. Mark Wahlberg (The Other Guys) plays Micky Ward whose half-brother Dicky Eklund was known as the Pride of Lowell. Dicky, played by Christian Bale (Batman Begins) had a promising boxing career, even going the distance with Sugar Ray Leonard, but his drug addiction caused him to piss it away so now the families hope’s are behind Micky.
 
Micky’s seven sisters and one big brother love him dearly, but they are clearly holding him back. His domineering mother is also a hindrance, but her love for both her son’s has created a blind spot. Micky is living in Dicky’s shadow yet the family doesn’t see it. All they want is for him to do well without really seeing what that means and what it takes. Micky is their hope for fame and prosperity, they just don’t know how to help him get there.
 
When Micky meets Charlene, Amy Adams (Enchanted) she immediately catches on to the situation and becomes an advocate for Micky’s career. Now he has nine women fighting over him and he is stuck in the middle. Just as hotheaded as his mom and sisters, Charlene takes them all on creating additional family drama and stress for Micky. With so many women in his life telling him what to do, Micky feels trapped. He also feels obligated to his big brother who has been training him since he was a boy and has taught him everything he knows. He realizes that Dicky’s drug problem is taking him down too, but he’s loathe to be disloyal to family. Micky is ready to give it all up which would be a shame because the man has talent and is an excellent boxer.
 
This true-life story feels more like a family drama than a boxing film, but that’s its beauty and its strength. There’s no cliché bookies, or mobsters, or criminals trying to get him to throw a fight. Micky’s obstacle is his own family and his insecurity. He needs to find the courage to be his own man and fight for what’s best for him. Once that’s done, facing an opponent in the ring will be the easy thing.
 
Melissa Leo (Frozen River) is phenomenal as Mama Ward. She is a tigress and the fiercest fighter in the family. And Christian Bale is giving us one of the best performances of his career. His portrayal is spot-on especially when you see clips of the real Dicky Eklund at the end of the film. You can see how much Bale put in to this role, he captured the essence of Dicky.
 
Amy Adams is also excellent as Micky’s girlfriend. Her fearlessness in fighting for her man gave him the courage to stand up for himself. But ultimately what he really wanted was the best training and his family too. Luckily, Charlene and all those who loved him were able to compromise and give him both. With everyone working together there was no way he could lose and as we all know Micky is now the new Pride of Lowell and his big brother couldn’t be happier.

Rating: First Run A new addition to great boxing films

The Tourist

Venice is one of those fascinating cities that I’ve always dreamed of visiting one day. With its canals, condolers, and reputation for beauty I have often found myself standing in front of Bellotto’s painting of the Grand Canal trying to wish myself into its canvas. I’m also a big fan of the movie Dangerous Beauty, which is set in Venice during its peak of European influence. So it is a mystery to me why I didn’t love The Tourist. I found it about as exciting as a slide show presentation.
 
I loved the Venetian setting of the film and Angelina Jolie (Changeling) is beautiful to watch, but when you compare the action in this film to other films she’s done such as Salt, Mr. & Mrs. Smith or Laura Croft:Tomb Raider, it felt like everything was in slow-motion. Now I realize that Angelina is not supposed to be a spy in this film and that Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean) is supposed to be a math teacher, but I still expected a little more suspense. When Angelina was rescuing Johnny by dragging his unpiloted speedboat behind hers in the canal, it felt like they were going 15 miles per hour. If they could dodge the bullets, their biggest hazard would be hitting a wall or the pilling of a dock. Whew! Scary!
 
When we see Johnny Depp run across the rooftops in his bare feet and pajamas, I was more concerned for the people down below who might have been hit by the broken tiles. I just didn’t buy into the danger. The villain is a British gangster, Steven Berkoff (A Clockwork Orange) who surrounds himself with Russian thugs, and then there is Paul Bettany (Legion) as the British agent who was out to unmask the elusive criminal who is attached to Angelina Jolie. No one knows what he looks like, not even her since his millions of dollars worth of plastic surgery. He has been underground for quite a while eluding both the police and the man he’s stolen from. Now he wants to re-connect with the woman he loves and Angelina’s Elise has agreed to meet up with him.

Spy movies have been elevated to new expectations by films like the Jason Bourne series. We are no longer satisfied with tuxedos and exotic locales. If you are not going to give us big stunts and nail biting action, then we need sophistication, wit and a mind-blowing plot twist. When it comes to explosive spy movies, The Tourist delivered a pop instead of a bang. I wanted to play with cherry bombs and I was handed a sparkler.  Still fun, but it didn’t meet my expectations.
 
Rating: Bargain Matinee Pretty to look at, but no spark
 

The Black Swan

I’ve been performing or have been around performers since I was twelve years old and it fascinates me how some people make it and others don’t. I can tell you with complete authority that it is not the most talented people that make it in this business, it’s something else and it’s hard to define. In the Black Swan, Natalie Portman (The Other Boleyn Girl) plays Nina Sayers, a seasoned prima ballerina. Technically she is the most proficient dancer in the company, but her drive for perfection often causes her to disconnect emotionally with her characters. She comes off cool and fails to draw on that human spirit that we find so attractive. Her lack of charisma has kept in her supporting roles. But now that the star of the company is retiring, Winona Ryder (Heathers), Nina is finally getting her big chance.
 
Vincent Cassell (Mesrine: Killer Instinct) who is the master of scary-sexy, plays Thomas Leroy the director of the ballet company. He is so confident in his abilities as a director that he thinks he can manipulate a performance out of Nina. If he can combine her artistic proficiency with a truly passionate delivery he would have the makings of a huge star. But what he doesn’t know is the emotional damage that has been inflicted on Nina by her controlling mother, Barbara Hershey (Beaches). Nina wants more than anything to play the white swan, but the black swan is out of her comfort zone and it terrifies her. When a new ballerina joins the company, Mila Kunis (Book of Eli) she becomes Nina’s rival. Technically, Lily is an inferior dancer but she possesses a joy and a passion that Nina lacks. When Lily becomes Nina’s understudy, Nina’s fear and insecurity fractures her psyche and her grasp on reality begins to slip.
 
Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler) supplies this psychological thriller with myriads of dark imagery, which helps us enter in to Nina’s world. It is so complex that at times you are not sure what you are seeing which adds a horror component to the mix. This is a film that invites a second viewing, for by the end you begin to question what you’ve really seen. Like black and white this film is full of contrast and satisfies you intellectually on many levels. The performances are riveting, it is beautifully filmed and the script gives you plenty to ponder. This Black Swan is sexy, smart and terrifying. It will make a unforgettable night in the theatre.

Rating: First Run Sexy, smart and terrifying
 

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale

Are you one of those people that have a hard time around Christmas with all the fake snow, commercialism and Coca-Cola Santa Clauses? Well, I have the film for you! From the land of the original Santa Claus comes Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale. Once you see this film you’ll never think of Old Nick the same way again.

In the land of the far north a rich American is financing an archeological dig on Korvatunturi Mountain. Only Korvatunturi is not a real mountain, but the largest man-made burial chamber in the world. The incessant digging and blasting is stirring up the wolves and ruining the annual reindeer hunt. The locals are furious because their incomes rely these deer and their whole community is at risk. But if they only knew how much. There is a secret buried under the earth and he’s not jolly and his helpers are not small little men. So you better watch out, you better not cry! Santa Clause is coming to town.

Rating: First Run What a delightful way for the Finnish people to reclaim their Santa

The Next Three Days

Escape movies come in many forms. There are prisoner of war movies like The Great Escape or Stalag 17, action films like Con Air or the futuristic Escape from New York. There are even true stories like Papillon or Midnight Express. But what makes The Next Three Days unique is that it is not about a criminal, a political prisoner or a soldier, it is about a housewife and a schoolteacher, ordinary people who have been put in extraordinary circumstances.
 
Elizabeth Banks (4o Year Old Virgin) plays a wife and mother who had a very bad day and publicly fought with her boss. When her boss ends up dead in a parking structure that she was just seen leaving, she is convicted of murder and placed in jail. Russell Crowe (Gladiator) plays her husband and he is convinced that she is innocent even when all the evidence says otherwise. He believes in his wife and refuses to give up, fighting for her release until all avenues have been exhausted. Financially ruined he is grasping at straws when his despondent wife tries to commit suicide. In a tearful pledge he makes a promise to her, “This will not be your life.”
 
Russell Crowe’s John Brennan is not a criminal, or a military man, up to now he has had no experience with the justice system. He doesn’t have the background or the training to pull off a prison break, but he does have the determination. Taking the scholarly approach, John Brennan does his homework. He reads, searches the Internet, explores historical escapes and interviews an ex-con (Liam Neeson) who has escaped multiple times and has written a book about it. John even discusses great escapes in literature with his students borrowing from their research and dissecting their ideas. He is becoming an expert on prison escapes, now he just needs to find the nerve.
 
What made this film interesting for me is its relate ability. What if my loved one was in prison? Could I summon the courage to break them out? Could I master the technology, lie and manipulate in order to free a loved one? What if it was a Red Dawn situation where an invading force was holding my family, could I be conniving and deceptive for the right cause? I enjoyed exercising this premise and I found Russell Crowe quite believable in this role.
 
Another plus for this film is that the John Q. Public element makes the chase scenes even more harrowing because these are not hardened criminals escaping the law, it’s John and Lara who live down the street. It’s my teacher, my co-worker or my uncle, if I saw this on the news I would be shocked and dumbfounded. These are not bad guys, it’s you and me. I found this approach fresh and interesting. I really liked what Paul Haggis (Million Dollar Baby) has done with this film and in case I ever have to I’m planning my escape right now; just in case.

Rating: First Run A new twist on the prison escape

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Love and Other Drugs

We meet thousands of people in our lives but it only takes one to change it. This sentiment is reflected in the story of Jamie Randall, Jake Gyllenhaal (Brokeback Mountain) who is the brilliant son of a doctor. Instead of following his father’s footsteps into medicine, he drops out of school and hones his skills as an electronics salesman. He happens to be great at it, mainly because he can charm the pants off of anyone with two x chromosomes. Young or old, they all fall for Jamie. But when Maggie Murdock, Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married) enters his life things begin to change. For the first time in his life, he actually cares for someone. He finds the courageous Maggie beautiful and intriguing.
 
At this point in the story, Jamie has been fired from his electronics job for screwing a female associate at work. His brother gets him another job as a pharmaceutical rep and the clincher is the big money he can make by doing it well. This time around his charm is aimed at receptionists and office managers. In this arena his sexual prowess is a plus and his time spent in med-school gives him an edge on understanding his products and the vocabulary to communicate with doctors. Now he just has to take the sales leader down and earn himself a spot in the prime market of Chicago. Only success will get him out of his assignment in Ohio.
 
When Jamie meets Maggie, Dr. Stan Knight, Hank Azaria (The Simpsons) is examining her in order to refill her medication. Maggie has Parkinson’s disease and Jamie admires her humor, wit and victimless attitude. When she spots him in the parking lot later and realizes that he is not an intern but a drug rep, she hits him up the side of his head for taking advantage of her and witnessing her nakedness. When his apology has no effect and all his other plays fail, Jamie becomes determined to win her over. This develops in to a romance where both of them get in deeper than they intended.
 
Love and Other Drugs is about a dying woman, but instead of being melodramatic it is surprisingly funny. Anne Hathaway gives dignity and fight to Maggie and shows us a woman who is afraid of losing herself and therefore fights even harder to live. Jake Gyllenhaal shows us a guy who has suddenly learned what it is to care about someone and all about the pain and drama that goes with it. For once Maggie finds a guy that is more screwed up than she is and as much as she tries to push him away, for once he’s not going anywhere.

Set in the world of multi-trillion dollar pharmaceutical sales, Love and Other Drugs is about getting through life any way you can. Whether it is drugs, sex, or actually finding someone who can support you, we all need a little help in life to get us through the day. This film shows us how two egocentric people can grow, change and learn to see beyond their own pain and what its like to give to others. Jake and Anne really get a chance to stretch here and both give remarkable performances. Don’t go expecting a soap opera, this film is full of humor and life and like Viagra, it will get your hopes up.

Rating: First Run The charming duo of Jake and Anne, together again
 
 

White Material

There have been other films about the conflict in Africa between the white colonists who have lived there for generations and the newly empowered black leaders who are fighting to stay in power. Between corruption, racial tension and the ethnic clashes between tribes and rebels, Africa has become a very dangerous place. But what makes this film a little different is that it seems to focus on one really bad day and one very stubborn white woman.
 
Isabelle Huppert (I Heart Huckabees) plays the daughter-in-law of a French plantation owner. Unhappy in her marriage she has thrown herself completely into the running of their coffee farm. She is very capable and a tireless worker, which really cast a poor light on her disinterested husband and her lazy, spoiled son. Her ailing father-in-law essentially has promised her the farm after his death. He has noticed that his son’s heart is elsewhere.
 
When a political coup takes place and rebels are ravaging the countryside, Madame Vial is instructed personally through a megaphone from a helicopter to get out before it’s too late. But Maria is stubborn. They’ve been through this before. Africa is always having political dust-ups. In her mind, the crop is ready and needs to be harvested. She refuses to throw an entire year’s work away. When she can’t find her husband, she gathers some cash to hire some workers in town to replace the ones that have already fled. When she reaches town to pick up her father-in-law’s meds, she see that things are much worse than she anticipated. She hires some workers anyway and heads back to her beloved plantation. This is a day when she’ll discover how much she is really alone.
 
White Material allows Isabelle Huppert to give a tour de force performance, but other than that it gives us no real insight into the political situation. The blacks resent the whites and the servitude that their poverty has led them to. On the other hand, when the blacks have the money and power, they are often worse. This injustice is what leads to rebellion and the in fighting between the African people. As a result, children are becoming soldiers and fighting behind rebel leaders who manipulate and use them for their own purposes. All the children want is to carve out a place for themselves in their own country. They are just looking for a place to belong.
 
White Material is like a Greek tragedy in that no one wins and violence begets violence. It is not an easy film to watch and the injustice shown is like a slap in the face. We don’t know how the story ends other than it ends badly. Is coffee worth dying for? Is land? That question is asked a lot in this film and it is never really answered.
 
Rating: First Run Good film, but only if you like hopeless situations
 

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Megamind

What if Superman had a brother? Megamind is a nature vs. nurture tale that centers on two alien babies that are placed in pods by their parents and lauched to earth when their respective planets are destroyed. One baby lands on the doorstep of a massive mansion and the other crashes into the exercise yard of a maximum-security prison for the criminally smart. Metro Man, Brad Pitt (Inglourious Basterds) grows up with a silver spoon in his mouth and every advantage in the world and Megamind, Will Ferrell (The Other Guys) grows up with the demented worldview of convicts, bullies and sociopaths.

Unlike Megamind who was born blue, Metro Man was fortunate enough to appear human. With his handsome face and strong physique he is beloved by all for his crime fighting and life saving endeavors. Megamind on the other hand is ridiculed, teased and treated like an outcast. He finally comes to the conclusion that the only thing he’s good at is being bad so he decides to be the archest villain ever. The two are mortal enemies.

On the day that the city is dedicating a museum to honor their savior Metro Man, Megamind is in place to destroy his nemesis once and for all. A television reporter played by Tina Fey (30 Rock) is Metro Man’s biggest fan. But Megamind is in love with her. He’s kidnapped her so many times only to have Metro Man rescue her that she has gotten blasé about the whole thing. But this time something goes terribly wrong. This time Megamind is successful and Metro Man is dead. Everyone including Megamind is stunned.

With Metro Man out of the way Megamind now rules the city, but without any challenges, he soon becomes bored. Roxanne Ritchie, the reporter, still won’t have anything to do with him, and Megamind now realizes how much he really enjoyed fighting. To fill the void he creates a new superhero by empowering a lowly cameraman, Johan Hill (Superbad) with super powers. Unfortunately the newly created Titan refuses to use his powers for good and becomes just as much of a villain as Megamind. This throws off the superhero eco-system and Megamind must correct what he started. Meanwhile he’s still trying to win the heart of the fair Roxanne. Megamind is the ultimate bad boy.

Rating: First Run Free Megamind

Tangled

Disney is one of the smartest marketing companies in the business. From the very beginning when they released a full-length animated film, after its initial run, they would lock it away in their vault, and after a time, roll it out again for a whole new generation. This strategy has allowed them to profit greatly by re-releasing the same film over and over. The downside of this plan is that remakes are out of the question. Unlike some of Disney’s live action films which have been remade with contemporary spins, the animated films are considered classics and un-touchable. This brings on a new problem; Disney is running out of fairytales.

The story of Rapunzel has been in the development stage for a very long time. Disney has been trying to figure out a way to take a story about kidnapping and bondage and make it lighter and family friendly. After bringing in writer Dan Fogelman (Cars) and directors Nathan Greno (1st feature) and Byron Howard (Bolt) they finally cracked the code and I’m happy to say that the final product is delightful.

What I enjoyed the most about Tangled is that Disney created a character called Flynn Rider who is a brash, adrenalin-junkie thief. He considers himself quite handsome and dashing so he is disappointed when his charms do not work on Rapunzel. Rapunzel, instead of being a shy, wistful, someday my prince will come type of gal is bright, cheerful, and imaginative. Instead of brooding in her tower of imprisonment, she has been told that she is there for her protection. She is supplied with toys, games, paints, and even has an animal companion. She can do anything she wants except leave. Her tower is far from a dark and gloomy prison, rather it is play land for her imagination.

Rapunzel’s keeper, who she only knows as mother, is holding her prisoner for the magic powers of her hair. When Mother Gothel, Donna Murphy (Spiderman 2) brushes Rapunzel’s hair she receives great healing power and the gift of youth. This is why Mother Gothel kidnapped the princess and stole her from the king and queen. She knew the secret of the infant's tresses and wanted to remain young forever.

Mandy Moore (The Princess Diaries) gives Rapunzel a lot of verve and Zachary Levi (Chuck) gives Flynn the demeanor of a charming rogue. The back and forth banter between them is refreshing and cute, not unlike a live action romantic comedy. Rapunzel isn’t interested in his sex appeal; she just needs a guide to the outside world. She gets the upper hand on him and makes him promise to escort her to see the lights and get her back home before her mother returns. Every year on her birthday Rapunzel has seen strange lights in the sky and wants to know where they come form. She feels a connection with these lights, like they are meant for her and she wants more than anything to see them up close. But her mother has filled her head with horror stories about the outside world. There are monsters, villains and men with sharp teeth. They want to take her and steal her magic hair. That is why she is only safe in the tower. Rapunzel could never survive out in the real world, she is only safe here with her mum.

Like any teenager, Rapunzel begins to question the rules and restrictions that have been placed on her since birth. She runs away with Flynn and has a series of harrowing adventures. The world is indeed dangerous, but Rapunzel discovers her own cunning and resourcefulness. She is invigorated by her newfound freedom and is reveling in it all. She is however in real danger, especially after Mother Gothel discovers she is gone. Rapunzel and Flynn must stick together in order to survive the perils that now face them. Flynn is, after all, a wanted man. They are clearly operating outside of the law.

Even though I loved the banter between our two leads, one of the most hilarious characters in the film never utters a single word. He is a horse named Maximus and he is bound and determined to track down the outlaw Flynn. Maximus is the funniest creature that Disney has created in a long time. His animation is brilliant and his gags are clever and full of wit. He steals every scene he is in and had me laughing throughout the entire film. Rapunzel’s chameleon friend is also fun but a little more predictable. What made the horse so successful was his un-horse like behavior. He was extraordinary because he was surprising.

Disney makes a fortune marketing their princesses and so they weren’t going to release Rapunzel until they got everything just right. After the wait, Rapunzel makes a fine addiction to the princess club and I like that she is shown as strong and resourceful right from the beginning. She is never perceived as a victim, just someone who was fooled and duped. And by adding Flynn and Mother Gothel, this film really works. I think Disney has done an excellent job.

Rating: First Run Rapunzel lets down her hair

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Burlesque

Watching Burlesque made me feel again like the 14 year old girl I once was who wore out the soundtrack to Caberet trying to learn all the lyrics. I was so intrigued by the music, style and sex appeal of what I was watching that I felt like Christina Aguilera does in the movie when she discover burlesque for the first time. Owned by Cher who is dealing with financial problems, Christina’s Ali finds the nightclub shortly before Cher’s Tess may lose it. Tess’ ex-husband, (Peter Gallagher) is pressuring her to sell. And a successful real-estate mogul (Eric Dane) is making her a very attractive offer. But Tess loves her club and her girl’s are her family. She refuses to sell and is looking for another way out.

Ali has just moved to L.A. from the mid-west and wants to make it as a singer and dancer. She is lured into to the theatre by the music and a costumed girl she sees in the alley. When she watches the girls perform their act her imagination takes flight. These songs are sexy without being lewd and the costumes are suggestive without being crude. It is all about the promise of naughtiness while maintaining the guise of innocence. It is fun, flirty, alluring and hot. Full of double entendres and bawdiness, burlesques is a very specific genre and an art. Ali was hooked and just had to be a part of it.

To break into the club Ali makes friends with the bartender Jack (Cam Gigandet) who gives her an intro and an opportunity to meet Tess. But Tess is so self-involved with her money problems that she won’t even pay attention to her. So Ali settles for a waitressing job and looks for another way in. She watches everything like a hawk, learns the dances and studies about burlesque at home. With knowledge comes confidence and Ali will soon have her chance. She has the voice and she has the moves. All she needs is a break.

Unlike Caberet, this plot line does not have the social and political background of pre-war Germany to give it a serious and weighty edge, but it is enough to hold the musical together. And that is what makes this movie so good, the lights, the music, the dancing, the sex. Burlesque is pure entertainment and if Christina Aguilera wasn’t already a star, this movie would make her one. There are numbers and then more numbers and after that all you want is more. My only complaint is that I could have used more Cher and Alan Cumming. Alan Cumming was born for burlesque and it’s too bad he couldn’t have had a bigger role. Also in the running for more screen time is Stanley Tucci. He plays Cher’s gay best friend and I love him in everything he does.

I honestly went into this film with very modest expectations and now I am a huge fan. The costumes were awesome, the dancers were fantastic and Christina really has a marvelous voice. I even found Cam Gigandet quite adorable and Kristen Bell is also good as the star whose drinking problem gets in the way. The script avoids the usual melodrama and allows the musical numbers to speak for themselves. If I was still that 14 year old girl I would be heading off to the music store to make my buy. Spotlight please, I’m ready for my solo, “Welcome to Burlesque”.

Rating: First Run If she wasn’t already a star this film would make her one.

Skyline

Skyline is ridiculous. A bunch of artistic types are partying in the penthouse of a luxury Venice high-rise. When they finally awaken from their drunken stupor they realize that Los Angeles is under attack by aliens who are sucking people up into the sky like a giant Hoover vacuum cleaner. Those who cannot be sucked up into the sky are being chased down by small flying aliens who capture their victims with their tentacles and eat their brains like cracking a walnut. If you manage to escape them there are small flying ships that emerge from the giant mother ships and knock down any resistance fighters. If that is not enough, there are huge walking monsters that go around smashing buildings and stepping on things. It is a hopeless situation unless you obtain the smallest amount of common sense. The smart ones will survive and therefore ensure the continuation of our species. Unfortunately none of the smart ones are depicted in this film. A dumb film about dumb people.

Rating: Don't Bother Unless you like cheap cheesy special effects in need of a script

127 Hours

When the movie first started, for a brief moment I thought I might have been in the wrong film. The screen was full of crowds and noise, traffic and congestion. I was seriously thinking of getting up or checking my ticket stub when I finally saw Danny Boyle’s name. Knowing now that I was in the correct theatre I tried to understand what I was seeing. Then it became clear. When our protagonist ignores the phone, grabs his gear, fills a water bottle and hops in his car, he doesn’t unclench until he encounters a sign that says, “Next Services 100 Miles.” He is now far enough away from the city to breathe, calm down and relax. Come dawn, he’ll be able to rejuvenate. He’s about to experience the joys of nature.

By every behavior we can see that our hero, James Franco (Milk), is an expert outdoorsman. He’s organized, detailed, only this time he was rushed. A few fatal errors nearly cost him his life. When a boulder dislodges and pins his arm to a rock wall, only his training, cool-headed sanity and the will to survive keep him alive long enough to make a monumental decision. In order to live, Aron Ralston cuts off his own right arm.

We know that Aron Ralston endures because he makes it back and later writes a book. But the film is not about his survival it’s more about the process of survival. Why do some make it while others perish? It is luck, skill, training or attitude? This film breaks it down and shows us how one guy made it home. Some will find it gross, some will find it revolting, Aron had to take some extreme measures to cheat death. But what is fascinating about this film is its ability to connect us to his experience. Whether we’ve ever been rock climbing or not, we understand the feeling of being trapped. Director Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire) puts us right in there with him and we feel what he feels. It really is a remarkable cinematic achievement and James Franco gives a performance to match. The Oscar buzz is not unwarranted. I highly recommend this film.

Rating: Must See A riveting Oscar contender

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

It is difficult for me to evaluate a Harry Potter film. I have never read any of the books, therefore some of the characters and plot points elude me. However I was completely enchanted with the first Harry Potter film and I have seen every movie since. So since I can’t review this film as a Harry Potter fan, I am going to focus on this film as a fantasy adventure.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows has no definitive beginning or end. It is clearly a bridging story between what has gone before and what will happen next. Harry Potter once again is in danger and his friends have rallied around him to save his life. Hermione with her superior spell casting powers has transformed everyone into Harry Potter decoys to confuse and frustrate the villains. But when things go wrong she has the ability to transport herself, Harry and Ron to any place that she is currently thinking of. This is an interesting concept for me. Since every place they land has some memory or significance for Hermione, each scene carries its own emotional weight, which causes an intriguing dynamic.

Unlike some of the previous Harry Potter films that are effects heavy, this one really focuses on the relationships of our three heroes. Romance is budding between Hermione and Ron and when under stress Ron becomes jealous of her relationship with Harry. Harry is full of remorse and guilt. He is trying desperately to push people away in a false attempt to protect them. But Harry needs his friends now more than ever. Together is the only way for them to survive.

What I liked the most about this film were the quiet scenes that took place when the three were hiding. Whether it was a tent in the woods, or an empty diner, these times of isolation forced them to deal with their emotions and come to terms with what was happening. What I noticed the most about these scenes is how much Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint have grown as actors. These exchanges were honest, grounded and full of angst. It was delightful to see their growth. You could have easily pulled them out of this film and inserted them into a war film as resistance fighters. Their performances had experience and gravity. You could tell that they were feeling the weight of the world.

Since this Harry Potter has less spectacle than previous Potter films it really allowed me to appreciate the effects that were there. Because I wasn’t overwhelmed with the visual, I was able to appreciate the sound this time around. I was also fascinated by the elevator effect. I was having fun trying to figure out how much of that was practical and how much was CGI. It was a very cool and statisfying effect.

Even though this Harry Potter is not as action intensive as its other films I still found it well paced, intense and engaging through out. I was never bored, even in the quieter moments and when the film was over I was surprised when I looked at my watch. It didn’t feel long at all. Also I enjoyed the acting of some of the minor characters. It was amusing watching adults like David O’Hare, take on the mannerisms of our teen heroes. It was also entertaining viewing multiple Harry Potters. That was a very clever scene and provided some much needed humor.

I was curious about the Gestapo undercurrent in the film and wondered if young viewers would pick up on it. I immediately recognized these brown shirt behaviors because I grew up on World War II films. I wondered how much the kids would understand. But even if they didn’t, the tone was still there as well as the evil incarnations. Darkness is darkness, even in the world of magic. And what really saves Harry Potter is love, good friends, loyalty and thinking of others. That is the true magic of Harry Potter.

Rating: First Run Our heroes have grown up

Monday, November 15, 2010

Unstoppable

We’ve all experienced this. The communal act of being glued to the television watching some major news event unfold. With today’s technology we get instant background data, live video, interviews, graphs and even animated re-enactments. But one thing that the news cannot provide is that personal connection. Unless we have some stake or know someone personally involved, it’s just some interesting story in a far away place. The advantage of a filmmaker is that they can give us that connection.
 
Using the same techniques of a live-action television crew, director Tony Scott (The Taking of Pelhan 1 2 3) has created a film with the urgency of a live broadcast, but the luxury of a humanizing back-story. By focusing on some of the main participants we are now invested and have a stake. We care about the outcome and therefore the story is much more exciting. We want to know how things come out in the end.
 
Unstoppable re-enacts the story of a handful of men and women who risked their lives to stop a run-away train. Due to a series of operator errors, an unmanned locomotive gets loose and powers down the tracks heading towards an eventual collision. Worse yet, if they manage to remove all obstacles, the runaway train will still derail when it banks a curve at too high of a speed. When it is discovered that seven of the cars are full of toxic chemicals the situation becomes even worse. This is a disaster waiting to happen.
 
Adding more danger to the circumstances if the train cannot be stopped it will reach a heavily populated town and derail in an industrial area full of oil tanks. The resulting explosions and toxic clouds would devastate the entire city. It is up to the railroad company to stop the train before this can happen, but they have lose-lose situation on their hands. How do they stop the train without loss of life and how do they minimize the damage to their company and others?
 
There were many men and woman who worked to prevent this disaster, but the two most visible heroes were the conductor, Chris Pine (Star Trek) and the engineer Denzel Washington (Book of Eli). Tony Scott has chosen them to be our personal connection to the story. Rosario Dawson (Seven Pounds) plays an operations supervisor and she and the other participants will remain strangers to us. Through the lives of our conductor and engineer we will experience this event fully invested, like family. The rest of the characters will remain minor players.
 
Unstoppable is a very exciting film. Using the look of modern television and jump cutting quickly from scene to scene I became so engrossed in the impending action that my entire body became tense and I found myself squeezing the heck out of a wad of napkins. The stunt work is so phenomenal and realistic that it had me on the edge of my seat and even worried for the stuntmen and actors. I don’t care how many safety features are in place; there is something ferocious and powerful about a moving locomotive. One mistake means dismemberment or death and that is why train safety is so important. But even though train safety is a component in this film, it is still about action and entertainment. So, if you board this train, plan on an exhilarating ride and not some scenic excursion through the country. This film is intense from beginning to end, all aboard for a heart-stopping adventure.
 
Rating: First Run All aboard for a heart-stopping experience
 

Morning Glory

News flash! Hollywood: It is completely possible to make a comedy without dumbing it down, being crude, or exposing us to bodily fluids. In Morning Glory we are treated to charm, wit, endearing characters and good performances. Even the slapstick is doled out in measured portions; just enough to reveal personality, yet not enough to look like a cheap set-up. In other words, this comedy has class.
 
Rachel McAdams (Sherlock Holmes) portrays Becky, a young woman in love with the news and the art of broadcast journalism. Although she admires the stalwart anchormen of the past, she sees no reason why news cannot be both informative and entertaining. This makes her very effective in today’s journalism. She just wants the best of both.
 
After working her way up from the bottom and turning a local morning show into a big ratings success, Becky is served with a termination notice instead of an overdue promotion. Her loyal crew sends her off with hugs and tears while the station brings in a recent college graduate with a communications and business degree. Forced to begin over, Becky does not have the emotional support system to help her get back on top. She has given her life to her job and now her work-family has been torn from her. Overcoming this disappointment and a super critical mother, Becky must now find her own way back into the newsroom. So, in order not to give up her dream she throws herself into finding a new job, sending resumes everywhere and following up with persistent phone calls.
 
After being aggressive to the point of being annoying, Becky lands an interview with network executive Jerry Barnes, Jeff Goldbloom (Silverado). Becky overwhelms him with her enthusiasm, but she leaves disappointed. Mr. Barnes is not sure that she is up to the job. But after some thought he decides to give her a try and Becky is ecstatic. But what she doesn’t know is that the show is on its way out. As the last place morning show of all the networks, it is in danger of being cancelled and replaced by a game show. As it is, the budget is low, and morale is worse. What harm can she possibly do?
 
When Becky discovers the prospect of cancellation, she wheedles out a promise to give her six weeks to pull the ratings up and prolong the demise of the show. With this vow, she takes charge with a ferocity that only passion and determination can bring. Becky cleans house, invigorates the staff and brings in veteran news anchorman Mike Pomeroy, Harrison Ford (Star Wars). Mike Pomeroy, however doesn’t want to come. He feels that morning shows are beneath his stature. But Becky can read a contract with the best of them and she knows that if he refuses any serious offer he’ll lose his cushy 2 million dollar deal with the station. She has won this round, but he comes begrudgingly. Now she has a malcontent on her hands with a super-sized ego.
 
Diane Keaton (Annie Hall) plays Colleen Peck, a consummate professional who has been with the show for years. She feels like she has been single-handedly keeping things afloat and now she is saddled with an arrogant, grumpy, holier-than-thou prima donna. Sparks ensue, but the ratings go up. Becky’s plan is working.
 
Because this is a comedy, there must be other obstacles, so enter Adam Bennet, Patrick Wilson (Watchman). He used to produce for Mike Pomeroy and considers him the third most horrible man on the planet. Becky seeks his advice on how to manage Pomeroy and a romance between the two blossoms. Always being married to her job, this surprises her and throws her off at the same time. Not only has she found a great guy, but a man who can appreciate what she does. Now she just has to break her pattern and not screw things up.
 
Besides entertaining us, Morning Glory touches on the topics of news as entertainment, journalistic ethics and reveals to us the behind the scenes antics of live television. When the clock is ticking and being first is everything, emotions can run high. This creates the perfect pressure-cooker for drama and comedy and I feel that this film delivers. Rachel McAdams is very watch able and its fun to see her face down the veteran giant, Harrison Ford. I also enjoyed the work of Diane Keaton. From kissing a frog to donning a pink tutu, she was game for anything. I really liked her in this role and think that you will too.
 
Rating: First Run A classy comedy that deserves your attention

Friday, November 12, 2010

Jolene

People are either stones or leaves. When a stone hits the water it makes a splash, causes ripples and then rests on the bottom. But when a leaf lands on the water it becomes the mistress of the current, sucked in by eddies, cascading over falls, caught up in rapids or floating endlessly in still water waiting for something to change its course. Such is the life of Jolene.
 
Based on a short story by E.L. Doctorow, Jolene tells the story of a young orphaned girl who marries a boy at the age of 16 to escape from the abuse of a series of foster homes. Resented by her in-laws, Jolene is then seduced by Uncle Phil, Dermont Mulroney (Flash of Genius) and begins the first of many affairs. Jolene does not initiate these affairs, but rather she accepts them. Any sign of resistance is quickly replaced by the desire to be protected and loved.
 
It takes a long time for Jolene to see that anyone who would take advantage of a young naïve girl is not in it for her. It is her beauty and openness that brings out the predators. Her guileless nature makes her easy prey. The only thing that Jolene really owns is her talent for drawing and her ability to see beauty wherever she goes. Jolene is a survivor.
 
Throughout this melodramatic tale Jolene encounters Frances Fisher, Rupert Friend, Chazz Palminteri, and Michael Vartan. Each one of these users plucks a petal off the rose, but Jolene is not without self-esteem. She knows that she can draw and her passion for art is what keeps her going. Despite her circumstances she keeps moving forward looking for love and a place to belong.
 
Newcomer Jessica Chastain plays Jolene and it is easy to see why she was cast. This beautiful young actress must age from 15 to 25 and still be able to portray a certain amount of hope and trust even after being abused time after time. Unfortunately Jessica is the victim of a heavy-handed script that takes her from one situation to the next without any real subtext or personal growth. But then Jolene is like a leaf floating along the river of life going wherever the current takes her. Hopefully Jessica Chastain is more like a stone making a big splash in Hollywood and causing ripples throughout the industry. Inly time will tell.

Rating: Bargain Matinee A regular soap opera

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Due Date

I was really looking forward to seeing Due Date. I’m a big fan of Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man) and now that most of his personal baggage has been packed and stowed I’ve been enjoying his forays into farce and comedy. He’s like Robert De Niro in that he doesn’t feel like he has anything to prove, so he picks projects that sound like fun and goes where the work takes him. I was also interested to see if Zach Galifianakis could bring anything new to the party after his similar characters in The Hangover and Dinner For Schmucks. That’s why I was disappointed when the early reviews of this film were so mediocre. I was hoping for something really great.

There is also my personal connection to the film. I work on the sitcom Two And A Half Men and Zach’s character, who is an actor in the film, is obsessed with the show. Last season we taped a scene for the movie after we filmed our regular week’s episode. The audience stayed, we all had to sign waivers and none of us knew how we would be worked into the plot. It was just fun being part of the process and we were wondering if we would be seen. So of course, I had to see the film. I needed to view the final product.

Well, the movie was not as bad as I thought, in fact there are parts that are quite funny. But it was a lot darker than I expected and more of a relationship film than a full blown comedy. Both characters are seriously flawed and they must find a way to work together in order to get to California. Ethan Tremblay (Zach) for his audition and Peter Highman (Robert) for the birth of his baby. Time is crucial in that both are facing life changing events. That’s why the stakes are so high and the emotions so raw. In addition, Ethan just lost his father so along for the ride is his ashes in a coffee can, as well as a spoiled bull terrier.

Ethan and Peter first meet at the airport when Ethan’s ride accidently rips the door off of Peter’s town car. As the driver’s are working things out the luggage gets switched and Peter is detained at security for carrying marijuana. (Ethan’s, not his). Everything would have been fine, but Peter has a short fuse and is easily frustrated. When he reacts badly onboard, they are both kicked off the plane and put on the no-fly list.

With no wallet or ID (It was left on the plane), Peter has no way to get home. Ethan, who is accustomed to rolling with the punches, uses his resources to rent a car. He invites Peter to come along, and Peter, with no other options, must go. For once he is not in the driver’s seat and it is making him crazy. The two must now share a common goal, California by Friday.

For me the best part of the movie was the small quiet scenes. I love watching Robert Downey Jr.’s face and Zach has some dramatic chops too. But then the film would swing big and take the story to extremes with wild stunts, larger than life characters, and far-fetched situations. In my opinion the relationship got lost and that’s what drew us to the film in the first place.You can have all the masturbating dogs, pot smokers, and corrupt policeman in the world, but if you can’t ground it with good-old fashion chemistry between two people it won’t feel right. You have to believe that they’ll come out at the end of the journey changed but also together. As is, I have a feeling that Peter is going to lose Ethan’s number. Some relationships are not meant to last.

Rating: Second Run Don’t leave this comedy on the side of the road

Monday, November 8, 2010

Red Hill

The first day on a new job can be hell, but for Shane Cooper, that is an understatement. Ryan Kwanten (Trueblood) plays a young constable who has just transferred from the big city to a remote Australian outpost. Showing up on the job gunless and late, he arrives at the station to find a horse in the driveway and a cool reception from his associates. His boss is down the street, so with some quick directions Shane ambles down the road to meet his superior, Old Bill.

After a dressing down for losing his gun amongst the packing boxes, Old Bill (Steve Bisley) interrogates his new employee and questions his motives for being there. With reluctance, Shane reveals that his wife has suffered a previous miscarriage and they have moved to the country to remove stress, lower her blood-pressure and help her carry her new baby to term. Unfortunately for them, they chose the town of Red Hill.

Before the day is through, like a panther coming out of the night, the devil has come to collect his due. A former resident of the town, Jimmy Conway, has escaped from prison and he’s back in Red Hill to exact his revenge. Old Bill, who put him away, is intent of stopping the formidable Jimmy. With the help of a posse, they prepare for the worst and the worst is what they’ll get. Jimmy Conway is an aborigine descendant and the best tracker in the country. Shane Cooper is stuck in the middle, clueless and wondering, who is hunting who.

Red Hill is a stylish thriller with the look and feel of a western and the intensity of a horror movie. Tommy Lewis, with his fire-scared face comes off like a Clint Eastwood character out of Hang ‘Em High. With a name like Shane Cooper, Ryan Kwanten represents what is right and true and as the new comer he must figure out what is going on before it gets him killed.

Patrick Hughes, after cutting his teeth on short films, has written, directed and produced this film. I found it so exciting that not only will I look for his future projects I will go back and seek out his earlier films as well. Like an Aussie version of Robert Rodriguez, Hughes’ movie is violent, but it is also thrilling and intense. It had me on the edge of my street and loving every minute. What an great new discovery in Patrick Hughes. I can’t wait to see his next film.

Rating: Must See A neo western thriller

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Hereafter

Have you ever awakened in the middle of a very vivid dream, and then in a state of semi-consciousness tried to hold on to the images and construct some kind of meaning or understanding from them? The more you try to retain the pictures, the harder it is to arrange them in some kind of configuration. You try to work quickly because the memories are evaporating like mist, yet there is a certain peacefulness in the languid state of sleepiness. As you become more wakeful and start to lose the dream all together you begin to let go and move on with your day. By evening, the dream is pretty much gone and you only remember bits and pieces. Well, that’s how I felt watching the movie Hereafter.
 
I loved the slow measured pace in the beginning, but as one story became two, and then became three I had to work harder to keep all the parts together which caused me to concentrate more, thus losing that tranquil feeling. Since Matt Damon (Bourne Identity) was the only notable star in the film, (I’m not counting Bryce Dallas Howard -The Village- who was unrecognizable in dark hair), there were no familiar characters to help us along. One of the actors even spoke in French so you had to really pay attention in order to read subtitles. Once my brain started working overtime I lost the dream-like state and then the tone no longer worked for me. It was now too slow and I started thinking of other things like why was Clint Eastwood attracted to this subject matter? And why did he direct this film?
 
The movie tried to raise some questions and alluded to the fact that the scientific community does not take spiritual or after-life studies seriously. Illustrating that researchers in this area are often kept on the fringe and their work, to avoid ridicule, is privately funded. It also shows that there are a lot of charlatans in this area, although there are genuine studies as well. Whatever questions are raised, they are never really answered, because in this field things are hard to prove. So we are left with what we’ve known before. People need closure, assurance and peace. They want to know that life doesn’t end with death. And until we find our answers, our proof, we’ll each keep looking in our own way.
 
As a film, I think that Hereafter was only partially successfully. Overall it left me wanting and my enjoyment of the film was minimal. I would have liked to see a commitment to some ideal, even if it was only the filmmaker’s opinion. As is, I don’t know what this film is trying to say. By the end I don’t know what Eastwood believes and with this type of film I think it should have a stronger voice. Unlike other Eastwood films, this one is being kept in limited release, more like an independent film. This makes me believe that it is personal. I just wish I knew what he was trying to say.

Rating: Bargain Matinee Don’t go if you are tired, it will put you asleep

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Notes for October

Hello friends,

I apologize for only publishing four reviews in October. In truth I saw eight movies that month, but since several of them were foreign language films and may not be released in this country at all, or at least until next year, I didn’t want to tease you by writing about a film that you do not have access to or a chance to see. Also, October was a very busy month for me. I try to see a least two films a week, but with my schedule this takes a lot of effort on my part. In October I worked 3 or 4 rock concerts and I also did my first press junket for the DVD release of Toy Story 3. You can read my article at Cinemovie.tv (http://www.cinemovie.tv/cinemovie_new/toy-story-3).

November will also be a busy month but I hope to find time to write some more articles. For example I’d like to write about the animated short Day and Night. I got a chance to interview the director and I’m pretty sure he’ll be nominated for an Academy Award. When his presentation went down and we were waiting for tech support I took the opportunity to ask him some side questions about Pixar as a company to work for. I’d love to do an article about that. In addition I want you to remember the name Even The Rain. This film is Spain’s Foreign Language submission to this year’s Oscar race. I loved this movie so much and believe that everyone should see it. It is a beautiful poignant film and has a great message.

So, I’m already working on my next review and hope to get to another one soon. If I missed a movie that you really liked, let me know and I’ll try to see it before it disappears. As much as I try I can’t see them all, but I don’t want to let a good one get away. It is always my first choice to see them on the big screen. There is nothing like the communal experience of a movie theatre. It is the way that movies should be seen.

See you at the movie,

Mel

Monday, October 18, 2010

RED

It’s not paranoia if they are really out to get you, and that’s the conclusion that four ex-spies come to when they learn that someone is trying to kill them. Classified R.E.D., (Retired, Extremely Dangerous) they have been targeted for assassination so they must bond together in order to survive. Bruce Willis (Die Hard) plays Frank Moses and he is the first to discover the plot. When he uncovers that his phone line has been tapped he realizes that he has put a young woman in serious danger. Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds) portrays Sarah, an associate at the Social Security Administration and she and Frank have been talking on the phone. Frank is enamored of her and their frequent conversations about spy novels and travel have been misconstrued. Her life is now in jeopardy and Frank must find a way to get her out.
 
Frank decides to kidnap her and after a brief struggle he takes her to a retirement home where his friend Joe, Morgan Freeman (Invictus) lives. After warning Joe to watch his back they move on to see Marvin, John Malkovich (Secretariat) who is already paranoid and at the ready. After loading up with heavy weaponry they are discovered and must move on. Next they collect Victoria, Helen Mirren (The Queen) who in her day she was the best Wetwork operative alive. Now in retirement she admits that she still takes the occasional odd job. Her special skills will soon prove to be most helpful.
 
Together again, these former spies must find out who is trying to kill them and why. They break into the CIA and visit an old friend, 93-year-old Ernest Borgine (Marty) for some secret files. More informed than they were before they call in a favor from Brian Cox (The Escapists), a former Russian spy. They learn that CIA agent William Cooper, Karl Urban (Star Trek) has been ordered to kill them all. Now they must find the reason why.
 
RED is a lot of fun and I really loved this film. It was like watching stylized mayhem. Borrowing from the graphic novel that inspired the film, the shots are artistic which adds to the over-all look of the film. Bruce Willis is at his charming best but he is also still the badass that we’ve grown to love. The chemistry between him and Mary-Louise is precious. Mary-Louise Parker is completely adorable and her comedic sense is excellent. She really contributes a lot to this film.
 
Morgan Freeman is a bit underused but I guess at 73 he wasn’t up to some of the action sequences. But Helen Mirren makes up for that. She displays a lot of sex appeal slinging around her heavy weaponry. Braced behind a machine gun with an unblinking reserve, she is one hot senior citizen. John Malkovich supplied the explosives and some additional comic relief. A true paranoid, his conspiracy theories are suddenly coming true. At first he is seen as a crack-pot but when his instincts are validated he comes off as a wise and resourceful man. This is an excellent role for him and he really chews it up.
 
Karl Urban as the assassin is almost as relentless as the 2-1000 and he really shows his grit. He has one weakness though; he’s not a machine. Agent Cooper, like Frank Moses is an ex-Marine and is dedicated to his country. He follows orders without question, but he is also a man of honor. In private life he has a wife and children and this makes him vulnerable as a spy. Will he do the right thing when the truth comes out? Frank is betting yes.

RED is a fun spy romp and is full of great characters and has plenty of action. I loved its youthful graphic novel look, yet it will also appeal to the AARP crowd. Just seeing Helen Mirren man a machine gun in a white ball gown is incentive enough. The script is smart, the stunts are fantastic and with this cast you can’t loose. This film has something for everybody.

Rating: First Run Being over 50 never looked so cool
 
 

Secretariat

It is interesting how where you see a film and who you see it with can impact your movie-going experience. When I saw Secretariat it was in a small local theatre located in the middle of an urban mall. I went with my best friend who is a horse lover and there were only about 30 people in the theatre, and this was on a Saturday night. I was surprised by the low attendance, but there was one woman in our row that was enthusiastic enough for all of us. She clapped, cheered, shouted out encouragement; I was beginning to think that she had a wager on the race. It was almost like she was a Disney employee or perhaps a Secretariat shareholder. Her reactions to the film were over the top, which made me wonder why mine were so lackluster. It really was an strange experience.
 
I personally love horses and I enjoy a good horse racing film. My favorite is The Reivers with Steve McQueen. I also appreciated Universal’s Seabiscuit, but there was something flat and unmoving for me in this film. I found Secretariat a little too sanitized and simple which made me feel like I was missing out. The woman in my row was having a great time. Why was this film not working for me?
 
Diane Lane (Nights in Rodanthe) plays Penny Chenery, the daughter of a Virginian horse breeder. When her mother dies and her father starts having health issues Penny leaves her Colorado home in order to save the family farm. This action is unusual for a housewife in the 70’s, which is one reason why I had trouble with this film. It never explains how she juggled her responsibilities in a realistic way. It shows her missing a daughter’s play and how exhausted she was trying to do housework after hours of doing books. But it glosses over the real drama. I’m sure her husband gave her a much harder time than it shows on the screen, and the bit about her being a woman in a man’s field is true, but it has been done before. It is just not that typical.
 
Diane Lane tries really hard to give Penny gravitas and verve, but for me it came off too easily and pat. It takes more than a song on the radio or some encouraging words to solve life’s problems. And if your biggest obstacle in life is whether or not to sell a horse worth 8 million dollars, well that’s not a problem most of us will face. Penny had the choice of selling the horses, paying off the debts and returning to her husband and family. But instead she chose to hang on to a dream and see it through to the end. The stakes were not life or death, it was whether this horse could be proven to be a winner. A failure was not the end of the world.

My friend the horse lover liked the movie but then he is a guy. He is not as sensitive as I am to the way women are portrayed in film. This story is just as much about Penny as it is about the horse, yet the script did not do her justice. It was way too shallow and two-dimensional. This film could have been so much more.

John Malkovich (Con Air) plays a horse trainer who is coaxed out of retirement to bring Secretariat to victory. Unlike other horse movies, I never understood what his special skills were. In The Reivers the horse trainer learned that the horse loved sardines and used this secret to get the horse to run. And in Seabiscuit the trainer was a gentle soul with the ability to repair a broken body as well as a broken spirit. But what did Lucien Lauren bring? I’m sure in real life he was quite the trainer, but as John Malkovich played him he was just a flashy dresser who liked to cuss in French. I never understood what he brought to the equation.

Secretariat is not a bad film. I did find it entertaining. But I seem to be hard on movies that disappoint me. Secretariat is a family film and would be great to see at home with the kids. But to pay full price at the theatre is a little too much. I like my movies with more depth and I found this Secretariat seriously wanting.

Rating: Bargain Matinee Great family film for the kiddies
 

Friday, October 15, 2010

Let Me In

When I heard that someone was remaking Sweden’s Let The Right One In I had the same reaction as everyone else who has seen it; why? The original movie is so good, it translates well and is only a couple of years old. But since the majority of Americans seldom get a chance to see foreign language films, even if they want to, I guess it is a sound marketing decision. However, the aggravation for us film buffs is that the Americanization of these films so often ruins them. We hate to see a good movie destroyed.
 
To answer our fears, director Matt Reeves appeared at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con. His goal was to show respect for the original material while at the same time-sharing his vision with us. He followed his remarks with a clip from the film and I have to admit, it looked pretty good. Now that I’ve seen the movie I can say with all honesty, he did a remarkable job.
 
Let Me In is a vampire movie, but don’t let that keep you away. If you are turned off by Twilight, True Blood, and the Vampire Diaries, this is completely different. It is more of a relationship drama with kids. Kodi Smit- McPhee (The Road) plays Owen, a twelve year old boy whose parents are getting divorced. Small and slight, he is constantly being bullied at school but keeps it to himself rather than worry his already overwhelmed mother. Unable to deal with her sadness, he spends a lot of his time sitting on the playground in the snow. When he is called in to his room, he likes to spy on his neighbors with a telescope. Owen is an isolated and lonely little boy.

One night Owen spots a mysterious girl who arrives very late to move into the apartment next door. When she appears on his jungle-gym the next evening at first he is disturbed. It has always been his place of solitude and he was loathe to share it. But when he notices that she is barefoot and unaffected by the cold he becomes intrigued by her. Chloe Moretz (Kick-Ass) appears to be his age and just as lonely as he is, but he is wary. There is something different and strange about her. She informs him that they can’t be friends and he informs her that she smells funny. Despite this inauspicious beginning they become very close. Once Abby can trust him, she tells him her secret, she is a vampire trapped in the body of a twelve year old girl. She must kill in order to survive.

Due to Abby’s small size and the attention she would bring traveling alone, she has a caretaker who does her hunting for her. We know little about this repressed melancholy man. As a father figure Richard Jenkins (Eat Pray Love) protects Abby and tends to her every need. It is a well rehearsed routine that has been going on for ages and she definitely has a hold on him. Every night he leaves with his murder kit and looks for his next kill. He then hides the bodies and conceals them for as long as he can. When the murders are discovered, things will get too hot and they’ll have to move on again. You can tell that this is a pattern that has been going on for a long time.

I know that this sounds like an odd premiss for a movie, but it is really a beautiful film. Both the Swedish and the American films captures the loneliness of adolescence and the terror of being bullied. Owen is so full of rage over his circumstances that he practices revenge fantasies in his head. It is no wonder that he doesn’t run from Abby when he finally finds out the truth. He knows that he is capable of murder himself. Only his physique and size keep him from putting his tormentors away. If he had the courage and the means, they’d all be dead by now. That’s how angry and helpless he feels.

Let Me In is a masterpiece of mood and tension and parts of it are truly terrifying. But unlike your typical horror film this film won’t jump out and grab you. Rather it will seduce you and bring you in to its world. What would you do to protect your child? And to what lengths would you go for a friend? This is a horror film that will make you think. It is not your typical vampire film and it truly deserves your time. Let it in to your schedule and find the time to see it. Rent it if you have to. It is an excellent film.

Rating: First Run Let this film in, please

Saturday, October 2, 2010

The Social Network

One evening I was on the Warner Brothers lot and I cut down a side street to save time. Along the way I saw two men talking and when I passed them I realized that it was Rob Lowe and Thomas Schlamme. My heart skipped a beat because I am a big fan of The West Wing and I thought it was cool to see them in person. On my way back they were still there so I decided to be bold and went up and introduced myself. I told these gentlemen that the reason I loved the show so much was because it took a subject that I hated (politics) and challenged me to be interested. It made politics human and for once in my life I could appreciate the art of it. I could also see how hard it is to get things done in government. It really takes men and women with passion and resolve to institute change. Politics is not for the feint of heart.

One of the main reasons that The West Wing is so accessible is the brilliant writing of Aaron Sorkin. He took something complicated and remote, and made it relatable. He has done the same thing for The Social Network. Everything in this movie is outside the area of my expertise; computer science, corporate law, algorithms, collegiate society, yet I was able to follow the entire story and was engaged throughout the process. Somehow Aaron made nerd stuff cool and understandable. This movie is intense and I was intrigued from beginning to end.

The Social Network tells the story of Mark Zuckerberg and how he created the computer sensation Facebook, a multi billion-dollar company. Jesse Eisenberg (Zombieland) plays Mark Zuckerberg and Andrew Garfield (Never Let Me Go) plays his best friend and co-founder Eduardo Saverin. Created in a college dorm room, the idea took off and spread like wildfire, but along the way, others claimed credit or tried to wiggle in on their success. This film chronicles the creation process and the litigation that followed.

The brilliant writing and directing in this film keeps the story moving but the acting is excellent as well. Armie Hammer (Blackout) plays both of the Winklevoss twins. They along with their associate Divya Narendra, Max Minghella (Agora), had the original networking idea that Zuckerberg expounded on. They brought Zuckerberg in as a computer programmer, but he immediately saw their shortcomings and took their idea to a whole new level. The film never decides for us who is right or wrong. It just lays out the facts and allows us to decide.

Justin Timberlake (Alpha Dog) portrays Napster creator Sean Parker. He came along later with a lot of big ideas and razzle-dazzle and created a wedge between Zuckerberg and Saverin. This divide destroyed their friendship and almost ruined the company. This movie is interesting on so many levels it really needs to be seen. I highly recommend this film. On Facebook I vote “like”.

Rating: Must See The history of genius

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Devil

Five people are trapped in an elevator. One by one they are being killed. The killer has to be in the elevator because there is no way in and no way out. But why is he or she killing and how are they pulling it off? This is the mystery facing Detective Bowden. He must discover the means and motive while the fire department works furiously to get them out. But according to security officer Ramirez it doesn’t matter. He has seen the face of the devil and he knows that all their efforts are useless. Everyone is there for a reason and the devil always gets his due.

Devil is M. Night Shyamalan’s latest venture into the metaphysical world of good and evil. According to him, all things are connected and the devil never does his work without a witness. The question is can he hold our attention until all is said and done? The answer is yes. I was intrigued and the film kept my interest to the very end.

Rating: First Run An intriguing closed door mystery

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Bran Nue Dae

When I travel I like to buy things that are unique to that specific area such as handcrafts, local products or items found no where else in the world. When it comes to film, Bran Nue Dae is just like that. This film is so Australian that it could come from no where else on the planet. Bran Nue Dae is a romantic musical comedy celebrating the cultural pride of the aboriginal people. It stars Rocky McKenzie as Willie, a native boy who is sent off to boarding school to please his ultra-religious mother. The head priest, Geoffrey Rush (Shine) takes him under his wing but Willie doesn’t want to be a priest. He wants to embrace his aboriginal life and marry his girl Rosie.

At school Willie lets temptation get the best of him and he participates in the theft of some candy bars and Coca-cola. Rather than let another boy be punished for the deed, Willie stands up and takes responsibility. But when the priest makes a racist remark, he rebels and runs away. He is ashamed of his theft but cannot stay in a place where his people are not respected. He is determined to make it back home anyway he can.

What makes this film so unusual is that it frequently stops and tells its story through song including dancing school boys and tap-dancing priests. On the road Willie comes across an aboriginal relative and together they venture off to return to Broome. Along the way they encounter singing hippies, dancing foot-ballers, abusive policemen, a jolly prostitute and a horny shop keeper all while being chased by Father Benedictus. This film is so strange that I doubt you’ve ever seen anything like it.

Bran Nue Dae was based on a popular play in Australia and contains original songs and joyful musical numbers. I can’t imagine everyone liking it, but it is good-natured and a lot of fun. So if you are the adventurous type, give it a try. It is not often that you will find an aborigine romantic musical comedy. It is one of a kind.

Rating: Rent It A film like no other