Salt

The last time I went to Washington D.C., I visited the newly opened Spy Museum. I’ve never had so much fun in a museum in my life. In the beginning you are given a cover ID and then you have 90 seconds to memorize it. After getting through your first interrogation you are led into a room that allows you to assess and practice your spy skills. Afterwards you are given a history of spying that goes as far back as biblical times. What I learned is that women make very good spies.

One of the reasons that women make good spies is that they are constantly overlooked and underestimated. That same quality is what makes Angelina Jolie (Mr. And Mrs. Smith) such a good action star. When you meet Angelina in person she is very soft-spoken, demure and even shy, but on screen she is capable of extreme intensity. This versatility serves her well as an actress and as an action hero she is quite believable.

Salt is an old-fashioned, traditional spy movie. A Russian operative walks in to the C.I.A. and accuses Evelyn Salt of being a Russian undercover spy. Instead of waiting around to clear her name, she breaks out of the C.I.A. headquarters and leads her colleagues on a furious chase. She claims that she is trying to protect her husband, who is now in danger, but no one knows where her true loyalty lies. When you are dealing with trained liars, the truth can be very elusive.

Liev Schreiber (Defiance) plays Evelyn’s associate. He is trying to protect her while Chiwetel Ejiofor (2010) is ready to just take her out the quickest way possible. According to the Russian spy, the plan is to assassinate the Russian president while he is in New York attending the funeral of the Vice President. Salt must be captured and the assassination must be stopped. This spy verses spy scenario causes plenty of excitement.

When it comes to action films, Angelina Jolie is beautiful to watch, even when she is firing a gun or crashing through a window, you’ll find yourself mesmerized and entranced. But what makes her an even greater action star is that she can act too. Angelina is the total package, and Salt gives her plenty to sink her teeth in to.

From beginning to end, Salt will keep you on the edge of your seat and with such fine actors it will keep you mentally engaged, too. Both Liev Schreiber and Chiwetel Ejiofor are known for their consummate performances and in this film they do not disappoint. But Angelina Jolie is the star and she puts the men through their paces. With an open ended story, we may not have seen the last of Evelyn Salt.

Rating: First Run A traditional spy film with an untraditional star

Inception

A few months ago I watching television and I fell asleep and started to dream. In my dream I couldn’t breathe and the cast of Grey’s Anatomy was trying to save me. As my breathing became more labored I started thrashing around trying to catch a breath. I jerked so violently that I woke myself up and then quickly realized that I was having an asthma attack. Someone had swept up some long standing debris outside of my bedroom window and I was having a severe allergic reaction to the mold and mildew. I rushed to the kitchen and grabbed an emergency inhaler. My subconscious had saved my life.

Inception is a complicated drama that explores the mind of man by entering his dreams. Leonardo Di Caprio (Titanic) plays the leader of an espionage team that invades the dream life of corporate executives and steals their company secrets. As more companies become aware that the act of Inception is possible, they begin to guard against it by training their minds to resist intrusion. Di Caprio’s team then has to get more creative in order to fool these executives and trick them by using a combination of psychology, extensive research, intricate planning and chemistry.

Di Caprio’s team consists of Joseph Gordon-Levitt (500 Days of Summer), Tom Hardy (Bronson), Dileep Rao (Avatar), and Ellen Page (Juno). Since each one of these people will be sharing the same dream they must have an exact plan containing fail-safes, totems, psychological cues, and a full understanding of each other’s fears and phobias. It is a lot to keep track of and you really have to pay attention or you will get lost.

Inception is not so complicated that you won’t understand it, but there are so many levels that if you don’t stay focused you could get mixed up. Often in the film when the characters were not talking I would find myself engrossed in a scene, tripping out at some bizarre visual and then I would have to remind myself to pay attention. This is definitely a film worth a second viewing. It is so rich and complex that I’m sure that a second look would reveal even more layers. It is inevitable that there is a lot I didn’t see.

Because Inception is so complex I can’t say that it is a fun movie. Watching it is hard work because there is so much to remember. But it is visually stunning and completely fascinating. The performances are excellent and Marion Cotillard (Nine) is particularly haunting. Marion plays Di Caprio’s dead wife. Through Di Caprio’s subconscious she keeps entering the dreams and sabotaging their objectives. The rest of the team is trying to help him keep her at bay, but his guilt over her death gives her much power. We have little control over our subconscious.

Ken Wantanabe (The Last Samurai) plays a Japanese businessman who hires the team to invade Cillian Murphy’s (The Dark Knight) dreams to destabilize his company. Murphy’s father, Pete Postlewaite (Clash of the Titians) is near death and Murphy will inherit the company. The team plans to drive a wedge between him and his father who already have a strained relationship. But instead of stealing an idea, they must plant one. This is something that has yet to be done.

At the beginning of the film, Di Caprio goes to his father-in law, Michael Caine (Children of Men) to recruit Ellen Page. During her vetting interview to see if she has the talents necessary for this line of work she is asked, “Do you like mazes?” Well that is the question I will ask you. If you like puzzles, and mazes you will probably love this film. If you appreciate intricate, mind-blowing visuals, you will too. But if you are easily confused or have difficultly focusing, this film may leave you behind. This is not an easy film to enjoy, but it is worth the effort. It will occupy your mind long after you have left the theatre.

Rating: First Run Do you like mazes?

Ramona and Beezus

Joey King (Horton Hears a Who!) is Ramona Quimby, an accident-prone nine year old with a predisposition for embarrassment and misunderstanding. When she isn’t humiliating her teen-age sister Beezus, Selena Gomez (Wizards of Waverly Place) she is creating house-hold disasters by enacting well-intentioned schemes. She just wants to help, but everything always goes wrong. Ramona is a character that any kid can identify with.

I was a big fan of Ramona Quimby when I was a child and I loved all of Beverly Cleary’s books. I was a little apprehensive when I heard that they were bringing this wonderful story into the 21st century, but I really liked the choices they made. This Klickitat Street is still warm, colorful, and insulated from the big, bad world. Ramona’s biggest worry is that her dad lost his job and that they may be losing their home. This is a big enough problem for any nine year old, but nothing like some children face. This is more of a Leave It To Beaver life, (also a Cleary book), with simple problems and easy solutions. It is innocent world, sweet, fun, full of loving parents and caring teachers. I came away from this film feeling refreshed.

Joey King was delightful as Ramona Quimby. I easily fell in love with her and marveled at her superb comic timing. Selena Gomez was winning and natural as Ramona’s frustrated big sister. And I especially enjoyed John Corbett (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) as Ramona’s father. Bridget Moynahan (I, Robot) played Ramona’s mother and was really strong in some of the emotional scenes. And I was completely charmed by the romance of Josh Duhamel (When In Rome) and Ginnifer Goodwin (A Single Man) who plays Ramona’s Aunt Bea and her next door neighbor Hobart. Sandra Oh (Sideways) was also excellent as Ramona’s demanding teacher.

I really enjoyed this film and any parent would be lucky to accompany their child. The performances are sincere, the tone is pitch-perfect, and it is funny without feeling forced or cliche. The cinematography is gorgeous and the colors are vibrant. And with John Corbett and Josh Duhamel to gaze at you’ll hear no mothers complaining. Eyes sparkle, hair shines, smiles warm, this is a feel good movie and a welcome escape. Thank you for this little touch of Americana. It was like having my childhood again.

Rating: First Run A little slice of Americana

Predators

In the summer of 1977 my father took me camping in the wilderness of Yosemite. After setting up camp, and not being able to have a fire, my dad introduced me to the wonders of the science fiction short story. He had a paperback book containing a collection of the best and we proceeded to read them by flashlight. After the trip my father loaned me volumes one through three and I became fascinated with the genre. Not only were these good stories, but they had deeper social meaning. They questioned the nature of man and delved into his psychology.

Predators, the recent addition to a long running franchise, could stand alone as an alien action film, but what I’ve always enjoyed about the series is what is underneath the surface. You have three trophy hunters, coming to our planet on a vacation, to hunt and kill for sport. These are warriors and they are looking for prey that will stimulate and improve their skills, much like a deer hunter may upgrade to big game. It’s all about the challenge.

In Predators the game has changed because the prey has been taken off of their home planet and have been deposited into unfamiliar surroundings. It is not the home planet of the hunters, either. Although they have been there before. This neutral planet is like a game preserve where the Predators come to exercise their skills. Whatever they need they bring with them. The prey only possess what they had on them when they were snatched.

Adrien Brody (Splice) is the first of the hunted that we are introduced to. He was flying a plane and the next thing he knew he was falling from the sky. After a hard landing and the shock of being kidnapped, Royce (Brody) discovers Danny Trejo (Machete) who is a drug cartel enforcer out of Mexico. Soon others are dropping out of the sky and we end up with a South American rebel, Alice Braga (Repo Men), an African butcher, Mahershalalhashbaz Ali (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), a Russian mercenary, Oleg Taktarov (The Way), a Japanese gangster, Louis Ozawa Changchien (Gigantic), a death row psychopath, Walton Goggins (Damage), and Topher Grace (Spiderman 3) as a doctor. Each one was hand selected for what they could bring to the game.

Later in the film we meet Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix), a survivor from a previous hunt. All these professional killers must band together in order to survive. Any anti-social behavior will separate them from the pack and lessen their chance of survival. On the surface you have the worst of human society, a depraved and immoral lot, and on the other hand you have three alien warriors whose ethics are undetermined. Is big game hunting a sin? Is it immoral? That is the social question underneath the action. On the Predator’s planet, man-kind may be viewed no differently than an intelligent tiger, a worthy adversary making for an exciting kill.

Directed by Nimrod Antal (Armored) Predators works on several levels. As a military type adventure it has action, booby traps, extreme fighting skills, and the conflict that comes with men fighting for control and leadership. As a science fiction movie our cool Predators are back with their alien culture and this time they brought dogs. But the part of the movie I liked the best was the intellectual component. I enjoyed asking myself questions as we went along. Why these men? Why add a woman to the mix? Where are they? Do they have a chance? Why did they send a doctor? What skills does he possess? Will these people be missed back home? How do the aliens abduct them? The movie is so full of questions that my mind was constantly active as the film went through its traditional action-movie paces. This added element makes the film very satisfying for me.

As an action-hero, Adrien Brody surprised me. With his usual gusto he attacked this character and gave it his all. Giving himself voice in his lower register, adopting a bad-ass swagger and toning his body into a lean muscular frame, I found him credible as a well trained soldier. I like that he has been making interesting choices and has been going against type. We already know that this Academy Award winning actor can act. I love that he feels free to explore and experiment in different genres. His performance in Splice was really interesting and he has even been lending his voice to animation.

Forty years ago I read a similar short story about a pilot who was in the middle of a nose-dive about to crash when he wakes up in a floating dome in the middle of space. All alone he attempts to discover where he is, why he is there and how he can get out. Soon he learns that he is not alone and that another shares his prison in a gladiator type of situation. This is what makes science fiction so cool. It reaches you on a very basic human level, but also exercises your intellect. Based on this criteria, Predators is a successful Sci-Fi film.

Rating: First Run A successful Sci-Fi film

Despicable Me

It is not often that we get an animated film that is not based on a fairy tale or a beloved children’s book, but Pixar has paved for way for original stories and now Universal has followed suit. Despicable Me tells the tale of Gru who has just been replaced as the number one villain of the world. When a mysterious new villain steals the Egyptian pyramids and replaces them with an inflatable duplicate, Gru feels that he must out do this outlandish feat to get his reputation back.

Voiced by Steve Carell (Evan Almighty) Gru meets three adorable little girls who have a knack for getting past formidable obstacles. He adopts them as a means of thwarting his enemy, but they end up melting his black, black heart and he learns the joys of fatherhood.

The strength of this movie is in the voice talents of Steve Carell and all the sight gags perpetrated by his minions. Minions are small little pill shaped characters that do his evil bidding. They are yellow, possess large goggle shaped eyes, and seem to have a language of their own. Each one has a distinct personality and they are a lot of fun. Remove them from the film and it wouldn’t nearly be as successful.

I enjoyed the film and especially liked the personalities of the little girls played by Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier and Elsie Fisher. My favorite line is when the middle sister comments about Gru’s baldhead. She says something like, “When I saw his bald head I was thinking more Daddy Warbucks.” She is reacting to the dark gloomy home they have just entered decorated with weapons, taxidermy, and a snarling dog. Gru’s house is like walking into a Bond villain’s lair.

Despicable Me is very entertaining but it relies too much on sight gags and the minions. The minions steal the show while Gru is trying to steal the moon. I can easily see the minions having their own Saturday morning series, they are very cute and the kids will love them, but for an entire film, the premise wears thin fairly quickly. As an adult I was only amused.

I appreciated the warmth of the film, especially when Gru tries his hand at reading bedtime stories. As adults, his candor over the contents of the stories is well understood. I just wish that the film was a little more clever with the dialogue. I like it when films work on several levels. This movie has all the visuals for the kids, and the cute, funny voices of the minions, but it could have had more bite and satire for the adults. As is, Despicable Me is family friendly and will keep the kids occupied. Let the merchandising begin!

Rating: First Run Watch out for minions

Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky

Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky is a sensual treat. Whether you are looking at the exquisite interior designs, the fabulous costumes, or taking in the compelling musical score, experiencing this film is like breathing fine art. Its style envelopes you and you find yourself captivated. Sparse on dialogue, we spend much of this film watching our characters in close up, searching their faces for clues and meaning, explaining their innermost thoughts. Nothing in this film will hit you over the head. It is subtle, suggestive and implies much.

Coco Chanel came from very humble beginnings and was given the opportunity to shine as the mistress of a wealthy man. Despite his help, she considered herself a self-made woman, but she had a very generous spirit. Later in her life at the height of her success, she would often reach out and assist others in their artistic endeavors. This is how she became the patroness of Igor Stravinsky.

After World War I Igor Stravinsky was unable to return to his native Russia so he was living in hotels with his entire family and trying to work there. Admiring his compositions, Coco Chanel invited him to reside in her country home where he could write in a more suitable environment. Stravinsky’s wife, Katrina, was suffering from tuberculosis, so he made the decision based on her health and for the happiness of his kids. He was very productive in Coco’s home, but it is rumored that he had an affair with Coco right under his wife’s nose. This film, based on the book, goes with this premise and illustrates their relationship.

Both Stravinsky and Chanel were considered the most influential people of their time. Whatever inspired them was felt in the world of fashion and music where they were both breaking new ground and destroying old conventions. Igor Stravinsky made the mistake of alienating his benefactor and his wife grew tired of playing dumb. The affair ended and Coco and Igor both went their separate ways, but for a while they burned brightly together. Two stars sharing time and space and then rising separately to greater heights. This is truly a beautiful film and one I found quite fascinating.

Rating: First Run Like breathing fine art

Toy Story 3

I remember getting up early on a Saturday morning and watching Warner Brothers cartoons with the volume turned low. We were allowed to get up as long as we didn’t wake mom and dad. Some of the original cartoons, before Daffy and Bugs, had musical scores with dancing bugs, jitterbugging flowers, and singing animals. But the ones that fascinated me the most were the toons that showed what our toys do at night after we go to bed. According to these animated shorts, as we slept, our toys carried out adventures, romances, and even toy battles. I never looked at my play things the same way again.

When the original Toy Story appeared in 1995 I was pretty sure that the creators were influenced by the same Saturday morning escapades as myself. But in place of a short visual delight we got fully realized characters complete with a compelling story. These were characters that were as endearing as our toys themselves. We’ve all had a Woody, Buzz or Mr. Potatohead in our lives. It was a film that every adult and child could identify with. Toy Story was a big success.

Now, twenty-five years later, we are being asked to open our toy chest again and visit our old friends. Will they still touch us now? Will there still be that same connection? Well, the answer is yes, definitely! Woody, Buzz and the rest of the gang have been waiting for us all this time. As we’ve gone on, living our adult lives, dealing with war, terrorism, natural disasters and the economy, our toys are beckoning us, “Come, relax, sit down, play!”

Toy Story 3 is a welcome respite. It is as beautifully realized as the original and touching enough to make grown men cry. It is Pixar at its very best and everyone will love this film. Animation has grown in the last twenty-five years and with these advances, Woody and friends are capable of even more harrowing adventures. Expect to have an emotional work-out, the tension is palpable and the sentiment is real. Toy Story 3 is a masterpiece and a testament to the Pixar team. You’ll thoroughly enjoy this film.

Rating: Must See Come, relax, play!

The Last Airbender

 For a 3-Dimensional movie, The Last Airbender was flat and the acting was 2-Dimensional. For the first time in my life, I had to switch my seat three times because the people around me were constantly talking. They were either bored, waiting for the next action scene, or they were trying to explain plot points to their uninitiated companions. It was a very frustrating experience. After finally finding a suitable seat, too close to the screen, I settled down and tried to enjoy the movie. Overall, it did not meet my expectations.

The first thing that I noticed was that M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense) cast child actors instead of young martial artists. After watching The Karate Kid, where they were both, this was very disappointing. A child watching the film may not notice, but when I saw them doing their martial arts and they were not steady on their feet, it took me completely out of the film. I experience the same thing when actors portray dancers. Their lack of technique gives them away.

Another element I did not like in the film was the quality of martial arts. It had all the excitement of watching someone do Tai-chi. The movements were slow and lyrical while the magic and power was all created by special effects. It contained no thrill for me. I was completely unimpressed with the fight choreography. We have had so many good martial arts movies lately that defy gravity and take your breathe away. There was no athleticism in the performances. Everything was was too precise and calculated. The magic was left to CGI.

Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire) did his best portraying a banished prince and Noah Ringer did have a certain appeal, but the rest of the cast was stiff and un-engaging. I tried to enjoy the beauty of some of the settings and perhaps get lost in the mythology, but nothing captivated me for long. The pace was strange and the themes were disjointed. I’m not really sure what this film was trying to say.

My friends tell me that the animated series is fantastic. Maybe that would have been a better use of my time. I can only see the very young enjoying this film. For the rest of us, this is a poor representation. The film could have been much better.

Rating: Bargain Matinee Will not hold up to close scrutiny


 

Love Ranch

Grace Botempo, Helen Mirren (The Queen) is standing at the overlook of Donner Pass. She is explaining to Armando Bruza, Sergio Peris-Menche (Al salir de clase) that when the Donner Party was trapped there in 1847 that they actually started eating each other in order to survive. Neither of them flinches at the idea of cannibalism. Both of them know what it is to live off the flesh of others.

Love Ranch is not a horror film, or a zombie movie; rather it is the fictional re-telling of the story of Joe and Sally Conforte, owners of the famous Mustang Ranch of Nevada. Opened in 1971 as the first legalized brothel, it became notorious for its prostitutes and party time environment. In 1976 Joe Conforte tried to expand his business empire by buying the contract of boxer Oscar Bonavena. Joe wanted Oscar to train at the ranch in order to draw attention to his thriving business. Unfortunately, the close proximity had an unforeseen result. Oscar ended up having an affair with Joe’s wife Sally and it got him killed.

The Love Ranch is an interesting character study of a couple that seems to have it all. But running a whorehouse has its drawbacks. In this story Grace is the glue holding it all together. She seldom leaves the place, watching diligently over the girls that live on the premises. Charlie, Joe Pesci (Goodfellas) is more of the front man, flashy, brash and glad-handing the public. He is the visionary. Grace is the nuts and bolts.

When Taylor Hackford (Ray) cast Joe Pesci as Charlie opposite his wife Helen Mirren, at first the idea seemed odd. Its hard to imagine the gangster playing opposite of the queen. But in this film, it really works. They have an strange chemistry that compliments each other. They are two sides of the same coin. As business partners they are a formidable team and you can really see the affection that they have for each other. But for me the biggest revelation in this film came in the form of Spanish actor Sergio Peris-Mencheta. He easily holds his own with Pesci and Mirren and he brings a nice vulnerability to his hulking boxer. At first he’s all about the hustle, flashing the smile, exuding the charm, but when he lets his guard down, Grace knocks him out with a sucker punch.

Taylor Hackford goes to great lengths to recapture the look of the seventies. He also gives us a view of the unglamorous side of prostitution. It’s like turning up the lights in a dingy bar. Some things just look better in poor light. For me, I had a problem with the clinical nature of the film. This is a story about sex and passion, but when played against the day-to-day operations of a brothel, a lot of the heat was dissipated. I would have liked to see a more dramatic change in Grace. Grace is a woman who has been a madam since she was twenty years old. It would take a lot to get past that armor.

At the Love Ranch, Charlie and Grace take sex and marginalize it into a business transaction. For them, nothing is personal. Yet, in their own lives they truly care for each other. They are husband and wife. Some how in all of the business of selling other people’s bodies, they lost site of each other and things got screwed up. I wish I could have seen more of the passion that got them together. The back-story of the politics of prostitution didn’t interest me at all. For me it’s all about what draws people together and what rips them apart. The Love Ranch touches on this, but I wish it had gone deeper.

Rating: First Run More about lust than love