Kung Fu Panda 2

Kung Fu Panda is back with all our favorite characters, Dustin Hoffman as Shifu, Angelina Jolie as Tigress, James Hong as Mr. Ping and all this rest, but this time around Po (Jack Black) must face a new enemy, Gary Oldman as Lord Shen. Po must also look into his own past and discover where he came from, and (Spoiler Alert) Po learns that he was adopted. As he searches for a way to vanquish his new foe, he must also learn to conquer his fears and confront his repressed memories. He and Lord Shen have crossed paths before, the key to his origins lie in this encounter.
 
Kung Fu Panda 2 has all the magic of a full-blown Chinese martial arts extravaganza. But as exciting and fun as these action sequences are, what really stood out for me was the animation. In the beginning of the film we are treated to a beautiful variation of ancient Chinese shadow puppets. This traditional and colorful art form sets up our story and then we move into the animation style that we are more familiar with from the first film. But this time around we are introduced to a third style. This appears in all the flash back sequences and I found the animation phenomenal.
 
I really enjoyed the variation of styles, especially when it imitated Asian techniques. As an adult it gave my mind something to wrap around and appreciate beyond the script. But even the story itself was weighty enough to satisfy a mature mind. Po came from a violent background and his nemesis shares his history. Shen grows up to be a villain bitter, evil and full of hate, whereas Po grows up to be cheerful, loving and willing to risk his life for his village. This is a story about rising above, friendship, and giving of yourself to others. It is a beautiful film both visually and in content. Children will enjoy it, Po is as amusing and funny as ever. And adults will love it too. It is the complete package, beautiful, sweet, funny, and full of action. Luckily for us it looks like Po will be back for more. Kung Fu Panda 3 is in our future.

Rating: First Run A beautiful film both visually and in content

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Pass the chalice mate; this old sea tale is in need of new life. Watching Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides I kept trying to remember what I loved about the first one. Back then everything was new, fresh and mystical fun, but Pirates of the Caribbean 4 has become stale, tired, and over blown. This version has added some new characters and has them searching for the fountain of youth. But not once was I carried away by the action. I actually found this film quite dull.
 
Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow is still a fun character, but he’s best on the sidelines making snide remarks, ridiculing romance, and behaving in a supercilious manner. We love him best when he is mocking authority yet insisting on his own as captain. We also love him walking that tightrope between good and evil never quite knowing on which side he’ll land. But as the focal point in this film, Jack Sparrow is too much of a good thing. Especially when they try to make him the moral compass and give him a romantic foil in Penelope Cruz. Jack Sparrow is a blackguard and too self-involved for romance. And Penelope’s interpretation of a pirate queen was not sultry enough to invite it.
 
Ian McShane was born to play a pirate and I relished his evil sneer and menacing scowl, but every time he got whipped up into a murderous rage, he was pulled back and put in a position of compromise. I understand that his daughter was trying to save his soul and he was acting in deference to her, but come on. We never got to enjoy him in his blackest form. He is supposed to be beyond redemption, kind of like Captain Jack. I wanted to see him chew the scenery.
 
Each sequel has tried to capture the magic of the original and each one has left us wanting. Not one director has gotten the recipe right. They each promise us that they’ve worked it out; that this one will be the best one yet, but then we see it and go home disappointed. Maybe like Fast Five they’ll finally figure it out on the fifth one, but I for one am losing hope. I spent the entire movie asking myself why I wasn’t having a good time and I resented it even more because I paid full price. Overall I found Pirates 4 a big let down, you’ll really need to step it up to get me back again.
 
Rating: Second Run You will enjoy it most at a discount theatre

Beginners

We go to school, watch television, read books and believe that these things inform us. But in truth, what really shapes our personality is our parents. We grow up reading them like a novel, watching them like a movie and through their example we learn about love, relationships and how to face the world. In Beginners, Ewan McGregor plays Oliver, a 38-year-old graphic artist who is still single having walked away or sabotaged any serious relationship he’s ever had. In childhood he always felt that his parents didn’t love each other, but after his mother’s death, 45 years into marriage, his father finally admits to him that he is gay. Oliver is astonished. Everything he thought he knew about his parents was a lie.
 
Christopher Plummer portrays Hal. When Hal came out of the closet at the age of 75 he stepped out proudly waving a rainbow flag. No longer having to consider his wife’s feelings (Mary Page Keller) he exercised his new freedom by joining the social scene, becoming politically active and even finding himself a younger boyfriend (Goran Visnjic). He grabbed life with both hands and was eager to make up for lost time, but the biggest transformation came within his relationship with his son. No longer hiding his true self Hal became open, honest and more willing to share his thoughts. Oliver was finally getting to know his dad.
 
Watching his father embrace life, especially his relationship with his new boyfriend he sees a happiness that he has never seen before. It causes him to reexamine his own life and question why he has trouble holding on to love. But five years after his dad comes out, Oliver is hit with another bombshell. His dad has stage four cancer. Oliver is devastated once again. This time he is losing a friend.
 
Beginners starts with the death of Hal and Oliver is clearing out the family home. As he packs up and sorts things out he is flooded with childhood memories. His mom’s presence is still there, as well as his dad’s. Hal had made many changes after her death but parts of their life are still there. As Oliver grieves he remembers things about them both but sees them with new eyes. The experiences that formed him are no longer valid. He must reevaluate his entire life.
 
Just as Oliver enters the deepest depression of his life and the only person he can talk to is his father’s dog, an amazing woman appears. They meet at a costume party and Anna (Melanie Laurent) immediately captures his heart. Anna sees through his façade and calls him out, not for being gay; buy for being sad and melancholy. He is smitten with her but is paralyzed by uncertainty. He needs to learn how to love again. When it comes to romance, he is now a beginner.
 
This beautiful, provocative movie is very personal for writer, director Mike Mills. It is based on his own life. I loved the structure of this film and found it a wonderful way to share a story. Starting at the end and flashing back, we see the moments and memories that bring us up to date and inform us on who Oliver is and what he is going through. We are also privy to Oliver’s current thoughts by viewing his artwork or listening to his musings. Each voiceover gives us a historical perspective as well as his personal insights. By starting at the end we are also returning to the beginning. And by following a beginning we are lead to an end. It may sound confusing but it is really a special film. I was never lost and found it completely fascinating. Ewan McGregor captivated me with his sensitive portrayal and I grew even more appreciative of Melanie Laurent. Christopher Plummer is especially memorable as a man of his time who hid his nature out of cultural necessity but never played the role of victim. And Goren Visnjic will surprise you as Hal’s male lover. The nuances in his character reveal to us the pain of being gay and also being rejected by those you love. Hal took the risk and was rewarded; it is time for Oliver to take the risk now. He has a chance at love and cannot let the past define him. After all, the past was a lie.

Rating: First Run A story about parents and how they define us

Everything Must Go

Will Ferrell is Nick Halsey, a guy who is having the worst day of his life. He has just been fired from his job and when he gets home the locks have been changed, his wife is gone and all of his possessions are on the front lawn. Breaking his sobriety, Nick plops himself into an easy chair, pops open a beer, and tries to drink away his troubles. But when the morning automatic sprinklers come on, Nick has to take action. The problem is, he doesn’t. Nick Halsey has hit rock bottom.
 
When the neighbors start to complain that a man is living on his front lawn, the police, seeing he is drunk, try to arrest him. But to keep from being hauled in, Nick drops the name of his police detective AA sponsor (Michael Pena). Detective Garcia buys Nick some time by evoking a city ordinance that says a homeowner may have a garage sale for no more than four consecutive days. This gives Nick until Saturday. If he isn’t gone by then, Garcia himself will arrest him.
 
With the help of a neighborhood kid, Nick begins sorting out his life by sorting out his things. Kenny (Christopher Jordan Wallace) is his sounding board as well as a new sympathetic neighbor (Rebecca Hall) who has just moved in across the street. Nick must re-evaluate his priorities and take a closer look at what his possession are worth. In the process he discovers much more. Every knick-knack, souvenir or collectible has a meaning or a story for him, it is time to divest and travel lighter.
 
Will Ferrell is playing it straight here and even though there are touches of humor this is a dramatic role. Not only is Will Ferrell proving himself to be adept in this part he turns in some very nice nuanced scenes. Whether it is acting opposite Laura Dern, Rebecca Hall or young Christopher Jordan Wallace, Ferrell is able to evoke pathos, empathy and an I’ve been there smile. He’s everyman here and shows he’s capable of pulling off a dramatic role. Everything Must Go is worth a look.

Rating: First Run Will Ferrell proves he can handle drama
 

Exporting Raymond

If you’ve ever gone to another country and turned on the TV then you know what it’s like to see an American Sit-com dubbed in a foreign language. It is a strange and hilarious experience. A lot of what people know about us comes from these television shows and that can be very frightening. But lately there has been a new trend. Instead of dubbing an existing show, television companies are now buying the rights, casting local actors and re-filming the entire show in their native language. This is the premise for the documentary Exporting Raymond.
 
In Exporting Raymond, Phil Rosenthal is hired by Sony Television to go to Russia and assist in the casting and adaptation of his top American show, Everybody Loves Raymond. The result is unbelievable. As writer Phil Rosenthal not only has to adjust to Russian culture but deal with Russian executives as well. And we thought our network suits were tough.
 
In Russia Phil not only struggles with the language barrier he also must learn that funny doesn’t always translate. This documentary is a study in compromise as well as international relations. Not only is it amusing and entertaining it also gives us an insight into our own culture. In addition we get to meet Phil Rosenthal’s parents who are the inspiration for Ray’s mom and dad. Those scenes alone are worth the price of admission.
 
If you are interested in television at all this documentary is a must see. Just watching the casting process is a real eye-opener. Also as a social experiment it is fascinating to see how Russia is trying to change and grow after the fall of communism. Their new self-image is very important to them, which is in direct conflict with making comedy. In comedy we make fun of ourselves and that is real tricky when a nation is trying to rebuild its self-esteem.
 
This documentary works on so many levels that it is a real treat. Through it you’ll learn about pop culture, Britney Spears, international travel, Russian television burnout and why no one is interested in kid-napping Phil Rosenthal. With Exporting Raymond you’ll get a real insight into how television works. It is after all an international phenomenon and by all accounts the sit-com is here to stay.
 
Rating: First Run A hilarious look into pop culture

Earthwork

Some say that artists have their head in the clouds but for Stan Herd that would be quite the advantage. A third generation Kansas farmer, Stan has pioneered a new art form known as representational crop art, or Earthwork. Using the tools that he grew up with Stan began manipulating the earth to create pictures that can only be viewed from the air. Struggling for years to bring attention to his art Stan put in a bid to do an Earthwork project on a vacant lot in New York City owned by Donald Trump. Not wanting to lose the opportunity to another artist Stan Herd agreed to do the project for free using his own funds and putting his family in tremendous debt. The film Earthwork chronicles this monumental undertaking and the emotional toll it took on his family. It also shows how the community was impacted by this ambitious project.
 
In the past year I’ve seen several movies that centered on non-traditional artists such as Wasteland and Exit Through The Gift Shop. But as great as these films are, by making Stan Herd’s story a dramatic film rather than a documentary you are able to experience his emotional journey as well as his artistic one. Earthwork not only documents John’s struggle, but it shows us the impact that his work had on the street people who squatted on the land and lived in the tunnels near-by. This is something that would not have been possible in a straightforward documentary. I believe that telling Stan’s story in this way was the best choice and Oscar nominated actor John Hawkes is wonderful in the role.
 
When Stan produces his art he tills, rakes and plows the soil to create texture and then adds plants, rocks and other natural materials for color and shade. From the ground you cannot see the result, but from the air everything takes form. In the telling of this story we are right there with Stan in this vacant lot scratching and digging to achieve some distant goal. With every set back we feel his pain, and with every friend he makes we feel his humanity. But like the people of New York we have to wait until the end to see the final result. The reveal is breath taking and I am now very much a fan of his art. I hope one day to meet Stan Herd or better yet fly over his work. What a phenomenal inspirational man he is and what a tremendous awe-inspiring concept. I highly recommend this film.
 
Rating: Must See A look into the heart of an artist and why we do what we do

Poetry

A sweet, quiet, soft-spoken grandmother devotes her time to caring for her grandson and working as a maid for an elderly stroke victim. But when it is revealed to her by a doctor that she is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s she decides to do something for herself and enrolls in a class to learn how to write poetry. As a young Korean school girl a teacher once told her that she had the soul of a poet. She sees beauty in everything and even treats her body like a canvas always dressing with refinement and color. The idea of being a poet pleases her and she wants desperately to learn how to write a poem.
 
Once in her poetry class Mija becomes very frustrated trying to discover where poetic inspiration comes from. She begins carrying a notepad around with her and meticulously writes down ideas and phrases. But when it comes to writing a poem of her own she is unable to tap into her poetic heart. She begins to go to poetry readings and even forms relationships with other writers, yet her own poem still eludes her.
 
One day her spoiled and belligerent grandson becomes even more moody and starts staying out late with his friends. She attempts to rein him in but he is the master of the house and knows it. In her demure playful way she tries to cajole him into submission but she is losing her hold over him. Jongwook is growing up fast and his friend’s influence is strengthening. Mija is losing control over her grandson and her life.
 
Mija is working hard to hide the effects of Alzheimer’s from her grandson and her friends but when Jongwook is caught up in the gang-rape and suicide of a female classmate, she is thrust into an emotional situation and the necessity of meeting with the other boy’s fathers. The men agree to pay the girl’s family off in order to keep the scandal secret but Mija’s poetic spirit is too empathetic towards the girl’s mother. As she struggles to come to terms with her grandson’s act and the need to raise money to absolve him, her whole demeanor changes. Finding beauty is suddenly more difficult; she is now facing a very ugly world.
 
Very few Korean films make it to the United States so I am unfamiliar with the actress playing Mija (Jeong-hie Yun) but she is lovely. I was completely mesmerized by her and her performance was a poem within itself. Even with subtitles I was fully immersed in her plight and understood all her varying emotions. In the midst of this ugly situation you could still feel the beauty of her spirit. Poetry treads lightly with a very heavy subject. It is a beautiful film with a portrayal that haunts me. It is a story that I’ll remember for some time.

Rating: First Run A beautiful poetic performance by Jeong-hie Yun
 
 
 
 

Fast Five

Fast Five is off the hook. Taking the best from all the previous Fast and Furious films we have been reunited with our favorites Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Jordana Brewster in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. On the wrong side of the law they are meeting up after Dominic’s successful escape from a prison transport bus. Paul Walker’s agent Brian Cooper has chosen love over duty and he and Mia are now as wanted as Dominic Toretto. Special Agent Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) has been sent by the FBI to track them down, meanwhile they are looking to do one last score so that they can evade capture and spend the rest of their lives in a non-extradition country.

The job they plan on pulling is stealing from the city’s biggest crime boss known as Reyes (Joaquim de Almeida). To do this they assemble the best team they can which includes characters from all the previous Fast & Furious films such as Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Sung Kang, and many more. Vince (Matt Schulze) has already been hiding in Brazil. He provides the initial safe house but after a deal goes wrong and they become enemies of Reyes, there is enough doubt and suspicion to cause an old wound to reopen. When you add in Reyes’ henchmen and The Rock’s Special Ops team, there is a lot of tension to go around. The job they plan on pulling passes from impossible and leads into Crazyland. This film is really insane.

With out giving anything away, in Fast Five you will experience action, precision driving, explosions, heavy weaponry and an exciting fight going mano y mano with Vin Diesel and The Rock. If that’s not enough the film climaxes with the craziest stunt I ever seen in a movie. And it is not just a cool stunt that you see once and then it’s done, this gimmick goes on and on blowing your mind all along the way. As you sit there in amazement marveling at the sheer audacity of it all you find yourself thrilled to no end.

Fast Five is a completely satisfying popcorn movie and is a wonderful tribute to all the proceeding Fast & Furious films. It even sets us up for a Fast and Furious Six. And the premiss is amazing. What a fun film and a great way to kick off the summer. The gang is back and they are faster than ever. Buckle up and enjoy the ride.

Rating: First Run Bring you the best of all the Fast & Furious films

There Be Dragons

In 2002 Pope John Paul II canonized a priest by the name of Josemaria Escriva. Dubbed “the saint of the ordinary” Escriva started an organization known as Opus Dei (Latin for “Work of God”). Starting with just three men and enduring through the Spanish Civil War when priests were shot on sight, membership now consists of over 90,000 members worldwide. Escriva’s vision was that every man and women in their ordinary tasks of life are capable of representing Christ’s love to one another. The mission of Opus Dei is to help ordinary people turn their work and daily activities into opportunities for growing closer to God, serving others and improving society.
 
The revolutionary idea of Opus Dei came in a time of civil unrest, when a war was being fought not over land or property but over ideals. Fascism and Communism was challenging the status quo ripping families apart and setting brother against brother. In the middle of all this was a young priest speaking of faith, love and serving others.
 
To bring this story to us, Roland Joffe (The Mission) has combined historical events with a fictional tale to illustrate the scope of this man’s monumental deeds. In There Be Dragons, Dougray Scott plays a writer named Robert who comes to Spain to do research for his book on the famed priest. When he discovers that his estranged father came from the same small village as Josemaria, Robert seeks out his father, played by Wes Bentley, to get more information about Escriva as a young man. His father Manolo, who fought in the Civil War, never shared his memories of that time, but suddenly he’s willing to talk. In revealing how he and Josemaria chose different paths, Manolo is not only able to unburden himself of a guilty past, but reconnect with his son as well.
 
Set against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War There Be Dragons follows the lives of these two childhood friends. Manolo, who is acting as a fascist spy infiltrating the communist party and Josemaria, a priest driven underground by hatred against the church. Also involved in this story is a charismatic communist leader named Oriol, played by Rodrigo Santoro. Manolo is smitten with a beautiful freedom fighter, but Iidiko (Olga Kurylenko) is enamored with Oriol. Manolo’s jealousy over the charismatic Oriol has him making some very poor decisions. On top of that is his hatred of the Communist Party. Their organization efforts lead to his father’s death and the destruction of their family’s business. Manolo is a angry young man. On the other side of the coin is Josemaria who spends his life serving God, holding mass and taking confession in secret while caring for the poor. Two boys from the same small village could not have turned out any more different.

When the film about Josemaria Escriva was first begun it was intended as a bio-pic, but when Roland Joffe came aboard he really wanted to show the magnitude and the scope of what Escriva was up against. There was such a backlash against the Catholic church that priests were being murdered and churches were being destroyed. Yet out of this, one man following the voice of God begins a simple straightforward mission that has thrived and lasted longer than the heyday of Fascism and Communism both. Charlie Cox, who portrays Josemaria Escriva plays him as a man full of love and compassion. He is fierce in his conviction, but he struggles with his anger over what is going on and the injustices taking place. By giving his anger to God and devoting himself to prayer he is able to lead by example inspiring a core group of men and women who spread his message all over the world.

Josemaria’s accomplishments are very inspiring and Roland Joffe has provided a dramatic stage to share this man’s story. His life is presented in a straight forward matter and the religious aspects are underplayed. Wes Bentley has the undaunting task of playing Manolo as both a young man and as an aged father alone with his bitter memories. But I believe that Charlie Cox has the toughest job. How do you portray a young man who grows up to be a saint? Luckily Charlie Cox got to view a lot of footage showing Escriva speaking in front of a crowd. He was known to be warm, funny and very much a man of the people. In that, Charlie Cox got it right.

Rating: First Run Get to know the people's saint

Water for Elephants

I’m a sucker for circus stories and Water for Elephants, based on the best selling novel by Sara Gruen, is fairly faithful to the book. It is a classic romance set in a Depression era circus. Overall I liked the film but for me there were two major weaknesses. One, the chemistry between Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon. Their relationship needed to be so hot it would ignite the big top. They needed to spark, to visibly exude sex. Their passion, though never acted on, needed to drive a powerful man into jealous rage. In this film the romance was a little too PG-13.

Secondly, the stakes needed to be higher. For the people in this circus, things were life and death. Combining two characters for the film Christoph Waltz plays both the animal trainer and the owner of the circus. He is subject to giant mood swings, fits of violence, and yet can be very charming and tender. He’s like nuzzling a lion; you enjoy the attention but always keep your eyes on his claws. You put up with the abuse because you have no where else to go. I wanted to see more desperation.
 
When you travel with a circus, especially during hard times, the circus is your home. It feeds you, shelters you, and in exchange, works you to the bone. But for one brief moment, under the big top, everything is magic, glamour and excitement. The film alludes to this, but I wanted to see more juxtaposition. I wanted to see a love so strong that our hero would risk death. And I wanted a threat so menacing that it would make me squirm. These were violent men, men that would throw you off a moving train if you couldn’t pull your weight, men that would toss you off a train rather than pay you. I wanted to see those extremes, I wanted more contrast. This movie should have gone for the R rating.
 
The circus is a wonderful setting for a love story. It is a community so close-knit that it has its own language and code of justice. For an outsider to be let in is one thing, to have an insider break the code is another. I totally believed Reese Witherspoon as an orphan who allowed herself to be seduced by the glamorous commanding Waltz. Her love of horses and intuition turned her into a circus star and Waltz was just one more animal she learned how to tame. As mean as he could get, there was real affection there and in most cases she could always soothe him. That’s why this young man needed to be someone really special. Someone worth betraying your husband for. I would have like to have seen more of that from Robert Pattinson.
 
I enjoyed the look of this film and savored every period detail, but I also think that the film played it safe. I would have loved to see more of the circus folks and a little more circus culture. We needed to see something redeeming about circus life worth staying for. The film begins with an old man so crazy about the circus that he runs away from his nursing home. By the end of the film we should know why. Water for Elephants is a handsome looking film, but in Jacob’s eyes the circus was beautiful. Maybe we should have seen more from his perspective. Despite everything he never really left. He always kept his love for the circus and Marlena.

Rating: Second Run Pachyderms and passion under the big top