Quick Movie Reviews: Up in the Air, Princess and the Frog, Howl's Moving Castle

Up in the Air (2009)

Bottomline: Terrific movie about grown-ups made for grown-ups.

Pros: George Clooney. Vera Farmiga. Anna Kendrick. Jason Bateman. Great Story. Sharp dialogue.

Cons: Having been a victim of a lay-off (June 9, 1998), a lot of what happens in this movie hits very close to home.

Where Can I See It? It is in wide release in theaters.

QMR Opinion: Clooney portrays a man whose sole purpose is to come into businesses and fire people. In addition, he takes great pride in the fact that he has no real relationship with anyone. He spends all of his time on the road. Then he meets Farmiga and Kendrick. All three of the principals are simply terrific. I was particularly impressed with Kendrick who showed that she has the chops to share the screen with Farmiga and Clooney, who are both on fire here. Reitman's direction is spot on and the dialogue is real, witty and pitch perfect.



The Princess and the Frog (2009)

Bottomline: Great animated feature perfect for all ages.

Pros: Beautiful hand-drawn animation. Voice acting is superb. Familiar story with a twist.

Cons: Story drags here and there. The trailer for this movie gives too much away.

CAVEAT: There are at least three scenes in this movie that caused young folks (6 and under) to cry in the theater.

Where Can I See This Movie? It is in wide release in theaters.

QMR Opinion: There will always be a soft place in my heart for hand-drawn animation. It has a certain warmth and graphic tonality that you simply don't get with computer animation and, yes, I include my favorite movie studio production in that statement -- Pixar. This is a beautiful story told with a great twist and magnificently animated. I was thoroughly impressed with the voice acting and, in particular, Keith David, who plays the Voodoo Villain. The music was fine with my favorite being "Almost There." For my money, there wasn't enough Mama Odie.



Howl's Moving Castle (2004)

Bottomline: Beautifully animated film whose storyline gets incredibly confusing toward the end.

Pros: It's a Miyazaki-directed film so the animation is beautiful, detailed and flawless. Voices include: Jean Simmons, Lauren Bacall, Blythe Danner, Billy Crystal, and Christian Bale.

Cons: The storyline meanders and is rife with symbolism that no one outside of Japan will understand.

Where Can I See This Movie? I saw this on the IFC channel but it is available for rent on DVD.

QMR Opinion: I will have to admit to something here -- I am not a huge fan of Japanese animation aka "anime." I honestly believe Pixar and, for that matter, Disney are producing better animated features. Miyazaki is considered THE master of Japanese anime and has receive numerous accolades for his feature, Spirited Away (2001), which I did not like. So I recorded Howl on the DVR. It was much better than I had anticipated. The hand-drawn animation is phenomenal in its beauty and detail. The story was great until about three-quarters of the way through and then it lost its way. The movie is set in an oddly Victorian-mechanized era populated with wizards and witches. A young lady is cursed and finds herself connected to Howl, a wizard. The movie is rated PG, which, I assume, is because of some war scenes.

Quick Movie Reviews: To Catch a Thief, A Christmas Carol, The Blind Side

To Catch a Thief (1955)

Bottomline: There are better Hitchcock films starring these two people.

Pros: Grace Kelley. Cary Grant.

Cons: Lots of talking. More talking. Then more talking. Little bit of action. Then more talking. Some more talking. More talking. Little bit of action. End of film.

Where Can I See This Movie? It is available for rent and plays often on television. I saw it on Turner Classic Movies channel.

What Other Hitchcock Films Would You Recommend? To see Grace Kelley in a great Hitchcock movie, rent Rear Window (1954). To see Cary Grant in a great Hitchcock film, rent North by Northwest (1959).

QMR Opinion: This movie hasn't held up well over the years. Known primarily because of the famous scene involving the road where Princess Grace was actually killed, To Catch a Thief spends too much time talking and not enough time moving the story forward. My children (ages 12 and 16) had the story figured out 30 minutes into it. Some of the dialogue is particularly interesting -- especially the scene at night in Kelley's room when she and Grant engage in a lengthy discussion filled with all sorts of sexual double entendres.

A Christmas Carol (2009)

Bottomline: Terrific movie that is faithful to the Dickens novel.

Pros: Terrific story. Strong acting by Jim Carrey (in multiple roles) and Gary Oldman. Animation is top-notch. Loved the 3-D work.

Cons: There are a couple of "chase" scenes that last too long. The end when Bob Cratchit speaks directly to the camera doesn't work and takes you out of the movie.

Where Can I See This Movie? It is currently in wide release in theaters.

WARNING: Even though this is animated and the trailer looks fun, this movie is not for young children. Particularly disturbing is how the movie handles the "death" of Tiny Tim and the "death" of the Ghost of Christmas Present. There are many scary moments.

QMR Opinion: This is a strong movie that truly captures the essence of A Christmas Carol as a morality tale. The animation is terrific. The technology has moved quickly beyond Robert Zemekis' previous movie using this animation technology, The Polar Express (2004). I'll be honest and say that I am a sucker for this Disney 3-D technology. I think it adds to the overall experience of the film and Zemekis makes strong use of it without going overboard. The acting is strong and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Carrey's performance. This movie is well worth your time but be forewarned -- it is a dark tale designed to shock you into understanding what is important.

The Blind Side (2009)

Bottomline: Inspiring movie that deserves your support.

Pros: It simply tells the story of a young man that you couldn't make up even if you wanted to. Strong performances by Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw and Jae Head.

Cons: It can't help itself and gets overly sweetly sentimental in some spots. Glosses over what had to be a difficult transition for both Oher and the Tuohy family.

Where Can I See This? It is in wide release in the theaters.

Interesting Note: This movie is rated PG-13 so be aware of that. There is a scary scene of explosive violence. There are violent flashbacks. And the trailers that we saw were very PG-13. For example, we saw a trailer for It's Complicated that shows Alec Baldwin and Meryl Streep laid out in the bed -- spent.

QMR Opinion: I went into this movie fully expecting not to like it. I heard about how great it was. That it was the best movie ever made. But the simple fact of the matter is that you would really have to try to screw up telling this incredible story. Michael Oher was a young black man with no home and is taken in by the very white Tuohy family who nurture him, become his legal guardians and help him get to college. Oher was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the draft. However, despite my best efforts to not like this movie, I couldn't help buy like it. It is inspiring and, frankly, a little convicting. It is up to Sandra Bullock to carry this movie and she does it well. The movie can't help itself and there are some scenes that are clearly designed to manipulate the audience. But you can get past this. At the end of the day, this is a great movie.

Quick Movie Reviews: Persepolis (2007), Adventureland (2009)

Persepolis (2007)

Bottomline: Excellent animated film that provides interesting insight into the life of a young girl growing up in a turbulent Iran.

Pros: Excellent hand-created animation. Loved Grandma (voiced by Danielle Darrieux). Surprisingly funny and poignant.

Cons: Yes, it's autobiographical but I found that, at times, the film became remarkably self-indulgent.

Notes: This is animated. It is in French. Turn on the sub-titles.

Where Can I See This? It is available on DVD.

QMR Opinion: Based on a graphic novel, Persepolis tells the story of Marjane Satrapi, who grows up in late '70s Iran during the overthrow of the Shah and the installtion of the religious establishment. The story begins when Marjane is 9 years old and the film is told almost completely from her point of view. My favorite parts of the film are when we get some behind-the-scenes look at Iran in upheaval. To say that Satrapi has led a remarkably interesting life is a tremendous understatement. It's amazing she is as sane as she is. What is particularly surprising, at least to me, is how funny this movie is.

Adventureland (2009)

Bottomline: What a great movie. It's funny. It's insightful.

Pros: Downright hilarious without being gross. Jesse Eisenberg is terrific. Martin Starr is phenomenal.

Cons: There's a weird sub-plot with Ryan Reynolds. I was not impressed with Kristen Stewart.

Where Can I See This? It is out on DVD.

QMR Opinion: This movie was billed as being "from the director that brought you Superbad." True. Greg Mottola did direct both films. But Adventureland is far, far superior to Superbad (2007), which was a gross-out teen comedy whose shining moment was McLovin. Adventureland tells the story (based on Mottola's own experience) of a young college graduate who must get a summer job and ends up getting one at the local amusement park (managed by Bill Hader and Kristin Wiig). The acting by the principals is spot on but I was particularly impressed with Jesse Eisenberg and Martin Starr. The one exception to that would be Kristen Stewart who I thought acted almost too nonchalant. Oh. . .and the setting is 1987 -- so you get great '80s styles and a terrific soundtrack. When you rent this, be sure to watch the special features -- especially the Adventureland commercials and training videos. Caveats: Not gross like Superbad but there is a lot of vomiting and a ton of drug use.

-- 30 --

QMR: Julie and Julia, Funny People, Waltz with Bashir, Young At Heart, Lakeview Terrace

Julie & Julia (2009)

Bottomline: Excellent movie about adults made for adults.

Pros: Meryl Streep. Amy Adams. 1940s Paris. Food. Fun. Happily married couples.

Cons: Some bad language. Children may get bored. Julia Child part of movie is much stronger than the Julie Powell part.

Where Can I See It? It is in theaters now.

Discovery!! Linda Emond is brilliant as Child's colloborator, Simone Beck.

QMR Opinion: Go see this movie and show the studios that you support films made for grown-ups about grown-ups. It is sincerely refreshing and uplifting to see a film that so clearly illustrates not just one but two happily married couples. If you like to eat food, cook food or savor food, you must go see this movie. Meryl Streep is phenomenal as Julia Child. She inhabits the character but doesn't turn it into an SNL skit. Amy Adams is excellent as Julie Powell. She is quickly becoming one of my favorite actresses. The Julia Child portion of the movie is better than the Julie Powell portion but the deck is stacked in her favor -- set in 1940s Paris, she is a larger than life character, Jane Lynch plays her sister, Stanley Tucci (who is brilliant) plays her husband, and, well, she is portrayed by the best actress working today -- Meryl Streep.

WARNING: TRAILER IS UNCENSORED!!!

Funny People (2009)

Bottomline: Good movie about guys for guys from the guy who makes movies for guys.

Pros: The movie is funny. Adam Sandler is excellent. Loved Seth Rogen, Jason Schwartzman, and Jonah Hill. Eric Bana is hilarious. Great cameo appearances by comics and others.

Cons: It is way off-color. If penis jokes offend you, then do not go see this movie. Leslie Mann, Apatow's real wife, plays Bana's wife and is not good.

Where Can I See It? It is in theaters now.

Particularly Funny Moment: There is a scene with a rapper, a former TV star and comic that is absolutely hilarious.

QMR Bottomline: You'd be hard-pressed to find a movie this year that has received such opposite reviews. My advice? If you like Apatow and you're a guy, go see it. Sandler, who I'm not crazy about, is great. My favorite part is the relationship between the three roommates -- Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, and Jason Schwartzman. There are moments where Apatow could have cranked up the tears, but about the time you reach that moment, he throws in a penis joke. One of the main reasons this movie worked for me is that Sandler remains constant -- he is a jerk at the beginning of the movie and he's a jerk at the end. There is no cliched glorious transformation as a result of his near-death experience.

Waltz with Bashir (2008)

Bottomline: See this documentary only if you are prepared to not get any sleep or have a good therapist.

Pros: An honest portrayal of one man's search for memories that he doesn't want to find.

Cons: This documentary is INTENSE. It is not for the faint of heart. It is violent. It is gruesome. It is incredibly disturbing.

Where Can I See It? It is available on DVD.

Interesting Notes: It won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film and is the first documentary to use primarily animation as its medium. Movie is sub-titled.

QMR Opinion: Ari Folman was a 19-year-old infantryman in the Israeli army in 1982 during the Lebanese War. He is haunted by occasional memories from that time and decides to seek out the truth. This involves interviewing a number of people who are there. The animation evokes the idea that this is not real just yet. Yes, he is interviewing real people. But there are also fantasy sequences mixed in. Bashir Gemayel, a member of the Lebanese Phalange Party and president-elect, is assassinated in 1982. His supporters are allowed by Israeli forces to enter the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps where they then systematically murder hundreds (possibly thousands) of Lebanese civilians -- men, women, children. Folman comes to this realization that his countrymen, the victims of the single greatest systematic murder spree in history, stood by and watched this occur. At the moment of this realization, the last 10 minutes of the film are composed of actual footage after the massacre.

Young At Heart (2007)

Bottomline: Solid documentary and well worth your time.

Pros: Inspiring, uplifting and, at times, downright funny.

Cons: Some of the chorus members died during filming. The music videos are awful.

QMR Opinion: In Massachusetts, there is a chorus led by Bob Cilman whose members average age 80 or so. They used to sing the old classics. Now they sing contemporary classics by Coldplay, Sonic Youth, The Clash, Jimi Hendrix, and others. I wanted more about Cilman (why does he do this? Where is he from?) and less music videos, which are awful and take away from the reason I want to see this documentary -- watching the group sing live. Highlights for me were watching 92-year-old Elaine Fligman sing "Should I Stay or Should I Go" and Fred Knittle, with his oxygen tank keeping an odd beat, sing Coldplay's "Fix You."

Lakeview Terrace (2008)

Bottomline: If you have nothing else to watch, then skip this and watch TV.

Pros: Interesting premise. Samuel L. Jackson.

Cons: Gets formulaic at the end. Patrick Wilson.

Where Is It Available? You can rent it on DVD.

What Should I Watch Instead? Rent Pulp Fiction (1994) for a better Samuel L. Jackson.

QMR Opinion: Not much to say here. The movie's interesting premise is setting up Jackson as prejudiced against a mixed race couple that moves in next door to him. Then the movie devolves into some craziness about Jackson having bad days at work, taking out his frustrations on his neighbors, his neighbors never doing anything rational, arguments about birth control pills, and, oh yeah, there is a fire raging (yes, we get the symbolism) in the distance and getting closer and closer. . .

QMR Retro-Review: The Iron Giant (1999)

For movie lovers, there are a certain handful of movies that we watch over and over. Why? They evoke certain memories or they are so well done that we just can't get enough or they just remind us why it is that we love movies so much.

The Iron Giant does all of that for me. Yes, it gets a little ham-handed with the message, but, when it's all said and done, it's a terrific animated film that captures the essence of what it means to be a kid and to be watching. . .well. . .a cartoon.

The main part of the movie is traditional animation but the giant is actually computer generated. Iron Giant is directed by Brad Bird, one of the Pixar guys who has directed two Pixar films -- The Incredibles (2004) and Ratatouille (2007). The main voice talents are Jennifer Aniston as Annie Hughes and Harry Connick Jr. as Dean. Oddly enough, the voice for the giant is provided by Vin Diesel and this could very well be his best performance ever.

For those of you with young kids (10 or below), be aware that there are some scary scenes and that the movie ends on a bittersweet note.

My recommendation? Rent the DVD, pop the popcorn, get the whole family together, and settle in to watch a terrific animated film.

Quick Movie Review: Up (2009)

Up (2009)

Bottomline: You must see it. Seriously. Now. Why are you still reading this? Go see the movie.

Pros: It's another Pixar masterpiece. What else do you want to know?

Cons: It's Rated PG. It's only the second Pixar film not be Rated G (the other is The Incredibles (2004)). The beginning sequence is poignant and could cause an issue with youngsters (heck, it made us adults misty). Then there is gunplay and a death. Also. . .I wasn't crazy about the Pixar short that preceded the feature film.

QMR Opinion: I keep waiting. I keep waiting on Pixar to stub their toes. To make a truly bad film. There have been 10 Pixar films thus far with at least two of them that should have been Oscar-nominated for Best Picture (The Incredibles (2004) and WALL-E (2008)). Up is the 10th Pixar film and it ranks among the best Pixar has to offer.

The director is Pete Docter, who also directed Pixar's Monsters Inc. (2001). Giving voice to Carl Frederickson is Ed Asner (of Mary Tyler Moore fame) and to Russell is Jordan Nagai. Christopher Plummer gives voice to Charles Muntz, a famous explorer.

What is it that makes Pixar so different from other animated films? Or, for that matter, many other films in general? Pixar films offer the whole package -- magnificent stories, expertly told, brought to life by pitch perfect direction and acting. Plus, you get the sophisticated humor that is accessible to both children and adults. It's been a long time since I've laughed as hard in a movie like this.

Honestly, if for no other reason, you should see it for the opening sequence which walks us through the first 70+ years of Carl's life. We are introduced to Carl's wife, Ellie. Ellie is, to put it mildly, a pistol. They meet. They fall in love. They get married. They plan great adventures. Then real life shows up.

Young Russell shows up just when Carl needs him most (although Carl doesn't realize it). Thus begins Carl's great adventure.

Let's face it, I am biased when it comes to Pixar films. I own them all. I watch them over and over. I geek out over the detail (Carl's razor stubble, the hint of a rainbow at Paradise Falls, etc.). I laugh at all the jokes ("Do I dig the hole after or before?"). I love the insider stuff (John Ratzenberger is the only actor to be in all 10 Pixar films). I think the animation work is above and beyond anything anyone else is doing (and, yes, that includes the Japanese stuff). So, you know I'm going to like this movie and I do. So, for those of you who are inclined to slough off any animated feature as "kid's stuff," I would encourage you to go see Up and remember what it's like to truly revel in the movie-going experience.

Sidenote: Up is offered in both 3-D and 2-D. I saw it in 3-D and it was spectacular. However, I've read Docter being quoted as saying that they filmed the movie purposefully to not include the standard 3-D gags. He sees 3-D as simply adding more dimension to an already terrific movie. My point here is that you don't have to pay the extra dollars to see it in 3-D in order to truly enjoy the film.

Up is an inspiring, funny, poignant film that will touch even the hardest of hearts. It opened in theaters all over the country on May 29.

QMR: Monsters vs. Aliens, Taken, Vicky, Sister Dorothy, Shane

http://

Monsters vs. Aliens: 3D (2009)

• Bottomline: Take your kids to see it – in 3D!


• Pros: Tremendous production. Tons of fun.


• Cons: Couple of scenes in the movie that actually made a little girl in the theater cry.


• QMR Opinion: Word on the street is that this movie was actually filmed in the 3D technology thus giving it an even better 3D look on the screen. It worked. The 3D work here is terrific and is absolutely worth your time and money to go to the theater. There is nothing overly deep here although I have heard one reviewer applaud the film for is empowerment of women. All in all it’s just a lot of fun. Other than a couple of scenes where it turns “serious,” the movie moves along at a quick pace understanding both its audience and its purpose – kids = fun. Reese Witherspoon does good voice work here but kudos go to Hugh Laurie as Dr. Cockroach and Seth Rogen as B.O.B.

http://

Taken (2008)

• Bottomline: Save your $10. Rent It.


• Approximate DVD Release Date: May 2009


• Better Abduction Movies: Die Hard, Live Free or Die Hard, Silence of the Lambs


• Pros: Watching an angry father kick butt and take names


• Cons: Action scenes tend toward the absurd. Requires above average need for suspension of disbelief


• QMR Opinion: Liam Neeson’s daughter has been snatched while on vacation with a friend in Europe. Talk about a bad choice. Turns out that Liam is a former CIA operative who specializes in killing bad folks. He warns his daughter not to go to Europe. She and her slutty friend go anyway. Within about an hour of landing on foreign soil, they are kidnapped and sold into sexual slavery. You know where this movie is going. You know what’s going to happen to the “loose” friend. I laughed out loud at one action scene where Liam is in the middle of the bad guy’s camp, putting a drugged young lady into the back of a car. . .all the while bad guys are shooting at him from every conceivable direction. Glass flies. Bullets fly. Men are yelling. Liam raises up, shoots his pistol about three times – three bad guys dead. Not one scratch on Liam. The good news is the movie lasts about an hour and half. As of this writing, it’s still in theaters. . .save your money and rent it.
  

http://

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)

• Bottomline: Definitely worth the rent.


• Pros: Strong performances by Javier and Penelope. Intriguing storyline.


• Cons: The neuroses can get on your nerves. Scarlett Johansson stares at nothing – a lot.


• QMR Opinion: Penelope Cruz, who won a Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance here, is strong. No doubt. However, we don’t see her until we’re about an hour into the movie. Up to that point, that movie is being carried by Javier Bardem, who surprised me with his strong performance here. Woody Allen wrote and directed this film so you get a lot of Woody’s personality in the characters – neuroses, worried, etc. Each character represents a different component of the Freudian personality complex – the Id (instinctual, pleasure seeking), the Ego (reality) and the super-ego (organized toward perfection). A particular disappointment here is the cookie-cutter New York businessman. Woody takes the easy way out with this cliché. A bonus? Patricia Clarkson.
  

http://

WARNING: TRAILER CONTAINS DISTURBING IMAGES.

They Killed Sister Dorothy (2008)

• Bottomline: Excellent documentary worth your time.


• Where It Can Be Seen: It is running on HBO. DVD release date has not been announced.


• Pros: Gives insight into the fight over the rainforest and why it’s important. Seeing the trial is worth watching the doc.


• Cons: Showed the bullet-riddled and bloodied corpse of Sister Dorothy. Necessary?


• QMR Opinion: In February 2005, two men walked up to Sister Dorothy Stang and shot her once in the back of the head and then emptied their pistol into her body as she lay dying. The nun from Dayton, Ohio, died facedown in the dirt of the Brazilian rainforest. For 30 years she and other nuns had been fighting for proper land use of the rainforest. Each day they faced down illegal logging and bullying landowners. There is no question that this documentary can get preachy at times but it tells a riveting story of a brave lady who died fighting for something she believed in – something she was willing to give her life for. Watching the trial of her killers would make even the most cynical person appreciate the North American justice system.

http://

I love these old school movie trailers.

Shane (1953)

• Bottomline: See it. Then watch it again. Magnificent.


• Where It Can Be Seen: Turner Classic Movies. DVD.


• Pros: Fantastic direction by George Stevens. Powerful performances by Alan Ladd, Van Heflin, and Jean Arthur. Terrific scenery and cinematography (Oscar winner).


• Cons: Not enough scenes with an extremely young Jack Palance.


• QMR Opinion: Every now and again, some one will come along and ask: “What is the best western of all time?” I would offer up The Searchers (1956) and Unforgiven (1992). However, Shane is easily in the Top 5. Stevens spent months finding the perfect location (just outside Jackson Hole, Wyoming) and then spent more than a year editing the movie until he thought it was perfect. The one scene you see over and over is where Little Joey is yelling for Shane as he rides off into the horizon. However, watching the movie again gives you a whole new appreciation for just how good it is. Alan Ladd is positively electric throughout the film. The sexual tension between Ladd and Arthur is intense. A bonus here is a young Jack Palance who is a downright badass in his black hat, black glove and cold-hearted demeanor.

Quick Movie Reviews: The Reader, Appaloosa, Zack and Miri, Frost/Nixon, Coraline

The Reader (2008)
The basic premise of this film is based on a young boy’s affair with an older woman in 1950s Germany. As part of their “deal,” he must read to her each time he visits. The affair lasts a summer and then they go their separate ways. Later, as a law student, young Michael Berg comes across Hannah Schmitz again under much different and more controversial circumstances. This movie does an excellent job of raising questions of morality versus legality; however, it does not do a satisfying job in helping you along that path. What the movie does do is linger a bit too long. At two hours, it easily could have been cut by 20 minutes and, with a little work, could have been cut 30. The overall weight of the movie does not take away from the terrific performances by the three key people – Kate Winslet, whom I am beginning to love no matter what she’s in; David Kross plays the young Michael Berg, who gives a remarkably nuanced performance; and Ralph Finnes, who is excellent here but whom I prefer in In Bruges (2008). Without giving too much away, the movie forces us all to look at the decisions we make and how those decisions affect us and others.

Appaloosa (2008)
Ed Harris directs and stars in this western that is fairly typical of the genre. It goes by the Western playbook – Long-time partners. Check. Introduce bad guy, preferably one of them foreigners. Check. Illustrate how fearful the entire town is. Check. Establish early how bad ass the two partners are. Check. Introduce female to screw everything up. Check. You know early on where this is going, it’s just a matter of how we are going to get there. Unfortunately, the movie moves at a pace that is languorous at best and I found myself daydreaming. Viggo Mortensen plays Ed Harris’ partner, Everett Hitch, and is the very definition of laconic until he completely breaks character at the end of the movie. Renee Zellwegger plays the aforementioned female and giggles her way through the movie. My first reaction to seeing her onscreen was to think that she was suffering from some sort of allergic reaction that caused her face to swell. Jeremy Irons plays the requisite bad guy from that infernal Great Britain. Want to see a solid Western? Skip this one and watch High Plains Drifter (1973) or The Searchers (1956) or High Noon (1952) or The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) or Unforgiven (1992). You’ll be better served, friend.

Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008)
If you are Kevin Smith fan (and you know who you are), then you most likely have already seen this flick but in case you haven’t, you need to go see it. If you are not a Kevin Smith fan and are easily offended, then you must stay away – FAR AWAY – from this movie. It is not intended for audiences of delicate sensibilities. The basic premise is that Zack Brown (Seth Rogen) and Miriam Linky (Elizabeth Banks) are roommates who have trouble making ends meet. So much trouble, in fact, that their power and water have been cut off. Finding themselves in desperate straits they decided to make a movie. You can tell what kind of movie by the title of this movie. And, yes, it is serious. And, yes, they do make a porno. And, yes, it is incredibly distasteful, disrespectful and even disturbing (I’m thinking of one scene in particular). But, I have to admit, I pretty much laughed all the way through it. It was just dang funny. My guess is that guys will appreciate it more than ladies if my wife’s reaction is any indication. According to IMDB.com the movie was originally rated NC-17 but was knocked down to an R on appeal. I’m not sure who Kevin Smith paid off to get the R rating, but there you have it. There is a love story here but you get the feeling that it was put there to take the edge off the rest of the movie. My question is this: Do young people in their late-20s and mid-30s really talk like that – all the time?

Frost/Nixon (2008)
I am a sucker for political intrigue and it doesn’t get any better than Richard Nixon, his cronies and Watergate. If you even are thinking about a career in journalism, the Woodward and Bernstein book, “All the President’s Men” is required reading. The 1976 movie is one of the best journalism/political films ever made and should be required viewing for any political or journalism junkie. As a sidenote: This is one of those all-time favorite Oscar arguments. Know which picture won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1977? Rocky. Yes, Rocky. Here are the films that were knocked out by Rocky: All the President’s Men, Network, Bound for Glory, and, yes, Taxi Driver. It takes your breath away. Truly. Anyway. . .Michael Sheen (David Frost) and Frank Langella (Richard Nixon) reprise the roles they established on Broadway. This entire movie hinges on their performances and they do not disappoint. Langella is absolutely towering as Nixon. It’s hard to explain but Langella manages to play Nixon without doing a Nixon impression. Sheen is perfect as the British playboy. Strong supporting performances are turned in by Oliver Platt, Sam Rockwell and Kevin Bacon. The whole back story of how the interview happened and what it took to make it happen is fascinating. Then when the actual interview takes place, Director Ron Howard is filming it like a prize fight and it comes off exactly like that. This is a fantastic movie that I would highly recommend to anyone. Another sidenote: I get confused from time to time on how the movie ratings are determined (for a great look at the secret behind-the-scenes world of how the MPAA rates films, check out Kirby Dick’s documentary, This Film is Not Yet Rated (2006)), but this film, for some reason, is rated R. I’m not really sure why.

Coraline (2009)
Coraline, voiced by the ever-present Dakota Fanning, is a young girl who has just moved into a new house with her family. She is ignored. She is unhappy. She is surrounded by odd surroundings and even odder people. She wants to escape. She gets the opportunity seemingly by accident when she discovers a small doorway that leads to a parallel world where all of her dreams come true and everything she ever wanted is given to her. Too good to be true? You better believe it. This terrific film is, at one hour and 40 minutes, the longest stop-motion animated feature and is directed by Henry Selick. Selick directed other stop-motion animated films such as James and the Giant Peach (1996) and The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993). I cannot say enough about how great this film is. The storyline and the production values mesmerize from start to finish. The theater where I saw the movie was packed full of children, their friends and their parents. As usual, it was utter chaos before the movie started. But once the film began, they were captivated. We saw it in 3-D, which added to the surreal effect the director was trying to convey. My 11-year-old daughter and I would highly recommend this movie to anyone over the age of 8. I can’t get into too much detail without giving the movie away but suffice to say that, while excellent, the film is extremely creepy and, in many instances, the 3-D technology is used to shocking effect. Only one crying child had to be escorted from the theater (he was about 5 years old). It is PG and for good reason.

Quick Movie Reviews: Doubt, Bolt, 4 Months/3 Weeks/2 Days, Best Boy, Burn After Reading, The Golden Compass

Had a veritable movie overload this past weekend. . .

Doubt (2008)
Based on the John Patrick Shanley play of the same name, this movie rendition (written and directed by Shanley) stars Meryl Streep as Sister Aloysius, Philip Seymour Hoffman as Father Flynn, and Amy Adams as Sister James. Despite what you may have heard or read, all of the acting is excellent. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, it is a true joy to watch actors do what they do best when they are at the top of their game. You get that here with Streep and Hoffman. The surprise is Amy Adams. She’s been criticized for being too lightweight here but she is pitch-perfect for her role as the naïve and innocent Sister James. The movie is engaging from the get-go as you are introduced to the main characters. At its most basic, Hoffman represents progress in the Church while Streep represents tradition. Let the battle begin. Set in 1964, the film focuses on the battle between Sister Aloysius, who believes that Father Flynn has had an inappropriate relationship with the school’s first black student, and Father Flynn, who is just as adamant about his innocence. You’ve heard the rumors and, yes, it’s true – there is a 15-minute scene with Viola Davis, who plays the black student’s mother, that is an on-screen acting lesson. She more than holds her own with Streep and the performance is so powerful that I didn’t even hear breathing in the theater. I was instantly reminded of the singularly short scene between Hal Holbrook and Emile Hirsch in last year’s Into the Wild. Here’s the problem. . .after Davis’ seminal performance, the movie begins to sag under its own weight. Enough with the wind! Enough with the rain blowing in the windows! We get it!

Bolt (2008)
The kids and I saw this terrific movie in Disney 3-D. The basic plotline is that Bolt (John Travolta) is adopted by Penny (Miley Cyrus) and they star as the heroic duo on a hit TV show. The twist? Bolt has no idea he’s in a TV show so he believes that he has super powers. This doesn’t become an issue until he escapes the studio to rescue Penny. This is where the fun ensues. We are introduced to Mittens (Susie Essman) who brings Bolt around to reality. The movie starts to slow somewhat when we are introduced to one of the best cartoon characters to come along in a while – Rhino the Hamster. Voiced by Mark Walton, Rhino is a huge Bolt fan and instantly injects the film with energy and fun. If you don’t go see Bolt for any other reason. . .then go see it for Rhino. He absolutely makes the film. The movie is rated PG. My guess is it’s primarily for the ending scenes that feature Penny in real danger in a real studio fire with Bolt going in to save her. It is scary. There is fire. There is smoke. There is fade to black. Knowing that, I would still recommend heartily to any and all.

4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days (2007)
Hmmm. . .there are some movies made for a small, select group of people who enjoy discomforting subject matter portrayed via a hand-held camera with sub-titles. If you are one of those people, then this movie is right up your alley. What I liked about it is that it is shot like a documentary. The movie just starts in the middle of a conversation between two college students in Romania in the 1980s. Even if you didn’t know what the movie was about, you get the idea fairly early on that they are working to arrange for an illegal abortion. Sounds like a winner, doesn’t it? Through a friend, they find a Mr. Bebe who agrees to perform the procedure. Yes, you see him perform the procedure but only after he gets “paid,” which only adds to the disturbing nature of the film. The interesting thing about the film is that if you didn’t know that it was a film, then you wouldn’t suspect that these are actors. There are a couple of ham-handed moments in the film where the director chooses to show us everything when, in my opinion, it would have been more powerful just to show the reaction on the actors’ faces and then leave the rest to our imagination. This movie is definitely for a select group of people. It’s up to you to decide if you’re one of those people.

Best Boy (1979)
In the late 1970s, Ira Wohl decided to take his camera and peer into the lives of his cousins – Max and Pearl Wohl and their mentally challenged son, Philip “Philly” Wohl. The documentary was released in 1979 and won the Oscar for Best Documentary in 1980. The purpose of the documentary is to show how Philly’s parents cope with being elderly caregivers to a 40+-year-old mentally challenged man. What is Philly going to do when they can no longer care for him? Other than a brief stint in a mental hospital, Philly pretty much stayed with his parents for 40+ years. While he is certainly high maintenance, they had settled into a routine. This film started out slow for me because, honestly, you have to get past the feeling that this is exploitive. However, you come to realize this project is designed to help both Philly and his parents. The most heart-wrenching theme of this doc is watching the parents realize that they need to let Philly grow beyond their walls but, at the same time, understanding that they absolutely do not want to let him go. Philly is their reason for being.

Burn After Reading (2008)
This movie has all of the elements that I love about a Coen Brothers film – strong character driven dialog with a premise that defies description. At the end of the day, the reason everyone’s lives in this movie get completely out of control is because Frances McDormand’s character, Linda Litzke, is unhappy with her appearance. Through an odd quirk of fate, I happened to watch the last scene in Michael Clayton (2007) between Tilda Swinton and George Clooney – one of the great closing scenes in a while. Then I popped Burn After Reading in the DVD player and watched them carry on a torrid affair. McDormand, as usual, lights up the screen. Clooney is hilarious as a paranoid State Dept. Marshal. I loved John Malkovich as a fired CIA analyst who has a hair-trigger temper and is a terrific ranter. But the scene-stealer here is Brad Pitt as poor old dopey gym trainer Chad Feldheimer. You have to figure it has to be difficult for one of the coolest guys in Hollywood to play a huge dope, but Pitt pulls it off and pulls it off believably.

The Golden Compass (2007)
Well, here’s the good news – my girls and I watched this on movie night not too long ago and woke up the next day with our faith intact. Whew. I’ve never read the Philip Pullman books that the movie is based on but I have to think that true fans of the Pullman books would be disappointed. The movie was not good. The editing is poor and appeared choppy. It’s as if the director had a longer film in mind but then decided to simply piece together what he thought were the best parts. I found the lead character, Lyra, to be annoying and the actress playing her to not be good. The director yelled “Act” and that is exactly what she did. The special effects were great with one of the most interesting characters being an exiled polar bear voiced by Ian McKellen. As I understand it, Pullman wrote the books in answer to C.S. Lewis’ “Chronicles” so that in Pullman’s books, the church or Magisterium is evil. While this anti-church sentiment is certainly present in the movie, neither of my kids picked up on it. What my kids did get EXTREMELY upset about is that the movie ends but doesn’t end. The ending clearly anticipates a second installment which may not happen because the movie did not do that well at the box office. For my money, there are better fantasy films out there and better uses for your time.

Pat Hingle, R.I.P.
And so it goes with character actors. They are asked to fill the frame and support the primary cast. They are asked to provide balance to the films with an understanding that the spotlight is on the lead actor. The best ones get tons of work, get instantly recognized by sight but have no name recognition. One of the best was Pat Hingle who died on Jan. 3 at the age of 85. Most of you won’t recognize the name but if you’ve watched more than five movies in your life, you will no doubt recognize his face – look him up on imdb.com. Probably his most visible role was as Commissioner Gordon in all four of the early Batman movies, but I'll be honest and say that when I heard he died, I thought of his role as the chief of police in Sudden Impact (1983).

Quick Movie Reviews (12.18.08)

Tropic Thunder (2008)
I’ll have to admit that I was expecting a fairly uproarious comedy a la Naked Gun (1988), but what I got was a much darker comedy that was interesting throughout and really freaking funny at key moments. The star of this show is Robert Downey Jr. His turn as a five-time Oscar winner who goes through an operation so that he can play the African-American sergeant of an American patrol in Vietnam is beyond funny. The other surprise here is Tom Cruise as the movie’s producer, Les Grossman. You’ve probably already heard about his role but it has to be seen to be believed. The movie is a complete mockery of the whole Hollywood system and its attempt to produce and deliver the ultimate war movie. There is a running theme in the movie that will make most people extremely uncomfortable – where Ben Stiller and Robert Downey Jr. talk about Stiller’s character’s role as a mentally challenged young man in one of his movies. You are laughing but you feel guilty about it.

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008)
This sequel to Madagascar is funnier and livelier than the first one – although I have to admit I laughed until I cried when Melman walked out of the men’s room in a subway station in New York with a “mint” in his mouth. What makes the second movie stronger is the screen time given to the penguins. Beyond funny. If I had to pick a storyline that began to bore me to no end, it was the little old lady. That joke just got tiresome after a while. I would highly recommend this for all families. Another key component – it is short. Like it’s predecessor, this film clocks in at a brisk hour and a half.

Hancock (2008)
I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. Given everything that I had heard, I fully expected to hate it, but I didn’t. I definitely would recommend it as a rental. Your money would not be wasted. But here’s the thing. . .for the movie to really work, you have to dislike Hancock from the get-go. Director Peter Berg sets you up with this by having Hancock be generally disgusting, rude and obnoxious to everyone from old folks to young folks. The problem is that Hancock is played by Will Smith, who is easily one of the most likeable actors in Hollywood. And despite everything Hancock does, he is still Will Smith. I won’t give away the twist here but you can see it coming a mile away. Plus, 15 minutes into the movie, we all know how it’s going to end, but it doesn’t make it any less enjoyable. Charlize Theron is okay in her role as the dutiful housewife but she isn’t given a whole lot to do. I was surprised by Jason Bateman, who is great as the PR guy who helps turn around Hancock’s image. And, as fate would have it, my wife and I happened to catch Juno (2007) on HBO and I was reminded of how much I enjoyed him in that as well. Caveat: While it bills itself as a superhero yarn with redemptive qualities, it is not for the youngsters. There is a completely useless “sex scene” that makes no sense in the context of the movie. There is also some crazy fight sequence that made no sense to me about two-thirds of the way through. However, all in all, I would recommend this as an enjoyable piece of entertainment.

Van Johnson, R.I.P.
Each year we lose more and more of our Golden Age actors, and we lost another in Van Johnson on Dec. 12. He was the standard contract MGM hunk there for a while and did some respectable work. Two outstanding efforts that I would recommend would be Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944) where he plays Lt. Ted Lawson and The Caine Mutiny (1954), where he is phenomenal as Lt. Steve Maryk. In this overall terrific film, Johnson holds his own with the likes of Humphrey Bogart and Fred MacMurray. I need to offer a mea culpa here and say that I completely screwed up at a recent holiday party when I went on and on about how great Johnson was as Shane in the movie Shane (1953). Of course anyone with any sense knows that Shane was played by Alan Ladd. One thing I did get right – it is one of the great westerns.

Bettie Page, R.I.P.
Okay, I know she wasn’t an actress but she was the quintessential pin-up girl and the subject of a good biopic that I would recommend – The Notorious Bettie Page (2005). In this movie, she is portrayed by Gretchen Mol, who is ably supported by one of my favorite actresses – Lili Taylor. Page died at 85 on Dec. 11.

Quick Movie Reviews (Holiday Special - 12.6.08)

A Nod to Rankin-Bass

They call it animagic.

Each figurine that you see on the screen has free range of motion and is assigned a technician. So at each camera frame, the technician moves the figurine ever so slightly so that at the end of the production, these frames are run so that the figurines appear they are moving.

In this era of computer-generated imagery, it’s always nice to remember and appreciate the old school “animation” work. And nothing says “old school” like the work of Arthur Rankin and Jules Bass. And, frankly, nothing heralds the beginning of the holiday season like the arrival of Rankin-Bass holiday TV specials.

Much of their work has been relegated to random cable channels available to a few lucky folks across the country. Other than “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” the big networks today largely ignore the other Rankin-Bass work.

A friend of mine and I, who are in our 40s, were talking to a couple of young people, who were 30 or so, and mentioned the Rankin-Bass work and specifically riffed on the great Snow Miser-Heat Miser song from “The Year Without a Santa Claus.”

Guess what? They had no idea what we were talking about.

How about Hermey the elf? Nothing.

How about Yukon Cornelius? Nothing.

What if there are others like them? What a horrible reality that would be. Imagine. Growing up and not experiencing Rankin-Bass during the holidays.

So, to help my younger friends get a better understanding of Rankin-Bass Holiday TV Specials, I offer the following quick reviews. All of these specials are available on DVD.

One note: These are quick reviews of only Rankin-Bass specials using the animagic process so you won’t find “Frosty” here.

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
This hour-long special is the flagship for Rankin-Bass. It’s got it all – drama, comedy, singing, and dancing. Well written and engaging, this special never gets old and continues to resonate in the consciousness of most Boomers (AFLAC recognizes this). You have the added bonus of Burl Ives being the narrator. We’re introduced to Hermey the Elf, the Land of Misfit Toys, Yukon Cornelius, and the “Bumble.” If you don’t watch any other Rankin-Bass specials, this is the one.

The Little Drummer Boy (1968)
Aaron gives the only gift he has to the baby in the manger – a song on his drum. This 30-minute special is narrated by Greer Garson and stars Jose Ferrer as Ben Haramid. The Vienna Boys choir sings the title song. The production quality of this special has not held up well over the years but I still get misty at the end when Aaron’s pet lamb, Bimbaba, is run over by a runaway cart. One note to parents of little kids: Aaron is orphaned when his parents are murdered by bandits.

Santa Claus is Coming to Town (1970)
Fred Astaire narrated this hour-long special that got its inspiration from the song of the same name. It tells the story of Santa and answers many questions: Where does Santa’s suit come from? Why does Santa come down a chimney? Why does Santa put stuff in stockings? It also introduces a great character – Burgermeister Meisterburger. Mickey Rooney voices Kris Kringle/Santa Claus. Admittedly, some of the songs are cringe-inducing but if you watch it for any reason, you must watch Miss Jessica sing her solo while accompanied by interesting visual effects. You keep expecting Grace Slick to show up.

The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)
So Santa (Mickey Rooney) wakes up with a cold. To help out, Mrs. Claus (Shirley Booth) calls the world’s grumpiest elf doctor. He tells Santa to take the year off because no one cares or believes. Thus we begin a series of shenanigans. We meet Jingle and Jangle, two of Santa’s elves whose hearts are in the right place but need to stick to making toys. We meet Ignatius Thistlewhite and his family, who live in Southtown (apparently they don’t have an orthodontist in Southtown). The songs are passable but the clear showstopper here are the Miser Brothers – Snow Miser and Heat Miser. Their song is one of the true Rankin-Bass classics (Big Bad Voodoo Daddy does a great version).

Nestor, The Long-Eared Christmas Donkey (1977)
Okay, I’ll go ahead and warn you that the “cheese” factor on this 30-minute special is off the scale. Roger Miller tells the tale of Nestor, who is born with unusually long ears. Of course he is mocked and teased. And, in following a tried and true tradition, Nestor’s mother is killed off early on. But Nestor’s destiny lies elsewhere. Despite years of rejection, he winds up carrying a young couple to Bethlehem. Turns out the young couple is Mary, who was “great with child,” and her husband, Joseph. Nestor’s ears help guide them through a sandstorm and protect Mary and her unborn child. Brenda Vaccaro voices Tilly, a Christmas angel.

Happy Holidays!

Quick Movie Reviews (11.30.08)

Quantum of Solace (2008)
Can anyone tell me why Bond is so pissed? Daniel Craig’s Bond in Casino Royale (2006) was pretty much angry the whole time and critics called it “gritty.” Okay. So what do you call Bond in Quantum? I haven’t seen Bond this angry since License to Kill (1989) and I just assumed it was because Timothy Dalton was punchy about Wayne Newton being in the movie with him. Connery, Moore, and Brosnan all would get angry from time to time but they rose above it. They didn’t get too emotionally invested. I mean, dang, they are James Bond for goodness sakes. If you’re into Bondage you will like this movie. It’s not the worst Bond film but it’s certainly not the best. Here is my theory of what’s missing – the sense that Bond is above it all. That he is in control. No matter what happens, you always feel like Bond is a step ahead. Craig’s Bond is just not any fun. Where’s the banter? We’ve gone completely away from the gadgets. I realize Bond “jumped the shark” with the invisible car but do we have to do away with all the cool gadgets completely? Where is the. . .um. . .eye candy? Strawberry Fields was good but she gets the Goldfinger treatment fairly soon after she meets Bond. I liked Mathieu Almaric as the bad guy but, basically, he is holding water hostage. What happened to the classic Bond megalomaniac? Why is Bond trying to riff on Bourne? You are so close to the action that you have no clue what’s happening until about three minutes after it’s all over. It’s a good Bond, but they just need to bring some of the fun back.

Four Christmases (2008)
The entire family went to see this little movie the day after Thanksgiving and three of us had a good time. Our 15-year-old daughter thought it was the worst movie she had ever seen but then it was only a week after she saw the best movie she had ever seen – Twilight (2008). This isn’t a horrible movie (a la Christmas with the Kranks (2004)) but it is definitely a “rental.” Do not pay good money to go see this. If you’ve seen the trailers, you’ve seen most of the funny parts. There are extremely funny parts and then there are uncomfortable jokes that just don’t work – elderly people making sex comments, a scene in a jump house that goes on way too long, one too many sex jokes involving Sissy Spacek, then you have serious stuff thrown in at odd moments. Vince Vaughn plays his fast-talking self. Reese Witherspoon mainly plays the straight role but makes lots of funny faces. The good news? The running time is 1 hour 22 minutes. Caveat: It is PG-13 and there were plenty of way young children in our packed house, but there are a plethora of sex jokes, there is cursing, and, worse yet, there is an uncomfortable scene where Vince reveals the Santa Claus secret. Overall the movie felt like a Saturday Night Live skit that went on too long.

Elf (2003)
We watched this Thanksgiving Night and had a blast. I love this movie. Compare movies like this (another would be A Christmas Story (1983)) with Four Christmases and Christmas with the Kranks (2004) and you’ll see why movies like Elf work – they are extremely funny without getting too serious and they deliver the message.

Les Diaboliques (1955)
As an intro to this French film noir, Robert Osburne of Turner Classic Movies described director Henri-George Clouzot as the French Alfred Hitchcock but with a darker side. If you don’t mind subtitles (the movie is in French), this film is definitely worth a look. It is tightly directed and Clouzot builds the suspense expertly. Even after seeing other films in this genre over and over, it is always a terrific feeling to get caught completely off guard. The basics are that Michel Delassalle (Paul Meurisse) is an over-bearing and cruel headmaster of a boarding school. He also happens to be married to Christian Delassalle (Vera Clouzot) and is having a torrid affair with Nicole Horner (Simone Signoret). The wife is fully aware of the affair and M. Delassalle beats Horner. The two women come together in a plot to kill M. Delassalle. I can’t really tell you anything else without ruining the movie. The acting is top notch with Oscar-winner Signoret absolutely setting the screen on fire. So go out and pick it up. It is well worth your time. As an aside, all three of the leading actors died relatively young – Signoret at 64 of pancreatic cancer; Vera Clouzot of a heart attack at 47; and Meurisse at 66 of an acute asthma attack.

The Incredibles (2004)
My youngest daughter and I watched this film for the umpteenth time over the holidays. The more I watch it the more I understand that for my money, this is the best computer-animated film of all time. Director Brad Bird is known for being a perfectionist and you can see this clearly in The Incredibles. Every detail has been taken into account. You see this in the backgrounds. The shadows. The hair. The facial expressions. We have come to expect this now but it is truly amazing how incredible it is. Beyond the phenomenal animation, the direction is perfectly timed, the voice acting is perfect, and the script is spot on. You know a movie is fabulous when after multiple viewings the only things you criticize are continuity issues – which eye does Violet’s hair really cover? Do Violet’s clothes vanish with her or not?

Pixar Short Films: Vol. 1 (2007)
Speaking of Pixar, Netflix actually recommended this little disc, which turned out to be a terrific recommendation. This disc contains several of the Pixar shorts which you can watch individually or, as I would recommend, in chronological order. It is fascinating to watch the evolution of what eventually led to The Incredibles, Ratatouille and Wall-E. As an added bonus, there is a well-done featurette on the history of Pixar with interview of all the key players.

Black Book (2006)
I am going to use four words that you rarely – if ever – see in the same sentence – Paul Verhoeven good movie. But here you go. . .This is a good Paul Verhoeven movie and it deserves your look. Inspired by a true story, Verhoeven’s film tells the story of a Dutch Jew who finds herself in the middle of the Jewish resistance to Nazi occupation of Holland. She finds herself having to romance the head of the Gestapo in order to help the resistance. Before doing all of this, she had to change her identity from Rachel Stein to Ellis de Vries. Besides Verhoeven’s easy-handed direction, this entire film hangs on the performance of his lead actress – Carice van Houten. She is terrific. Couple of caveats: Verhoeven can’t help himself so there are some quick, graphic violent scenes and the movie’s dialogue is essentially in German and/or Dutch with appropriate subtitles. I know many people have probably skipped this film because of Verhoeven’s other “efforts” – Starship Troopers (1997), Showgirls (1995), and Basic Instinct (1992) – but I strongly urge you to give this fine film a look.

Crazy Love (2007)
Well, there’s weird and then there’s really weird – the documentary Crazy Love captures the latter in exquisite detail. If you haven’t heard or read the incredible story of Burt Pugach and Linda Riss then you are in for a real roller-coaster ride. The basic story is that in the late 1950s Burt Pugach becomes obsessed with the beautiful Linda Riss. They date. He falls desperately in love. She doesn’t and is more impressed with him than anything. Then everything gets way weird with the story taking us all the way to today. If you are even a minor fan of documentaries, then you absolutely must rent this one. I know it’s cliché but it is absolutely true in this case – truth is stranger than fiction. If a screenwriter tried to pitch this story in Hollywood, he would be laughed out of town because it is so incredible and so unbelievable.

Quick Movie Reviews (June 16, 2008)

Kung Fu Panda (2008)
Have to admit that my expectations for this one were low going in. The trailers looked good but I was wary. My 10-year-old daughter and I went and had a great time. It is absolutely hilarious. I’m not sure if it was the mood I was in or what but I laughed from beginning to end – so much so that my daughter made a point of letting me know how embarrassing I was. Jack Black voices the Panda. Dustin Hoffman is his mentor. Angelina Jolie voices Tigress. Seth Rogen and Jackie Chan also provide voices. The guy who voices the Crane is David Cross, who does a lot of animation voicing but I remember him as the morgue operator in Men In Black. The added bonus here is Ian McShane (of “Deadwood”) as Tai Lung – what a terrific evil voice that guy has! You know going in exactly how this movie will end but it doesn’t make it any less enjoyable. It is highly recommended by both my daughter and me. One word of warning for those of you with younger (ages 10 and under) kids: Tai Lung is scary and his escape from prison is scary and violent.

Talk to Me (2007)
This movie stars one of my favorite actors – Don Cheadle (non-withstanding Oceans 11 (2001), which he was not good in). Want to see a top-notch performance by Cheadle? Pick up Boogie Nights (1997) and/or Hotel Rwanda (2004). His co-star in this bio-pic is Chiwetel Ejiofor. No, I have no idea how to pronounce his name but his performances are growing on me. I first saw him as the cold-blooded assassin from Serenity (2005). He’s also in American Gangster (2007) starring as one of Frank Lucas’ brothers and Children of Men (2006). both actors are strong in this fairly uneven story. It is based on the life of Petey Green who made his mark in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s as an AM radio personality Washington, D.C. He died in the early ‘80s from lung cancer. I had never heard of Petey Green when I happened to catch Bob Edwards interviewing Cheadle and Talk to Me director Kasi Lemmons on XM. I would give the movie 2.5 stars and it’s worth a look. One of my favorite performances of the whole thing is by Taraji Henson, who plays Vernell, Petey’s girlfriend. She is absolutely awesome and steals every scene she’s in.

Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired (2008)
For the next few weeks, HBO is showing a documentary every Monday night. The first one focused on the arrest and trial of director Roman Polanski. It is fascinating and if you get a chance to see it, please do. Polanski is considered one of the great directors of the last few years and has directed films such as Rosemary’s Baby (1968), Chinatown (1979), and The Pianist (2002), for which he won an Academy Award. You may or may not know the details about what happened with Polanski but this documentary will shed new light on whatever you thought you knew.

Quick Movie Reviews (April 17, 2008)

Charlton Heston - R.I.P.
A moment of silence please for the recent passing of Charlton Heston. There are few actors today who could carry off the monster epics that he did.

Horton Hears a Who (2008)
My youngest daughter (10) and I went to see this. I was pleasantly surprised. It was cute, funny and not too long.

King of Kong (2007)
If you haven't heard about this documentary, you have now. Please rent this and watch it. It is absolutely spell-binding. It's the story of one man's obsession to be the highest scorer on Donkey Kong. Those of us who cut our teeth in the arcades of the '80s will totally appreciate this. If you get a chance, be sure to catch the DVD extras.

American Gangster (2007)
On our recent Spring Break trip to New York, I took with me the three-disk special edition of this terrific movie and watched the extended version then the theatrical version with commentary. I have to tell you. . .the more I watch it, the more I am convinced it should have been nominated for Best Picture instead of Atonement. It's a better story. It's better acted. It has better cinematography. It's just an all around better movie.

Blade Runner (1982)
And while we're on the subject of Ridley Scott. . .be sure to watch the final, final ultimate edition director's cut of Blade Runner. I didn't go all out and buy the super-expensive version that comes in a steel briefcase, but I did pick up the five-disk version and enjoyed every minute of it. another reference to the '80s. . .for us nerds of the '80s, Blade Runner was just one of those ultimate sci-fi pictures that you went to see over and over and talked about with your friends. It's great for a junkie like me to get my hands on these types of DVDs that go into such depth about these great films. Plus, Ridley Scott is one of those directors who really goes the extra mile in the commentary and gets in-depth into his thought processes.

Quick Movie Reviews (July 2008)

The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Much improved over the Ang Lee version. Why? Because like every other comic fanboy, I want to see the Hulk smash stuff. That's what he does. I am not interested in a whole bunch of navel gazing over the whys and wherefores of who Banner is and what he's become. What does the Hulk represent? How does he make peace with himself? Blah, blah, blah. . .Please. . .let's go green! The problem with the movie is an inherent problem with the Hulk. At the end of the day, he's a big old green monster who goes around smashing stuff and killing folks -- some innocent (oops -- sorry about that!) and some not so innocent. It's just hard to care.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)
You have to like the concept of Hellboy or else you're not going to like this movie. I, for one, do not consider Hellboy to be a superhero, as such. He's a spawn of Satan who has decided to help us deal with paranormal activity here on our plane of existence. Ron Perleman is great as Hellboy. Selma Blair's constant grimace wears thin after a while. And has anyone noticed that Abe Sapien's breathing apparatus doesn't seem to be necessary at some times versus other times? Guillermo del Toro ("Pan's Labyrinth") directed this installment and you can see his handiwork all over -- he's a huge fan of creatures and there are more creatures here than a cantina in Mos Eisley. I took both my 14 year old and 10 year old. They liked it. There are scary parts -- especially some nasty flesh-eating creatures.

Wall-E (2008)
Drop what you're doing and see this magnificent piece of filmmaking. The Pixar crew has outdone themselves yet again. There are not enough adjectives to describe how much I love this movie. It is easily one of the best movies I've seen all year. The animation is spectacular. The cinematography is extraordinary (they brought in Roger Deakins as DP so they could shoot the movie as if it were live action). The sound was done by Ben Burtt (he did the sound on all the "Star Wars" movies).

THIN (2006)
This is a documentary that follows the progress of several young ladies who have been admitted to a facility in Florida designed to help girls with anorexia. There is little to no narration so you follow along as the camera guides you and you are free to make your own conclusions. To watch an 85 pound 20+-year-old woman look at herself and say she is fat is just disturbing. At the end of the movies, all I wanted to do was to sit my daughters down and tell them to eat something.

51 Birch Street (2005)
An absolutely fascinating documentary that looks at the family of Doug Block through the camera of Doug Block. A documentary filmmaker by trade, Block supplements his income by filming weddings and other special events. One of these events was the 50th wedding anniversary of his parents. Fairly typical stuff. Then, suddenly, his mother dies. His father goes to Florida, re-establishes a relationship with his former secretary, marries within a few months, sells the family home, and moves to Florida. This is a great and particularly intimate look at family dynamics. If you get the DVD. . .you must watch the video in the Extras that records the family's reaction to the film.

Grizzly Man (2005)
Wow. What a freakin' idiot. Timothy Treadwell, an out of work actor, becomes obsessed with Grizzly Bears and decides to live with them. He does so without incident for 13 years. However his luck runs out on his final trip into the wilderness and he and his companion are attacked and eaten by bears. I can understand where Timothy's heart is but he clearly has some serious mental issues and this documentary really will drive you crazy. On top of having to hear Timothy's weirdness, we are treated to narration by Werner Herzog, who sounds like someone from Saturday Night Live doing an impersonation. By the time you see Timothy actually touch and fawn over a big old pile of bear droppings, you are really wanting the bears to attack.

Into the Wild (2007)
Not my favorite movie by a longshot because the whole idea of a young man just simply getting up and leaving his family with no word about where he is going or what he is doing is simply foreign to me plus I think Chris McCandless could be one of the most selfish people I've ever seen. Now. . .given that. . .this movie is interesting as you watch Chris or Alexander Supertramp (played by Emile Hirsch) encounter good folks along the way and, of course, ends up breaking their hearts. Good performances by Catherine Keener and Vince Vaughn. However, if you don't watch this movie for any other reason then do it to watch Hal Holbrook's performance. You wonder why someone could get an academy award nomination for about 10 minutes of work? You won't wonder any longer when you see Holbrook's performance. He puts on an acting clinic.

Rambo (2008)
Yes, I know. Look. . .it was a doughnut movie. It was quick. No substance. No brainwork required. Sly is 61 years old but he has the arms of Popeye (thanks HGH!!!). John Rambo, the original human weapon, is somewhere in Thailand collecting snakes. Some Christian missionaries (of course) come to him wanting help to get into war-torn Burma. He resists. A young lady bats her eyes and tells him that, yes, people can make a difference. . .and off we go. It's gore, guts, beheadings, burnings, rapings, pillaging, bodies exploding, heads exploding from then on. If you look closely, I actually think they digitally enhanced the blood spray (a la "300"). I am a huge fan of "First Blood." But it's basically been downhill ever since. Rent this movie if you really want to see what happens to bodies when they are ripped apart by a jeep-mounted .50-caliber machine gun.

Alien versus Predator: Requiem (2007)
Oh, my gosh. Think about how many films are turned down or how many great scripts are sitting on shelves while this piece of crap gets greenlighted. Holy Moley! Let's face it. . .the one reason anyone would every rent or go see this movie is to actually see the Predator fight the Alien(s). Well. . .while there is plenty of fighting going on, you can't see any of it because everything is done in the dark. I would like to give the producers the benefit of the doubt and say that the lack of lighting was done on purpose to enhance the scare effect. But, my actual thought is that the budget was so low that they didn't want the audience to see how cruddy the production really was.

In Bruges (2008)
What an interesting movie. One minute you're laughing -- out loud. The next minute you are completely horrified by the spontaneous brutality. The next minute you are feeling despair. The basics are that Colin Farrell plays a novice hitman, who ends up accidentally killing someone he shouldn't have. As a result, his handler, Brendan Gleeson, takes him to Bruges, Belgium. Bruges is a tiny hamlet with extraordinary history but with absolutely nothing to do. But they are shooting a movie that includes a dwarf (played by Jordan Prentice). The next day I was asked if I liked this movie and I had to say that I did but I honestly don't know why. My favorite character is the boss played by Ralph Fiennes. Watching him kiss his kids and telling his wife he'll see her later on Christmas Eve before he heads out to maim and kill was just beyond fascinating for me.