| QUANTUM OF SOLACE Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and some sexual content. action/Adventure/Thriller 105 minutes 
3½ stars |
To paraphrase a former Bond movie theme song, This Movie Should Be Better. Not that it is cheaply done (far from it), or that James the Blonde isn’t an intriguing character (he is), or the chases are less than grand and sweeping (quite the contrary). Rather, there is an aloof quality, a distance the picture keeps which prevents the viewer from fully engaging as a willing participant. It’s interesting to watch and moves along nicely, but aside from one touching moment and a justifiable avenging, it’s hard to care what happens.
Daniel Craig, returning as James Bond, is the soul of the movie and remains compelling/resourceful/unyielding in his imposing and virtually robotic commitment to performing his job as the totally fearless agent with a license to kill (which he does without a flinch). He is warned by M (Judi Dench, excellent in displaying grit and compassion) not to be consumed by revenge for the murder, and maybe betrayal of him, by his beloved Vesper from the previous movie, Casino Royale. Frankly, the chemistry of Craig and Eva Green (as Vesper) was not convincing so his bereavement here seems merely a statement of motivation and a plot device to give Bond, and the picture, some motivation and depth. As a result, 007 upfront is pursuing a secrecy shrouded conspiracy of sorts while secondarily hunting down his former lover’s murderer.
The prime villain, a capitalist vulture with an ecology front, is Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric, in a fine turn), whose nasty nature is barely hidden by a thin goody-goody veneer. He is matched by General Medrano (Joaquin Cosio, believably despicable) who’s willing to sell out his country (Bolivia) in return for becoming its leader. He is also an immoral sexual predator being pursued by one of this film’s Bond girls, Camille (Olga Kurylenko, not entirely convincing as a toughie) who appears conveniently to lend Bond a hand or rescue. The other lady, Agent Fields (Gemma Arterton, okay in a limited role), does little but figures in a dandy homage to a former Bond film. Aside from various other disposable and bit parts (well done, however) are two of note. Namely, Giancarlo Giannini as Mathis, a retired operative (both effectively world weary and the focus of the touching moment mentioned earlier) and Jeffrey Wright (who commands the screen effortlessly) as Felix Leiter, a CIA agent who may or may not be corrupt.
The script, by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Paul Haggis, features corruption/precious resources/truth/trust/exploitation and the single-minded pursuit of justice. Granted it’s a rich stew, but it’s a lot (too much) to digest easily in what is first and foremost an action film. In that regard, director Marc Forster does not let the viewer down. Opening with a car chase, others regularly follow on foot, by boat, and by air. Unfortunately, he allows these sequences to be marred by frenetic, jumpy editing (Matt Chessé and Richard Pearson). The feats of daring are striking enough on their own (in particular, no one is capable of outrunning or out jumping a determined Bond), and that means, at least now and then, allowing the viewer to savor a chase as it progresses without need to speed it up for effect. One commendable facet of the derring-do is that Bond, realistically for a change, actually gets dirty and beat up (though he heals rapidly). The clear, clean photography by Roberto Schaefer ably captures the outdoor locations (Sienna, Haiti, Bolvia) as well as the skillful, interior production design by Dennis Gassner. The opening titles, by the way, are a clever graphic mixture of sand and female bodies that, in retrospect, are a fitting touch.
And last, that title. It appears Bond, troubled by the circumstances of his loss of Vesper, is unable to find any amount or quantity (Quantum) of consolation or comfort (Solace). Even if he has by the end, he remains damaged. The mystery of his past (how/why he became a dedicated/honest but cold killing machine) and future (how/why he will become the polished Bond, James Bond) remain unanswered. We watch and enjoy his continuing saving of the world, but it’s what makes Bond tick that’s most intriguing and, in these latest versions with Craig, will keep us coming back for the answers.
Quantum Of Solace – Typical-No great shakes-Time to be stirred. Review by Charles Zio
A MIDNIGHT KISS |
IN SEARCH OF A MIDNIGHT KISS Independent Film Content Advisory for Parents Comedy/Romance 90 minutes
4 stars |
Have you ever had an improvised, one-time, emotional roller coaster, might-have-been-if-it-had-lasted-longer encounter? Perhaps it was spur of the moment with someone you hadn’t considered romantically. Or maybe with someone thought of as a possibility but never pursued. And then, of course, there is the complete stranger. In Search Of A Midnight Kiss is the bittersweet tale of one such meeting, here between strangers, and it will have you rooting for the star-crossed couple.
Wilson (Scoot McNairy, winningly conveying a regular good guy), is a lonely, heartbroken (by his East Coast ex-girlfriend), would-be scriptwriter currently jobless and without a date for New Year’s Eve. At the suggestion of his childhood friend, Jacob (Brian Matthew McGuire, entertainingly offbeat), and the concurrence of his live-in love, Min (Katy Luong, ably playing the sexy tease), Wilson makes an entry on Craig’s List looking for a date (“misanthrope seeking misanthrope,” no less). The first response, as he’s on the phone with his uninhibited mother (Twink Caplan, a dizzy delight), sets up a meeting (actually a competition) with the abrupt aspiring actress Vivian (Sara Simmonds, appealing in every way) who makes it clear she will not sleep with him, even if, by sunset she has decided to be his date.
The day into evening shared by Wilson (not wanting to appear too eager) and Vivian (guarded and challenging) encompasses sightseeing (LA looks great, thank you cinematographer Robert Murphy) as well as a growing openness and attraction to one another. But amid the promise lurks trouble. Vivian has a menacing ex, Buoy (Bret Roberts, overdone as a red neck cliché) and Wilson gets the come-on at Jacob’s New Year’s Eve bash. Still, by the stroke of midnight, the strangers are sharing a kiss and later go back to Wilson’s place.
It is at this point the story (by Alex Holdridge) runs into trouble. There’ve been emotional hurdles as the couple has been increasingly drawn to one another, but none insurmountable. Now, deal breakers are introduced. For fear a happy ending would strain credibility? No need since this is a thoughtful movie about unfulfilled promise, that on which we later reflect thinking, and knowing, how different our lives would have been if what transpired had gone on. No need to force a finish. Such experiences, in retrospect, seem to have just stopped rather than reached a conclusion. That is a major part of the lingering regret, and the power, they hold in our memory.
Overall, however, in his role as director, Alex Holdridge has done a fine job of presenting a gentle story of lonely/broken hearts reaching out to find comfort and consolation. Yes, dreams don’t always come true and opportunities are missed but the realization and acceptance of such leads to growth and wisdom. Though it’s a small movie and it stumbles toward the end, there’s surely enough heart to trigger a personal memory or two.
In Search Of A Midnight Kiss – If you’re looking for warm, understated, bittersweet – give this a try. Review by Charles Zio
| RED Independent Film Rated R for violence and languaage. Drama/Adaptation 100 minutes
3 stars |
Good triumphs, mostly, over evil in Red. But it takes a while in this film of escalating one-upmanship as a good man seeks truth, justice, and learns the American way has been corrupted by power. Heard it/seen it before? Sure, but the movie’s low key and well done until it veers off (literally, too, in a car chase) into unbelievability. As the vigilante genre goes, this is a minor attempt.
Avery Ludlow (Brian Cox, ably/admirably fine throughout) is a nice guy owner of a general store who lives alone in a big house in rural Oregon with a mutt named Red to whom he is devoted (because he was a gift from Avery’s wife and because he’s had him for 14 years). One day, man and dog go fishing in the surrounding woods. This idyllic scene is interrupted by the arrival of three boys in their late teens. Led by Danny McCormack (Noel Fisher, skillfully playing a spoiled brat) whom, given his hair trigger temper and attitude of entitlement, and carrying a shotgun, is easily recognizable as trouble waiting to happen. And it does. Despite Avery’s calm demeanor and willingness to be robbed (no fool, he isn’t about to tussle with a loaded weapon), gunfire erupts and, without warning, Danny shoots Red. It’s a shocking act (emphasized by Danny’s gleeful malice) and Avery’s stunned/stricken reaction is painfully eloquent.
After the boys have departed, Avery brings Red home for burial in his yard. He then begins a quest for truth. Tracking down Danny, he appeals to the boy’s father, Michael (Tom Sizemore, effective as a nouveau riche bully), who willfully believes his son’s declaration of innocence while ignoring the honest discomfort of his other son, Harold (Kyle Gallner, sympathetic/empathetic), who witnessed and was appalled by the killing and whom Danny abuses without restraint. The third boy, Pete (Shiloh Fernandez, convincing as the go-along pal), is protected by his parents (Robert Englund and Amanda Plummer, fine bits by both).
Avery turns to justice in the person of his lawyer friend Sam (Richard Riehle, an always reliable actor) who counsels that even if found guilty the penalty for Danny will be minimal and brings in a television reporter, Carrie Donnel (Kim Dickens, doing the best with her message-laden part) who manages some publicity. (Note that Cox gets to deliver a moving soliloquy to Carrie on Korean veteran Avery’s family history.) Of course, Avery’s efforts are to no avail as Michael is sufficiently well heeled to have the DA and television station in his pocket. What follows is an increasingly violent game of cat and mouse between Avery and Danny/Michael (the apple didn’t fall far from the tree) ending, as can be anticipated, in a murder spree. It couldn’t be otherwise with Avery’s determination (a fault he admits) and other characters ultimate surrendering to irrational action. At any rate, the blood-letting (the title, Red, has multiple references) is followed by, yes, a feel happy ending (whose nature can be easily surmised).
The script for Red was written by Stephen Susco, based on a novel by Jack Ketchum. Direction is by Trygve Alister Diesen and Lucky McKee. They all try. The movie is never less than competent and professional, but just about in its entirety it doesn’t go any higher. Overall, it’s just not very memorable.
Red – You’ll be singing the Blues the movie isn’t much, much better. Review by Charles Zio
| THE LAST MISTRESS Independent Film, IFC Not Rated Foreign Film - France Drama 104 minutes
3½ stars |
Some couples deserve each other and Ryno (a lower level, near broke nobleman) and Vellini (a tough, non-beauty courtesan) are exhibit number one (as in partial nudity and multi positions). The love here is obsessive rather than romantic and is played out honestly without concern for presenting a pretty picture (though the setting, mostly in 1830's Paris, is rich in the costume drama sense).
It's 1835 in Paris and games of love are in full swing. On the scene is Ryno de Marigny (Fu'ad Ait Aattou, suitable for this role but displaying limited range), basically a penniless member of the elite who, it's stated, is a highly successful libertine. Granted he seems tall and bold enough, but there's also something a bit feminine in his demeanor. This is no problem, however, and in fact a desirable characteristic, for Vellini (Asia Argento, fully inhabiting/savoring her role), a Spaniard with a mysterious past, currently the wife of an old, titled Englishman. After having cast asperion on her looks at first sighting and gaining her emnity, Ryno becomes intrigued and increasingly determined to gain favor. The dynamic is established. The more Vellini despises him, the more Ryno desires her. And so it goes until the impassioned young man (age-wise, he is without any doubt her junior) engineers a duel with the elderly Englishman. For whatever reason, Ryno shoots into the air. Unfortunately for him, his opponent does not. He is wounded but saved.
It is at this time that a change comes over Vellini. Ah, not really. She appears to have had a thing all along for Ryno and now, as he lies in bed recuperating, she confesses her surrender and then, demonstrates her sincerity by becoming his lover. A very energetic and experimental one. Bliss ensues. Until - a tragic incident resulting in anger, heartache, resentment, and the couple agreeing they no longer love each other and should part. But even with a string of lovers on both sides, the couple continue to meet, indulging in athletic sex, between declarations of love and hate. Finally, Ryno declares that his current visit will be his last since he has fallen deeply in love with a good woman. Vellini, after ten years of manipulation and obsession, sheds a few tears.
This delcaration is music to the ears of the Marquise de Flers (Claude Sarraute, adorably worldly and winning) who's listened to Ryno's twisted tale with barely concealed titillation (she makes no secret she was wild in the previous century) and also for confirmation the liasion with Vellini is over. No matter how charmed she is by Ryno (and she is), her prime concern having granted permission for him to marry her treasured, and wealthy, granddaugther Hermangarde (Roxane Mesquida, a lovely mix of innocence/vulnerability/steel) has been the issue of his fidelity. She accepts his assurances despite the reservations of her best friend the Comtesse d'Artelles (Yolande Moreau, an enjoyably sugar coated budinsky) who herself consults with the Vicomte de Prony (Michael Lonsdale, drily astute and clear eyed), These latter two are an engaging mix of chorus/gossip/budinskies (and their final moment is a dandy). Ryno and Hermangarde marry and move to the coast where, eventually, obsession and resolution will meet.
The Last Mistress, written and directed by Catherine Breillat, is a skilled and uncompromising work with excellent production design by Francois-Renaud Labarthe. At almost two hours, though, the movie feels repetitious. It's a fine, detailed portrait of a dysfunctional couple and hail Asia Argento for tackling her role with ferocity and determination, much as her character captures and possesses her lover. Ryno and Vellini are not a fun couple (understatement), but for awhile they are hard to turn away from.
The Last Mistress - Clear-eyed look at obsession (in old France) but too long a stare. Review by Charles Zio
| MAD DETECTIVE Independent Film Not Rated Foreign Film - Hong Kong Drama/Crime 89 minutes
4 stars |
There are, and have been, detectives of every sort. How about one who might be, but isn't necesssarily, mentally unbalanced? Even if the device grows tiresome, the novelty, quirkiness, and amusement value make for a movie that's easy to watch and savor.
The title character is Bun (Lau Ching Wan, thoroughly convincing and enjoyable), a Hong Kong detective with a knack for solving murders. But the solutions are not reached in the conventional find clues/question suspects/deduction/etc. common to others. His method is demonstrated at the outset to the newest member of the crime division, Ho (Andy On, in an impressive performance) who he asks to zipper him into a suitcase (duplicating the last resting place of a slain college student) and to push him down several flights of stairs. Emerging from the ordeal, Bun accurately names the killer. What police force wouldn't want a man of such talents?
Well, the Kowloon police after Bun gifts the retiring chief with a good chuck of his ear (and if Van Gogh was unbalanced when he did it, so then Bun must be, right). In the meantime, a stakeout takes place wherein one of the detectives steals money from the wallet of the other and is accused by him of, moreover, having stolen items from the stationhouse. This discussion is interrupted by the appearance of the thief for whom they have been lying in wait. A confused chase ensues in a nearby wood and only one of the detectives, Chi-wai (Lam Ka Tung, skillfully balancing innocence and guilt) emerges claiming his partner Wong disappeared.
Years later, Ho, now an experienced member of the force calls on Bun (whom he admires and considers his master) for help as a series of robbery/murders has occurred with the bullets identified as having come from Wong's long lost gun. Bun is hesitant as his wife is strongly against his becoming involved again in police work. In a touch/variation of The Sixth Sense, Bun confides the secret of his success - he can see and hear the inner personalities of others. For instance, he sees Chi-wai with multiple inner selves (e.g., one a female leader, another an overweight male coward). But does he really? The viewer wonders since Bun sees and hears his wife who, in reality, is not there.
The coauthors, Wai Ka Fai and An Kin Lee, have written a fast paced script with its own internal logical (note, their English subtitles occasionally omit words but the damage to understanding is minor). The production and direction by Johnnie To and the previously mentioned Wai Ka Fai offer few lulls in addition to originality and cleverness (and look for the glass smashing homage to The Lady From Shanghai by Welles). A nod, too, for the dark, shadowy photography of Cheng Siu Keung. Only reservations are that toward the end the internal personality device becomes a tad repetitive and the absence of Bun for a bit is sorely missed (though necessary for the climax). Still, there’s much to enjoy in the machinations of Bun and the increasing doubts of Ho (and pay attention to guns, they’re key). While the unraveling of the mystery has the requisite twists and turns, the villain is clear early on and the question becomes precisely how he will be revealed. The answer, deadly as ever, will rest on what, and who, to believe.
Mad Detective – Nothing crazy – a first rate and different detective story. Review by Charles Zio
| DIMINISHED CAPACITY Independent Film Not Rated IFC Comedy/Adpatation 92 minutes
3½ stars |
Diminished Capacity is a PM (Pleasant Movie), which is only to say the time passes easily. There's no great excitement, no great disappointment, and no further thought about what has just been seen. For those with an hour and a half to spare (after brunch, before or after lunch, mid-afternoon at the mall, nothing else to do Friday/Saturday night, etc.) and looking for something relaxing/enjoyable/non-taxing (mentally or emotionally), this movie will assuredly fill the bill.
Cooper is a Chicago writer (for a news syndicate) suffering from post concussion syndrome (after an act of gallantry) wherein his concentration wanders and his train of thought is easily distracted. This is an ideal role for Matthew Broderick who's skilled at portraying regular guys attuned to another frequency, as if he is either listening to a simaltaneous channel or operating in a universe a moment ahead of everyone else. Though Cooper is recovering, the same can not be said for his Uncle Rollie (Alan Alda, playing a possible future Hawkeye from "Mash", amusingly, of course) who, back home in Missouri, is suffering from the title malady, diminished capacity, the most blatant manifestation being his belief fish are writing poety on a typewriter he's rigged up on the lake beside his house. But wait, Rollie has a hidden treasure - a baseball card from the early days of the Cubs given him by his grandfather - and it's valuable enough to solve the family's financial problems. What to do but head for Chicago, where conveniently a card show is opening, to sell the precious memento.
But hold on, there's more, namely romance. No sooner has Cooper arrived back in town than he runs into his high school sweetheart Charlotte (Virginia Madsen, attractive and warmly appealing) and her son, the baseball challenged Dillon (Jimmy Bennett, with not much to do but exhibit cliched young adolescent boy problems). As luck would have it, she's divorced and, luckier still she's headed for Chicago to sell some of her art work (some sort of deli slab food collages). Good thing, too, since the men can travel along with her (the reasons why don't matter).
And the whimsy continues. At the card show are an honest dealer, Mad Dog McClure (Dylan Baker, believable except when he over mugs in reaction to a Cub's loss) and the predatory Lee Vivyan (Bobby Cannavale, convincing as usual). As a clue to the movie's sensibility, Lee recites a story giving the basis for his behavior. Get it? Villains are good guys gone astray by circumstance (and baseball mania, particularly involving the beloved Cubs, is a mania leading to dastardly actions).
Neeless to say, realizations occur (Broderick nicely registers healing and taking action), heartfelt moments appear (Alda has one or two affecting ones), love blooms (Broderick and Madsen become a couple), people improve (Dillion makes a catch implying he's ready for Little League), and the get together at the end is fitting (you can guess it and if you can't, you won't be surprised when you see it).
"Dim Cap" (as it's cutely called by Rollie) is directed by Terry Kinney who has a sure touch and produces a workmanlike result. The script by Sherwood Kiraly (based on his novel) is smooth though unsurprising. In every way, the movie is professional. Maybe it's too familiar (like, have you never seen a movie about a mentally challenged individual with a more-or-less happy ending). Perhaps it's too tame (amid the summer swelter of action movies). At any rate, even if you don't give the movie another thought, it's easy enough to watch.
Dimished Capacity - No home run (a double), but lowered expectations will be rewarded. Review by Charles Zio
| A GIRL CUT IN TWO Independent Film, IFC Foreign Film - France Not Rated Black Comedy/Thriller 115 minutes
3½ stars |
The "TWO" in the title of this movie is key in terms of character, plot, setting, etc. Bearing in mind the duality (obvious and implied) will add enjoyment to this subdued, thinly plotted, leisurely, cautionary tale of a young woman’s voyage to maturity.
Gabrielle (Ludivine Sagnier, appealing and affecting) is a local weathergirl (and station favorite) in Lyons, France. Though her last name, Niege, means snow – here we go – she is a warm/bright presence. Further, while a grown woman, she moves like a carefree teen. Psychologically, she is an adult and yet has a childlike impetuosity and stubbornness (exemplified by her scooter). The combination of her personality and physicality, renders Gabrielle catnip to the men around her. Two in particular are smitten at first sight (both from the upper class, she is the daughter of a single bookstore owner). One is Charles Saint-Denis (Francois Berléand, assured/impressive), an older, rich, successful writer who is both a womanizer and at the same time dearly devoted to his wife (he continually refers to her as a saint). The other, Paul Gaudens (Benoit Magimel, earnest/intense), is the ne’er-do-well, wealthy, indulged son of a chemical fortune (with some shady doings in his youth) with a habit of insisting on getting whatever he wants and yet he can also be patient and kindly.
Gabrielle immediately surrenders to Charles’ charm and, after admitting her lack of sexual experience, is assured he will educate her, and does so in an increasingly degrading manner (tender to De Sade). Meanwhile, she holds off Paul, keeping him on the hook without allowing him so much as a kiss. Further, Charles has no intention of offering marriage (he won’t divorce) while Paul is more than willing to wed. Ever on Charles’ side is Capucine (Mathilda May, elegant/bemused), his agent from whom he has no secrets (and was perhaps a past love). Paul’s advocate is his formidable mother, Genevieve (Caroline Silhol, imposing/unrelenting). By the way, the men are acquainted and totally disdainful of each other (two of a kind in some manner).
After being callously abandoned by Charles, Gabrielle accepts Paul’s proposal, much to the enduring chagrin of Genevieve. Should the new wife be honest with her husband about her past? Once again, and stated repeatedly throughout the movie, Gabrielle faces an adult situation with the mindset of a naïve young lady. She is, in fact, continually advised to grow up. After making still another faulty decision, tragedy ensues, forcing her into a manipulated, critical choice. At last, after great cost to herself and others, Gabrielle achieves wisdom.
Skillfully directed by a master filmmaker, Claude Chabrol, A Girl Cut In Two, is, of course, professional in all its production values. The script by Chabrol and Cécile Maistre is a quiet study of emotion versus logical, youth versus age, innocence versus sordidness, acceptance versus stubbornness, and so on. Even the movie’s title, with reflection and in the end, must be conceded to be equally true and false. This is a thoughtful film, and while not reaching any peaks and somewhat plodding, throughout it remains competent and interesting.
A Girl Cut In Two – Not 100%, but a respectable 60/40. Review by Charles Zio
| WHAT JUST HAPPENED Independent Film Rated R for language some violent images, sexual content, and some drug material. Comedy/Adaptation 110 minutes
3 stars |
“You can take all the sincerity in Hollywood,” said the 30s-40s radio comedian Fred Allen, “place it in the navel of a fruit fly and still have room enough for three caraway seeds and a producer’s heart.” What Just Happened makes the same point and the film’s creators, being part of the business, probably relished the send ups. For the rest of us, it’s a slow/dull/uninviting/uninvolving hour and fifty minutes confirming a probably already low opinion of Movie Land.
Our eye on Hollywood is Ben (Robert De Niro, refreshingly, for once, not a tough guy), a producer beset by problems. His most recent project is Fiercely starring Sean Penn (as himself and kidding his reputation for integrity), an action story that has the preview audience bored stiff. Until his pet dog is treated brutally which only serves to infuriate the viewers (their comment cards are brutal) and create great concern in studio head Lou Tarnow (Catherine Keener, reliably good). Displaying the steel beneath her polished exterior, she instructs changes must be made or the film will not be released. Ben is willing, as ever, to do what’s necessary to get what he wants, though the line between pragmatism and selling out is extremely thin. In opposition to Lou’s demands is the director Jeremy Brunell (Michael Wincott, every inch the self-inflated egotist) who clings tenaciously to his principles (he won’t recut his movie) until Ben helps him see the light via a dose of drugs.
Another headache for Ben is his next project with Bruce Willis (mocking his tough guy image) in danger of cancellation unless the actor shaves a beard of six-months duration. Offering no help to Ben, despite pleas and threats, is Willis’ agent Dick Bell (John Turturro, nifty as a vain/New Age/drug-imbibing agent). Floating around, too, is screenwriter Scott Solomon (Stanley Tucci, spot on) who is peddling a script in a flower shop and Ben’s teenage daughter Zoe (Kristen Stewart, doing well with her bit part). Of major concern, however, is Ben’s desire to reunite with his last wife, Kelly (Robin Wright Penn, convincing and appealing), who he discovers has moved on (as their therapist favors).
Oh, yeah, did I mention the Fiercely screening at Cannes and its outcome? Or the funeral of an agent who’s committed suicide? There’s other stuff, too (people, situations), but overall everything passes by (as mentioned up top) slowly without drawing in the viewer (it would be interesting to know, if this movie was previewed, what those comment cards said).
The disappointment here is in expectations. Directed by pro, Barry Levinson, scripted by Art Linson based on his book, What Just Happened?: Bitter Hollywood Tales From the Front Line (a title promising a close up, razor-sharp, behind the scenes look), and top notch actors turning in thoroughly professional performances, like DeNiro, Keener, Turturro, etc., you have to be surprised the result is a movie that never seems to get started. Sure, there are some funny/insightful/satiric bits, but they can’t atone for the underlying problem – None of the characters (even protagonist De Niro) are sympathetic. The movie illustrates the insincerity of Hollywood types. True, but who wants to pay to watch them?
What Just Happened – Not enough to keep you in your seat. Review by Charles Zio
| SOUL MEN Rated R for pervasive language, and sexual content including nudity. Comedy 100 minutes
3 stars |
Talk about crude. As a comedy, Soul Men has an unoriginal yet amusing premise; the crass presentation might leave you snickering, with an unpleasant feeling overall. There are some fine comic moments, but I was hoping for more, especially since this is Bernie Mac’s last movie. He is a funny man here; one of the few who knows how to use his face and body as well as his comic timing. He plays Floyd Henderson, part of a musical soul trio that was “hip” in the late 60s-early 70s, along with his partners Louis Hinds, the always terrific Samuel L. Jackson, and their star singer Marcus Hooks, John Legend in a funny cameo. Isaac Hayes plays himself. It was also his last movie.
As the film opens Marcus has just died unexpectedly and there is a tribute planned for him at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem, New York. The two back-up singers, Floyd Henderson and Louis Hinds are asked to come to New York and perform at the tribute, but there is bad blood between them. Floyd made money but couldn’t stay married for long and his nephew took over his business. Louis ended up in jail, and then working in a garage. When Floyd approaches Louis, the hostility tells you something happened back in those singing days. It was a fight over a woman called Odetta who both men loved. Louis eventually agrees to go with Floyd to New York but won’t fly so they have to drive from the west coast to the east. This is a convenient device as the two are stuck with each other in close circumstances and so must work out their differences.
The music helps lift the story. Along the way the hi-jinx are not especially hilarious but give a guffaw, and a genuine laugh here and there. But, is it really necessary that every other sentence has to contain the words M***** F*****? Am I supposed to be impressed? Bernie Mac has a smile that lights up the screen. Samuel L. Jackson is surprisingly agile as a singer/dancer. Sharon Leal turns in an earnest performance as Cleo, Odetta’s daughter, though this subplot is overly sentimental.
There is a tribute to Isaac Hayes and Bernie Mac as the credits role, dedicating the movie to both of them. It’s very sad to see their smiling faces knowing that such talent is lost to us, but they do live on in this movie. Too bad it wasn’t better. Review by Ann Marie Oliva
| ROLE MODELS Rated R for crude and sexual content, strong language and nudity. Comedy/Drama 99 minutes
3½ stars |
Role Models feels familiar but sweet, if a little bit sticky. You take two losers: one a whiny depressive named Danny, Paul Rudd sinking into his dominant screen persona, and the shirt chaser named Wheeler, Seann William Scott who go to schools hawking an energy drink named Minotaur, mix it up, and eventually the depressive one blows up.
Danny hates his life, except for his lawyer girlfriend, the pretty but stable and level-headed Beth played winningly by Elizabeth Banks. She’s tired of his self-involved, sarcastic commentary on life and who can blame her? When she breaks up with Danny, he damages the Minotaur vehicle they travel around in. To avoid jail time they agree to do community service with an organization called Sturdy Wings founded by Gayle Sweeny played hilariously by Jane Lynch. She perfectly embodies the “self-help” guru who talks dramatically about her past life and recovery but lets you know she’s still dangerous, especially when you don’t follow the party line. This is all silly stuff, of course, but handled well for the purposes of the plot.
Gayle matches Danny up with super nerd Augie (Christopher Mintz-Plasse in a touchingly believable performance), who can only tolerate reality in small snippets and loses himself in the kingdom of Laire where medieval warfare is a game played out in a park. Danny thinks it’s stupid and spends most of the movie discounting Augie’s feelings. Wheeler is matched with a foul-mouthed boy Ronnie (Bobb’e J. Thompson providing much of the comic relief), whose single mother is wiser than anyone in the movie. (Apparently small kids swearing like sailors is funny to audiences.) Wheeler’s selfishness and obsession with women almost causes a catastrophe for Ronnie.
After a rough start for both duos, bonding takes place as the big boys can’t put it off any longer, relent, and grow up. Finally there is rescue, which vindicates Augie, and ironically saves Danny from his dull, boring life. Even though there is little relation to reality, you can’t help rooting for all the “kids.” Review by Ann Marie Oliva
MAKE A PRONO |
ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO Rated R for strong crude sexual content including dialogue, graphic nudity and pervasive language. Comedy/Drama/Romance 101 minutes
3½ stars |
Despite the raw language, nudity, and a raunchy story line, Zack and Miri Make a Porno isn’t half as bad as it could have been. The mix of genres (romance and soft core) doesn’t entirely succeed, but the movie is funny enough, often enough to be entertaining. And though the end is obvious from the start, the title characters journey to true love is sweetly/tenderly watchable. In short, what the film lacks in taste, it makes up in heart.
Zack and Miri are played, winningly, by Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks. Rogen again demonstrates his ability to render socially unacceptable utterances or actions as amusingly palatable due to his outsider/truth speaking/pretension puncturing persona. As for Banks, it’s hard to accept her as ever having been a high school outcast, even less as a girl of easy virtue. What is believable, however, is her unmistakable good-nature/ charm/kindness. Having known each other since first grade, without families, stuck in dead end jobs, and always financially strapped, Zack and Miri live platonically together as their life spirals downward – the water is shut off, the electricity is cut, and next month’s rent is coming due. What to do? Zack proposes making a porno. Miri agrees. Why not? The two have only been pals, never even having kissed, and it’s just sex anyway so it won’t affect their friendship. Yeah, right.
A producer appears in the guise of Zack’s co-worker, Delaney (Chris Robinson, a blend of reticence and lechery) at the coffee shop where both are employed (and which becomes the porno’s set) while a former class mate, Deacon (Jeff Anderson, believably intent), is enlisted as cameraman. Coming aboard as actors are Bubbles (Traci Lords, the former porn star, here understated and empathetic), Lester (Jason Mewes, a pleasantly dim, matter-of-fact, stud), Barry (Ricky Mabe, gentle/willing), and Stacey (Katie Morgan, innocent despite her do-anything gymnastics). All the real world actors are appealing and skilled in lending their characters depth and warmth. It is impossible not to like them. As to the mechanics (in every sense), a lot of fun is had portraying the before the cameras enthusiastic lust as well as the mundane behind the scenes aspects of porn production.
When Zack and Miri’s moment comes, they are acutely embarrassed and the most wooden of the porn actors, until their encounter unleashes the feelings they’ve never openly recognized, or admitted. There ensues some feeble, predictable miscommunication, until all ends as destined. And do not leave when the titles come up or midway you’ll miss a dandy comical ad. Among those appearing (as they also do earlier in the film) are a gay porn couple, Brandon and Bobby Long, respectively portrayed by Justin Long and Brandon Routh (and respectively way over the top and fighting repression). But wait, the titles end with humorous onscreen text. Good to the last drop, so to speak.
Zack and Miri was written, directed, and edited by Kevin Smith and he’s done a pretty good job. Even if it doesn’t hold together as a totality, the parts add up sufficiently to make a pretty darn good film. Able assistance is given by Dave Klein, director of photographer, who captures the mostly closed, claustrophobic world (outside and porn set) of two people with scant room to maneuver. The production design by Robert Holtzman is spot on in capturing the dull feel of a tacky apartment and an artificially modern coffee shop. Smith deserves credit for endowing his characters (minus a pair of dislikable teenage boys, a mistake) with a humanity that is not normally, if ever, associated with porn, even of the soft core variety. An interesting attempt, but a miss nonetheless.
Zack and Miri Make a Porno – Two movies that don’t add up to one. Review by Charles Zio
| ROCK N ROLLA Rated R for pervasive language, violence, drug use and brief sexuality. Action/Crime 114 minutes
3 stars |
Guy Richie has style, whether you like that particular style is the question, but too often I get the feeling that what he’s really doing is slumming it. He seems to have a fascination with the low-lifes in London. A convoluted and over-packed plot add to the chaotic feel of the movie even though it’s narrated by Archy played by Mark Strong, a versatile actor, guiding us along when it gets too outlandish.
It seems that an old school gangster, played as obnoxious and without any redeeming qualities by Tom Wilkinson, Lenny Cole, is a guy who gets things done. Archy is his second in command. Lenny is approached by a Russian mobster to get a permit to build a stadium, but wants it immediately. As a token of their working relationship, the Russian gives Lenny his “good-luck” painting to keep until the deal is done. The Russian's accountant Stella, played as ice-cold by Thandie Newton who seems to be in everything lately, is double crossing him and has small time hood One Two, Gerard Butler, and his friend Mumbles, Idris Elba, steal the seven million pound price tag.
There is a whole subplot with One Two, Mumbles, Handsome Bob (Tom Hardy), a “puff” as they call him (a gay guy), and all their amusingly-named friends. Jeremy Piven shows up as Roman with Chris Ludacris Bridges as Mickey, two small time record producers who have been called upon to find one of their singers, Johnny Quid (Toby Kebbell as a scary junkie) who stole the painting from Lenny Cole who turns out to be his abusive step-father. Are you still with me? Making sense of it all is a minor matter here; although Richie adds all kinds of reverses to keep it going. It’s surprising that Gerard Butler can be made rather unexciting, but he’s one of the least compelling characters in the movie.
There is enough violence and posturing for two movies, but he does have a way with the visuals... Review by Ann Marie Oliva
| CHANGELING Rated R for violent and disturbing content, and language. Biography/Drama/Crime 141 minutes
3 stars |
Changeling begins as an absorbing film about a parent’s worst nightmare, but becomes so weighed down that after two hours it goes straight into melodrama in the last half hour. Clint Eastwood is a good director, and I admire his choice to respect J. Michael Straczynski, the writer, and his words, but there are too many of them. The movie veers off-course and into tangents that have no pay off. Part of the problem is that this story is based on true events. We often hear complaints that filmmakers change facts too often. The opposite sometimes happens where the “truth” is considered so sacred it dulls down the movie.
Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie, good at being sincere/moving/obsessive) is a hard working single mother who works as a telephone company supervisor in Los Angeles in 1928. She promises her son Walter that she will take him to the movies on a Saturday afternoon, but has to work. When she returns later than expected Walter is gone. So begins Christine’s nightmare. The corrupt police are no help. They have been receiving terrible press that is rightly deserved. To compensate for public relations purposes they provide a child to Christine they say is Walter. She knows better but takes the child in although she doesn’t stop challenging them and becomes more than a bit of a nuisance. When they can’t keep her quiet and she threatens their reputation even more, they have her carted off to a snake pit of a metal ward.
In the meantime, a local minister named Rev. Gustav Briegleb (John Malkovich, unusually low key, and generously giving Ms. Jolie the spotlight when they are together on screen), is on a crusade to expose the police. He knows of Christine’s plight and becomes her biggest supporter and friend. He and several others save her from the psych ward when a series of murders are uncovered.
If the movie ended there with flashbacks that show what happened, it would have been more satisfying. As it is, the film goes on another 20-30 minutes with courtroom scenes, police scenes, even a hanging. The additional time takes the power away from the story and ultimately Ms. Jolie's performance. The epilogue gives some useful information, but after all the detail in the movie is mysterious when it comes to Christine.
The film is very well cast, and this is an area where Mr. Eastwood excels—casting actors that look and act like “real” people instead of plastic Hollywood replicants. Notable performances include those of: Michael Kelly, Jeffrey Donovan, Amy Ryan, Jason Butler Harner, Denis O'Hare, and two of the children, Gattlin Griffith, and Devon Conti.
Technically, the film is well done with nice work by: production designer James J. Murakami, art director Patrick M. Sullivan Jr., set decorator Gary Fettis, costume design Deborah Hopper, and cinematography by Tom Stern.
Meticulous detail is terrific, except when it overwhelms everything else. Review by Ann Marie Oliva
MUSICAL 3: SENIOR YEAR |
HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3: SENIOR YEAR Rated G Musical/Performing Arts 100 minutes
3½ stars |
This movie is a like a high energy drink that keeps you keyed up. There’s no down time as it moves from one concept and musical number to another. That’s good for the intended audience which would seem to be the pre-teens who were screaming as the movie started and when Zac Efron’s face filled the screen.
High School Musical 3: Senior year is about the gains and losses of the senior year of high school-—graduating and going to college, but also separating from friends. Zac Efron returns (pumped up) as Troy Bolton whose father, Coach Jack Bolton (Bart Johnson) expects him to go to U. of A. to play basketball. His childhood friend Chad Danforth (Corbin Bleu) will be going with him and all seems well except his girlfriend Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Anne Hudgens) will be going to Stanford many miles away and Troy, being in love, is having separation anxiety.
So what to do? Hey kids, let’s put on a show! The drama teacher Ms. Darbus (Alyson Reed) has a great idea: they’ll play themselves getting ready to go off to college. There’s the usual stock characters: the ambitious Barbie Doll Sharpay Evans (Ashley Tisdale) and her twin brother Ryan Evans (Lucas Grabeel), the best friend Taylor McKessie (Monique Coleman), the talented intellectual Kelsi Nielsen (Olesya Rulin), and so on.
The plot strings together the scenes in a straightforward narrative. This being Disney, everyone is attractive, even the slightly plump girl who is a popular (politically correct) cheerleader. There’s no real mean-spirited nastiness towards anyone, just good-natured ribbing. It’s all pretty innocent with only one chaste kiss. And these are some of the best looking, best dressed high school kids I’ve ever seen. Zac Efron and Vanessa Anne Hudgens look natural and well-matched. The supporting actors are talented, too.
The real star of the show, though, is the choreography attributed to director Kenny Ortega. He makes sure there’s plenty of masculine dancing here, and one of my favorite numbers is, “The Boys Are Back” that takes place in a junkyard with Troy and Chad. Even with the other dances, there is no place for the delicate. The moves are crisp, clean, fun, and surprisingly athletic.
Overall the movie lives up to the hype. It’s not for teenagers who will undoubtedly be way too cool for the simple story. There are plenty of plot holes, too, but if you go with it, it can be an enjoyable time...as long as you can stand the screaming. Review by Ann Marie Oliva
| PRIDE & GLORY Rated R for violence, pervasive language and brief drug content. Drama/Crime 129 minutes
3 stars |
Stories about multi-generational New York cop families have become very familiar. Pride & Glory being one, this “saga” tries to have the look and feel of something much weightier than it actually is. This particular Irish clan has issues with drinking and corruption, and at times brother is pitted against brother or brother-in-law.
Jon Voight plays the patriarch, Francis Tierney, Sr., chief of Manhattan Detectives. His sons, Francis, Jr. (Fran) played by Noah Emmerich, and Ray, played by Edward Norton are both cops, as is their brother-in-law Jimmy Egan, played by Colin Farrell. The father is old school and his pride in being a cop and his sons being cops is evident. When four policemen under Fran’s command, who work with Jimmy, are killed in a brutal attack, Francis, Sr. asks Ray to lead the task force to find answers. Ray is reluctant, but accedes to his father’s wishes.
The plot leads the viewer down the very dark, violent alleys and mean streets of Washington Heights as drug dealers, psychopathic killers, corrupt cops, murderous mobs, and an occasional innocent are all drawn into a vortex of crime, punishment, and sickening carnage. Far from avoiding the brutality, director Gavin O’Connor and his fellow screenwriter Joe Carnahan emphasize it. The feel is authentic from the big holiday dinner to emotions that erupt and threaten to bring everyone down; but feelings are not enough.
It’s not as good a script or movie as The Departed which is similar in story and tone, but some of the acting here helps to elevates the film. Edward Norton, with an ugly scar on his face, manages to bring nuance to a clichéd character. His Ray walks around as the living dead who has been rendered hollow and numb. Noah Emmerich, as Fran, is likewise believable as the distracted everyman cop whose wife is dying of cancer. Jon Voight is a bit too hammy at times as the father, and Colin Farrell would do himself good to find a role as far from blood and guts as he can. Unfortunately, and typically, women are pretty much fringe players, although Jennifer Ehle is touching as Fran’s stricken wife. Lake Bell does the best she can with the thankless role of Colin Farrell’s naïve wife, who has to look worried in many of her scenes, but doesn’t have much else to do.
At over two hours, the movie takes too long to get to the where it’s going. Moodiness prevails with long meaningful looks between characters that often seem self-indulgent. The point is made, though; there may be pride in being a cop, but not much glory. Review by Ann Marie Oliva
| W. Rated PG-13 for language including sexual references, some alcohol abuse, smoking and brief disturbing war images. Biopic/Politics 120 minutes
3 stars |
Two things you can't miss in Oliver Stone’s film: W. desperately wanted his father’s approval but rarely got it, and people continually “misunderestimated” him. The rest of the facts, though there may be ample evidence from those who were there, or said they knew what happened, is left up to the writer and director to emphasize or not. It’s strange watching a movie about a president still in office.
Each person will bring his/her own set of values, prejudices, expectations since we are, in fact, still living in this moment of history. So, how to be objective when there is no sense of perspective, no passage of time? One thing is to look at the overall quality of the film including the writing/directing/acting and the technical aspects of the film. All are good, especially the acting. Josh Brolin amazes as W. His role is crucial, of course, yet he slips so much into the character of George W. Bush, as to disappear. It works from beginning to end, although even when it's all about W. there isn't much there, there. Yet a kind of sympathy develops for this limited man, unintended or not.
Other actors, too, deserve credit: Richard Dreyfuss skulking around as Dick Cheney, James Cromwell as the detached patrician Bush I, Ellen Burstyn as an outspoken Barbara Bush, and a majority of the cast. Scott Glenn, a very good actor, seems disconnected as Donald Rumsfeld, and here is the basic problem. Rumsfeld was a major player in what went on in this administration, yet in the film he is only seen in passing. Laura Bush, as played by Elizabeth Banks, comes off like a saint, while Condoleezza Rice, as played by Thandie Newton, is made to look foolish most of the time and in over her head. You mean she had no good moments in eight years?
Perception is reality. If I don’t agree with the writer & director’s “version” of the story of W. where does that leave me? Do I simply look at the surface and take all at face value, or ignore what I can’t believe.
Somewhat surprising is that the look of the film is well-done, but traditional. Stone keeps his tendency to be grandiose under control. All the elements are fine, but not interesting in an innovative way. He does time travel quite a bit, especially to W.'s early years as he tries to appeal to "Poppy" who remains disappointed with him. The metaphor of W. and baseball is certainly nothing exceptional. He did own a baseball team, and he probably did dream of catching his share of fly balls.
Like Oliver Stone's other biographies, the points are easily made, but may leave you feeling uneasy. Maybe it will prove to be closer than expected to reality since there are many books and articles already out there, and sure to be more after the election. But I don’t find W. fascinating, and after eight years, I really, really could have used a break. Review by Ann Marie Oliva
| MAX PAYNE Rated PG-13 for violence,intense shooting sequences, drug content, some sexuality & brief strong language. Action/Crime/Drama 100 minutes
3½ stars |
The biggest surprise in, and about, Max Payne is it’s entertaining. Unexpectedly, since it’s chockablock with cardboard characters, familiar storyline, guessable twists, and predictable fight sequences. But as a CYBAD (Check Your Brain At Door) action movie it’s not bad and easy enough for those who merely wish to go with the flow.
Our hero is Max Payne (Mark Wahlberg, reliably committed and convincing), a cop unrelentingly obsessed with catching the men who murdered his wife and son years before by working solo in the Cold Case section tracking down leads. (Note: Names of some of the characters are suggestive of their one-dimensional natures, e.g., Payne/Pain, or, see below, Mona Sax, Bravura, and Lupino, as in lupine, wolf-like.) Hints of what is to come are indicated early in the stalking of a petty thief by a shadowy, winged creature who later reappears to kill Natasha (Olga Kurylenko, adequate as a plot device) whom Max has taken home after witnessing some strange behavior related to a blue drug and kicking her out of his apartment when she references his dead wife. As if finding Max’s wallet by the hacked-to-pieces body weren’t incriminating enough (how or when or why she took it is unexplained), his ex-partner, trying to help, finds a connection between her and the wife’s murder but, of course, is killed before he can explain. Max is the prime suspect.
Coming to his aid is Natasha’s glaring, gun toting, vengeance seeking sister Mona Sax (Mila Kunis, yeah, it’s Jackie from That 70s Show, but playing very well against type) and B.B. Hensley (Beau Bridges, never less than believable in any of his roles) as Max’s father’s former partner on the police force who holds a position at the drug company where Max’s wife worked. On hand, too, is Jim Bravura (Ludacris, conveying authority and presence) investigating Max for Internal Affairs and Jason Colvin (Chris O’Donnell, nicely capturing a decent guy who’s also a company lackey). And then there is Jack Lupino (Amaury Nolasco, intimidating/imposing) as a drug crazed, violence infused villain.
To its credit, the movie mostly moves along. Clues are laid out (the big one being tattoos of wings), leads followed, action taken, twists inserted (easily surmised), and finally there’s a suitably bullet laden, justice done, grand finale to top it all off. The only pauses are several slow motion shots inserted, it seems, for their arty effect. A mistake as they give the viewer time to reflect on the film’s loose ends and holes in logic. Better to have kept the tempo going.
Still, John Moore has done a good job directing the movie (aside from the bullet featured shots mentioned above) keeping up its momentum and interest even though it’s very familiar. Assisted by the skilled photography of Jonathan Sela, the film is dark, shadowy, and foreboding. New York is a mix of old and new, empty and crowded, neat and littered, inhabited and abandoned, realistic and video-generated. Then there is the weather. The bulk of the movie takes place during winter with flurries and snow on the ground. It’s a nice touch, out of the ordinary, and the metaphors that can be drawn are many (the characters are cold, the truth is not clear, the ground is slippery). The script, based on a video game, is by Beau Thorne, with editing by Dan Zimmerman, and production design by Daniel T. Dorrance. If the viewer wants to just see a decent action movie requiring little thought and wants to bring his older kids, rest assured the violence is pretty bloodless (a sword comes down but you don’t see it make contact with the victim), there’s no nudity (even when Natasha takes off her blouse), and the cursing is tame. A sequel is implied. Maybe next time.
Max Payne – If you’re inclined, won’t hurt to sit through it. Review by Charles Zio
OF BEES |
THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES Rated PG-13 for thematic material & some violence. Drama/Adaptation 110 minutes
3 stars |
The strength of The Secret Life of Bees is the vivid characters created by Sue Monk Kidd in her popular novel of the same name, and adapted by writer/director Gina Prince-Bythewood, and the storytelling around those characters. The weakness is that the film slips too often into folksy wisdom and sentimentality. Yet, overall it can be moving.
In 1964, at the beginning of social changes and civil rights, Lily Owens (Dakota Fanning, continuing to be impressive), lives with her abusive father T. Ray (Paul Bettany, outstanding) on a peach farm. Her only friend is the African-American housekeeper Rosaleen (Jennifer Hudson, touching/sweet). Lily’s unhappiness is not just normal high-strung teenage discontent; she has a tragedy in her past that haunts her. As they walk to town one day, Rosaleen is attacked by racist men, and beaten. Lily decides to run away from T. Ray and take Rosaleen with her. This part of the movie tends to move slowly, and the film doesn’t really get going until they get to South Carolina where she finds the house of the Boatwright women who have a honey business.
Here she meets August, June, and May Boatwright: Queen Latifah (commanding), Alicia Keys (showing growth as an actor), and Sophie Okonedo (very good in a difficult role). August is the wise and kindly mother figure and runs the household. June is the independent militant who teaches music, May is the fragile woman/child who falls apart at any sad or unhappy news. When Lily and Rosaleen show up, Lily makes up a story about an “aunt” and asks to stay. Neither of them has ever been in a cultured environment and they admire the sisters. There is a reason that Lily wants to stay with the sisters, she has questions about her mother. She knows there is a connection with the sisters and needs to find out about it. There are several men in the movie: June’s suitor Neil (Nate Parker), and a young worker, Zach (Tristan Taylor), but this is a women's story.
A nod to the cinematography of Rogier Stoffers (though sometimes it looks too candyland); the production design by Warren Alan Young; the costume design of Sandra Hernandez, and the music by Mark Isham. All contribute to the look of the era.
The message of strong women supporting each other and prevailing at a time when it was unusual is a positive one. The intermittent humor helps balance the heavy drama of loss, racism, and brutality. If only the vision had been tempered by a lighter touch. Review by Ann Marie Oliva
| THE EXPRESS Rated PG for thematic content, violence and language involving racism, and for brief sensuality. Drama/Biography/Sport 121 minutes
4 stars |
Many dream of athletic greatness, but very few achieve it. Ernie Davis was one such person, though it's clear most people have never heard of him. We’ve become jaded about sports movies, especially biographies. They are mostly inspirational; the athlete discovers he is gifted, goes through some kind of trial, fights through it, and ultimately succeeds; that makes it familiar. But don’t be dismissive of The Express for that reason because this movie has heart, like its hero. Not to mention that Ernie Davis, The Elmira Express, was the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy (in 1961), and break a color barrier like his hero Jackie Robinson did in baseball.
Ernie Davis (well played by Rob Brown) was raised by his grandfather Pops (Charles S. Dutton, warm and wise), in the coal belt area of Pennsylvania while his mother (Aunjanue Ellis) was trying to get enough resources to take him home. Ernie and Pops had a special relationship where Pops taught him the lessons of hard work and fair play. He also learned that if he didn’t run fast enough, the white boys would beat him up.
When Ernie finally goes with his mother and stepfather to Elmira, New York, he joins a football team for boys and the legend is born. Ernie excels in several sports through high school. When college looms, Ernie is heavily recruited by several big schools, but one coach, Ben Schwartzwalder (Dennis Quaid in a measured and thoughtful performance) uses his star play, Jim Brown (Darrin Dewitt Henson, in a good turn) who is going to the Cleveland Browns, to help him bring Ernie to Syracuse University. Although Brown and Schwartzwalder have an uneasy relationship, Brown recognizes he is a good coach and will help Ernie be an even better running back. The Coach is a tough guy who was a World War II decorated veteran and he takes no excuses. He also is no civil rights advocate, and Ernie is pretty much left to struggle with racism on his own. But Ernie’s quiet manner and essential goodness win over the Coach who then trusts Ernie’s instincts, and he leads Syracuse to the only national championship in their history.
The production values are high-quality with the football scenes realistic and the football plays of their time period (so we were advised, thanks Cleet): with the cinematography by Kramer Morgenthau, and editing by Padraic McKinley and William Steinkamp of special note. The direction by Gary Fleder largely stays away from sentimentality while bringing out the best in an accomplished cast. Charles Leavitt’s screenplay does justice in winnowing down the book by Robert C. Gallagher yet not losing the important information.
Some have complained that Ernie Davis wasn’t as forceful as he could have been in fighting racism, but Ernie said, “I do my talking on the field.” The movie is neutral, leaving the audience to decide. And it is true that in his mind, football was his reason for being. Ernie loved the sport, and it loved him back: so much so that we honor him today, over forty years later, for his athletic accomplishments.
The sad part is that Ernie did not live to see the tremendous respect of football fans. He was, by far, one of the most decent young men to ever play the game. He is a sports icon because he played his heart out for all the right reasons and without all the smug narcissism that we too often see in the NFL today. Ernie Davis was, and is, a genuine hero. Review by Ann Marie Oliva
| RACHEL GETTING MARRIED Rated R for language and brief sexuality. Drama/Romance 113 minutes
4 stars |
There’s nothing like a family event to bring out the angst. The most apt case: a wedding where members that ordinarily might not need to be in attendance (like a divorced parent) are (must be) present. A case in point is the bride’s family (call them the Dysfunctionals) in Rachel Getting Married, a well-crafted and compassionate film with terrific performances. Though there are moments it takes the easy way out, overall it’s a memorable nuptial.
She’s not the title character but Kym (Anne Hathaway, establishing herself as an actress) is the focus from the beginning as we follow her furlough from drug rehab for her sister’s wedding. Arriving home, her father Paul (Bill Irwin, sympathetic but occasionally overacting) is all concern and attention. This, understandably, upsets Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt, first-rate all the way) who wants to be the center of attention. Since there’s no escaping the past - Kym’s addiction, Rachel’s resentment at always having taken a back seat to her sister, Paul’s overprotective yet clueless parenting and, it is eventually revealed (movingly more than once), a tragedy – the scene is amply set for angry words, recriminations, hurt feelings, misunderstandings and, in general, many failures to communicate.
Not helping matters are Rachel’s friend Emma (Anisa George, pitch perfect with snide attitude/digs) and Abby, the remarried mother (Debra Winger, superb in her brief appearances) with unresolved issues galore. On the plus side, however, are the groom, Sidney (Tunde Adebimpe, wooden until he scores with a wedding song) and best man Kieran (Mather Zickel, believably warm and supportive). As if the family situation was not sufficiently difficult, the house is occupied, indoors and out, with streams of young friends (singly, in pairs, in groups) as well as musicians since Paul and the Sidney are apparently, and successfully, involved in the music business.
Much of the movie rings true, such as family awkwardness before strangers and the strangers' attempts to avoid family issues, most vividly illustrated in Kym’s squirm-inducing wedding rehearsal toast. This, too, is an example, among many, of how quickly and effectively siblings and parents can rub each other the wrong way. No surprise as they’ve a lifetime to reference and draw upon. And, there’s the fact that wounds (real and/or imagined) between family members are not solved or forgiven easily after one, or even a few, heartfelt conversations or actions.
On the minus side, Kym’s and Rachel’s détente, given the depth (and years) of their anger and resentment is hard to swallow, especially with the honest non-resolution of their other family relationships. The toasting scene previously referenced is long. Yeah, the two families and various friends bond and adore each other and even if it’s meant to primarily set up Kym’s inappropriate speech, it goes on and on and on. Another thing is that equanimity and mutual admiration society between the two families. For real? And that no comment or mention is made of Rachel’s being white and Sidney African-American is admirable, even if it strains credulity. Then again, that would be another movie (and this one has enough on its plate as it is).
Jonathan Demme’s direction is capable/polished/and entertaining. Jenny Lumet’s script is intelligent and assured. The photography, by Declan Quinn, editing, by Rim Squyres, and production design, by Ford Wheeler, are skilled. And the music by Zafer Tawil and Donald Harrison, Jr. is spot on. There’s much to enjoy in the movie as a basically decent, loving family tries to connect, forgive, and move on. And, hey, there’s even a super reception with an infectious mix of music.
Rachel Getting Married – At this wedding, the viewer gets the gift. Review by Charles Zio
| BODY OF LIES Rated R for strong violence including some torture, and for language throughout. Action/Drama/Thriller 128 minutes
3 stars |
The elements are there. The movie has Ridley Scott’s rich visual style, along with Oscar-winning screenwriter William Monahan, who adapted the bestselling novel of the same name by Washington Post columnist David Ignatius, and two good actors in Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe. What it lacks is a core of coherence. There’s so much going on that there is a struggle to understand what it all means because the plot is so contrived and over-elaborate.
Leonardo DiCaprio plays Roger Ferris, the CIA agent at the center of the film. It seems Roger has scruples, so one wonders why he is an agent when it’s well-known that distasteful things will be required of him, oh say like killing, for instance. Mr. DiCaprio tries hard, too hard, while Russell Crowe in his portrayal of Ed Hoffman, Roger’s boss back home in Virginia is the suburban dad even as he casually orders nasty things on his cell phone when watching his daughter play soccer. Mr. Crowe plays Ed as an out-of-shape dad with disaffected, spoiled kids who have no idea, and couldn’t care less, what dad does for a living.
After some tough opening scenes, it seems Roger is sent to Jordon to work with the chief of Jordanian Intelligence, Hani Salaam (Mark Strong, watchable/charismatic), a ruthless, fastidious man who insists that he can only trust Roger if he tells him everything. They are trying to track down an Al-Qaeda operative named Ali Suliman (Omar Sadiki) who they believe is planning terrorist acts in the US.
In an action sequence (of which there are many with explosions and killings galore) Roger gets bitten by some dogs and must have rabies shots. He meets Aisha (Golshifteh Farahani), when she gives him the shots. Although she rejects him, Roger likes her and decides to pursue her since he’s getting a divorce anyway, and he’s free every now and then. The scenes between the two are some of the most unconvincing in the movie, but their involvement serves a purpose later.
What insight do we learn from this film that we don’t already know, or haven’t seen in other recent films? The Middle East is a hotbed of terrorism, check. Even the people you work for or with will sell you out, check. If you have a conscience, don’t sign up for dirty work, check. “Trust no one. Deceive everyone.” The tagline says it all, if not much. Review by Ann Marie Oliva
| THE DUCHESS Rated R for some violence and language. Western 114 minutes
3½ stars |
This costume drama about Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire is well done for the most part. Among the pluses is the lush look of the film including the cinematography, costume design, set design, and the writing/directing. Although all of the above are contributing factors, it works mainly because of the acting of Keira Knightly, Ralph Fiennes and the rest of the fine cast. No one does these films better than the Brits.
With her dazzling looks, it’s not difficult to believe that men and women would be drawn to the Duchess, everyone except her husband, it seems. In 18th Century England women have very little real power, and the film does make that clear through Georgiana’s story. She is seventeen when her mother, Lady Spencer (Charlotte Rampling, terrific as always at conveying so much with expressions and small gestures), makes what seems to be a wonderful match for her daughter-—marriage to the Duke of Devonshire (Ralph Fiennes). Since British society leaves little room for social mobility mother knows she needs to protect Georgiana as soon as possible by making a good match. Lady Spencer advises Georgiana throughout the film, looking weary from just trying to survive her headstrong daughter’s feistiness. The main problem is that the Duke and Duchess are as temperamentally unsuited to each other as any two people you can imagine.
Ralph Fiennes is excellent at showing a high born man with a half-baked personality. His only purpose in marrying Georgiana is to have an heir to his dukedom. She is hoping for more, much more, and bound to be disappointed. After having two daughters, and accepting his illegitimate daughter to raise as her own, she meets Bess Foster, a woman who has been separated from her three sons. With the duke’s permission she comes into the household, eventually betraying Georgiana and becoming the Duke’s lover out of desperation for her own situation. The friendship is complicated as Bess supports Georgiana the best she can.
High drama follows as Georgiana rebels trying to fight a stifling life that offers no good alternatives for her. Charles Grey (Dominic Cooper) is in love with her, but they have only a short period of happiness together. She does eventually have the son the Duke needs, and as per the pre-marital arrangement, Georgiana gets a fat pay check for delivering the hoped-for boy. (Women in the audience were not amused.)
Yes, there are reminders of Diana when watching this movie, as both were Spencer’s. They were married to men who had no idea who they were, and didn’t seem to much care. For their part, both women were naïve thinking that marriage would provide the emotional support and attention they craved. They got that attention from friends and crowds taken with their beauty and the drama of their lives.
The Duchess is involving, but can be slow moving at times, and occasionally tedious, yet more interesting than many costume dramas. Review by Ann Marie Oliva
| APPALOOSA Rated R for some violence and language. Western 114 minutes
4 stars |
No, this is not a Western about a horse (though at one juncture a horse proves real important). Appaloosa is a small town plunked down amidst the sweepingly empty landscape of the New Mexico Territory. It’s a town on the move (as indicated by the increasing occupations/services set forth in storefront signage) trying to leave the Settler West behind. Hard to do with an old style villain on hand and growing evidence that traditional patterns of behavior are being replaced by a newfangled primacy of self-interest over honor. The pleasure comes in familiarity – characters, situations, and issues of their time but still contemporary – and the mystery of how it will all play out. It may not be a grand example of the genre, but it’s a more than respectable entertainment.
It’s the 1880s and Appaloosa, even with a railroad (that symbol of progress), has not yet shaken its wilder nature as illustrated by the opening of a Sheriff and his two deputies arriving at the spread of the aptly named Randall Bragg (Jeremy Irons, a suitably, heartless heavy) to arrest two ranch hands for murder and rape and instead being shot and killed themselves. The town folk as represented in particular by Timothy Spall (Phil Olson, the epitome of small town self importance and cowardice) send for outside help. To the rescue rides Virgil Cole (Ed Harris, as usual, believable/sympathetic) and Everett Hitch (Viggo Mortensen, superb), two gunslingers who call themselves peacekeepers (and they’ll kill to prove it). The men are short on words, heavy on attitude, efficient in action, and best friends/co-lawmen (another sign of change – they’re City Marshalls) who perfectly complement each other (amusingly, Hitch even finishes Cole’s sentences).
Soon enough, one of Bragg’s hands (a young boy) agrees to testify about the earlier seen murders. Cole and Hitch capture Randall and hold him for trial (despite menace and threats) where he is found guilty and sentenced to hang. In the meantime, newly arrived in town is Allison (Allie) French (Renee Zellweger, a bit too mannered but it mostly works with the character), a penniless piano player. Cole asks if she is a whore and she declares she is not, but she’s no lady either, and lickety-split they are engaged.
True to form, Bragg must be transported by train to a scaffold in another town, another pair of gunslingers turn up, Allie is used as bait, Cole and Hitch track down the escapee. On the other hand, a sterling example of the changes being wrought as the country moves toward the new century is the loss of the once deeply held Western tenet wherein a man’s word is his bond. And, there is the obligatory shootout. But it’s not a long, drawn out, someone-behind-the-water-trough and somebody-on-the-hotel-roof and a-guy-lurking-around-a building-corner, etc. Here’s it’s modern, quick, and intense, but no less deadly for its brevity. There is a letdown at this point when the story jump cuts forward weeks (or months) and, contrary to the formerly leisurely pace, rushes to a conclusion that, as a result, seems imposed rather than inevitable. Still, the ending has power and impact and is iconic as all get out. The movie may not be a classic but it’s definitely a fine effort.
In addition to his acting duties, Ed Harris has produced, directed, and co-written a good script with Robert Knott (based on a novel by Robert B. Parker). Kudos to the sweeping outdoor photography/in-town tight shots/thoughtful compositions of Dean Semler; the neat editing of Kathryn Himoff; the note perfect production design of Waldemar Kalinowski; and the apt, but never intrusive, music of Jeff Beal. Mr. Harris, you’ve done yourself proud.
Appaloosa – Old & New West. Not perfect but plenty good enough. Review by Charles Zio
| BLINDNESS Rated R for violence including sexual assaults, language and sexuality/nudity. Drama/Mystery/thriller 120 minutes
2 stars |
About some movies, the less said, the better. Mainly because there’s scant little to praise and the reviewer doesn’t necessarily want to go overboard with negativity (after all, the assumption is everyone involved was motivated by good intentions). Blindness is, sad to say, the newest example of a To-Be-Avoided-If-At-All-Possible-Movie.
So there’s a plague afoot, or rather in the eye of the non-beholders who have gone instantly blind and can only see white (rather than the black normally associated with vision problems). Do not await any answers as to causes (none offered), how the disease is spread (haphazardly), or the order in which victims fall prey (no rhyme or reason). This is not surprising as the affliction is not the point. What the viewer is given is the reaction of a random group of people to the supposedly inevitable breakdown of decency, morality, and civilization accompanied by the triumph of petty and brute force. Sure, metaphors can be cited. But if the film isn’t drawing one in, who cares? And the film is not compelling. Nor gripping. Nor does it even arouse curiosity.
The victims focused upon are a mixed lot, meant, one supposes, to be a cross section of society, but it’s a very limited society at best. There is, ironically, an ophthalmologist (Mark Ruffalo), his devoted wife (Julianne Moore), a call girl (Alice Braga), a well-heeled Japanese man (Yusuke Iseya), his wife (Yoshino Kimura), the thief who steals their car (Don McKellar), a young boy (Mitchell Nye), and a man (Danny Glover) whose purpose seems to be the expression of longing (bordering self-pity). The big twist is that the Doctor’s Wife can see. Huh? At any rate, as the saying goes – In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is King. In this case, the wife’s vision is a huge advantage but it does not negate the downward spiral.
Locked up (the government response is quarantine in, just too obviously, an abandoned sanitarium), the good folk in Ward 1 eventually come into conflict with the bullies of the Third Ward (politics, anyone?) lead by Bartender (Gael Garcia Bernal) and his right hand, Accountant (Maury Chaykin), more despicable for having been blind his entire life (the Doctor rightfully gives him what for) who are armed with a gun (where or how it came into their possession is another mystery) and demand money/goods and then women for the food supply they have cornered. In no time, the entire facility is unsanitary, brutal, immoral, primitive. Except for our protagonists who maintain their humanity against all odds.
Cutting to the chase, once the entire population has been infected there’s no one left to guard the gates and the inmates walk free and into the desolated city littered with refuse and scavengers. Lead by the Doctor’s Wife, and now bonded, they reach home and set up, get ready, a Family (complete with a dog). It may be a spoiler to reveal there’s a happy ending, but if the viewer’s still seated by the end, they’ll buy anything anyway.
Blindness, based on a novel by José Saramango, was written by Don McKellar, photographed by César Charlone, and directed by Fernando Meirelles. It is peopled by skilled actors giving sterling performances but handicapped by one-dimensional characters caught in circumstances that strain credibility (there’s no getting over the fact the Doctor’s Wife, alone in the large city, maybe even in the world, has not succumbed). Ongoing attempts are made to draw the audience in by portraying the plague’s effect – the screen goes white with shadowy/indiscernible/background hints of motion or surroundings. Once would have done the trick. And once would be too many times to see this movie. Enough, actually much more than enough, said.
Blindness – Not worth a look. Or a listen. Or a minute of time. Review by Charles Zio
| FLASH OF GENIUS Rated PG-13 for brief strong language. Drama/Adaptation/Biography 120 minutes
4 stars |
Despite presenting this film as being about a man who fights against great odds when he takes on the large automakers in Detroit, it’s actually more complex than that. It’s based on the true, but sad story of a man so obsessed with vindication that he sacrifices his marriage and relationship with his family because he can’t let go of the idea that he was cheated. While he is admirable in not backing down, it makes you wonder if his lifelong quest for justice was worth the cost.
College professor of engineering, and part-time inventor, Bob Kearns (Greg Kinnear, doing his best work to date) has much going for him at the beginning of the movie: a pretty wife, six kids, and a teaching job he likes plus tinkering with various inventions. When he finds a way to create the intermittent windshield wiper, he brings the idea to his friend Gil Privick (Dermot Mulroney, effective) who does business with the automakers. They meet with Ford people who can’t quite believe Bob invented it because they had been trying and couldn’t do it. There is supposed to be a contract, and Bob is supposed to open a factory to make the windshield wipers, but the executives take Bob’s design as their own and cheat him out of the credit as the inventor, and the money for the invention even though there were patents for it.
In the late 1960s and early 70s, the automakers were riding high, and like many large corporations, they were arrogant with power. What they didn’t count on was the tenacity of Bob Kearns. Alan Alda does a good job as a lawyer trying to help Bob sue them. His wife, Phyllis (Lauren Graham, first rate), stands by Bob in the beginning knowing he was cheated, but Bob’s continued obsession and his deteriorating mental status and breakdown cause her to leave him because she senses he will never let go of it. The litigation goes on for years after the fight could have long been over. Bob lives on his own in a small seedy apartment where his children come to visit and even though they resent him, they eventually help him fight back.
The concept that an inventor must have a moment of revelation, or a “flash of genius” in order to prove an invention his, is noteworthy because Bob pops a champagne cork on his wedding night and damages his eye. He eventually loses sight in that eye, but his concept for the windshield wiper comes because he tries to recreate the intermittent blink of an eye. He also proves in court that separate elements, already known but reassembled in different way, can create something entirely new. He uses the opening sentences from “A Tale of Two Cities” to show that Charles Dickens didn’t invent the words he used, but did create something uniquely original in his novels-—something writers have always known.
Director Marc Abraham does a good job in pacing the film except when initally showing what leads directly to Bob's unstable emotional state. Yet it does show that the way it paralells the breakdown of his marriage. While Bob does get his day in court, nothing can fix his broken dream or his marriage. Review by Ann Marie Oliva
| RELIGULOUS Rated R for some language and sexual material. Documentary 101 minutes
3½ stars |
According to a statistic that’s cited in Religulous, 16% of the U.S. population are nonbelievers. They’ll love this movie. Conversely, those of deep faith will not be amused. As for anyone in between, there’s some food for thought, not to mention a bunch of laughs.
Bill Maher, the movie’s guide, is upfront about his skepticism, his doubt, on holy text and belief. He is a congenial host, and the family photos and discussions with his sister and elderly mother about their religious background are appealing. It’s also clear he is a skeptic from way back (despite a brief lapse of belief) and nothing since, or in this movie’s production, has convinced him otherwise, and he tells you so over and over.
Part of his function in the film is as tour guide to, among others: a trucker chapel (literally, located in a truck), an evolution museum (Darwin need not apply), a Holy Land theme park (with a Jesus actor who is the sole individual to stop Maher cold), and the very sites held sacred in the Christian, Jewish, and Moslem faiths.
Interviewed along the way are religious figures and followers of the three major faiths, ranging from pastors to a U.S. Senator (Pryor from Arkansas and he does not do his state proud). To put it mildly the scales are not balanced. Maher raises legitimate questions of doctrine but more often than not his subjects are left with blank stares. Did they offer answers? Mostly, the viewer will never know. When replies are allowed, they usually only confirm the blind faith and/or ignorance of the respondent. Then, too, some of the people featured are additionally on the fringes of their own religions insuring their tenets will appear still more absurd. (By the way, though they get short shrift, the Mormons and Scientologists get taken to task also.)
Okay, this movie is slanted/biased/unbalanced. Yet, at times it is funny. Maher uses two devices to achieve that end. One, is to occasionally place sarcastic titles on the bottom of the screen contradicting or commenting on the actual words being spoken by the interviewer. The other is the insertion of film clips (from very old biblical epics to a cursing Al Pacino as Scarface) that serve to ridicule and demean the opinions being expressed.
What’s unfortunate is that Maher has a worthwhile subject in the matter of faith but he seems to have no interest in a fair exploration of the issue. He and Larry Charles, the director, prove their point, but you have to wonder if a more even handed approach would’ve been more convincing to those with open minds. If there is a moment of irony (actually, several minutes of such) it’s at the documentary’s conclusion when Maher turns stridently prophetic (or messianic) to warn of the ultimate destructive danger of religion. And there’s poor Maher, without a prayer. But at least he’ll have had, and maybe you too with this movie, a few laughs on the way to the apocalypse.
Religulous – Depending on your viewpoint - a hell of a movie. Review by Charles Zio
| MOVING MIDWAY Parental Advisory Documentary 95 minutes
4 stars |
The Light Factory brings a truly unique Southern story to Charlotte in Moving Midway, the second in the “Best of Full Frame” from the Full Frame Documentary Festival in Durham, North Carolina (April 12-15, 2007). Written and directed by Raleigh native Godfrey Cheshire, it is about literally moving the plantation house his family built in 1848 to a new location. Yet, the journey encompasses so much more.
Mr. Cheshire’s cousin, Charlie Silver, who has inherited the plantation, has to make a decision since traffic, stores, parking lots, and modern life are changing what the plantation used to be—--a retreat for the extended Hinton family. Typically this is a more difficult situation for the older generation who better remember the glory days, and sense of time, place, and position of the family in the community. How the move affects the writer/director and other family members, forcing a re-examination of their 400 year history in America as well as that of the “old South” is an appealing, polished, moving tale with some surprising outcomes.
The film picks up energy as Godfrey finds Robert Hinton, a black Associate Director of Africana Studies at New York University who believes his grandfather, Dempsey Hinton, was born a slave at Midway Plantation around 1860, making him kin to Godfrey and family. Mr. Hinton, a dignified but pragmatic man, injects a dose of reality to the sometimes wistful “memories” about the genteel life of master/slave that existed on plantations. One of the family members insists that they must have treated their slaves well because they were and are such “nice” people. But well-treated slaves are still slaves all the same.
To his credit, Mr. Cheshire narrates his thoughts and feelings about the move and the implications of the family history, but also provides multiple view points even when it is not necessarily the most flattering portrait of the speaker. Yet, all those interviewed on camera come across as authentic individuals.
Technically, the documentary is well-paced with just the right amount of narration by Mr. Cheshire, interviews, history, film clips of how Hollywood has portrayed the South (Mr. Cheshire is a well-known film critic), and interesting footage of the orchestration of the move itself. The cinematography is never intrusive, has a good mix of shots, and allows the viewer to watch the action without overshadowing the narrative. The editing is also to be commended as many hours of footage must have been winnowed down and shaped into its present form, deciding what is and isn’t crucial to the storyline.
Mr. Cheshire graciously answered questions after the showing and was open to all comments from the audience. Obviously, he cares deeply about this project and his family, and has made a fine documentary illuminating not only the changes forced on his family by modern life, but the often complex relationships that are helping create a New South rather than a fabricated one. Review by Ann Marie Oliva
INFINITE PLAYLIST |
NICK AND NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material including teen drinking, sexuality, language and crude behavior. Comedy/Drama/Romance/Adaptation 90 minutes
4 stars |
This is a sweet, charming, understated romantic comedy/drama of teen angst (and because everything about it is on the mild rather than wild side), heartache rather than heartbreak. Based on the popular book of the same name, the basic premise is that during the course of one night in New York City, two lonely, high-strung, insecure high school students from New Jersey leave old lovers behind and find new ones. Michael Cera (believable and likable), plays Nick, a meek music nerd, who is trying to get over his six month relationship with Tris (Alexis Dziena convincing as a spoiled/jealous brat), who dumped him. He is the only non-gay member of a band called Jerk Off.
The “fun” starts when the troubled Norah (Kat Dennings, always reliably smart and sexy) notices him playing in the band, then recruits him to be her boyfriend for five minutes to prove to Tris that she’s not alone again at one of these clubs. It turns out that Tris and Norah go to school together and Tris is her tormentor. Although, Tris is then intrigued that Nick seems to be interested in Norah, her rival.
Norah’s best friend Caroline (Ari Graynor, excellent as a drunk; a compliment in this case), who Norah goes to see these bands with, gets drunk as usual. Since Norah usually takes care of her, she wants to take Caroline home, but Nick’s two friends from his band decide that Norah is the perfect girl to get Nick out of his funk over Tris and say they will get Caroline back to New Jersey. It doesn’t quite work out that way as the guys: Aaron Yoo as Thom, and Rafi Gavron as Dev, along with a guy they pick up, Jonathan B. Wright, with no name until the end, lose Caroline when they make a stop. She jumps out of their van, so the five look for her all over Manhattan. There is also a subplot about finding where the mystery band, Where’s Fluffy, is playing.
Okay, so the story is wafer thin. This movie is more about the characters realizing and breaking out of their own distorted self-images. Sensitive teens are prone to this as they first make their way into larger social circles. They want to be a part of what their generation tells them is cool, but they also want to believe they are unique. Nick and Norah both feel odd, yet discover they are musical soul mates; the music they love speaks for and through them to each other. Review by Ann Marie Oliva
| BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA Rated PG for some mild thematic elements. Action/Adventure/Comedy 85 minutes
2½ stars |
The kids like it; young kids that is. It’s not one of Disney’s best, but it seems to suit the audience it’s intended to make happy. The plot is elementary and predictable, but the dogs talk and there are laughs here and there. The story is about a spoiled Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Chloe (Drew Barrymore, voice) whose owner, Aunt Viv (Jamie Lee Curtis), treats her like a doll. When Viv has to travel for business she asks her niece, Rachel (Piper Perabo), to look after Chloe. Rachel decides to party with some friends to Mexico and Chloe gets lost. Aunt Viv’s gardener, Sam Cortez (Manolo Cardona) learns that Chloe is missing and heads down to Mexico with his dog Papi, to help Rachel find her.
Chloe’s journey includes getting help from other dogs to get her back home. The voiceovers are numerous including: Andy Garcia as Delgado (Chloe’s protector), George Lopez as Papi (who is crazy about her), Cheech Marin as Manuel, Paul Rodriguez as Chico, Plácido Domingo as Mont (believe it or not), Edward James Olmos as Diablo, (the fierce doberman after Chloe), and Luis Guzmán as Chucho, among others.
Chloe gets to see what other, less fortunate dogs have to do to survive, and she learns some lessons. As this is a Disney movie, it isn’t very scary, and so appropriate for young children. As for adults accompanying them, you may find some amusement. Review by Ann Marie Oliva