Carly Schroeder, Adrian Dunbar, Katharine Ross, George Harris, Jane Lynch, Christine Adams. Drama/adventure. Written by Michael Sellers, Wendell Morris. Directed by Michael Sellers.
FILM SYNOPSIS: Alyssa is a troubled fourteen-year-old who has been living with her grandmother Lucy since the sudden death of her mother. Unable to control her granddaughter, Lucy decides it’s time for Alyssa to go to the Bahamas to live with Hawk, a dedicated dolphin researcher and the father she never knew she had. Alyssa’s arrival comes just as Hawk is battling the greedy developers determined to turn his research center into a tacky tourist attraction. A prickly relationship between Hawk and Alyssa begins to develop as they come together to save the center. PREVIEW REVIEW: Young Carly Schroeder (Gracie, Firewall) is developing from cute screen presence into a talented actress. Through much of the film she brandishes the sulky stare that has come to represent screen teenage-hood, but suddenly she allows a captivating smile to beam across her face and you realize that there is depth to this young actress. Also athletic, Ms. Schroeder trained for several months with former Los Angeles Galaxy player Dan Calichman to prepare for her role in Gracie and has performed her own underwater stunts, including swimming with the dolphins. We do see Alyssa in a rebellious stage, smoking, drinking and making herself up to look like a wild child, but it doesn’t take long for her true self to emerge. She is a caring person, one full of character. The film subtly points out the need to nurture children. They need to feel loved and understand that they have importance. Along with this development, the film gives us an entertaining look at underwater life. Indeed, there’s nothing cynical about the production. It’s a straightforward story that takes us into a world most of us don’t get to explore – the undersea of the Bahamas. Along with the involving performances and storyline, the film contains a pretty musical score and lovely cinematography. The themes concern bringing family together, learning to listen to others, keeping our hearts open. I must, however, warn parents that some content may confuse little ones. The film has a friendly Hallmark feel, so the inclusion of PG-13 content seems unnecessary and out of place. Along with showing Alyssa’s rebellious stage by including drinking smoking, even marijuana use, we also learn that her father lives with a woman outside marriage. Though this has become an accepted lifestyle, is it the example you want your young children constantly confronted with in movies? There are no graphic sexual situations and the main characters grow into giving, self-sacrificing people. So, if you can enjoy a film despite a few lifestyle choices you may not agree with, then I think you’ll find the film an entertaining outdoor adventure.
Distributor:
Colin Firth, Thomas Sanger, Ben Kingsley, Aishwarya Rai. Action/adventure. Written by Jez and Tom Butterworth. Directed by Doug Lefler.
FILM SYNOPSIS: Barbarians overtake Rome and kidnap the newest Caesar, a 12-year-old boy. The surviving captain of the guard sees Rome completely destroyed and goes after the abducted emperor with the aid of a handful of assorted warriors, including a beautiful martial arts expert from India. Once they have the boy back, and this really big sword, they find themselves in battle after battle as they search for a new kingdom. PREVIEW REVIEW: Twelve-year-old Romulus Augustus, the newest Caesar, learns quickly that the barbarians truly are at the gate. His legions are off somewhere and soon he’s without an empire, left with only a handful of warriors who look like they’re out of a Conan movie rather than members of the Roman army. Together they search for sanctuary as they cross rough terrain and battle everybody but Conan. I mean there’s a lot of sword play. Trouble is, the battle sequences are so ineptly staged and filmed that it feels more like a TV-made movie. And that’s about all there is to this movie. Some masked villain is determined to kill off the boy king and take his place, ruling the known world. He’s got a lot of henchmen willing to do his bidding and, though fierce warriors themselves, they’re no match for our small band of killer elites. With probably the most absurd take on the Excalibur legend yet brought to the screen, aided by functional performances that do little to inspire (listening to Colin Firth’s speech to the troops before the final battle, one wonders why they didn’t all go back to their farms) and listless direction and blah cinematography, it’s easy to understand why critics weren’t invited to an early screening. The studio knew the job was blown, and so they hoped to get a little back on their investment from those hearty first weekenders who must see attractions that first Friday and Saturday night come hell or high water. Well, nobody got hurt. Moviegoers have survived many a poor theatrical offering and filmmakers have botched other action pictures even worse (audiences should have sued over last year’s Stealth). But there are a lot better films on DVD concerning Rome, or sword battles or dangerous journeys. Heck, there’s many a home movie that would be more inspiring.
Distributor:
Daniel Auteuil, Julie Gayet, Dany Boon, Julie Durand. Written by Patrice Leconte, Jerome Tonnerre. Directed by Patrice Leconte. 94 min.
FILM SYNOPSIS: François is a middle-aged antique dealer. He has a stylish apartment and a fabulous life, but at a dinner with a group he considers his dearest acquaintances, he is blindsided by the revelation that none of them actually likes him. He’s arrogant, self-centered and harsh, and they don’t believe he knows the meaning of friendship. His business partner Catherine makes him a bet: if he can produce his best friend, she will let him keep the massive Greek vase he acquired that afternoon on the company tab. If not, it’s hers. Having accepted the wager, François naively tears through his address book, trying to shoehorn an increasingly unlikely series of contacts into the all-important role. Moving through Paris, he keeps encountering a trivia-spouting, big-hearted cabbie named Bruno. Bruno’s chatty, lowbrow ways grate against François’s designer temperament, but he covets the other man’s easy way with people. He convinces Bruno to teach him how to make friends and sets about learning the “three S’s” – being sociable, smiling and sincere – though they don’t come easy. Ultimately, François victory will depend on Bruno's naiveté in playing along, but what's the cost of cheating at friendship? PREVIEW REVIEW: The lead has been so caught up with self and a goal of possessing things that he has never attempted to learn how to develop friendships. By film’s end however, he, like George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life, discovers that “…no man is a failure who has friends.” I had a nice time with this good-natured fable. It’s an interesting foreign film, one with subtitles, but unfortunately, it contains some PG-13 content, which, had it not been there, no one would have missed it. Still, the moral (true riches are found in friendships) is pleasant, even if today’s mores dominate (premarital sex, the gay lifestyle and stealing are accepted), the performances are engaging and the script is thoughtful.
Distributor:
Scarlett Johansson, Laura Linney, Donna Murphy, Chris Evans, Paul Giamatti, Alicia Keys. Written by Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini, Jenny Bicks. Directed by Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini.
FILM SYNOPSIS: The Nanny Diaries tells the story of Annie Braddock (Johansson), a young woman struggling to understand her place in the world. Fresh out of college, she gets tremendous pressure from her nurse mother to find a respectable position in the business world, although Annie would prefer to trade in her blackberry for an anthropologist's field diary. Through a serendipitous meeting, Annie ends up in the elite and ritualistic culture of Manhattan's Upper East Side -- as remote from Annie's suburban New Jersey upbringing as life in an Amazon tribal village. Choosing to duck out of real life, Annie accepts the position as a nanny for a wealthy family, referred to as simply "the X's." She quickly learns that life is not very rosy on the other side of the tax bracket, as she must cater to the every whim of Mrs. X (Linney) and her precocious son, Grayer, while attempting to avoid the nasty Mr. X (Giamatti). PREVIEW REVIEW: Containing a subtle, involving performance from the magical Ms. Johansson, some good comic satire from the writers, and a stressed message that money is not the end all, it’s Mary Poppins for grownups. Indeed, there are several not so faint tributes to Disney’s Poppins, including the lead’s flight of fantasy as she sails above the city with the aid of an umbrella, and the film’s message: true riches are found in one’s own children. In place of a spoonful of sugar, Nanny convinces her little charge that peanut butter and jelly makes the medicine go down. She even finds an opportunity to repeat the world’s longest word, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (can you say it backwards?). Well, it lacks the class and classic-ness of Mary Poppins, but it is an enjoyable outing with its Erma Bombeck-like witty narration and humorous satire of parents who treat their children like possessions. That said, read the content before you decide to attend.
Distributor:
Samuel L. Jackson, Josh Hartnett, Alan Alda, Kathryn Morris, Terri Hatcher, Dakota Goyo. Written by Allison Burnett, Michael Bortman. Directed by Rod Lurie.
FILM SYNOPSIS: A struggling reporter finds a scoop – a onetime boxing champ now homeless, living on the streets. His slight detective work and his trust in the man’s retelling of his life leads to a disastrous outcome when the printed story in the LA Times is found to be false. Though it sullies his name and reputation, the humbling experience causes the reporter to reevaluate his character and the importance of truth in journalism and in personal relationships. PREVIEW REVIEW: Fine performances from all (the best I’ve seen from Mr. Hartnett) and a message concerning the importance of honesty and how one lie leads to another, highlight this well-constructed, entertaining film. Alas, our Lord and Savior’s name is misused often, as the lead struggles to convey frustration and fear by shouting Christ’s name. I know I go on and on about the profane use of God’s name in movies, but it’s like nails on a chalkboard to me. It’s not only irreverent, but though many people misuse it in real life, including most actors and writers, still it’s offensive and uncreative.
Distributor:
Jon Voight, Terrence Stamp, Taylor Handley, Lolita Davidovich, Tamara Hope. Period drama. Written by Christopher Cain, Carole Whang Schutter. Directed by Christopher Cain.
FILM SYNOPSIS: Supposedly based on actual events, the film tells of a wagon train bent on settling in Utah during the 19th century. A romance begins, but the group is attacked and slaughtered by…Mormons. PREVIEW REVIEW: Except for the graphic massacre at the end, September Dawn felt like a Hallmark Hall of Fame TV movie. A kind of Romeo and Juliet /Hatfields and McCoys love story, with the Mormons not wanting their young men soiled by the female Missouri pioneers. The actors, with the exception of Jon Voight and Terrence Stamp, were less than electrifying, probably destined to star in TNT sit-coms. And Voight and Stamp were trapped by one-dimensional roles and limited production values. Veteran writer/director Christopher Cain (The Stone Boy, Where the River Runs Black, Young Guns) – and the adoptive father of actor Dean Cain – seemed constrained by an insufficient budget and his own stodgy screenplay and rhythmless pacing. (Ouch. For the record, I’ve seen very capable work from this filmmaker.) What’s more, I wasn’t sure of the film’s intent. In these politically correct times, it seemed confusing that a Hollywood production would point a negative finger at anyone’s faith (other than mainstream Christianity, of course). Here, they have made a very deliberate statement concerning the Church of Latter Day Saints. The world in general sees the Mormon church as a family-orientated group, one that dominates the goings-on in Salt Lake City, but this film wants us to know that there is much sinister activity in its history, and perhaps its leadership of today. Then I thought for a moment that the filmmakers were using this episode in history (one denied by the church’s hierarchy, by the way) as a metaphor, stating that there are indeed religions to be feared. Perhaps it’s even meant as an indictment against the zealots who have declared war on Judaism and Christianity. But that doesn’t sound like anything that would come out of Hollywood, does it? By film’s end, we are left with a bunch of dead people, an unrepentant Brigham Young and probably a very frustrated Mitt Romney.
Distributor:
Matthew MacFadyen, Peter Dinklage, Ewen Bremner, Rupert Graves. Comedy. Written by Dean Craig. Directed by Frank Oz.
FILM SYNOPSIS: This English dark comedy concerns a gay guy showing up at the funeral of a family man he claims was his secret lover. This causes tension among members of the dysfunctional family, who take drastic measures when he threatens blackmail. PREVIEW REVIEW: At first I was reminded of the staid but outlandish English comedies of the 1950s, those satirical films released by Ealing Studios, which usually starred Peter Sellers and/or Alec Guinness. Like those pictures, Death at a Funeral contains a premise ripe for understated, mocking humor. Alas, it’s a different time and filmmakers and many filmgoers are more entertained the more a film becomes obsessed with crudeness. The humor quickly dwindles into lazy R-rated rudeness, much of it generated from shock value (“I can’t believe I just saw that.”). For instance, there’s the casket falling, the body tumbling out before an astonished group of mourners; a man accidentally getting stoned and taking off his clothes in front of said mourners; and the enfeebled old man needing help onto a toilet. That scene leads to the most graphic depiction of excrement I can remember seeing in a movie. As gross as that sounds, a pretty, stylish-looking young woman sitting behind me laughed with the intensity of one who has just heard Abbott & Costello’s "Who’s On First". Different strokes. Video Alternatives: Each of the following was made by Ealing Studios in the 1950s and contains irreverent but understated sophisticated humor and reminds us that comedy need not come solely from anatomical and scatological graphicness. Kind Hearts and Coronets, The Lavender Hill Mob, and The Ladykillers (the 1955 version – not the Tom Hanks remake of a few years back).
Distributor:
Seth Rogen, Michael Cera, Jonah Hill. Comedy. Written by Evan Goldberg & Seth Rogen. Directed by Greg Mottola
FILM SYNOPSIS: From producers Judd Apatow and Shauna Robertson (The 40-Year-Old Virgin), and screenwriters Evan Goldberg & Seth Rogen (Da Ali G Show) comes Superbad, a coming-of-age cautionary tale about two socially inept teenage boys about to graduate high school. Theirs is a ridiculously dependent friendship -- but now they've gotten into different colleges and are forced to contemplate life apart. Evan (Michael Cera) is gentle, smart, and generally terrified. Seth (Jonah Hill) is foul-mouthed, volatile, and all-consumed with the topic of human sexuality. This is the story of their misguided attempts to reverse a lifelong losing streak with the ladies in one panic-driven night. PREVIEW REVIEW: It must be difficult for those unfamiliar with movies made pre-today’s rating codes to comprehend comedy without crudity. Indeed, today’s comic films give evidence that crudity simply isn’t a turnoff to moviegoers anymore. For example, I recently saw a film where even a classy-looking lady sitting behind me roared at the sight of a man splattered with human feces. Sensibilities have changed, but I can’t help but think that audiences are being cheated by the excessive amount of bad behavior on the movie screen. You see, anatomical and scatological humor are the easiest ways to elicit a response that passes for merriment. It’s the shock value causing the response, because we aren’t supposed to say or do certain things in public. Make no mistake; a flatulence sound effect is not wit. It causes a response from the viewer due to the uncontrolled behavior, but Noel Coward it ain’t. But that’s what constitutes the vast majority of humorous situations in today’s comedies – inebriants passing wind or people puking on somebody’s shoes. So when I attend a film aimed at a young audience, such as Superbad, I can expect a certain degree of rude conduct. And Superbad doesn’t disappoint. The leads have good timing, there’s actually a sturdy story structure and beneath the excessive coarseness, there’s a sweet spirit, a lesson about friendship. But the key word in that sentence is excessive. Not a scene goes by that the s- or f-words don’t appear or there isn’t a sophomoric reference to the female form. And in each act, someone vomits. It’s not the crudest movie I’ve seen. Last year’s Clerks 2 has that distinction. But, it’s a close runner-up. It amazes me that there just doesn’t seem to be a limit to the offensive things that can be done or said on screen, or that producers continue to be paid enormous amounts of money to make products that further desensitize a generation. Look around – people are getting more uncouth with the aid of each round of summer teen pleasers. I swear, in another decade, Generations X, Y, and Z will all be back in caves. But if you see this one, you’ll laugh. I guess that’s all that counts. I will attempt not be overly graphic in my content descriptions. I think, however, when you read the reasons for the rating, you’ll agree that when your teens ask to go to the movie (and make no mistake, despite the rating, teens are the target audience), you’ll have only one recourse. Beat them. Video Alternative:Dancer, Texas Pop. 81. This engaging comic drama from 1998 concerns four graduating high school chums set to leave their teeny, tiny town due to a vow they made in grade school. Good technical aspects, fine performances by unknown cast, and it is a pleasure to see a film about teens without the usual crudity, exploitation and profane language. It is rated PG (a few mild expletives & 1 obscenity, but no misuse of God’s name; muted sexual innuendo as a ne’er-do-well father brings home a date, but no sex scenes). Hard to find. There’s a reason for that. It’s good.
Distributor:
Chris Tucker, Jackie Chan. Action/comedy. Written by Jeff Nathanson. Directed by Brett Ratner.
FILM SYNOPSIS: This time around, the two odd-couple detectives travel to Paris to battle a Chinese organized-crime family. Comic insults, car chases and martial arts battles ensue. PREVIEW REVIEW: After a summer load of “three-quels” I’m convinced that the majority of moviegoers are no longer looking for new and inventive, just familiar and formulaic. By now no one is going to see this franchise looking for story, or even character development. They just want to see another coupling of Tucker and Chan. Well, the Abbott and Costello of the martial arts genre have returned. Chan looks older and Tucker thicker, but everything else remains the same: super thin plot, comic buddy formula, and crude and profane language mixed with death-defying stunts. Implausible, even silly.
Distributor:
Anne Hathaway, James McAvoy, Maggy Smith, Julie Walters, James McAvoy, James Cromwell. Dramatic biography. Written by Sarah Williams, Kevin Hood. Directed by Julian Jarrold.
FILM SNYOPSIS: The romantic drama gives an account of Jane Austen’s early years. PREVIEW REVIEW: Though it was pointed out to me that this is not a true depiction of the author’s life, still Becoming Jane is filled with witty dialogue and a thoroughly engaging performance by its star, leaving us with a rich tribute to the romantic nature of Jane Austen. Not as sharply written or as passionate as Austen’s own Sense and Sensibility or last year’s testimonial to Beatrix Potter (Miss Potter), nonetheless, it is a pleasant respite from the den of this summer’s busy but nonsensical group of bust-up blockbusters. Here filmmakers dazzle with those other special effects: story, dialogue and performance. With attention paid to detail, director Julian Jarrold orchestrates his production with deliberate pacing and allows us a look into a time when propriety masked an outhouse world. It was a time when social graces were the rage, but alas, often used to disguise bad behavior. Insightful, it reminds us that there was an age when decorum was demanded, yet marriage was entered into more as a financial security than as a romantic solution. And pity the young couple who dared enter into such a venture without a loving trustee willing to dole out a handsome monthly endowment. Our heroine is admonished several times concerning poverty. “Affection is desirable. Money is indispensable.” Authors such as Jane Austen helped her countrymen and later the world see the importance of love fulfilled. (Thus speaks the romantic.) Last year Renee Zellweger portrayed Beatrix Potter (Miss Potter). Now we have the life (fictionalized) of Jane Austen. Can a biopic of the Brontes be far off? Also worth a viewing: Sense and Sensibility with Emma Thompson, Miss Potter starring Renee Zellweger, or last year’s Pride and Prejudice with Keira Knightley.
Distributor:
Made by National Geographic Films, the producers of March of the Penguins. Narrated by Queen Latifah. The film features music from Cat Stevens, Ben Harper, Aimee Mann, and The Shins.
FILM SYNOPSIS: A tale of love, family, friendship and loyalty, and a tribute to everyday miracles, Arctic Tale has to do with Seela the walrus and Nanu the polar bear, on their journey from birth to adolescence to maturity and parenthood in the frozen Arctic wilderness. Once a perpetual winter wonderland of snow and ice, the walrus and the polar bear are losing their beautiful icebound world as it melts from underneath them. PREVIEW REVIEW: Like March of the Penguins, it has humor and drama and a bottom line message that stresses the importance of life. Unlike March, this film stresses what many consider to be a clear and present danger, the heating up of our planet. Global warming has become a political football, mostly embraced by tree huggers and Al Gore. Well, Global Warming is the film’s theme and the producers’ agenda is to emphasize that if this phenomenon does not changed by 2040, our planet will be an altogether different looking place. Is this film just a political tool to aid in securing a democratic presidency? Is it fueled by disinformation? Is this change in weather conditions a normal cycle or is man responsible for the change in temperature? Is there really a change in temperature? Unlike most who write about the subject, I confess to not be an authority. There are, however, two sides to this debate, and depending on your leaning, you can find a speaker whose viewpoint seems right. But not here. Right or wrong, Arctic Tale states matter-of-factly that Global Warming is a reality. And it’s never too early to get the message across to kids that, “We’re doomed.” Arctic Tale is rated G and though it depicts harsh life-and-death struggles, it does so in a family-friendly way. It’s full of impressive, almost unworldly locations and amazing cinematography, and it sends a powerful message concerning the importance of life. Indeed, nature is telling us about the sanctity of life. In a time when audiences are subjected to pro messages concerning euthanasia (Million Dollar Baby, The Sea Inside), the need for abortion (Vera Drake), and desensitizing images of violence toward our fellow man (most films), here is a movie that reveals creatures in the wild sacrificing all in order to preserve life. A great outdoor film for the entire family.
Distributor:
Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, Joan Allen, David Strathairn, Scott Glenn, Paddy Considine, Edgar Ramirez. Espionage thriller. Written by Tony Gilroy, Tom Stoppard, Scott Burns, Paul Attanasio. Directed by Paul Greengrass.
FILM SYNOPSIS: Matt Damon returns as the trained assassin Jason Bourne for the latest showdown in The Bourne Ultimatum. All he wanted was to disappear. Instead, Jason Bourne is now hunted by the people who made him what he is. Having lost his memory and the one person he loved, he is undeterred by the barrage of bullets and a new generation of highly trained killers. Bourne has only one objective: to go back to the beginning and find out who he was. Now, in the new chapter of this espionage series, Bourne will hunt down his past in order to find a future. He must travel from Moscow, Paris and London to Tangier and New York City as he continues his quest to find the real Jason Bourne, all the while trying to outmaneuver the scores of cops, federal officers and Interpol agents with him in their crosshairs. PREVIEW REVIEW: Excessive, paranoid and noisy. That said, a fan base may enjoy the further adventures of Mr. Bourne and may also be hypnotized by the chase scene, which begins at the opening and continues until the end. Director Paul Greengrass did one of my favorite films of last year, United 93, and he brings the same production skill to this Bourne sequel. He also brings my least favorite photographic gimmick – the handheld “unsteady” cam. It’s used to add tension to a scene, as the camera constantly bobs up and down, jitters sideways and twirls all around. Here, he even shoots people seated, drinking coffee, using this technique. Suddenly, the camera is close on one eye, then swings to a close-up of the other person’s face. The constant movement nearly causes nausea. And where would today’s action/thriller be without the ever present cell phone and the all-knowing computer? Good heavens, they use those two tools to death. Those are my two hang-ups with this film. Well, those and the profane language. Still, Mr. Damon is terrific, bringing dimension to an under-written character, and the action is ceaseless and kinetic for those who like their movies to look like MTV videos. Video Alternative: The Ipcress File. Michael Caine. Although it suggests some sexual activity, it doesn't bombard your senses with a lot of rough language or sexuality like much of today's cinema, but rather focuses on a great espionage caper.
Distributor:
Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony. Musical/bio. Written by David Darmstaedter, Todd Anthony Bello, Leon Ichaso. Directed by Leon Ichaso.
FILM SYNOPSIS: The film celebrates the life and music of the legendary Puerto Rican salsa singer Hector Lavoe, a pioneer of the sound and sensibility that redefined Latin music in the 1960s and 1970s. Spanning the 1960s to the 1980s, El Cantante charts Hector Lavoe’s rapid rise to success as an artist whose music combined Puerto Rican tradition with streetwise modernity and unabashed emotion with straightforward realism. It reveals the singer not only as an architect of Salsa but as its soul – the kind of artist, like Billie Holliday, Edith Piaf or La Lupe, who forges an uncanny emotional bond with his audience. PREVIEW REVIEW. Hector Lavoe died of AIDS, contracted from drug use. His son was accidentally killed by a gun shot, and shortly after an extensive interview concerning her late husband’s life, Lavoe’s wife died tragically in a car accident. It’s almost as if some force was eliminating them from this world before their time. Excess ruled the Latin’s personal life (according to the film) then destroyed it. Earlier this year, the same messages concerning fame, excess and rebellion to God’s instruction was intertwined within the story of Edith Piaf (La Vie En Rose). Indeed, we have seen numerous lamentable bios concerning the rich and famous and unlucky. One can’t watch such a film without realizing that life is full of challenges and bitter-sweetness. Even the gifted and blessed are unable to escape problems. And no matter how much they obtain, there’s just a little more outside their reach. Conclusion: Life is about more than gaining the whole world – or even the little cottage with the white picket fence. Life is a fleeting moment in time, an obstacle course filled with peaks and valleys. And each obstacle we face has to do with character development and faith. Now, I’m not suggesting that message was the director’s intent. It’s just something I’m reminded of whenever I see characters on the silver screen dealing with adversity. No matter who you are, problems are unavoidable. They’re meant to be a part of the life experience and give evidence that there is more to our stay on this planet than obtaining self-glory. Trying to exorcise his destructive inner demons, the film portrays Lavoe being treated by some sort of Hispanic shaman, a sort of witch doctor who combines Christianity along with voodoo-like practices. Wanting to defeat the monkey on his back, Lavoe is seeking a spiritual healing. But since I do not know enough about his actual religious beliefs, I can’t tell why he met defeat. I can say this: drug addiction is an insidious one that’s difficult to defeat even for those who seek spiritual healing through the Great Physician, Jesus Christ. But to seek cleansing with the aid of demonic sources, well, the Bible makes clear that those folks are defeated before they even start. Despite its rough language and the tragic depiction, El Cantante is a powerful cautionary tale. Dynamically acted and well paced by a sincere director, it is a thoroughly engrossing production. One of the best films of the year. I’m wondering, and I’m not being flippant, just how long before we see such stories concerning Paris Hilton, Britany Spears and Lindsay Lohan. To those given much, much is required. DVD Alternative: If you do not wish to support a film with R-rated content, try this suggested video: Funny Girl. This 4-star musical production of the life of singer/comedienne Fanny Brice stars Barbra Streisand. Ms. Streisand won the Best Actress Oscar of 1968 (actually, a first that year – she shared the win with Katharine Hepburn for The Lion in Winter.
Distributor:
Andy Samberg, Isla Fisher, Jorma Taccone, Bill Hader, with Sissy Spacek and Ian McShane. Comedy. Written by Pam Brady. Directed by Akiva Schaffer.
FILM SYNOPSIS: Amateur stuntman and professional slacker Rod Kimble (Andy Samberg) has a problem – his step-father Frank (Ian McShane) doesn’t respect him. And despite his efforts to win his favor, Rod can’t seem to penetrate Frank’s hard shell. But when Frank falls ill, it's up to Rod to stage the jump of his life in order to save his stepfather. The plan: Jump 15 buses, raise the money for Frank's heart operation, and then best him in a martial arts battle. Of course, nothing goes right for the ne’er-do-well. PREVIEW REVIEW: Anybody remember Super Dave Osborn? He was the stone-faced comic who made his way playing a not-so-successful Evil Knievel. His dry wit was hysterical and he played his role with great intensity and sincerity. You’d see him begin some stunt that no one could possibly survive. And he never did. It was so obvious that he had been replaced by a dummy just before a pummeling collision. This added to the humor. Well, Rod Kimble and Hot Rod are kind of an update of this loser daredevil concept. It is also very funny. Keep in mind, however, that today dry wit is overshadowed by sophomoric crudity. Super Dave never swore, almost never made lewd remarks, and mostly steered clear of vulgar sexual terminology. So be forewarned. You will laugh, and ultimately there is a sweet spirit to the character and the production, but it is peppered with a coarseness that has replaced wit and inventiveness. DVD Alternative: The Party. Peter Sellers stars as a good-hearted bumbler who accidentally destroys a movie set, and then manages to do the same to a fancy party given by the film’s producer. There are a few risqué moments, but it is pretty tame by today’s standards. And extremely funny and good-natured. Sellers is terrific.
Distributor:
Lindsay Lohan, Julia Ormond, Neal McDonough, Brian Geraghty. Psychological thriller. Written by Jeffrey Hammond. Directed by Chris Sivertson.
FILM SYNOPSIS: An idyllic small town is rocked when Aubrey Fleming (Lohan), a bright and promising young woman, is abducted and tortured by a sadistic serial killer. When she manages to escape, the traumatized girl, who regains consciousness in the hospital, insists that she is not who they think she is and that the real Aubrey Fleming is still in mortal danger. PREVIEW REVIEW: Of all the pop tarts manufactured in Hollywoodland, Lindsay Lohan is the one with real potential. She has timing, charisma and shows signs of depth. But to become a great actor, one needs to focus. In this era starlets are allowed the opportunity of skipping the dedication and training needed to move past lightweight screen persona and into a full understanding of their craft. In other words, Meryl Streep, Jane Fonda and Katherine Hepburn didn’t become legendary by squandering their gifts. They nurtured and developed them. All that to say, Ms. Lohan’s new film, I Know Who Killed Me, offers her a chance to grow, to show a fully developed characterization. Alas, the actress is not yet up to the challenge. Though I’m sure she’s a tortured soul, the performance is only skin deep. As for the film, it’s hopefully the last in a recent line of movies labeled torture-porn: films that show excessive brutality for no other apparent reason than to fill a void for off-duty psychopaths. (I will be graphic in the content section to drive the point home of just how vile this movie is. And, for the record, people left in droves as the slicing and dicing began, with even more leaving as the flashbacks became even more graphic. Had I not been obligated to see this film as part of my job, I would have joined them.) It has a few moments of interesting psychological drama, but all that falls apart by film’s end. This should give you an idea of just how moronic the ending is, and just how stupid the filmmakers think we are. After being chased through a dark house (nobody ever turns on the lights in these movies), our heroine manages to cut off her attacker’s hand (by sawing it off). But a scene later, she is seen bound tightly to a chair with rope. (Somehow, the villain got the upper hand – sorry, I couldn’t resist). I’m sitting there, watching Lindsay struggle with sailor knots and thinking, how did the nutcase with only one hand tie her up? Even if it’s possible, do you really want to tie someone up when your other hand has just been sawed off? I have a hard time watching a film like this, because on the nightly news we learn of young women being kidnapped, brutalized, tortured and the rest. I don’t like hearing that on the news, so why would I want to be entertained by such depictions? Of course, there are people who enjoy the visualization of agonizing torment inflicted upon a human being – especially if it’s happening to a pretty girl. Isn’t it nice to know that Hollywood makes movies for everyone? Video Alternatives: Alan & Naomi. A young girl witnessed her beloved father’s execution by the Nazis. Vanessa Zaoni and Lukas Haas give solid performances as the traumatized girl and the sensitive teen who helps come out of her shell. Not yet on DVD, but keep your eyes open for this one. Or: Anne Frank Remembered. This poignant documentary works on several levels: a true-life coming of age; the insight of a wise young girl; the human capacity to survive and look out for fellow human beings. Filled with many intuitive moments, the film reminds us that soon no one will be here to tell the personal events associated with that horrific time. Or: Down In The Delta (1998). A Christian mother sends her substance-abusing daughter to relatives down South. There, she learns about responsibility and the importance of family. Alfre Woodard, Al Freeman, Jr., Wesley Snipes, Loretta Devine.
Distributor:
Catherine Zeta-Jones, Aaron Eckhart, Abigail Breslin, Patricia Clarkson. Written by Carol Fuchs, based on the original screenplay entitled "Mostly Martha" by Sandra Nettelbeck. Directed by Scott Hicks.
FILM SYNOPSIS: Master chef Kate Armstrong has her perfectionist nature put to the test when she inherits her nine-year-old niece Zoe (her single mother is killed in a car crash), while contending with a brash new sous-chef who joins her staff. High-spirited and freewheeling, Nick Palmer couldn’t be more different from Kate, yet the chemistry between them is undeniable. Rivalry becomes romance, but Kate will have to learn to express herself beyond the realm of her kitchen if she wants to connect with Zoe and find true happiness with Nick. PREVIEW REVIEW: I call it an uneven production because it contains some positives, but with an equal amount of negative. The good: the actors. Ms. Zeta-Jones is lovely, Mr. Eckhart is suitably antic, and little Abigail Breslin is touching. Also, no car chases and nothing blows up, (a nice change of pace). Most films avoid scenes with people eating, let alone the making of meals. That’s a shame as that communal activity is both esthetic and theraputic. Indeed, I suspect God gave the world music and food in order to unite us. Well, the action here revolves around a hoiti toiti resturant, where we see exotic dishes being conjured while the relationships simmer. All that’s good. Alas, the negatives are just as annoying as Catherine and the food are sumptuous. First, the filmmaker gets a case of the cutes. It becomes too saccharine, especially when Aunt Kate and little Zoe have a pillow fight. Suddenly, my teeth began to ache. Added to this shortcoming, the film is also predictable. Oh, is it predictable. Midway through the film, I uttered the name of the resturant the lead twosome would eventually own. And I was right. There are three things that annoy me most in today’s comedies, each of which has been incorporated into this production. One is the presence of the hand-hand camera, a technique that began in action films to make a scene more frantic. Now, it is just a gimmick. Next, is my distaste for the use of “comic” montages. If the film is about dating, we get a montage with “funny” wannabe suiters. If it’s about running a resturant, the montage is about hiring “funny” wannabe chefs. And thirdly, there’s no easier way to keep the rating out of “G” territory than to throw in either the f-bomb or profane God’s name. Here, the choice was to have a minor character use a profanity. She’s a waitress, studying to do an acting scene while standing in the food locker. Fumbling with the dramatic scene, out comes God’s name followed by a curse. The harshness of the expression changes the mood of a romantic comedy. Or, at one time it did. Now, both film makers and goers are desensitized to its true meaning. There are some funny moments, it is diverting, and director Scott Hicks (Snow Falling on Cedars, Shine) mixes the ingredients of tragedy and comedy together sufficently, but everything seems lightweight, it’s premise overshadowed by candied superficiality. Ultimately, the film is like tiramisu with too much coffee liqueur – just too sweet. For better food films, try these video alternatives: Eat Drink Man Woman. This Chinese film takes as much care in developing the characters and their struggles as it does with its depiction of culinary delights. It is an insightful look into the importance of sex, religion, honor and, yes, food. And in the film, one of the sisters has become a born-again Christian. While she is a bit overzealous, she is never ridiculed. She is sincere in her beliefs and her family, though not yet taking that spiritual path, respects her choice. Caution, Eat, Drink, Man, Woman is rated R. If you would rather not support an R-rated movie, allow me to suggest: Babette’s Feast. This 1987 Oscar winner for Best Foreign Film centers around two devout Danish sisters who show kindness to a homeless woman. When she wins a lottery, the woman shares her good fortune in a most lavish manner. Based on a short story by Isak Dinessen, it is a beautiful tale of devotion and sacrifice, as well as a healing parable where quarreling friends and acquaintances are brought together once they shed their pious austerity. The film urges us not to hide behind our religion, but to put it into action.
Distributor:
Voices: Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Pamela Hayden, and Tress MacNeille, Albert Brooks. Animation. Written by James L. Brooks, Matt Groening, Al Jean, Ian Maxtone-Graham, George Meyer, David Mirkin, Mike Reiss, Mike Scully, Matt Selman, John Swartzwelder, and Jon Vitti. Directed by David Silverman.
FILM SYNOPSIS: Homer creates a catastrophe for Springfield, and only he can fix things. Matt Groening, help us! PREVIEW REVIEW. The TV series has lasted eighteen years, with a remarkable 400 episodes. So the question is: will moviegoers want to pay for something they’ve been seeing for free for eighteen years? Knowing that question would arise, the writers address it during the opening sequence. It's an amusing moment as Homer makes fun of the audience for paying to see the film. Amusing is the word for this movie. Not fresh or hip. Not even edgy. Just amusing. Somewhat. As with the TV series, any and every subject, from politics to church-going is ripe for skewering. But, like the series, most of it is lighthearted and I never felt the quips were mean-spirited or sacrilegious (though Granpa speaking in tongues at church comes very close). The movie merely allows Homer the PG-13 ability to give us the finger in one scene, and for Marge to profane God’s name in another. Marge, of all the characters, is the one who yells God’s name in frustration, followed by a curse. Oh, and we see Bart’s penis as he skateboards nude about town. This is what we waited eighteen years to see?
Distributor: