Review in 100 Words – Elektra Luxx

Elektra Luxx. It sounds like a comic book superhero in a super cool outfit. Who would have thought it was a funny parody about a pregnant porn star (Carla Gugino)? What does one do after retiring from the porn industry? Be the center of adoration for a video sex blogger Bert Rodriguez (Joseph Gordon-Levitt)? Become a femme fatale in a love triangle conspiracy, only to accidentally have sex with Timothy Olyphant (as Dellwood Butterworth)? Or teach a class at a community center on how to act like a porn star in bed? Quirky, hilarious, a bit disjointed, and nevertheless entertaining.

Review – Red Riding Hood

For a region that is constantly covered in snow a girl needs more than a short sleeved dress and a cape.

From the moment Red Riding Hood opens with a sweeping camera over the fog and trees so reminiscent from Twilight that it could have come from the cutting room floor, it is obvious that the movie is a Catherine Hardwicke production. While the movie at times looks and feels perfect for this fairy tale world, the classic tale is interrupted by jarring modern moments, music that feels out of place, unnecessary angst, and a script that at times draw laughter for the wrong reasons.

Amanda Seyfried is lovely as Valerie, the girl with the red cape. Her big doe eyes and beautiful expressive features make her perfect for a fairy tale character. Valerie lives in a medieval town with her mother, Suzette( Virginia Madsen), father, Cesaire ( Billy Burke), and her sister. The village has kept peace for years with the wolf that haunts them by providing it with their best livestock until one day it kills Valerie’s sister. The men decide to track down the wolf and destroy it. Among the hunting party are Valerie’s two suitors. Peter ( Shilo Fernandez) cuts wood for a living like her father, has been her friend since childhood, and is the man she loves. Henry (Max Irons) is a blacksmith who Valerie’s parents have arranged for her to marry to ensure her a better life. The group returns to town with the head of the wolf, but also the body of Henry’s father who was killed by the beast. As they celebrate their victory, Father Solomon (Gary Oldman), the famous werewolf hunter, arrives. He informs the villagers that the wolf they have killed is not the werewolf, and that anyone bitten by the wolf will be infected and must be destroyed. From there on out it is a series of attacks and fights between Father Solomon, his men and the wolf while at the same time Father Solomon terrorizes the town’s residents in his quest to unmask the werewolf in their midst. Academy Award winning actress Julie Christie plays the grandmother who lives in the woods.

The movie often felt flat as the story’s progression was rather slow. While the cast is talented the likes of Madsen, Oldman, and Christie felt wasted and at times forced into playing caricatures . Burke plays his character with so much apathy that you forget he exists at times until he wanders on screen again. Seyfried works with what she is given and is appealing to watch. You do care for her character’s well being. Irons is winning and a nice guy as Henry. There is no reason to dislike Henry, but there’s also no reason to root for him to get the girl either, which creates a rather drama less love triangle. Fernadez as Peter has been Valerie’s dear friend from childhood. They love each other., He’s charming, dashingly and roguishly handsome, and an amazing onscreen kisser. You long for Fernadez to come back on screen for eye candy alone, but he is talented and like Seyfried does his best with the material.

There are too many ancillary characters that we know little about, but then are expected to care when they are killed. Father Solomon’s witch hunt through the town and relentless treatment of everyone was over the top. You don’t have to worry about being frightened because the trailers look scarier than anything actually in the movie. Red Riding Hood lacks excitement and by the time the wolf was revealed, I almost didn’t care anymore. Almost.

Review in 100 Words – Unknown

Liam Neeson is running around Europe again in the Bourne Identity meets Taken-lite thriller, Unknown. This time Neeson is in search of his memory and the truth, not a kidnapped daughter. A paltry January Jones is the exception in an otherwise solid cast. The car chases are breathtaking and the final action sequence explosive. In fact, at times I wondered if the Berlin police were on retreat that week because of how the criminals were running amok. Hard hitting, I appreciated that the story never shied away from “going there”. I also appreciated how age has only made Liam handsomer!

Review in 100 Words – I Am Number 4

It’s hard being an alien teenager these days: dealing with jocks, in love with a cheerleader photographer, saving nerdy sidekicks, and you’re hunted by psycho anarchist aliens on a mission to kill you for your “legacies.” On the upside, you have a special guardian and a dog that is more than a bundle of cuteness.

Hunky and innocent Alex Pettyfer grows into his powers with Timothy Olyphant as his sexy parental figure. Aussie Teresa Palmer kicks ass as Number Six. Slow paced at first, the movie rushes into X-Men style action, complete with monsters and a yearning for a sequel.

Review – The Rite

Let me begin by saying I am not a fan of the possession subgenre of horror films. I’ll gladly sit through zombies, vampires, slashers and flesh eating fish before I willingly submit to a film where the devil made them do it. Naturally I was very apprehensive about seeing the latest in head-spinning, bone-cracking exorcism movies, The Rite, opening today. But it turns out if I had to see one “demon invading my personal space” flick this year; The Rite was a surprise and not so bad, relatively speaking.

Young Michael Kovak (Irish newcomer Colin O’Donoghue) is desperately looking for a way out of the nowhere life working as a mortician in the family funeral home. But according to his father Istvan (Rutger Hauer) either you work with the dead or you become a priest. Seizing an opportunity to escape (with the backup plan of quitting, should “the calling” not manifest itself) Michael heads to seminary school. Four years later he is at a crisis of faith cross-road, wanting to leave the priesthood before taking his final vows. A strongly-worded suggestion from one his instructors send Michael to Rome to enroll in a course on Exorcism.

If Michael was already skeptical, discussions with the professor, Father Xavier (Ciarán Hinds) and reporter Angeline (Alice Braga) only compound matters. Sensing that the force is strong with this one Father Xavier recommends Michael visit Xavier’s old friend and famed exorcist Father Trevant (Sir Anthony Hopkins). Trevant is an “unconventional” priest and, even in the face of what others consider irrefutable proof, is having difficulty convincing the analytical young man that the devil does indeed exist and should be feared for the force of evil he is.

The puzzle pieces of Michael’s past and present come sharply into focus just as Father Trevant begins to exhibit signs of demon possession. If there was ever a time to call upon faith in God and yourself, it’s now. Michael must do both in order to save his own soul as well as Trevant’s.

I had prepared myself for what I was sure was going to be an onslaught of horror and seating-jumping moments. While there were enough of both of those elements I was pleasantly relieved that The Rite wasn’t a non-stop gore fest. It also helped that the protagonist was a comely Irish lad with lovely eyes and a tragic, yet forgivable hair style. Another welcome and surprising feature was humor. There are a few self-aware moments, references to the pivotal 1973 film The Exorcist, etc. It’s pretty clear no one is taking this too seriously.

I fear genre enthusiasts will be put off by the wishy-washy attempt to make the story “real” (it’s “inspired” by true events).The story is nothing fresh and the only thing that may raise expectations for this film compared to, say, last year’s The Last Exorcism is the caliber of the largely European cast. Which then begs the question – what, did Anthony Hopkins need his bathroom remodeled or something? Why is he doing a movie like this? If it wasn’t home improvements, I’d have to say that it had to be the prospect of having an immeasurable amount of fun playing the possessed Trevant. When we first meet the older priest he’s understandably weary and subdued (atypical Hopkins character traits). Throw an unclean spirit in there and Trevant blossoms! There are flashes of Hannibal Lecter but there is something deeply and deliciously evil about Trevant under the influence of the devil. Who would pass up an opportunity like that?

I’m not sure if my saying The Rite is an OK film is going to encourage the hardcore horror fans out there. If you find yourself the losing end of a bet and have to see this film against your better judgment, you won’t be cursing the person who made you go. Not a rousing endorsement I know, but considering the circumstances, take what you can get people.

Review in 100 Words – Tron Legacy

Greetings Programs! The excruciating wait is over and the sequel to the 1983 Disney cult classic Tron is finally opening, in eye-exploding 3-D. We’re again transported to the Grid, guided by computer guru Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) who is reunited with his son Sam (Garrett Hedlund) after a mysterious 20-year separation to defeat Flynn’s creation, the fascist perfectionist Clu (though he looks like he should be a conductor on the Polar Express). Over the top visuals and performances (hello Michael Sheen) and tried-and-true storyline make for a mixed bag but none the less worthy sequel. Fans should not be disappointed.

Review – The Fighter

The Fighter, the latest collaboration of director David O. Russell (Three Kings) with Mark Wahlberg, is an unexpectedly inspirational film. It is based on the true story about small town boxer, Micky Ward (Wahlberg) trying to make it to the title fight while dealing with his overbearing family and his wayward older brother, Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale) who can’t keep up with his training duties. His street-wise, hard-nosed mother (Melissa Leo) manages his boxing affairs and tries to manage his personal affairs such as his relationship with Charlene the bartender (played by Amy Adams).

While boxing is the subject of this film, what draws out the beauty of it is the interpersonal relationship between Micky and his family, most notably his brother Dicky. Dicky was Micky’s boxing trainer all his life, even winning a title for himself against Sugar Ray Leonard, until he succumbed to the life of a crack addict. The film opens like a documentary, supposedly for Dicky’s comeback fight. Reality sets in when it becomes a segment on crack addiction; yet it is a side story within a story that gives the film an indie feel to it. Even Micky’s mother and sisters are caricatures with big hair and determination to blame the girlfriend for Micky’s troubles. As Micky struggles to get a balance of what’s good for his career and maintaining his family ties, Dicky dives further into his declining lifestyle. It reaches a turning point where both brothers have to decide the right course for each of them.

The fighting sequences are technically proficient as boxing scenes go, but it feels harder and punchier. Somehow you wonder if Wahlberg actually got hurt during those scenes. (Even if he did, he had a few years of boxing training while preparing for the film.) If the boxing itself doesn’t seem spectacular, then Wahlberg’s physicality overpowers it. The real Sugar Ray Leonard also makes an appearance in the film and actual footage of the match between him and Dicky is shown.

As Wahlberg’s understated performance matches Amy Adam’s tough and tender byplay (it’s refreshing to not see her as a perky princess), Christian Bale and Melissa Leo deliver outstanding and brash performances that take command of the film itself. Leo is unabashed at playing the manipulating mother who at once adores her boys as much as she takes over their lives. It is not surprising that this film has recently garnered Golden Globe nominations for Best Motion Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress for both Adams and Leo.

Christian Bale leads this cast into that upper level sphere of stardom through his extreme portrayal of Dicky Eklund. If you’ve ever seen Bale’s performances in The Machinist or American Psycho, you’ll understand the unlimited range of talent he has for facial, vocal, and physical transformations he goes through for his characters. As balding Dicky, he’s the twitchy, spastic, emaciated crack addict who has lost his focus and is forced to withstand his own physical limitations. His performance almost seems over the top until you realize, when a clip is shown with the real Micky and Dicky, that Bale was true to form.

Review – The Tourist

Opening today is the follow-up film from German director Florian Henckel von Donnersmark (the acclaimed The Lives of Others), The Tourist; a tongue-in-cheek romantic comedy reminiscent of the old Cary Grant films with co-stars Audrey Hepburn (Charade) and Grace Kelly (To Catch a Thief). Angelina Jolie plays the drop-dead gorgeous femme fatale in fabulous retro gowns and dresses who strings along a puppy dog American tourist (Johnny Depp) who is absolutely smitten with her. Who wouldn’t be smitten? Even I’d follow her, if only to get a chance at wearing one of those fabulous outfits.

From a café in Paris to romantic Venice, Elise (Jolie) plays a deadly cat and mouse game with a Russian gangster (Steven Berkoff) and his henchman and British and Italian Interpol who all want to trap her elusive boyfriend, Alexander Pearce. Alexander has stolen billions from the Russians and they naturally want their money back. Frank (Depp), a math teacher from Wisconsin, becomes bait for the trap when Elise picks him up on a train. Elise follows Alexander’s secret directives but ends up having to save Frank from misadventures.

The setting of Venice, its waterways and impressive architecture, is the perfect backdrop for this beautiful couple and their adventures. Funny, with a shot of dead seriousness here and there, the pace keeps you glued to the screen. Yet, I’m not sure if the storyline is more interesting than Angelina Jolie and her clothes. In various scenes, she manages to resurrect Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, and Sophia Loren. Johnny Depp, on the other hand, maintains Johnny Depp. He isn’t as suave and witty as Cary Grant was. For example he says, “Gracias” to the Italian hotel staff and replies “Bon Jovi” instead of “buongiorno”. But we forgive him all the same.

From the opening scene, there is no shortage of attractive men in The Tourist. Included in the international cast are Paul Bettany (Priest, 2011), Timothy Dalton (007, the casual version), Rufus Sewell (you know him), and hunky Italian Raoul Bova (Under the Tuscan Sun), who tries to put the moves on Angelina. There’s nothing like being under surveillance and being pursued by a host of good-looking gentlemen to make a girl feel desired. Frank has some serious competition. Or does he? Paul Bettany’s character Acheson says Elise apparently falls in love with anyone she has contact with for longer than a train ride and Frank currently has that enviable spot.

The end presents a twist that seems a bit absurd but the movie isn’t meant to be taken too seriously. There are moments between Johnny and Angelina that are timeless in the romantic sense: the dance, the kiss, the final destiny. I wondered, however, how the two could fall in love within such a short span of time; from a train ride to a platonic night shared in a hotel. Yet the end explains it all and you want to revisit the entire film with that new perception. All in all, the film is entertaining and visually enjoyable.

Review – Tangled

I gotta tell you, I get a kick when I hear kids laughing at the movies. There was a lot of that happening when I saw Disney’s 50th Animated Feature Film Tangled, which opens today. There’s some fierce competition at the box office, in the form of the penultimate Harry Potter film opening the weekend prior. But I’m fairly confident this updated retelling of the classic fairytale will win over audiences of all ages (boys included).

Once upon a time in an enchanting kingdom by the sea, tragedy befalls the beloved King and Queen when their only daughter is kidnapped from her cradle by a selfish old woman named Mother Gothel (Donna Murphy). Within the golden tresses of the princess’s hair lie magical powers of healing and youth. Mother Gothel locks the princess, who she names Rapunzel (voiced by Mandy Moore), in a high tower, raises her as her own daughter and keeps the magic all to herself. Many years later a handsome rogue of a thief named Flynn Rider (Chuck’s Zach Levi) discovers the tower and uses it to hide from a posse of the King’s men on his trail. Rapunzel, who’s been taught to fear the outside world and all its inhabitants, decides to blackmail Flynn into taking her to the annual festival of lanterns, something she sees from her window each year on her birthday. Flynn’s immediate plans don’t include escorting a naive girl to the castle and back but in order to get back his stolen prize, he must comply. Now in addition to the King’s men he’s got a duty-bound steed, Rapunzel’s “Mother” and his former associates in hot pursuit. The even bigger danger is that Flynn is becoming romantically entangled with the lively and lovely Rapunzel.

There’s a clear formula to pretty much every Disney animated film: good-hearted albeit misguided hero meets perky and lovable heroine who has scene-stealing animal friends (in this case a chameleon and a horse). There is some kind of road trip or dangerous task to perform, usually set to music and in the end they all live happily ever after. This equation has worked for them time and time again so why stray from the path of success? Tangled offers little freshness in terms of story or characterization but that doesn’t make it completely stale. Writer Dan Fogelman (Cars and Bolt) takes what is at times a harrowing Grimm fairy tale and gives it a contemporary edge. And the edition of 3-D makes the visuals pop. There is a scene when Rapunzel and Flynn are in a boat surrounded by floating lanterns that is particularly breathtaking. Taken together, the tried and true formula once again equals an enjoyable outing to the movies.

One way Tangled is unique is that the guy carries most of the point of view of the story. Clearly there was talk about catering to the underserved boy population who were stuck seeing Princess-type movies with their sisters. The lovable thief Flynn (homage to Errol Flynn) is not as charming or clever as he likes to think he is and probably talks a little too much. I’m a big fan of actor Zach Levi and thought he was the perfect choice for the role. And he’s got a fantastic singing voice! Speaking of singing – pop star/actress Mandy Moore is the voice of Rapunzel. Not a typical princess, Mandy’s voice suits the modern dialogue and songs nicely. Gorgeous Tony Award winning actress Donna Murphy is the manipulative Mother Gothel. Those Broadway-style chops come in handy when she belt out “Mother Knows Best”.

If I have one criticism of Tangled it’s the music. Alan Menken once again takes the musical reigns, this time with lyricist Glen Slater. While the songs are clever, bouncy and fun, they’re largely forgettable. The one exception was the duet “I See the Light” which happens at the already mentioned visually stunning boat/lantern scene. I don’t know if it was the delight at hearing Zach Levi sing or the wonder of the floating lights but that was the one song I remember really liking. The rest, I really couldn’t be bothered.

I’ll admit, based on what I’d seen in the trailer for this film my expectations were pretty low. I was pleasantly surprised that for once they didn’t show the funniest bits in the commercials. I genuinely enjoyed Tangled and recommend it for the whole family.

Review – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1

This is it – the beginning of the end! I know you Harry Potter fans have been eagerly waiting for this weekend for a long time. If you haven’t already caught a midnight screening of Part one of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows you’ll be lining up very shortly to see if director David Yates has once again captured the magic and spirit of the beloved J.K. Rowling book. Those of us who have read the series know what a daunting task that is to undertake. So were Yates, cast and crew able to strike the right balance between faithfulness to the source material and effective filmmaking?

Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and his two best friends Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) have gotten in and out of all sorts of scrapes since meeting their first year at Hogwart’s School for Wizardry and Witchcraft. This time it’s frighteningly different. No longer in the protected environments of school or home the trio are both the hunters and the hunted as they try to avoid capture by Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) and his Death Eaters and search for the remaining Horcruxes, essential for destroying the Dark Lord. No place is safe, no person can be trusted. Doubts and suspicions even threaten to tear apart these close friends. Without the revered Headmaster Dumbledore to guide them, our heroes must call upon courage and resources they didn’t know they possessed. For them there are no second chances. They’re all that stands between hope and complete blackness.

Every time another one of these Harry Potter movies comes out we all remark on how much the young actors have grown. Yes, we get it. They were little kids and now they’re young adults…blah blah blah. Thankfully we’ll only have to beat that dead horse one last time. As the books progressed the characters naturally matured and changed. The obvious “chosen one” for these changes is Harry Potter himself. Daniel Radcliffe has once again delivered a strong performance. In the last film Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) got to stretch his comedic muscles. This time he has been handed some weighty issues to deal with including a burgeoning romance with Hermione. It’s rewarding to see Rupert making that transition from awkward teen (and often over-shadowed by his more famous friend) to confident man.

I have a feeling this movie is going to be completely polarizing. I think fans of the series are going to be happy with what they see. Deathly Hallows is a dense book with many reveals and tying up of loose ends. Screenwriter Steve Kloves, who has done 5 of the previous Harry Potter scripts, does an admiral job of selecting important scenes and dialogue and director Yates handily captures the creepiness and somberness of this, the most dramatic of Harry Potter books. The issue for those audience members who haven’t read the book will be how slow and devoid of big action sequences Part One is. While there are emotional and exciting moments they’re spread out over the lengthy film. It’s essentially a big set up for what’s sure to be the epic finale. And therein lies what will separate those who like this movie from those who don’t.

Review – Unstoppable

Whenever I think of Denzel, “Shakin’ It For Daddy” by Robin Thicke starts playing in my head. He is one solid character of a man. Pair him up with Chris Pine (oh, Captain Kirk, man my starship) and it’s one sizzling moment after another. No other pair can save the day for this crazy train ride of a film, Unstoppable.

Based on a true story of a runaway train in Ohio in 2001, Unstoppable parallels the story of the chase through the Pennsylvania railroad system. The speeding train is carrying hazardous chemicals that will wipe out an entire town if derailed, and it’s left up to Denzel (Frank Barnes) and Pine (Will Colson) to save it when other efforts fail. It doesn’t sound like much of an action film when you think about a simple runaway train being stopped, but Tony Scott (director of Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 and Man on Fire) has done a great job with the editing and action sequences (he also seems to love working with Denzel). I counted at least five major heart-stopping moments when you think something definite is about to happen and you’re caught off guard.

The chemistry between Denzel and Pine is what makes the movie ultimately worth watching. It is somewhat like Training Day (with Ethan Hawke) as it is Pine’s first day as a conductor on the job with the much more senior engineer Denzel (listen to Denzel – he knows what he’s doing). However, there is nothing sinister about the storyline except with respect to the corporate head (Kevin Dunn) making the wrong decisions in trying to stop the train.

Rosario Dawson plays the no-nonsense take-charge director of train operations, Connie Hooper, holding her own against the corporate power plays. Lew Temple, driving wildly as Ned Oldham, is the character based on Jon Hosfeld, the real-life Marysville, Ohio trainmaster who went from crossing to crossing (over 40) to try and board the runaway train. Hosfeld was the inspiration for the movie and had consulted on the set while the film was being made.

With the major dilemma before them, Denzel and Pine also deal with personal matters along the way. Denzel has a strained relationship with his young adult daughters and Pine is on the way to divorce court because of misunderstandings. As they spend the time running after the train, the media tracks their every move, with all the mishaps, and suddenly the relationships change. It’s funny how the possibility of death, or when your father or husband become heroes through the broadcast media, can bring families together.

This film has lots of visual explosions, crashes, and near misses that steal your breath away. It’s a definite thriller with two very engaging actors who are easy on the eyes (especially those baby blues, Captain Kirk) and ears (talk some more, please). Even if you’re not a train enthusiast you’ll find yourself glued to the suspense of the end result. There is one scene which was probably an attempt at comedy: law enforcement shooting at the train. Why? You shall have to watch it for the laugh, if you haven’t stopped laughing from how the train ran away in the first place.

Review – Due Date

Due Date is not a good film. It is gimmicky, predictable and full of one unfunny “joke” after another. This is definitely an opportunity missed, as both Downey Jr. and Galifianakis are very talented comedic actors. But sadly the situations are forced, improbable, unbelievable and worst of all, not funny.

The basic plot is that Robert Downey Jr.’s character is trying to get from Atlanta to L.A. on time for the birth of his first child, the wacky loser, wannabe actor (Zach Galifianakis) who he is forced to travel cross country with and the trouble they get into along the way. From the very beginning when Downey, Jr. and Galifianakis’ characters get kicked off a plane and put on a no-fly list, the film goes from one improbable situation to another. If it is that easy to get kicked off of a plane, watch out and don’t ever raise your voice on a plane or you’ll be in trouble. From that point on each shenanigan the characters got into, I found myself asking, “That wasn’t even remotely amusing, so what was the point?”

The biggest issue is that the filmmakers were not able to achieve the balance between the comic and dramatic moments that they were looking for. Occasionally, when the film slows down, stops being forced and lets Downey, Jr. and Galifianakis just interact with each other there are flashes of what a good version of this movie might have looked like. I wish they’d just stuck with just the “serious” side of this film with occasional comic interludes because those are the best bits in the movie and are the moments when Downey, Jr. and Galifianakis really shine.

Ironically, Due Date is the unfunny, cringe worthy train wreck I expected The Hangover to be. The ads may say “from the makers of The Hangover” but you’d never know the same people were behind that hilarious film and this one. What made The Hangover surprisingly entertaining was that it wasn’t just about the juvenile jokes (although it had those) but that there was some substance behind all of the nonsense. There are attempts at substance in Due Date but it is too much of a mess for those scenes to make a difference.

Fans of these two actors are advised that rather than seeing this film they can better spend their time watching Iron Man and Bored to Death where they can enjoy Downey, Jr. and Galifianakis at their best.

Review – Secretariat

I can hear what you’re thinking: “What, another horseracing movie?” Surely there can’t be that many famous horses worthy of a feature film. (The Black Stallion was fictitious, right?) It turns out there’s a serious gap in my horse sense. If anyone was deserving of a good story telling along side Sea Biscuit and Phar Lap it was Secretariat. Opening today is Disney’s tribute to “Big Red” and his inspirational owner Penny Chenry Tweedy. But will audiences think the filmmakers are just beating a dead horse? It’s a run for box office roses. (Oh yes, the horrible puns shall continue!)

Penny Tweedy (Diane Lane) is a typical Colorado housewife with four kids and a traditional husband, Jack (Dylan Walsh). Tragic news reaches her that her mother has passed away in Virginia. Taking the family East, Penny is overwhelmed with memories of her childhood spent at Meadow Stables where her father Chris Chenery (Scott Glenn) raised thoroughbreds for racing. The farm is in serious decline, much the same as her father’s health. The first inclination of her brother Hollis (Dylan Baker) is to sell the land and horses and be done with it. But Penny digs in her heels to protect her father’s legacy. Despite her complete inexperience with horse racing she puts a tremendous amount of faith in her instincts regarding one particular foal; the little thought of but determined “Big Red”. Penny gathers a loyal team around her: her father’s longtime secretary Miss Ham (Margo Martindale), groom Eddie Sweat (Nelsan Ellis) and larger than life trainer Lucien Laurin (John Malkovitch). Against all odds and assumptions made about horse and owner, Big Red – professional name Secretariat, leaves his competition and the records in the dust to be the first horse in 25 years to with the Triple Crown.

Diane Lane truly shines in this film (and I’m not just talking about that blonde wig). She plays Tweedy with a quiet grace, class and determination. And she looks fabulous in those late 60’s/early 70’s clothes. That’s not an easy look to pull off. Speaking of rockin’ polyester – John Malkovitch may have had too much fun coordinating Laurin’s outlandish outfits with costume designer Michael Boyd. The real life French Canadian former jockey (though Malkovitch is much taller) had a fiery personality that was realized in his dazzling wardrobe choices. As Malkovitch continues along with his enviable career his choices of late have leaned more towards light, comedic turns – Secretariat being an example of one. Don’t be fooled though, just because it’s funny doesn’t mean it’s also not important. Malkovitch is absolutely the right actor to accomplish both.

There are quite a few faces from TV rounding out the cast: Nelsan Ellis (Lafayette from True Blood), Margo Martindale (too many to list but most recently Hung and Dexter), Dylan Walsh (Dr. Sean McNamara on Nip/Tuck) and Kevin Connolly (Eric on Entourage). Nelsan in particular takes a marked departure from the Lafayette character. Those of us who’ve seen him in other projects are already aware of his talent but newcomers will be impressed with the dignity and heart he gives Eddie Sweat. I just love Margo Martindale in anything this does. She never disappoints and playing the plucky Miss Ham is no exception. Trivia time: Miss Ham was the one to give “Big Red” the name Secretariat. Hopefully that will help you out, should you ever be someone’s “Phone a Friend”.

I’m a sucker for these kinds of movies so I thoroughly enjoyed Secretariat. In addition to being about an incredible horse who sparked the imagination of the nation it’s an uplifting story about a woman who is breaking through long standing prejudices about women and their roles outside the home. It’s appropriate that this takes place at a time in our country’s history when social change was happening everywhere. There is a nice correlating storyline where Penny is inspiring and in returning being inspired by her oldest daughter Kate (played by AJ Michalka) who is protesting the war in Vietnam that reinforces the importance of what Penny was accomplishing. So take it straight from the horse’s mouth Secretariat is a good way to spend some time at the movies this weekend.

Review in 100 Words – Life As We Know It

Singletons Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel can’t stand each other and end up guardians of their best friend’s orphaned daughter. More family drama than romantic comedy Life is sweet (though I cried more than I thought I would) and predictable. Duhamel gets to show off his burgeoning acting skills more than Heigl (her usual type-A personality character doesn’t change much). It’s nice to see Josh Lucas back in a good guy, romantic role. The cast of quirky neighbors all in love with Duhamel (and honestly, who wouldn’t be) is terrific. Not a Heigl fan? Life might not be your movie.

Review in 100 Words – The Social Network

There’s been tons of talk about this film and it being the movie of the year. It’s got all the elements to do so: topical subject (the birth of Facebook), awesome director (David Fincher), ace writer (Aaron Sorkin), hot young cast (Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake) and a kicking soundtrack courtesy of Trent Reznor. I found Social Network to be in a word, entertaining. Some dodgy “twin” effects and clear liberties taken with the characterizations of Zuckerberg et al. nevertheless result in a watch-able and interesting film. Still, I wouldn’t break out the Oscar congratulations just yet though.

Review – Going the Distance

The summer of 2010 is drawing to a close but not without once last fling in the form of a romantic comedy about long distance relationships appropriately titled Going the Distance. Can real-life couple Justin Long and Drew Barrymore go toe to toe with the Na’vi, machete wielding tough guys and possessed teenagers and come out on top of the box office? Well that depends. Does the idea of Christina Applegate dry humping work for you on any level?

New Yorker Garrett (Justin Long) meets Erin (Drew Barrymore) a mere few hours after the dissolution of his most recent relationship. Californian Erin is finishing up a summer internship at a Gotham newspaper and not looking for a meaningful relationship. Good thing neither is Garrett. Six weeks later however, to the dismay of Garrett’s best friends Dan (“Sunny in Philadelphia’s” Charlie Day) and Box (a mustachioed Jason Sudeikis) the casual tryst has developed into a full-blown relationship. The time has come for Erin to return to San Francisco and her over protective sister (Christina Applegate) so a big decision has to be made and Erin and Garrett decide to continue their relationship from opposite sides of the country. Interfering friends and loved ones, loneliness and sexual frustration threaten to break the couple apart. The moment of truth comes when Erin and Garrett have to examine what they really want and what or who is best for them.

Let’s face it, you can’t get more adorable than Justin Long and Drew Barrymore. Justin gets to flex his leading man muscles much more than he was able to in He’s Just Not That Into You. He steps up his game by making Garrett charming, romantic and sympathetic. It’s very helpful that he has a cute butt, especially with a hand print on it. This is not Drew’s first rom-com rodeo. It’s a genre she excels at. What’s refreshing in this movie is that Erin has a bit of an edge to her. She’s gun-shy about relationships, having put her life on hold once before for some guy. That manifests in her dry humor and cavalier attitude. But there is also the sweetness we’re accustomed to seeing from our Barrymore characters. It’s a nice combination that makes Erin feel very real.

The secondary players pretty much steal the show in this film. Charlie Day is odd and lovable. Jason Sudeikis gives some horrible advice to our hero but some of his stranger theories end up with some credibility. My favorite performances were Christina Applegate as Erin’s sister Corrine and Jim Gaffigan as her brother in law Phil. Applegate in particular is hysterical. She is truly an under-used comedienne. One2Watch4 is Kelli Garner as Garrett’s comely co-worker Brianna. If you saw Lars and the Real Girl you may not believe that Kelli was the same sweet Margo.

This is one of those romantic comedies that ladies can feel all right bringing their fellas to. It’s a good mix of crass humor and sweet moments to appeal to a wider audience. And by crass I don’t mean Hangover crass. It’s more like 40 Year Old Virgin crass. The dialogue and situations seem natural, conversations you’d have with your friends. That’s got to be due in large part to the director, Nanette Burstein whose previous work was in documentaries. It has that voyeur feel to it in several scenes. All in all Going the Distance is an enjoyable movie. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it. For once not all the funny bits were in the commercials mainly because you couldn’t show the funniest bits on TV. Well maybe you could on cable.

Review in 100 Words – Centurion

If you haven’t seen anything Neil Marshall has directed before – good. Centurion is the best way to acquaint yourself with his work. Set in the 2nd Century, Michael Fassbender is a Roman soldier stationed in Britain at the end of the Roman occupation, fighting time and some seriously scary Picts, in particular their relentless tracker played by Olga Kurylenko, to rescue his general (Dominic West) from a horrible fate. The film was shot on location in snowy Scotland and looks fantastic. The script is exciting and romantic, the action is bloody and the cast is terrific. Think Expendables in togas.

Review – The Switch

There are many of you out there that look at The Switch, opening today and casually label it a romantic comedy, a straight chick-flick. I think you need to Switch your thinking (see how I did that?). The film, starring Jason Bateman and Jennifer Aniston and based on a short story by Jeffrey Eugenides about artificial insemination, friendship and fatherhood may be about as far from the standard boy meets girl fare that you’re going to see in the theater.

Wally (Jason Bateman) and Kassie (Jennifer Aniston) are best friends and have been for years (after an awkward try at dating). Both are single, successful New Yorkers but Kassie’s biological clock is ticking. With no viable prospect for marriage in the picture she’s decided to take matters into her own hands and start a family on her own, with the assistance of a donor. Wally doesn’t cotton to this idea, which causes friction between the friends. Kassie moves forward with her plan, find a perfect and willing donor named Roland (Patrick Wilson) and throws an insemination party with the help of her free-spirited friend Debbie (Juliette Lewis). Wally, still not on board with the big plan, has a bit too much to drink at the party that begins a domino effect of bad judgment decisions, of which he has no memory of later.

Kassie’s fertilization is successful and she moves back to Minnesota to raise her child, a son named Sebastian. Seven years pass by and Wally is pretty much living the same unfulfilled life he was when Kassie left. She returns to New York with Sebastian (Thomas Robinson) and wants Wally to get to know her son. As Wally spends time with the boy he’s seeing striking similarities between them. Now that the fog of the alcohol has burned off, Wally confesses to his friend Leonard (Jeff Goldblum) that he may have switched donations at the party and that Sebastian may be his son. It’s time for the normally self-absorbed Wally to man up and take some responsibility. But is he ready for the big changes that are coming his way?

As I said before, this movie isn’t a straight romantic-comedy. It’s reminiscent of last year’s 500 Days of Summer or About a Boy where you have a male protagonist navigating the relationship waters. The comedy comes from the reality if the situations and not slap-stick, adolescent humor. Well maybe the scene in the bathroom at the party was a bit juvenile. Anyway, Wally isn’t necessarily a likable character. In fact during the early interactions he has with Sebastian, when Wally is clearly uncomfortable having to deal with a child, he says some pretty horrific things to the boy. But Wally truly grows and there some nice dramatic moments for Bateman to show off those acting chops of his.

Jennifer Aniston’s Kassie isn’t really developed. She’s a good mom, that’s clear and a good person. But there isn’t much beyond that. But in the end, the film is about Wally’s journey so we don’t need to delve too deeply into the psyche of Kassie anyway. If I have one criticism, it’s a shallow one and more about Aniston than the role she played. How many hours does that woman spend in the tanning salon? A New Yorker – in the winter should not be that shade of orange. It’s just not natural.

Patrick Wilson is great as the stalwart, earnest “Viking” Roland. He gets to show off some of his comedic timing this time around. The young actor they found to play Sebastian is sugar-sweet adorable. Considering the weight and complexity of this character, young Thomas Robinson put in an amazing performance. The friends played by always enjoyable character actors Goldblum and Lewis are responsible for many of the laughs, mostly at Wally’s expense.

I think the marketing for The Switch makes it look more warm and fuzzy than it actually is and many will decide to take their movie dollars elsewhere because of that. But those who do take the chance may be pleasantly surprised at what they discover. The strength of this movie is its lead actor, Jason Bateman. I’ve been a Bateman fan since back in the day; I’m talking Silver Spoons here people. It’s a pleasure to see his film career taking off with opportunities like The Switch to really explore complex characters and situations.

Review – Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

I’m guessing that after all the hype and advertising around this film that there are a lot of people eager to see this. Based on a popular comic series about a twenty-something slacker’s quest to obtain the girl of his dream, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World opens on Friday August 13th. Let’s hope the inauspicious date and talk of the film’s format having a limited appeal doesn’t prove to be the two evil exes that finally defeat Scott.

Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) is living the dream. He’s the bass player in a Toronto band (Sex Bob-omb), lives with Wallace (Kieran Culkin), his cool, gay roommate and is dating a very sweet, albeit young girl named Knives Chau (Ellen Wong). She’s Chinese. Scott has dream one night and in that dream there was this girl (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) he’s never seen before, a girl with unusual hair. The very next day, while at the library with Knives he sees that same girl. Scott begins a quest to find the girl again and learn everything his can about her. Information and contact achieved, Scott discovers that in order to date the lovely if cold and aloof Ramona Flowers (that’s her name), he has to fight and defeat her seven evil exes. Little did he know that this quest would lead to epic battles, romance and a possible record contract.

Let’s start with the cast. From the top down, they were a great group to watch. Michael Cera does what he does best and plays the awkward yet disarming nice guy with the dry wit once again. A nice change of pace is watching Cera get his Street Fighter on when he has to fight an evil ex. Who knew he’d be cool like that? Mary Elizabeth Winstead is alluring with an edge as Ramona. There wasn’t much to redeem the Ramona and at times it was difficult to figure out just why Scott was so in love with her that he’d risk life and limb. That’s not so much in the acting as in the writing. Wallace is probably my favorite. He’s sardonic and wise, a sort of sarcastic Jiminy Cricket to Pilgrim’s wooden boy. Kieran pulls it off with confidence.

Scott’s inner circle of friends and family is a who’s who of up and coming actors: Twilight and Up in the Air actress Anna Kendrick is Scott’s younger sister, Allison Pill (currently in Pillars of the Earth on cable) is Scott’s spurned ex and Sex Bob-omb drummer Kim Pine and Parks and Recreation’s Aubrey Plaza is an angry, foul-mouthed barista Julie Powers. But the ones who clearly had all the fun were the League of Evil Exes, lead by Jason Schwartzman, as the diabolical mastermind impresario Gideon Graves. Chris Evans does a great send-off of himself as Lucas Lee, action star with a million-dollar eyebrow. Brandon Routh, complete with horrific peroxide roots, is the self-important vegan with mystical powers Todd Ingram. Mae Whitman, who previously played Cera’s girlfriend on Arrested Development is Roxy Richter (Ramona’s bi-curious phase) and new comer Satya Bhabha is hysterical as Matthew Patel. Matthew has a whole Bollywood-type number when he faces Scott that’s fantastic.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is visually striking. Comic book graphics and video game elements run throughout the film. It reminded me quite a bit of Speed Racer in that respect. Hats off to the stunt coordinator and crew because the fight scenes are exciting and well choreographed. If you can turn Michael Cera into an action hero, that deserves an Oscar. Indie rock music runs rampant through the movie as well, supplied by current artists like Broken Social Scene and Beck.

There’s been talk that Scott Pilgrim is too young to appeal to an audience over 30. I’m over 30 and I’ll admit I found parts to be a little pretentious and/or precocious. But that did nothing to interfere with my overall enjoyment of the film. You have to consider the source material: it’s a comic book….about 20 something emo-kids. I don’t know what people are expecting. And the director has brought us gems like Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. Clearly Edgar Wright knows how to tap into pop culture and present a fun and trend-setting production. So leave the old fart bitterness at home, sit back and enjoy being immersed in the world of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.

Review in 100 Words – Dinner for Schmucks

For a film with a wealth of comedians (Steve Carell, Zach Galifinakis, Jermaine Clement and others), I wanted this movie to be funnier. Director Jay Roach (the Austin Powers films) goes for the easy laughs at the expense of star Paul Rudd. (Think the Ben Stiller character in the Fokker movies and one Rudd’s played many times before.) Carell’s Barry is sweet and awkward; like “The Office’s” Michael Scott’s less sophisticated cousin. The pedestrian writing will more than likely make you smile but rarely laugh out loud. I’ll be checking out the original French film with higher expectations, I think.

Review – Inception

When I mention to people that I saw Inception, the response is always the same – they ask “is it amazing” and then add “but don’t tell me anything!” All we get from the trailer for Inception is that it is about dreams, has crazy special effects, and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, but yet it is enough to give everyone a reason to be intrigued and interested in seeing this movie. The funny thing is when I watched the trailer again after seeing the movie I realized that nearly everything I saw in the trailer was not what I expected when I saw the moments in context.

Since no one wants to know anything, I’ll keep the synopsis brief. In Inception, wanted man Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Arthur’s (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) profession is to extract secrets from people by invading their dreams. When they fail at an extraction from Saito (Ken Wantanabe), he hunts them down and turns the tables on them. He offers Cobb his freedom in exchange for performing an inception, planting a thought into a dream that will culminate into a meaningful thought, of the son (Cillian Murphy) of a dying business rival. The process of inception is difficult and dangerous, requiring diving into deep levels of dreams within dreams.

Cobb is challenged in this career by the fact that his wife, Mal (Marion Cotillard), possibly a euphemism for malware, appears in Cobb’s dreams and attempts to sabotage his efforts. His partners in this inception are unaware of what a major problem Mal could potentially be with the exception of their new team member, Ariadne (Ellen Page), the “architect” of the dream space.

I don’t want to give too much of this exciting thriller away. The levels of the story as they dive into the layers of the dream easily could have turned into a convoluted mess, but well crafted writing and storytelling by screenwriter and director Christopher Nolan (Memento, Dark Knight) kept me engaged and enthralled the entire time. But as Cobb says in the movie, “Dreams feel real while we’re in them. It’s only when we wake up that we realize something was actually strange.” In comparison, Inception felt nearly flawless when I was watching it. It was only when I left the theater that I realized there was actually flaws.

While the men filling the roles in Inception are for the most part magnetic and fit the characters well, Marion Cotillard and Ellen Page feel a bit out of step. While Page was easily believable as college student, Ariadne, her character’s repeated efforts to form a connection with Cobb felt forced and at times sophisticated beyond the depths of the character.

Gordon-Levitt has grown up and shines as Arthur. A child actor, most famously known for the sitcom “3rd Rock from the Sun”, Gordon-Levitt has consistently worked into his adult years. As the “point man,” he is excellent as Cobb’s right-hand man in the dreams. He also has the most stunt work and it amazing to watch as he battles in zero gravity during spectacular fight sequences that took weeks to film on spinning sets.

Tom Hardy plays the roguish “forger,” Eames, whose job is to impersonate people close to the subject in the dream. His bravado and levity makes you look forward to seeing him on the screen.

Watanabe’s Saito is a smooth businessman, but it seems there should be a bit more ruthlessness in a man whose dreams Cobb and Arthur tried to extract. Murphy, as Robert Fischer, Jr., the soon to be head of the Saito’s rival company, is believable as the sniveling son, but looses any businessman sophistication to the character’s fear and makes him seem like a lost child at times.

DiCaprio shines as a leading MAN as Cobb. He often brings youthfulness to his characters, but this time, he is a serious man that knows there is the potential for consequences with every move he makes in real life and in the dreams. Unfortunately there is no chemistry between him and his haunting wife, Mal as played by Cotillard, which makes her pivotal character have less of an impact than she should…but as I sit here writing this, I wonder if maybe that was the point.

And that is the flaw or the brilliance of Inception, we don’t know if the flaws are intentional or brilliant filmmaking. It is up to the viewer to decide what is just a dream and what is reality.

The score and the special effects are fantastic as the trailer indicates. There is no denying that it maintains the dark visuals and bombastic soundtrack that have become Nolan’s hallmarks. The issue is that if you have seen the trailer on IMAX, you already have seen the moments worth seeing on IMAX. Most of the special effects are not as big as the rolling up cityscape and the collapsing buildings that are seen in the trailer and I was perfectly content seeing it on a regular movie screen.

Although I see flaws, more than I can mention without letting you in on more than you want to know, Inception is still a great movie that will keep you captivated until the very end. Put it on your must see list this summer and just be prepared for anything during the movie and for lively, thoughtful discussions about it afterwards.

Review – The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

“It all begins…with a choice,” is the tag on The Twilight Saga: Eclipse posters, but for fans of the mega Twilight Saga franchise, the choice is “how many tickets do I buy for June 30”, “should I see it on IMAX” and “should I go to the screening of the all three movies on June 29”? There is no choice but to see Eclipse the day it opens and multiple times before it leaves multiplexes.

In a recent open letter to Twilight fans, director David Slade said Eclipse is a love letter to fans and I heartily agree with his assessment. The Twilight Saga movies continue to improve and Eclipse is the best film yet.

While New Moon began with the crawling moon and a dream, Eclipse begins at vampire speed with a chase scene, throwing you into the action before you can settle into your seat. The fast pacing of this action movie (yes, action movie) is maintained throughout with the exception of those pinnacle scenes that fans would riot without. They will immediately know what I’m referring to when I say “leg hitch” or “tent scene” and I promise those scenes do not disappoint.

Eclipse picks up shortly after the events of New Moon with our heroine (or in Edward’s case, his brand of heroin), Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart), having decided that she wants to become vampire and spend eternity with her love Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson). But Edward has stipulated, to Bella’s chagrin, that he only will change her if she agrees to marry him. In the meantime Bella’s best friend and part-time werewolf/shape-shifter, Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner) has fallen in love with her and wants her to choose him instead of prematurely stopping her heart from beating. At the same time, a series of unexplained murders is terrorizing Seattle and has the Cullen family concerned that an army of newborn vampires is being created. Also, bad vampire Victoria (Bryce Dallas Howard) continues to try to get past the Cullens and the werewolf pack to kill Bella to get revenge on Edward for his family killing her mate, James, in Twilight.

Kristen Stewart’s poorly wigged Bella has matured from the girl we saw in Twilight. Facing eternity and graduation, she is more focused and serious as she comes to grips with her choices. She easily plays the role of daughter, best friend and love of Edward’s existence with the right display of emotions and the maturity that Bella needs to make her choices while never letting us forget she is a teenager.

Rob Pattinson’s Edward and Taylor Lautner’s Jacob, find themselves in similar positions. Lautner’s Jacob continues to evolve as the gravity of the changes in his life effect him, but I felt he lost some of the levity of the character from the novel. While his acting has improved from New Moon, he doesn’t quite match the talents of Stewart and Pattinson when it comes to the range of emotions emitted from his character.

Although millions of girls and women swoon for Pattinson’s Edward Cullen, I had yet to be swayed until Eclipse. From the moment four-poster bed comes into view, Team Edward fans will be ecstatic with the resulting scene. Edward often edges on stalker behavior in his efforts to keep Bella safe, but his heartfelt marriage proposal in his bedroom made me want to jump to my feet and cheer when Bella said, “yes.” I don’t think anyone could say no to Pattinson’s Edward at that point. His emotions for Bella and the tenderness of his feelings had me near tears. The moment will also have every woman swooning when they hear Sia’s haunting “My Love” going forward.

Many of the supporting characters of the saga also get their moments to shine in Eclipse, which is wonderful for those who aren’t necessarily Team Edward, Jacob or Bella. While Nikki Reed only briefly gets to tell Rosalie story with a flashback to her human life in the early 1930’s, Jackson Rathbone steals the spotlight as Jasper. Rathbone, whose role has been limited with the exception of his attempt on Bella’s life in New Moon, plays a major role this time. He gets plenty of screen time, including telling through a flashback how he became a vampire and his violent pre-Cullen family vampire life as the commander of a newborn army. He portrays Jasper with a commanding presence, southern charm and some amazing battle skills.

Emmett (Kellan Lutz), Esme (Elizabeth Reaser) and Carlisle (Peter Facinelli) also gain screen time due to Eclipse letting us look beyond what Bella sees. The books are from Bella’s perspective and the first two movies stuck to that idea. In Eclipse, we get to see what is happening when Bella is not around, including exciting action sequences as the Cullens pursue Victoria and the climactic battle scene where the ever gentle Cullen parents kick some newborn vampire butt.

The special effects are taken to a new level. The sparkling in the sun that makes non-Twilight vampire fans snicker, has never looked better on Edward. The fight training and battle sequences among the vampires are where David Slade’s experience really shines. We now know what vampires crashing together and being torn apart sound like and it is intense! Add to that the visual destruction of vampire and as much as I imagined it in my head during reading the book, Slade made it even better.

There was controversy last summer when it was announced that Bryce Dallas Howard was replacing Rachelle Lefevre in the role of Victoria. Many fans, including myself, were disappointed to hear that an actor that we had become attached to in a role would be played by someone else in the story where Victoria plays her biggest role. The producers could not have made a better choice. Howard fits Victoria to a tea as described in Eclipse. From the voice that surprises Bella to the look and intensity with which she battles Edward (and a few things we pick up on her in The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner), she is perfection. Newcomer and short timer Xavier Samuel is commanding and vulnerable as Riley, the leader of the newborns. The much talked about Bree is played by Jodelle Ferland. While Ferland’s performance is fine, she appears a bit too young for the role as she is described in the novella.

Billy Burke and Gil Birmingham as Bella and Jacob’s fathers, Charlie Swan and Billy Black continue to show that they were perfectly cast in their roles. Burke especially handles the difficulty of being a single father whose daughter is completely in love with a guy he is not a fan of and having to accept that fact, including uncomfortably urging Bella to be “safe.” Sarah Clarke as Bella’s scattered brain mother, Renee, hasn’t been seen since the first movie, but returns for one of the most touching scenes in Eclipse. She is relatable as the mom who is worried that her daughter’s relationship is too intense for her young age, but also is supportive and excited about Bella’s future.

New wolf pack members Julia Jones and Booboo Stewart as Leah and Seth Clearwater have little to do in their human forms, but are impactful when they appear. Jones brings the right amount of bitterness to Leah, while Stewart has the right amount of youthful exuberance. While the wolves look better than they do in New Moon, they are still pretty unbelievable looking even for mythical giant werewolves. When the wolf pack is in its human form, it continues to be plagued by poor acting with the already listed exceptions and Chaske Spencer as the alpha leader, Sam Uley.

The humor in Eclipse is truly funny, as opposed to the first two movies where as a fan I found moments cheesy or cringe worthy causing inappropriate laughter. With Eclipse this is never the case. Great one-liners from Edward, Emmett and Charlie seemed to be greatest source of laughter at the fan screening I attended in Los Angeles on June 14. My only cringing moment was when Edward and Carlisle battle each other during fight training because I couldn’t stand to see either one get hurt! That wasn’t the same kind of cringe worthy moment.

Eclipse is not for everyone, especially if you are not familiar with Twilight in some way. This script assumes that you have some knowledge of these vampires and werewolves and their “talents,” and I think it could be difficult for someone to truly follow who isn’t up to speed on Twilight. But for those who are familiar, and for those who are fans, they will find little to nothing to fault with Eclipse. It tells the story incredibly well, incorporates all the characters in a way that will make every team happy, brings the essential love triangle scenes to life, has remarkable visual and audio effects, incorporates another perfect Twilight soundtrack, makes even Esme kick ass, presents a kiss that will make Team Edward squirm in their seats and a proposal that will make Team Edward cry and cheer.

Fans will begin counting down the days to Breaking Dawn – Part 1 (November 18, 2011) from the moment they leave the theater.

Follow Amy at @OhMyCarlisle on twitter.

Review – Toy Story 3

Toy Story 3 is an utterly charming and enjoyable film. It is easily as good as the first two Toy Story movies and, in a number of ways, it is even better. It is beautiful to look at; full of many highly amusing (and genuinely emotional) moments, but also mixes in the more serious themes of growing up and accepting change.

The film starts with Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) and the whole gang panicking that their owner, Andy, is going off to college. They worry about what will become of them, now that Andy is all “grown up”. Will they be put in the attic to be handed down to the kids Andy might have some day? Or will they be donated to other children who will play with them again? Or will they experience the worst fate a toy can face, being thrown away? The ever optimistic Woody is convinced that Andy will take care of them, but the other toys are not convinced. They would prefer to be donated, but things don’t exactly turn out how they planned and they get into many scrapes and adventures trying to get back home.

One of the best things about Toy Story 3 is the amount of laughs it has and a lot of the most amusing moments are provided by the new characters. Ken (Michael Keaton) is of course, smitten with Barbie (Jodi Benson); Mr. Pricklepants (Timothy Dalton) is a hammy actor/hedgehog; Lots-O’-Huggin’ Bear (Ned Beatty) is not always as cuddly as he might seem; Chuckles the Clown (Bud Luckey) has a “tortured” past and adorable Trixie the Triceratops (Kristen Schaal) becomes the perfect buddy for Rex (Wallace Shawn).

But most of the laughs are at Ken’s expense. Young kids may not get all of the Barbie and Ken jokes, like his endless series of outfits from the 60’s to the 80’s and his ‘dream house” (which actually belonged to Barbie in “real life”) but their mothers and grandmothers will get a kick out of them. The most hilarious moments in the film are when Buzz’s “Spanish Mode” is accidentally turned on and he turns into the smooth “Latin Lover Buzz”, who is much more successful than the shy, “normal” Buzz at charming and wooing cowgirl Jesse (Joan Cusack). (It is worth noting that Spanish Buzz does a mean paso doble!)

The genuine emotional moments that come near the end of Toy Story 3 (as Andy is heading off to college) are noteworthy because the Pixar team succeeds again, where most “live action” films fail, in making an audience care about the fate of the characters in a film and in creating moments of real emotion that people can identify with – even if the characters are computer generated. There is much more to this movie than just entertaining kids for 90 minutes.

As with most films in 3-D lately, it is not necessary for Toy Story 3 to use this technology, except perhaps to show off the spectacular old west action sequence that starts the film, which is pretty impressive in 3-D. But with the advances in computer animation in the past 13 years, Toy Story 3 will still look great in theaters without 3-D

Thankfully, even though Toy Story 3 is a sequel, children (and adults) who have not seen the first two Toy Story films will still be able to thoroughly enjoy this movie together.

Review: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Let the summer blockbuster race begin! One of the firsts out of the gate is Disney’s Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, starring an excellently buff Jake Gyllenhaal. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer is hoping to capture the same magic that surrounded another one of his big budget, costume adventure hits, The Pirates of the Caribbean. But Captain Jack’s boots are hard to fill. Will this popular video game cum action movie make the grade?

Prince Dastan (Jake Gyllenhaal) is an orphan from the streets raised in the palace by the Persian king with his two sons the Princes Garsiv (Tony Kebbell – that drugged out rock star in RocknRolla) and Tus (Richard Coyle – “Jeff” on the original “Coupling”). The brothers and their uncle and trusted advisor to the royal family Nizam (Ben Kingsley) receive intelligence that the holy city of Alamut has been supplying swords and other weapons of mass destruction to Persia’s enemies. A successful sacking of the city reveals more than the Princes thought. Princess Tamina of Alamut (Gemma Arterton – “Io” in Clash of the Titans) is the ordained keeper of a sacred knife with great magical powers that fumbles into Dastan’s hands. A series of events forces Dastan to flee with Tamina into the desert to unravel the mystery of the knife and discover who has set him up as a murderer. Strange allies and deadly assassins cross their path which ultimately leads to a final struggle of epic proportions.

Sounds exciting, eh? It’s the kind of movie you’d expect to see Sabu starring in with Errol Flynn and a cast of thousands. That’s clearly what the filmmakers were going for here. It’s got big sets, lavish costumes, tons of stunts and action all set in an exotic locale. Ultimately though, Sands of Time failed to engage or interest me. As I was watching I was thinking how much it reminded me of the aforementioned Clash of the Titans remake (which isn’t necessarily a good thing) as well as Tasem’s The Fall. Very little in this film is original or new or even authentic (using a majority of European actors for the leads). It’s a challenge to find what did work.

Sand of Time looks beautiful: sumptuous scenery and luxurious clothing (Gemma exhibits a dizzying array in her frequent costume changes). Ultimately it’s all shiny surface with little heart. The first act drags but things pick up with the introduction of Sheik Amar played by Alfred Molina. Amar is a “questionable entrepreneur” trying to live a tax-free life out in the wilderness and is responsible for the majority of the film’s humor. Bruckheimer really likes Molina because he’s the heavy in the upcoming Magician’s Apprentice which Bruckheimer also produced.

If you’re a Jake Gyllenhaal fan, than this is your movie. He’s pretty much in every scene and his shirt is open in pretty much every scene. He is sporting an English accent along with his rippling muscles and distractingly bad wig (we’re talking “Jack” on “Lost” bad here). The accent is decent. Since he’s supposed to be from the streets the fact that it’s not polished works all right. There is a bewildering amount of stunt work in this film. In particular the use of parkour is prevalent and Jake jumps about and wields his saber convincingly. Besides the hair my other major issue with Jake was how out of place he seemed at time. He’d have an expression on his face or an inflection to his voice that was too modern and out of character with the story. But if Jake is your man, you’re not going to even notice that.

The elements were all there to have a decent hit but Prince of Persia: The Sand of Time simply doesn’t deliver. It is not a bad movie. It’s yet just another sad example of a film that, despite having every opportunity to do so, never reaches its true potential. I know there is talk of sequels already. If I cared at all about the characters I’d be happy to line up at the Cineplex to see it. I wonder if we can have the Sands of Time run back to when they first came up with this idea…

Review – Survival of the Dead

George Romero has really made a name for himself in the horror genre especially with the walking dead. Romero didn’t invent the zombie movie but he definitely set a standard that would be the blueprint for many films, novels, comics and even rock music. First came Night of the Living Dead, then Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead, Land of the Dead, Diary of the Dead and the next entry Survival of the Dead which opens Friday.

Survival Of The Dead picks up with Sarge Crockett (Alan Van Sprung), from the previous entry, leading a group of National Guardsman to Plum Island, Delaware, where they end up between two armed, feuding Irish families and fending off decomposing, flesh cannibals as well.

I enjoyed the series all the way up to Diary of the Dead. Survival is better but not by much. It lacks the excitement of the other original films. There are a few scenes that are worth checking out but the computer generated gore lacks in impact compared to the practical effects used in the previous efforts. Romero put some concepts into the script that had potential but are overshadowed by the Hatfields Vs. McCoys -esque plot line and ridiculous scenes like establishing a character by having her masturbate as if it were as common as smoking.

« Previous Page — Next Page »