Strangers On A Train (1951)

Lonely socialite Bruno Anthony (Robert Walker) meets rising amateur tennis star Guy Haines (Farley Granger) on a train out of Washington DC. Through casual conversation Bruno reveals his theory on how two strangers could get away with murder as well as how he's noticed both him and Guy have someone in their lives they could do without.

Strangers On A Train is #32 on the American Film Institute's 100 Years... 100 Thrills list. And while it was directed by Alfred Hitchcock, it's really the plot that makes the film a classic. It's so classic the concept has been used on every television crime show. In fact, it's pretty easy to be familiar with this movie without ever having seen it.

The film itself though is not all together timeless. Many elements that worked just fine in the 50s come across as corny today, making it harder to come by character buy-in. One such corny element is the blatant attempts to make two female characters, Miriam and Barbara, look dowdier than the romantic lead through the use of incredibly thick glasses. While the glasses also serve another purpose, they practically yell out how you're supposed to feel and think about these two women. In other words, subtlety is lost on this film. Another incident involves an out-of-control carousel, which raises too many credibility questions and almost ruins a tense moment with its ridiculousness.

But even with the film's datedness, there are still enduring Hitchcock facets. One is his patented slow chase. Much like in 1946's Notorious, there's a chase that includes a fair amount of waiting, sitting, and stopping but amazingly retains its urgency throughout. The tension Hitchcock creates there, and really through the last half of the film, is so well done - especially since the characters weren't so sympathetic to begin with.

Possibly the most timeless element of all though is Bruno's creepiness. Although this isn't so much to Hitchcock's credit as it is to Robert Walker's performance and the story itself.

Rating: 3/5

Recommended for: People who enjoy watching slow, shoddy police work

Julie & Julia (2009)

Julie & Julia is full of food, frustration, and more food. It slides back and forth between two stories. One is that of Julia Child (Meryl Streep) entertaining herself with cooking and eventually taking over the assembly of Mastering the Art of French Cooking in the 1950s. The other is Julie Powell (Amy Adams) blogging and cooking her way through every recipe in Mastering the Art of French Cooking in 2002.

The cookbook is the thin string tying the two plots together. One would think that maybe there should have been two movies instead of one, but the Julie Powell story doesn't seem to have enough meat to stand on its own. Plus, despite Amy Adams' best intentions and efforts, the character of Julie remains difficult to find sympathetic overall. The movie is actually based on a combination of Julie's book/blog and a book on Julia.

Meanwhile the Julia Child story felt like it could have been expanded into a rather interesting biopic. Streep's accent is just how I remember Child's from her cooking shows. And her story isn't one that's been told over and over. Not to mention it has more developed characters and a more solid conflict than the Julie story does.

Overall it's an entertaining enough film to give watching it a shot. At the very least you can admire all the techniques they employ to make Streep look as tall as the real 6" 2' Julia. We also have to give them props for at least mentioning eating recipes out of that cookbook on a daily basis can be hazardous to your digestive system.

Rating: 3/5
Recommended for: Julia Child enthusiasts, people who wonder what could happen to them if they became devoted to making all the Mastering the Art of French Cooking recipes, and/or those who miss Meg Ryan talking to her computer in You've Got Mail

(500) Days of Summer (2009)

I'm hesitant to put (500) Days of Summer in the category of romantic comedy because it's just not the same fare you typically get out of the genre. Yes, there's comedy. Yes, there's romance. It has its share of silly moments. But it's something loftier and smarter than How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days or You've Got Mail.

The film nonlinearly explores greeting-card-writer Tom Hansen's (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) love for co-worker Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel) over the course of 500 days. The script is by first time screenwriters Michael Weber and Scott Neustadter. Titles pop up to let us know which day we're on and but it's really a tribute to editor Alan Edward Bell, director Marc Webb, and the two leads that the audience never gets left behind. Bell has already won the San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Editing and it won't be surprising if he gets an Oscar nomination as well.

Webb and Gordon-Levitt seem to make quite the formidable team as well in Webb's first feature-length film. While Webb has mainly been responsible for a few music videos for 3 Doors Down and Green Day, you may remember Gordon-Levitt as the long-haired kid on the tv show Third Rock from the Sun. He's come a long way, had a fairly consistent amount of work since then, and has no doubt made a successful transition from child to adult actor.

Here Gordon-Levitt is our well-developed driver, taking us on a tour of joy, confusion, and heart-break. Summer knows who she is, or at least claims to, and tells Tom right from the start she's not looking for a boyfriend. He embarks on a relationship with her anyway and the story is still captivating even knowing from the beginning the relationship doesn't have a good chance. This movie isn't conventional so we're allowed to still have some hope.

They even make a dance number and scenes in a karaoke bar charming, fresh, and fitting. Zooey Deschanel seems to be wearing all her own clothing and hair accessories, but it is an indie movie after all so I'm willing to write it off as a money saver.

Rating: 5/5
Recommended for: Anyone who has ever loved anyone to whom they weren't related

Extended Review:
A note about the soundtrack: Give this film's soundtrack a listen. It includes some classics that have made recent appearences elsewhere (Hall & Oates' You Make My Dreams Come True & The Smiths' Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want,) some other songs that have been just waiting for a soundtrack inclusion (Regina Spektor's Us and Feist's Mushaboom) and an interesting inclusion (but obviously a shot at romance with French lyrics) of Quelqu'un m'a dit by French first lady, Carla Bruni.

Food, Inc. (2008/2009)

Food, Inc. is sometimes difficult to watch yet at the same time intensely interesting. The film takes a critical look at large-scale, industrial-style food production in the US.

It makes the assertions that current practices are environmentally unsustainable, unhealthy, and often inhumane. It introduces you to people whose lives have been affected by food prices as well as tainted food. And on the lighter side it reviews agricultural and food production practices it finds commendable. Producers of the film tried to give the film a bit more balance by giving companies criticized a chance to tell their side. But every one of them declined.

While many scenes will stick with you after viewing, one of the saddest was watching a young girl and her family grocery shop. They have a limited food budget because they have to pay a lot for the father's diabetes medications. The mother knows fast food is less healthy for her two daughters, but feels stuck because it's a cheaper way to fill their stomachs. Inside the supermarket the youngest daughter is reduced to tears when she asks to buy fruit and her older sister explains that they can't get enough pieces with the current price.

When is the last time you saw a child throw a tantrum in a grocery store over fruit? Not candy. Fruit.

I understand that there are a lot of people in the world to feed, but I also understand that technological advancements in food production played a part in allowing the population to expand. Food, Inc. has some suggestions on what an individual can do to support healthy food production, but it doesn't have a solid solution as to how to feed so many people when the current ways are seen by so many as efficient.

Most people don't know where their food came from or what happens on the way to their plates. So even if Food, Inc. doesn't have all the answers, it'll at least open your eyes to that process. Director Robert Kenner accomplishes that in a way that's visually striking and hard to forget.

Rating: 4.5/5
Recommended for: After you've just eaten a salad

Extended Review: If you see it on DVD, be sure to watch all the deleted scenes. There's some interesting stuff they cut for time reasons or what have you.

Coco Avant Chanel (2009)

Coco Avant Chanel is a French-language film about the life of world-famous fashion designer Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel before she was so famous. The story begins with her father dropping her and her sister off at an orphanage. From there it moves to her time working as a seamstress & entertainer to her living with millionaire Etienne Balsan and her hobby of wearing repossessed menswear and hat-making - the last bit being what helped push her into fashion.

Coco is played with great vigor by Audrey Tautou. As she scowls and trudges through Balsan's estate, you can see the beginnings of a designer who'll settle for nothing less than her own carefully constructed style. And when she finally smiles, it lights up her whole being and you see a woman who is truly passionate. While Tautou was lovable as Amelie, here she's admirable both as Chanel and as an actress who has clearly thought about the complexities of her character.

As good as she is, Tautou doesn't do it all on her own. She's given an interesting story to work with thanks to Coco herself as well as writers Anne and Camille Fontaine, who based their script (loosely I hear) on the book L'irregulaire by Edmonde Charles-Roux. Anne Fontaine directs as well, leading the rest of the cast into complimentary position around Tautou's Chanel and making everything float naturally into sequence. Meanwhile Catherine Leterrier's costumes provide the stage for Chanel's pieces to shine through the more complicated period costumes with simple beauty.

Instead of a common biography - how a woman turned into a fashion empire,we get the story of a woman who was who she was, worked hard and eventually the masses appreciated her work. And that leaves more hope for the rest of us.

Rating: 4/5
Recommended for: Those who realize the title is Coco Before Chanel

Changeling (2008)

Based on the true story of a single mother who is reunited with her formerly missing son, only to discover that he isn't actually her son, this story has all the drama you need in its arsenal. And if that wasn't enough, it stars Angelina Jolie as the mother, Christine Collins, John Malkovich as Rev. Gustav Briegleb, the man who tries to help Christine in her quest to be heard, and it's directed by Oscar-winning-director Clint Eastwood.

It was all actually a bit too much.

With the exception of Jeffrey Donovan's accent sliding, every performance in it was excellent. You can tell Jolie is a mother in real life, as she passionately searches for answers. Malkovich appears near-mad in his dedication. An almost unrecognizable Amy Ryan is absolutely gritty as a representative resident of a mental institution. Even the children in the film all do an almost horrifyingly great job.

But there is so much drama and heartache that at times it seems too fantastic to be true. So many special circumstances come into play and there's no reprieve from the constant struggle. It's almost tiring to watch. Then add on the fact that there's so many events included that the movie is just too long. It has a very natural-feeling ending about half an hour before it finally does end - and to think the original cut was fifty minutes longer.

When you're doing a true story, the bar for attention to detail is higher, but here so many details get lost. Anachronisms and continuity errors abound. Someone made the decision to include references to Amos 'n' Andy, The Mysterious Airman, and a broadcast of the Oscars, but no one checked to see if they accurately worked within this movie's strict timeline. There were also issues with future technology and inappropriate terminology and slang. At one point a prominently used hatch on a door simply disappears. And of course there are plenty of your average papers moving around on desks in between shots.

Perhaps it's Eastwood's swift, economical directing style coming in to play, but it just feels like the attention was so focused on the drama that everything else fell to the side. It's too bad because there's a fantastic, interesting, highly emotional movie in there somewhere.

Rating: 3/5
Recommended for: People who'd like to see a softer Angelina Jolie

Dark Passage (1947)

Humphrey Bogart plays Vincent Parry, a convicted murder who has just escaped San Quentin Prison. Lauren Bacall is Irene Jansen, a woman interested in his case who shelters him. Vincent, believing he was framed, is desperate not to be sent back to prison so he enlists the help of a plastic surgeon to change his appearance.

This was a big deal for the studio because they were shelling out the money for Humphrey Bogart to star in this movie, but Vincent didn't look like Humphrey Bogart until after his surgery - meaning Bogart's face doesn't even appear on screen until the last third of the movie. The first two thirds we just see his hands and a first-person point of view followed by a brief time with his face in bandages.

First-person (or subjective) camera work was still rather exotic at the time. In today's context though, it feels like a video game. Another interesting filming choice was that this movie was shot on location in San Francisco. It's refreshing when compared to all the obviously studio set films of this era - even with the driving scenes clearly being in front of a screen.

As for the story, it's limited by the fact that Vincent is hiding and has nowhere else to go. Yet even in a confined plot Bacall and Bogart play off each other wonderfully. Dark Passage was the third out of the four on-screen partnerships between Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall and just like the rest, it makes you wish there had been more than four.

Rating: 3/5
Recommended for: Bacall/Bogie fans who wonder what plastic surgery was like in the 40's

Away We Go (2009)

With the music and the mood from the get-go Away We Go feels like Garden State a decade later. There's a familiar-feeling airport scene and time spent in the dark wondering about failure. But it's not a repeat of Garden State and it definitely isn't some sort of sequel. While Garden State was ideal for the disillusioned twenty-something audience, Away We Go's appeal is broader.

We're following Burt (John Krasinski) and Verona (Maya Rudolph), a devoted couple in their mid-30s who've recently discovered Verona is pregnant with the couple's first child. They live near Burt's parents since Verona's have passed away. But when Verona is at the 6-month mark, Burt's parents (the amusing Catherine O'Hara and Jeff Daniels) announce they're moving to Belgium. Now with nothing tying them to their current home, they set out on a trip to discover where would be the best place to raise their child.

Along the way they visit with an interesting cast of characters they've known throughout their lives. Allison Janney, Jim Gaffigan, Carmen Ejogo, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Melanie Lynskey, Chris Messina, and Paul Schneider all provide memorable, and in some cases awkward and ridiculously entertaining, performances.

The husband and wife team of Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida have provided a script that is willing to show the good and bad of every situation while remaining delightful, hopeful, and clever. And while Eggers is known for his novels such as A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius and You Shall Know Our Velocity, this is Eggers and Vida's first screenplay, making this story victory all the more sweet.

The way Burt and Verona handle their situation is nearly inspirational; things don't rock their worlds, they just roll with it and say, "Ok. We're doing this now." John Kransinski is allowed to be the goofy, good-intentioned one and it's refreshing to see him in a role where he's not playing the straight man to someone else's comedy, making faces. And Maya Rudolph, known for her time on Saturday Night Live, seems toned down. She's not there to be the comedic relief or to act absurdly. Instead she gives a sweetly understated performance.

And if the movie wasn't already impressive enough, it also is the first studio production to take green (environmentally-friendly) initiatives to reduce CO2 emission. Garbage was reduced by half, thanks to the various bins for recyclable material. Caterers used ceramic and washed dishes as opposed to throwaway products. Vehicles on the set used biodiesel fuel.

Rating: 5/5
Recommended for: 98 minutes of quirky sweetness

Underworld (2003)

Underworld was writer/director Len Wiseman's first time writing and directing. Before this his work was in films' art departments. And it shows.

While the film's color tones are dark and a perpetual thunderstorm's lightening provides half the lighting, the film remains visually interesting throughout. Unfortunately the same can't be said of the plot. CGI blends in with the feel of the film and its non-human elements, but talking is minimal and you immediately get the sense that you're interrupting something - a story that's already been going on for awhile.

Sometimes that phenomenon works for a film - here not so much. Apparently there's been a war going on for millennia between vampires and werewolves. Conveniently no one is allowed to look into the past to even know why they're fighting. Then one day in an an unspecified time and place, the werewolves become interested in a human, so the vampires do too. And then they all walk purposefully, run, drive cars, and shoot. Amongst all this, the human in question just takes this all in stride. The lines of who is good and who is not are practically non-existent. All we have is Selene (Kate Beckinsale) who appears to be good, but perhaps only in the context of the world in which she lives.

I have to give these actors credit; they at least appear to know what they're talking about, even when it doesn't make that much sense to the rest of us.

Rating: 1/5
Recommended for: Those who would enjoy putting a film on mute and making up their own story.

Sita Sings the Blues (2008)

Sita Sings the Blues may be animated but it isn't your typical animated film. Employing no less than five animation styles, kids can get some entertainment out of it. But it will be appreciated more so by an adult audience.

The story is a retelling of the Indian epic Ramayana interspersed with a bit of writer/director/animator/voice actor/producer/editor/production designer Nina Paley's tragic real-life story of rejection. In fact, making the movie was Paley's coping mechanism. And it was no light undertaking.

Even though I'm not a big fan of the wiggle-style animation, along with the other four styles employed, it shows Paley's wide talent range as well as keeps the visuals interesting. Another interesting choice comes in the three shadow puppet narrators who keep the tone conversational. They're figuring out the story as much as telling it as they go along. These narrators, Aseem Chhabra, Bhavana Nagulapally, and Manish Acharya, were not scripted at all so their hearing slightly different versions of the story growing up is what leads to corrections and much of the levity they provide. It's important to note that Paley's making no claims that the version of the Ramayana she shows is the definitive one. This is her story told with and through the epic.

The use of Annette Henshaw jazz music from the 1920s as the voice of Sita provides humor, moves the story along, and gives Sita's plight a timelessness. Paley made so many more clever, tongue-in-cheek additions - ranging from a tribute to old Hollywood musicals and Bollywood through a 3-minute intermission that features characters walking across the screen to get concessions to adding "Bam!" cartoon explosions to a fight sequence a la live-action TV Batman to a "follow the bouncing ball" first half review song.

With so many elements this project could have become a mess, but Paley pieced it together fabulously. What's more, she wanted it to be accessible to everyone. Sita Sings the Blues has a Creative Commons Share Alike license, which means anyone is free to broadcast the movie at any time. It's available for free online to watch and to download. See Sitasingstheblues.com for more information.

Rating: 4/5
Recommended for: Anyone who's ever been rejected or could use some art in their life

The 11th Hour (2007)

The 11th Hour is an environmental documentary produced, written, and narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio. In between DiCaprio's inspired speeches on sweeping vistas are interviews with many politicians, environmental activists, and scientists.

They have interesting information to share - such as the estimate that it'd take $35 trillion to replace nature (although we're not sure how that'd work, we do know it's nearly twice the amount of all the world economies in 2007). They tell us that for each truckload of products made, 32 truckloads of waste are also produced. In a study, kids could recognize 1,000 corporate logos but less than 10 local plants or animals.

They have an encouraging yet practical perspective. They acknowledge that there's "no milage in telling people they're making the wrong choices" and that the consumption is not bad but rather it's the fact that it's gotten so out of balance that's the problem. They have ideas for solutions. One being biomimicry, which seems like the ultimate poetic justice - saving the earth with ideas from nature. A biomimicry idea already put into practice is adding small bumps to paint. These bumps stop dirt from settling so rain can easily run it off, making buildings self-cleaning. The idea was derived from an observation about the petals of a lotus.

Overall there's a lot of information to digest and there's where the film runs into some problems. While the editing is well done, it's still too much to take in at once and too high-level to reach and inspire the masses. Aside from the aforementioned DiCaprio vista speeches, the visuals are minimal and much of the stock footage looks dated. Not to mention several of the experts have nearly monotone speech patterns. Solutions for the environment that are already in process are flashed upon the screen but they aren't discussed, leaving the viewer feeling like they're just concepts instead of steps in the right direction.

While full of knowledge, thoughtfulness, and good intentions the 11th Hour doesn't have enough appeal to inspire the masses to rise up and save the world.

Rating: 2.5/5
Recommended for: Segmented viewing

Adventureland (2009)

While listening to a radio interview with Adventureland's director Greg Mottola, his enthusiasm about making this movie was so endearing I decided to watch.

Greg, I feel played.

It's supposed to be a comedy set in 1987 about a guy who is forced to abandon his plans of a touring Europe before heading off to college and take up a job at an amusement park for the summer instead. Unfortunately pretty much all the funny parts are in the trailer and they're provided by Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig. While highly entertaining, Hader and Wiig seem to be in a different movie than everyone else. Everyone else is in a movie about disappointment and people using other people. Hader and Wiig are in a movie about a wacky, run-down amusement park.

The other actors in it, namely Jesse Eisenberg as the lead, Kristen Stewart as the co-worker on whom he develops a crush, and Ryan Reynolds as the amusement park's handyman, all do fine. Mottola's crew did a great job with the set they made out of the real Kennywood Park. But in the end, it's just not an appealing story and it's definitely not what the poster makes you think you're going to watch.

Rating: 2/5
Recommended for: People nostalgic about working in an amusement park

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

If it was done in a town you passed through, it was hard to miss the quasi-guerilla marketing campaign of Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Billboards, taxi-tops, bus sides and bus stops had signs meant to look hand-written with phrases like "I'm so over you, Sarah Marshall." and "You do look fat in those jeans, Sarah Marshall." It was different enough to pique my curiosity. When I found out it was written by Jason Segel my curiosity only grew.

Segel also plays the main character of Peter Bretter in this story based on some of his own relationship experiences. Peter is the composer for a tv show called Crime Scene: Scene of the Crime - a show on which his girlfriend Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell) just happens to be the star. Peter's considering proposing to Sarah when she suddenly dumps him.

He takes off for Hawaii to cope but it turns out Sarah is staying at the same hotel with her new boyfriend, rock star Aldous Snow (hilariously played by British comedian Russell Brand). Luckily Peter finds a sympathetic ally in front desk worker Rachel Jansen (Mila Kunis).

Antics ensue and it's hard to say much more without giving too many surprises away. Peter's a bit goofy but he's easy to root for because he obviously has a big heart. And the smattering of well-known faces (Paul Rudd, Jack McBrayer, Bill Hader, Jason Bateman, William Baldwin, Kristen Wiig...) in small roles sliding in and out of the picture definitely help keep things lively. There are plenty of silly and/or adult humor moments, but the film doesn't totally rely on them to be entertaining.

Rating: 4/5
Recommended for: Adults who need a good laugh and a cheap trip to Hawaii.

Rachel Getting Married (2008)

Jenny Lumet wrote a heartbreaking story in her first script to be filmed. While the Rachel of the title is not the main character, the film is about what old feelings are stirred up in a family by the event of Rachel's wedding. Kym, Rachel's sister, is on leave from rehab - a place she's been in and out of for the past ten years.

Rachel is immediately upset by how much their father dotes on Kym while Kym is upset than Rachel's chosen someone else to be her maid of honor. Then there's their mother who has clearly been more concerned with her own well-being than that of her daughters for awhile.

Besides a heartfelt story, what sets this movie apart is the depths to which everyone involved went to make it. Director Jonathan Demme had more than one camera filming at all times. Camera operators and sound people would wander in and out of the groups of people, but also in and out of rooms in the house. It's so refreshing to have a character storm out of a room and have the camera not only actually follow her, but do so from behind so it's like we're there trying to chase after her. It's not just a house standing in for a set. It opens the setting up and makes it all the more real. It also opens up the characters.

Every actor and extra had to be "on" at all times because they often didn't know if they were in some way part of a scene or not when they were on set. This technique seemed to especially benefit Anne Hathaway in playing Kym. Her work here blows away everything she's done before it. She proves she can go beyond the silly comedy and Disney fare to deliver a character who has definite flaws and has done unlikeable things but somehow remains someone you could feel something for other than distaste. The Oscar nomination was well-deserved. But overall this was an outstanding ensemble success from both the cast and crew. It may not be the best movie to watch when you're already feeling down, but it has its smiles along with the tears.

Rating: 5/5
Recommended for: Anyone looking for a refreshing take on what a film can be.

Failure to Launch (2006)

It's very difficult to not start this review with the phrase "failure to make a good movie". See? I couldn't not do it.

Tripp (Matthew McConaughey) is in his mid-30s and refuses to move out of his parents' house despite having a steady job, a nice car, and plenty of friends. So his parents hire Paula (Sarah Jessica Parker) to "launch" him into his own life. Apparently Paula does this for a living. It, unsurprisingly, must not be a consistent, in-demand job since she lives in a small place with her stereotypically-odd-Zooey-Deschanel roommate character. So Paula embarks on her tested plan to seduce and manipulate Tripp.

Surprise! Things don't go according to plan!
Surprise! Paula and Tripp may actually like each other!
Surprise! People find out the truth and get upset with each other!

Oh wait. Those aren't surprises at all. They're forced, unrealistic, formulaic "comedy". There's nothing here you haven't seen before and no added value to those overplayed elements. This endeavor even has no less than three incidents of animals attacking people - an event that's become commonplace in so many romantic comedies lately. It's cheap comedy with limited appeal. Some people might laugh the first time but does a biting dolphin really add value to your comedy quotient?

This is the type of movie people think of when you say "romantic comedy". I find that unfortunate. But if you like to have seen a movie before you've actually seen it, it may be comforting.

Rating: 1/5
Recommended for: Those who hate surprises and love McConaughey.

The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

Some people say The Royal Tenenbaums is where writer/director Wes Anderson peaked. I would be inclined to agree so far, but I still hold out hope he'll make another film as great as this one.

You could say this is a character piece with, as you can see from the poster, a whole bunch of characters. In a way it's sort of a choose-your-own-adventure. Pick the character you relate to most and ride through the movie with them. If you don't like them anymore, there are several more from which to choose and each actor pulls his or her own weight resulting in a superb ensemble.

The movie opens as a book where you're introduced to the family as they were about 15 years ago and then a quirky montage shows you them now (and also serves as opening credits). Gene Hackman is the patriarch, Royal Tenenbaum. He wasn't very supportive of the kids when they were growing up and he's been out of their lives completely for many years. Meanwhile their mother, Etheline (Angelica Huston), indulged them in their talents and they all became known as child prodigies (Hello, children who grew up being told they could be whatever they wanted.). Richie (Luke Wilson) was a tennis player. Margot (Gwyneth Paltrow) was a writer. Chas (Ben Stiller) was a financial whiz. But the past several years have been filled with disappointment and failures for all of them.

Broke and kicked out of the hotel he's been staying in, Royal decides now might be a good time to try to reconnect with his family—by lying to them and telling them he has less than two months to live. The whole family soon finds themselves back in the family home and more quirkiness ensues.

The film exists in a hyper-real world. They live in New York, but without any recognizable New York sites. The family dresses in clothing styled after the time when they were all in their heyday. Director Anderson totally ignores the rule of thirds, oftentimes sticking his character smack dab in the center of the screen. He then lets them hang there a moment in a pose before they move on.

The story he's brought us with writing partner Owen Wilson is an odd one but the dysfunctional family line has elements to which everyone can relate. Characters slide between deadpan comedy and heavy drama. And at the end, there's a trademark Anderson slow-motion shot that brings the family together and makes you feel like everyone is taking their final bow. It's a fitting tribute to the charm of a quirky film. Some movies you watch once and their done, but this one can easily stick with you and make you want to watch it again. (For me, again has meant 49 times - no exaggeration.)

Rating: 5/5
Recommended for: Nearly everyone, but especially those of us who grew up entrenched in extracurriculars and are afraid we really might have peaked too early.

The Reader (2008)

The situation one puts himself or herself in to watch The Reader is an interesting one. You know going in that this is not going to be a lighthearted film. Its story is connected to the Holocaust (although it is not a "Holocaust movie") and that's never a happy thing. On top of that it can be hard to connect to the characters for the first hour or so.

Just as I was considering dismissing the film, I found myself hooked and tied to the two main characters and they didn't let me go until the end.

One day on his way home in 1950s Berlin, Michael Berg (David Kross) falls ill. He is taken care of by a stranger who sees to it that he makes it home ok. Several months later he has recovered and goes to thank her. He finds her beautiful and mysterious and can't help but be drawn to her. Her name is Hanna Schmitz, she works on a tram, and that's mainly all we get to know about her for quite some time.

Even though Hanna is several years older than Michael, they embark on a romantic affair which ends up containing a routine in which she makes him read to her. One day Michael goes to her apartment and finds she's packed up and left. Several years later she's back in his life again. Now he's a law student and he's attending the trial of several female former Nazi prison guards. Hanna happens to be one of them. While Michael is dumbstruck about this revelation he makes another that could have a serious outcome on her sentencing. But the question is whether he will speak up or not.

Kate Winslet won an Oscar for her role as Hanna, a woman who suddenly becomes more human right in front of our eyes. The off-putting disposition Winslet buries into at the beginning (the same that played into my wanting to give up on the movie) is what allows her to really showcase the transition as she opens up a little and fights internal battles that play out on her face. Ralph Fiennes is also in the film as "present-day" Michael demonstrating a closed-off nature that much mirrors the one presented earlier by Winslet.

No spoiling of the ending will take place here, but I will say this: Watch it with someone you care about. You'll need a hug when it's over.

Rating: 4/5
Recommended for: Those looking for a film about human nature.

The Usual Suspects (1994)

The end of this movie is so brilliant that it makes the rest of the film worse for the wear. It also makes it pretty boring to watch more than once, which unfortunately I did in order to review it.

A waterfront explosion leaves many criminals dead. The police find two survivors: a badly burnt, most-wanted Hungarian who keeps repeating the name Keyser Soze and a crippled con-artist named Verbal Klint (Kevin Spacey). As the police question Klint on what happened, he tells the story of five career-criminals, including himself, (the usual suspects) brought in for a lineup after a crime they didn't commit. They end up banding together and eventually find themselves forced into the employment of the dangerous and mysterious Keyser Soze.

Stephan Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Benicio Del Toro, and Kevin Pollack play the other 4 usual suspects, all just distinct enough in their roles. Pete Postlethwaite is plenty sinister as Soze's number two, Mr. Kobayashi. Chazz Palminteri is what you'd expect as the borderline obsessive detective trying to figure out what happened on the boat that exploded. Kevin Spacey is his usual confident self as Klint, our flashback narrator.

That story Klint tells is long, violent, and often a bit confusing. The good news is if the story confuses you, it doesn't matter. I can't tell you why without ruining anything, but it is ok to be confused.

Rating: 2/5
Recommended for: People who like paying attention to a movie for only ten minutes. (I'd recommend the last ten.)

The Valet (2006)

Writer/Director Francis Veber created a sweet and highly amusing film with The Valet even with it's absurdity. Valet Francois Pignon is hired to portray the boyfriend of the highest paid model in the world, Elena, after he's caught in a paparazzi photo of Elena with billionaire Pierre Levasseur. Levasseur is trying to hide his affair with Elena from his wife, a majority stakeholder in all his businesses. Pignon has just been rejected by the woman he's loved his entire life, bookstore owner Emilie, so he's not really in the mood for pretending to have a fabulous supermodel girlfriend.

Part of the reason the absurdity works is because the characters acknowledge it themselves. Another reason is that behind it all, is a genuine portrayal of relationships which comes from a great combination of the script and the actors who all hold their own. Gad Elmaleh is incredibly sympathetic as the valet Pignon and he has great friendship chemistry with Alice Taglioni who plays the very Heidi Klum-esque (i.e. sweet and beautiful) supermodel. In fact, nearly every character is likable in some way. Kristin Scott Thomas, in beautiful fluent French, is fun to watch as the clever and strong wife of Levasseur.

Overall, it's a fun movie to watch with laugh out loud moments and appeal for American audiences despite the spoken dialogue being French.

Rating: 4/5
Recommended for: Anyone 12 and up (even if you hate the French).

Whatever Works (2009)

Whatever Works features a character who keeps turning away from the people in his world and directly addressing the audience. It's something you just don't find all that often in films today—and probably for good reason. The breaking of the 4th wall provides grand opportunity for awkward corniness. Not to mention it messes with the whole suspension of disbelief thing.

But the main character of this feature, Boris Yellnikoff (Yes, he does yell.), is so disenchanted with the people around him that, even though he tries to talk to the others, he really has no one else to turn to besides the audience. Plus, I guess it wouldn't be a Woody Allen comedy/commentary without something off-kilter like that. Larry David, who is well known for playing disgruntled and bitter, easily yammers on in the role of Boris.

He's a former physicist who almost won the Nobel Prize. One day he finds former southern beauty pageant contestant Melodie sleeping outside his door. He agrees to let her stay while she tries to get on her feet in New York and meanwhile pushes his views on relationships, religion, and existence in general into her incredibly impressionable brain. Evan Rachel Wood takes a refreshing change for her usual rebel roles to play Melodie although oftentimes her performance runs along the borderline of just plain silly. Eventually, Melodie's parents come looking for her and that's when Patricia Clarkson glides in, takes charge of the film, and completely steals it right through the end.

It's definitely not Allen's best, but it's amusing enough if you forget about that suspension of disbelief thing and just listen.

Rating: 3/5
Recommended for: Anyone wondering what Woody Allen's been thinking about lately.

There Will Be Blood (2008)

There will be blood. There will also be lots of anger issues.

The story revolves around Daniel Plainview, a highly-driven and incredibly ruthless oilman, in the late 19th century American west. When he hears of oil-rich land in California, he takes his son, H.W., and sets up operation there - telling the locals exactly what they want to hear while practically stealing their land out from under them. Daniel Day-Lewis is completely entrenched in the role of Plainview, living in a world of his own despite the community around him.

The only difficult human hurdle to his takeover is Eli Sunday, a local preacher. Played with gusto equal to Day-Lewis' by Paul Dano, Sunday is after the same thing Planview is—wealth. Both are clever and both have quite the capacity for cruelty.

Overall it's about materialism and how incredibly horrible people can be to each other. You'll either be completely captivated by it or find it incredibly drawn out. Besides the meanness of it all, what makes it so hard to digest is the length. It drags you through the oil and blood for two hours and thirty-eight minutes. Still, in between the intense acting, there's plenty at which to look. Director Paul Thomas Anderson admirably undertook this project of epic proportions; now if only someone had put a heavier hand in the editing department.

Rating: 3/5
Recommended for: People who want to see a gritty Oscar-winning performance

Fanboys (2009)

First let me say that I enjoy Star Wars a lot. Then I must say that Fanboys is ridiculous - and not in a good way.

The movie centers around 4 friends from high school who, now in their early twenties, are eagerly awaiting the next installment of the Star Wars franchise, Episode 1: The Phantom Menance... or at least 3 of them are and they have to remind the other one that he's a Star Wars fan too (because apparently you can only have a career or be a Star Wars fan).

They develop a plan to drive across the US, break into Skywalker Ranch, and see the movie before it's released because one of them has cancer (although you wouldn't be able to tell by looking at him) and they're afraid he won't live long enough to see it in theaters. The movie then devolves into a low-brow road trip movie. How else would we have opportunity to run into Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, and Kevin Smith? It also allows for a random, totally unnecessary fight with Trekkies.

When the quartet lands in jail, their friend Zoe (Kristen Bell) comes to bail them out. She manages to bail the movie part way out as well by presenting a likeable, non-comedy-stereotype character. With her kicking their butts into gear, they finally make it to Skywalker Ranch where they see a lot of cool things (for Star Wars fans) before the contrived, outrageous, slap-you-in-the-face reference situations ensue.

In the end this film was a interesting idea that ultimately failed in execution. Unfortunately I'm unsure how much of this had to do with it coming out 2 years after it was supposed to and the fights that ensued over different cuts of the film. There are several funny moments and several that are just supposed to be. There's enough references to fill a Star Wars fan's half month quota, but probably not enough entertainment for a non fan to even consider watching. And to top it all off, the audience has the misfortune of knowing what these kids are after didn't live up to expectations either.

Rating: 2/5
Recommended for: People looking to fill their Star Wars reference quota

Extended Review: Apparently there are not enough actors in the world or even actors who also like Star Wars. This must be why Seth Rogen played three parts in the movie.

Be Kind Rewind (2008)

In case you're not familiar with writer/director Michel Gondry's films the fact that the leads are riding a giant videotape on the poster should clue you in that this won't be your typical movie.

A VHS-only video rental store is facing eviction. While the owner (Danny Glover) goes to see what makes his competition so great, employee Mike (Mos Def) is in charge of the store. His friend Jerry (Jack Black) has recently become magnetized from attacking a power plant he thought was causing his headaches. Magnetized Jerry + VHS rental store = a bunch of blank VHS tapes. So the two go about filming their own versions of the movies so people will keep frequenting the store.

Gondry's probably most widely known for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - a cohesive whimsical drama. Be Kind Rewind's drama is more on the scale of a sitcom and so is it's whimsy. And the cohesiveness? It's not really there. The best part by far is watching them try to reenact the likes of Ghostbusters, Driving Miss Daisy, Rush Hour, and Robocop as well as the crazy gadgets they rig up to get certain effects.

Be Kind Rewind would have worked better as a short film. All the disconnected elements that leave the viewer wondering if they missed something in the story could be cut out and the clever idea behind the story can stay. If it can keep their attention the whole time, kids will probably like it in its current form though. They seem to be more of Jack Black's target audience lately. He is his usual crazy and incredibly intense guy who means well. Meanwhile Mos Def is amiable despite mumbling a lot and Melonie Diaz is a delight as the girl from the dry cleaners who helps them with their movies.

Rating:2/5
Recommended for: People looking for tips on how to make their own low-budget movies

The Maltese Falcon (1941)

In case you're not familiar, The Maltese Falcon is the standard for all film noir as well as Humphrey Bogart's career even though its actually a remake of a film that came out only ten years earlier. Humphrey Bogart is the smooth yet cold detective Sam Spade. Mary Astor is Brigid O'Shaughnessy, the frightened dame looking for help finding her missing sister.

When Spade's partner is killed during the investigation, Spade reluctantly picks up the case because, as he puts it, "When a man's partner gets killed, he's supposed to do something about it." Brigid's case isn't what she originally made it out to be and soon enough Sam is involved in the hunt for a statue called The Maltese Falcon. He tangles with a few others looking for it too, including Sydney Greenstreet in his first film role as the gentlemanly yet commanding Kasper Gutman and his oftentimes screen partner, Peter Lorre as Gutman's dapper associate, Joel Cairo. Distinct, memorable performances come from both these men.

While Mary Astor was the female star of the film, Lee Patrick is the one who really stands toe to toe with Bogart as Spade's secretary Effie. She slides in and out of scenes with ease, showing her distaste in small ways without words or disrespect. Meanwhile Astor stands around looking like a worried flower about to wilt, making you wonder how the heck she got involved with any of these people in the first place. And then of course there's Bogart bringing depth to the tough Sam Spade with movements as small as a smile. It's clear he does everything he does with great thought behind it and even though Spade isn't necessarily a nice guy, it's easy to find yourself rooting for him.

The film itself has great flow with the exception of any time anyone disarms anyone else. It's amusing, coming across as a hiccup with moves you can see coming across the room, but that's a style of the time. Outside of that you just float right through.

The Maltese Falcon shines even more so through its fantastic cinematography. Pause it at nearly any moment and you have a beautifully-composed black and white photo. This was soon-to-be-well-known writer/director/actor John Huston's first time directing and he's comes pretty strongly out of the gate. He doesn't shove anything in your face. He just lets you discover the film naturally and that's more beautiful than any jewels the falcon may have encrusted in it.

Rating: 5/5
Recommended for: Photographers and people who like to see where things got their beginnings

Eagle vs Shark (2007)

Eagle vs Shark = Napoleon Dynamite + Flight of the Conchords - comedy.

Taika Cohen's 2007 New Zealand export features the same deadpan, down-on-their-luck type main characters as 2004's Napoleon Dynamite. The difference is you can only root for one of these characters... and only for a limited time.

Loren Horsley's Lily is unpopular even in her job at a fast food restaurant where on at least one occasion, she has given away food for free. After she gets let go from her job, she gains the courage to invite herself to a recent customer's party. This customer is the socially awkward Jarrod (Flight of the Conchords' Jemaine Clement) who is only interested in Lily when she almost beats him at a video game. Moments later they're a couple and she's joining him on a trip back home where he plans on facing a bully from his youth. What follows is people being cold to each other and disappointment. Overall, it is just the aforementioned equation. The movie doesn't bring anything more to those concepts, plus it's uncomfortable to watch with no satisfying redemption.

If you want a socially awkward movie, stick with Napoleon Dynamite - it has a lot more charm and a greater chance of leaving a smile on your face.

Rating: 1/5
Recommended for: People who liked Napoleon Dynamite but found it to be much too uplifting.

Dial M for Murder (1954)

Dial M for Murder seems predictable enough but still holds a few surprises up its sleeve. This well-known 1954 Alfred Hitchcock-helmed howcatchem mystery stars Ray Milland, Grace Kelly, Robert Cummings and John Williams. Based on the Fredrick Knott play, the film introduces us to Tony Wendice, a former pro tennis player who is plotting to have his rich wife, Margot, killed. While Tony was focusing on his game, Margot had an affair with the American mystery writer Mark Halliday. When Tony quit tennis and started paying attention to her, she broke things off with Mark - who has now stopped by for a visit. Tony's come up with a seemingly flawless plan, but as we all know things rarely go according to plan.

The movie easily holds the audience's interest as it strolls through it's 105 minutes. Usually it's for positive reasons, although two cinematographically ick moments come to mind. One is a short sequence filmed from overhead. While Hitchcock was going for a claustrophobic atmosphere, this shot hinders by being just out of the blue. There are no security cameras involved and it's not arty. Perhaps it looked cooler in 3D (in which the movie was actually filmed). If so, it's one step above throwing something at the camera. The other jarring visual is a court room scene. It consists of a person, a blank backdrop, different color flashing lights, anguish, and voice overs. It's so stylized it slaps you in the face. There are classier ways it could have been done without building an entire court room set or even having anyone extra on screen.

Luckily the rest of the film is well done and not so distracting from the captivating plot. It's usually a concern of mine with Hitchcock films that it'll be overly creepy or horrific (i.e. The Birds), but this one isn't. Instead it gives you a story that lets you in on the game but keeps you guessing as to how it'll end.

Rating: 3/5
Recommended for: People who read the last page of a book first

I Love You, Man (2009)

The appearance of Paul Rudd and Jason Segel on the poster should tell you that I Love You, Man is not your typical gross-out, buddy movie. It's so much better.

These men are the thinking person's comedians presenting us with the multi-dimensional characters of Peter Klaven (Rudd) and Sydney Fife (Segel). Peter's a real estate agent whose just proposed to his girlfriend (Rashida Jones). Her friends have noticed that Peter doesn't seem to have any guy friends of his own and everyone's wondering who his best man will be. He realizes he doesn't know how to go out and make guy friends. He doesn't play poker. He doesn't go out drinking. He doesn't do any of the typical things guys do with their buddies.

Luckily for him, he hosts an open house at Lou Ferrigno's house and Sydney is in attendance (to pick up women and score free food). It's here where they first begin to bond. Of course the two men are opposites in many ways. Sydney is a laid back, confident, philosopher-type while Peter is an uptight, timid, by-the-rules man.

Peter somehow gets the courage to call up Sydney to hang out and the friendship that grows out of that comes off as genuine while still being highly entertaining. The guys share a love of Rush and enjoy hanging out in Sydney's "Man Cave". Peter finally has someone he can talk to about anything and Sydney has someone to hang out with when all his other friends have to go home to their wives and kids.

Both Rudd and Segel play off each other with ease. It's nice to see two actors better known for their supporting roles (with the exception of Segel's recent Forgetting Sarah Marshall) shine as leads. Writer/Director John Hamburg has given them some fun material to work with, although there was definitely a fair share of improvisation as well.

Andy Samberg and J. K. Simmons in supporting roles as Peter's brother and father respectively steal the screen in their moments with their simple, seriousness. In fact there's a full cast of comedians doing a nice job of not stepping on each others' toes while taking their characters very seriously. This I Love You, Man team leaves us with something that is funny, yet relatable all the while feeling surprisingly fresh.

Rating: 4/5
Recommended for: Adults who want a feel-good movie that also makes you laugh. Also Rush fans.

Extended Review: After watching the metric ton worth of extras on the DVD, it's easy to see that a) these people had a blast making this movie and b) Hamburg and the editing team had a lot of decisions to make for the final cut of this film. Often when watching deleted or extended versions of scenes, the reasons they were cut are quite apparent. For I Love You, Man, the best reasons seem to be just that they went with an alternate version of the line or it'd make the film 4 hours long to keep it in there. So much of what didn't make it into the film was just as funny as some of the stuff that did make it. You don't see that very often.

Watchmen (2009)

This movie is an experience... a nearly three hour experience, but an experience none the less. Normally the time would be an issue, but this movie had so much to tell. I could only think of one scene I'd trim down and zero that I'd cut out.

Watchmen tells of an alternate 1980's United States where Nixon is still president and the Cold War is still looming. The US was once protected by the Minutemen, a group of masked vigilantes with no real super powers but a desire to fight bad guys. The problem was that the line between good and bad was very squiggly. As that group grew older, a new group called the Crimebusters formed and took up the fight. Eventually the public grew wary of these costumed not-so-super-heroes and Congress passed an act that forced them all into retirement. Now one of the former heroes has turned up dead and Rorschach - a vigilante who never really stopped vigilante-ing - is suspicious and calls on the rest of the Crimebusters/Watchmen to figure out what is happening.

Watchmen was passed around for several years. Many directors were once attached to the project with their many cast wish lists, but when it finally came to fruition, it paid off. The film is intense, the story is intriguing and the majority of cast is fantastic. Jackie Earle Haley and Patrick Wilson are the casting department's winning entries, giving fully-committed performances - not your standard super hero movie fare. Wilson even commented at a premiere that it's nice they didn't have to cut corners for the sake of the genre.

There's action. There's suspense (especially if you haven't read the graphic novel it's based on). But if you're looking for mindless entertainment, you'll be disappointed. Morality issues and gray areas abound. The characters are flawed and complex with differing approaches to their situation. And there's enough of them you'll be bound to find one you sympathize with more than the others. The major elements of the ending are different than the graphic novel, but they add to the complexity and are more believable. Overall, it's the intellectual's badass thrill ride.

Rating: 4/5
Recommended for: Adults who don't mind a little brain work with their action

Roman Holiday (1953)

Roman Holiday is AFI's #4 Romantic Comedy of all time. I must have seen a different movie than they did. Mainly, it's a moving love note to Rome. Other than that, it has a tiny bit of romance, the borderline unrequited kind, and its comedy is hard to find.

I guess I just don't see what's so comedic about a princess who is so sheltered, naive, and gullible she'll believe almost anything anyone tells her. Audrey Hepburn plays Princess Ann, who is on a goodwill tour of Europe. When her entourage stops in Rome, she decides she's had enough and sneaks away in the night.

Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck), an American reporter, finds her asleep on a bench and takes her back to his place because he can't get her to tell him how to get her back home. The next day while arguing with his editor he realizes the girl he found is the princess and bets his editor he can get an exclusive interview with her. He goes back to his apartment and eventually Ann agrees to tour Rome with him and his photographer friend.

The sites they see are of course beautiful. It was the first American film to be shot entirely in Italy. The romance comes from the idea of a reverse Cinderella, a princess looking for a common man to rescue her. And while it's believable that by the end of the day Ann has fallen for Joe, it seems more like he just feels sorry for her.

Hepburn won an Oscar for this role. And there was probably a fare share of self-insertion, as Hepburn herself was new to the American film industry and in at least one scene, the director went with the take where Hepburn didn't know what was going on. And in the important ending scene, Hepburn wasn't crying the required tears, so the director grumbled about how many takes she wasted which made her cry for real.

I guess most people enjoy a bit of escapist fluff from time to time.

Rating: 2/5
Recommended for: Audrey Hepburn fans and people who missed out on visiting Rome in the 1950s.

Burn After Reading (2008)

Burn After Reading has two things you'd expect from a Coen brothers movie: dark humor and Frances McDormand. The fault lies in the marketing as to how laugh out loud funny this movie is. The trailers, the commercials - both portray it as the most uproariously funny thing you'd see in 2008. It is not. What we're looking at is dark - very dark.

Two gym employees, Linda (Frances McDormand) and Chad (Brad Pitt), find the memoirs of a recently laid off fed agent (John Malkovich) on a cd in the locker room. They mistake this for top secret information and set to sell it back to its owner. The disc actually belonged to the agent's wife (Tilda Swinton), who was trying to find info about him for their upcoming divorce.

What follows is generally people acting horribly to each other and lots of patented Malkovich yelling. When physical violence erupts it is intense - also a Coen trademark. Richard Jenkins steals a bit of the limelight as Linda and Chad's powerless boss Ted while J. K. Simmons brings a little straight-laced humor in his brief scenes as an agency superior. And if anyone is actually goofy funny, it's Brad Pitt who brings a much needed lightness to the story. Still, overall not much of a comedy.

Rating: 3/5
Recommended for: Adults who'd watch anything that has the Coen brothers' name on it.

The Visitor (2007)

The first 15 minutes of The Visitor are agonizing boredom, but sit through it and you will be wonderfully rewarded. If it weren't for the drudgery of the opening where we meet the shut in, widowed, apathetic professor Walter Vale, you might not appreciate how far the film takes you (and Walter) by the end.

Walter is in New York City to present a paper at a conference. He opens the door to his often abandoned apartment to find Tarek, a Syrian drummer, and his girlfriend Zainab, a Senegalese jewelry maker, living there. They were conned about the apartment's vacancy and immediately pack up to leave. Walter lets them, but then follows them and tells them to stay.

What follows changes Walter's life and it's so emotionally beautiful that everything else fades away. The sets, the lighting, it's all barely noticeable (and that can be a good thing) because these characters are so captivating. The whole cast does a fantastic job. Haaz Sleiman as Tarek is charismatic and endearing. Danai Jekesai Gurira makes the melting of Zainab's frosty disposition reveal an even more interesting woman. Hiam Abbass as Tarek's mother Mouna is tough but an easy person with which to sympathize. And Richard Jenkins delivers a subtle, intimate performance as the aforementioned professor. His Oscar nomination was so very much deserved.

It's hard to say much more about it without giving too much away, so just hang tight through the very beginning and prepare to watch the walls come down around a man's heart.

Rating: 5/5
Recommended for: Anyone who can stand to watch a quiet movie with great characters

The Rocker (2008)

I really wanted to enjoy The Rocker. Its the first staring vehicle for Rainn Wilson, who does a fabulous job on tv as The Office's Dwight Schrute. But the film falls flat with few if any laugh out loud moments.

Apparently 5 years is not long enough between this movie and Jack Black's School of Rock because it strikingly seems like the same movie with a few substitutions. Swap out the down-on-his-luck guitarist with a drummer who just missed out on making it big. Instead of the character taking a job as a 4th grade music teacher, he'll be asked by his nephew to join said nephew's high school band. Oh, and instead of this character being named Dewey Finn, this lead will be named Robert "Fish" Fishman.

If you're going to redo a distinct plot, you've got to bring something to the table. The slapstick and guest stars as Fish's former bandmates just weren't enough. And with all that being said, it's all still mildly amusing. Kids will probably like it.

Rating: 2/5
Recommended for: People who miss School of Rock and Guitar Hero fanatics

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008)

Nick and Norah seem like nice enough people. And it seems like they had a fun enough evening. It's just too bad it was so laid back it almost doesn't seem interesting enough to make a movie about.

Nick (Michael Cera) is a low-confidence high school senior recently dumped by his girlfriend. Norah (Kat Dennings) is a high school senior as well as the daughter of a recording industry executive. She seemingly spends all her time though being the caretaker of her irresponsible best friend, Caroline. Nick's band mates drag him out of the house to play a concert. Norah is there, walks up to Nick, and kisses him to prove to a school acquaintance she isn't alone. And the rest of the night stems from there with a missing drunken friend, a search for the mystery location of a favorite band's concert, and the looming ex-girlfriend and ex-boyfriend of the title characters.

Cera and Dennings bring charm and realism to their roles. They're likable and their relationship is believable. Ari Graynor as Norah's friend Caroline brings comic relief with her drunken escapades without becoming too annoying. Nick's band mates deliver some amusing one liners and a kind support system. The indie music provides a fun background. Now if only they could all have taken their trip in about a half hour less. What could be a madcap adventure crawls slowly through the evening. Everything that happens before the concert was filmed 6 months into post-production. Those scenes of course made the movie longer but it also gave some depth to the characters so adding that wasn't a bad choice. Either director Peter Sollett needed to move everyone along while filming or the editor Myron Kerstein needed to cut down a few scenes.

Overall it's a decent movie that teenagers and many adults can find enjoyable enough.

Rating: 3/5
Recommended for: those who miss George Michael from Arrested Development

Extended Review: Although the film starts out with steadicam shots that make the viewer feel like they're alternately swaying or just tilting his/her head side to side, luckily for our stomachs, the cinematography gets much better as the film goes on. Although since the beginning was filmed later, perhaps the cinematography was good and then the "hurry up, let's get this done so we can add it" was what suffered. Either way, the closing shot is what really deserves a mention. Michael Cera walking in place on the down escalator was amusing. They took that movement and went with it and Cera and Dennings' heads moving through the frame like a heart was a cute choice. (Not to mention so much more preferable than them dancing the night away at that rooftop concert or worse yet, a freeze frame at the end of dancing.)

Mermaids (1990)

You look at the poster for this movie and think... I hope this isn't a movie about a woman who thinks she's a mermaid and her children who have to deal with it. But luckily for all of us, it's just a costume she wears to a strange Christmasy/New Year's Eve/Costume party.

Mermaids is instead the story of Mrs. Flax (Cher) who basically does whatever she wants and when it backfires on her, she just picks up her family and moves somewhere else. She doesn't really seem to care how this affects her two children - teenaged Charlotte (Winona Ryder), who wants to become a nun despite being Jewish, and Kate (Christina Ricci in her first film role), a grade schooler who'd like to break the world record for not breathing underwater. At the beginning of the film, they're on their 18th move and Charlotte is having trouble coping.

If you've never seen Cher in film before you may be surprised to find out she's a decent actress. Christina Ricci isn't given any terribly difficult material but she does just fine with what she has - not distracting from any of the adults with the "acting" to which some child actors are prone. It's Winona Ryder who really makes this movie though. Her narration interspersed with in the moment internal monologuing helps you get attached to her quickly. Emotions she goes through in voiceover are also readily apparent in her expressions on the screen. Ryder's maturity makes her ideal for this role.

As for other aspects of the film... well, it takes place in the 1960s but looks more so like a fictional place. You almost expect a saloon to be next door to their friend Lou's shoe store. All the buildings are pale and seashore colored, except for the nunnery next door that looks like a dark and overly foreboding tower in the weeds. Just keep your eyes on the characters and you'll be in for an interesting ride.

Rating: 3/5
Recommended for: Winona Ryder fans.

Extended Review: There seems to be a case of "oh-shoot-we-have-to-end-this-movie" going on here. Mrs. Flax and Charlotte have said what they need to say. They've come to some sort of a deal that holds no promise of a long term solution. I know... let's dance! It looks like they're having fun even though it's logically way too soon for that if things are really going to change in that household. The only worse choice of an ending that could have been made is a freeze frame of the three girls in a group hug.

Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

Slumdog Millionaire is a jarring story that rips between a young man doing very well on India's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and the life he's lived that taught him those answers.

The young man, Jamal Malik, is played by Ayush Mahesh Khedekar, Tanay Chheda, and Dev Patel throughout his life. This was the first or second role ever for all of them but you wouldn't know it. They each bring a profound innocence to the character despite all the horrible things that have happened to him growing up.

Credit most likely goes to director Danny Boyle for that. Boyle's oftentimes jarring style give the movie, and the city of Mumbai, a frenetic feel. Part of this came from Boyle's decision to use handheld cameras for filming in the slums - that way he'd be less likely to disrupt people's daily lives. If you're worried it's going to make you sick, don't worry, as they work their way out of the slum, the camera's more steady. Luckily all this moving around doesn't make you miss out on all the wonderful colors and lights.

In addition to grimy beauty, this film also offers up a great soundtrack. A.R. Rahman is said to have composed everything for it in about twenty days, but the songs will stick with you far longer. So many scores recently have blended into the background, so this is refreshing.

Ultimately, this film excels at throwing the events in this one man's life into sharp contrast - dazzling and dirty, uplifting but heartbreaking. Just beware of the hype. Even though it's a deserved Oscar winner for Best Picture, hype always messes with expectations and can ruin a film-watching experience.

Rating: 4/5
Recommended for: People who don't mind seeing the worst of times as long as they get to see the best of times too

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (2008)

Days must have been longer in late 1930s London. Miss Pettigrew certainly has a long one in this story of an out-of-work nanny who sidesteps her way into the screwy world of aspiring American actress, Delysia Lafosse, under the assumption that she's a renowned social secretary.

Frances McDormand plays the title character with demure wisdom that builds over the course of the film. This contrasts a bit with the actual pace of the movie which picks up double time from Delysia's first appearance for a whirlwind ride all the way to the finish.

Amy Adams' Delysia is a slight offshoot from her typical innocent living in her own world; it's difficult not to feel a little bad for her even though her dilemma is entirely her own fault. As Miss Pettigrew skillfully assists her in balancing three boyfriends - a controlling nightclub owner, a pushover play producer, and a lovesick piano player - we're treated to a glitzy view of pre-war London. Much of it comes off like a stage production but there are some good shots that pull the audience into the 4th wall. One of those is the circle of relationships shot during Delysia and Michael's treatment of "If I Didn't Care". Overall this is mainly a fluffy piece with no real underlying message but an enjoyable sprint through what must have been an exhausting day 70 years in the making.

Rating: 3/5
Recommended for: Women and men alike looking for 90 minutes of light laughs

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)

What keeps this satire grounded is that there's actually a story. John C. Reilly as Dewey Cox is not just doing comedy but is actually acting the tragic story of his character. And although it has its share of dirty jokes, the film doesn't solely rely on them. This results in a movie that's not laugh-out-loud funny the whole way through but still consistently amusing.

The cast list (although several went uncredited) boasts a veritable cornucopia of today's parodying talent including: Tim Meadows, Kristin Wiig, Ed Helms, Chris Parnell, Craig Robinson, Jane Lynch, and Harold Ramis. There were also a few surprises such as Jack White as Elvis and Frankie Muniz as Buddy Holly. Jenna Fischer lets her silly side run wild as Dewey's second wife and backup singer, Darlene. But the hands down best appearance is by The Beatles, or rather Paul Rudd as John, Jack Black as Paul, Justin Long as George and Jason Schwartzman as Ringo. Their delivery of the tongue-in-cheek dialogue peppered with song references is spot on amusement.

This movie is well thought out as it takes us on the journey of Dewey's entire life - from his scaring childhood to his death as a music legend. The attention to makeup and costuming for the different decades (as well as jokes for when nothing can be done about an actor's appearance) deserves a round of applause.

Walk Hard differs from a mockumentary like This is Spinal Tap by more so making fun of Hollywood's treatment of the music industry biopic rather than of the rock and roll scene itself. So if you're looking for This is Spinal Tap, you'll be disappointed. But like another Christopher Guest hit, A Mighty Wind, the songs are well sung and catchy enough to be stuck in your head hours later.

Rating: 4/5
Recommended for: Adults looking for a film to make them smile, are tired of the music biopic, and don't mind a little bit of crude humor

Appaloosa (2008)

Ed Harris wrote, directed, and stared in Appaloosa. With fellow writer Robert Knott, he's really written more of a story that happens to take place in the Old West than a classic western. And what you really have to give Harris credit for, is although he's holding the reins on this movie from three directions, he still stands just off to the side to let Viggio Mortenson shine. It's ironic because that's just what Mortensen's character is trying to do for Harris' in the film.

Harris' character Virgil Cole is clearly flawed. He walks around with with well-founded confidence and swagger and yet still quietly acknowledges his downfalls. Mortensen's Everett Hitch is Cole's partner in a lawman-for-hire operation - the quiet man carrying the giant gun. Their teamwork is inspiring as they work to protect the town of Appaloosa from rancher Randall Bragg (Jeremy Irons still channeling Scar from The Lion King).

Their smooth teamwork is interrupted by the arrival of widow Allison French (Renee Zellweger). Ms. French will play anyone to get whatever she needs and the idea of a woman doing that to survive in the old west is intriguing. Unfortunately, Zellweger pours all her focus into the conniving aspect of her character and forgot to also show us why anyone would love her, much less stick their neck out for her, in the first place. We're lucky that Harris and Mortensen are so good they can pretty much hold up that plotline without her.

As far as plot and visuals go, the movie has many of your typical western elements: a scene on a train, plenty of horseback riding, a conflict with native americans, and at least one spectacular shoot out sequence. But this movie is more than just that. It has a heart and mind. So many westerns have larger than life characters, but this one has ones you can actually relate to. Cole and Hitch are real, relatable people. And they sound like it too - the dialogue works wonderfully. It's obvious that this project was a labor of love for Ed Harris.

And it's films like Appaloosa and 3:10 to Yuma that have managed to keep the western genre open to appeal to a wider audience than just those who typically enjoy westerns. Audiences just need to give them a chance.

Rating: 4/5
Recommended for: The farmer AND the cowhand provided they are over 13.

Sharkwater (2007)

Outside of Shark Week of the Discovery Channel, nowhere else have I seen such intense interest in sharks. This 2007 documentary is directed by and stars Rob Stewart, a Canadian underwater photographer. Some have called this film the "anti-Jaws" and rightly so. Stewart treats the audience to stunning moving images while debunking common shark myths, but his story really picks up with his investigation into illegal shark finning with the crew of an oceanic watchdog group.

Nothing will stop him from exposing the reality of what is happening to the sharks - not threats, charges filled against him, getting banned from a country, or flesh-eating bacteria. Although Stewart's message is powerful - full of looming danger and the balance of life on Earth - there comes a point where the audience could easily feel sorry for him while losing some belief in his credibility. About three quarters of the way in, Stewart walks the fine line of obsession. This is demonstrated not only by his willingness to put his own life at severe risk, but also more simply in his near-constant use of the word "sharks" - at one point about seven times in two minutes.

Luckily his overarching message and imagery are stronger. The end leaves you feeling simultaneously like you need to do something to save the sharks and yet like this shark issue is so huge you can't help but feel a bit helpless. Sharkwater has won 31 international awards (mostly at film festivals) and it's easy to see why.

Rating: 4/5
Recommended for: Everyone (unless you don't want your kids to see people cutting off fins of very much alive sharks)

Extended Review: Despite Stewart's over-self-insertion, I still have to give him props for getting the bigger picture than just the immediate danger to the shark population. He actually gets into what can happen if the food chain is disrupted by the lack of a high-level predator and how that can affect many living organisms all the way down to those that metabolize carbon dioxide into oxygen. This brings the idea of humans hurting sharks all the way back to humans hurting themselves. And isn't it always interesting to learn something about ourselves?

City of Ember (2008)

City of Ember apparently came out in theaters in October 2008 but I can't remember ever seeing it advertised - anywhere. With a cast including Oscar-winners Tim Robbins and Martin Landau, as well as Oscar-nominees Bill Murray and Saoirse Ronan, I'm not sure why. On top of that, the poster uses the tagline "Escape is the only option." This makes it seem like a horror film unless you're sensitive to things like the typical use of a cool color palette on horror film posters (this one is warm) or have heard of/read the 2003 book on which the film is based.

The real travesty in this poor marketing is that this is actually a pretty darn good children's movie that adults will be able to find interesting as well.

The city of Ember itself is a completely underground community, reminiscent of Eastern Germany right before the Wall fell and built to last 200 years by the aptly named Builders. They also left behind a box containing the instructions on what to do when that time is up, but it's been forgotten. The town's generator is failing and the food supplies are running low as we're introduced to Lina Mayfleet (Saoirse Ronan) and Doon Harrow (Harry Treadaway) who've just graduated school and have been assigned the jobs of Messenger and Pipeworks Apprentice respectively. Doon desperately wants to fix the generator while Lina is determined to find a way outside of the city. The two team up but the corrupt Mayor Cole (Bill Murray) isn't going to make it easy.

Director Gil Kenan puts forth a charming film in only his second wide-release effort. There are plenty of questions on how the city really works, but it's visually stunning and still fun to experience.

Rating: 4/5
Recommended for: Everyone looking for a fun adventure but especially kids ages 5 - 11