Hankering After Greener Grass
By Lisa Miller
EXTRACT (2009)
* * * (Grade B)
Directed by Mike Judge
Starring Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig, Ben Affleck, Mila Kunis, Beth Grant, J.K. Simmons, Clifton Collins Jr., David Koechner, Gene Simmons, Javier Gutierrez, Dustin Milligan
Miramax-Rated R-Comedy-91 min
What if your carefully constructed empire proved to be your prison? This question is central to writer-director Mike Judge's new comedy -- and it's a doozie.
Everyman Joel Reynolds (Jason Bateman) thought he was living his dream. He invented a formula for a fine flavor extract and produces it in a factory owned by the company he built. When we meet Joel -- about 15 years into his entrepreneurial adventure -- he's realized his marriage to Suzie (Kristen Wiig) is on the brink of becoming a sexless, brother-sister-like relationship. The couple's upscale mansionette -- located in one of a those nouveau riche neighborhoods that popped up during the '90's -- has become a trap due to Joel's neighbor Nathan (David Koechner), ambushing Joel at every opportunity to hold long-winded discussions or to foist unwanted invitations onto Joel and his wife.
Joel blames his domestic unhappiness on long hours spent at work where he frequently finds his employees mired in resentment, racism, stupidity and greed. Low factory worker morale ought to be the concern of Joel's plant manager Brian (the ubiquitous, hilarious J. K. Simmons), but instead, Brian's superiority complex prevents him from learning the worker's names let alone familiarizing himself with their complaints.
Joel's professional problems might be solved by selling his factory to General Mills -- provided he can pass that corporation's sniff test -- but Joel's company acquires a bad smell soon after the arrival of temp worker Cindy (Mila Kunis). A flirty young grifter possessing a criminal history and a half dozen IDs, Cindy steals coworkers' wallets. Her grand scheme is to persuade redneck floor manager Step (Clifton Collins Jr.) to sue Joel for an injury resulting from a bizarre on-the-job-accident. Unaware of Cindy's real motives, Joel's lustful obsession with the pretty employee grows day by day.
Joel's adviser on personal problems is his bartender Dean (Ben Affleck), a pot head who sees the world through a smoky haze. Affleck, perhaps the funniest character in this stellar cast, gets just the right inflection of cross-eyed justifications into his character's many schemes. His most intriguing idea calls for Joel to hire an incredibly dense young stud muffin to clean Joel's swimming pool and service Joel's wife so that Joel can pursue a guilt-free affair with Cindy.
While few of the film's characters are completely without redeeming qualities, all are desirous of the forbidden. Judge reasons that it's in our nature to want what we're not entitled to without reaping the consequences of our actions. However, he rightly observes that every now and then we regret our actions, become willing to change and do our best to make amends. Rather than create a misanthropic comedy, Judge gives us a 4-step program to extract ourselves from the addictive effects of bad behavior. Step one is easy enough: See "Extract."
Gamer (2009)
* (Grade D)
Directed by Mark Neveldine Brian Taylor
Starring Gerard Butler, Michael C. Hall, Ludacris
Lionsgate-Rated R-Sci-Fi, Action-95 min
Following a lackluster Los Angeles test screening, "Gamer" has been kept under wraps. This ambitious story casts Butler as Kable, a living, breathing person controlled by a nanochip in his brain and forced to fight combatants -- gladiator style -- in the video game "Slayer." Kable desperately wants the freedom he was promised as reward for winning 30 games so he can rescue his wife trapped in yet another video game, "Society." Kable's wife is controlled by a creepy, obese gamer forcing her to explore the seamy underbelly of a dangerous city. Chaotic action relies on many a jump-cuts while the storyline struggles to move the action past bloody confrontations. Michael C. Hall, of "Dexter" fame, appears in a brief role as the game's cruel inventor, but since he and his adversary, Kable barely meet, the "Gamer" hasn't got much "game."
All About Steve (2009)
* (Grade D)
Directed by Phil Traill
Starring Sandra Bullock, Bradley Cooper, Thomas Haden Church, Ken Jeong
Fox 2000-Rated PG-13-Comedy
Sandra Bullock goes blonde and eccentric for the role of Mary Horowitz, a crossword puzzle constructor. Following a brief blind date with handsome news cameraman Steve (Cooper), Mary becomes obsessed with him. She follows Steve cross country, disrupting his assignments. The film is saved by Church playing self-serving news reporter Hartman Hughes (Church), a blowhard encouraging Mary to follow her heart whatever the cost. Neither Steve nor Hartman could predict that Mary's oddball ways would garner her a collection of fans prompting Steve to take another look at Mary. Wouldn't it be cool if we could push a button to vote for who should get the girl? Why not Church?
The Final Destination (2009)
* *1/2 (Grade B-)
Directed by David R. Ellis
Starring Nick Zano, Krista Allen, Andrew Fiscella, Bobby Campo, Shantel VanSanten, Haley Webb
New Line-Rated R-Horror-81 min
What promises to be a fun-filled day at the races is anything but after Nick's (Campo) premonition that a bizarre racing accident will kill him, his friends, and those around them. Having persuaded his girlfriend (VanSanten) and their companions (Webb and Zano) along with others, to leave the stands, the escapees are horrified to see Nick's prediction come true moments later. None is prepared for death to stalk them in the order they were scheduled to die, nor for the increasingly gruesome methods by which they will be killed. Can any of these kids cheat death again? If so, they'll need to understand the grim reaper's convoluted rules. The fourth "Final Destination" film marks the series's first 3D outing, a format that promises to intensify the visceral experience.
Halloween II (2009)
* *1/2 (Grade B-)
Directed by Rob Zombie
Starring Scout Taylor-Compton, Tyler Mane, Malcolm McDowell, Margaret Kidder, "Weird Al" Yankovic, Richard Brake, Sheri Moon Zombie
Dimension Films-Rated R-Horror-101 mins
Now that Rob Zombie has established the murderous Michael Meyers as the product of an abusive home, the director plans to explore the psychological effect on Michael's sister Laurie (Taylor-Compton), but not until Michael has escaped the mental institution and is determined to kill her. Zombie moves the action to Georgia where he hopes to "open up" the movie by using rural locations as the setting for the numerous grisly killings and employing longer shots to frame Michael's pursuit of Laurie. The return of Dr. Loomis (McDowell) as Michael's psychiatrist should be a plus. Zombie, who initially had no plans to direct a sequel, couldn't resist this opportunity though he claims to be striking out in a new direction. One thing's certain, "Halloween II," will be much darker than its competition, "The Final Destination" 3D.
Taking Woodstock (2009)
* *1/2 (Grade B-)
Directed by Ang Lee
Starring Demetri Martin, Paul Dano, Emile Hirsch, Imelda Staunton, Henry Goodman, Live Schreiber and Eugene Levy
Focus Features-Rated R-Comedy-110 min
Woodstock might never have happened if not for the efforts of Elliot Tiber (Demetri Martin), a gay, Jewish interior designer, son of local motel owners. Based on the book by Tiber and Tom Monte, director Ang Lee mines the comedy arising from Tiber's efforts to locate the concert in the pastures of a local dairy farmer (Levy). As the event comes together, Tiber's family motel hits the jackpot, and Tiber meets a free-spirited transvestite (Schreiber) who helps the youth find his way out of the closet. Trivia note: Schreiber also starred in the often overlooked Woodstock-centric movie, 1999's "A Walk On The Moon."
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
* * * (Grade B)
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Starring Brad Pitt, Melanie Laurent, Christoph, Daniel Bruhl, Til Schweiger, Eli Roth, Michael Fassbender, Diane Kruger
Weinstein Co.-Rated R-Drama-153 min
A small group of American soldiers, commanded by Aldo Raine (Pitt), plot to terrorize Nazi soldiers in Occupied France. Though Tarantino worked on his script for more than a decade, this rather conventional war movie is lacking his trademark rapier wit. Tension mounts when Hitler's SS plans a Paris film premiere to celebrate the exploits of their best sniper, Fredrick Zoller (Bruhl). A British lieutenant (Fassbender) organizes an Allied group known as the Basterds to blow up the theater. However, the cinema's owner (Laurent), has an even better idea. With spies everywhere, the Nazis come perilously close to uncovering both schemes. Expect an old-fashioned WWII drama and enjoy the film for Tarantino's expert technical construction.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Sept 3, 2009
District 9 (2009)
* * * (Grade B)
Directed by Neill Blomkamp
Starring Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, David James, Vanessa Haywood, Louis Minnaar
TriStar Pictures-Rated R-Science Fiction-152 min
Most alien invasion films envision an advanced race poised to conquer mankind, “District 9” imagines that given a chance, we will mistreat displaced extraterrestrials. This scenario gains credibility once we meet the "prawns," via pseudo-newsreel and documentary footage.
Arriving in a malfunctioning mothership, they look like an insect-lobster hybrid, stronger and are larger than humans. They speak in whirs and clicks through fluttering tentacles resembling a billowing mustache dangling over their mouthparts. These are not cuddly, endearing, nor even vaguely humanoid creatures.
The story begins 20 years after the prawn ship becomes marooned over Johannesburg, South Africa. A million prawns disembark at gunpoint to be interred in a miserable refugee camp called "District 9." Despite the camp's squalid conditions, the prawns double in number over the following two decades, causing unrest in the camp and provoking fear amongst Johannesburg's residents who want the camp relocated further from their city.
The film stereotypes the aliens as shiftless and violent, contained in camps where they can be controlled. The parallels to Nazi concentration camps or to Apartheid are obvious. Initially settling the camp on a garbage dump, the increasing value of this real estate constitutes the real motivation to relocate the aliens to a smaller, more isolated location.
The care and feeding of these creatures is contracted to the Multi-National United Corporation known as M.N.U. The movie plays into our notion that all big corporations are greedy and corrupt with hidden agendas of their own. The company's legal team insists that each prawn household must be served with an eviction notice 24 hours prior to moving to the camp. District 9's lawless conditions are worsened by gun-toting Nigerian gangsters selling goods at outrageous prices.
The daunting task of serving eviction notices falls to Wikus (Sharlto Copley), a somewhat naive, but gung-ho son-in-law of the region's M.N.U. overseer. Anything can and does go wrong when Wikus and dozens of heavily armed soldiers begin knocking on prawn doors. It's only fair to warn viewers that the film's violence is off the charts. Death by exploding bullet is a riot of blood and slime set against the muddied camp and pushing the squeamish factor through the roof.
Occurring in the present day, the developing plot sees Wikus targeted by his own company, but it was difficult to focus on his dilemma because my mind kept replaying the inhumane treatment of the prawns. Where was Amnesty International, Africa Rights, Advocates International, or Better World Campaign? Why didn't the Red Cross step up? Was there no underground movement on behalf of the prawns?
Though unbalanced by its one-sided perspective, the straight ahead storytelling is somewhat rescued by fascinating aliens, and by the humor and irony of Wikus' predicament. "District 9" succeeds as satire in an era ripe for spoofs masquerading as science fiction.
Inglourious Bastards (2009)
* * * (Grade B)
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Starring Brad Pitt, Melanie Laurent, Christoph, Daniel Bruhl, Til Schweiger, Eli Roth, Michael Fassbender, Diane Kruger
Weinstein Co.-Rated R-Drama-153 min
A small group of American soldiers, commanded by Aldo Raine (Pitt), plot to terrorize Nazi soldiers in Occupied France. Though Tarantino worked on his script for more than a decade, this rather conventional war movie is lacking his trademark rapier wit. Tension mounts when Hitler's SS plans a Paris film premiere to celebrate the exploits of their best sniper, Fredrick Zoller (Bruhl). A British lieutenant (Fassbender) organizes an Allied group known as the Bastards to blow up the theater. However, the cinema's owner (Laurent), has an even better idea. With spies everywhere, the Nazis come perilously close to uncovering both schemes. Expect an old-fashioned WWII drama and enjoy the film for Tarantino's expert technical construction.
Post Grad (2009)
* * (Grade C-)
Directed by Vicky Jenson
Starring Alexis Bledel, Catherine Reitman, Jane Lynch, Michael Keaton, Carol Burnett, Bobby Coleman, Zach Gilford, Rodrigo Santoro
Fox Searchlight-Rated PG-13-Comedy-89 min
Cute-as-a-button college grad Ryden Malby (Bledel), is compelled to move back home with her quirky family (Keaton, Lynch, Burnett and Coleman) because even her college fails to land her a good job. Between romantic misfires, domestic drama, and a series of humiliating, low-paying jobs, Ryden's path to independence remains elusive. Sadly, what begins as an effort to voice the frustrations of unemployed grads becomes a happy sappy romantic comedy. Lacking unique content, this film may quickly join the ranks of the unwatched.
The Time Traveler's Wife (2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Robert Schwentke
Starring Eric Bana, Rachel McAdams, Ron Livingston, Jane McLean, Arliss Howard, Hailey McCann, Brooklynn Proulx
New Line Cinema-Rated PG-13-Drama, Science Fiction-147 min
This weepy drama is adapted from Audrey Niffenegger's novel positioning Henry (Bana) as a time-traveling librarian. Henry, stricken by a genetic "anomaly," lives his life in random order, disappearing into the past or future with no control over where or when, but he always returns to the beautiful Clare (McAdams) who first met a handsome adult version of Henry while still a child. She anxiously wants to grow up so Henry can fulfill his promise to marry her, but domestic bliss proves to be a fantasy since Henry frequently disappears, only to reappear days, weeks or months later. For every element of the wondrous "Benjamin Button," there's a chunk of the weepy "Notebook," meant to stir romantic notions into a tearful potboiler.
The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard (2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Neal Brennan
Starring Jeremy Piven, Ving Rhames, David Koechner
Paramount Vantage-Rated R-Comedy-90 min
The second project from Will Ferrell and Adam McKay's Gary Sanchez Productions, (the first being "The Foot Fist Way"), "The Goods" smartly relies on a maniacal Jeremy Piven to deliver the laughs. As Don Ready, a used-car liquidator, Piven's character is hired to turn a troubled car dealer's Fourth of July event into a money-maker. Colorful characters are played by Ving Rhames and David Koechner, while director Neal Brennan, known for his involvement on the hit, "Chappelle's Show," comes on board to synchronize the film's fireworks.
Ponyo (2008)
* * *1/2 (Grade A-)
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki, John Lasseter, Brad Lewis, Peter Sohn
Voiced by Cate Blanchett, Liam Neeson, Noah Lindsey Cyrus, Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Frankie Jonas, Cloris Leachman, Lily Tomlin, Betty White
Disney-Rated G-Animated, Family-100 min
Hayao Miyazaki's latest family film is rendered in traditional 2-D animation and retrofitted with an all-star English voice cast for its American release. The story, loosely based on "The Little Mermaid," finds young fish princess Ponyo (voiced by Cyrus) longing to become human after being pulled from the sea by a 5-year-old boy named Sosuke (Jonas). The children must prove the power of their love by using it to realign a precariously unbalanced natural world. Liam Neeson intones Ponyo's overprotective father -- once a man who transformed himself into a fish king while Cate Blanchett voices Ponyo's mother. In Miyazaki's imaginative vision, all animate and inanimate objects are changelings, a concept easily understood by children everywhere.
Bandslam (2009)
* * * (Grade B)
Directed by Todd Graff
Starring Alyson Michalka, Vanessa Hudgens, Gaelan Connell, Lisa Kudrow
Summit Entertainment-Rated PG-Drama-151 min
Another year, another tweeny performance-centric drama set against the backdrop of high school. A girl-meets-boy romance evolves when the school's popular Charlotte (Michalka) persuades the school outcast Will (Connell) and his friend Sa5m played by Hudgens (the 5 is silent, hee hee) to help form a rock band for an upcoming competition known as "Bandslam." Lisa Kudrow appears as Will's mom in this original screenplay, unusual because it doesn't rely on previously established Disney or Nickelodeon Channel characters, but takes its chances on the tween movie-going wave that has made productions of this ilk both popular and profitable.
* * * (Grade B)
Directed by Neill Blomkamp
Starring Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, David James, Vanessa Haywood, Louis Minnaar
TriStar Pictures-Rated R-Science Fiction-152 min
Most alien invasion films envision an advanced race poised to conquer mankind, “District 9” imagines that given a chance, we will mistreat displaced extraterrestrials. This scenario gains credibility once we meet the "prawns," via pseudo-newsreel and documentary footage.
Arriving in a malfunctioning mothership, they look like an insect-lobster hybrid, stronger and are larger than humans. They speak in whirs and clicks through fluttering tentacles resembling a billowing mustache dangling over their mouthparts. These are not cuddly, endearing, nor even vaguely humanoid creatures.
The story begins 20 years after the prawn ship becomes marooned over Johannesburg, South Africa. A million prawns disembark at gunpoint to be interred in a miserable refugee camp called "District 9." Despite the camp's squalid conditions, the prawns double in number over the following two decades, causing unrest in the camp and provoking fear amongst Johannesburg's residents who want the camp relocated further from their city.
The film stereotypes the aliens as shiftless and violent, contained in camps where they can be controlled. The parallels to Nazi concentration camps or to Apartheid are obvious. Initially settling the camp on a garbage dump, the increasing value of this real estate constitutes the real motivation to relocate the aliens to a smaller, more isolated location.
The care and feeding of these creatures is contracted to the Multi-National United Corporation known as M.N.U. The movie plays into our notion that all big corporations are greedy and corrupt with hidden agendas of their own. The company's legal team insists that each prawn household must be served with an eviction notice 24 hours prior to moving to the camp. District 9's lawless conditions are worsened by gun-toting Nigerian gangsters selling goods at outrageous prices.
The daunting task of serving eviction notices falls to Wikus (Sharlto Copley), a somewhat naive, but gung-ho son-in-law of the region's M.N.U. overseer. Anything can and does go wrong when Wikus and dozens of heavily armed soldiers begin knocking on prawn doors. It's only fair to warn viewers that the film's violence is off the charts. Death by exploding bullet is a riot of blood and slime set against the muddied camp and pushing the squeamish factor through the roof.
Occurring in the present day, the developing plot sees Wikus targeted by his own company, but it was difficult to focus on his dilemma because my mind kept replaying the inhumane treatment of the prawns. Where was Amnesty International, Africa Rights, Advocates International, or Better World Campaign? Why didn't the Red Cross step up? Was there no underground movement on behalf of the prawns?
Though unbalanced by its one-sided perspective, the straight ahead storytelling is somewhat rescued by fascinating aliens, and by the humor and irony of Wikus' predicament. "District 9" succeeds as satire in an era ripe for spoofs masquerading as science fiction.
Inglourious Bastards (2009)
* * * (Grade B)
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Starring Brad Pitt, Melanie Laurent, Christoph, Daniel Bruhl, Til Schweiger, Eli Roth, Michael Fassbender, Diane Kruger
Weinstein Co.-Rated R-Drama-153 min
A small group of American soldiers, commanded by Aldo Raine (Pitt), plot to terrorize Nazi soldiers in Occupied France. Though Tarantino worked on his script for more than a decade, this rather conventional war movie is lacking his trademark rapier wit. Tension mounts when Hitler's SS plans a Paris film premiere to celebrate the exploits of their best sniper, Fredrick Zoller (Bruhl). A British lieutenant (Fassbender) organizes an Allied group known as the Bastards to blow up the theater. However, the cinema's owner (Laurent), has an even better idea. With spies everywhere, the Nazis come perilously close to uncovering both schemes. Expect an old-fashioned WWII drama and enjoy the film for Tarantino's expert technical construction.
Post Grad (2009)
* * (Grade C-)
Directed by Vicky Jenson
Starring Alexis Bledel, Catherine Reitman, Jane Lynch, Michael Keaton, Carol Burnett, Bobby Coleman, Zach Gilford, Rodrigo Santoro
Fox Searchlight-Rated PG-13-Comedy-89 min
Cute-as-a-button college grad Ryden Malby (Bledel), is compelled to move back home with her quirky family (Keaton, Lynch, Burnett and Coleman) because even her college fails to land her a good job. Between romantic misfires, domestic drama, and a series of humiliating, low-paying jobs, Ryden's path to independence remains elusive. Sadly, what begins as an effort to voice the frustrations of unemployed grads becomes a happy sappy romantic comedy. Lacking unique content, this film may quickly join the ranks of the unwatched.
The Time Traveler's Wife (2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Robert Schwentke
Starring Eric Bana, Rachel McAdams, Ron Livingston, Jane McLean, Arliss Howard, Hailey McCann, Brooklynn Proulx
New Line Cinema-Rated PG-13-Drama, Science Fiction-147 min
This weepy drama is adapted from Audrey Niffenegger's novel positioning Henry (Bana) as a time-traveling librarian. Henry, stricken by a genetic "anomaly," lives his life in random order, disappearing into the past or future with no control over where or when, but he always returns to the beautiful Clare (McAdams) who first met a handsome adult version of Henry while still a child. She anxiously wants to grow up so Henry can fulfill his promise to marry her, but domestic bliss proves to be a fantasy since Henry frequently disappears, only to reappear days, weeks or months later. For every element of the wondrous "Benjamin Button," there's a chunk of the weepy "Notebook," meant to stir romantic notions into a tearful potboiler.
The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard (2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Neal Brennan
Starring Jeremy Piven, Ving Rhames, David Koechner
Paramount Vantage-Rated R-Comedy-90 min
The second project from Will Ferrell and Adam McKay's Gary Sanchez Productions, (the first being "The Foot Fist Way"), "The Goods" smartly relies on a maniacal Jeremy Piven to deliver the laughs. As Don Ready, a used-car liquidator, Piven's character is hired to turn a troubled car dealer's Fourth of July event into a money-maker. Colorful characters are played by Ving Rhames and David Koechner, while director Neal Brennan, known for his involvement on the hit, "Chappelle's Show," comes on board to synchronize the film's fireworks.
Ponyo (2008)
* * *1/2 (Grade A-)
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki, John Lasseter, Brad Lewis, Peter Sohn
Voiced by Cate Blanchett, Liam Neeson, Noah Lindsey Cyrus, Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Frankie Jonas, Cloris Leachman, Lily Tomlin, Betty White
Disney-Rated G-Animated, Family-100 min
Hayao Miyazaki's latest family film is rendered in traditional 2-D animation and retrofitted with an all-star English voice cast for its American release. The story, loosely based on "The Little Mermaid," finds young fish princess Ponyo (voiced by Cyrus) longing to become human after being pulled from the sea by a 5-year-old boy named Sosuke (Jonas). The children must prove the power of their love by using it to realign a precariously unbalanced natural world. Liam Neeson intones Ponyo's overprotective father -- once a man who transformed himself into a fish king while Cate Blanchett voices Ponyo's mother. In Miyazaki's imaginative vision, all animate and inanimate objects are changelings, a concept easily understood by children everywhere.
Bandslam (2009)
* * * (Grade B)
Directed by Todd Graff
Starring Alyson Michalka, Vanessa Hudgens, Gaelan Connell, Lisa Kudrow
Summit Entertainment-Rated PG-Drama-151 min
Another year, another tweeny performance-centric drama set against the backdrop of high school. A girl-meets-boy romance evolves when the school's popular Charlotte (Michalka) persuades the school outcast Will (Connell) and his friend Sa5m played by Hudgens (the 5 is silent, hee hee) to help form a rock band for an upcoming competition known as "Bandslam." Lisa Kudrow appears as Will's mom in this original screenplay, unusual because it doesn't rely on previously established Disney or Nickelodeon Channel characters, but takes its chances on the tween movie-going wave that has made productions of this ilk both popular and profitable.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
August 20
Kids Save the World Yet Again
By Lisa Miller
Aliens In The Attic
(2009)
* *1/2 (Grade B-)
Directed by John Schultz
Starring Robert Hoffman, Carter Jenkins, Ashley Boettcher, Doris Roberts, Ashley Tisdale, Kevin Nealon, Henri and Regan Young, Austin Butler, Andy Richter, Gillian Vigman, Tim Meadows
Voices of Thomas Haden Church, Josh Peck, J.K. Simmons, Kari Wahlgren
Fox—Rated PG—Sci-Fi—85 min
An attempt by tiny aliens to invade Earth is thwarted thanks to teens and their siblings in this kid-friendly sci-fi. Presumably because both are small and reptilian, some have compared these aliens to the critters from "Gremlins," but it is the filmmakers' approach to the humorous action and comical extraterrestrial creatures that is the most similar feature of the two movies.
Kevin Nealon and Andy Richter play Stuart and Nathan Pearson, two adult brothers gathering up Granny (Doris Roberts) and the kids for a family-bonding vacation at a Michigan lake house (picturesque New Zealand stands in for Michigan). Stuart's kids consist of a brainiac teen (Carter Jenkins), a young daughter (Ashley Boettcher), and a hormonally motivated older daughter (Ashley Tisdale), the latter in danger of falling prey to the creepy intentions her tagalong boyfriend (Robert Hoffman). Nathan is father to a bullying, but dreamy alpha teen (Austin Butler), and a pair of long-haired, 12-year-old identical twins (Henri and Regan Young).
Soon after they arrive, the kids discover that a meteor shower is actually a sign that tiny aliens have descended from the sky and infiltrated their attic. These small, green CGI creatures are commander Skip (voiced by J.K. Simmons), female warrior Razor (Kari Wahlgren), hulky Tazer (Thomas Haden Church) and Sparks (Josh Peek), a four-armed techno-genius from a race enslaved by the others—and who is only to happy to help the kids prevent the invasion.
The warlike aliens count on high tech gadgets to overpower larger humans. They immediately fire a mind control unit into Ricky (the pesky boyfriend), using a joystick and a bluetooth headset to make him say and do whatever suits their needs. Before too long, the same fate befalls Granny, but the kids appropriate her remote control and reprogram Grans to fend off Ricky's Kung-Fooey attacks move-for-move.
The kids, who defend against the alien incursion using a paintball gun, a spud launcher, and other items from their homemade arsenal, discover the aliens have hidden a machine beneath the house that they must not be allowed to retrieve.
The nonstop action remains perfectly coherent throughout while the story arc is a family comedy best serving parents and the under-12 crowd. A nice addition to the burgeoning genre of family-friendly science fiction and fantasy, the film makes little pretense at achieving plausibility, relying instead on comical family dynamics, particularly between teen males, to save its bacon.
G.I. Joe: The Rise Of The Cobra
(2009)
* * * (Grade B)
Directed by Stephen Sommers
Starring Dennis Quaid, Channing Tatum, Marlon Wayans, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Christopher Eccleston, Sienna Miller, Rachel Nichols
Paramount—Rated PG-13—Action, Fantasy—113 min
After the success of the first "Transformers," Paramount studios was itching to make another film based on a famous line of toys. "G.I. Joe" fit the bill, though a number of script revisions, character additions and subtractions, were necessary before both fans and the studio powers were content. Director Stephen Sommers made his G.I. Joes futuristic, claiming that "almost 100 percent of the technology depicted will be available within 20 years." Whether he's correct about that or not the result is wall-to-wall action, consisting of dozens of chase scenes and battles that rely on flying soldiers wearing suits described as NFL superhero outfits. The PG-13 rating is retained by having the worst damage, and untold deaths occurring off-screen. The production designers modeled the interior of a private submarine on a Handley Page Jetstream, a piece of machinery that appears to fly through the water. Critics complain that some of the special effects are blurry, but acknowledge the film is every young gamers’ fantasy come true.
Julie & Julia
(2009)
* * (Grade B-)
Directed by Nora Ephron
Starring Amy Adams, Meryl Streep, Chris Messina, Stanley Tucci, Chris Messina, Linda Emond, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Jane Lynch, Helen Carey, Frances Sternhagen
Columbia Pictures—Rated PG-13—Comedy—122 min
Julia and Julie each have a story to tell, but while one has meat on its bones, the other is slim pickings. Back in 1949, Streep portrays Child's adventures at the French Cordon Bleu Cooking School and her subsequent efforts to write a cookbook explaining French technique to Americans. In the present day, blogger Julie Powell (Adams) is an American secretary trying to cook her way through Child's 524-page cookbook while blogging about her culinary successes and failures. Child's quirky personality is treasured by Streep's surefooted portrayal, but writer-director Nora Ephron pushes Powell's efforts to the foreground—and the film suffers for it.
Shorts
(2009)
* * * (Grade B)
Directed by Robert Rodriguez
Starring Jimmy Bennett, James Spader, Kat Dennings, Jon Cryer, William H. Macy
Warner—Rated PG—Science-Fiction, Fantasy—89 min
After a rainbow-colored rock falls from the sky and hits young Toe Thompson on the head, the lad and his friends discover that the rock grants the wish of anyone holding it. Though the idea seems wonderful the kids soon learn the rock's diabolical wish fulfillment is anything but. After just a few wishes their suburban town of Black Falls becomes overrun with tiny spaceships, crocodile armies, and giant boogers. Though the kids' wishes have been problematic, the real trouble begins when know-it-all adults appropriate Toe's wishing rock for themselves, certain they can overcome its wish fulfillment defects. Directed and written by Robert Rodriguez of "Spy Kids" fame, the imaginative "Shorts" should be families “movie wish” come true.
A Perfect Getaway
(2009)
* * * (Grade B)
Directed by David Twohy
Starring Timothy Olyphant, Milla Jovovich, Steve Zahn, Kiele Sanchez, Chris Hemsworth, Marley Shelton
Universal—Rated R—Action—97 min
Cliff and Cydney (Zahn and Jovovich) are backpacking to an isolated, remote Hawaiian beach when they are joined by two other couples (Olyphant, Sanchez, Hemsworth and Shelton) they've only just met. While making friendly chitchat, Cliff and Cydney learn that recently others have been mysteriously murdered on this very path. Uncertain of whom they can trust, soon Cliff and Cydney are fighting for their lives in a fast-paced thriller sure to leave you shivering despite its tropical setting. Shot in just over a month, a heart-pounding sequence occurring in a sea cave has caused a tide of Internet buzz.
Funny People
(2009)
* *1/2 (Grade B-)
Directed by Judd Apatow
Starring Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Jonathan Hill, Eric Bana, Leslie Mann, Jason Schwartzman, Begonya Plaza, Maude Apatow
Universal—Rated R—Comedy—146 min
When superstar comic George (Sandler) is diagnosed with a terminal illness, he reevaluates his life and finds it wanting because his self-centered ways have prevented him from maintaining close relationships. Needing help, George hires struggling young comedian Ira (Rogen) as his assistant and in turn George assists the young man to achieve stand-up comedy success. This nicer version of George looks up old flame Laura (Mann), and rekindles their romance. Then George gets the startling news that he may be recovering, and immediately reverts to his old ways. While Apatow's writing has matured, it's a mixed blessing since most of the fun goes MIA during the film's final act.
The Ugly Truth
(2009)
* *1/2 (Grade B-)
Directed by Robert Luketic
Starring Gerard Butler, Katherine Heigl, Cheryl Hines, Bonnie Somerville, Bree Turner, Vicki Lewis
Columbia Pictures—Rated R—Comedy—101 min
When Abby (Heigl), a Sacramento morning show producer is forced to work with Mike (Butler), the station's popular, but offensive late-night, love-coach, emotional daggers fly. Then Mike presents Abby with a challenge. If she follows Mike's advice to the tee, and still can't win the heart of her handsome doctor neighbor, Mike pledges to quit TV for good. Abby eagerly accepts, and then is shocked to find Mike's advice has merit. The pairing of Butler and Heigl manages to ignite a few romantic sparks though ramping up the laughs could have taken this one beyond merely competent. Lacking competition, "The Ugly Truth" should turn a pretty buck from the dating set and girls' night out.
G-Force
(2009)
*1/2 (Grade C-)
Directed by Hoyt Yeatman
Starring Will Arnett, Penelope Cruz, Zach Galifianakis, Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell, Tracy Morgan
Disney—Rated PG—Family, Animated
Disney teams with producer Jerry Bruckheimer for this film centered on a team of biologically engineered, brainiac guinea pigs trained in espionage. Tapped by the US government to stop a diabolical billionaire from taking over the world, the rodents are outfitted with tiny high-tech gear. Team members include squad leader Darwin (Rockwell), weapons expert Blaster (Morgan), and sexy martial arts master Juarez (Cruz)—"sexy" as per Disney's literature! The team's reconnaissance expert is a housefly, and for the dirtiest jobs they've recruited Speckles (Cage), a star-nosed mole. Presented in 3-D, this one's likely to benefit the pet store industry as g-pigs get wish-listed by 5 to 8 year olds everywhere.
Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by David Yates
Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Michael Gambon, Tom Felton, Jim Broadbent, Alan Rickman, David Bradley, Robbie Coltrane, Helena Bonham Carter, Warwick Davis, Maggie Smith
Warner—Rated PG—Fantasy—153 min
In chapter six the dark forces are gathering to attack the nonwizarding muggle world. Professor Dumbledore (Gambon) encourages Harry (Radcliffe) to pick professor Horace Slughorn's (Broadbent) mind for Voldemort's secrets. As Harry, Ron (Grint) and Hermione (Watson) are distracted by their romantic attractions and misfires, Voldemort grows stronger, recruiting Harry's longtime nemesis Draco Malfoy (Felton) on a covert mission. Professor Severus Snape (Rickman) appears to have chosen the other side and is gearing up for a confrontation of grave proportions. The gloomy tone continues to push PG-Rating, but the film is more "Twilight" than frightening. The major plot points of Rowling's sixth book barely make sense. Rather than continue this trend, the seventh and final book will be split into two, hopefully creating less frenetic films.
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Carlos Saldanha
Voiced by: Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Queen Latifah, Simon Pegg, Seann William Scott, Josh Peck, Chris Wedge, Karen Disher
Fox—Rated PG—Animated—87 min
Prehistoric mammals and dinosaurs collide when Sid the sloth, Diego the saber-toothed tiger, Scrat the squirrel and woolly mammoth couple Manny and Ellie, become trapped in an underground Jurassic world. Simon Pegg is also new as a dinosaur-hunting weasel seeking revenge on a Jurassic version of "Moby Dick." The good news is that acorn-obsessed squirrel Scrat and his new girlfriend provide regular breaks from otherwise predictable fare. The film is playing in both 2D and 3D, the latter costing several extra dollars per ticket.
Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Michael Bay
Starring Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, John Turturro, Rainn Wilson, Jon Voight
Paramount—Rated PG—Fantasy—147 min
"Transformers" meets "Indiana Jones" and "The Mummy" in what feels like a hybrid of not-so-hot recent movies and LaBeouf's own screen roles. In order to save mankind from marauding Decepticon aliens, Sam Witwicky (LaBeouf) and his galpal Mikaela (Fox) travel to the Egyptian ruins where they hope to find a key capable of reactivating the good-guy Autobot Transformers. Ships, tanks, planes, rockets and giant shape-shifting machines battle for audience attention in this $200 million dollar special-effects bonanza. John Turturro, Rainn Wilson and Jon Voight rush to get in on the frenetic action of this video game movie—minus the joystick.
The Proposal
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Anne Fletcher
Starring Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Mary Steenburgen, Craig T. Nelson, Betty White, Denis O'Hare, Malin Akerman
Disney—Rated PG-13—Comedy—107 min
In this chick flick banking on Bullock's wholesome appeal, the actress appears as cutthroat New York City book editor, Margaret Tate. Facing deportation to Canada, Margaret conspires to marry her young assistant Andrew (Reynolds) whom she knows nothing about. She finds herself succumbing to his charms during a trip to Alaska to meet Andrew's quirky family. A safe, non-offensive offering, 45-year-old Bullock and 33-year-old Reynolds make a cute pair, but never persuade as a couple. They aren't helped by a script lacking both an "aha" moment and evidence of their blossoming love.
The Hangover
(2009)
* * *1/2 (Grade A-)
Directed by Todd Phillips
Starring Zach Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper, Justin Bartha, Heather Graham, Sasha Barrese, Ken Jeong, Rachael Harris, Jeffrey Tambor, Mike Tyson
Warner—Rated R—Comedy—100 min
Phil, Stu and Alan (Cooper, Helms and Galifianakis) take their soon-to-be-married buddy (Bartha) to Vegas for a bachelor blowout that quickly spins out of control. The following morning, Phil, Stu and Alan awaken in a luxury casino suite where they've somehow acquired both a human baby and full-grown tiger. Though questions abound, the trio's biggest problem is that they've misplaced the groom. Unable to remember events of the previous night, the three attempt to retrace their steps. Clues lead them first to the ER, then to Mike Tyson, and finally reveal that one of them has married a stripper. Using a second-tier cast, director Todd Phillips hits pay-dirt with marvelous comic performances from Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis, longtime supporting players earning their break out roles. Pumping its Vegas locale for everything its worth, the tale's zany humor combines with a crazy detective story to hit the comedy jackpot.
By Lisa Miller
Aliens In The Attic
(2009)
* *1/2 (Grade B-)
Directed by John Schultz
Starring Robert Hoffman, Carter Jenkins, Ashley Boettcher, Doris Roberts, Ashley Tisdale, Kevin Nealon, Henri and Regan Young, Austin Butler, Andy Richter, Gillian Vigman, Tim Meadows
Voices of Thomas Haden Church, Josh Peck, J.K. Simmons, Kari Wahlgren
Fox—Rated PG—Sci-Fi—85 min
An attempt by tiny aliens to invade Earth is thwarted thanks to teens and their siblings in this kid-friendly sci-fi. Presumably because both are small and reptilian, some have compared these aliens to the critters from "Gremlins," but it is the filmmakers' approach to the humorous action and comical extraterrestrial creatures that is the most similar feature of the two movies.
Kevin Nealon and Andy Richter play Stuart and Nathan Pearson, two adult brothers gathering up Granny (Doris Roberts) and the kids for a family-bonding vacation at a Michigan lake house (picturesque New Zealand stands in for Michigan). Stuart's kids consist of a brainiac teen (Carter Jenkins), a young daughter (Ashley Boettcher), and a hormonally motivated older daughter (Ashley Tisdale), the latter in danger of falling prey to the creepy intentions her tagalong boyfriend (Robert Hoffman). Nathan is father to a bullying, but dreamy alpha teen (Austin Butler), and a pair of long-haired, 12-year-old identical twins (Henri and Regan Young).
Soon after they arrive, the kids discover that a meteor shower is actually a sign that tiny aliens have descended from the sky and infiltrated their attic. These small, green CGI creatures are commander Skip (voiced by J.K. Simmons), female warrior Razor (Kari Wahlgren), hulky Tazer (Thomas Haden Church) and Sparks (Josh Peek), a four-armed techno-genius from a race enslaved by the others—and who is only to happy to help the kids prevent the invasion.
The warlike aliens count on high tech gadgets to overpower larger humans. They immediately fire a mind control unit into Ricky (the pesky boyfriend), using a joystick and a bluetooth headset to make him say and do whatever suits their needs. Before too long, the same fate befalls Granny, but the kids appropriate her remote control and reprogram Grans to fend off Ricky's Kung-Fooey attacks move-for-move.
The kids, who defend against the alien incursion using a paintball gun, a spud launcher, and other items from their homemade arsenal, discover the aliens have hidden a machine beneath the house that they must not be allowed to retrieve.
The nonstop action remains perfectly coherent throughout while the story arc is a family comedy best serving parents and the under-12 crowd. A nice addition to the burgeoning genre of family-friendly science fiction and fantasy, the film makes little pretense at achieving plausibility, relying instead on comical family dynamics, particularly between teen males, to save its bacon.
G.I. Joe: The Rise Of The Cobra
(2009)
* * * (Grade B)
Directed by Stephen Sommers
Starring Dennis Quaid, Channing Tatum, Marlon Wayans, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Christopher Eccleston, Sienna Miller, Rachel Nichols
Paramount—Rated PG-13—Action, Fantasy—113 min
After the success of the first "Transformers," Paramount studios was itching to make another film based on a famous line of toys. "G.I. Joe" fit the bill, though a number of script revisions, character additions and subtractions, were necessary before both fans and the studio powers were content. Director Stephen Sommers made his G.I. Joes futuristic, claiming that "almost 100 percent of the technology depicted will be available within 20 years." Whether he's correct about that or not the result is wall-to-wall action, consisting of dozens of chase scenes and battles that rely on flying soldiers wearing suits described as NFL superhero outfits. The PG-13 rating is retained by having the worst damage, and untold deaths occurring off-screen. The production designers modeled the interior of a private submarine on a Handley Page Jetstream, a piece of machinery that appears to fly through the water. Critics complain that some of the special effects are blurry, but acknowledge the film is every young gamers’ fantasy come true.
Julie & Julia
(2009)
* * (Grade B-)
Directed by Nora Ephron
Starring Amy Adams, Meryl Streep, Chris Messina, Stanley Tucci, Chris Messina, Linda Emond, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Jane Lynch, Helen Carey, Frances Sternhagen
Columbia Pictures—Rated PG-13—Comedy—122 min
Julia and Julie each have a story to tell, but while one has meat on its bones, the other is slim pickings. Back in 1949, Streep portrays Child's adventures at the French Cordon Bleu Cooking School and her subsequent efforts to write a cookbook explaining French technique to Americans. In the present day, blogger Julie Powell (Adams) is an American secretary trying to cook her way through Child's 524-page cookbook while blogging about her culinary successes and failures. Child's quirky personality is treasured by Streep's surefooted portrayal, but writer-director Nora Ephron pushes Powell's efforts to the foreground—and the film suffers for it.
Shorts
(2009)
* * * (Grade B)
Directed by Robert Rodriguez
Starring Jimmy Bennett, James Spader, Kat Dennings, Jon Cryer, William H. Macy
Warner—Rated PG—Science-Fiction, Fantasy—89 min
After a rainbow-colored rock falls from the sky and hits young Toe Thompson on the head, the lad and his friends discover that the rock grants the wish of anyone holding it. Though the idea seems wonderful the kids soon learn the rock's diabolical wish fulfillment is anything but. After just a few wishes their suburban town of Black Falls becomes overrun with tiny spaceships, crocodile armies, and giant boogers. Though the kids' wishes have been problematic, the real trouble begins when know-it-all adults appropriate Toe's wishing rock for themselves, certain they can overcome its wish fulfillment defects. Directed and written by Robert Rodriguez of "Spy Kids" fame, the imaginative "Shorts" should be families “movie wish” come true.
A Perfect Getaway
(2009)
* * * (Grade B)
Directed by David Twohy
Starring Timothy Olyphant, Milla Jovovich, Steve Zahn, Kiele Sanchez, Chris Hemsworth, Marley Shelton
Universal—Rated R—Action—97 min
Cliff and Cydney (Zahn and Jovovich) are backpacking to an isolated, remote Hawaiian beach when they are joined by two other couples (Olyphant, Sanchez, Hemsworth and Shelton) they've only just met. While making friendly chitchat, Cliff and Cydney learn that recently others have been mysteriously murdered on this very path. Uncertain of whom they can trust, soon Cliff and Cydney are fighting for their lives in a fast-paced thriller sure to leave you shivering despite its tropical setting. Shot in just over a month, a heart-pounding sequence occurring in a sea cave has caused a tide of Internet buzz.
Funny People
(2009)
* *1/2 (Grade B-)
Directed by Judd Apatow
Starring Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Jonathan Hill, Eric Bana, Leslie Mann, Jason Schwartzman, Begonya Plaza, Maude Apatow
Universal—Rated R—Comedy—146 min
When superstar comic George (Sandler) is diagnosed with a terminal illness, he reevaluates his life and finds it wanting because his self-centered ways have prevented him from maintaining close relationships. Needing help, George hires struggling young comedian Ira (Rogen) as his assistant and in turn George assists the young man to achieve stand-up comedy success. This nicer version of George looks up old flame Laura (Mann), and rekindles their romance. Then George gets the startling news that he may be recovering, and immediately reverts to his old ways. While Apatow's writing has matured, it's a mixed blessing since most of the fun goes MIA during the film's final act.
The Ugly Truth
(2009)
* *1/2 (Grade B-)
Directed by Robert Luketic
Starring Gerard Butler, Katherine Heigl, Cheryl Hines, Bonnie Somerville, Bree Turner, Vicki Lewis
Columbia Pictures—Rated R—Comedy—101 min
When Abby (Heigl), a Sacramento morning show producer is forced to work with Mike (Butler), the station's popular, but offensive late-night, love-coach, emotional daggers fly. Then Mike presents Abby with a challenge. If she follows Mike's advice to the tee, and still can't win the heart of her handsome doctor neighbor, Mike pledges to quit TV for good. Abby eagerly accepts, and then is shocked to find Mike's advice has merit. The pairing of Butler and Heigl manages to ignite a few romantic sparks though ramping up the laughs could have taken this one beyond merely competent. Lacking competition, "The Ugly Truth" should turn a pretty buck from the dating set and girls' night out.
G-Force
(2009)
*1/2 (Grade C-)
Directed by Hoyt Yeatman
Starring Will Arnett, Penelope Cruz, Zach Galifianakis, Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell, Tracy Morgan
Disney—Rated PG—Family, Animated
Disney teams with producer Jerry Bruckheimer for this film centered on a team of biologically engineered, brainiac guinea pigs trained in espionage. Tapped by the US government to stop a diabolical billionaire from taking over the world, the rodents are outfitted with tiny high-tech gear. Team members include squad leader Darwin (Rockwell), weapons expert Blaster (Morgan), and sexy martial arts master Juarez (Cruz)—"sexy" as per Disney's literature! The team's reconnaissance expert is a housefly, and for the dirtiest jobs they've recruited Speckles (Cage), a star-nosed mole. Presented in 3-D, this one's likely to benefit the pet store industry as g-pigs get wish-listed by 5 to 8 year olds everywhere.
Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by David Yates
Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Michael Gambon, Tom Felton, Jim Broadbent, Alan Rickman, David Bradley, Robbie Coltrane, Helena Bonham Carter, Warwick Davis, Maggie Smith
Warner—Rated PG—Fantasy—153 min
In chapter six the dark forces are gathering to attack the nonwizarding muggle world. Professor Dumbledore (Gambon) encourages Harry (Radcliffe) to pick professor Horace Slughorn's (Broadbent) mind for Voldemort's secrets. As Harry, Ron (Grint) and Hermione (Watson) are distracted by their romantic attractions and misfires, Voldemort grows stronger, recruiting Harry's longtime nemesis Draco Malfoy (Felton) on a covert mission. Professor Severus Snape (Rickman) appears to have chosen the other side and is gearing up for a confrontation of grave proportions. The gloomy tone continues to push PG-Rating, but the film is more "Twilight" than frightening. The major plot points of Rowling's sixth book barely make sense. Rather than continue this trend, the seventh and final book will be split into two, hopefully creating less frenetic films.
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Carlos Saldanha
Voiced by: Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Queen Latifah, Simon Pegg, Seann William Scott, Josh Peck, Chris Wedge, Karen Disher
Fox—Rated PG—Animated—87 min
Prehistoric mammals and dinosaurs collide when Sid the sloth, Diego the saber-toothed tiger, Scrat the squirrel and woolly mammoth couple Manny and Ellie, become trapped in an underground Jurassic world. Simon Pegg is also new as a dinosaur-hunting weasel seeking revenge on a Jurassic version of "Moby Dick." The good news is that acorn-obsessed squirrel Scrat and his new girlfriend provide regular breaks from otherwise predictable fare. The film is playing in both 2D and 3D, the latter costing several extra dollars per ticket.
Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Michael Bay
Starring Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, John Turturro, Rainn Wilson, Jon Voight
Paramount—Rated PG—Fantasy—147 min
"Transformers" meets "Indiana Jones" and "The Mummy" in what feels like a hybrid of not-so-hot recent movies and LaBeouf's own screen roles. In order to save mankind from marauding Decepticon aliens, Sam Witwicky (LaBeouf) and his galpal Mikaela (Fox) travel to the Egyptian ruins where they hope to find a key capable of reactivating the good-guy Autobot Transformers. Ships, tanks, planes, rockets and giant shape-shifting machines battle for audience attention in this $200 million dollar special-effects bonanza. John Turturro, Rainn Wilson and Jon Voight rush to get in on the frenetic action of this video game movie—minus the joystick.
The Proposal
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Anne Fletcher
Starring Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Mary Steenburgen, Craig T. Nelson, Betty White, Denis O'Hare, Malin Akerman
Disney—Rated PG-13—Comedy—107 min
In this chick flick banking on Bullock's wholesome appeal, the actress appears as cutthroat New York City book editor, Margaret Tate. Facing deportation to Canada, Margaret conspires to marry her young assistant Andrew (Reynolds) whom she knows nothing about. She finds herself succumbing to his charms during a trip to Alaska to meet Andrew's quirky family. A safe, non-offensive offering, 45-year-old Bullock and 33-year-old Reynolds make a cute pair, but never persuade as a couple. They aren't helped by a script lacking both an "aha" moment and evidence of their blossoming love.
The Hangover
(2009)
* * *1/2 (Grade A-)
Directed by Todd Phillips
Starring Zach Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper, Justin Bartha, Heather Graham, Sasha Barrese, Ken Jeong, Rachael Harris, Jeffrey Tambor, Mike Tyson
Warner—Rated R—Comedy—100 min
Phil, Stu and Alan (Cooper, Helms and Galifianakis) take their soon-to-be-married buddy (Bartha) to Vegas for a bachelor blowout that quickly spins out of control. The following morning, Phil, Stu and Alan awaken in a luxury casino suite where they've somehow acquired both a human baby and full-grown tiger. Though questions abound, the trio's biggest problem is that they've misplaced the groom. Unable to remember events of the previous night, the three attempt to retrace their steps. Clues lead them first to the ER, then to Mike Tyson, and finally reveal that one of them has married a stripper. Using a second-tier cast, director Todd Phillips hits pay-dirt with marvelous comic performances from Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis, longtime supporting players earning their break out roles. Pumping its Vegas locale for everything its worth, the tale's zany humor combines with a crazy detective story to hit the comedy jackpot.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
August 6, 2009
Another Hairy Year for Harry—A review of HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE
By Lisa Miller
Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince
(2009)
Directed by David Yates
Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Michael Gambon, Tom Felton, Jim Broadbent, Alan Rickman, David Bradley, Robbie Coltrane, Helena Bonham Carter, Warwick Davis, Maggie Smith
Warner—Rated PG—Fantasy—153 min
It is well-known that JK Rowling wrote seven books in her Harry Potter series, but Warner Brothers, surely loathing to see the most profitable film series in history come to an end, plans to release a total of eight films. While agents are busily hounding Rowling for more HP, many readers have found this chapter, with sales topping $65 million and clocking in at an astounding 652 pages, to be the most engrossing of the series. It's worth noting that nine million copies of the book were sold in its first 24 hours of release, a record shattered only by its sequel, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."
To achieve a running time of two-and-a-half hours, director David Yates has pared Rowling's characters and subplots. The story, set during the 1996-97 term at Hogwarts School for Wizards, finds Harry and friends, Ron and Hermione, noticeably matured and searching for teen love while Voldemort's death eaters attack the fragile muggle world. The film, shot in 2007, sees Daniel Radcliffe's Harry lingering at 5' 6", best pals Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione (Emma Watson) tower over him. All three exhibit the angular facial features suggesting impending adulthood. Hermione eyes Ron as he dates Lavender Brown. Further complicating the threesome's love-matches, Harry develops a powerful crush on Ron's little sister Ginny.
During the school year Harry, who has failed to purchase a potions text book, receives an old text from his instructor, Professor Slughorn played by Jim Broadbent. Harry's book contains instructions scribbled in its margins, and it isn't long before Harry discovers that following the notations yields better results than those on the printed lines of his book, ominously inscribed as previously owned by the "Half-Blood Prince." Through the memories of Professor Slughorn, once a student with Voldemort, Harry learns that the dark wizard committed six murders, splintering his soul into six fragments embedded in objects, while leaving a seventh piece in Voldemort's body. As long as any of the fragment-containing objects exist, Voldemort cannot be extinguished.
As noted by film critic David Edelstein, the tone of this PG-Rated installment is pure English horror. Where past Harry Potters received PG-13-Ratings, the MPAA board appears to have loosened its grip. Parents may wish to view the trailer, available online at "YouTube," "The Internet Movie Database," "Rotten Tomatoes" and "MovieWeb," to name just a few sites, before purchasing tickets for their younger children.
According to film critic Todd McCarthy of Variety Magazine, Director David Yates also appears to have matured into the series, producing a film that is less eager to please, and less hamstrung by Rowling's source material, than previous chapters. The director's $250 million dollar budget yields seamless special effects and omnipresent cameras that seem to fly over cities and through the hallowed halls of a grayer Medieval Hogwarts. Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes have compiled critics' ratings, the mean score being well into the 80s out of a perfect 100. This may not be your older brother's Harry Potter, but this Harry is an apt metaphor for these tumultuous times.
The Ugly Truth
(2009)
* *1/2 (Grade B-)
Directed by Robert Luketic
Starring Gerard Butler, Katherine Heigl, Cheryl Hines, Bonnie Somerville, Bree Turner, Vicki Lewis
Columbia Pictures—Rated R—Comedy—101 min
When Abby (Heigl), a Sacramento morning show producer is forced to work with Mike (Butler), the station's popular, but offensive late-night, love-coach, emotional daggers fly. Then Mike presents Abby with a challenge. If she follows Mike's advice to the tee, and still can't win the heart of her handsome doctor neighbor, Mike pledges to quit TV for good. Abby eagerly accepts, then is shocked to find Mike's advice has merit. The pairing of Butler and Heigl manages to ignite a few romantic sparks though ramping up the laughs could have taken this one beyond merely competent. Lacking competition, "The Ugly Truth" should turn a pretty buck from the dating set and girls' night out.
G-Force
(2009)
*1/2 (Grade C-)
Directed by Hoyt Yeatman
Starring Will Arnett, Penelope Cruz, Zach Galifianakis, Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell, Tracy Morgan
Disney—Rated PG—Family, Animated
Disney teams with producer Jerry Bruckheimer for this film centered on a team of biologically engineered, brainiac guinea pigs trained in espionage. Tapped by the US government to stop a diabolical billionaire from taking over the world, the rodents are outfitted with tiny high-tech gear. Team members include squad leader Darwin (Rockwell), weapons expert Blaster (Morgan), and sexy martial arts master Juarez (Cruz)—"sexy" as per Disney's literature! The team's reconnaissance expert is a housefly, and for the dirtiest jobs they've recruited Speckles (Cage), a star-nosed mole. Presented in 3-D, this one's likely to benefit the pet store industry as g-pigs get wish-listed by 5 to 8 year olds everywhere.
Orphan
(2009)
*1/2 (Grade C-)
Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra
Starring Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard, Isabelle Fuhrman, CCH Pounder, Jimmy Bennett
Warner—Rated R—Horror—123 min
John & Kate Plus Orphan? No, it isn't the latest reality TV show, but rather it's the latest demonic-kid horror with unfortunately, no-named leads. Devastated after losing her unborn child, Kate (Farmiga) wants something good to come out of their loss. She and husband John (Sarsgaard) visit an orphanage where they are drawn to precocious 9-year-old Esther (Fuhrman). But, after bringing Esther home, things go terribly wrong for the family and friends. Kate soon discovers Esther isn't the sweet child she appears to be. The film is precisely what you'd expect: one more variation on "The Bad Seed."
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Carlos Saldanha
Voiced by: Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Queen Latifah, Simon Pegg, Seann William Scott, Josh Peck, Chris Wedge, Karen Disher
Fox//Rated PG//Animated//87 min
Prehistoric mammals and dinosaurs collide when Sid the sloth, Diego the saber-toothed tiger, Scrat the squirrel and woolly mammoth couple Manny and Ellie, become trapped in an underground Jurassic world. Simon Pegg is also new as a dinosaur-hunting weasel seeking revenge on a Jurassic version of "Moby Dick." The good news is that acorn-obsessed squirrel Scrat and his new girlfriend provide regular breaks from otherwise predictable fare. The film is playing in both 2D and 3D, the latter costing several extra dollars per ticket.
Imagine That
(2009)
*1/2 (Grade C-)
Directed by Karey Kirkpatrick
Starring Eddie Murphy, Yara Shahidi, Thomas Haden Church, Nicole Ari Parker, Ronny Cox, Martin Sheen
Paramount—Rated PG—Comedy—min
It isn't hard to imagine Murphy suiting up for another dumb comedy, but this time he isn't the cutest kid on the block. That distinction belongs to Yara Shahidi, playing Olivia, the precocious 7-year-old daughter of Evan (Murphy), a busy exec prone to ignore his adorable child. Just when Evan feels the pressure to produce at the office, he discovers that Olivia's stories—emanating from her imaginary world—reveal business secrets he can use to his advantage. Quicker than you can say Etch-A-Sketch, Murphy's pumping the little doll for tidbits to revive his sagging career. Oh Eddie, if only it were that easy.
I Love You, Beth Cooper
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Chris Columbus
Starring Hayden Panettiere, Paul Rust, Jack T. Carpenter, Lauren London, Alan Ruck, Cynthia Stevenson
Fox Atomic—Rated PG-13—Comedy
Fox Studios rushes to capitalize on Hayden Panettiere while she's still famous enough to turn "Heroes" fanboys into movie ticket buyers. After nerdy valedictorian high school senior Denis (Rust), proclaims his crush on popular girl Beth Cooper (Panettiere) during his commencement speech, the teen queen amuses herself by introducing Denis and his geeky friends to her wild-child party scene. Panettiere cheerfully does her part by stripping for a nude scene, so plot problems shouldn't prevent the film from turning a buck. Meanwhile the MPAA's rating system gets a little more questionable every year.
Bruno
(2009)
* *1/2 (Grade B-)
Directed by Larry Charles
Starring Sacha Baron Cohen, Richard Bey, Ron Paul, Paula Abdul, Domiziano Arcangeli, Emerson Brooks, Alice Evans, Gustaf Hammarsten
Universal—Rated R—Comedy—83 min
Flying high on his "Borat" success, Sacha Baron Cohen gets a new look when he becomes a bleached blonde (with highly arched eyebrows) for his latest mockumentary. This time Cohen plays Bruno, a gay, Austrian fashionista spending his exile in Hollywood where Bruno—his lovelorn assistant Lutz (Hammarsten) in tow—seeks stardom. Though a large portion of the humor is insulting and distasteful, the "Punk'd" scenes that depict Bruno offending the very celebrities he hopes to befriend, appear staged. Watch for male frontal nudity and numerous shots featuring skin-and-bones Cohen wearing nothing but itty bitty briefs.
Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Michael Bay
Starring Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, John Turturro, Rainn Wilson, Jon Voight
Paramount—Rated PG—Fantasy—147 min
"Transformers" meets "Indiana Jones" and "The Mummy" in what feels like a hybrid of not-so-hot recent movies and LaBeouf's own screen roles. In order to save mankind from marauding Decepticon aliens, Sam Witwicky (LaBeouf) and his galpal Mikaela (Fox) travel to the Egyptian ruins where they hope to find a key capable of reactivating the good-guy Autobot Transformers. Ships, tanks, planes, rockets and giant shape-shifting machines battle for audience attention in this $200 million dollar special-effects bonanza. John Turturro, Rainn Wilson and Jon Voight rush to get in on the frenetic action of this video game movie—minus the joystick.
Year One
(2009)
*1/2 (Grade C-)
Directed by Harold Ramis
Starring Jack Black, Michael Cera, Olivia Wilde, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Vinnie Jones, Hank Azaria, Paul Rudd, Juno Temple, Oliver Platt, David Cross
Sony—Rated PG-13—Comedy
Jack Black and Michael Cera play Zed and Oh, friends and lazy members of a primitive tribe in the year one. The pair are exiled after Zed eats the forbidden fruit. Oh joins Zed on a biblical journey that leads them to Cain and Abel, Abraham and Isaac, and the lovely people of Sodom. Unfamiliar with the rules of this new world, Zed and Oh are pressed into military service, thrown out and threatened with execution. At one point the pair are enslaved. Oh is stripped nearly naked, painted gold, and made to rub a hairy priest's chest (Platt) with warm oil. Poorly organized storytelling is one problem; the other is gross out humor that rarely hits the funny bone.
Public Enemies
(2009)
* * * (Grade B)
Directed by Michael Mann
Starring Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard, Jason Clarke, Rory Cochrane, Billy Crudup, Stephen Dorff, and Stephen Lang
Universal—Rated R—130 min
Virtuoso style and cinematic bravado flesh out the retelling of John Dillinger's saga. After escaping from prison in 1933, Dillinger (Depp) goes on a bank-robbing spree that gains him public admiration in an era of failing banks and first place on J. Edgar Hoover's (Crudup) Public Enemies list. Dillinger breaks his own rules when he woos and wins the heart of coat-check girl Billie Frechette (Cotillard). Knowing their romance can not last, the pair make every moment count. As FBI Agent Melvin Purvis, Christian Bale uses his intensity, rather than his underwritten character, to convey the agent's determination to bring Dillinger down by any means necessary.
My Sister’s Keeper
(2009)
* *1/2 (Grade B-)
Directed by Nick Cassavetes
Starring Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin, Alec Baldwin, Sofia Vassilieva, Joan Cusack, Jason Patric, Thomas Dekker, Emily Deschanel, Lin Shaye
Warner—Rated PG-13—Drama—109 min
Abigail Breslin headlines a drama exploring complex ethical and familial issues. She plays 11-year-old Anna Fitzgerald, conceived by her parents (Diaz and Patric) to help their leukemia-stricken daughter Kate (Vassilieva) stay alive. During her short life Anna has happily donated blood and bone marrow numerous times, but when Kate needs one of Anna's kidneys, the younger girl hires an attorney (Baldwin) to secure Anna's medical emancipation from her parents. A cozy plot twist has Anna's mom resume her legal career in order to oppose Anna’s petition to the court. Despite all the squabbling, the Fitzgerald's are a loving family doing the best they can. From Jodi Picoult's novel, the film is sufficiently well-executed to assure there won't be a dry eye left in the house.
The Proposal
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Anne Fletcher
Starring Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Mary Steenburgen, Craig T. Nelson, Betty White, Denis O'Hare, Malin Akerman
Disney—Rated PG-13—Comedy—107 min
In this chick flick banking on Bullock's wholesome appeal, the actress appears as cutthroat New York City book editor, Margaret Tate. Facing deportation to Canada, Margaret conspires to marry her young assistant Andrew (Reynolds) whom she knows nothing about. She finds herself succumbing to his charms during a trip to Alaska to meet Andrew's quirky family. A safe, non-offensive offering, 45-year-old Bullock and 33-year-old Reynolds make a cute pair, but never persuade as a couple. They aren't helped by a script lacking both an "aha" moment and evidence of their blossoming love.
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Tony Scott
Starring Denzel Washington, John Travolta, John Turturro, Luis Guzman, Michael Rispoli, James Gandolfini
Sony—Rated R—Action—106 min
The 1974 original film was an adrenaline rush casting Robert Shaw as the merciless mastermind behind a crew of hostage takers on a New York City subway. He was matched by Walter Matthau playing Walter Garber, a subway train dispatcher with a very grumpy disposition. Having gained Ryder's trust, Garber tries to keep Ryder calm while city officials plan their next move. This time, Travolta plays the madman demanding $10 million dollars in exchange for the hostages. Washington packs on the pounds for the Garber role, but director Scott has reversed his actors, putting the intense one where the funnyman belongs. It's a slick, passable production, but lacks the one, two, three punch that made the original a knock out.
The Hangover
(2009)
* * *1/2 (Grade A-)
Directed by Todd Phillips
Starring Zach Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper, Justin Bartha, Heather Graham, Sasha Barrese, Ken Jeong, Rachael Harris, Jeffrey Tambor, Mike Tyson
Warner—Rated R—Comedy—100 min
Phil, Stu and Alan (Cooper, Helms and Galifianakis) take their soon-to-be-married buddy (Bartha) to Vegas for a bachelor blowout that quickly spins out of control. The following morning, Phil, Stu and Alan awaken in a luxury casino suite where they've somehow acquired both a human baby and full-grown tiger. Though questions abound, the trio's biggest problem is that they've misplaced the groom. Unable to remember events of the previous night, the three attempt to retrace their steps. Clues lead them first to the ER, then to Mike Tyson, and finally reveal that one of them has married a stripper. Using a second-tier cast, director Todd Phillips hits pay-dirt with marvelous comic performances from Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis, longtime supporting players earning their break out roles. Pumping its Vegas locale for everything its worth, the tale's zany humor combines with a crazy detective story to hit the comedy jackpot.
UP
(2009)
* * * * (Grade A)
Directed by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson
Voices of Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, Bob Peterson, Delroy Lindo, Jerome Ranft, John Ratzenberger, David Kaye, Elie Docter, Jeremy Leary
Buena Vista—Rated PG—Animated, Family—96 min
Another Pixar story, this one takes to the skies in a big way. When curmudgeon senior citizen, Carl Fredricksen (voiced by Asner), takes off to see a remote range of Venezuelan mountains, he ties thousands of balloons to his house that lift it up, up and away. Comfortably settled inside his flying home, Carl is appalled to discover that a young scout has inadvertently hitched a ride. Animated with spellbinding beauty and vibrance, the film follows the pair's adventures, and eventual meeting with Carl's boyhood hero (Plummer)—a famed explorer. Encountering wondrous animals, as well as with confronting an evil plot, will test the pair's resolve and leave audiences feeling "Up"- beat.
By Lisa Miller
Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince
(2009)
Directed by David Yates
Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Michael Gambon, Tom Felton, Jim Broadbent, Alan Rickman, David Bradley, Robbie Coltrane, Helena Bonham Carter, Warwick Davis, Maggie Smith
Warner—Rated PG—Fantasy—153 min
It is well-known that JK Rowling wrote seven books in her Harry Potter series, but Warner Brothers, surely loathing to see the most profitable film series in history come to an end, plans to release a total of eight films. While agents are busily hounding Rowling for more HP, many readers have found this chapter, with sales topping $65 million and clocking in at an astounding 652 pages, to be the most engrossing of the series. It's worth noting that nine million copies of the book were sold in its first 24 hours of release, a record shattered only by its sequel, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."
To achieve a running time of two-and-a-half hours, director David Yates has pared Rowling's characters and subplots. The story, set during the 1996-97 term at Hogwarts School for Wizards, finds Harry and friends, Ron and Hermione, noticeably matured and searching for teen love while Voldemort's death eaters attack the fragile muggle world. The film, shot in 2007, sees Daniel Radcliffe's Harry lingering at 5' 6", best pals Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione (Emma Watson) tower over him. All three exhibit the angular facial features suggesting impending adulthood. Hermione eyes Ron as he dates Lavender Brown. Further complicating the threesome's love-matches, Harry develops a powerful crush on Ron's little sister Ginny.
During the school year Harry, who has failed to purchase a potions text book, receives an old text from his instructor, Professor Slughorn played by Jim Broadbent. Harry's book contains instructions scribbled in its margins, and it isn't long before Harry discovers that following the notations yields better results than those on the printed lines of his book, ominously inscribed as previously owned by the "Half-Blood Prince." Through the memories of Professor Slughorn, once a student with Voldemort, Harry learns that the dark wizard committed six murders, splintering his soul into six fragments embedded in objects, while leaving a seventh piece in Voldemort's body. As long as any of the fragment-containing objects exist, Voldemort cannot be extinguished.
As noted by film critic David Edelstein, the tone of this PG-Rated installment is pure English horror. Where past Harry Potters received PG-13-Ratings, the MPAA board appears to have loosened its grip. Parents may wish to view the trailer, available online at "YouTube," "The Internet Movie Database," "Rotten Tomatoes" and "MovieWeb," to name just a few sites, before purchasing tickets for their younger children.
According to film critic Todd McCarthy of Variety Magazine, Director David Yates also appears to have matured into the series, producing a film that is less eager to please, and less hamstrung by Rowling's source material, than previous chapters. The director's $250 million dollar budget yields seamless special effects and omnipresent cameras that seem to fly over cities and through the hallowed halls of a grayer Medieval Hogwarts. Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes have compiled critics' ratings, the mean score being well into the 80s out of a perfect 100. This may not be your older brother's Harry Potter, but this Harry is an apt metaphor for these tumultuous times.
The Ugly Truth
(2009)
* *1/2 (Grade B-)
Directed by Robert Luketic
Starring Gerard Butler, Katherine Heigl, Cheryl Hines, Bonnie Somerville, Bree Turner, Vicki Lewis
Columbia Pictures—Rated R—Comedy—101 min
When Abby (Heigl), a Sacramento morning show producer is forced to work with Mike (Butler), the station's popular, but offensive late-night, love-coach, emotional daggers fly. Then Mike presents Abby with a challenge. If she follows Mike's advice to the tee, and still can't win the heart of her handsome doctor neighbor, Mike pledges to quit TV for good. Abby eagerly accepts, then is shocked to find Mike's advice has merit. The pairing of Butler and Heigl manages to ignite a few romantic sparks though ramping up the laughs could have taken this one beyond merely competent. Lacking competition, "The Ugly Truth" should turn a pretty buck from the dating set and girls' night out.
G-Force
(2009)
*1/2 (Grade C-)
Directed by Hoyt Yeatman
Starring Will Arnett, Penelope Cruz, Zach Galifianakis, Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell, Tracy Morgan
Disney—Rated PG—Family, Animated
Disney teams with producer Jerry Bruckheimer for this film centered on a team of biologically engineered, brainiac guinea pigs trained in espionage. Tapped by the US government to stop a diabolical billionaire from taking over the world, the rodents are outfitted with tiny high-tech gear. Team members include squad leader Darwin (Rockwell), weapons expert Blaster (Morgan), and sexy martial arts master Juarez (Cruz)—"sexy" as per Disney's literature! The team's reconnaissance expert is a housefly, and for the dirtiest jobs they've recruited Speckles (Cage), a star-nosed mole. Presented in 3-D, this one's likely to benefit the pet store industry as g-pigs get wish-listed by 5 to 8 year olds everywhere.
Orphan
(2009)
*1/2 (Grade C-)
Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra
Starring Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard, Isabelle Fuhrman, CCH Pounder, Jimmy Bennett
Warner—Rated R—Horror—123 min
John & Kate Plus Orphan? No, it isn't the latest reality TV show, but rather it's the latest demonic-kid horror with unfortunately, no-named leads. Devastated after losing her unborn child, Kate (Farmiga) wants something good to come out of their loss. She and husband John (Sarsgaard) visit an orphanage where they are drawn to precocious 9-year-old Esther (Fuhrman). But, after bringing Esther home, things go terribly wrong for the family and friends. Kate soon discovers Esther isn't the sweet child she appears to be. The film is precisely what you'd expect: one more variation on "The Bad Seed."
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Carlos Saldanha
Voiced by: Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Queen Latifah, Simon Pegg, Seann William Scott, Josh Peck, Chris Wedge, Karen Disher
Fox//Rated PG//Animated//87 min
Prehistoric mammals and dinosaurs collide when Sid the sloth, Diego the saber-toothed tiger, Scrat the squirrel and woolly mammoth couple Manny and Ellie, become trapped in an underground Jurassic world. Simon Pegg is also new as a dinosaur-hunting weasel seeking revenge on a Jurassic version of "Moby Dick." The good news is that acorn-obsessed squirrel Scrat and his new girlfriend provide regular breaks from otherwise predictable fare. The film is playing in both 2D and 3D, the latter costing several extra dollars per ticket.
Imagine That
(2009)
*1/2 (Grade C-)
Directed by Karey Kirkpatrick
Starring Eddie Murphy, Yara Shahidi, Thomas Haden Church, Nicole Ari Parker, Ronny Cox, Martin Sheen
Paramount—Rated PG—Comedy—min
It isn't hard to imagine Murphy suiting up for another dumb comedy, but this time he isn't the cutest kid on the block. That distinction belongs to Yara Shahidi, playing Olivia, the precocious 7-year-old daughter of Evan (Murphy), a busy exec prone to ignore his adorable child. Just when Evan feels the pressure to produce at the office, he discovers that Olivia's stories—emanating from her imaginary world—reveal business secrets he can use to his advantage. Quicker than you can say Etch-A-Sketch, Murphy's pumping the little doll for tidbits to revive his sagging career. Oh Eddie, if only it were that easy.
I Love You, Beth Cooper
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Chris Columbus
Starring Hayden Panettiere, Paul Rust, Jack T. Carpenter, Lauren London, Alan Ruck, Cynthia Stevenson
Fox Atomic—Rated PG-13—Comedy
Fox Studios rushes to capitalize on Hayden Panettiere while she's still famous enough to turn "Heroes" fanboys into movie ticket buyers. After nerdy valedictorian high school senior Denis (Rust), proclaims his crush on popular girl Beth Cooper (Panettiere) during his commencement speech, the teen queen amuses herself by introducing Denis and his geeky friends to her wild-child party scene. Panettiere cheerfully does her part by stripping for a nude scene, so plot problems shouldn't prevent the film from turning a buck. Meanwhile the MPAA's rating system gets a little more questionable every year.
Bruno
(2009)
* *1/2 (Grade B-)
Directed by Larry Charles
Starring Sacha Baron Cohen, Richard Bey, Ron Paul, Paula Abdul, Domiziano Arcangeli, Emerson Brooks, Alice Evans, Gustaf Hammarsten
Universal—Rated R—Comedy—83 min
Flying high on his "Borat" success, Sacha Baron Cohen gets a new look when he becomes a bleached blonde (with highly arched eyebrows) for his latest mockumentary. This time Cohen plays Bruno, a gay, Austrian fashionista spending his exile in Hollywood where Bruno—his lovelorn assistant Lutz (Hammarsten) in tow—seeks stardom. Though a large portion of the humor is insulting and distasteful, the "Punk'd" scenes that depict Bruno offending the very celebrities he hopes to befriend, appear staged. Watch for male frontal nudity and numerous shots featuring skin-and-bones Cohen wearing nothing but itty bitty briefs.
Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Michael Bay
Starring Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, John Turturro, Rainn Wilson, Jon Voight
Paramount—Rated PG—Fantasy—147 min
"Transformers" meets "Indiana Jones" and "The Mummy" in what feels like a hybrid of not-so-hot recent movies and LaBeouf's own screen roles. In order to save mankind from marauding Decepticon aliens, Sam Witwicky (LaBeouf) and his galpal Mikaela (Fox) travel to the Egyptian ruins where they hope to find a key capable of reactivating the good-guy Autobot Transformers. Ships, tanks, planes, rockets and giant shape-shifting machines battle for audience attention in this $200 million dollar special-effects bonanza. John Turturro, Rainn Wilson and Jon Voight rush to get in on the frenetic action of this video game movie—minus the joystick.
Year One
(2009)
*1/2 (Grade C-)
Directed by Harold Ramis
Starring Jack Black, Michael Cera, Olivia Wilde, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Vinnie Jones, Hank Azaria, Paul Rudd, Juno Temple, Oliver Platt, David Cross
Sony—Rated PG-13—Comedy
Jack Black and Michael Cera play Zed and Oh, friends and lazy members of a primitive tribe in the year one. The pair are exiled after Zed eats the forbidden fruit. Oh joins Zed on a biblical journey that leads them to Cain and Abel, Abraham and Isaac, and the lovely people of Sodom. Unfamiliar with the rules of this new world, Zed and Oh are pressed into military service, thrown out and threatened with execution. At one point the pair are enslaved. Oh is stripped nearly naked, painted gold, and made to rub a hairy priest's chest (Platt) with warm oil. Poorly organized storytelling is one problem; the other is gross out humor that rarely hits the funny bone.
Public Enemies
(2009)
* * * (Grade B)
Directed by Michael Mann
Starring Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard, Jason Clarke, Rory Cochrane, Billy Crudup, Stephen Dorff, and Stephen Lang
Universal—Rated R—130 min
Virtuoso style and cinematic bravado flesh out the retelling of John Dillinger's saga. After escaping from prison in 1933, Dillinger (Depp) goes on a bank-robbing spree that gains him public admiration in an era of failing banks and first place on J. Edgar Hoover's (Crudup) Public Enemies list. Dillinger breaks his own rules when he woos and wins the heart of coat-check girl Billie Frechette (Cotillard). Knowing their romance can not last, the pair make every moment count. As FBI Agent Melvin Purvis, Christian Bale uses his intensity, rather than his underwritten character, to convey the agent's determination to bring Dillinger down by any means necessary.
My Sister’s Keeper
(2009)
* *1/2 (Grade B-)
Directed by Nick Cassavetes
Starring Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin, Alec Baldwin, Sofia Vassilieva, Joan Cusack, Jason Patric, Thomas Dekker, Emily Deschanel, Lin Shaye
Warner—Rated PG-13—Drama—109 min
Abigail Breslin headlines a drama exploring complex ethical and familial issues. She plays 11-year-old Anna Fitzgerald, conceived by her parents (Diaz and Patric) to help their leukemia-stricken daughter Kate (Vassilieva) stay alive. During her short life Anna has happily donated blood and bone marrow numerous times, but when Kate needs one of Anna's kidneys, the younger girl hires an attorney (Baldwin) to secure Anna's medical emancipation from her parents. A cozy plot twist has Anna's mom resume her legal career in order to oppose Anna’s petition to the court. Despite all the squabbling, the Fitzgerald's are a loving family doing the best they can. From Jodi Picoult's novel, the film is sufficiently well-executed to assure there won't be a dry eye left in the house.
The Proposal
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Anne Fletcher
Starring Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Mary Steenburgen, Craig T. Nelson, Betty White, Denis O'Hare, Malin Akerman
Disney—Rated PG-13—Comedy—107 min
In this chick flick banking on Bullock's wholesome appeal, the actress appears as cutthroat New York City book editor, Margaret Tate. Facing deportation to Canada, Margaret conspires to marry her young assistant Andrew (Reynolds) whom she knows nothing about. She finds herself succumbing to his charms during a trip to Alaska to meet Andrew's quirky family. A safe, non-offensive offering, 45-year-old Bullock and 33-year-old Reynolds make a cute pair, but never persuade as a couple. They aren't helped by a script lacking both an "aha" moment and evidence of their blossoming love.
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Tony Scott
Starring Denzel Washington, John Travolta, John Turturro, Luis Guzman, Michael Rispoli, James Gandolfini
Sony—Rated R—Action—106 min
The 1974 original film was an adrenaline rush casting Robert Shaw as the merciless mastermind behind a crew of hostage takers on a New York City subway. He was matched by Walter Matthau playing Walter Garber, a subway train dispatcher with a very grumpy disposition. Having gained Ryder's trust, Garber tries to keep Ryder calm while city officials plan their next move. This time, Travolta plays the madman demanding $10 million dollars in exchange for the hostages. Washington packs on the pounds for the Garber role, but director Scott has reversed his actors, putting the intense one where the funnyman belongs. It's a slick, passable production, but lacks the one, two, three punch that made the original a knock out.
The Hangover
(2009)
* * *1/2 (Grade A-)
Directed by Todd Phillips
Starring Zach Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper, Justin Bartha, Heather Graham, Sasha Barrese, Ken Jeong, Rachael Harris, Jeffrey Tambor, Mike Tyson
Warner—Rated R—Comedy—100 min
Phil, Stu and Alan (Cooper, Helms and Galifianakis) take their soon-to-be-married buddy (Bartha) to Vegas for a bachelor blowout that quickly spins out of control. The following morning, Phil, Stu and Alan awaken in a luxury casino suite where they've somehow acquired both a human baby and full-grown tiger. Though questions abound, the trio's biggest problem is that they've misplaced the groom. Unable to remember events of the previous night, the three attempt to retrace their steps. Clues lead them first to the ER, then to Mike Tyson, and finally reveal that one of them has married a stripper. Using a second-tier cast, director Todd Phillips hits pay-dirt with marvelous comic performances from Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis, longtime supporting players earning their break out roles. Pumping its Vegas locale for everything its worth, the tale's zany humor combines with a crazy detective story to hit the comedy jackpot.
UP
(2009)
* * * * (Grade A)
Directed by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson
Voices of Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, Bob Peterson, Delroy Lindo, Jerome Ranft, John Ratzenberger, David Kaye, Elie Docter, Jeremy Leary
Buena Vista—Rated PG—Animated, Family—96 min
Another Pixar story, this one takes to the skies in a big way. When curmudgeon senior citizen, Carl Fredricksen (voiced by Asner), takes off to see a remote range of Venezuelan mountains, he ties thousands of balloons to his house that lift it up, up and away. Comfortably settled inside his flying home, Carl is appalled to discover that a young scout has inadvertently hitched a ride. Animated with spellbinding beauty and vibrance, the film follows the pair's adventures, and eventual meeting with Carl's boyhood hero (Plummer)—a famed explorer. Encountering wondrous animals, as well as with confronting an evil plot, will test the pair's resolve and leave audiences feeling "Up"- beat.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
July 23, 2009
On Thin Ice
By Lisa Miller
Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Carlos Saldanha
Voiced by: Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Queen Latifah, Simon Pegg, Seann William Scott, Josh Peck, Chris Wedge, Karen Disher
Fox—Rated PG—Animated—87 min
The "Ice Age" franchise attempts to defrost its overexposed prehistoric characters by stealing from other movies. As the third chapter opens we find woolly mammoth couple Manny (Ray Romano) and Ellie (Queen Latifah) preparing for the arrival of their first born. The couple's nesting activities prompt severe reactions from their best friends. Saber-toothed tiger Diego (Denis Leary) believes the pair's domesticity is dulling his predatory edge. Sloth Sid (John Leguizamo) worries he will be abandoned by the others and left alone.
Then Sid discovers a clutch of three enormous eggs in a subterranean labyrinth beneath the ice. He carts the enormous eggs up top, hilariously losing and recovering them on slippery slopes that serve as abstract illustrations of parental duty. Soon Sid proudly declares himself a "single mother" to three T-Rex hatchlings. Mama T-Rex comes looking for her babies and after wreaking havoc on the company's home turf, she scoops up her brood and Sid, for the journey back to her tropical dinotopia.
Manny, Ellie, Diego and a pair of sidekick opossums (Seann William Scott and Josh Peck), seek to effect a rescue, but they are unable to save a story recycling the highlights of "Jurassic Park" and "Journey to the Center of the Earth." The film might have overcome the stigma had "Land of the Lost" not beat it to the punch, or had the third "Ice Age" been funnier. As it is there's little satisfaction and even less humor to be extracted from problems attributed to the central characters that are distilled to saccharine soundbites.
Hope springs once the company joins up with a dinosaur-hunting weasel named Buck (Simon Pegg), until what appeared to be an original notion proves to be a dumbed-down resetting of the classic "Moby Dick."
Some relief is provided by a parallel story featuring proto-squirrel Scrat's (Chris Wedge) relentless pursuit of a prize acorn. In these dialog-free segments, the acorn plays the Road Runner to Scrat's Wiley Coyote. It's always good for a laugh but the writers give it a twist, introducing Scrat to a comely female squirrel (Karen Disher) who is competing for possession of the nut. The romantic in Scrat considers gifting her the acorn in an act of love, but even as Lou Rawls croons, "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" Scrat can't quite bring himself to give up his "Precious." This tug-of-war between the girl and an acorn that refuses to stay put, provides the film's most enchanting entertainment. It also serves as an object lesson to those making children’s movies: It's okay to let 'em see you sweat, but don't ever let them see you being predictable.
I Love You, Beth Cooper
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Chris Columbus
Starring Hayden Panettiere, Paul Rust, Jack T. Carpenter, Lauren London, Alan Ruck, Cynthia Stevenson
Fox Atomic—Rated PG-13—Comedy
Fox Studios rushes to capitalize on Hayden Panettiere while she's still famous enough to turn "Heroes" fanboys into movie ticket buyers. After nerdy valedictorian high school senior Denis (Rust), proclaims his crush on popular girl Beth Cooper (Panettiere) during his commencement speech, the teen queen amuses herself by introducing Denis and his geeky friends to her wild-child party scene. Panettiere cheerfully does her part by stripping for a nude scene, so plot problems shouldn't prevent the film from turning a buck. Meanwhile the MPAA's rating system gets a little more questionable every year.
Bruno
(2009)
* *1/2 (Grade B-)
Directed by Larry Charles
Starring Sacha Baron Cohen, Richard Bey, Ron Paul, Paula Abdul, Domiziano Arcangeli, Emerson Brooks, Alice Evans, Gustaf Hammarsten
Universal—Rated R—Comedy—83 min
Flying high on his "Borat" success, Sacha Baron Cohen gets a new look when he becomes a bleached blonde (with highly arched eyebrows) for his latest mockumentary. This time Cohen plays Bruno, a gay, Austrian fashionista spending his exile in Hollywood where Bruno—his lovelorn assistant Lutz (Hammarsten) in tow—seeks stardom. Though a large portion of the humor is insulting and distasteful, the "Punk'd" scenes that depict Bruno offending the very celebrities he hopes to befriend, appear staged. Watch for male frontal nudity and numerous shots featuring skin-and-bones Cohen wearing nothing but itty bitty briefs.
Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Michael Bay
Starring Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, John Turturro, Rainn Wilson, Jon Voight
Paramount—Rated PG—Fantasy—147 min
"Transformers" meets "Indiana Jones" and "The Mummy" in what feels like a hybrid of not-so-hot recent movies and LaBeouf's own screen roles. In order to save mankind from marauding Decepticon aliens, Sam Witwicky (LaBeouf) and his galpal Mikaela (Fox) travel to the Egyptian ruins where they hope to find a key capable of reactivating the good-guy Autobot Transformers. Ships, tanks, planes, rockets and giant shape-shifting machines battle for audience attention in this $200 million dollar special-effects bonanza. John Turturro, Rainn Wilson and Jon Voight rush to get in on the frenetic action of this video game movie—minus the joystick.
Year One
(2009)
*1/2 (Grade C-)
Directed by Harold Ramis
Starring Jack Black, Michael Cera, Olivia Wilde, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Vinnie Jones, Hank Azaria, Paul Rudd, Juno Temple, Oliver Platt, David Cross
Sony—Rated PG-13—Comedy
Jack Black and Michael Cera play Zed and Oh, friends and lazy members of a primitive tribe in the year one. The pair are exiled after Zed eats the forbidden fruit. Oh joins Zed on a biblical journey that leads them to Cain and Abel, Abraham and Isaac, and the lovely people of Sodom. Unfamiliar with the rules of this new world, Zed and Oh are pressed into military service, thrown out and threatened with execution. At one point the pair are enslaved. Oh is stripped nearly naked, painted gold, and made to rub a hairy priest's chest (Platt) with warm oil. Poorly organized storytelling is one problem; the other is gross out humor that rarely hits the funny bone.
Public Enemies
(2009)
* * * (Grade B)
Directed by Michael Mann
Starring Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard, Jason Clarke, Rory Cochrane, Billy Crudup, Stephen Dorff, and Stephen Lang
Universal—Rated R—130 min
Virtuoso style and cinematic bravado flesh out the retelling of John Dillinger's saga. After escaping from prison in 1933, Dillinger (Depp) goes on a bank-robbing spree that gains him public admiration in an era of failing banks and first place on J. Edgar Hoover's (Crudup) Public Enemies list. Dillinger breaks his own rules when he woos and wins the heart of coat-check girl Billie Frechette (Cotillard). Knowing their romance can not last, the pair make every moment count. As FBI Agent Melvin Purvis, Christian Bale uses his intensity, rather than his underwritten character, to convey the agent's determination to bring Dillinger down by any means necessary.
My Sister’s Keeper
(2009)
* *1/2 (Grade B-)
Directed by Nick Cassavetes
Starring Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin, Alec Baldwin, Sofia Vassilieva, Joan Cusack, Jason Patric, Thomas Dekker, Emily Deschanel, Lin Shaye
Warner—Rated PG-13—Drama—109 min
Abigail Breslin headlines a drama exploring complex ethical and familial issues. She plays 11-year-old Anna Fitzgerald, conceived by her parents (Diaz and Patric) to help their leukemia-stricken daughter Kate (Vassilieva) stay alive. During her short life Anna has happily donated blood and bone marrow numerous times, but when Kate needs one of Anna's kidneys, the younger girl hires an attorney (Baldwin) to secure Anna's medical emancipation from her parents. A cozy plot twist has Anna's mom resume her legal career in order to oppose Anna’s petition to the court. Despite all the squabbling, the Fitzgerald's are a loving family doing the best they can. From Jodi Picoult's novel, the film is sufficiently well-executed to assure there won't be a dry eye left in the house.
The Proposal
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Anne Fletcher
Starring Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Mary Steenburgen, Craig T. Nelson, Betty White, Denis O'Hare, Malin Akerman
Disney—Rated PG-13—Comedy—107 min
In this chick flick banking on Bullock's wholesome appeal, the actress appears as cutthroat New York City book editor, Margaret Tate. Facing deportation to Canada, Margaret conspires to marry her young assistant Andrew (Reynolds) whom she knows nothing about. She finds herself succumbing to his charms during a trip to Alaska to meet Andrew's quirky family. A safe, non-offensive offering, 45-year-old Bullock and 33-year-old Reynolds make a cute pair, but never persuade as a couple. They aren't helped by a script lacking both an "aha" moment and evidence of their blossoming love.
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Tony Scott
Starring Denzel Washington, John Travolta, John Turturro, Luis Guzman, Michael Rispoli, James Gandolfini
Sony—Rated R—Action—106 min
The 1974 original film was an adrenaline rush casting Robert Shaw as the merciless mastermind behind a crew of hostage takers on a New York City subway. He was matched by Walter Matthau playing Walter Garber, a subway train dispatcher with a very grumpy disposition. Having gained Ryder's trust, Garber tries to keep Ryder calm while city officials plan their next move. This time, Travolta plays the madman demanding $10 million dollars in exchange for the hostages. Washington packs on the pounds for the Garber role, but director Scott has reversed his actors, putting the intense one where the funnyman belongs. It's a slick, passable production, but lacks the one, two, three punch that made the original a knock out.
The Hangover
(2009)
* * *1/2 (Grade A-)
Directed by Todd Phillips
Starring Zach Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper, Justin Bartha, Heather Graham, Sasha Barrese, Ken Jeong, Rachael Harris, Jeffrey Tambor, Mike Tyson
Warner—Rated R—Comedy—100 min
Phil, Stu and Alan (Cooper, Helms and Galifianakis) take their soon-to-be-married buddy (Bartha) to Vegas for a bachelor blowout that quickly spins out of control. The following morning, Phil, Stu and Alan awaken in a luxury casino suite where they've somehow acquired both a human baby and full-grown tiger. Though questions abound, the trio's biggest problem is that they've misplaced the groom. Unable to remember events of the previous night, the three attempt to retrace their steps. Clues lead them first to the ER, then to Mike Tyson, and finally reveal that one of them has married a stripper. Using a second-tier cast, director Todd Phillips hits pay-dirt with marvelous comic performances from Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis, longtime supporting players earning their break out roles. Pumping its Vegas locale for everything its worth, the tale's zany humor combines with a crazy detective story to hit the comedy jackpot.
UP
(2009)
* * * * (Grade A)
Directed by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson
Voices of Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, Bob Peterson, Delroy Lindo, Jerome Ranft, John Ratzenberger, David Kaye, Elie Docter, Jeremy Leary
Buena Vista—Rated PG—Animated, Family—96 min
Another Pixar story, this one takes to the skies in a big way. When curmudgeon senior citizen, Carl Fredricksen (voiced by Asner), takes off to see a remote range of Venezuelan mountains, he ties thousands of balloons to his house that lift it up, up and away. Comfortably settled inside his flying home, Carl is appalled to discover that a young scout has inadvertently hitched a ride. Animated with spellbinding beauty and vibrance, the film follows the pair's adventures, and eventual meeting with Carl's boyhood hero (Plummer)—a famed explorer. Encountering wondrous animals, as well as with confronting an evil plot, will test the pair's resolve and leave audiences feeling "Up"- beat.
By Lisa Miller
Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Carlos Saldanha
Voiced by: Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Queen Latifah, Simon Pegg, Seann William Scott, Josh Peck, Chris Wedge, Karen Disher
Fox—Rated PG—Animated—87 min
The "Ice Age" franchise attempts to defrost its overexposed prehistoric characters by stealing from other movies. As the third chapter opens we find woolly mammoth couple Manny (Ray Romano) and Ellie (Queen Latifah) preparing for the arrival of their first born. The couple's nesting activities prompt severe reactions from their best friends. Saber-toothed tiger Diego (Denis Leary) believes the pair's domesticity is dulling his predatory edge. Sloth Sid (John Leguizamo) worries he will be abandoned by the others and left alone.
Then Sid discovers a clutch of three enormous eggs in a subterranean labyrinth beneath the ice. He carts the enormous eggs up top, hilariously losing and recovering them on slippery slopes that serve as abstract illustrations of parental duty. Soon Sid proudly declares himself a "single mother" to three T-Rex hatchlings. Mama T-Rex comes looking for her babies and after wreaking havoc on the company's home turf, she scoops up her brood and Sid, for the journey back to her tropical dinotopia.
Manny, Ellie, Diego and a pair of sidekick opossums (Seann William Scott and Josh Peck), seek to effect a rescue, but they are unable to save a story recycling the highlights of "Jurassic Park" and "Journey to the Center of the Earth." The film might have overcome the stigma had "Land of the Lost" not beat it to the punch, or had the third "Ice Age" been funnier. As it is there's little satisfaction and even less humor to be extracted from problems attributed to the central characters that are distilled to saccharine soundbites.
Hope springs once the company joins up with a dinosaur-hunting weasel named Buck (Simon Pegg), until what appeared to be an original notion proves to be a dumbed-down resetting of the classic "Moby Dick."
Some relief is provided by a parallel story featuring proto-squirrel Scrat's (Chris Wedge) relentless pursuit of a prize acorn. In these dialog-free segments, the acorn plays the Road Runner to Scrat's Wiley Coyote. It's always good for a laugh but the writers give it a twist, introducing Scrat to a comely female squirrel (Karen Disher) who is competing for possession of the nut. The romantic in Scrat considers gifting her the acorn in an act of love, but even as Lou Rawls croons, "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" Scrat can't quite bring himself to give up his "Precious." This tug-of-war between the girl and an acorn that refuses to stay put, provides the film's most enchanting entertainment. It also serves as an object lesson to those making children’s movies: It's okay to let 'em see you sweat, but don't ever let them see you being predictable.
I Love You, Beth Cooper
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Chris Columbus
Starring Hayden Panettiere, Paul Rust, Jack T. Carpenter, Lauren London, Alan Ruck, Cynthia Stevenson
Fox Atomic—Rated PG-13—Comedy
Fox Studios rushes to capitalize on Hayden Panettiere while she's still famous enough to turn "Heroes" fanboys into movie ticket buyers. After nerdy valedictorian high school senior Denis (Rust), proclaims his crush on popular girl Beth Cooper (Panettiere) during his commencement speech, the teen queen amuses herself by introducing Denis and his geeky friends to her wild-child party scene. Panettiere cheerfully does her part by stripping for a nude scene, so plot problems shouldn't prevent the film from turning a buck. Meanwhile the MPAA's rating system gets a little more questionable every year.
Bruno
(2009)
* *1/2 (Grade B-)
Directed by Larry Charles
Starring Sacha Baron Cohen, Richard Bey, Ron Paul, Paula Abdul, Domiziano Arcangeli, Emerson Brooks, Alice Evans, Gustaf Hammarsten
Universal—Rated R—Comedy—83 min
Flying high on his "Borat" success, Sacha Baron Cohen gets a new look when he becomes a bleached blonde (with highly arched eyebrows) for his latest mockumentary. This time Cohen plays Bruno, a gay, Austrian fashionista spending his exile in Hollywood where Bruno—his lovelorn assistant Lutz (Hammarsten) in tow—seeks stardom. Though a large portion of the humor is insulting and distasteful, the "Punk'd" scenes that depict Bruno offending the very celebrities he hopes to befriend, appear staged. Watch for male frontal nudity and numerous shots featuring skin-and-bones Cohen wearing nothing but itty bitty briefs.
Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Michael Bay
Starring Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, John Turturro, Rainn Wilson, Jon Voight
Paramount—Rated PG—Fantasy—147 min
"Transformers" meets "Indiana Jones" and "The Mummy" in what feels like a hybrid of not-so-hot recent movies and LaBeouf's own screen roles. In order to save mankind from marauding Decepticon aliens, Sam Witwicky (LaBeouf) and his galpal Mikaela (Fox) travel to the Egyptian ruins where they hope to find a key capable of reactivating the good-guy Autobot Transformers. Ships, tanks, planes, rockets and giant shape-shifting machines battle for audience attention in this $200 million dollar special-effects bonanza. John Turturro, Rainn Wilson and Jon Voight rush to get in on the frenetic action of this video game movie—minus the joystick.
Year One
(2009)
*1/2 (Grade C-)
Directed by Harold Ramis
Starring Jack Black, Michael Cera, Olivia Wilde, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Vinnie Jones, Hank Azaria, Paul Rudd, Juno Temple, Oliver Platt, David Cross
Sony—Rated PG-13—Comedy
Jack Black and Michael Cera play Zed and Oh, friends and lazy members of a primitive tribe in the year one. The pair are exiled after Zed eats the forbidden fruit. Oh joins Zed on a biblical journey that leads them to Cain and Abel, Abraham and Isaac, and the lovely people of Sodom. Unfamiliar with the rules of this new world, Zed and Oh are pressed into military service, thrown out and threatened with execution. At one point the pair are enslaved. Oh is stripped nearly naked, painted gold, and made to rub a hairy priest's chest (Platt) with warm oil. Poorly organized storytelling is one problem; the other is gross out humor that rarely hits the funny bone.
Public Enemies
(2009)
* * * (Grade B)
Directed by Michael Mann
Starring Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard, Jason Clarke, Rory Cochrane, Billy Crudup, Stephen Dorff, and Stephen Lang
Universal—Rated R—130 min
Virtuoso style and cinematic bravado flesh out the retelling of John Dillinger's saga. After escaping from prison in 1933, Dillinger (Depp) goes on a bank-robbing spree that gains him public admiration in an era of failing banks and first place on J. Edgar Hoover's (Crudup) Public Enemies list. Dillinger breaks his own rules when he woos and wins the heart of coat-check girl Billie Frechette (Cotillard). Knowing their romance can not last, the pair make every moment count. As FBI Agent Melvin Purvis, Christian Bale uses his intensity, rather than his underwritten character, to convey the agent's determination to bring Dillinger down by any means necessary.
My Sister’s Keeper
(2009)
* *1/2 (Grade B-)
Directed by Nick Cassavetes
Starring Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin, Alec Baldwin, Sofia Vassilieva, Joan Cusack, Jason Patric, Thomas Dekker, Emily Deschanel, Lin Shaye
Warner—Rated PG-13—Drama—109 min
Abigail Breslin headlines a drama exploring complex ethical and familial issues. She plays 11-year-old Anna Fitzgerald, conceived by her parents (Diaz and Patric) to help their leukemia-stricken daughter Kate (Vassilieva) stay alive. During her short life Anna has happily donated blood and bone marrow numerous times, but when Kate needs one of Anna's kidneys, the younger girl hires an attorney (Baldwin) to secure Anna's medical emancipation from her parents. A cozy plot twist has Anna's mom resume her legal career in order to oppose Anna’s petition to the court. Despite all the squabbling, the Fitzgerald's are a loving family doing the best they can. From Jodi Picoult's novel, the film is sufficiently well-executed to assure there won't be a dry eye left in the house.
The Proposal
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Anne Fletcher
Starring Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Mary Steenburgen, Craig T. Nelson, Betty White, Denis O'Hare, Malin Akerman
Disney—Rated PG-13—Comedy—107 min
In this chick flick banking on Bullock's wholesome appeal, the actress appears as cutthroat New York City book editor, Margaret Tate. Facing deportation to Canada, Margaret conspires to marry her young assistant Andrew (Reynolds) whom she knows nothing about. She finds herself succumbing to his charms during a trip to Alaska to meet Andrew's quirky family. A safe, non-offensive offering, 45-year-old Bullock and 33-year-old Reynolds make a cute pair, but never persuade as a couple. They aren't helped by a script lacking both an "aha" moment and evidence of their blossoming love.
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Tony Scott
Starring Denzel Washington, John Travolta, John Turturro, Luis Guzman, Michael Rispoli, James Gandolfini
Sony—Rated R—Action—106 min
The 1974 original film was an adrenaline rush casting Robert Shaw as the merciless mastermind behind a crew of hostage takers on a New York City subway. He was matched by Walter Matthau playing Walter Garber, a subway train dispatcher with a very grumpy disposition. Having gained Ryder's trust, Garber tries to keep Ryder calm while city officials plan their next move. This time, Travolta plays the madman demanding $10 million dollars in exchange for the hostages. Washington packs on the pounds for the Garber role, but director Scott has reversed his actors, putting the intense one where the funnyman belongs. It's a slick, passable production, but lacks the one, two, three punch that made the original a knock out.
The Hangover
(2009)
* * *1/2 (Grade A-)
Directed by Todd Phillips
Starring Zach Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper, Justin Bartha, Heather Graham, Sasha Barrese, Ken Jeong, Rachael Harris, Jeffrey Tambor, Mike Tyson
Warner—Rated R—Comedy—100 min
Phil, Stu and Alan (Cooper, Helms and Galifianakis) take their soon-to-be-married buddy (Bartha) to Vegas for a bachelor blowout that quickly spins out of control. The following morning, Phil, Stu and Alan awaken in a luxury casino suite where they've somehow acquired both a human baby and full-grown tiger. Though questions abound, the trio's biggest problem is that they've misplaced the groom. Unable to remember events of the previous night, the three attempt to retrace their steps. Clues lead them first to the ER, then to Mike Tyson, and finally reveal that one of them has married a stripper. Using a second-tier cast, director Todd Phillips hits pay-dirt with marvelous comic performances from Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis, longtime supporting players earning their break out roles. Pumping its Vegas locale for everything its worth, the tale's zany humor combines with a crazy detective story to hit the comedy jackpot.
UP
(2009)
* * * * (Grade A)
Directed by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson
Voices of Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, Bob Peterson, Delroy Lindo, Jerome Ranft, John Ratzenberger, David Kaye, Elie Docter, Jeremy Leary
Buena Vista—Rated PG—Animated, Family—96 min
Another Pixar story, this one takes to the skies in a big way. When curmudgeon senior citizen, Carl Fredricksen (voiced by Asner), takes off to see a remote range of Venezuelan mountains, he ties thousands of balloons to his house that lift it up, up and away. Comfortably settled inside his flying home, Carl is appalled to discover that a young scout has inadvertently hitched a ride. Animated with spellbinding beauty and vibrance, the film follows the pair's adventures, and eventual meeting with Carl's boyhood hero (Plummer)—a famed explorer. Encountering wondrous animals, as well as with confronting an evil plot, will test the pair's resolve and leave audiences feeling "Up"- beat.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
July 9, 2009
In The TheaterBy Lisa Miller
Year One
(2009)
*1/2 (Grade C-)
Directed by Harold Ramis
Starring Jack Black, Michael Cera, Olivia Wilde, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Vinnie Jones, Hank Azaria, Paul Rudd, Juno Temple, Oliver Platt, David Cross
Sony—Rated PG-13—Comedy—97 min
Teaming roly-poly Jack Black and the effeminate Michael Cera in a comedy of biblical proportions, looks pretty good on paper. In practice, director Harold Ramis has no idea what to do with this diametrically opposed duo. Cera's deadpan style is Black's cue to exaggerate each facial expression and punchline past the point of no return.
The premise, inspired by Mel Brooks's classic "2,000 Year-Old Man," filters 2,000 year-old humanity through today's lens. Brooks struck gold by precisely balancing silly ideas with simple language. Here, that equilibrium is blown away on a flatulent breeze.
"Year One" tests the public’s tolerance for gross humor early and often. Jack Black, playing exiled tribesman Zed, sniffs what he believes to be a pile of human excrement. "I think they ate apples..." he remarks before tasting it with a rapidly flicking tongue. The comedic torture continues when Zed's cohort, a skinny lad named Oh (Michael Cera), urinates on himself while shackled upside down. "Close your mouth!" Zed warns as the yellow liquid trickles up Oh's nose.
Exiled from their primitive tribe for eating the forbidden fruit (and for being its laziest hunter/gatherers), Zed and Oh begin their journey toward enlightenment.
They meet squabbling siblings Cain and Abel (played by David Cross and Paul Rudd), and are introduced to the concept of circumcision by the prophet Abraham (Hank Azaria). Zed is chosen to lay with Abraham's daughter and be fruitful, but alas, she only likes girls. Oh must bunk with Cain and Abel's gaseous brother, a scene faintly recalling Mel Brooks's campfire tootfest from "Blazing Saddles."
Next it's on to Sodom because Abraham has warned the boys that the city's loose women are a lustful bunch of whores. Once there, instead of losing his virginity to a woman, Oh is stripped and painted gold by the king's head Eunuch. Oh's efforts to get closer to the slave-girl of his dreams are spoiled by a hirsute high priest (Oliver Platt) who orders the lad to rub warm oil into the priest's hairy, apelike chest. Giving it a go with blue eye shadow and glossy pink lips, queeny Platt delivers the film's finest gag.
Those persuaded to buy tickets after seeing the film's trailer may note that some of the trailer's punchlines were a whole lot funnier. That's because they are different than those in the film. Ditto the storyline, rearranged to better effect in the trailer. Where the trailer bumps amicably from joke to joke, the film gets lost in a quagmire of chaotic storytelling.
Examining the clash between Paleolithic hunter-gatherers dropped into early civilization sounds so easy a caveman could do it. However, to see that joke done right you'll need to watch for the Geico commercials.
Public Enemies
(2009)
* * * (Grade B)
Directed by Michael Mann
Starring Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard, Jason Clarke, Rory Cochrane, Billy Crudup, Stephen Dorff, and Stephen Lang
Universal—Rated R—130 min
Virtuoso style and cinematic bravado flesh out the retelling of John Dillinger's saga. After escaping from prison in 1933, Dillinger (Depp) goes on a bank-robbing spree that gains him public admiration in an era of failing banks and first place on J. Edgar Hoover's (Crudup) Public Enemies list. Dillinger breaks his own rules when he woos and wins the heart of coat-check girl Billie Frechette (Cotillard). Knowing their romance can not last, the pair make every moment count. As FBI Agent Melvin Purvis, Christian Bale uses his intensity, rather than his underwritten character, to convey the agent's determination to bring Dillinger down by any means necessary.
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
(2009)
* *1/2 (Grade B-)
Directed by Carlos Saldanha
Voices: Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Simon Pegg, Queen Latifah, Seann William Scott, Josh Peck, Simon Pegg, Chris Wedge, Karen Disher
Fox—Rated PG—Animated, Comedy—87 min
Prehistoric mammals and dinosaurs collide when Sid the sloth, Diego the saber-toothed lion, Scrat the squirrel and woolly mammoth couple Manny and Ellie, become trapped in an underground Jurassic world. Opening in 2D and 3D, the latter for several dollars more per ticket, the good news is that acorn-obsessed squirrel Scrat will be front and center with his new girlfriend. Simon Pegg comes on board as dinosaur-hunting weasal Buck—further ratcheting up the laugh quotient.
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Michael Bay
Starring Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, John Turturro, Rainn Wilson, Jon Voight
Paramount—Rated PG—Fantasy—147 min
"Transformers" meets "Indiana Jones" and "The Mummy" in what feels like a hybrid of not-so-hot recent movies and LaBeouf's own screen roles. In order to save mankind from marauding Decepticon aliens, Sam Witwicky (LaBeouf) and his gal pal Mikaela (Fox) travel to Egypt where they search for clues in the pyramids to release an army of good Autobot Transformers. Ships, tanks, Planes, rockets and giant shape-shifting machines battle for audience attention in this $200 million dollar special-effects bonanza. John Turturro, Rainn Wilson and Jon Voight rush to get in on the frenetic action of this video game movie—minus the joystick.
My Sister’s Keeper
(2009)
* *1/2 (Grade B-)
Directed by Nick Cassavetes
Starring Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin, Alec Baldwin, Sofia Vassilieva, Joan Cusack, Jason Patric, Thomas Dekker, Emily Deschanel, Lin Shaye
Warner—Rated PG-13—Drama—109 min
Abigail Breslin headlines a drama exploring complex ethical and familial issues. She plays 11-year-old Anna Fitzgerald, conceived by her parents (Diaz and Patric) to help their leukemia-stricken daughter Kate (Vassilieva) stay alive. During her short life Anna has happily donated blood and bone marrow numerous times, but when Kate needs one of Anna's kidneys, the younger girl hires an attorney (Baldwin) to secure Anna's medical emancipation from her parents. A cozy plot twist has Anna's mom resume her legal career in order to oppose Anna’s petition to the court. Despite all the squabbling, the Fitzgerald's are a loving family doing the best they can. From Jodi Picoult's novel, the film is sufficiently well-executed to assure there won't be a dry eye left in the house.
The Proposal
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Anne Fletcher
Starring Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Mary Steenburgen, Craig T. Nelson, Betty White, Denis O'Hare, Malin Akerman
Disney—Rated PG-13—Comedy—107 min
In this chick flick banking on Bullock's wholesome appeal, the actress appears as cutthroat New York City book editor, Margaret Tate. Facing deportation to Canada, Margaret conspires to marry her young assistant Andrew (Reynolds) whom she knows nothing about. She finds herself succumbing to his charms during a trip to Alaska to meet Andrew's quirky family. A safe, non-offensive offering, 45-year-old Bullock and 33-year-old Reynolds make a cute pair, but never persuade as a couple. They aren't helped by a script lacking both an "aha" moment and evidence of their blossoming love.
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Tony Scott
Starring Denzel Washington, John Travolta, John Turturro, Luis Guzman, Michael Rispoli, James Gandolfini
Sony—Rated R—Action—106 min
The 1974 original film was an adrenaline rush casting Robert Shaw as the merciless mastermind behind a crew of hostage takers on a New York City subway. He was matched by Walter Matthau playing Walter Garber, a subway train dispatcher with a very grumpy disposition. Having gained Ryder's trust, Garber tries to keep Ryder calm while city officials plan their next move. This time, Travolta plays the madman demanding $10 million dollars in exchange for the hostages. Washington packs on the pounds for the Garber role, but director Scott has reversed his actors, putting the intense one where the funnyman belongs. It's a slick, passable production, but lacks the one, two, three punch that made the original a knock out.
The Hangover
(2009)
* * *1/2 (Grade A-)
Directed by Todd Phillips
Starring Zach Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper, Justin Bartha, Heather Graham, Sasha Barrese, Ken Jeong, Rachael Harris, Jeffrey Tambor, Mike Tyson
Warner—Rated R—Comedy—100 min
Phil, Stu and Alan (Cooper, Helms and Galifianakis) take their soon-to-be-married buddy (Bartha) to Vegas for a bachelor blowout that quickly spins out of control. The following morning, Phil, Stu and Alan awaken in a luxury casino suite where they've somehow acquired both a human baby and full-grown tiger. Though questions abound, the trio's biggest problem is that they've misplaced the groom. Unable to remember events of the previous night, the three attempt to retrace their steps. Clues lead them first to the ER, then to Mike Tyson, and finally reveal that one of them has married a stripper. Using a second-tier cast, director Todd Phillips hits pay-dirt with marvelous comic performances from Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis, longtime supporting players earning their break out roles. Pumping its Vegas locale for everything its worth, the tale's zany humor combines with a crazy detective story to hit the comedy jackpot.
UP
(2009)
* * * (Grade B)
Directed by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson
Voices of Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, Bob Peterson, Delroy Lindo, Jerome Ranft, John Ratzenberger, David Kaye, Elie Docter, Jeremy Leary
Buena Vista—Rated PG—Animated, Family—96 min
Another Pixar story, this one takes to the skies in a big way. When curmudgeon senior citizen, Carl Fredricksen (voiced by Asner), takes off to see a remote range of Venezuelan mountains, he does so by tying thousands of balloons to his house that lift it up, up and away. Comfortably settled inside his flying home, Carl is appalled to discover that a young scout has inadvertently hitched a ride. Animated with spellbinding beauty and vibrancy, the film follows the pair's adventures, and eventual meeting with Carl's boyhood hero (Plummer)—a famed explorer. Confronting an evil plot and encountering wondrous animals, will test the pair's resourcefulness and leave audiences feeling "Up"-beat.
Terminator Salvation
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by McG
Starring Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Anton Yelchin, Moon Bloodgood, Bryce Dallas Howard, Helena Bonham-Carter, Jane Alexander, Jadagrace Berry
Warner—Rated PG-13—Sci-Fi—107 min
In this prequel to the 1984 blockbuster "Terminator," Christian Bale steps into a bleak near-future as resistance leader John Connor. The year is 2018, and Skynet Terminator robots scour earth to exterminate the last human survivors. Connor is on a mission to save his time-travelling father, Kyle Reese (Yelchin), currently a mere youth stuck in battle-torn L.A. Joining Connor's Resistance Army and further complicating the plot, is Marcus Wright (Worthington), a killer mysteriously paroled from death row. Linda Hamilton makes a vocal contribution and Bryce Dallas Howard shows up as Connor's pregnant wife. Filmed in dismal gray, it's difficult to see the $200 million dollar budget largely spent on special effects.
Night At The Museum: Battle Of The Smithsonian
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Shawn Levy
Starring Amy Adams, Owen Wilson, Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Bill Hader, Steve Coogan, Ricky Gervais, Hank Azaria, Dick Van Dyke, Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy
Fox—Rated PG—Fantasy—105 min
The latest comedy trend is to hide lackluster jokes within ginormous special effects. That's what we got from the "Night At The Museum," and there's more of the same from its sequel. Abe Lincoln's Memorial statue gesticulates and spouts modern slang, while the Thinker is saddled with a Bronx accent and punch-drunk mentality. We're supposed to find these anachronistic historical characters hilarious, all of whom magically speak English. Among the figures coming to life in a Washington D.C. museum are: General Custer, Al Capone, Napoleon Bonaparte, Ivan The Terrible, Octavius, an evil Egyptian Pharaoh, and the bones of T-Rex. Once again, Larry Daley (Stiller) is on hand to mediate the confrontations, but this time he's helped by Amelia Earhart (Adams). Will allowing more comedians to do more mediocre work justify the $150 million dollar budget? Yes, but "Terminator Salvation," "Star Trek" and "Wolverine" are carving out large shares of box office for themselves.
Monday, June 8, 2009
June 10, 2009
If Dreams Could Fly
By Lisa Miller
UP
(2009)
* * * (Grade B)
Directed by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson
Voices of Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, Bob Peterson, Delroy Lindo, Jerome Ranft, John Ratzenberger, David Kaye, Elie Docter, Jeremy Leary
Buena Vista—Rated PG—Animated, Family—90 min
The newest Disney-Pixar joint venture, places the emotional heft of its story on the hunched shoulders of senior citizen, Carl Fredricksen (Ed Asner). At 78, the widower ties 20,000 helium balloons to his house, and together, they take flight. His desire to fulfill a lifelong dream—visit far away places—is both fanciful and poignant. However, the impetus prompting the sudden journey is disturbing.
Carl, an embittered curmudgeon, reacts angrily to being surrounded by a construction crew that is turning his neighborhood, once consisting of sweet single-family homes, into a cityscape of high rises. After a careless construction worker mows down Carl's mailbox, the senior citizen bonks the culprit over the head. Although the man does not appear badly hurt, the court sees fit to order Mr. Fredricksen into assisted care, effectively evicting him from his home of 50 years.
While any adult attending a Pixar film is aware that he must suspend disbelief, I found the notion that the courts would order Carl from his home, based on a minor incident, extremely upsetting. Anyone under 70 years of age would be sentenced to anger management classes and payment of a fine, yet, not one character in "Up," seems outraged by the judgment. Legal Aid, the ACLU and the AARP are nowhere in sight.
Otherwise, for the most part "Up" is wonderfully escapist fare. The animation is deceptively simple, yet incredible attention is lavished on every detail. The joy of stepping into another world—seen frequently from above—and chiefly from the perspective of its elderly hero, gave me the warm fuzzies.
Once aloft, Carl finds a stowaway onboard. He is a 9-year-old Asian-American explorer scout named Russell, trying to earn his merit badge for helping the elderly. Russell (Jordan Nagai) is animated as a roly-poly character while Carl looks much like a square-ish Ed Asner. Shapes aside, Carl's attachment to the boy will come to define his journey.
The film's opening scenes establish that Carl's nearly lifelong relationship with Ellie (Elie Docter), was all he'd ever wanted in life. We meet them as children in 1930. They are fellow admirers of adventurer Charles Muntz (Christopher Plummer), united by the desire to follow Muntz to South America's remote Paradise Falls. Soon Ellie and Carl discover they really like one another. As they grow up, like becomes love, so they marry and buy a home.
During the ensuing years, Carl and Ellie could never gather enough funds for their trip. They grow old and Ellie dies. A man of few words, bereft Carl keeps their home exactly as it was during Ellie's life and often talks to her. Pixar's ability to convey the context of their relationship during a 4-minute, nearly wordless montage, is a wonder of economic storytelling.
In the present Russell is a lonely little boy who loves animals and chocolate, and believes in doing the right thing. Once the house has miraculously landed in Paradise Falls, Russell befriends a large bird he names Kevin. Our heroes soon learn that explorer Charles Muntz intends to take the bird as a specimen and has ordered a pack of dogs to find it. Their mission becomes one of preventing the pack, led by a squeaky voiced Doberman called Alpha (Bob Peterson), from capturing the bird.
The dogs speak thanks to a special collar translating dog-thoughts into English. Just how that collar came to be remains one of the film's mysteries. The hilarious result has dogs stopping mid sentence to say "squirrel," as they perk up their ears to listen for a squirrel sound.
While Alpha and his minions, including a bull dog and a Rottweiler, search for the elusive bird being protected by Russell and Carl, Dug, a pudgy Golden Retriever speaking in a goofy voice (Bob Peterson again), breaks from the pack to be with Carl. Initially immune to Dug's charms, Dug wins Carl over by imploring, "I love you. Would you be my master?"
Muntz, who would now be 100-plus-years-old, remains physically capable of great feats. I'm happy to believe in his prowess, but wish the writers had made some attempt to explain it. While glory-seeking Muntz is easy to despise, Russell, Carl and Dug are easy to love. The heroic trio meshes triumphantly, each exhibiting qualities that ameliorate the others' deficits.
Though "Up" is surely going to be another enormous money-maker for Disney and Pixar, I can't help but wonder whether owners of bull-dogs, Rottweilers and Dobermans will shower the studios with angry letters. Hopefully all dog owners will recognize the animals are only doing their master's bidding and are not inherently vicious. Nevertheless, I may start a write-in campaign to reverse the court's ruling that condemned Fredricksen to assisted living. He deserves the same consideration we all deserve, even in the strange and magical universe of "Up."
Star Trek
(2009)
* * * (Grade B)
Directed by J.J. Abrams
Starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, Eric Bana, Anton Yelchin, Zoe Saldana, John Cho, Leonard Nimoy, Bruce Greenwood, Ben Cross, Winona Ryder
Paramount—Rated PG-13—Sci-Fi—122 in
A new "Star Trek" boldly goes where the TV show, and its subsequent movies never dared—back to the beginning. James Kirk (Pine) is barely out of his rebellious teens when he's recruited as a Star Fleet officer trainee. Thrust into the role of acting captain, cocky Kirk's first meeting with Spock (Quinto), a Vulcan Starfleet officer, is a battle of wits and wills. Adversity unites the pair when their home planets are targeted by Captain Nero (Bana). Karl Urban is a near miss as Dr. McCoy, Pegg goes into overdrive as drama-king Scotty, Saldana makes a saucy Lt. Uhura, Yelchin steps into Chekov's shoes and Cho appears as Sulu. Nimoy returns as Spock from a future time CGI effects make the most of the various worlds and alien species explored by the story and the sweat-inducing starship battles are spectacular. Starship Log May 5th, 2009: It's good to be a Trekkie—again.
Drag Me To Hell
(2009)
* * *1/2 (Grade A-)
Directed by Sam Raimi
Starring Alison Lohman, Justin Long, Ruth Livier, Lorna Raver, Dileep Rao, David Paymer, Adriana Barraza, Chelcie Ross, Reggie Lee
Universal—Rated PG-13—Horror—99 min
Gunning for an assistant bank manager position, Christine (Lohman) attempts to show her boss she's tough enough to turn down Mrs. Ganush's (Raver) tearful request for an extension on her past due house payments. The old woman goes ballistic and puts a curse on Christine. Initially dismissive of the hex, strange visions prompt Christine to visit a psychic who reveals that following several days of torment Christine will be swallowed up by Hell. Evil spirits assail Christine who seeks help and comfort from her fiancé (Long). Raimi has a ball with the material, drawing ghoulish laughs from cheesy special effects, and some genuinely frightening scares. Could it be that the real Raimi is back?
Terminator Salvation
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by McG
Starring Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Anton Yelchin, Moon Bloodgood, Bryce Dallas Howard, Helena Bonham-Carter, Jane Alexander, Jadagrace Berry
Warner—Rated PG-13—Sci-Fi—107 min
In this prequel to the 1984 blockbuster "Terminator," Christian Bale steps into a bleak near-future as resistance leader John Connor. The year is 2018, and Skynet Terminator robots scour earth to exterminate the last human survivors. Connor is on a mission to save his time-travelling father, Kyle Reese (Yelchin), currently a mere youth stuck in battle-torn L.A. Joining Connor's Resistance Army and further complicating the plot, is Marcus Wright (Worthington), a killer mysteriously paroled from death row. Linda Hamilton makes a vocal contribution and Bryce Dallas Howard shows up as Connor's pregnant wife. Filmed in dismal gray, it's difficult to see the $200 million dollar budget largely spent on special effects.
Night At The Museum: Battle Of The Smithsonian
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Shawn Levy
Starring Amy Adams, Owen Wilson, Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Bill Hader, Steve Coogan, Ricky Gervais, Hank Azaria, Dick Van Dyke, Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy
Fox—Rated PG—Fantasy—105 min
The latest comedy trend is to hide lackluster jokes within ginormous special effects. That's what we got from the "Night At The Museum," and there's more of the same from its sequel. Abe Lincoln's Memorial statue gesticulates and spouts modern slang, while the Thinker is saddled with a Bronx accent and punch-drunk mentality. We're supposed to find these anachronistic historical characters hilarious, all of whom magically speak English. Among the figures coming to life in a Washington D.C. museum are: General Custer, Al Capone, Napoleon Bonaparte, Ivan The Terrible, Octavius, an evil Egyptian Pharaoh, and the bones of T-Rex. Once again, Larry Daley (Stiller) is on hand to mediate the confrontations, but this time he's helped by Amelia Earhart (Adams). Will allowing more comedians to do more mediocre work justify the $150 million dollar budget? Yes, but "Terminator Salvation," "Star Trek" and "Wolverine" are carving out large shares of box office for themselves.
Dance Flick
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Damien Wayans
Starring Shoshana Bush, Damon Wayans, Jr.
Paramount—Rated PG-13—Comedy—83 min
Another Wayans' gang spoof, this one takes on dance movies, particularly those constructed around dance competitions. Sight gags include a woman spontaneously giving birth while break dancing, Wayans clad in a girly leotard and tights and a young dancer accidentally clobbering any visitor entering her living-room as she rehearses. The social parody has young Damon attempting to hide his crush on white girl Megan (Bush), from the school's vengeful black girls. Written by all the Wayans Bros, and casting two of Damon Jr.'s sibs in small roles, the Wayans can only hope we'll weigh-in by supporting their ever-expanding brood.
Angels & Demons
(2009)
* *1/2 (Grade B-)
Directed by Ron Howard
Starring Tom Hanks, Ayelet Zurer, Ewan McGregor, Stellan Skarsgard, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Piefrancesco Favino, Nikolaj Lie Kaas
Sony—Rated PG-13—Drama—138 min
Boosting its action quotient, Ron Howard and his screenwriters appear determined to overcome the "Da Vinci Code's" leaden adaptation. In this prequel Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon (Hanks), is summoned to find four kidnapped cardinals considered front-runners for the papacy. Aided by the recently deceased pope's friend (McGregor), along with Inspector Olivetti (Favino) and beautiful Italian scientist Vittoria (Zurer), Langdon tracks the Illuminati, a religious cult terrorizing the Vatican. As dead cardinals pile up, Langdon races from church to church, charting a path of religious symbols to locate the perpetrators. Generous helpings of mysterious deaths, explosions and gorgeous recreations of Vatican locations, are hopeful signs that this chapter has escaped its book-to-screen demons.
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
(2009)
* *1/2 (Grade B-)
Directed by Gavin Hood
Starring Hugh Jackman, Live Schreiber, Ryan Reynolds, Dominic Monaghan
Fox—Rated PG-13—Fantasy—107 min
Because Hugh Jackman is a major box office draw and because his character Wolverine is such a crowd-pleaser, it was inevitable he would get an X-Men movie of his own. Born in the Mid-1800s, Logan, aka Wolverine, and his brother Victor, aka Sabretooth (Schreiber), put their immortality and superpowers to good use as soldiers fighting in many wars. Eventually, the brothers are recruited onto a black ops squad of mutants. Wolverine tires of the violence, but his brother Sabretooth can't get enough. After Wolverine quits the squad, Sabretooth goes gunning for his brother, forcing the siblings into spectacular battles. Sabretooth's fingernails grow super-long, a match for Wolverine's clawlike metal knuckles. Schreiber is Jackman's screen equal in a moody film that stages knockout confrontations from different eras and around the globe. The video game spin-off possibilities are mindboggling.
Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past
(2009)
*1/2 (Grade C-)
Directed by Mark Waters
Starring Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Lacey Chabert, Michael Douglas, Emma Stone, Anne Archer, Robert Forster, Breckin Meyer
New Line Cinema—Rated PG-13—Comedy—102 min
Using the format from Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" as the foundation for a romantic comedy sounds promising, but doesn't pan out. Michael Douglas plays a deceased womanizer, returning as a spirit attempting to show his playboy nephew Connor (McConaughey) the error of following in his uncle's footsteps. It all happens one fateful weekend when Connor attends his brother's (Meyer) wedding. On hand for the event is Jenny (Garner), the one woman savvy enough to avoid Connor's bed, despite their longtime flirtation. After making a pass at the bride's mother (Archer), Connor falls under the spell of dead Uncle Wayne (Douglas), who compels him to tour his own past, present and future, guided by three girlfriends. Though McConaughey and Garner sport matching dimples, there's little chemistry there and we can't help hoping Jenny will leave the insufferable jerk for a better guy, preferably in a better movie.
By Lisa Miller
UP
(2009)
* * * (Grade B)
Directed by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson
Voices of Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, Bob Peterson, Delroy Lindo, Jerome Ranft, John Ratzenberger, David Kaye, Elie Docter, Jeremy Leary
Buena Vista—Rated PG—Animated, Family—90 min
The newest Disney-Pixar joint venture, places the emotional heft of its story on the hunched shoulders of senior citizen, Carl Fredricksen (Ed Asner). At 78, the widower ties 20,000 helium balloons to his house, and together, they take flight. His desire to fulfill a lifelong dream—visit far away places—is both fanciful and poignant. However, the impetus prompting the sudden journey is disturbing.
Carl, an embittered curmudgeon, reacts angrily to being surrounded by a construction crew that is turning his neighborhood, once consisting of sweet single-family homes, into a cityscape of high rises. After a careless construction worker mows down Carl's mailbox, the senior citizen bonks the culprit over the head. Although the man does not appear badly hurt, the court sees fit to order Mr. Fredricksen into assisted care, effectively evicting him from his home of 50 years.
While any adult attending a Pixar film is aware that he must suspend disbelief, I found the notion that the courts would order Carl from his home, based on a minor incident, extremely upsetting. Anyone under 70 years of age would be sentenced to anger management classes and payment of a fine, yet, not one character in "Up," seems outraged by the judgment. Legal Aid, the ACLU and the AARP are nowhere in sight.
Otherwise, for the most part "Up" is wonderfully escapist fare. The animation is deceptively simple, yet incredible attention is lavished on every detail. The joy of stepping into another world—seen frequently from above—and chiefly from the perspective of its elderly hero, gave me the warm fuzzies.
Once aloft, Carl finds a stowaway onboard. He is a 9-year-old Asian-American explorer scout named Russell, trying to earn his merit badge for helping the elderly. Russell (Jordan Nagai) is animated as a roly-poly character while Carl looks much like a square-ish Ed Asner. Shapes aside, Carl's attachment to the boy will come to define his journey.
The film's opening scenes establish that Carl's nearly lifelong relationship with Ellie (Elie Docter), was all he'd ever wanted in life. We meet them as children in 1930. They are fellow admirers of adventurer Charles Muntz (Christopher Plummer), united by the desire to follow Muntz to South America's remote Paradise Falls. Soon Ellie and Carl discover they really like one another. As they grow up, like becomes love, so they marry and buy a home.
During the ensuing years, Carl and Ellie could never gather enough funds for their trip. They grow old and Ellie dies. A man of few words, bereft Carl keeps their home exactly as it was during Ellie's life and often talks to her. Pixar's ability to convey the context of their relationship during a 4-minute, nearly wordless montage, is a wonder of economic storytelling.
In the present Russell is a lonely little boy who loves animals and chocolate, and believes in doing the right thing. Once the house has miraculously landed in Paradise Falls, Russell befriends a large bird he names Kevin. Our heroes soon learn that explorer Charles Muntz intends to take the bird as a specimen and has ordered a pack of dogs to find it. Their mission becomes one of preventing the pack, led by a squeaky voiced Doberman called Alpha (Bob Peterson), from capturing the bird.
The dogs speak thanks to a special collar translating dog-thoughts into English. Just how that collar came to be remains one of the film's mysteries. The hilarious result has dogs stopping mid sentence to say "squirrel," as they perk up their ears to listen for a squirrel sound.
While Alpha and his minions, including a bull dog and a Rottweiler, search for the elusive bird being protected by Russell and Carl, Dug, a pudgy Golden Retriever speaking in a goofy voice (Bob Peterson again), breaks from the pack to be with Carl. Initially immune to Dug's charms, Dug wins Carl over by imploring, "I love you. Would you be my master?"
Muntz, who would now be 100-plus-years-old, remains physically capable of great feats. I'm happy to believe in his prowess, but wish the writers had made some attempt to explain it. While glory-seeking Muntz is easy to despise, Russell, Carl and Dug are easy to love. The heroic trio meshes triumphantly, each exhibiting qualities that ameliorate the others' deficits.
Though "Up" is surely going to be another enormous money-maker for Disney and Pixar, I can't help but wonder whether owners of bull-dogs, Rottweilers and Dobermans will shower the studios with angry letters. Hopefully all dog owners will recognize the animals are only doing their master's bidding and are not inherently vicious. Nevertheless, I may start a write-in campaign to reverse the court's ruling that condemned Fredricksen to assisted living. He deserves the same consideration we all deserve, even in the strange and magical universe of "Up."
Star Trek
(2009)
* * * (Grade B)
Directed by J.J. Abrams
Starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, Eric Bana, Anton Yelchin, Zoe Saldana, John Cho, Leonard Nimoy, Bruce Greenwood, Ben Cross, Winona Ryder
Paramount—Rated PG-13—Sci-Fi—122 in
A new "Star Trek" boldly goes where the TV show, and its subsequent movies never dared—back to the beginning. James Kirk (Pine) is barely out of his rebellious teens when he's recruited as a Star Fleet officer trainee. Thrust into the role of acting captain, cocky Kirk's first meeting with Spock (Quinto), a Vulcan Starfleet officer, is a battle of wits and wills. Adversity unites the pair when their home planets are targeted by Captain Nero (Bana). Karl Urban is a near miss as Dr. McCoy, Pegg goes into overdrive as drama-king Scotty, Saldana makes a saucy Lt. Uhura, Yelchin steps into Chekov's shoes and Cho appears as Sulu. Nimoy returns as Spock from a future time CGI effects make the most of the various worlds and alien species explored by the story and the sweat-inducing starship battles are spectacular. Starship Log May 5th, 2009: It's good to be a Trekkie—again.
Drag Me To Hell
(2009)
* * *1/2 (Grade A-)
Directed by Sam Raimi
Starring Alison Lohman, Justin Long, Ruth Livier, Lorna Raver, Dileep Rao, David Paymer, Adriana Barraza, Chelcie Ross, Reggie Lee
Universal—Rated PG-13—Horror—99 min
Gunning for an assistant bank manager position, Christine (Lohman) attempts to show her boss she's tough enough to turn down Mrs. Ganush's (Raver) tearful request for an extension on her past due house payments. The old woman goes ballistic and puts a curse on Christine. Initially dismissive of the hex, strange visions prompt Christine to visit a psychic who reveals that following several days of torment Christine will be swallowed up by Hell. Evil spirits assail Christine who seeks help and comfort from her fiancé (Long). Raimi has a ball with the material, drawing ghoulish laughs from cheesy special effects, and some genuinely frightening scares. Could it be that the real Raimi is back?
Terminator Salvation
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by McG
Starring Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Anton Yelchin, Moon Bloodgood, Bryce Dallas Howard, Helena Bonham-Carter, Jane Alexander, Jadagrace Berry
Warner—Rated PG-13—Sci-Fi—107 min
In this prequel to the 1984 blockbuster "Terminator," Christian Bale steps into a bleak near-future as resistance leader John Connor. The year is 2018, and Skynet Terminator robots scour earth to exterminate the last human survivors. Connor is on a mission to save his time-travelling father, Kyle Reese (Yelchin), currently a mere youth stuck in battle-torn L.A. Joining Connor's Resistance Army and further complicating the plot, is Marcus Wright (Worthington), a killer mysteriously paroled from death row. Linda Hamilton makes a vocal contribution and Bryce Dallas Howard shows up as Connor's pregnant wife. Filmed in dismal gray, it's difficult to see the $200 million dollar budget largely spent on special effects.
Night At The Museum: Battle Of The Smithsonian
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Shawn Levy
Starring Amy Adams, Owen Wilson, Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Bill Hader, Steve Coogan, Ricky Gervais, Hank Azaria, Dick Van Dyke, Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy
Fox—Rated PG—Fantasy—105 min
The latest comedy trend is to hide lackluster jokes within ginormous special effects. That's what we got from the "Night At The Museum," and there's more of the same from its sequel. Abe Lincoln's Memorial statue gesticulates and spouts modern slang, while the Thinker is saddled with a Bronx accent and punch-drunk mentality. We're supposed to find these anachronistic historical characters hilarious, all of whom magically speak English. Among the figures coming to life in a Washington D.C. museum are: General Custer, Al Capone, Napoleon Bonaparte, Ivan The Terrible, Octavius, an evil Egyptian Pharaoh, and the bones of T-Rex. Once again, Larry Daley (Stiller) is on hand to mediate the confrontations, but this time he's helped by Amelia Earhart (Adams). Will allowing more comedians to do more mediocre work justify the $150 million dollar budget? Yes, but "Terminator Salvation," "Star Trek" and "Wolverine" are carving out large shares of box office for themselves.
Dance Flick
(2009)
* * (Grade C)
Directed by Damien Wayans
Starring Shoshana Bush, Damon Wayans, Jr.
Paramount—Rated PG-13—Comedy—83 min
Another Wayans' gang spoof, this one takes on dance movies, particularly those constructed around dance competitions. Sight gags include a woman spontaneously giving birth while break dancing, Wayans clad in a girly leotard and tights and a young dancer accidentally clobbering any visitor entering her living-room as she rehearses. The social parody has young Damon attempting to hide his crush on white girl Megan (Bush), from the school's vengeful black girls. Written by all the Wayans Bros, and casting two of Damon Jr.'s sibs in small roles, the Wayans can only hope we'll weigh-in by supporting their ever-expanding brood.
Angels & Demons
(2009)
* *1/2 (Grade B-)
Directed by Ron Howard
Starring Tom Hanks, Ayelet Zurer, Ewan McGregor, Stellan Skarsgard, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Piefrancesco Favino, Nikolaj Lie Kaas
Sony—Rated PG-13—Drama—138 min
Boosting its action quotient, Ron Howard and his screenwriters appear determined to overcome the "Da Vinci Code's" leaden adaptation. In this prequel Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon (Hanks), is summoned to find four kidnapped cardinals considered front-runners for the papacy. Aided by the recently deceased pope's friend (McGregor), along with Inspector Olivetti (Favino) and beautiful Italian scientist Vittoria (Zurer), Langdon tracks the Illuminati, a religious cult terrorizing the Vatican. As dead cardinals pile up, Langdon races from church to church, charting a path of religious symbols to locate the perpetrators. Generous helpings of mysterious deaths, explosions and gorgeous recreations of Vatican locations, are hopeful signs that this chapter has escaped its book-to-screen demons.
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
(2009)
* *1/2 (Grade B-)
Directed by Gavin Hood
Starring Hugh Jackman, Live Schreiber, Ryan Reynolds, Dominic Monaghan
Fox—Rated PG-13—Fantasy—107 min
Because Hugh Jackman is a major box office draw and because his character Wolverine is such a crowd-pleaser, it was inevitable he would get an X-Men movie of his own. Born in the Mid-1800s, Logan, aka Wolverine, and his brother Victor, aka Sabretooth (Schreiber), put their immortality and superpowers to good use as soldiers fighting in many wars. Eventually, the brothers are recruited onto a black ops squad of mutants. Wolverine tires of the violence, but his brother Sabretooth can't get enough. After Wolverine quits the squad, Sabretooth goes gunning for his brother, forcing the siblings into spectacular battles. Sabretooth's fingernails grow super-long, a match for Wolverine's clawlike metal knuckles. Schreiber is Jackman's screen equal in a moody film that stages knockout confrontations from different eras and around the globe. The video game spin-off possibilities are mindboggling.
Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past
(2009)
*1/2 (Grade C-)
Directed by Mark Waters
Starring Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Lacey Chabert, Michael Douglas, Emma Stone, Anne Archer, Robert Forster, Breckin Meyer
New Line Cinema—Rated PG-13—Comedy—102 min
Using the format from Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" as the foundation for a romantic comedy sounds promising, but doesn't pan out. Michael Douglas plays a deceased womanizer, returning as a spirit attempting to show his playboy nephew Connor (McConaughey) the error of following in his uncle's footsteps. It all happens one fateful weekend when Connor attends his brother's (Meyer) wedding. On hand for the event is Jenny (Garner), the one woman savvy enough to avoid Connor's bed, despite their longtime flirtation. After making a pass at the bride's mother (Archer), Connor falls under the spell of dead Uncle Wayne (Douglas), who compels him to tour his own past, present and future, guided by three girlfriends. Though McConaughey and Garner sport matching dimples, there's little chemistry there and we can't help hoping Jenny will leave the insufferable jerk for a better guy, preferably in a better movie.
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