Movie Review: "Slumdog Millionaire"

Starring Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Madhur Mittal, Anil Kapoor, Irrfan Khan
Directed by Danny Boyle
Official Web site

Stories about the little guy triumphing against all odds has been a tried and true formula for successful movies, pretty much ever since the medium became popular. Just look back at Charlie Chaplin comedies to see just how far back popular underdog stories existed in the mainstream.

A number of films have met with Academy Award success following that same blueprint (“Rocky” immediately springs to mind). Now “Slumdog Millionaire” can easily be added to that list, having garnered eight Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. Removed from all the Oscar hype, “Slumdog” can be seen as a movie that probably isn’t as good as all the awards that has earned. But, it still is a notable cinematic achievement worthy of praise.

While the advertising campaign prominently features children (portraying the main characters at younger ages), this is by no means a children’s movie. It’s R rated for a reason, folks.

At times it reflects an almost unflinching look at the impoverished conditions that seemingly so many in India live in. Director Danny Boyle (“Trainspotting,” “28 Days Later”) gets his cameras right into the slums, presenting an unprecedented look into India, that no other major motion picture has been so successful in showing. A good amount of the cast, most notably many of the youngsters, were plucked right on location to be in the movie. They help bring an authenticity to the film that might not have been possible with professional child actors.

The millionaire portion of the film’s title comes from the appearance of Jamal (Dev Patel), an orphan who rises from the slums of Mumbai to be a very successful contestant on India’s version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.” As the film opens, his ascent to the pinnacle of the show is questioned by the show’s egotistical host (Anil Kapoor) and the security staff. They wonder how he could possibly know so much, having no formal education. Security personnel feel the need to try and torture information out of him to admit that he’s cheating.

What they don’t know, and what the film shows through frequent flashbacks, is that Jamal’s knowledge of the various answers was learned from the streets and his sometimes brutal life experiences.

The use of flashbacks is sometimes an overused technique in movies, but still seems to work here (just barely) in the Oscar-winning screenplay by Simon Beaufoy. It provides the film a chance to introduce its mostly young cast by laying down the foundation of their personalities without lingering for too long. The story is then able to jump around to different periods of Jamal’s childhood, along with his older brother, Salim and girl he befriends, Latika (who becomes a love interest for Jamal as they grow older). Still, the flashbacks do drain some of the suspense out of the present-day portion of the story.

Boyle’s taut direction, along with snappy editing and some exceptional cinematography by Anthony Dod Mantle, helps keep the story’s forward momentum going, even as it leads to its fairly predictable conclusion. One look at the title pretty much tells you the result of the game show, right? Still, the saying that “it’s not the destination, but the journey that counts,” applies well here. And the movie makes it clear just how arduous and far of a journey it’s been for Jamal to make to get to this point in his life. The same could probably be said for the film itself, as it had humble beginnings as the little picture that could – and eventually did.

Grade: B+
(Rated R for some violence, disturbing images and language.)

Movie Review: "Changeling"

Starring Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich, Jeffrey Donovan, Michael Kelly, Colm Feore, Amy Ryan
Directed by Clint Eastwood
Official Web site

Having helmed a handful of standout American films over the past couple of decades (“Unforgiven,” “Mystic River” and “Million Dollar Baby”), Clint Eastwood has left an indelible mark on the movie industry at an age when most directors have long since retired. At the least, most are long past their prime and are hardly prolific anymore. “Changeling,” one of two films Eastwood directed in 2008, doesn’t quite fall into the category that the above mentioned Oscar-winners do. Still, it is confidently directed, with solid acting and generally avoids sentimentality and manipulation.

Led by an emotionally dense performance by Angelina Jolie (who received an Oscar nomination for it), the film has elements of an old-fashioned thriller at its core. However, it never really seeks to build momentum followed by the big payoff that most thrillers do, which usually consists of revealing the identity of the villain. In this instance, it doesn’t have to. The components of the true story, which takes place in Los Angeles, are compelling enough without too much embellishment.

Jolie stars as Christine Collins, a single mother raising her 9-year-old son comes home from her job at the telephone company one day to find him missing. She searches frantically for him, eventually turning to the police for help. The police investigation is led by Captain J.J. Jones (Jeffrey Donovan), who after five months of searching, shows up at Christine’s workplace one day to announce he’s found her son. Upon being brought to a train station to reunite with him, Christine immediately realizes the young boy is not her son. However, in a state of confusion and at the insistence of Jones, who has used the occasion to garner some positive press for the department, she agrees to take the boy home with her.

But in the days to come, she realizes her first instincts were correct, as the boy is three inches shorter than her son, and has been circumcised. Jones attempts to explain away the obvious differences with varied excuses that do little to placate Christine, while the boy continues to extend the ruse, only adding to the stressful situation.

Determined to build a case proving the police have not found her son, Christine crosses paths with Rev. Gustav Briegleb (John Malkovich), a local preacher and radio talk show host, who is a vocal critic of the violent and corrupt police force. He immediately believes Christine is right, but warns her of the risks involved in going against the police department.

Where the plot goes from there is best left unsaid, but the story certainly paints an unseemly portrait of the hierarchy of the L.A. police force in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Donovan is quite good as the bullheaded captain, who refuses to admit the department’s mistake, and seeks to simply make the problem go away rather than do his job.

The film does a very good job of building up the components of the case and the aftermath of the fake son’s reveal, yet later court scenes involving Christine’s case against the police are largely, and surprisingly, devoid of much of an emotional payoff. A subplot involving Gordon Northcott, a strange motorist (Jason Butler Harner, practically oozing creepiness in his performance) and a criminal case being built against him becomes more of a focal point in the movie’s third act. This also introduces some sordid details to the story, which makes it a bit tougher to watch at times. Still, a number of the scenes involving Northcott are pretty compelling, thanks in large part to Harner’s performance and Eastwood’s straightforward visual style.

“Changeling” doesn’t quite pack the emotional punch it probably should, based on the material it involves, yet still shows a filmmaker near the top of his game. As Eastwood is set to turn 79 years old later this year, we should all be so fortunate to have something similar said about us.

Grade: B+
(Rated R for some violent and disturbing content, and language.)

Wrapping up SXSW

The 2009 edition of the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival in Austin, Texas, officially wrapped up its run March 21, with more than 130 feature-length films and more than 50 world premieres unspooling at various city locales. Some of the films had previously made their debuts at the Sundance Film Festival in January. A few were even making big splashes before their wide release into theaters (“I Love You, Man,” “Observe and Report” and “500 Days of Summer”).

All the aforementioned films, which held red carpet premieres at the ritzy Paramount Theater, included appearances by their stars – Paul Rudd and Jason Segel with “I Love You, Man,” Seth Rogen and Anna Faris with “Observe and Report” and Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel for “500 Days.” (And to answer your question – no, I didn’t see any of them, as I was unable to attend any of those premieres.) But I did get to see writer/director Mike Judge, who appeared for a special 10th anniversary showing of “Office Space.” (More on that later.)

As the festival has screenings covering nine days, from late morning to midnight and later, suffice it to say that catching all the films would be a complete impossibility. Even getting close would be extremely difficult, as a number of the movies only had one showing. So I learned it’s best to just try to make out a short list of films you desire to see, and not to try to run yourself ragged in overscheduling yourself. Of course, you also have to budget in time to stand in line, as getting to most features at least 30 minutes early is highly recommended.
But enough about the festival watching strategy. Here’s a not-so-brief wrap-up of my few days down in Austin.

The Good
• This being my first (and hopefully not last) visit to the film fest, I was impressed by the general organization of it all. Granted, they have had the film portion of SXSW in place since 1994, but from my limited vantage point, things ran fairly smoothly. In my experience, people were orderly, respectful and enthusiastic while waiting in line to get into the theaters. That enthusiasm seemed to carry over to the features themselves, as interesting Q&A sessions were held with filmmakers after every screening I attended.

• The theaters, which included the Paramount, Alamo Ritz and Alamo Lamar, were great venues to watch a movie. It’s truly to a film festival’s benefit to have theaters that have a unique atmosphere – and that’s something that Austin seems to have no shortage of. These aren’t the soulless googleplexes you’ll typically find in a shopping mall. Plus, the Alamo Drafthouses also act as a restaurant, allowing you to order food and drinks right at your seat while watching the movie. Can’t beat that!

• The schedule of films was diverse, offering a variety of genres and topics from which to choose. If you felt like laughing, crying, receiving a good scare, or to be intellectually challenged, you could find something at SXSW.

The Bad
• If you’re not the type that can tolerate standing spending copious amounts of time waiting in long lines, SXSW isn’t for you. Some of the films screening at the festival were so popular that people were lining up a good couple of hours before showtime to secure a seat. This was especially the case for a few of the midnight movies (among which included an early look at director Sam Raimi’s “Drag Me to Hell,” set to open in May). Luckily, March isn’t oppressively hot in Austin; still, scheduling time to have to wait in lines isn’t my idea of a good time.

• Having to sit in the front row of any theater sucks – particularly when you were sick the day before, such as I was. But, due to the staff at the Ritz reserving numerous seats for people who still hadn’t arrived by five minutes to showtime (most of them never showed, evidently), I was forced to sit in the dreaded front row. And at an awkward angle, to boot, which forced me to have to crane my neck a bit to try to take in the screen.

But, I managed to feel well during the course of the film, so at least watching from that seat didn’t have any negative physical effects. As it turned out, that was the only real bad experience I had at any of the five films I caught over the four days I was there. If only I had been feeling better on one of those days, that number could have easily jumped to seven.

The Films
• “RiP: A Remix Manifesto”
Official Web site
Director Brett Gaylor’s documentary looks into copyright issues in the 21st century, and the lines that have seemingly become more blurred as technological advances have seemingly grown exponentially. His primary case study in the film is Greg Gillis, much better known as Girl Talk, who makes music by mashing up samples from other artists in a variety of genres. Is what he’s doing theft, or true musical creativity?

The documentary makes a compelling argument for the latter, but some could bring its objectivity into question. There’s not a lot of artist protection views brought up in the film, and those that do come are brief and held up for derision. Still, even coming from a biased point of view, “RiP” is a good-looking and sounding film that touches on a timely and ever-evolving issue in this age of YouTube and digital downloads.
Grade: B+

• “The Yes Men Fix the World”
Official Web site
This is actually a follow-up to another Yes Men documentary, with this one following the duo (who take on social/political issues through a bit of extreme activism) as they pose as representatives of major corporations such as Dow Chemical, Exxon and Halliburton.

As amazing as it seems, the Yes Men (Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno) are able to dupe lots of people to speak as these reps at press conferences, seminars and, in one very entertaining sequence, live on BBC News. In that interview, Bichlbaum, as the “spokesman,” says Dow is finally taking responsibility for the 1984 disaster in Bhopal, India, which was the largest industrial accident in history. Company stock dropped by $2 billion in less than half an hour after the announcement, to give you an idea of the impact that some of their pranks can have.

With the film covering several different pranks over a several year period, it tends to feel a little episodic at times. And some may not agree with their methods at eliciting reactions, but few can argue that these targets don’t have it coming. The film elicits quite a few laughs along the way, while bringing to light serious issues that some of these companies have with their seemingly endless search for profits – at any cost.
Grade: B

• “Best Worst Movie”
Official Web site
A documentary paying tribute to something truly terrible? That’s the case with this film that looks back at the now cult classic movie, “Troll 2,” which has been “honored” as the worst film ever at IMDB.com. More specifically, the documentary reflects on the phenomenon that has occurred since the movie was released in 1990 – having built up a rabid fan base that revels in the movie’s awfulness.

“Best Worst Movie” director Michael Paul Stevenson, who also happened to star in the 1990 film, has created a great film that is by turns hilarious, touching and respectful, as he tracks down pretty much everybody that had anything to do with “Troll 2.” The obvious standout here is George Hardy, a good-natured dentist in Alabama, who gets a real kick out of the new found popularity of the film and his performance in it.

It should be mentioned that seeing “Troll 2” before this film isn’t a prerequisite, as it’s very enjoyable on its own. But I guarantee your curiosity will be piqued to seek it out on DVD after seeing the documentary. If you have any fascination with the truly awful and bizarre, “Troll 2” should be on your must-see list. “Best Worst Movie” definitely makes that obvious.
Grade: A-

• “Office Space”
The festival had a special 10th anniversary showing of the workplace comedy, which was shot in Austin, and stars Ron Livingston and Jennifer Aniston. While none of the stars were in attendance at the screening (several were in town for a similar celebration the previous month), writer/director Mike Judge was there and aired a special sneak peek of footage from his next film, with the working title of “Extract.” Starring Jason Bateman, Mila Kunis, Kristen Wiig and Ben Affleck, the brief preview was quite funny, and should be out in the third quarter of this year, according to Judge.

I don’t think I need to give you a rundown on “Office Space,” as it’s still a great movie, with numerous quotable moments. But it was great to see it with a big crowd in a sold out theater. Plus, Judge followed it up with a Q&A session. I shot video of it, which I’ll post eventually – once I figure out how to split the 15-minute video up.
Grade: A-

• “For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticism”
Official Web site
Gerald Peary, himself a film critic, wrote and directed this documentary about the origin and development of film criticism in this country. Numerous critics provided interviews for the feature, allowing people to put a face to the name they may have been reading for years.

The topic was interesting, if not predictably handled, as it followed a general chronological coverage of the career’s history. Its numbers have been dwindling over the years in print publications, while its growth on the Internet has soared, with professionals and non-professionals (better than the term amateurs) sharing cyberspace.

Ultimately, the material’s probably a bit too dry for most people, and skimps on some areas, such as film criticism’s television presence and influence on the industry. Then again, it seems a bit odd to offer criticism on a film about criticism. But, there you have it.
Grade: C+

SXSW: Now Playing

Today marks the beginning of the South By Southwest Film Festival (SXSW) in Austin, Texas. While I'm not there for the kickoff of the festival, I will be seeing some of it for the first time, beginning Sunday. That trip will be in conjunction with a visit to see family down in the Lone Star State. Should be a great time.

There's quite a full schedule of movies, documentaries, and short films planned over the run of the festival – some 200+ features in all. Needless to say, I won't be seeing them all. But I do plan to see a handful of films, many of which will be making their worldwide debut at the festival. SXSW is still a much bigger draw for the music portion of the festival. But the film side of it seems to be growing in popularity, and is seen by film insiders as a good alternative to the much bigger schmoozefest, the Sundance Film Festival.

I'll have a report on my opinions and experiences on the festival upon my return. And heck, I'll probably even throw in a review or two, to boot. Yeah, I know those don't appear on this site too often anymore. But I'll be working on that.

Spring 2009 Movie Preview (Part II)

While March’s movie slate has some surefire hits, April is a bit more uncertain, with films aimed at action fans, younger audiences and adults looking for (hopefully) intelligent dramatic offerings. The following is a rundown of some of the more notable releases for the month. Keep in mind, release dates are subject to change.

APRIL
“Fast and Furious”
Starring Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster
Directed by Justin Lin
Not that you’d be able to tell by the title, but this marks the third film in the “Fast and Furious” series. Some wouldn’t think this should have warranted one sequel, let alone two. But the original stars are all back this time out, and probably wisely avoiding the big action movies that will be unleashed in the summer season. (April 3)
Official Web site

“Hannah Montana: The Movie”
Starring Miley Cyrus, Emily Osment, Billy Ray Cyrus
Directed by Peter Chelsom
Bringing the wildly popular TV show to the big screen seemed like a inevitability, but with star Miley Cyrus set to turn 18 this year, how much longer will she likely want to play this role? In this film, her character takes a trip to her Tennessee hometown to get away from the insane popularity of her alter-ego, music superstar Hannah Montana. (April 10)
Official Web site

“Observe and Report”
Starring Seth Rogen, Anna Faris, Michael Pena and Ray Liotta
Directed by Jody Hill
This film has the misfortune of following in the footsteps of the poorly reviewed, but popular “Paul Blart: Mall Cop.” Rogen stars as a temperamental mall security guard out to stop a habitual flasher as well as win the heart of another mall employee. This might fall into the description of a raunchy comedy – something that Rogen seems to be in a lot nowadays. (April 10)
Official Web site

“17 Again”
Starring Matthew Perry, Zac Efron, Leslie Mann, Thomas Lennon
Directed by Burr Steers
Remember when there was a popular trend of body-switching movies back in the late 1980s? Need I remind you of “Like Father, Like Son” and “Vice Versa”? Well, anyway, here’s a variation of one (kind of like “Big”) about a man (Perry) dissatisfied with his life, who magically wakes up younger one day and gets a chance to relive his life as a 17-year-old (Efron). One would assume many awkward moments and valuable life lessons will ensue. (April 17)
Official Web site

“State of Play”
Starring Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Robin Wright Penn, Jason Bateman, Jeff Daniels and Helen Mirren
Directed by Kevin Macdonald
Based on a BBC miniseries, a great cast heads up a story following a pair of reporters (Crowe and McAdams) looking into the murder of a U.S. Congressman’s staff member. As one might imagine, the investigation becomes much more complicated than a single murder. With lots of the releases in previous weeks aiming at the younger audience, this is one film that looks to be targeted squarely at adults. However, it will run into competition for that audience quickly, so word of mouth will need to be strong. (April 17)
Official Web site

“The Soloist”
Starring Jamie Foxx, Robert Downey Jr., Catherine Keener, Tom Hollander, Lisa Gay Hamilton
Directed by Joe Wright
Following up on a red-hot 2008 (“Iron Man” and “Tropic Thunder”), Downey shares the screen with Oscar-winner Foxx as a reporter who befriends a homeless man – and a musically gifted one, at that. While the plot might sound a little far-fetched, it’s based on the true story of Nathaniel Ayers, a cellist prodigy, who suffers from schizophrenia and becomes homeless. Although the movie was delayed from a release date last November, it has the potential to become a strong Oscar contender for 2009. (April 24)
Official Web site

“Obsessed”
Starring Idris Alba, Beyoncé Knowles, Ali Larter, Bruce McGill, Jerry O’Connell and Christine Lahti
Directed by Steve Shill
Alba plays a successful businessman who finds his life thrown into turmoil when an office temp (Larter) begins taking a disturbing interest in him. Knowles co-stars as his wife in a film that is certainly not original, but might still be able to provide a little bit of trashy fun. (April 24)
Official Web site

Spring 2009 Movie Preview (Part 1)

With winter’s chill hopefully coming to an end soon, movie studios are starting to ramp up their bigger releases for 2009. The month of March is bookended by potentially huge hits, both seeking different audiences. The following is a brief look at those two, along with other offerings for the month. April’s releases will follow next week.

MARCH
“Watchmen”
Starring Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Carla Gugino, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Patrick Wilson
Directed by Zack Snyder
With the court battle over the movie rights between Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox having been settled, viewers can now turn their attention to whether director Snyder (“300”) can do justice to the widely praised and popular graphic novel. The story centers around a group of retired superheros and the investigation into the murder of one of their former colleagues. With plenty of publicity and a highly visible ad campaign, combined with little competition from other films, box office success would seem to be a given. (March 6)
Official Web site

“Race to Witch Mountain”
Starring Dwayne Johnson, AnnaSophia Robb, Carla Gugino, Cirian Hinds, Alexander Ludwig
Directed by Andy Fickman
Johnson, better known by many as “The Rock,” reunites with Fickman (“The Game Plan”) for a remake of 1975’s “Escape to Witch Mountain.” In the film, Johnson plays a cab driver who takes on the task of protecting a pair of siblings with supernatural powers from a shady organization with nefarious plans. This version looks to be amping up the action and comedy, which should be a good fit for Johnson. (March 13)
Official Web site

“The Last House on the Left”
Starring Garret Dillahunt, Aaron Paul, Sara Paxton, Martha MacIsaac, Tony Goldwyn and Monica Potter
Directed by Dennis Iliadis
Another remake of a ‘70s film, this one has decidedly darker content than “Witch Mountain,” which might be an understatement. Based on the original directed by Wes Craven, “Last House” deals with the revenge that two parents seek to exact on a gang of criminals who previously kidnapped and brutally assaulted their daughter. Expect a drop of blood or two to be shed. Big surprise, I know. (March 13)
Official Web site

“Knowing”
Starring Nicolas Cage, Rose Byrne, Chandler Canterbury
Directed by Alex Proyas
An item retrieved from opening a time capsule at his son’s school reveals to a teacher (Cage) that several decades worth of catastrophic events in society have been accurately predicted – with more still coming in the future. But can he stop the impending disasters from happening? A better question may be can the visually gifted director Proyas (“I, Robot”) overcome a rather farfetched premise and make this something worth seeing? (March 20)
Official Web site

“I Love You, Man”
Starring Paul Rudd, Jason Segal, Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, J.K. Simmons, Jane Curtin, Jon Favreau, Jaime Pressly
Directed by John Hamburg
The quite busy Rudd stars as a newly engaged guy who goes on a series of dates with men to try and find someone to fit the role of best man for his wedding. Segal co-stars as a top prospect who begins putting strain on the engaged couple’s relationship. The film features a strong cast with lots of TV and movie comedy experience, which can only help here. (March 20)
Official Web site

“Duplicity”
Starring Clive Owen, Julia Roberts, Tom Wilkinson, Paul Giamatti
Directed by Tony Gilroy
After a tremendous first directing effort (“Michael Clayton”), Gilroy has attracted another talented cast to head up this tale about a pair of corporate spies (Owen and Roberts) looking to take down their respective bosses (Wilkinson and Giamatti). Things get a bit complicated when they begin to fall for one another, however. (March 20)
Official Web site

“Adventureland”
Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Martin Starr, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig and Ryan Reynolds
Directed by Greg Mottola
Set in 1987, “Adventureland” follows the life of a young college graduate (Eisenberg), as he takes a summer job at an amusement park. There he finds some odd fellow employees, along with a possible love interest (Stewart). This marks Mottola’s follow-up to the surprise hit, “Superbad.” (March 27)
Official Web site

“Monsters vs. Aliens”
Starring the voices of Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogen, Hugh Laurie, Paul Rudd, Kiefer Sutherland, Rainn Wilson, Will Arnett, Stephen Colbert
Directed by Rob Letterman and Conrad Vernon
With a showcase Super Bowl ad slot, this animated film should have no problem with name recognition by the time of its release. And with a stellar cast of vocal talent at its disposal, not to mention its wide appeal potential, anything less than $100 million at the box office would have to be considered a disappointment by DreamWorks, the studio releasing it. (March 27)
Official Web site

Movie Review: "Burn After Reading"

Starring George Clooney, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton and Brad Pitt
Directed by Ethan and Joel Coen
Official Web site

Ethan and Joel Coen have made a fairly long career out of choosing to tackle whatever projects they feel like, sometimes eschewing an easier path to success in the process. How else to explain following up their last film, "No Country for Old Men," the winner of four Academy Awards, with "Burn After Reading," a zany and comedically twisted comedy populated with a lot of stupid, self-centered people?

As usual, the Coens snag a top-flight cast, which can only help serve a decidedly entertaining, yet admittedly pointless story about a CIA analyst (John Malkovich) dealing with a blackmail scheme and a cheating wife (Tilda Swinton). The blackmail situation arises when Linda and Chad, a couple of fitness center employees (Frances McDormand and Brad Pitt), come into possession of a computer disk that appears to have top secret information about Osbourne Cox (Malkovich), a longtime CIA man with a drinking problem. Cox’s drinking leads to his end of employment with the agency, putting him in a grouchy and exasperated mood for pretty much the remainder of the movie.

Initially, Linda and Chad have no plan to blackmail Cox (whose full name Chad seems humorously obsessed with saying). However, when Cox seems ungrateful and suspicious of their having possession of the disk, they decide to try and get money from him instead — a mistake that leads to them turning to the Russian embassy for help.

Mistakes and misunderstandings by the characters in the film permeate the screwball script, co-written by the Coens. These mistakes and misunderstandings include the activities of Harry Pfarrer (George Clooney), a married, womanizing federal marshal, who is having an affair with Cox’s wife, Katie, even while he’s seeing Linda. He also has a growing fear that he’s being watched in public. Of course, being involved in that many different romantic relationships certainly makes such a belief seem plausible.

This marks the third collaboration between the Coens and Clooney, who has a knack for playing somewhat dim men in their films (see "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" and "Intolerable Cruelty"). He, like many of the actors here, seems to be having fun playing against type. Pitt, in particular, makes good use of his limited screen time, playing the idiotic accomplice to Linda’s harebrained blackmail scheme. The cast is clearly the best part of the film, as the story itself is a bit of a jumble, filled with characters that the audience will have a difficult time rooting for. But laughing at the characters is never a problem.

Much of the humor in the movie is of a darker nature, with some of it springing up from violent encounters, verbal and physical. This means it may not appeal to all audiences, which is pretty much the same thing that can be said of most of the Coen brothers' comedies. For most people, there's should be an adequate amount of material to like here, just not quite enough to place it in the top level of their body of work.

Clearly, the Coens have no real desire to embrace conventionality, and for the most part, that’s to the benefit of audiences, who are all too frequently spoon fed simple stories with even more simple characters. That’s not to say that all of the Coens' movies lack simple people; in fact, many of their comedies are packed with them ("Raising Arizona" and "The Big Lebowski," for instance). But movies like those, along with Burn After Reading, to a lesser extent, at least keep audiences interested to see what these idiots will do next (the characters in the movies, not the Coens — but I guess the statement could work either way).

Grade: B+
(Rated R for pervasive language, some sexual content and violence.)

The Curious Case of Oscar snubs

Coming off last year’s all-time low television ratings, the Academy Awards looked to be set up this year for a perfect situation to turn its recent ratings slump around. One of the biggest Oscar contenders, “The Dark Knight,” was also a hugely popular film at the box office, garnering the second highest gross in motion picture history. That possible combination of popularity and prestige looked to be the recipe for big ratings.

However, the prestige didn’t really follow on Thursday, Jan. 22, when the Oscar nominations were announced, as “The Dark Knight” ended up with just one nomination in the major categories – that for the late Heath Ledger in the best supporting actor category. So despite huge audience and critical acclaim, combinations that worked for "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy and, of course, "Titanic," Batman will be largely looking at technical awards to possibly take home at the Academy Awards.

There was the thought by some in Hollywood that a strong showing by "The Dark Knight" could have provided a boost to Oscar's sagging ratings, as it would have provided a hugely popular film for audiences to root for – a race that would have lasted right up to the final award of the night. That's certainly not to say that the Academy should have rewarded the movie purely to grab a larger viewing audience. But the film was widely praised upon its release, and is the rare sequel that most felt surpassed its predecessor. It's a popcorn movie, to be sure, but one with a conscience and a brain.

Still, "The Dark Knight" managed to snag eight nominations, which is certainly impressive for a movie that only has one nomination in a major category. Leading the way was “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” with 13 nominations, followed by “Slumdog Millionaire” with 10.

The following is a roundup of some of the major categories and an early look at the prospects for some of the nominees on Oscar night, Feb. 22.

Best Picture
• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
• “Frost/Nixon”
• “Milk”
• “The Reader”
• “Slumdog Millionaire”
For many, the most notable aspect of this category is the omission of “The Dark Knight,” while “The Reader,” which didn’t have much buzz during awards season, got nominated. “Slumdog” has picked up a lot of awards in recent weeks, and would seem to be a slight favorite.

Best Director
• David Fincher, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
• Ron Howard, “Frost/Nixon”
• Gus Van Sant, “Milk”
• Stephen Daldry, “The Reader”
• Danny Boyle, “Slumdog Millionaire”
The Academy has had a habit in recent years of nominating at least one director not helming one of the best picture nominees. But that’s not the case this year, with Howard the only nominee with a win under his belt.

Best Actor
• Richard Jenkins, “The Visitor”
• Frank Langella, “Frost/Nixon”
• Sean Penn, “Milk”
• Brad Pitt, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
• Mickey Rourke, “The Wrestler”
Penn is the only former winner in this category, with Rourke as the comeback story, fresh off a Golden Globe victory. It could come down to these two for the Oscar, with Langella as a possible longshot contender.

Best Actress
• Anne Hathaway, “Rachel Getting Married”
• Angelina Jolie, “Changeling”
• Melissa Leo, “Frozen River”
• Meryl Streep, “Doubt”
• Kate Winslet, “The Reader”
The nomination for Winslet is a surprise only for the film in which she received it.
“Revolutionary Road” was the expected film for her nomination. She earned Golden
Globes for that film and “The Reader” as supporting actress. But the Academy clearly recognized this as the better of her two lead performances. Facing off against a strong group, including the ever-present Streep, this just might be Winslet’s year, after five previous nominations.

Best Supporting Actor
• Josh Brolin, “Milk”
• Robert Downey Jr., “Tropic Thunder”
• Philip Seymour Hoffman, “Doubt”
• Heath Ledger, “The Dark Knight”
• Michael Shannon, “Revolutionary Road”
Hoffman makes his second straight appearance in this category, but Ledger is the prohibitive favorite. The other candidates, which includes the rare nomination for an actor in a comedic role (Downey in “Tropic Thunder”), are in a tough spot. In competition with a well-liked, talented performer who died young, the odds would seem stacked against them all.

Best Supporting Actress
• Amy Adams, “Doubt”
• Penelope Cruz, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
• Viola Davis, “Doubt”
• Taraji P. Henson, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
• Marisa Tomei, “The Wrestler”
This category may prove to be the toughest to call, as none of the actresses have been dominating during awards season. Tomei has won in this category before (“My Cousin Vinny”), with Cruz and Adams as previous nominees. Cases for and against any of the five could probably be made.

Best Original Screenplay
• “Frozen River”
• “Happy-Go-Lucky”
• “In Bruges”
• “Milk”
• “WALL-E”
As much of “WALL-E” is without dialogue, it’s a true testament to the visual storytelling that it snagged a nomination. That said, the “Milk” screenplay of Dustin Lance Black seems to be the favorite.

Best Adapted Screenplay
• “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
• “Doubt”
• “Frost/Nixon”
• “The Reader”
• “Slumdog Millionaire”
With two of the nominees being adapted from the stage to the big screen (“Doubt” and “Frost/Nixon”), there’s a good variety to the material in this category. But unlike the original screenplay nominees, there’s no surprises here, with “Slumdog” or “Benjamin Button” possibly riding a wave of awards for their respective films.

Movie Review: "Bigger, Stronger, Faster"

Starring Christopher Bell
Directed by Christopher Bell
Official Web site

Taking its cues from Michael Moore’s style of documentaries, yet less polarizing and confrontational, writer-director Christopher Bell’s “Bigger, Stronger, Faster” is an entertaining and educational examination of steroids in America. But in tackling such a controversial subject, Bell chooses to delve into the highly competitive nature of Americans and why some choose performance-enhancing drugs to “gain an edge.”

Bell doesn’t approach the material from a naive and outside point of view. In fact, he readily admits to having used anabolic steroids himself in the past, while involved in competitive weightlifting. As the middle child of three, Bell interviews his two brothers, who were also into weightlifting, athletics and steroids. And while Bell regrets his use of the drug, his brothers have no problem continuing to do so on occassion, as younger brother Mark remains involved in weighlifting, while older sibling Mike is still desperately trying to establish himself on the pro wrestling circuit.

All three grew up in the 1980s, idolizing pumped up stars such as Sylvester Stallone, Hulk Hogan and Arnold Schwarzenegger. The fact that all his childhood heroes were seemingly on steroids is a true letdown for Bell, who questions that if they all used, what kind of mixed message does that send to today’s youth.

While the film isn’t able to get any of the aforementioned big three on camera for interviews, Bell is able to amusingly get close to Schwarzenegger during a campaign stop. But instead of being able to question the governor about performance-enhancing drugs, he gets to be a part of a photo-op that places him on the front page of the Los
Angeles Times.

As a first-time documentary maker, Bell shows an impressive amount of prowess with his varied and large amount of interview subjects. Ranging from medical experts, athletes (including track stars Ben Johnson and Carl Lewis), models and politicians, an extensive amount of information is thrown at the viewer. However, it’s to the film’s credit that it avoids getting bogged down into medical miniutae or an overly biased point of view. That’s not to say the film maintains a completely objective position. The mere involvement of Bell’s family, including his parents, makes his seeking answers a personal pursuit that goes beyond most documentaries.

While some may walk away still questioning the true health risks that anabolic steroids pose, the film makes clear that America takes a hypocritical position at times when it comes to dealing with the issue. Politicians put baseball players under oath in a congressional hearing for doping, but were among the many who cheered some of those same players’ exploits in their prime. The film points out that Congress spent more time on this hearing than they have on the Iraq war – and to what conclusion? Some of our sports athletes cheat? Shocking!

“Bigger, Stronger, Faster” doesn’t put the use of performance-enhancing drugs on trial, nor is that its intent. In fact, the film makes a point that the use of the term “performance-enhancing” is so overused, many likely don’t realize that they might be using some themselves. Stimulants (like caffeine), sedatives (beta blockers) and painkillers are all among them. So when it comes to competition in America, the documentary questions where we draw the line and what a level playing field even consists of anymore.

Grade: B+
(Rated PG-13 for thematic material involving drugs, language, some sexual content and violent images.)

Holiday Movie Preview (Part 2)

The movie release schedule looks to be packed as the year ends, with lots of options vying for your money. This following list doesn’t even cover it all, as there are that many movies set to unspool in theaters in December, particularly at Christmastime.

DECEMBER
“Frost/Nixon”
Starring Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Kevin Bacon, Rebecca Hall, Toby Jones
Directed by Ron Howard
Based on the play by Peter Morgan, this film dramatizes the series of post-Watergate interviews conducted with Richard Nixon by TV talk show host David Frost. Langella and Sheen both reprise their roles from the stage production, with Oscar-winner Howard (“A Beautiful Mind”) as director. This movie would seem custom made for awards, at least in the acting categories. (Dec. 5, limited)
Official Web site

“Doubt”
Starring Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Viola Davis
Directed by John Patrick Shanley
Can I say ditto from the prior entry? “Doubt” is also based on a play (a Pulitzer Prize winner, no less) and looks to feature a lot of acting standouts. A priest (Hoffman) is accused of abusing a young boy and must defend himself against the suspicions of a Catholic school principal (Streep). Director Shanley was also the writer of the Broadway play, so he certainly knows the material. (Dec. 12, limited)
Official Web site

“The Day the Earth Stood Still”
Starring Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, Kathy Bates
Directed by Scott Derrickson
Reeves is back in familiar sci-fi territory, starring as Klaatu, an alien messenger sent to warn Earth of its potentially eminent demise, much to the skepticism and chagrin of its citizens. Could do big box office, but seems to be a remake of the classic 1951 film that no one was seeking. (Dec. 12)
Official Web site

“Seven Pounds”
Starring Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson, Michael Ealy
Directed by Gabriele Muccino
Reteaming with his “The Pursuit of Happyness” director, Smith stars as a suicidal man who finds himself involved in changing lives of several people he befriends. The story is largely being kept quiet, but Smith seems to be box office gold with pretty much anything. (Dec. 19)
Official Web site

“Yes Man”
Starring Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel, Bradley Cooper, Sasha
Alexander, Danny Masterson, Terence Stamp
Directed by Peyton Reed
It seems like it’s been a long time since Carrey has starred in a big budget comedy (2003’s “Bruce Almighty” would have been the last), but the trailer would seem to indicate he’s in a comfort zone here. Carrying a movie on his shoulders is nothing new, and this is one of the few outright comedies coming out this month, which bodes well for the movie’s prospects. (Dec. 19)
Official Web site

“Marley and Me”
Starring Jennifer Aniston, Owen Wilson, Haley Bennett, Alan Arkin, Eric Dane
Directed by David Frankel
Aniston and Wilson were romantically linked (which has since ended, evidently) during the filming of this movie, based on the best-selling book about a family and their lovable, yet constantly misbehaving dog. Should be an ideal holiday draw for families. (Dec. 25)
Official Web site

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Starring Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton, Taraji P. Henson, Julia Ormond
Directed by David Fincher
Adapted from the F. Scott Fitzgerald short story, “Benjamin Button” is the remarkable tale of a man (Pitt) who is aging backwards and obviously has to deal with life in a different way. A unique movie such as this could be something magical or a disaster. The early word and trailer indicates the former. This marks the third (and most ambitious) collaboration for Pitt and Fincher (“Se7en,” “Fight Club”) (Dec. 25)
Official Web site

“Valkyrie”
Starring Tom Cruise, Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson
Directed by Brian Singer
This project about the plan of a group of German colonels to assassinate Adolf Hitler during World War II is based on actual events and has had a troubled journey to the screen. Numerous changes to the release date have occured, but there is a curiosity factor here to see if Cruise and director Singer (“The Usual Suspects”) can pull this risky film off. (Dec. 26)
Official Web site

Holiday Movie Preview 2008 (Part 1)

Apologies for the long delay in updates. Was a busy October that honestly wasn't filled with much movie watching. Hard to believe, I know. But here's the holiday movie preview below, which hopefully will go a little ways to letting you know about some of the big end-of-year releases coming soon to a theater near you.

As Halloween has passed and the holiday season is beginning in earnest, Hollywood will be rolling out its big end of year films. Some will be big money earners, while others will be contending for various awards. A select few will have a chance to do both. The following is a rundown of some of November’s notable films. Release dates are subject to change, as usual.

NOVEMBER
“Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa”
Starring the voices of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith
Directed by Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath
A follow-up to the 2005 hit animated film, the gang of animals are attempting to get back to their former home in New York City, only to find themselves stranded in Africa. The first film’s success was a bit of a surprise, but with an ideal pre-Thanksgiving release date, this sequel would seem to have hit written all over it. (Nov. 7)
Official Web site

“Role Models”
Starring Paul Rudd, Seann William Scott, Elizabeth Banks, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Bobb’e J. Thompson
Directed by David Wain
A pair of immature salesmen (Rudd and Scott) are forced to participate in a court-ordered Big Brother program with troubled youths. This R-rated comedy comes from the makers of the former cult MTV show, “The State.” (Nov. 7)
Official Web site

“Quantum of Solace”
Starring Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric, Judi Dench
Directed by Marc Forster
Never mind the puzzling title, Craig proved more than worthy to fill the shoes of 007, with “Casino Royale” a hugely popular relaunch of the franchise. This sequel’s story picks up right where the previous film left off, with Bond in a rather sour mood and seeking revenge. (Nov. 14)
Official Web site

“Bolt”
Starring the voices of John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman, Mark Walton
Directed by Byron Howard and Chris Williams
Well, what do you know? Another animated talking animal movie, with this one featuring Travolta voicing the title character, a showbiz dog who gets separated from his home and family. He must find his way back with the help of some new friends. Doesn’t this storyline sound overly familiar? (Nov. 21)
Official Web site

“Twilight”
Starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Billy Burke, Peter Facinelli
Directed by Catherine Hardwicke
This adaptation of the very popular book series by Stephenie Meyers is what the filmmakers hope is the beginning of an equally popular film franchise. The movie, about a budding romance between a couple of teens – one of whom happens to be a vampire – was moved up from its December release date after the latest “Harry Potter” film was pushed back to 2009. (Nov. 21)
Official Web site

“Four Christmases”
Starring Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon, Robert Duvall, Jon Favreau, Mary Steenburgen, Jon Voight
Directed by Seth Gordon
As Christmas approaches, you can count on holiday-themed romantic comedies, and this year is no exception. Vaughn and Witherspoon play a married couple forced to endure the holiday with their divorced parents’ four families. Expect lots of stressed out family interaction, probably just like many of our holiday gatherings. (Nov. 26)
Official Web site

“Australia”
Starring Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, David Wenham, Bruce Spence, Bryan Brown
Directed by Baz Luhrmann
Pre-World War II Austrailia is the setting for this drama that will likely feature a lot of romance and prove to be the best kind of free advertising a country’s tourist bureau could have. Kidman reunites with her “Moulin Rouge” director as an English aristocrat who inherits property that is protected by a tough rancher (Jackman). (Nov. 26)
Official Web site

“Milk”
Starring Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, James Franco, Diego Luna, Alison Pill
Directed by Gus Van Sant
After spending the last few years making lower-profile and little seen films (“Elephant,” “Paranoid Park”), Van Sant directs what might be his most notable since “Good Will Hunting.” To be sure, Penn will be a strong contender come Oscar time, as he portrays the real-life Harvey Milk, an openly gay San Francisco activist who builds up a huge following in his bid to serve in public office during the 1970s. While this true story likely has a narrow appeal, the solid cast could help. (Nov. 26, limited)
Official Web site

A Legend Is Gone

Paul Newman, one of the silver screen's legendary actors, who carved out an indelible career that reached far beyond Hollywood, passed away Sept. 26 after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 83. The actor, whose career spanned more than 50 years, was also a noted activist, entrepreneur and race car driver.

Easily one of the most respected and charismatic actors of his or any generation, Newman's list of movie credits are substantial and impressive. Consider some of these career highlights by decade: (1950s) – "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"; (1960s) – "The Hustler," "Cool Hand Luke," "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid"; (1970s) – "The Sting," "Slap Shot"; (1980s) – "The Verdict," "The Color of Money" (1990s) – "Nobody's Fool"; (2000s) – "Road to Perdition," "Cars."

A 10-time Oscar nominee, Newman only won the award once, for 1986's "The Color of Money," when he reprised his role as pool shark Fast Eddie Felson. The role was originated in 1961's "The Hustler." Ironically, he was given an honorary Oscar for his outstanding body of work in 1986 – the same year he took the role in Martin Scorsese's "The Color of Money," starring alongside Tom Cruise, fresh off his star-making role in "Top Gun." He would receive a second honorary Oscar in 1994, recognizing his charitable work.

Aside from his substantial amount of time and effort committed to various charities over the years, Newman also launched Newman's Own in 1982, which consisted of a line of food products covering everything from microwave popcorn to salad dressing. The products have expanded over the years to include salsa, lemonade and more, with many of them lining the shelves at your local grocery store.

His passing is best summed up by his most notable co-star and longtime friend Robert Redford: "There is a point where feelings go beyond words. I have lost a real friend. My life and this country is better for his being in it."

Movie Review: "Baby Mama"

Starring Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Greg Kinnear, Dax Shepard, Romany Malco, Sigourney Weaver and Steve Martin
Directed by Michael McCullers
Official Web site

Performing together for several years on “Saturday Night Live,” Amy Poehler and Tina Fey have proven to have sharp comedic skills and chemistry that served them well as co-anchors of “Weekend Update” on the long-running comedy show.

Their chemistry on that program would seem to make for a natural and obvious progression to performing together on the big screen. And while “Baby Mama” is far from a comedic masterpiece, it does provide a solid storyline that keeps the two actresses front and center for the entire film. That, in and of itself, is a rarity for big studio comedies.

In the film, Fey plays Kate Holbrook, a successful businesswoman for a large grocery store (think something like Whole Foods) who begins to hear her biological clock ticking very loudly. After some unsuccessful dealings with sperm banks, she turns to a surrogacy firm run by Chaffee Bicknell (Sigourney Weaver, in a good comic turn).

Kate is matched up with Angie Ostrowiski (Poehler), a generally unmotivated woman saddled with a selfish and constantly scheming husband (Dax Shepard). But for the whopping fee of $100,000, she gladly signs on to become a surrogate. Regarding the ridiculously high fee, Kate comments, “It costs more to have someone born than to have someone killed.” To which Bicknell responds, “It takes longer.”

Most of the movie’s humor stems from the developing friendship between the two seemingly wildly different women. Kate is straight-laced (some would say uptight), while Angie is much more free-spirited (some would say irresponsible). Naturally, the two begin to find they might have more in common than they first thought, as they begin to bond during the course of Angie’s pregnancy.

Adding to the impending baby situation is a developing relationship that Kate strikes with Rob Ackerman, a small business owner in a neighborhood where the grocery store is building a new location. The script by Michael McCullers, who also directed the film, has problems developing the romantic relationship, with Kinnear’s character mostly underdeveloped. With the film placing much of its focus on the Kate/Angie relationship, the budding romance mostly plays as an afterthought.

The surprises in “Baby Mama” are fairly mild, but the laughs do come consistently enough to keep audiences interested. The winning pairing of Poehler and Fey plays a large part in that. However, Steve Martin, in a small role, steals a lot of laughs as Kate’s kind of spacy boss. He’s very big on eye contact, seeing it as a kind of reward to give his fellow employees.

So while the film’s comedic possibilities are never fully realized, “Baby Mama” provides proof that with the right script, Poehler and Fey have got what it takes to become the next great comedic duo.

Grade: B
(Rated PG-13 for crude and sexual humor, language and a drug reference.)

Fall 2008 Movie Preview (Part 2)

October’s releases usually follow a more Academy Award-friendly path, with some Halloween-themed movies thrown into the mix. The following is a rundown of the month's more notable releases. Release dates are subject to change.

SEPTEMBER
“Flash of Genius”
Starring Greg Kinnear, Lauren Graham, Dermot Mulroney, Alan Alda
Directed by Marc Abraham
Based on a true story, this film follows Robert Kearns (Kinnear) and his battle against the auto industry over intermittent windshield wipers, a technology he invented and unsuccesfully attempted to sell to the automakers. David vs. Goliath tales are certainly popular in Hollywood, and they don’t get much bigger than this. But, hopefully the film doesn’t get too bogged down in discussions about windshield wipers. (Oct. 3)
Official Web site

“The Express”
Starring Dennis Quaid, Rob Brown, Darrin Dewitt Henson, Clancy Brown and Charles S. Dutton
Directed by Gary Fleder
Another fact-based story hits theaters, this one about Ernie Davis, the first African American to win college football’s Heisman Trophy. Quaid, a veteran of sports movies, plays Davis’ coach. As the college football season will be in full swing when this is released, the timing to be a sleeper hit could be right. (Oct. 10)
Official Web site

“Body of Lies”
Starring Russell Crowe, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Strong, Golshifteh Farahani, Oscar Isaac, Simon McBurney
Directed by Ridley Scott
Lots of ads have already been plugging this movie, which is the fourth collaboration for Crowe and director Scott, with the star power of DiCaprio on board this time out. Taking on the timely issue of terrorism, DiCaprio plays an ex-journalist following a hot lead in Jordan, with a determined CIA agent (Crowe) as his handler. (Oct. 10)
Official Web site

“Max Payne”
Starring Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Beau Bridges, Ludacris, Donal Logue, Chris O’Donnell
Directed by John Moore
Based on a video game isn’t always the best recipe for success (I’ll spare unspooling the list of failed attempts here), but the story of a DEA agent (Wahlberg) out to avenge the death of his family looks better than most of the past attempts. That might be faint praise, however. But the game was good, for whatever that’s worth. (Oct. 17)
Official Web site

“W.”
Starring Josh Brolin, James Cromwell, Elizabeth Banks, Ellen Burstyn, Scott Glenn, Thandie Newton
Directed by Oliver Stone
Don’t think for a second that the release date of this biopic about the current President of the United States isn’t meant to have any influence on Election Day. Writer-director Stone has said he had every intention of getting the film out before November. Obviously, the film will be polarizing, but can it still be entertaining? The cast certainly holds interest, as they do in most of Stone’s films. (Oct. 17, limited)
Official Web site

“High School Musical 3: Senior Year”
Starring Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu
Directed by Kenny Ortega
The third film in the movie musical franchise (if you can call it that) leaps from its Disney Channel beginnings to the big screen. While it’s uncertain how many of its generally young audience will pay for what they saw for free the past two times, there’s not going to be any similar material competing with it in October. (Oct. 24)
Official Web site

“Changeling”
Starring Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich, Jeffrey Donovan, Michael Kelly, Colm Feore
Directed by Clint Eastwood
Eastwood directing Jolie could be an intriguing collaboration, and early word from its debut earlier this year at the Cannes film festival, is that this is one to watch out for at awards time. Not that big a surprise based on the recent track record of Eastwood. Jolie plays a mom reunited with her missing son in 1920s Los Angeles, who begins to have serious doubts about his identity. (Oct. 24, limited)
No official Web site

“Synecdoche, New York”
Starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Samantha Morton, Michelle Williams, Catherine Keener, Emily Watson
Directed by Charlie Kaufman
Having made a solid career of writing unusual, yet highly original screenplays (“Adaptation,” “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”) Kaufman makes his directorial debut with Oscar-winner Hoffman playing Caden Cotard, a theater director strugging with his work, not to mention the women in his life. And in a true Kaufman-esque touch, Cotard’s also constructing a giant replica of New York in a warehouse, as part of his new play. (Oct. 24, limited)
No official Web site

Fall 2008 Movie Preview (Part 1)

Summer at the movies was largely dominated by heroes, super and otherwise, as Batman, Iron Man and Indiana Jones all spent time owning the top of the box-office charts. What will the fall movie season bring? Well, likely not any big moneymakers like those three. But a fair amount of solid hits and possible Oscar contenders could emerge, come early next year.

The following is a rundown of some of the releases coming this month, with October’s roster to follow next week. As always, release dates are subject to change.

SEPTEMBER
“The Women”
Starring Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, Eva Mendes, Debra Messing, Jada Pinkett Smith
Directed by Diane English
A remake of the 1939 film of the same name, this movie would love nothing more than capture the recent box-office success of “Sex and the City.” But there’s no doubt that, based on the heavily female cast, most men will probably be sitting this one out – if given a choice by their significant other, that is. (Sept. 12)
Official Web site

“Burn After Reading”
Starring George Clooney, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton and Brad Pitt
Directed by Ethan and Joel Coen
The Coen brothers’ follow-up to their Oscar-winning “No Country for Old Men” ventures back into much more comedic territory, with a great cast on hand, as usual. A pair of fitness center employees (McDormand and Pitt) get their hands on the unpublished memoirs of a CIA agent (Malkovich), which gets them into hot water. This might not be Oscar caliber work this time out for the Coens, but still should be worth a look. (Sept. 12)
Official Web site

“Righteous Kill”
Starring Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino, Curtis Jackson, Carla Gugino, Donnie Wahlberg, Brian Dennehy and John Leguizamo
Directed by Jon Avnet
Having shared the screen briefly in 1995’s great crime drama, “Heat,” DeNiro and Pacino spend a lot more time together in this film about a pair of cops investigating a serial vigilante. While it’s great to have the two acting legends paired up, did it have to be as cops? There’s certainly a “been there, done that” feel here. Hopefully, they can lift the seemingly overdone material. (Sept. 12)
Official Web site

“Appaloosa”
Starring Viggo Mortensen, Ed Harris, Renée Zellweger, Jeremy Irons
Directed by Ed Harris
This film marks the second directing effort from Harris (“Pollack” being the other), who also co-stars with Mortensen as lawmen who come to clean up a crime-riddled town. Westerns have a spotty track record making money over the past couple of decades, but this one could be a sleeper, if marketed right. (Sept. 17, limited)
Official Web site

“Ghost Town”
Starring Ricky Gervais, Téa Leoni, Greg Kinnear, Billy Campbell, Kristen Wiig, Dana Ivey
Directed by David Koepp
In his first starring role on the big screen, Gervais plays a dentist with a sour disposition. But after briefly dying during a medical procedure and being revived, he realizes he now has the ability to communicate with the dead – something he finds really annoying. OK, the premise is borderline bad sitcom by description, but hopefully Gervais, who has shown a comic gift on TV (the original “The Office” and “Extras”) can work some movie magic. (Sept. 19)
Official Web site

“Blindness”
Starring Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Danny Glover, Gael Garcia Bernal, Alice Braga
Directed by Fernando Meirelles
Adapted from the acclaimed 1998 novel, “Blindness” tells the tale of an epidemic that strikes a city, leaving everyone blind, save for one woman (Moore). She then helps a small group of people survive, while humanity breaks down around them. This film, from the director of “The Constant Gardener,” is certainly intriguing material, but may prove to be a bit too bleak for most audiences. (Sept. 26)
Official Web site

“Miracle at St. Anna”
Starring Derek Luke, Michael Ealy, Laz Alonso, Omar Benson Miller
Directed by Spike Lee
Writer-director Lee makes the first war movie of his career, focusing on a real-life segregated World War II infantry unit of the U.S. Army. Part of the unit becomes separated during a battle and is forced to await their orders in an Italian village, while behind enemy lines. This looks like Lee’s best shot at an Oscar to come along in years. But WWII-era movies are certainly not an easy sell to audiences. (Sept. 26)
Official Web site

“Eagle Eye”
Starring Shia LaBeouf, Michelle Monaghan, Rosario Dawson, Michael Chiklis, Anthony Mackie and Billy Bob Thornton
Directed by D.J. Caruso
Two strangers (LaBeouf and Monaghan) are thrown together by extreme circumstances in the form of a caller on their cell phones who seems to know their every move. The caller puts them into a cat-and-mouse situation, with their lives on the line and FBI authorities (led by Thornton) in hot pursuit This high-concept, yet seemingly improbable thriller could prove to be a hit, if the promise of its clever trailer is realized. (Sept. 26)
Official Web site

Hang on

Well, I've been slacking here a bit, haven't I? I'll admit, movie watching kind of took a backseat these past couple of weeks. Blame the Olympics, as I became a bit of a junkie with my viewing habits. I know some sleep was sacrificed to see some events live – and my life is all the better for it. Well, maybe not.

But rest assured that I'll be getting back to the ol' movie blog here real soon. Be expecting a fall movie preview (likely in two parts) coming at you by the weekend. Until then ...

Movie Review: "The Dark Knight"

Starring Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Morgan Freeman
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Official Web site

Having been able to successfully relaunch the franchise in 2005 with the stellar “Batman Begins,” director Christopher Nolan’s follow-up, “The Dark Knight,” is one of those rare sequels that is able to top the impressive accomplishments reached by its predecessor. It’s a lengthy, dark journey that is filled with a few surprises, which includes the contemplation of ethical dilemmas. A thinking person’s superhero movie? This sure isn’t your typical brain-dead summer offering that Hollywood tends to favor throwing at audiences.

The script, co-written by Nolan with his brother, Christopher, captures the Caped Crusader (Christian Bale) at a time when crime is down and citizens are feeling safer and more confident than they have in years. Not that it’s all sunshine and happiness for Gotham City, as the criminal element is still a presence in town, albeit a more muted one. Corruption still exists, but devoted, hardworking crime fighters can still be found, such as police Lt. Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart, very good in a tricky role), the fearless and aggressive district attorney.

But when a new morally unbound criminal, called The Joker (Heath Ledger) begins causing trouble for everyone, the carefully built confidence of the city threatens to completely collapse. Batman, Gordon and Dent form an alliance to try and deal with the aftermath of the Joker’s criminal schemes. Yet, as the Joker himself makes known to anyone who will listen, he doesn’t really have a master plan. He’s not served by petty self-interests or a hidden agenda. He just wants to bring chaos to town.

Obviously, a ton has been said and written about the tragic death of Ledger earlier this year, which threatened to become a bigger story than the film itself. But as the movie plays out over its lengthy 152-minute running time, you forget that you’re even watching Ledger on screen. His performance is that transformative and chilling. As good as Jack Nicholson was portraying the Joker in 1989’s “Batman,” you never forgot who you were seeing. But Ledger’s Joker is quite a dark departure from previous incarnations of the character, as he’s played as an obviously intelligent, yet mentally unstable man who probably has some very large skeletons in his closet.

But, in what turns out to be an inspired decision, the movie doesn’t sidetrack into “Joker Begins,” as no back story is provided to the villain. Not much more about him is known at the end of the film than when he first appears on screen. And while he is the most memorable character in the film, the Joker isn’t overused, as Nolan makes sure the entire main cast (a most impressive one) is given moments to shine. Returning is Michael Caine as Alfred, the loyal butler to Bruce Wayne, and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox, who heads up Wayne’s business interests (not to mention his ability to create exceptional crimefighting gadgets for Batman). Maggie Gyllenhaal takes over for Katie Holmes to good effect as Rachel Dawes, the assistant DA and love interest for Dent.

As the Joker continues to stay at least one step ahead of his pursuers, characters are forced to make difficult decisions – some with life-or-death consequences. Batman and Dent especially are put through the wringer by the Joker, who delights in seeing heroic people brought down to his level of behavior. He sees the stakes in the battle with Batman as nothing short of Gotham City’s soul.

Much like he did in the previous film, Bale shows a steely determination as Wayne/Batman, while capturing the internal conflict of not knowing who exactly he is in his own heart or the hearts of those he protects. His performance is exactly what it needs to be for the story, but is almost certainly to be overshadowed by the flashier work by Ledger, which will likely garner an Oscar nomination.

The film should also receive award consideration on a number of technical fronts, and might be remembered for some major ones come next year. It’s a credit to Nolan’s ambition that “The Dark Knight” isn’t simply a going-through-the-motions sequel, content to ride on the long cape of its previous superhero tale. This sequel is an adult, and I reiterate adult, examination of two troubled men who have chosen wildly different paths in life. One has accepted who he has become, while the other is maybe still searching.

Grade: A
(Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and some menace.)

Movie Review: "The Savages"

Starring Laura Linney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Philip Bosco, Peter Friedman, Cara Seymour
Directed by Tamara Jenkins
Official Web site

After a standout debut in 1998 with the darkly humorous “Slums of Beverly Hills,” writer-director Tamara Jenkins seemingly disappeared from the Hollywood scene, only to reemerge late last year with the release of “The Savages.” It’s a bit of a shame to have to wait nine years for something this good, but better late than never.

“The Savages” pairs Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney, two of their generation’s finest actors, as unhappy siblings forced to deal with the declining health of their father, Lenny (Philip Bosco). Wendy and Jon Savage both live in New York, far from their father, who lives in Arizona. And with the occasional hints of their crummy childhoods growing up with the short-tempered and foul-mouthed Lenny, their distance from him seems intentional.

But once Lenny starts acting out (in a way I won’t describe here) due to the onset of dementia and his live-in girlfriend passes away, Wendy and Jon are forced to reestablish connections with their father and bring him back to New York. It’s there they look to find a new home for him in an assisted living facility – a pursuit made particularly more difficult for Jon, who can barely hide his dislike for his father.

Aside from their problems with Lenny, Wendy and Jon are hardly happy, well adjusted people themselves. Wendy’s in the midst of an affair with a married man, with no hopes of it ever turning into something more, while Jon is unwilling to marry a longtime Polish girlfriend, even though her deportation to Poland is pending. He even openly weeps about his situation on occasion, yet seems emotionally incapable of dealing with marriage.

While the above description might make it sound like “The Savages” is one seriously downbeat movie, it’s to Jenkins’ credit that there’s plenty of dark humor to be found here too. As she did with “Slums of Beverly Hills,” Jenkins shows the ability to illicit laughter from less than humorous circumstances. Some of the laughs come from the frequent bickering between Wendy and Jon, who pick apart each other’s lives. But despite their arguments, it’s apparent that the two genuinely seem to care for one another. Dealing with an end of life issue with their father forces them to look closer at the direction of their own lives.

Hoffman and Linney (in an Oscar-nominated performance) are both excellent and have a chemistry that makes them very believable as brother and sister. Bosco also has some good moments as the irascible father who’s struggling to cope with the unwanted changes in his life.

The movie, while a fictional tale, has a definite air of reality to it. It’s filled with scenes that feel genuine, sometimes uncomfortably so. Case in point is a well written scene outside a picturesque nursing home that unleashes some brutal truths that are hardly comfortable to talk about. But it’s those kind of perceptive observations that helps “The Savages” extend beyond what could have been, in lesser hands, a boring and predictable study of unlikeable characters. The fact that you end up caring about these people at all is a testament to the care invested by Jenkins and the actors. That said, spending time with the Savages makes me a little more thankful for the family I have.

Grade: A-
(Rated R for some sexuality and language.)

No laughing matter

There have been a number of well known personalities passing away in the news and entertainment business lately, and now, sadly, George Carlin can be added to the list. Due to heart failure on Monday, Carlin, 71, (fill in your own dying euphemism here – George had a ton of ‘em).

The comedian made his big breakthrough in the business back in the 1970s, and had been consistently working in TV, film and stand-up comedy ever since. His last HBO special (one of a staggering 14 he did with the network) premiered in March. Incidentally, a mini-marathon of his specials will be airing on HBO2 over the next few days. NBC is set to air the debut episode of “Saturday Night Live” on Saturday, featuring Carlin as the host.

There definitely won’t ever be another comedian quite like him coming along. Obviously, I’m not the only one to think so. Here’s what Jerry Seinfeld had to say in the New York Times.

Special-effects pioneer dies

Stan Winston, one of the most influential and oft-employed special-effects experts working in the movie business, passed away Sunday at his home in Malibu, Calif., at 62. He had been battling multiple myeloma for several years, but had been consistently working throughout his illness, including on May’s smash hit, “Iron Man.” Among his long list of credits includes “The Terminator,” “Edward Scissorhands,” “Aliens,” and “Jurassic Park.” On the latter two films he won Oscars, with later Academy Awards coming for his groundbreaking work on “Terminator 2: Judgment Day.”

Movie Review: "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull"

Starring Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett, Karen Allen, Ray Winstone, John Hurt, Jim Broadbent and Shia LaBeouf
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Official Web site

Nearly two decades have passed since Indiana Jones hung up his fedora and whip, for what was thought to be the last time. But consistent urging from fans (and no doubt, executives at Paramount Pictures, the studio that has released the entire series) has brought Indiana Jones out of storage and reunited star Harrison Ford with director Steven Spielberg and producer George Lucas. Having long struggled to find a script suitable enough that the entire creative team could agree upon eventually led to “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” And while the fourth installment in the series is a welcome return to the big screen, it’s also the least satisfying of the quartet.

That’s not to say that the movie is a dud. Quite the contrary, as “Crystal Skull” features another winning performance from Ford as the history professor/archaeologist, along with a suitably wicked turn by Cate Blanchett as the primary villain this go around. There’s plenty of action set pieces on display here, with the opening sequence inside and out of a giant warehouse in the Nevada desert a particular winner. Spielberg even manages to find time to interject some humor into the early going, as Indy finds himself unknowingly seeking refuge from the Russians by hiding out at a nuclear testing site.

In fact, the first 20 minutes are generally so enjoyable that the remainder of the movie struggles to maintain that energy level, once the central story is unspooled. The script by David Koepp is, at times, overly convoluted, as it involves the search for a crystal skull that will give untold power to its possessor, along with the discovery of an ancient city in South America made of gold guarded by the undead (no, not zombies), and assorted otherworldly mumbo jumbo.

Set in 1957, the story tends to bog down whenever the characters have to stop to explain to each other (and by extension, the audience) what is going on and/or what they are attempting to do. After having spent the previous three films seeking out the Ark of the Covenant, a mystical stone taken from a peaceful village, and the Holy Grail, maybe Indy’s simply running out of interesting artifacts to find. But the crystal skull introduces an extraterrestrial element to the story that seems out of place in the Indiana Jones universe.

The movie fares much better with the interaction of its characters, including the introduction of Mutt Williams (Shia LaBeouf), a young biker who handles his comb as much as his switchblade. He comes to Indy with the request that he help him find his mother and Professor Harold Oxley (John Hurt), who turns out to have been a mentor for both men. Oxley disappeared while seeking the crystal skull, and Mutt’s mother also went missing after going to find him. The Russians, led by the icy villainess Irina Spalko (Blanchett), have tracked Indy down after being foiled by him in the desert, and are also in pursuit of the skull.

Making their way to South America, the heroes eventually find Oxley and Mutt’s mother, Marion (Karen Allen, clearly having fun with her role), who both have been captured by the Russians. It’s fun to see Ford and Allen back together after their good chemistry in “Raiders,” but there’s not as much interplay between the two as there should have been. The action sequences in the script largely push that aspect into the background, especially by the busy and overly CGI-reliant third act. It’s no secret that Lucas is a big proponent of CGI, but the movie makes too much use of it, rather than the old-fashioned stuntwork that was such a big part of the earlier films.

There’s still plenty to like in the fourth (and not necessarily final) installment of the series, as the story has no qualms about making cracks at the age of Indy, and this was certainly not an example of rich men going through the motions to collect a big paycheck. But approaching the film with tempered expectations would be advised. In interviews leading up to the film’s opening, Spielberg and Lucas had even said so, in a roundabout way. Still, it’s a bit of a pity they had to be right this time.

Grade: B-
(Rated PG-13 for adventure violence and scary images.)

Movie Review: "I'm Not There"

Starring Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Ben Whishaw, Marcus Carl Franklin, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger, Julianne Moore, Charlotte Gainsbourg
Directed by Todd Haynes
Official Web site

No one can ever deny the enigmatic nature of Bob Dylan. He is perhaps the most perplexing, hard to understand (in a literal and figurative sense) presence to ever come along in music history. That might help explain a little bit more about writer-director Todd Haynes’ “I’m Not There,” a film that is much more interested in capturing the essence of Dylan, rather than a biographical look at the man himself.

Featuring six actors cast as Dylan (or at least some approximation of him) is a bold decision – and not an altogether successful one. That’s not to say there isn’t good acting on display here; it just makes for a disjointed narrative. That, and the movie’s lengthy running time can make the mind wander a bit on occasion.

In the film, Dylan’s six incarnations are the following: a young African-American boy (Marcus Carl Franklin) claiming to be Woody Guthrie; Robbie (Heath Ledger), who meets a woman on a Hollywood film, marries her and becomes a parent; Jack, a Greenwich Village folk singer (Christian Bale); Jude (Cate Blanchett), a rebellious presence who alienates fans by switching from acoustic to electric guitar; as a young man (Ben Whishaw) seemingly being interrogated about his career; and as an actor (Richard Gere) appearing in a Western about Billy the Kid.

Some of the sequences work better than others, with Gere’s portion of the film a general bore. It would have been better served to have been excised. Faring best is Blanchett, who, in an Oscar-nominated turn, makes you forget you’re watching a woman portray a man.

That said, none of the actors are doing a straight out impersonation of Dylan (Blanchett’s role would likely be the closest), as that would have probably moved the film closer to a near parody of the singer-songwriter. Clearly, Haynes (who has been silent since 2002’s great “Far From Heaven”) doesn’t have designs on a typical bio-pic such as recent hits “Ray” or “Walk the Line.” For that matter, it’s difficult to imagine Dylan ever being satisfied with someone attempting to do so.

But he at least seemed pleased with Haynes’ take on the film, giving approval to use his own music and have the actors also do their own interpretations of some of it.

Admittedly not counting myself as much of a Dylan fan, there’s probably a fair amount of semi-biographical information here that I missed, which might have diminished my enjoyment of the movie. But love him, hate him or something in between, “I’m Not There” is still a fairly entertaining, albeit a little scattershot examination of the elusive nature of an artist (born Robert Allen Zimmerman, by the way) who refuses to fit into any easy-to-define category.

Grade: B-
(Rated R for language, some sexuality and nudity.)

Technical Difficulties

Sorry for the lack of updates here over the past couple of weeks. I've had some DSL issues to deal with, meaning my Internet connection had been operating lately at a speed slower than dial-up. (Remember dial-up? Yeeesh!) But I finally got AT&T to fix the problem (I hope), so expect some more activity on here later in the week – namely, the overdue "Indiana Jones" review, among other items.
Stay tuned ...