Eastern Promises

“Eastern Promises,” directed by David Cronenberg and starring Viggo Mortensen and Naomi Watts, is a thought-provoking movie, much along the lines of Cronenber’s earlier “A History of Violence.” London midwife Anna (Watts) stumbles into the world of the Russian mafia when she tries to find relatives of a young woman who has died in childbirth. Her quest takes her to grandfatherly Semyon (Armin Mueller-Stahl) who wants the diary the dead woman left behind. Nikolai (Motensen), who has befriended Semyon’s creepy son, Kirill, and is ordered to get the diary, has his own reasons for inveigling his way into the mob family. There’s a lot of violence in “Eastern Promises,” but violence is an integral part of Cronenber’s story as he clearly demonstrates that it takes evil to fight true evil, that good does not understand evil enough to be a successful adversary. The only weakness in this compelling movie is the vague and, to a degree, unsatisfying conclusion. However, assuming that you can tolerate the violence, I urge you to see “Eastern Promises.” (9/23/07)

In the Valley of Elah

“In the Valley of Elah,” referencing the Biblical place where David fought Goliath, is more of a character study than a murder mystery. When Hank Deerfield (Tommy Lee Jones), former military police, receives word that his son, just back from Iraq, has gone AWOL, he decides to conduct his own investigation. When a charred dismembered body turns out to be his son, Hank pushes both the military and a local police detective (Charlize Theron) for answers. His anguish is clear as is his fear that something is terribly wrong with the military institution that means so much to him. With Hank, Tommy Lee Jones has created a multi-dimensional character, one who is both gruff and kind hearted; implusive and willing to apologize when he’s wrong; rigid in his beliefs about the benefits of being in the military yet grieving over the mistakes he made that might have cost his son his life. Susan Sarandon role as Hank’s wife is small, but she makes the most of her limited screen time. And Charlize Theron is effective as a woman struggling to prove that she's just as good a detective as any man. Although there’s nothing new in director Paul Haggis’ very obvious message: war takes a high toll, not just in deaths, but in the ruined souls that return, see this movie for Jones’ performance. (9/22/07)

Sydney White

I don’t mind going to movies by myself. I don’t even mind going to a movie where the theater is full of pre-pubescent girls and their mothers, which is what happened when I went to see “Sydney White.” In this retelling of the Snow White tale, there’s seven geeks instead of seven dwarfs, an online popularity poll instead of a magic looking glass, a witchy sorority president instead of the evil queen and a handsome young man by the name of Tyler Prince. Amanda Bynes (most recently a co-star in “Hairspray”) plays Sydney White with sincerity and on-spot comedic timing. If you like happily ever after fairy tales, with no pretensions of being realistic, then you’ll enjoy “Sydney White.” But you might want to take a 10-year old with you. (9/21/07)

Hollywoodland - Available on DVD

“Hollywoodland” is an interesting mix of fact and fiction, providing several theories for why actor George Reeves died. Reeves (played effectively by Ben Afflick), typecast as the television character Superman, died from a gun shot wound to the head. The police investigation concluded suicide and perhaps Reeves was depressed that his career did not go beyond Superman. However, maybe he was murdered and that’s what the fictional character Louis Simo (Adrien Brody) investigates. “Hollywoodland” is certainly better than “The Black Dahlia,” another based-on-a-true-story movie.

Music and Lyrics - Available on DVD

“Music and Lyrics” is a better than average romantic comedy because of Hugh Grant and a clever script. Grant’s comedic timing for his numerous one-liners is perfect. Drew Barrymore provides the right amount of sweetness as his love interest, but the movie’s success rests with Grant. And if you don’t like him, well……….. (2/19/07)

Perfect Stranger - Available on DVD

“Perfect Stranger,” starring Halle Berry and Bruce Willis, has too many negatives to get a recommendation. The main problem is the script, which doesn’t play fair with its clues so the end comes from left field. Rowena (Berry), a tabloid journalist investigating the murder of her childhood friend, suspects a married advertising executive (Willis) so she sets out to prove his guilt. With this basic plot line, screenwriter Todd Komarnick throws in a little online sex, a jealous wife, and a sinister best friend, all of which serve as red herrings. Even the A-list cast can’t improve a weak script and without the cast, this movie would have gone straight to DVD. I suggest you wait until “Perfect Stranger” is free on cable. (9/14/07)

The Brave One

The “Brave One” is a thought-provoking study of the consequences of revenge. Jodi Foster plays Erica, a woman who, along with her fiancé, David, is severely beaten. Erica survives; David doesn’t and Erica’s quiet outrage at the police’s inability to catch David’s murderers is much more effective than any loud ranting. As Erica walks a fine line between sanity and madness, courage and fear, horror and revenge, she loses a piece of her soul every time she takes a life. Certainly the reason to see this movie is Foster’s powerful performance although Terrence Howard’s supporting role as a sympathetic police detective is also quite remarkable. (9/17/07)

In the Shadow of the Moon

Between 1969 and 1972, nine Apollo spacecraft traveled to the moon. In the documentary “In the Shadow of the Moon,” director David Sington tells the Apollo story through archival footage and the recollections of the surviving astronauts, Buzz Aldrin, Alan Bean, Gene Cernan, Mike Collins, Charlie Duke, Jim Lovell, Edgar Mitchell, Harrison Schmitt, Dave Scott, and John Young. Notably missing is the reclusive Neil Armstrong whose “That’s one small step for a man; one giant leap for mankind” has become one of the most famous ever spoken. Through these men you learn of their wonder, their fears, their humility about being part of a tremendous US effort to beat the Russians to the moon. This movie is a reminder of a time when the United States was perceived as having the ‘right stuff.’ (9/16/07)

Across the Universe

“Across the Universe” is not a musical in the traditional sense – rather it’s a movie where characters sing. Directed by Julie Taymor, creator of the stage version of the “Lion King,” “Across the Universe” is a feast for the eyes and with Beatles’ songs, a feast for the ears. The plot is a series of images that are familiar to audiences of a certain age: psychedelic hippie scenes, the injustice of the draft, a growing discontent with the war in Vietnam, radical student dissent that results in violence, returning soldiers with post traumatic stress syndrome. Nevertheless, “Across the Universe” isn’t for everyone. It’s a little too long and there’s hardly a plot and no character development. See this movie for its visual delights and memorable songs. (9/16/07)

Dragon Wars

I enjoy fantasy and science fiction, including “Bridge to Terabithia,” “The Last Minsey,” “Ghost Rider” and all of the Harry Potter movies. And I loved the Trilogy of the Rings, both the books and the films. So what’s the problem with “Dragon Wars”? Better to ask, What’s right? This film is a total disappointment and for someone who has watched some pretty awful movies on the Sci-fi channel, that’s saying quite a lot. This Korean production with American actors has a plot that is both hard to follow and not engaging enough, actors that can’t act, and not enough dragon fighting. There’s a flashback within a flashback that attempts to explain that every 500 years, one special woman has the power to transform a serpent into celestial dragon, but the cost is her life. Two serpents, one evil and one good, want this transformation, but it’s the evil serpent that wrecks havoc in downtown Los Angeles chasing after the woman. And the dragon wars, rather single dragon battle, comes at the end of the film. I can’t believe I wasted my afternoon. (9/14/07)

3:10 to Yuma

“3:10 to Yuma,” a remake of a Glenn Ford-Van Heflin classic, is more than an ordinary western, more than good guy vs. bad guy. It’s a morality play with good and evil reflecting shades of gray: not all of the good guys are good and there’s bad and then there’s really bad. Christian Bale’s Dan Evans is a troubled rancher who remains true to his principles; however, this makes his character static. For Dan, there are no lessons learned, no new perspectives about life discovered. Only Bales skill as an actor imbues Dan with characteristics that make him multi-dimensional. Russell Crowe has the more colorful role as Ben Wade, a cold-blooded killer one minute and a charming rogue the next. Although director James Mangold’s “3:10 to Yuma” is about fathers and sons, it is more about the relationship between two men and how a hardened killer can come to admire a man who is willing to put his life on the line for what he believes is right. Initially I thought a remake of “3:10 to Yuma” was going to result in ‘Why?’ But it’s a complex story with strong characters and it deserves a large audience. (9/9/07)

Shoot 'Em Up

“Shoot ‘Em Up,” starring sexy Clive Owen and Paul Giamatti, is such a hoot! Take it from me, if you’re an action fan, you’ll get a kick out of this over-the-top, well, shoot ‘em up. The body count is high and the different ways to engage in a shoot out is definitely creative. And talk about unique ways to use a carrot as a weapon. Plus the way Owen handles the action proves that he would have made a spectacular James Bond. (He was my first choice.) Owen is Mr. Smith, whose impulsive good deed of trying to save a pregnant woman from thugs leaves him as sole caregiver of a newborn baby. With a professional hitman after the baby, Smith is also forced to act as protector. Owen is effective as the enigmatic Smith, a man who is not as jaded as he seems and Paul Giamatti does a skillful turn as the tenacious assassin. The tongue-in-cheek tone is perfect for this ultra-violent film. (9/7/07)

Talk to Me

“Talk to Me,” a biopic, explores the symbiotic relationship between Ralph Waldo “Petey” Greene (Don Cheadle), an ex-con turned radio talk show host in Washington DC during the late 60s – early 80s, and Dewey Hughes (Chiwetel Ejiofor), an upwardly mobile black man who gives Petey his first job. “You say what I’m afraid to say,” says Dewey at one point in the movie, “and I do what you’re afraid to do.” This statement pretty much sums up director Kasi Lemmons’ (“Eve’s Bayou”) perspective; she doesn’t force her audience to choose one man over the other. Both Cheadle and Ejiofor are effective as men who are seemingly polar opposites yet develop a strong bond of friendship. The soundtrack, full of vintage pop music, is also another plus. "Talk to Me" is definitely worth seeing. (7/18/07)

Ladrón Que Roba a Ladrón (revisited)

I had an opportunity to see "Ladrón Que Roba a Ladrón" again and liked it more than I did the first time I saw it. The story of thieves robbing another thief who thoroughly deserves to lose his money unfolds with such style and enthusiasm that you want others to have the pleasure of experiencing this movie for themselves. Although the outcome is a foregone conclusion, the fun is watching their plan come together with a few surprises for the audience. (9/5/07)

Underdog

Usually there isn’t a dog movie I don’t like. I think I’ve seen them all: the Benji movies, “Zeus and Roxanne,” “Turner and Hooch,” and “Firehouse Dog” to name a few. Unfortunately, now I can add “Underdog” to the list. Although the beagle is a cutie, this movie is a dog – pun intended. Based on the 1970s cartoon, “Underdog” is about a dog that gains superpowers via the experiments of villain Simon Barsinister (Peter Dinklage). Unlike the cartoon series that included several levels of humor, the movie relies on the cute factor – cute dog, cute tricks, cute dog, cute costume, cute dog…you get the idea. Young children will like the movie, however. (8/4/07)

Becoming Jane

“Becoming Jane” is not so much a biopic as a well-imagined presentation of what happens one summer when Jane (Anne Hathaway) meets Tom Lefroy (James McAvoy). And although they are unsuited to each other, Jane and Tom fall in love. You see, neither has any money and as Jane’s mother says, “Love is nice, but money is indispensable.” While there is no historical evidence that this relationship goes beyond a summer flirtation, screenwriters Kevin Hood and Sarah Williams would have us believe that Lefroy is the reason Austen never married. “Becoming Jane” illustrates quite clearly that in the late 1700s, women had few choices; however, it also shows that independent women are not satisfied to meekly do what is expected. Certainly if Austen had married Lefroy or married anyone, she would not have written any of her books. Beautiful cinematography and a strong supporting cast round out an enjoyable moving going experience. (9/4/07)

The 11th Hour

I’m not sure what I expected when I went to see “The 11th Hour,” but it wasn’t a lecture with Leonardo DiCaprio acting as the transition from topic to topic. The film does manage to intersperse images of arid wastelands, polluted oceans, deforested areas, melting icebergs, etc. among the various scientists, environmental experts, ‘green’ gurus and even an ex-CIA chief. However, the organization of the content requires the audience to listen closely to one talking head after another. And the images flit by so quickly if you weren’t listening to the lecture, you might miss the connection. I did appreciate that directors Leila Conners Petersen and Nadia Conners (sisters) included some concrete solutions to the problems they present. We are all aware that we have not been effective guardians of our natural resources and “The 11th Hour” presents a solid case that we are running out of time. There are certainly steps that each of us can take to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. (9/3/07)

Rush Hour 3

I avoided going to see “Rush Hour 3” when it opened a few weeks ago because I knew I would be disappointed. I liked “Rush Hour,” but “Rush Hour 2” had none of the charm and creativity of the original and “Rush Hour 3” is more of the same….been there, seen that. The paper-thin plot has Chief Inspector Lee (Jackie Chan) and Detective James Carter (Chris Tucker) going to Paris after a Triad assassin. A lot of silly stuff pads the movie’s running time, with the least amusing being a parody of Abbot and Costello’s ‘Who’s on First?’ and Chris Tucker’s character is downright irritating. When the most enjoyable parts of the movie are scenes of Paris, you know you can skip “Rush Hour 3.” (9/2/07)

Ladrón Que Roba a Ladrón (subtitles)

I typically peruse the New York Times movie reviews to determine my movie-going schedule for the weekend. What put “Ladrón Que Roba a Ladrón” at the top of the list was the comparison to “Ocean’s 11.” Intriguing premise. Even more interesting is the setting for this Spanish language movie: Los Angeles and the immigrant community. Two thieves decide that they are going to rob one of their own, a con man who has amassed great wealth by selling his bogus formulas for hair growth, weight loss, even a cancer cure to poor Latino immigrants. Their plan, typical of the caper genre, requires thorough planning and exact timing and although the outcome is predictable, the fun is watching this group succeed. Directed by Joe Menendez and written by José Angel Henrickson, “Ladrón Que Roba a Ladrón” has an engaging cast and even manages to prove that there is honor among thieves. You won’t be disappointed if you decide to see this movie. (9/1/07)