Paul Blart: Mall Cop - 2 1/2 smiles

I frequently say that I don’t ‘do stupid’ which is why I rarely see comedies let alone comment on them. (No “Bride Wars” for me.) Typical of most contemporary comedies, “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” is painful to watch – for the first 30 minutes. However, after the laborious first third, things change. That’s because the script stops mocking mall cops and starts satirizing movie action heroes (think “Die Hard” here) and there is genuine humor is watching Kevin James stumble his way through actions familiar to aficionados of action flicks. Paul Blart (James), a mall cop in a North Jersey mall, doesn’t get to carry a gun but has a Segway to ride around on. His ultimate dream is to join the New Jersey State Police force, but hypoglycemia has prevented him from completing the rigorous physical portion of the exam. In addition, he’s lonely. Even the online dating service his mother and daughter enroll him in reports no matches. He likes Amy (Jayma Mays), the operator of a kiosk in the mall, but he’s too shy to ask her out. When bad guys target Black Friday to take over the mall, Paul is the only one on the scene to rescue the hostages.

The overweight Paul is an unlikely action hero and James plays him with comic abandon. It’s fun watching him get the better of his opponents, using the mall environment to his advantage. The Rainforest Café is a creative setting for one encounter and the very cool Segway provides a humorous sidekick for Paul. This is a silly story that plays to its strength: Kevin James’ genuine sincerity. 1/18/09

Hotel for Dogs - 3 paws

“Hotel for Dogs” is a movie for dog lovers of all ages and if you prefer your dogs to live at movie’s end (as opposed to “Marley & Me”), you’ll see this one. However, there are serious issues that underpin the movie: children and animals are easily disenfranchised without much thought. Nonetheless, the dogs are so cute and the relationship between the two main characters so strong that the darker aspects of the movie are easily overlooked. Andi (Emma Roberts) and Bruce (Jake T. Austin) are sister and brother who, since the death of their parents, have been placed in a series of foster homes. Their latest ‘parents,’ wannabe rockers Lois (Lisa Kudrow) and Carl (Kevin Dillon), barely have time for them and don’t know that Andi and Bruce are hiding their childhood dog, Friday, in their bedroom. After rescuing Friday from animal control, they find themselves in an abandoned hotel that they, along with a few friends, transform into a Hotel for Dogs, a haven for abandoned and abused animals.

At one point in the movie, a friend tells Andi, ‘Everyone wants puppies.’ Director Thor Freudenthal parallels this statement with Andi and Bruce’s caseworker, Bernie’s (Don Cheadle) statement, ‘A foster family usually doesn’t want two older kids.’ Although there are plenty of comical moments with the dogs and the clever contraptions Bruce builds to keep them happy at the hotel, this is definitely a message movie. The performances by Emma Roberts and Jake T. Austin are engaging and Don Cheadle is effective as the one adult who cares for two children lost in the foster care system. In addition, for every ticket sold, Pedigree, a sponsor of “Hotel for Dogs,” will make a donation to help shelter dogs. For more information on Pedigree donations visit Pedigree Help Dogs. Not only can you see an enjoyable movie, but you’ll also be helping an animal at your local shelter. “Hotel for Dogs” gets several paws way up! 1/17/09

Revolutionary Road - 3 smiles

Despite exceptional acting by Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, “Revolutionary Road,” a very dark portrait of an imploding marriage, is too detached for me to care what happens. Frank (DiCaprio) and April (Winslet) Wheeler are about 30, have two children, a home in the suburbs, and are unhappy. It’s 1955 and Frank has a boring New York job, marketing business machines, but he needs the money to support his family. His response to his situation is long martini lunches and an occasional affair. April, a full time wife and mother, has no other outlet than to argue with Frank. Desperate, April comes up with a plan to sell their home on Revolutionary Road and move to Paris, where, after leaving behind the emptiness of their current life, they can begin anew. At first, Frank is excited by the idea, but reality begins to intrude when he is offered a major promotion and April is pregnant with their third child. Suddenly, their marriage, which had been invigorated by a spark of hope, falls apart.

“Revolutionary Road” presents an analysis of an American Dream where people believe that, with hard work and persistence, they are destined for greatness. But what happens when all of their efforts result in conformity and ordinariness? The Wheeler’s marriage is not destroyed by infidelity, financial troubles, or communication difficulties, but by the recognition that they are just like everyone else. Winslet and DiCaprio use their chemistry to develop genuine affection between April and Frank. These are believable, flawed people. Winslet has the more difficult job of making us see the glimmer of wisdom in her impractical plan. And Michael Shannon as John Givings, a mathematician who’s been hospitalized for insanity, gives a remarkable performance. Like Shakespeare’s fools, his acid tongue spouts truths that no one else will speak. “Revolutionary Road” may impress with its acting talent, intrigue with its story, but it never really elicits an emotional response. 1/16/09

Che Part One - 2 smiles; Che Part Two - 1 smile

Director Steven Soderbergh’s overly long epic of Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara is difficult to sit through and provides no real insights about the man or his motivations. “Che Part One” is interesting while “Che Part Two” is such a chore to watch that you have to wonder what Soderbergh was thinking. “Che Part One,” focusing on the revolution in Cuba, opens in 1956, with Cubans Fidel Castro (Demian Bichir), his brother, Raul (Rodrigo Santoro), and Che (Benicio Del Toro), who is from Argentina, waging war against the corrupt, American-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista. The narrative jumps back and forth in time and from place to place, making it difficult for the audience to follow along. But with four hours and 17 minutes of story, at the beginning you’re willing to cut Soderbergh a little slack. Nonetheless, it’s confusing. “Che Part Two” opens almost a decade later in Bolivia, where Che has gone to repeat the revolutionary success he had in Cuba. He finds circumstances different in South America. The Bolivian Communist Party takes a non-violent stand and refuses to support him. The Americans offer more active support to the dictator, and Che does not have the strong backing of the people that he enjoyed in Cuba. Bolivia is a disaster for Che, but what’s worse, it’s over two hours of plodding story for the audience.

A successful bio-pic provides a compelling portrait of the main character, revealing the positive and the negative. Unfortunately, “Che” fails. All you learn is that Che is an idealist, believing that change occurs through revolutionary cataclysm and that the down-trodden people will recognize the struggle to improve their lot in life and actively provide support. In “Part One” his belief is substantiated; in “Part Two,” it’s not. Benecio Del Toro’s acting is satisfactory, but the script provides only a sketch of Che so there’s no depth for him to explore. And without a strong Che to anchor this looooong movie, it drifts aimlessly from one scene to the next. If you must see “Che,” see “Part One.” 1/9/09, 1/10/09

Valkyrie - 3 smiles

Like “Milk” and “Frost/Nixon,” “Valkyrie” faces the problem of engaging audiences in a story when the outcome is a forgone conclusion. Those with a basic knowledge of history know that Hitler was not assassinated, but director Brian Singer has effectively crafted this war thriller in such a way that you become involved in the details of the plot anyway. Col. Claus von Stauffenberg (Tom Cruise), known among Germans for his resistance to Hitler’s mandates but less known to American audiences, is a loyal soldier, losing a hand and an eye during a battle in Tunisia. The plan that Stauffenberg devises, with the help of a network of dissident army officers and political leaders, is a blend of suspenseful daring and clever strategy. Of course, the July 20, 1944 plot fails when a bomb planted in Hitler’s presence does little damage and the Nazi leader survives with minor scratches. Army loyalists quell the coup and Stauffenberg and 200 others are executed while scores of others arrested.

Singer has assembled a top-notch international cast, including Tom Wilkinson, Bill Nighy, Kenneth Branagh, Terence Stamp, and Eddie Izzard, and given them permission to speak their lines with their native accents, which is a good thing for Cruise since he is notorious for his quintessential American speech. Singer also succeeds in transporting audiences back in time. “Valkyrie’s” authentic look helps to keep the audience immersed in the story, even though we know how it will end. 1/3/09

Marley & Me - 3 smiles

Not since “Old Yeller” has a story about a family and their dog resulted in such tears. And because everyone at one time or another has owned and lost a beloved pet, tears are understandable. Soon after journalists John Grogan (Owen Wilson) and his wife, Jennifer (Jennifer Aniston) move to Florida, John buys a puppy as a birthday present for Jennifer. However, Marley is not a model canine. He fails obedience school, does not know the meaning of ‘No’ or ‘Stop,’ and chews pretty much anything he can reach. Yet John and Jennifer love him all the same. When the Grogans have children and life becomes more complicated, Marley remains a constant.

The screenplay, by Scott Frank and Don Roos, keeps the cuteness factor to a minimum as they maintain the adult perspective Grogan used in his book. After all, “Marley & Me” is as much about making a marriage work, struggling through the difficulties of having multiple careers and multiple children and a mid-life crisis, as it is a 100-pound Labrador retriever. Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston are a credit to the seriousness of the script. And although “Marley & Me” has its humorous moments, this is not a lightweight comedy. Also effective are Alan Arkin as John’s boss at a South Florida newspaper and Eric Dane as John’s marriage-phobic friend. Kathleen Turner has a cameo as a dog trainer who bans Marley from her class. “Marley & Me” is a crowd-pleasing movie, enjoyable and satisfying, reminding us how important the little things in life can be. But bring a lot of tissue. 1/3/09

Defiance - 3 1/2 smiles

“Defiance,” directed by Edward Zwick and starring Daniel Craig, presents another perspective of the Jews during the Holocaust: they were not passive victims. And according to Zwick in a November interview, he wanted to ‘explore heroism of real people, not comic book heroes.’ Based on the true story about the Bielski partisans, “Defiance” takes place in 1941 in Belarus. Hitler is on the move and the final solution is underway. The four surviving Bielski brothers, Tuvia (Craig), Zus (Live Schreiber), Asael (Jamie Bell) and Aron (George MacKay), are forced to hide in the woods after the local police, in collaboration with the Germans, kill their parents. Although the brothers want to fight the Nazis, they cannot turn away the many refugees who wander the forest. As the ragtag community grows, so do the problems. Tuvia and Zus openly clash, with Tuvia advocating a largely peaceful philosophy and Zus wanting to get bloody revenge. Disease, starvation, and cold threaten everyone as autumn fades into winter. And the specter of capture casts a pall when the Germans put a price on the brothers’ heads.

Daniel Craig has the most screen time and proves that he can act. His Tuvia is an ordinary man thrust into extraordinary circumstances and the burden of keeping so many people alive is reflected in his eyes. Live Schreiber also gives a memorable performance as the conflicted, least idealistic of the Bielski brothers. Although the battle scenes are suspenseful and well choreographed, more compelling is the drama associated with the establishment and maintenance of the Bielski partisans’ refugee camp. Not only must this ever-growing community build shelters during the most inhospitable time of year, they face starvation and an epidemic of typhus. Zwick also manages to include issues of faith in God, love, sex, and marriage. Also interesting to note is Jenny Beavan’s costume design, where costumes reflect character development. For example, as Asael grows from boy to man, his clothing reflects this change. Ultimately, “Defiance” is about the triumph over adversity and it’s worth seeing. 1/8/09

Four Christmases - 1 smile

As much as I like Reese Whitherspoon, I hated “Four Christmases.” The awkward attempts at humor more often fall flat than garner any chuckles. When a fogged in San Francisco airport causes Brad (Vince Vaughn) and Kate (Reese Witherspoon) to remain in the city on Christmas day, they are obligated to visit both sets of parents. The first visit takes them to testosterone central inhabited by Brad’s father (Robert Duvall) and his two brothers, Denver (Jon Favreau) and Dallas (Tim McGraw). The next stop is Kate’s mother (Mary Steenburgen) and sister (Kristen Chenoweth). This is followed by a visit to Brad’s mom (Sissy Spacek) and then to Kate’s father (Jon Voight). With each of these visits, we see the loving relationship between Brad and Kate slowly unravel.

The characters of Brad and Kate are not developed enough that we care what happens to them. They’re more caricatures than real people – and boring caricatures, at that. Neither exudes much vivacity or vitality. The supporting cast proves to be more comedic, especially Jon Favreau, who has a great time playing Brad’s dumb, but buff brother. “Four Christmases” is a disappointment and a waste of time and with a running time of 82 minutes, that’s saying quite a lot. 1/1/09

Last Chance Harvey - 3 smiles

Although “Last Chance Harvey” is a predictable romantic comedy, its stars Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson bring such vibrancy and credibility to their roles that this movie is a pleasure to watch. Harvey Shine (Hoffman), a writer of TV commercial jingles, is fired via cell phone while he’s in London for the wedding of his daughter, Susan (Liane Balaban). Things go from bad to worse when Susan informs Harvey that she would prefer that her stepfather, Brian (James Brolin), give her away. Harvey acquiesces, but not gracefully. To top everything off, after the wedding, he misses his return flight. He’s at a Heathrow bar when he meets Kate (Thompson), who’s got troubles of her own. Her mother (Eileen Atkins) believes her new neighbor is a serial killer and Kate’s blind date the night before did not go well. When Harvey tries to make small talk, she’s initially unreceptive, but his persistence pays off and they spend the afternoon together. He accompanies her to her writing class and she agrees to be his date for the wedding reception.

“Last Chance Harvey” uses the concept of having two people fall in love as they tour a city – London – and this provides ample opportunity to see Harvey and Kate interact. It’s delightful to see Hoffman and Thompson’s on-screen chemistry and to hear their dry one-liners from writer/director Joel Hopkins’ script. There are no surprises although there are many small pleasures that come through dialogue and character interactions. “Last Chance Harvey” is a charming love story for an older generation, illustrating that falling in love isn’t just for the young. 12/26/08

The Reader - 3 smiles

Is redemption possible for someone who has committed acts of atrocity? That’s the question “The Reader” explores, and because it does so with complexity and moral ambiguity, it leaves the answer for you to decide. The film opens with the lead character, Michael Berg (Ralph Fiennes as an adult, David Kross as a teenager) reflecting on his life from his current time period, which is 1995. Michael’s first meeting with Hanna Schmidtz (Kate Winslet) occurs in West Berlin in 1958. She is a toll taker on trams; he is a 15-year old boy coming down with Scarlet Fever. She finds him sick and near collapse near her apartment and takes him home. After recovering from the illness, Michael seeks her out to thank her and the two begin an affair. It lasts only one summer but it combines sex with Michael reading passages of literature to her. Eventually Hanna vanishes and Michael learns nothing more of her until 1966, when she is on trial for contributing to the murder of 300 Jews while she was serving as an SS guard at Auschwitz.

“The Reader” walks a fine line between presenting Hanna as too sympathetic (and thereby diminishing her complicity in genocide) and presenting her as totally evil. The first two-thirds of the film is the strongest. Those scenes, which record the affair and the impact the revelations about Hanna’s past have upon Michael, provide powerful storytelling and pose some interesting philosophical questions. As a teenager, Michael has no idea of Hanna’s dark past. When he finds out, he is torn between protecting the woman he loved and retreating from the horror of what she’s done. Plus he realizes he has information that could prove some of the charges against her false. The last third of the film is needlessly choppy, mainly because it covers too much time. Winslet is very effective as Hanna, a woman who has probably never come to grips with the enormity of her crimes, but nonetheless, believes that she is guilty of some transgressions. David Kross, too, is compelling as a confused young man who grows into a conflicted adult. 12/26/08

Bedtime Stories - 2 1/2 smiles

Bedtime Stories – 2 ½ smiles

If you’ve grown up with Adam Sandler on Saturday Night Live, or enjoy his raunchy humor in movies like “You Don’t Mess with the Zohan” or “I Now Pronounce you Chuck and Larry,” then you’ll probably find “Bedtime Stories” pretty dull fare. However, if you can accept a sweet Adam Sandler in a movie full of sentimentality and family values, you’ll enjoy it. Skeeter Bronson (Sandler), a hotel handyman, agrees to baby-sit his niece Bobbi (Laura Ann Kessling) and nephew Patrick (Jonathan Morgan Heit) while his sister, Wendy (Courteney Cox) is out of town. He will share this task with Wendy’s friend, Jill (Keri Russell), who has them during the day. Because they have no television, Skeeter has to entertain the children by telling them bedtime stories. Much to Skeeter’s surprise, the adventures he weaves at night come to pass (more or less) the next day. When he realizes what’s happening, he begins to modify the stories to benefit him in various ways, like getting to compete against his arch-nemesis Kendall (Guy Pearce) to run a new hotel. “Bedtime Stories” has four tales within the movie – a medieval adventure, a Western, an action/romance, and a space opera.

For the most part, Sandler is restrained, leaving the over-the-top humor to Russell Brand, who plays Skeeter’s best friend. However, a curious thing about “Bedtime Stories” is the presence of a CGI guinea pig with bulging eyes. He’s endearing when you see him the first time, but he’s overused. It’s as if a Disney movie has to have a cute animal in it (especially since the hamster in “Bolt” steals that movie). On some level, this movie seems to be saying something about the importance of imagination, but the message gets lost along the way. Older children will enjoy “Bedtime Stories” and you might also if you have nothing better to see. 12/25/08

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - 3 1/2 smiles

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” is a fairy tale and either you accept it on its own terms or it doesn’t work. One element that helps is the high quality of acting although Brad Pitt, while beautiful to look at, is a weak link. Another is its attention to historical detail though the story seems to skim through these periods much too quickly. The film opens in August 2005 in New Orleans, with Hurricane Katrina on the fringes of everyone’s awareness. Lying on her deathbed is an 80-year old woman named Daisy (Cate Blanchett), whose daughter, Caroline (Julia Ormond), is nearby. To pass time, Caroline reads from the diary of a man named Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt), whose life repeatedly intersected with that of her mother. When Benjamin is born in 1918, he is an old man – the size of a baby but afflicted with all of the problems of old age. When the birth kills Benjamin’s mother, Benjamin’s father abandons him. He is found and raised by Queenie (Taraji P. Henson). By the time he is five or six, he has grown enough to appear like a bald, stooped-shouldered old man. And with each passing year, he becomes younger. His path first crosses Daisy’s when he is 13 and she will become the love of his life.

The film is structured in three major segments. The first is Benjamin’s childhood, where we see the unconditional love of his adopted mother has a lot to do with Benjamin being so well adjusted. The second occurs just before, during and after World War II. Benjamin has an affair with a middle-aged British woman (Tilda Swinton) in Russia, serves aboard a tugboat that manages to sink a German sub and returns home looking younger than when he left. The third section follows Benjamin into his ‘old age’ where he learns about happiness and sacrifice. Cate Blanchett brings vitality and animation to Daisy and the supporting cast, including Taraji P. Henson, Tilda Swinton, Jared Harris (as the captain of the tugboat on which Benjamin works), and Julia Ormond, make the most of limited screen time. Brad Pitt, while effective, is not totally successful in his portrayal of a man at odds with time. When Benjamin looks old, Pitt plays him as old. You don’t get the feeling he is a young man trapped in an old body. And when Benjamin looks young, Pitt plays him as young, not as an old man peering out of a young man’s eyes. And since believing Benjamin’s predicament rests with Pitt, the movie might not be as successful for some. Nonetheless, director David Fincher and screenwriter Eric Roth want you discuss nothing less than issues of life, death, happiness, sacrifice and fate after you’ve seen “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” 12/31/08