The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - 2 1/2 smiles

There are two reasons to see “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader” and four reasons not to. On the positive side, there’s young Will Poulter who plays Lucy and Edmund’s insufferable cousin Eustace Scrubb, convincing both in his arrogance and in his reversal. Also compelling is the CGI-created swashbuckling Reepicheep (voiced by Simon Pegg), the gutsy mouse who’s the first to leap into danger. On the negative side, you’ll probably be forced to see this in 3D, which muddies much of what’s on the screen and adds a surcharge to the ticket price. The 2D version will be sharper, brighter and more colorful. Second, character development is nonexistent, except for the obnoxious Eustace who learns his lesson when he’s changed into a dragon. And a sequence involving a group of invisible creatures should be in a Monty Python movie because it certainly doesn’t fit in this one. Finally, what’s with the title? Is it the longest one or what?

Somewhere in the middle is the narrative, not as good as the first one, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, but better than the second, Prince Caspian. This time out, the two younger Pevensie children, Lucy (Georgie Henley) and Edmund (Skandar Keynes) have gone to live with their cousin, Eustace Scrubb (Poulter). While at the Scrubb house, gazing at a painting of a ship, the three children are magically transported to Narnia. The self-centered Eustace, refusing to believe in Narnia, becomes a constant irritant, whining all the while. Caspian (Ben Barnes), now king, captains The Dawn Treader and is on a mission to discover the whereabouts of seven lords and seven swords that have gone missing. This quest takes them to the Eastern Seas, beyond the Lone Islands, and possibly to Aslan’s Country. “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader” is not quite a must-see, but if you have a free afternoon, it’s decent enough. 12/27/10

Casino Jack - 2 smiles

“Casino Jack,” directed by George Hickenlooper, gets lost in the puzzle of its protagonist’s personality. Jack Abramoff (an over the top Kevin Spacey) is a study in hubris that eventually results in his own ruin and tarnishes the reputations of his colleagues. Unfortunately, Hickenlooper provides no satisfactory explanation for Abramoff’s behavior. An observant Jew and faithful family man (Kelly Preston plays his wife Pam), Abramoff is also a bully and con man, bilking Indian tribes out of millions of dollars and trying to muscle his way into off shore gambling. When he flaunts his connections to important Republicans and his growing celebrity in Washington, other lobbyists, who prefer to stay in the shadows, become nervous. The plot has so many components – envelopes full of money, names of various politicians, half-explained plans – that it’s more confusing than illuminating. And although “Casino Jack” is about the fall of a powerful lobbyist, Hickenlooper is less interested in the system that spawned (and supported) him, a system that still thrives in Washington politics. 12/25/10

From Wikipedia:

Casino Jack and the United States of Money is a 2010 documentary film directed by Alex Gibney. The film focuses on the career of Washington, D.C. lobbyist, businessman, and con man Jack Abramoff, who was involved in a massive corruption scandal that led to the conviction of himself, two White House officials, Rep. Bob Ney, and nine other lobbyists and congressional staffers. Abramoff was convicted of fraud, conspiracy, and tax evasion in 2006 and of trading expensive gifts, meals and sports trips in exchange for political favors. As of December 2010 Abramoff has completed his prison sentence.

True Grit - 4 smiles

“True Grit,” one of the best films of 2010, is not exactly a remake because the Coen Brothers’ interpretation of Charles Portis’ novel is superior to the 1969 production that won John Wayne a Best Actor Oscar. Joel and Ethan Coen have created a classic film with their blend of quirky humor and tangible suspense while remaining faithful to the novel. The richness of Portis’ language runs throughout the film and is ably managed by the capable cast. Jeff Bridges gives a strong performance as Marshal Rooster Cogburn as does Matt Damon as Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (pronounced le beef), more buffoon than deadly lawman. But the reason you need to see this movie is 13-year-old Hailee Steinfeld. Her Mattie Ross is passionate and brave and she excels at Portis’ idiosyncratic dialogue. You’ll enjoy watching her outmaneuver a horse trader and hold her own with the fat, one-eyed drunken marshal.

The Coens focus their film where Portis put it – on Mattie Ross, the dynamic teen from Arkansas who hires Rooster to bring in Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), the varmint who murdered her father. Their chase takes them into Indian Territory where Chaney has joined up with a gang led by Lucky Ned Pepper (Barry Pepper). Their time together allows Mattie to see beneath the whiskey and realize that Cogburn can be heroic when circumstances warrant and Cogburn grows to admire Mattie’s courage and ability not to flinch when things get rough. Nonetheless, “True Grit” isn’t without some of The Coen’s signature quirky touches: the unexpected sight of a bear riding horseback or the cornbread shooting contest between Cogburn and LaBeouf. See “True Grit” for its action and laughs and an amazing Hailee Steinfeld. 12/24/10

Rabbit Hole - 3 smiles

“Rabbit Hole,” adapted from David Lindsay-Abaire’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play by director John Cameron Mitchell, is an emotional experience, as much for the audience as for its principal characters. They are Becca (Nicole Kidman) and Howie (Aaron Eckhart), a couple whose 4-year-old son ran out into the street in front of their suburban home and was hit by a car. Eight months after the accident, Becca and Howie are trying to restore a measure of normalcy to their lives by agonizing over what they should do. For Becca, it’s removing their son’s artwork from the refrigerator and taking his clothes to Good Will. For Howie, it’s attending therapy sessions and staring at a video clip of his son. Unfortunately, there are no right answers and this is especially hard for Becca who wants to take control of an impossible situation and repair her broken life. At one point Howie contemplates an affair with one of his therapy friends (Sandra Oh) while Becca, surprisingly, stalks Jason (Miles Teller), the teenager who was behind the wheel of the car that killed her son.

Nicole Kidman, who excels at playing characters who are reserved and disciplined even on the verge of collapse, plays Becca like a fragile porcelain doll. She spends tension-filled time with her mother (Dianne Wiest) and tries to conceal the irrational anger she feels towards her younger pregnant sister (Tammy Blanchard). “Rabbit Hole,” which takes its title from a comic book Jason is working on in an attempt to find meaning in awful experience, is also an allusion to Alice’s entryway into Wonderland. “Rabbit Hole’s” serious, morbid subject matter is so trying that it’s difficult to see beyond it, especially during the holidays when you’d prefer a lighter fare. It’s worth seeing, however. Maybe in January? 12/23/10

Tron: Legacy - 2 smiles

“Tron: Legacy” is a two-hour light show with a lot of CGI, a little style and not much by way of a fresh narrative. The original Tron, which took you behind the scenes of a video game, was ahead of its time. Wish I could say the same about this one. “Legacy’s” storyline lacks originality, resorting to the over-used cliché of the power-mad ruler seeking to eliminate his enemy and finding new territories to conquer. Admittedly, the graphics are pretty cool when our hero Sam (Garrett Hedlund), son of the missing Flynn (Jeff Bridges in both movies), is sucked into the Grid, a back-and-white landscape where humanoid ‘programs’ zip by on lightcycles. Briefly, Sam finds himself in an arena where gamers fight each other in a tourney of death. Then Sam meets Clu, Flynn’s creation and avatar, who has grown in power and is trying to eliminate his creator so he can cross over into the real world.

Hedlund is irritating at times and has a limited ability to convey emotions. Perhaps that’s because director Joseph Kosinski is more focused on the look of the graphics rather than the acting of his actors. Bridges, fresh off his Oscar win last year, brings some of the Zen from his Dude character (Coen’s Big Lebowski) to his older, and one would suppose wiser, Flynn. Michael Sheen, who does a turn as a cyber conspirator, is so over the top that he appears to be in the wrong movie. Olivia Wilde brings a mixture of innocence and sexiness to her role as warrior and Flynn’s only supporter. If you saw Tron, you’re probably going to see “Tron: Legacy.” Just don’t expect too much. 12/20/10

How Do You Know - 2 smiles

There are several reasons “How Do You Know” bombed at the box office this weekend. The main reason is James L. Brook’s screenplay. He has two different stories, one a drama and the other a romantic comedy, and he’s decided to combine them into one narrative … with little success. The second is casting Jack Nicholson in a supporting role. Jack is Jack and in this movie; he smirks and shouts but doesn’t really act. Every scene he’s in is a distraction, which creates credibility problems. A secondary problem with casting is Paul Rudd as Reese Witherspoon’s love interest. His low-key approach to George is too much of a contrast to Owen Wilson’s more winsome Matty and he has little chemistry with Witherspoon although Witherspoon is delightful as always. And as much as I don’t care for Owen Wilson in movies, he’s effective here.

When George (Rudd) meets Lisa (Witherspoon), George (Rudd) has a Federal investigation hanging over his head and a father (Nicholson) who would just as soon see his son take the fall for something he did. And Lisa has just moved in with her new boyfriend, Washington Nationals pitcher Matty (Wilson). Rather than focus on the interaction between these three people, Brooks, who also directed, shifts way too often to George’s business problems and his father, which gets tiresome. In some of his previous movies like Terms of Endearment, Broadcast News and As Good As It Gets, Brooks has successfully interwoven secondary storylines into the main plot to good effect. Unfortunately, not with “How Do You Know.” When the story shifts away from Lisa, Matty and George, we lose interest. 12/17/10

Burlesque - 2 smiles

There’s a lot to like about “Burlesque” if you’re in the mood for big musical numbers without much of a narrative. And you’ll be impressed with Christina Aguilera’s voice; she’s a pleasure to listen to. It’s safe to say that “Burlesque” is a showplace for Aguilera’s singing and dancing talents (although Cher gets to sing two songs). And all of the musical numbers are a visual feast of feathers, rhinestones and a strutting Aguilera. Too bad she’s not much of an actress.

Writer-director Steven Antin has borrowed one of the oldest stories in the Hollywood playbook. Young girl with big dreams comes to Tinseltown to find fame and fortune. First she’ll face hard times, then find a wealthy guy to woo her (Eric Dane), a sweet Kentucky boy to love her (Cam Gigandet) and an aging diva (Cher) to mother and mentor her. So with the musical numbers more memorable than the tired plot, see “Burlesque” if you must. Just remember, you were warned. 11/13/10

The Fighter - 3 1/2 smiles

Although “The Fighter” is about a real-life boxer, “Irish” Micky Ward, it’s more about family and the familial ties that can become shackles. Micky’s family is brutally destructive and he must gain the strength to do what is best for him by breaking away. Mark Wahlberg, who had long championed a feature film about Ward and his brother, is deeply affecting as Micky, who is initially passive and a punching bag for other fighters working their way up to title bouts. The flamboyant role belongs to Christian Bale as Dicky Eklund, Micky’s half-brother, a once promising boxer who went the distance with Sugar Ray Leonard and is now a wild-eyed, hyperactive crack addict. His continued presence as Micky’s trainer does more harm than good as the fights he arranges lead Micky from one seedy bout to another. According to the family matriarch and business manager, Alice (a formidable Melissa Leo) Dicky knows what’s best for his brother. But Alice and Dicky didn’t bargain on Micky’s new girlfriend, Charlene, a college dropout who’s tending bar in a local tavern. Amy Adams, who plays Charlene as tough, tender, smart and funny, demonstrates remarkable range. (Remember her in “Enchanted”?)

Bale is amazing as the charismatic Dicky, who cruises along on past glory and the warm glow of family love. At the beginning of the movie, Dicky believes a documentary is being made about his preparations for a come-back, but in reality, it’s about the heavy toll crack takes on its users. Wahlberg has the less showy role, but he’s excellent as the decent son who can’t compete for the affections of his manipulative mother. Director David O. Russell handles both the boxing scenes and the family drama well and we can’t blame him too much if the underdog-makes-good cliché haunts the narrative. See “The Fighter” for Bale’s knockout performance. 12/13/10

Black Swan - 4 smiles

Darren Aronofsky’s “Black Swan’ is a psychosexual thriller starring Natalie Portman as a ballerina descending into madness and absolutely the best performance of the year. This movie is not for the squeamish, however, because it’s an experience that’s uncomfortable by design. Much of the action takes place in the fevered imagination of Nina (Portman), a 20-something dancer with a version of the New York City Ballet. She begins falling apart when she lands the lead in a ‘re-imagined’ production of Swan Lake. This is a disaster for the self-mutilating and insecure Nina, who still lives with her mother, a failed ballerina (Barbara Hershey). Magnifying Nina’s fears is Thomas (French actor Vincent Cassel), the company’s arrogant dance director, who repeatedly expresses doubt about her ability to play the more challenging part of the ballet’s dual role – The Black Swan – who tricks the prince into thinking she’s The White Swan. Thomas encourages Nina to explore her sexuality, to ‘loosen up.’ But the greatest threat to Nina’s sanity is Lily (Mila Kunis), a sexy, hard-partying newcomer to the company whom Thomas names as Nina’s understudy. Nina quickly becomes convinced that Lily is out to get her job.

Cassel, Kunis and Winona Ryder (as Beth, Thomas’ aging lover and prima ballerina he’s pushing into retirement) are all top notch. The huge triumph, though, is Portman, a favorite for the Best Actress Oscar for her dazzling performance as the skeletal and tortured Nina. And director Aronofsky triumphs as he balances some truly creepy, bloody stuff with some stunningly beautiful ballet sequences and uses Tchaikovsky’s immortal music to truly striking effect. “Black Swan” is definitely hard to watch in many places, but you’ll want to see it again. 12/11/10

The Tourist - 1 1/2 smiles

I hate to pick on a movie when it’s already down and out, but “The Tourist,” starring Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp, is pretty awful. Our megawatt stars have absolutely no chemistry, the script makes little sense, and I had already guessed the surprise twist in this non-thrilling thriller long before the end. So what’s good? Jolie looks utterly gorgeous and so does Venice, but that’s it. I guess that’s what happens when you let a German art house director, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (The Lives of Others), provide the script and helm a big-budget actioner. And don’t get me started on Depp’s grunge look; he’s obviously in the wrong movie. All in all, “The Tourist” is a disappointing cinema experience. 12/10/10

Love and Other Drugs - 3 1/2 smiles

“Love and Other Drugs” is an adult romance, not to be confused with a formulaic romantic comedy and although there are some light-hearted moments, it’s a drama, an honest, sometimes brutal, examination of a complicated relationship. The issues Jamie (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Maggie (Anne Hathaway) encounter are those faced by any number of real couples where emotional honesty and open communication is essential but not always present. And while Maggie’s Parkinson’s is a factor, this is not a movie that builds its emotional impact on contrivance and artificial sentimentality. “Love and Other Drugs” has a definite view of sexuality as it is the initial bond between Jamie and Maggie. So there’s a lot of nudity early in their relationship, but later, as the focus shifts from physical to emotional, there’s less. Working together again as romantic partners (after Brokeback Mountain), Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway exhibit enough passion and chemistry to believe in them as a couple and care about what happens to them. And they demonstrate a breadth and depth that takes you by surprise. Not so much Anne Hathaway if you saw last year’s Rachel Getting Married, but surprising for Gyllenhaal, whose most recent movie was Prince of Persia. Director Edward Zwick shows a firm hand at the controls, especially with the shifts in tone from almost slapstick comedy, mainly handled through Jamie’s younger brother, Josh (Josh Gad), to scenes that border on tragedy.

The movie takes place between 1996 and 1999, when Viagra entered the American scene. Patented by Pfizer in 1996 and approved by the FDA in 1998, Viagra became not merely another drug, but the drug for many Americans, whether they needed it or not. Jamie Randall (Gyllenhaal) starts out a career as a Pfizer rep at this time. Initially, he has trouble meeting his quotas, but when Viagra hits the market and with influential Dr. Stan Knight (Hank Azaria) wanting it, Jamie becomes an instant star. Meanwhile, Jamie starts a relationship with one of Dr. Knight’s patients, the free-spirit Maggie (Hathaway). At age 26, she has experienced early onset Parkinson’s and, as a defense mechanism, she has decided to stay away from serious relationships. “Love and Other Drugs” is a solid entry into the awards line-up and worth seeing. 11/27/10

Tangled - 3 1/2 smiles

Although this movie isn’t a Pixar production (and therefore missing the layers of meaning that result in such superb storytelling), “Tangled” is better than your average animated movie directed at children and their parents. All of the necessary elements for a Disney ‘princess’ movie are in place: the plucky princess; a chaste romance; a cute animal sidekick; an evil villain; songs by Alan Menken; and, of course, a happy ending. And I don’t feel that I missed anything seeing this in 2-D. If I know that the movie was intended to be in 3-D from the start of production, rather than converted after the movie is finished, I’d be more likely to see it in 3-D. Nonetheless, “Tangled” will appeal to adults as much as children and it’s a perfect way to spend some together time over the holidays.

Rapunzel (voiced by Mandy Moore) is a princess stolen from the palace nursery while an infant and raised by the wicked Mother Gothel (Donna Murphy). Rapunzel, unaware that she is kept isolated in a tower because her hair has the power to continuously restore Mother Gothel’s youth, dreams of the day when she will be allowed to visit the place where beautiful lanterns float into the sky. Her chance comes as she’s nearing her 18^th birthday and Mother Gothel is away. The thief Flynn Ryder (Zachary Levi), seeking a place to hide, climbs Rapunzl’s tower. Instead of finding the tower empty, he encounters a determined young woman with an iron frying pan who knocks him out and ties him up. Then she bargains with him: if he acts as her guide to see the lanterns, she will return to him the contents of a satchel he had on him when he invaded her room. The characters are charming, the villainess gets her just desserts, and the overall visual experience, especially then hundreds of lanterns are sent aloft into the night sky, is satisfying. I’m sure you’ll enjoy “Tangled.” 11/26/10

The King's Speech- 4 smiles

Sometimes, when word-of-mouth is so positive, you’re bound to be disappointed. How can any movie live up to such high expectations? I don’t think “The King’s Speech” is going to have that problem. You’ll want to see this movie for three very affecting performances. You’ll want to see this movie, based on true events, because it’s a moving story about a friendship that overcomes class, rank and station. You’ll want to see this movie because it’s so good it’s going to garner a lot of Academy Award nominations and, later, Oscar wins, especially for Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush.

Since the story involves the British monarchy, most Americans might know a bit, but not a lot, about the events that swirled around Hitler’s rising threat in Europe, King Edward’s abdication to marry Wallace Simpson and his younger brother’s ascension to the throne. And we certainly didn’t know about how King George VI struggled with and overcame his stammer. Screenwriter David Seidler, who had a stammer in his youth, reportedly listened to King George’s speeches on the radio and read about him. He wanted to tell the story of George’s journey to (relative) fluency aided by his speech therapist, Lionel Logue, but was told by the king’s wife (the Queen Mum) to wait until after her death. When she died at age 101, Seidler’s research took him to a Logue descendant who gave him access to Logue’s journals. There he discovered the prickly give-and-take relationship between two men that resulted in an enduring friendship.

Not enough can be said about Colin Firth’s performance as Albert Frederick Arthur George, the younger son of a domineering father, and whose stammer has strong psychological roots. When his father asks Bertie, as the family calls him, to deliver an inaugural broadcast in 1925 on a new invention called radio, you can see the terror in Bertie’s eyes as he knows this task is beyond his speaking abilities. By 1934, the mortified prince is at the mercy of a string of therapists who try to cure his speech impediment. Firth gives a sympathetic performance that is nothing short of perfection. And he is equally matched by Geoffrey Rush as Lionel Logue, an unorthodox and controversial speech therapist who has the effrontery to call him Bertie. Some of the film’s most amusing scenes show Logue’s bizarre methods of treatments, like forcing the king to lie on the floor and endure annoying exercises and strengthening his jaw and diaphragm muscles by repeating tongue-twisters. The initial animosity between these two gradually builds to trust and even affection. And when we get to ‘The King’s Speech,’ when King George VI declares war against Germany, Logue is by his side, filling him with the courage to do it so triumphantly that the speech makes history. The world listens to the radio and cheers, never knowing George VI is being egged on, in the pauses, to say the ‘F word’ three times silently to himself for dramatic emphasis. Not to be lost amidst two outstanding performances is the always effective Helena Bonham Carter as Elizabeth, Bertie’s wife, whose build and body language point to the future Queen Mum.

“The King’s Speech” is impeccably directed by Tom Hooper, who says he relied heavily on research to determine his 1930s London, which is not bright and glitzy, but austere and polluted. Along with Seidler’s heart-warming script, “The King’s Speech” is a masterpiece and certainly the best film of 2010. 11/3/10

Made in Dagenham - 3 smiles

Sally Hawkins is perfect in this funny and touching salute to working women. Set in 1968, “Made in Dagenham” tells the fact-based tale of the strike by female employees for pay parity with the men at the Ford Motor plant in Dagenham, England. Working from a script by William Ivory, director Nigel Cole creates a vivid sense of time and place while handling thi serious topic with a light touch.

Hawkins plays Rita O’Grady, the wife and mother who becomes the unlikely voice for the women car upholsterers in her sweatshop who resent being classified and paid as ‘unskilled’ labor. Rita’s union rep (Bob Hoskins) encourages her to take a leadership role and she discovers she has an inner core of steel. Though the strike puts her at odds with her husband (Daniel Mays), Rita’s fight against sexist attitudes brings her closer to other women, including Lisa Hopkins (an excellent Rosamund Pike), the Cambridge-educated wife of one of Ford’s executives and government minister Barbara Castle (Miranda Richardson). Hawkins, Pike and Richardson are outstanding and you can’t help but cheer for “Made in Dagenham.” 11/21/10

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - 3 smiles

If you’re a Harry Potter fan, you’re going to see “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1” no matter what anyone says about it. And that’s as it should be. The series by J. K. Rowling is amazing and should be appreciated for its storytelling prowess. Nonetheless, Part 1 is mainly set up for Part 2 coming out next year. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint) find themselves in dire straights as Voldemort and the Death Eaters take control of the Ministry of Magic and name Harry Public Enemy #1. The trio of fugitives embarks on a quest to find the remaining horcruxes (objects that hold portions of Voldemort’s soul), but with Dumbledore gone, killed in “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” and unable to provide guidance, Harry finds himself acting on instinct alone.

Director David Yates takes Harry to dark and dangerous places as he builds to the eventual climax. The bright colors and humor of the first books has gradually faded to bleak and desperate and the once very young characters, now approaching adulthood, prepare for the final confrontation with the ultimate evil. And if you’ve read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, you know that there is too much story to be told in one movie. Even so, there are times when the narrative in Part I feels rushed as characters appear and then disappear just as quickly. Brendan Gleeson’s Mad-Eye Moody is killed when the plan to get Harry to a safe place is betrayed. But you wouldn’t know that if you missed the hurried explanation. Part 1 just ends, you know, in the middle of things, but that’s okay. I’ve read the book so I’m eagerly waiting for “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2.” 11/19/10

Morning Glory - 2 smiles

As a former journalism teacher, I think I have a fairly firm grasp of the difference between news and entertainment. And it angered me when television news departments were moved to entertainment and forced to vie for ratings. Ever wonder why your evening (or morning) news is so fluffy? “Morning Glory,” directed by Roger Michell, posits that a successful morning news show must exploit everything silly. Okay, given that premise, Rachel McAdams at her perky best is effective as Becky Fuller, the new producer of the lowest-ranked network morning show, Daybreak. When she decides to bring on serious newsman Mike Pomeroy (Harrison Ford) to co-host the show with Colleen Peck (Diane Keaton), there’s a conflict. Egocentric Pomeroy wants nothing to do with Daybreak and he makes his feelings very clear.

Michell missed an opportunity to make this a superior comedy when he chose to focus on Becky rather than the conflict between Mike and Colleen. Keaton is a most gifted comic actress and I expected her Colleen to have something to do with convincing Mike to loosen up and enjoy the morning show. Instead, he grumps and glowers and becomes a truly unpleasant character, waiting for Becky to ignite some humanity in him. And because Michell’s story is about Becky, we get glimpses of a bland, predictable romantic comedy while the movie we really want to see is missing. “Morning Glory” isn’t terrible. It has a lot of star power and even some laughs. But it isn’t the movie I was hoping to see. 11/12/10

Unstoppable - 3 smiles

You know by now that I like action movies, even the awful ones. So it should come as no surprise that I enjoyed this movie starring Denzel Washington and Chris Pine. Directed by Tony Scott, “Unstoppable” pits man against machine as our stars race the clock to stop a runaway train. And Scott is in top form. He keeps the exposition to a minimum and frequently films the train from in front and below, which enhances its menace. In addition, the sound effects make the train sound like an angry beast as it roars past. Washington and Pine are confident and credible as reluctant partners whose circumstances force them to be heroes.

“Unstoppable” is based on an incident that happened in May 2001 in which an unmanned train became a runaway, covering 66 miles in Ohio in less than two hours before being stopped in a manner similar (although not as dramatic) to what is depicted in the movie. Many of the specifics – how the train ended up without an engineer, how the police reacted and what the railway operators did to minimize injuries and damage – reflect what really happened. The characters, however, are fictionalized. Because Scott keeps the tension high, you’re on the edge of your seat even though you know the unstoppable train is going to stop. So even if you’re not an adrenalin junkie like me, see “Unstoppable.” You won’t be disappointed. 11/13/10

Wild Target - 2 smiles

“Wild Target,” starring Bill Nighy and Emily Blunt, is a fluffy British import about a hit man who falls for his target and as they try to escape the flood of assassins that come after the both of them, the hit man gains a not-so-bright apprentice played by Rupert Grint

Nighy seems to be having fun playing Victor, a middle-aged fussbudget who is also highly paid hit man. Blunt, who has recently gravitated to period roles (e.g. “The Young Victoria” and “The Wolfman”), is a charming scene-stealer. Whether their May-December romance will succeed should be the focus of the script. Unfortunately, there are too many other elements that distract, creating a sometimes confusing hodge-podge. There’s Victor’s machine-gun toting mother and a rival hit man eager to be the next top killer not to mention Grint’s Tony whose presence makes for an interesting ménage à trois. If you’re not expecting too much, you can have some fun watching “Wild Target.” 11/7/10

127 Hours - 3 1/2 smiles

It’s hard to criticize a movie that celebrates the will to survive and does it so well. We know what Aron Ralston did to survive and this not only serves to build tension for the horrific conclusion, but also creates a bold and inspirational story. In April 2003 Ralston, a 27-year-old hiker, fell and was trapped in a narrow ravine in Blue John Canyon in Utah, his right arm wedged between a boulder and a rock wall. Ralston understood the gravity of his predicament and the eventual solution: using the blade of a cheap multipurpose tool, he cut off the immobilized arm between the elbow and the wrist, freeing himself after more than five days.

What makes this movie so amazing is how director Danny Boyle is able to transform Ralston’s experience of immobility and tedium into a dramatic feature-length film. Casting James Franco as Ralston was an audacious move and Franco gives the performance of a lifetime, making believers of those who considered him a lightweight actor. His energy and enthusiasm connect with the audience from the opening scenes. His Ralston wants to move and explore with hedonistic pleasure and we’re right there with him. And when Ralston becomes stuck, his performance is both grueling and heart breaking. There are scenes in “127 Hours” that are hard to bear – the cracking of bones, the severing of a nerve, the desperate consumption of a water bag filled with urine. I have to admit that I turned away, but these moments reinforce Ralston’s strong will to live. Using Aron Ralston’s memoir, Between a Rock and a Hard Place and the videotapes Ralston made in the canyon when he thought he was dying, Boyle brings to life a remarkable story while staying true to Ralston’s upbeat spirit. This movie isn’t for everyone, but if you see it, it will stay with you for a long time. 11/5/10

Kings of Pastry - 2 1/2 smiles

Every four years, France’s top pastry chefs compete for the ultimate recognition, the collar of the Meilleurs Ouvriers de France (best craftsmen of France) in three exhausting days of competition, where the chefs concoct 40 different recipes in a race against the clock. Directors D. A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus, a husband and wife team, follow a trio of top candidates, observing their training methods and including insightful comments from the chefs and their mentors. Receiving most of the screen time is Jacquy Pfeiffer, one of the founders of the French Pastry School in Chicago. His business partner, Sebastien Cannone, previously earned his collar and is one of the judges. The camera also follows Luxembourg baker Regis Lazard, a second-time finalist, whose first competition ended when he tripped and his sugar sculpture, or bijou, broke into bits. And from Valence, there’s Philippe Rigollot, a talented pastry chef from Maison Pic, recipient of three Michelin stars.

Working side by side in an immaculate Lyons test kitchen, the sixteen finalists produce everything from the perfect cream puff to immense and very fragile bijoux while under the constant scrutiny of a team of judges. They are rated for taste and artistry, as well as the neatness of their workstations. Obviously, the competition exacts a mental, physical and emotional toll on the contestants. But you have to be in awe of these men when you see their almost-too-beautiful-to-eat creations. Nonetheless, the directors seem intent on recording the proceedings rather than investigating some obvious anomalies – specifically, why this is a competition for white males only. Still, be prepared to want something sweet after seeing “Kings of Pastry.” 10/31/10

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - 3 smiles

If you’ve read The Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson or have seen the first two movies in this series, then you won’t be disappointed with “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest.” However, be aware that this movie isn’t a stand-alone film. It begins where the second one, “The Girl Who Played with Fire,” ends. And although Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) is either in a hospital bed or locked up in prison for two-thirds of the narrative, director Daniel Alfredson does a fairly good job of keeping the tension ratched up and our attention engaged. While Lisbeth is locked up, it falls to Mikael (Michael Nyqvist) to do much of the investigation that will ultimately assist Lisbeth when she goes to trial. As before, Noomi Rapace is the real reason to see these movies. Her Lisbeth is truly an original creation, an uncommunicative mix of rage and lethal menace with nose ring, chains and tattoos. The central weakness of this third film is that there’s a lot of exposition as Larsson expands his story to involve a sinister government agency.

The movie opens with Lisbeth, covered in blood, headed for the ER. Her wounds were inflicted by a half-brother she didn’t know she had. A white-haired giant of a man, Niedermann feels no pain, literally, but every time he’s on screen you know someone is going to die. As soon as she heals, Lisbeth is set to stand trial for three murders she did not commit. Blomkvist is dedicated to proving her innocence in the court of public opinion, publishing all of his evidence in an edition of Millennium magazine. A shadowy group of aging men with too much power will do everything to make sure that doesn’t happen. Anyone who has read Larsson’s novels will marvel at the filmmakers’’ ability to distill the complicated plot and tie up loose ends. Meanwhile, director David Fincher, with Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig as Lisbeth and Blomkvist, will present the English-language version of “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” in December 2011. I hope it’s good, but no one will be as good as Rapace. Subtitles. 10/29/10

Never Let Me Go - 2 smiles

“Never Let Me Go,” based on Kazuo Ishiguru’s novel, is oddly detached and lacking any emotional impact, given its topic although it’s a beautifully filmed movie. The premise is that human life has been extended through organ transplants and a special group of children has been born to donate their organs when they grow up. There are two classes of clones: ‘donors’ and ‘carers,’ the latter help the former through the harvesting process until it’s their time to donate. The movie opens in the English countryside where a group of children are being schooled at Hailsham. We meet Kathy, Ruth and Tommy as children. Kathy and Ruth are interested in Tommy and although he prefers Kathy, he is too weak to resist Ruth’s advances. Roughly ten years later, they have left Hailsham for The Cottages, where they wait to be called to donate. Ruth (now played by Kiera Knightley) is still with Tommy (Andrew Garfield), while Kathy (Carey Mulligan) continues to tag along. Tommy and Ruth eventually donate their various parts while Kathy becomes a caregiver.

The biggest question for me is why these people go so passively to their fate. No resistance? No rebellion? No survival instinct? I guess that would have made “Never Let Me Go” a different movie. The performances are first-rate. Kiera Knightley’s portrayal is more brittle than we’re used to seeing and Andrew Garfield, who played Mark Zukerberg’s best friend in The Social Network, shows his strength as an actor, especially with his reaction to a key revelation toward the end of the film. Carey Mulligan proves that the recognition for her work in An Education wasn’t a fluke. Her Kathy is a multi-faceted character. “Never Let Me Go” is slow, even ponderous, at times, but the cinematography is breath-taking. Unfortunately, the film is neither thematically deep nor emotionally powerful. We regret what happens to Kathy, Ruth and Tommy and theirs is a tragic story. But is there more? 10/24/10

Conviction - 3 smiles

“Conviction” is a prime example of what a stellar cast can bring to a familiar narrative. Going in you know that this movie is based on a true story and there’s going to be a happy ending although Pamela Gray’s script does try to heighten the tension at various times. With Hilary Swank, Sam Rockwell and a strong supporting cast, this film manages to touch us and say something important in the process. “Conviction” tells the story of Betty Anne Waters, who spent 18 years trying to overturn her brother’s life sentence for murder, a murder she never believed he committed. This means that Betty Anne has to get her GED, go to college and law school and then pass the Massachusetts’ bar

Rockwell is riveting as Kenny Waters, a man who is both volatile and charismatic, a man who can charm prison guards and then, just as quickly, anger them. As usual, Swank is skillful as a woman so committed to freeing her brother that she spends a good portion of her life focused on that one goal, to the detriment of her marriage and family. And everything she’s feeling is reflected on Swank’s expressive face. Other memorable performances include Melissa Leo as a female cop with a chip on her shoulder and Juliette Lewis as a woman with loose morals whose most notable feature is a chipped front tooth. However, because the script is so predictable, you know that Betty Anne is going to overcome all obstacles in her way. You just have to keep telling yourself that “Conviction” is based on a true story. 10/25/10

Easy A - 3 smiles

“Easy A” is not your typical teen comedy. Instead, it’s smart, satirical and – funny. Directed by Will Gluck from a screenplay by Bert V. Royal, “Easy A” uses high school as the setting for a look at popularity, analyzing the relationship between reputation and sleaze. In our culture, sleaze and popularity (or notoriety) seem to go together. Olive (Emma Stone), a smart, pretty high school student, is tired of being virginal and boring so she tells her best friend, Rhiannon (Aly Michalka) that she’s had a one-night stand with a college guy. Unfortunately for Olive, this ‘secret’ is overheard by the school’s resident gossip and religious zealot, Marianne (Amanda Bynes). Soon the news of Olive’s exploits has spread via text, word-of-mouth, and notes passed in class. After that, when she helps a gay friend establish his ‘straightness’ via a fake sexcapade, her notoriety snowballs even though her reputation has nothing to do with reality. While Olive enjoys her popularity for a time, she soon realizes that the negatives are greater than the benefits.

Emma Stone brings charm, confidence and wit to her role as Olive. She easily holds our attention even when sharing the screen with older, better-known actors. Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci play Olive’s loving parents and it’s refreshing that Olive has a great relationship with them. We see too many dysfunctional families in movies. Thomas Hayden Church is Olive’s favorite teacher and Lisa Kudrow is his wife, the guidance counselor. A frowning Malcolm McDowell is Principal Gibbons. “Easy A” provides plenty of connections to 80s music and Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, starring Demi Moore, from which Olive borrows the bright red A she attaches to her clothes. Although “Easy A” seems like it’s geared for teenagers, viewers of all ages will enjoy its countless jabs at pop culture and life in general. 9/30/10

Inside Job - 3 1/2 smiles

There’s a line in Oliver Stone’s “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps” when Shia LeBeouf’s character asks a Wall Street money guy, ‘What’s your number?' (The number when you know you have enough and you’re ready to pack it in and retire.) The Wall Street guy responds, ‘More.’ That’s exactly what’s clearly depicted in “Inside Job,” Charles Ferguson’s carefully detailed and infuriating documentary about the causes and consequences of the financial crisis of 2008. Basically, here’s what happened: these crooks in suits took everyone’s money and gambled it anyway they wanted, knowing that no matter what happened, they’d get rich and they wouldn’t have to give it back. So the economy crashes and jobs and homes are lost. So what? They’re still rich.

The title suggests a heist movie, but it’s also a story about a crime without punishment and a betrayal of public trust. And it’s not surprising that many of the highest-profile players declined to be interviewed. Both political parties are called to task; “Inside Job” is not simply attacking Bush and his advisors although they are hardly ignored. The scaling back of government oversight and the weakening of checks on speculative banking activity began under Reagan and continued during the Clinton administration. And with each administration, the market in derivatives expanded and the alarms were ignored. As early as 2005 the chief economist at the International Monetary Fund presented a paper warning of a ‘catastrophic meltdown,’ which was mocked by Larry Summers, then Secretary of the Treasury. Meanwhile, some investment banks, Goldman Sachs in particular, were betting against positions they were urging their customers to buy. One risky bet was stacked on top of another with bad consumer loans bundled into securities and then insured via credit-default swaps. It’s not surprising that the whole house of cards collapsed, resulting in a loss of jobs, homes, and pensions. And, apparently, the corruption extends into the halls of academia. Banks will pay economics professors at the most respected universities six-figure fees to write positive ‘analyses’ of their financial practices. After watching “Inside Job” and understanding how our current crisis came about, you won’t just be angry, you’ll know why you’re angry. 10/22/10

Hereafter - 2 1/2 smiles

Clint Eastwood’s latest, “Hereafter,” starring Matt Damon, explores what matters now and what lies beyond death. Yet the film never gains the emotional traction that you expect from an Eastwood film. Remember “Gran Torino” or last year’s “Invictus”? This might be due to the fact that, like many art house movies, Eastwood interweaves three separate tales. One character is a woman whose near-death experience has left her wondering about the afterlife. Another is a grieving boy trying desperately to communicate with the other side. And the third is a psychic who can talk to the dead and is tortured by it.

You have to admire Eastwood for tackling such a difficult topic. Nonetheless, as the traumatized French woman, Cecile de France never engages us emotionally and the child remains annoyingly remote. Only Matt Damon succeeds in bringing genuine anguish to his character. “Hereafter” is a beautiful production, especially the horrifying tsunami that opens the film. But after watching this disappointing movie, I have to wonder, ‘Is this all there is?’ 10/15/10

Nowhere Boy - 2 1/2 smiles

Since I knew nothing about John Lennon’s early years, I found the rather bleak “Nowhere Boy” interesting. Abandoned by his parents as a child, Lennon (Aaron Johnson) has been adopted by his Aunt Mimi (Kristen Scott-Thomas) and Uncle George (David Threlfall). His adolescence is filled with rebellion and what seems to save him is his interest in rock ‘n’ roll. Then he meets his mother, Julia (Anne-Marie Duff) who, unbeknownst to him, lives just minutes away. Married with two more children, Julia’s like a free-spirited child herself, sensitive to John’s feelings, but compulsively and embarrassingly flirtatious. It’s obvious that, psychologically, she’s extremely fragile. John is conflicted, torn between the rather prim woman who raised him and the unconventional mother he wants to get to know better. Meanwhile, there’s John’s burgeoning relationship with Paul McCartney, who, even as a 15-year old, is talented and full of poise.

Aaron Johnson, while not bearing a close physical resemblance to Lennon, manages to convey his essence – his wit, his intelligence and flashes of his deep-seated anger – with clear understanding. And Scott-Thomas elicits sympathy for a woman who is so reserved that she barely tolerates displays of emotion. Because “Nowhere Boy,” written by Matt Greenhalgh, based on a memoir by Julia Baird, Lennon’s half sister, focuses on John’s relationship with his aunt and his mother, it deliberately ignores the birth of the Beatles. Nonetheless, I would have liked a little more detail about the development of John, Paul and George as musicians. 10/18/10

It's Kind of a Funny Story - 3 smiles

As I was watching “It’s Kind of a Funny Story,” I thought of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” Not that there are a lot of overt parallels, but the central commonality is the camaraderie that develops among the inhabitants of a mental ward. They learn and draw strength from one another. Co-writers and co-directors Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden balance the right amount of seriousness, light comedy, and whimsy. Some of the dream sequences are characterized by animation and there’s a campy lip-sync number to the Queen/David Bowie song ‘Under Pressure.’ And the acting is strong. Zach Galifianakis does an especially good job as the likeable Bobby, a man who’s hiding a few things. And although Bobby generally comes across as an easy-going guy, there are times when he allows something darker to show through and in those instances especially, Galifianakis shines. Newcomer Keir Gilchrist is believable in the role of a troubled teen who learns that his problems are nothing when compared to others. And there’s chemistry between him and Galifianakis and his same-age female co-stars, Emma Roberts and Zoe Kravitz.

Sixteen-year old Craig (Gilchrist) informs the audience in a voiceover that he has been having vivid dreams about killing himself. Frightened, he checks himself into the mental ward of a hospital. His parents (Lauren Graham and Jim Gaffigan) are supportive but a little confused about what landed their son in this predicament, although it’s plain to us that the academic high-pressure demands of his father have something to do with it. As Craig meets more of the people in the ward, he forms a friendship with the gregarious Bobby (Galifianakis), who is open about everything except why he’s in the hospital. Craig also begins a tentative relationship with Noelle (Roberts) who might be just the girl to make him forget about his obsession with Nia (Kravitz), his best friend’s girlfriend. “It’s Kind of a Funny Story” is upbeat and life affirming. 10/14/10

Red - 3 smiles

If you want to really enjoy yourself, see “Red,” an action/comedy starring a bunch of A-list actors. Like “The Expendables,” this is fast-paced, often humorous entertainment for the more ‘mature’ audience and it doesn’t take itself too seriously, which makes it all the more enjoyable. Bruce Willis, in his mid-50s, is in his element as a retired CIA operative who knows how to out-think, out-shoot and out-fight anyone who comes at him. And his supporting crew is inspired casting. It’s worth the price of admission just to see Helen Mirren shooting a huge gun with empty shell casings pouring onto the floor. And John Malkovich, who plays a paranoid ex-CIA agent, steals the show.

Frank Morse (Willis), bored with retirement in Cleveland, strikes up a phone relationship with Sarah Ross (Mary-Louise Parker), a claims officer in Kansas City who is handling problems he’s having with his pension checks. His life gets more interesting when a hit team sneaks into his house under the cover of darkness and proceeds to try to kill him. Soon, he’s on the run with his main pursuer being CIA agent William Cooper (Karl Urban), who’s ruthless but unaware of Frank’s abilities. Worried about Sarah, Frank travels to Kansas City, kidnaps Sarah (for her safety, of course), and begins rounding up members of his old team: 80-year old Joe Matheson (Morgan Freeman) who still has his wits about him despite stage 4 liver cancer; Marvin Boggs (Malkovich), whose extreme paranoia is not without merit; Ivan Simanov (Brian Cox), former KGB bigwig; and former MI6 agent Victoria (Helen Mirren), whose retirement isn’t as tranquil as it appears. Their goal is to try to find out why people are trying to kill them. “Red,” retired, extremely dangerous, is fast paced, energetic, and offers a fun two hours. If you see it, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed. 10/15/10

Waiting for 'Superman' - 4 smiles

“Waiting for ‘Superman’” is a must-see for everyone, but especially if you’re an educator. Director Davis Guggenheim, who won an Oscar for ‘An Inconvenient Truth,’ takes on the American education system by following five kids and their families who have placed their hopes for a better education in high-stakes charter school admission lotteries. The film levels a scathing attack on the dysfunction and bureaucracy of public schools and teachers’ unions, which promote teacher mediocrity. Guggenheim explains in a newspaper article, “It’s an abomination. Over the years, we haven’t been able to pay teacher enough. So instead of paying them, we keep extending them more and more privileges. You can leave at three. You get three months off. You can’t be fired. It’s deadly for reform.” However, Guggenheim also admits, “I know that the experts are going to take issue with this movie. It simplifies a lot of things. … But I really wanted to speak to regular people, from the point of view of a parent.”

“Waiting for ‘Superman’” is filled with disturbing statistics. In Illinois, where one in 57 doctors loses his medical license and one in 97 lawyers loses his law license, only one in 2,500 teachers loses his credentials because of union contracts. And the film briefly visits a ‘rubber room’ in New York City where idle teachers accused of misconduct wait months and sometimes years for hearings while drawing full salaries at an annual cost of $65 million. Guggenheim calls dysfunctional schools ‘dropout factories’ and suggests that these dropout factories create needy neighborhoods because students who dropout stay in their home neighborhoods rather than the conventional wisdom, which says poor neighborhoods create the dropout. And caught in the middle are students and the film’s most emotional moments revolve around five students who hope to win a place in various charter schools. Guggenheim acknowledges that charter school effectiveness is mixed, but he lauds Geoffrey Canada’s Success Academy in Harlem and KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) Schools, including KIPP LA. It’s sad that the direction of a young life depends on the luck of the draw. 10/1/10

Life as We Know It - 2 smiles

Because this is a romantic comedy, which means “Life as We Know It” follows a standard formula, you know how it’s going to end. The question is, is the getting to the end worth the almost 2 hour investment of time? I enjoyed this movie while I was watching it, but that’s because I was willing to go with its unrealistic premise. In retrospect, the movie is about 30 minutes too long for something so formulaic and Katherine Heigl gives her standard rom-com performance. All of her characters are interchangeable. And although her co-star, Josh Duhamel, is effective, it’s hard to believe that his character, a womanizing bachelor, would mellow into a caring, self-sacrificing man in less than a year.

Holly (Heigl) and Messer (Duhamel) are oil and water. Their best friends, Peter and Alison, tried to set them up, but they really can’t stand each other. However, when Peter and Alison are killed in a car accident, their will gives joint custody of their daughter, Sophie, to Holly and Messer. This compels the two to move into Peter and Alison’s home and create schedules that allow them to care for the little girl while maintaining their careers. Of course, complications arise. Although there are a few comedic twists, just about everything in “Life as We Know It” has a been there-seen that feel. 10/8/10

Let Me In - 3 smiles

“Let Me In” is a hauntingly beautiful coming-of-age story with the vampire genre used as a metaphor for the pain of adolescence. Written and directed by Matt Reeves, this movie is a remake of “Let The Right One In,” a Swedish language movie released last year and based on John Ajvide Lindqvist’s novel. Reeves understands the terror that adolescents experience, especially if they’re the target of bullies. Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee) is a gentle boy, but his confusion over his parents’ impending divorce and his inability to evade the boys who beat him up every afternoon is slowly creating someone full of anger and dark thoughts. Then Abby (Chloe Grace Moretz) and her guardian (Richard Jenkins) move in next door to the lonely Owen. Abby’s an outsider, too, but after centuries as a vampire, she’s got a bit more perspective if not maturity. She warns him that they can’t be friends, but their shared alienation proves to be a powerful bond and they connect anyway.

Reeves allows us to share the delight of their growing affection while never shying away from the horror of their reality. Owen is a victim (which is painful to watch) and Abby will do what she has to to survive, even if that means attacking a neighbor. And Richard Jenkins’ character’s melancholy and quiet desperation enhances the tension that builds as he goes on his final ‘hunt.’ Reeves’ cast is very effective, especially Smit-McPhee and Moretz, who embody both the pain and joys of childhood. Owen’s decision at the end comes as no surprise; he might seem gentle, but he’s capable of terrible things. With “Let Me In,” Reeves successfully juxtaposes youthful innocence with horror and murder. 10/7/10

Secretariat - 3 smiles

Secretariat is the only horse to win racing’s Triple Crown since 1973. Everyone knows that, right? So how can a movie about this spectacular event be interesting? Not to worry. It’s not only interesting, but it’s exciting, poignant and inspiring. Most of the credit for this feat goes to director Randall Wallace and star Diane Lane as Secretariat’s owner Penny Chenery. When Secretariat, the chestnut Thoroughbred who galloped to triumph through a rare combination of speed and stamina, is on the track, overtaking one horse after another, your heart is pounding and you’re rooting for his victory, almost as if you had no idea he’d win. And when the focus moves off the track, you’ve got a radiant Diane Lane to hold your attention. Her Penny Chenery exudes an almost other-worldly belief in her horse’s ability to win. And you could swear that the horse portraying Secretariat is not only playing to the camera, but he’s affirming Penny’s belief in him. Wallace turns “Secretariat” into a parable of faith and feminine strength.

When her mother dies, Penny Chenery Tweedy takes reigns of her father’s horse farm, refusing to sell the horses. Later, when her father dies, she refuses to sell Secretariat to pay off the massive estate taxes. Instead, Penny hires eccentric trainer Lucien Laurin (John Malkovich) and for a jockey, she brings on Ron Turcotte (Otto Thorwarth), who puts as much into his races as he demands from his mounts. For the necessary funds to pay the taxes and fund this endeavor, she forms a syndicate for breeding rights to Secretariat, provided he can perform on the track. Ogden Phipps (James Cromwell) leads the syndicate of 32 rich individuals and the villain is Pancho Martin (Nestor Serrano), the owner of Sham, Secretariat’s chief rival in all three Triple Crown races. “Secretariat” might be predictable, but it’s also a thoroughly entertaining story about the greatest racehorse of all time. 10/9/10

You Again - 1 smile

“You Again” perpetuates all of the worst clichés about women being insecure, petty, spiteful, competitive and cruel. All this and a comedy, too. Unfortunate because this movie is even close to being funny. And although it boasts a good cast, Sigourney Weaver, Jamie Lee Curtis and Betty White, their talents are wasted. With a script that relies on improbable coincidence and silly slapstick shtick, “You Again” glorifies shallow materialistic values and tries to camouflage its essentially mean-spirited content with several layers of sugar coating. You’ll get a stomachache if you venture too close. 9/26/10

The Social Network - 4 smiles

I find it interesting – and ironic – that Facebook claims to promote social interaction while it really promotes social isolation and that the founder, Mark Zuckerberg, is uncommunicative, intellectually arrogant and socially awkward. I know that a movie based on actual events doesn’t mean that it’s always true and that Zuckerberg claims the movie is fiction. Nonetheless, the source material for “The Social Network” is Ben Mezrich’s The Accidental Billionaires, which is based on countless interviews and the story is probably a reasonable account of how Facebook came into being. Zuckerberg is presented as a multi-faceted individual and Jesse Eisenberg’s portrayal is sympathetic and fair. Director David Fincher and writer Aaron Sorkin do not shy away from an honest look at Zuckerberg and the damage he has done to others, but they resist portraying him as totally evil. Sorkin’s screenplay mixes drama and humorous sections with dialogue that’s sharp and witty. “The Social Network” raises interesting questions such as ownership of an idea, but this movie is engaging because, at its heart, it’s about friendship and betrayal.

The movie opens with Harvard student Zuckerberg having dinner with his girlfriend, Erica Albright (Rooney Mara). Erica, weary of his obsession with status, breaks up with him, which angers him. He returns to his dorm room, gets drunk and with the help of his best friend Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield), creates a website called ‘Facemash’ that rates the hotness of Harvard women. The site is so popular that it crashes the Harvard servers. Along with earning Zuckerberg six months of academic probation, Facemash earns him instant celebrity status. He is sought by twins Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss (Josh Pence and Armie Hammer) to design a dating website. Instead, however, Zuckerberg takes their idea in another direction and, in the process, cuts them out altogether. ‘The Facebook’ is born, becoming a huge hit on the Harvard campus and expanding to other high prestige schools. Napster creator, Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake), wants to get in on the inside, but his involvement alienates Eduardo. At Parker’s suggestion, Zuckerberg changes the name to Facebook and with Parker's help, Facebook becomes a worldwide phenomenon. “The Social Network” is structured as a series of flashbacks provided to illustrate the testimony being given in depositions for two separate trials in which Zuckerberg was involved in the second half of the 2000s. This movie is the first drama that has 2010 Oscar potential: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor. 10/1/10

Wall Street; Money Never Sleeps - 2 1/2 smiles

Director Oliver Stone had a clear message in his original film “Wall Street” – Greed is good. With his sequel, “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps,” the message is unclear. Is it about the redemption of a villain? The importance of love and family? The sweetness of revenge? An attack on a financial system that has embraced the Greed is good mantra? Or is it about all of these with a hydrogen fusion infomercial thrown in for good measure? Stone’s biggest asset is Michael Douglas and his weakest link (besides the script) is Shia LaBeouf. Douglas is fun to watch as his Gordon Gekko, getting out of prison in 2001, decides to reinvent himself as a celebrity writer and wall-street analyst. Unfortunately, Gekko is gone from the screen for big chunks of the movie because the central character is a young hotshot trader named Jake Moore (LaBeouf), who just happens to live with Gekko’s estranged daughter, Winnie (Carey Mulligan, who’s not given enough to do). Director Stone has said the LaBeouf reminds him of a young Tom Cruise. Really? I don’t see the resemblance. And although Jake is supposed to be one tough guy, LaBeouf doesn’t have the acting chops to be convincing.

‘Money Never Sleep’s’ plot has Jake seeking out Gekko as a mentor after his original father figure, an old-school investment banker named Louis Zabel (Frank Langella) meets such an unfortunate end that Jake wants revenge. Gekko agrees, but he wants Jake to arrange a meeting with Winnie, who has no interest in letting her father back into her life. Jake is also busy trying to find funds for a hydrogen fusion enterprise and pacifying his spendthrift mother (Susan Sarandon) who has moved from nursing into real estate speculation. The villains include Josh Brolin’s Bretton James, an egocentric investment banker and his mentor, Julie Steinhardt, (94-yearold Eli Wallach), who makes eerie bird noises and talks about the Crash of ‘29. Although Stone has a knack for creating an atmosphere that manages to feel authentic, his story is so unfocused that you’re not really sure what he’s trying to say other than greed is not good. 9/24/10

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole - 1 frown

The biggest problem with “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole” is the brutal violence and unrelenting sense of terror in this supposedly children’s film. There are throat slashings, impalements, flaming spikes, and tumbles into a lake of fire. A brother betrays his brother and leads his sister into enslavement. Another obstacle is trying to follow the narrative. “Legend of the Guardians” quickly introduces more than a dozen characters, most of which are difficult to distinguish from each other because they’re all, well, owls. And the script, adapted from three books in the “Guardians of Ga’Hoole” series, lacks coherency as chunks of narrative seem to be missing. How do the out-to-rule-the owl-kingdom owls make a super weapon out of metal flecks found in owl pellets? The visuals are beautiful, however, especially the sequence where an owl flies through a rainstorm. But this hardly makes up for this awful movie. Skip it. 9/25/10

The Town - 3 1/2 smiles

I really didn’t know what to expect before I saw “The Town.” Sure, I’ve seen the many previews so I had an idea what it was about. What I didn’t expect was the effective way Affleck works both sides of the camera. As the director, he showcases the strong talent of his actors without being self-indulgent and illuminates character without losing the thrilling aspects of the plot. As a star, he gives such a fine performance that you realize he really can act. Affleck is ably supported by Jeremy Renner as Doug’s (Affleck) volatile partner in crime; Jon Hamm as a relentless FBI agent intent on getting his man; Blake Lively as his strung-out ex-girlfriend and Pete Postlethwaite as the neighborhood crime boss. As a drama, “The Town” has what it takes to keep you on the edge of your seat with its car chase through the streets of Boston and its final shootout at Fenway Park.

The town of the title is Charlestown, a blue-collar Boston neighborhood that’s described in the opening as having spawned more robbers of banks and armored trucks than any other place in the country. Doug MacRay (Affleck) and his crew rob banks. When one such heist goes awry, Jem (Renner), Doug’s best friend, takes Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall), the branch manager hostage, but they let her go unharmed. Fearing that she might be able to identify them, Doug agrees to watch her and an unlikely relationship develops between them. Claire doesn’t know who he is since the robbers wore masks. And for Doug, Claire represents a new start, a way to escape the inevitable prison cell that awaits him. But the highly unpredictable Jem is becoming suspicious of Doug’s feelings for Claire and a zealous FBI agent is just one step behind them. “The Town” is a fast-paced, character-driven heist story that solidifies Affleck’s reputation as both an actor and director. 9/18/10

Going the Distance - 2 1/2 smiles

“Going the Distance,” starring on-again-off-again couple, Drew Barrymore and Justin Long, pretty much follows the rom-com formula – boy meets girl, they fall in love, then boy loses girl because they live on different coasts. However, when you see the movie, you’re hit with a boatload of raunch that doesn’t stop until the movie ends. So, assuming you can take the f-word flung about, toilet jokes, sex on a dining room table followed by Thanksgiving dinner the next day, and lots of sex chatter, you’ll enjoy this movie. Directed by Nanette Burstein from a script by Geoff La Tulippe, the film focuses on a real-life problem facing today’s couples.

Erin’s (Barrymore) charm and wit captivates Garrett (Long) when they meet at a bar. Their mutual attraction sparks a summer fling, but neither expects it to last once Erin returns to grad school in San Francisco while Garrett stays behind for his job in New York City. There are no jobs for her in New York and none for him out West. Can their romance go the distance? Garrett and Erin have friends and relatives that provide counterpoint to what’s happening in their romance. Garrett's slovenly, foul-mouthed friends (Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day) offer bad advice and Erin's over-protective sister (Christina Applegate) is a germaphobe. But Barrymore and Long add depth to their characters and are enjoyable to watch. Plus they seem genuinely attracted to each other, something that’s often missing from other romantic comedies. And their long distance woes have a ring of authenticity. “Going the Distance” is a fun way to spend an afternoon. 9/3/10

The American - 3 smiles

Before you see “The American,” starring George Clooney, you need to know that this is not your typical big box office action thriller with a big name star. There are no chase scenes with exploding cars, no killing every ten minutes, no pulse-pounding music. Instead, this is a small art house character-driven story (more European in nature) that happens to have a big name star. Nonetheless, “The American” starts with a shocking surprise. After Jack (Clooney), the American in the title, and a beautiful woman have a romantic interlude, their stroll from a snowbound cabin in Sweden turns deadly as someone tries to kill Jack. Jack quickly and efficiently dispatches his would-be assassins and then kills the woman, too, because she’s now become a liability. Within 15 minutes, we know a lot about Jack’s character. Jack goes into hiding in Italy, instructed by his contact Pavel (Johan Leysen) to lie low for a while. (We never know what kind of organization Jack works for – Is he a CIA agent? An international operative? A mercenary?) He holes up in a small medieval town where he accepts the friendship of a local priest Father Benedetto (Paolo Bonacelli) and pursues a liaison with Clara (Violante Placido), a beautiful prostitute. While Jack and Clara’s time together evolves into a romance, Jack is also crafting a specially designed weapon for a female assassin (Thekla Reuten).

The entire middle section of the film consists mostly of long quiet scenes of Jack alone in his rented apartment, working on gun parts. Unfortunately, director Anton Corbjin’s slow pace is going to dismay many in the audience. But by the time the gun is finally built, we know a lot more about Jack’s character and we’re anticipating how the weapon is going to be used. And the prospect of a new and different kind of life with the adoring Clara begins to change Jack as he considers the possibility of retiring after he finishes this one last job. Too long in the shadows, Jack is the silent killer, the lone gunslinger and it’s taken a toll on his soul. Jack’s encounters with Father Benedetto suggest the possibility of redemption although it’s hard to forget what he did in Sweden. Clooney is effective as the weary Jack and with his name on the marquee, “The American” will have a higher box office than with a lesser-known star. And if you remember not to expect the typical action flick, you’ll enjoy this film.

9/1/10

Takers - 2 smiles

“Takers” is a typical B heist movie that boasts a great chase scene and way too much hand-held camera jerkiness. Directed by John Luessenhop and penned by a team of writers, “Takers” is more concerned with style than substance. When not in ski masks conducting well-planned bank robberies or in hard hats during an elaborate armored-car takeover, the five bad guys, or ‘Takers,’ wear fashionable clothes, drink Dom Perignon, smoke Cuban cigars, read the Bloomberg Report and generally hang out in their luxurious penthouse apartments. They look fantastic. The script does not allow for much character development, however: there’s Gordon (Idris Elba), the leader; John (Paul Walker), Gordon’s best buddy and second in command; A.J. (Hayden Christensen), strategist and hipster; and brothers Jesse and Jake (Chris Brown and Michael Ealy). And I mustn’t forget Matt Dillion and Jay Fernandez play cops two steps behind these master criminals.

And Los Angeles looks fantastic - the city skyline, crimson sunsets, classy swimming pools. The guys hijack a TV news chopper for a getaway vehicle and land it at Dodger Stadium, which looks fantastic. Nonetheless, “Takers” is all about the heist of $23 million from an armored car, suggested by Ghost (Tip ‘T.I’ Harris), a former member of the gang who has spent the last five years in prison. The real reason for Ghost hooking up with his old gang should have played a greater part in the conflict, but Luessenhop focuses on the obvious cops vs. robbers instead. “Takers” will hold your attention because it’s got lots of action, but don’t look for characters or story. 8/30/10

Mesrine: Killer Instinct - 2 smiles

The main problem with “Mesrine: Killer Instinct,” the first of a two-part bio-pic about actual French criminal Jacques Mesrine, is that much of it plays like movies we’ve seen before. Add to the been-there-seen-that feel is the fact that we really never see what motivates Mesrine. So, essentially, we’ve got “Good Fellas” mixed with a little “Godfather,” “Bonnie and Clyde” and any number of James Cagney flicks. And “Killer Instinct” doesn’t offer anything that’s uniquely different because Mesrine’s story, that of a French Army veteran who embarked on a career as a hard-core criminal, lends itself to every possible movie cliché. Plus, in an attempt to include as many key events as possible, the movie often jumps from scene to scene without pausing for any character development. However, there certainly are many grisly scenes of violence, including stabbings, shootings and, during one uncomfortable sequence, Mesrine being tortured by prison guards. The highlight of part one is Vincent Cassel’s performance. He won a Cesar Award (the French equivalent of the Oscar) for his work in this film and it’s clear why. His Mesrine is part sexy charmer and part irrational monster, capable of jamming a gun into the mouth of the mother of his children.

The obvious question at this point is: Do we care enough about Jacques Mesrine to buy a ticket for the second installment, “Mesrine: Public Enemy No. 1,” which seems reminiscent of last summer’s John Dillinger bio-pic, “Public Enemies.” I know how Mesrine dies – in a hail of bullets, of course. Do I need to sit though another two hours? Subtitles. 8/29/10

Mao's Last Dancer - 3 1/2 smiles

Heartfelt story telling, fine performances and the perfection of ballet all combine to make “Mao’s Last Dancer” a memorable movie. Based on Li Cunxin’s memoir, this movie chronicles Li’s artistic journey as he struggles to first understand ballet, then master it, and finally, love it. In 1972 eleven-year-old Li Cunxin is plucked from his rural home in China to study ballet at the academy in Beijing and become part of Mao’s cultural revolution. Li will grow up to be a ballet dancer of rare talent and eventually visit the US where his defection will become a cause célèbre, reaching all the way to the White House. To be sure, Li Cunxin gets plenty of advice before he leaves China for a three-month stint with the Houston Ballet. But Li quickly realizes that all of the warnings about life in the West, including the ‘unimaginable squalor,’ are not true. Li comes to understand that dancing for the love of dancing gives him a freedom he didn’t have in China.

One of the strengths of this movie is director Bruce Beresford’s willingness to stage several beautiful and compelling performances by Li. And a crucial piece of casting was selecting Chi Cao, a principal dancer with the Birmingham Royal Ballet who was born and trained in China, to play Li as an adult. Though novice actor he might be, Cao is more than able to convey a range of emotions burning beneath the surface. Beresford also draws strong performances from his supporting cast, most notable being Bruce Greenwood who plays Ben Stevenson, the British-born director of the Houston Ballet who first brought Li Cunxin to the US as an exchange student. Kyle MacLachlan is the immigration attorney Charles Foster who intercedes on Li’s behalf when officials at the Chinese consulate in Houston try to kidnap the dancer and return him to China. “Mao’s Last Dancer” is feel-good film bursting with energy and magic. See it. You won’t be disappointed. 8/18/10

A Film Unfinished - 3 smiles

Yael Hersonski’s documentary “A Film Unfinished” revolves around the reels discovered in a German vault: Nazi footage of life inside the Warsaw Ghetto in 1942 where half a million starving Jews squeezed into three square miles. Many of the scenes on these reels were staged by members of Hitler’s propaganda ministry. In fact, you can see some of them caught on film as the images roll by. No one knows for sure how this film was to be used, but best guess, according to Hersonski, is the Nazis meant to illustrate how well-to-do Jews lived, such as eating in fancy restaurants and enjoying the theater while poor Jews starved to death under their feet. Hersonski juxtaposes the Reich’s attempt to tell the story from their perspective with testimony of those who saw it being filmed. These witnesses recall that they were directed to dress up and look like they were having a good time or to coldly walk by the beggars or corpses in the street. As the cameramen strive to capture manufactured truths (Hersonski shows that many scenes required multiple takes), the film also reveals heartbreaking realities: a mother wandering the street with her baby in her arms, crying for food; the shrunken faces, huge eyes and enlarged ears of a people being systematically starved to death; a mass grave outside the city with rail-thin bodies sliding down a long chute. “A Film Unfinished” clearly demonstrates that what you see, especially historical footage, does not always equal the truth. 8/20/10

Nanny McPhee Returns - 3 smiles

If you liked “Nanny McPhee,” you’ll like “Nanny McPhee Returns.” And you don’t even have to be a kid. Like its predecessor, this one is sweet, sentimental and silly with a fairytale story that makes everything magical. Emma Thompson, who again produced and wrote the screenplay, focuses on the life lessons that children must learn: being kind, helpful, and brave. If there’s a problem, it’s the shift from the enchanting silliness of piglets engaged in synchronized swimming to the dark reality of World War II. While Thompson and the children are engaging, Ifans over plays his role as the villain and I can’t for the life of me understand why Maggie Smith agreed to a scene where she sits in a cow pie.

Maggie Gyllenhaal, radiant as Isabel Green, a sweet-natured but frazzled mother of three children whose husband is off at war, is in danger of losing their farm because Isabel’s brother-in-law (Rhys Ifans) has gambling debts. Between managing her job at a local shop, overseen by the absentminded Mrs. Docherty (Smith) and coping with her boisterous children, Isabel needs help, especially when a pair of spoiled young cousins from London arrive. Enter Nanny McPhee (Thompson), ‘small c, big P,’ with her jutting snaggletooth, hairy warts and scraggily unibrow, to help set things right. Children will be delighted that there’s lots of poo is this movie, but they’ll also appreciate the lessons Nanny McPhee teaches. 8/22/10

The Switch - 2 1/2 smiles

I guess the directors of “The Switch,” Josh Gordon and Will Speck, were locked into the romantic comedy genre. How else can you explain the split personality of this movie? On the surface, this movie does follow the boy-meets-girl-boy-falls-in-love-with-girl-boy-loses-girl-boy-wins-girl formula and from the boy’s perspective, too. But Jennifer Aniston’s Kassie is the typical perky character she plays in most of her other rom-coms and there’s little chemistry with any of her co-stars. However, there is a secondary story, which results in several moving scenes between Jason Bateman (as Wally, a man-child who discovers maturity as he bonds with his son) and child actor Thomas Robinson (as Sebastian, a fatherless child yearning for an adult role model), which should have been the focal point. This relationship is the heart of “The Switch” and allows Bateman’s skillful acting to shine. Unfortunately, the directors spend too much time with cheap jokes and an exploration of a romance that really doesn’t work. If this is a successful comedy, it’s due to Jeff Goldblum, who plays Wally’s best friend. Unfortunately, he’s not given much screen time.

The story opens ‘seven years ago’ with best friends Wally and Kassie having lunch. Wally has loved Kassie for years but she relegated him to the ‘best friend’ category. Kassie announces that she’s going to get pregnant and wants Wally to help her find a suitable sperm donor. At Kassie’s insemination party, a drunk Wally substitutes the donor sperm for his own with little memory of the deed afterward. Kassie moves away from New York so she can raise her son in a different environment. Seven years later Kassie returns with her six-year-old son in tow. Sebastian is like a miniature Wally and that triggers Wally’s memory. But while Wally is trying to find the courage to tell Kassie, he becomes the go-to person to take care of Sebastian as she goes off on dates with another man. Essentially, the good parts of “The Switch” outweigh the bad and it is watchable, especially if you have a free afternoon where you can get matinee prices. Otherwise, wait for cable. 8/11/10

Eat Pray Love - 2 smiles

I didn’t read Elizabeth Gilbert’s memoir, but I’m well aware of the difficulty of translating the effective communication a writer has with her readers into a visual medium such as a movie. And I’m guessing that Liz didn’t come off as a bored, self-centered whiner in her book, where her obvious premise is to recount a journey of self-discovery. Unfortunately, the movie, starring Julia Roberts, doesn’t fare as well. One morning Liz (Roberts) decides she doesn’t want to be married any more. “You know what I feel when I get up in the morning?” she complains to her husband of a decade (Billy Crudup). “Nothing.” Maybe she’s empty inside, but since Roberts doesn’t do introspective very well, we have to settle for bored. So after a brief dalliance with a younger actor (James Franco), Liz takes off on a yearlong, around-the-world quest for self-fulfillment that’s basically a beautiful travelogue, but not much more. I think the biggest flaw with “Eat Pray Love” is the 135-minute length; it’s just too long. And although Roberts does her best to make Liz appealing, it’s a losing battle and there’s no real sense of an emotional journey and lessons learned.

In Italy, Liz eats a lot of enticing food – the pizza and pasta are mouth-watering – and meets some nice people. Her biggest crisis is struggling to get into a pair of jeans. Liz moves on to India where she arrives at an ashram to learn to meditate. Here she endures some mild criticism from Richard from Texas (Richard Jenkins), a recovering alcoholic whose revelations about his own sad life are supposed to show Liz the path to enlightenment. Finally she travels to Bali where she falls for the scruffy Felipe (Javier Bardem), who, like Liz, isn’t looking for love. If you read and liked the book, you might have a different reaction to “Eat Pray Love.” I’d like to know if you did. 8/13/10

The Expendables - 2 smiles

If you take “The Expendables” for what it is, a throwback to the action films of the 80s, you might find yourself enjoying it. Sure the plot is thin and the dialogue cheesy, but there are lots of fight sequences and explosions. And there’s a humorous bantering scene between Sylvester Stallone, who directed and co-wrote, and Jet Li, where Li’s character, Ying Yang, demands more money because he’s short. You see, when you’re short, you have to run harder and jump higher. And when you’re shot, the hole is bigger because….well, you’re smaller. “The Expendables” doesn’t take itself seriously and that’s a good thing. After all, when your mercenaries have names like Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), Ying Yang, Hale Caesar (Terry Crews), and Toll Road (Randy Couture), how serious can it be?

Stallone and his mercenary buddies take an assignment in Latin America to remove a dictator. There they encounter former CIA operative (Eric Roberts) and his hulking bodyguard (Steve Austin) who are the true villains. Just don’t pay attention to the odds that say our heroes are outnumbered. And ignore Mickey Rourke’s hammy delivery of a soliloquy that doesn’t fit anywhere in this movie. You do get to see Bruce Willis and the governator, Arnold Schwarzenegger, in cameos. If you like action flicks, you’ll like this one. 8/14/10

Animal Kingdom - 3 1/2 smiles

The overarching conceit of “Animal Kingdom” is Darwinian survival of the fittest, or in this case, the smartest. Set in a bland suburban neighborhood of Melbourne, Australia, this movie is more character study of ruthless predators than hot and fast action. And the narrative is dominated by Smurf Cody (Jacki Weaver), the bleached-blonde mama lion with her glittering blue eyes and menacing smile. Although her three sons are bank robbers and drug dealers, she is the most dangerous and the one to keep your eye on. The opening images of the movie, the directorial and screenwriting debut of David Michôd, are statues and drawings of lions and for 17-year old J Cody (James Frecheville), the narrator and protagonist, it seems that he is one of the weak and doomed. When J’s mother, Smurf’s estranged daughter, dies of a drug overdoes, J realizes that he’s in the lion’s den and his family is a group of sociopaths engaged in a deadly war with Melbourne’s out-of-control armed-robbery squad.

The 60-something Smurf is a scary incarnation of Ma Barker camouflaged as a cheery grandmother. She adores her outlaw sons although her favorite is the youngest and she kisses them with just a little too much enthusiasm. Pope (Ben Mendelsohn), the eldest and self-appointed leader, is a creepy drug-using sociopath; Craig (Sullivan Stapleton) is a heavily tattooed, hyper-active drug dealer and user; and Darren (Luke Ford), the youngest and most ineffectual, walks around in a perpetual drug haze and does his older brothers’ bidding. Once he moves in with his relatives, J is unavoidably involved in the family business. Although J remains silent most of the time, his animal instincts tell him that his uncles are just as frightened as he is and he understands that he needs to find a safe place for himself even if it means talking to the police. Guy Pearce plays a decent cop genuinely interested in J’s safety. “Crooks always come undone, always, one way or another,” says J in a commentary that introduces the story. “Animal Kingdom,’ the 2010 Sundance Grand Jury World Cinema prize winner, is a winner. 8/16/10

The Disappearance of Alice Creed - 1 smile

Written and directed by first-timer J. Blakeson, the overly brutal “The Disappearance of Alice Creed” is fairly suspenseful for the first hour that begins with a dialogue-less opening sequence. Two men (Eddie Marsan and Martin Compston) kidnap Alice (Gemma Arterton) and take her to a secluded apartment where she’s stripped, tied to a bed and forced to make tearful videos to her rich father pleading with him to pay the ransom. Unfortunately, the story never rises above contrived coincidence and then lapses into the improbable. This thriller is well acted, but the plot twists and shifting alliances feel a little too forced, not the result of desperate people in life-threatening situations. 8/9/10

The Extra Man - 1 smile

Is there a point when quirky becomes so eccentric that it’s unlikable … and unwatchable? That’s what’s happened to “The Extra Man,” starring Kevin Kline and Paul Dano. First we have our protagonist, Louis Ives, a want-to-be novelist who cross-dresses, has the manners of an 18^th century nobleman and the personality of a peanut. He moves to New York and rents a room from Henry Harrison (Kline), an aging gigolo who collects Christmas ornaments, wrote a play that was stolen by a hunchback, and disapproves of education for women. Henry’s downstairs friend, Gershon (John C. Reilly) looks like the Cowardly Lion with his wild dreadlocks and ragged beard and speaks in a falsetto but sings in a normal voice. At its heart, “The Extra Man” is about Louis’s education, but the oddball people that enter his life are caricatures and they do nothing to endear themselves to the audience and give meaning to the lessons Louis learns. This movie works too hard to be weird, neglecting genuine emotions and character development. 7/28/10

Flipped - 3 smiles

“Flipped” is Rob Reiner’s coming-of-age tale about first love that’s heartfelt and real. That the narration shifts between Juli Baker (Madeline Carroll) and Bryce Loski (Callan McAuliffe), the adolescent protagonists, gives this film a unique quality. Their distinct differences make for a meaningful, and often hilarious, narrative. Juli has been madly in love with Bryce, the boy who lives across the street, since second grade, but he doesn’t feel the same. Bryce is pretty much indecisive about everything while Juli is willing to take a stand for what she believes. Her commentary is more analytical and insightful, clearly indicating the kind of person she is. Some of the pleasure in watching this film is identifying with Juli and watching Bryce grow.

Reiner explained in a recent discussion that he knew he wanted to make this adolescent novel, written by Wendelin Van Draanen, into a movie as soon as he read it. Primarily it’s about first love and the powerful and confusing feelings that go along with it, but it’s also about the importance of being yourself. Bryce doesn’t really know who he is and what’s going on and his father (Anthony Edwards) is too angry to be a good role model. Bryce is lucky that his grandfather (John Mahoney) teaches him about who he is and, more importantly, the kind of person he can be. Juli has a loving family that instills in her the right values. She has a strong understanding of who she is and she knows what she wants. Set in the late 50s and early 60s, “Flipped” also has a wonderful sound track, including “Pretty Little Angel Eyes” by Curtis Lee, “One Fine Day” by the Chiffons, and “Let It Be Me” by Phil Everly. Nostalgic? Certainly. Universal in its appeal? You bet. Someone who’s 80 can relate as well as someone who’s 12. See “Flipped.” You’ll enjoy it. 8/6/10

Cairo Time - 3 smiles

I saw an interesting movie last night called “Cairo Time,” starring Patricia Clarkson and Alexander Siddig. Clarkson is luminous and effective as Juliette, a Canadian wife just arrived in Cairo to rendezvous with Mark, her UN worker husband, only to discover he’s delayed by his work in Gaza. Her portrayal of a woman not looking for another love but finding it anyway is subtle and affecting. I thought Alexander Siddig looked familiar when the camera zoomed in for a close-up. He played Dr. Julian Bashir on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999). He is sympathetic as the handsome Tareq, a retired UN security officer and Mark’s friend. At Mark’s request, Tareq plays tour guide for Juliette, taking her on a Nile cruise, to Alexandria for a wedding and ultimately, to the pyramids.

Director and writer Ruba Nadda pulls you into the often chaotic milieu of Cairo with its bustling streets, crowded bazaars and honking traffic that forces you to slow down – hence, Cairo time. Her film is all about beauty, subtlety, and unspoken communication. And there’s also the delightful clash of cultures, which takes the form of verbal sparring between Juliette and Tareq, where at times he is the teacher and at times she is. Clarkson and Siddig are wonderful together and I found myself hoping that Mark would stay in Gaza. Nadda’s conclusion, which she says she wrote first before the rest of her script, is bittersweet and appropriate. 8/4/10

The Concert - 3 smiles

“The Concert,” a tale about a group of former musicians that goes to Paris for a major engagement without the real Russian orchestra finding out, is an entertaining movie that is both screwball comedy (with some implausibilities) and earnest human drama. Andrei Filipov (Alexei Guskov) used to be the conductor of the Bolshoi Orchestra in Russia, but was fired by Communist pressures after he refused their order to rid the Bolshoi of all its Jewish players, among them his pal Sacha Grossman (Dmitri Nazarov). Now, decades later at the age of 50, Andrei still works at the Bolshoi, but as a custodian, spending his nights immersed in booze and severe depression. When he intercepts a fax inviting the Bolshoi to take on a last-minute Paris engagement in two weeks, Andrei reassembles his old orchestra and passes them off as the real thing. He also manages to entice a world-renowned violinist Anne-Marie Jacquet (Melanie Laurent) to join them as a guest soloist. Andrei has ulterior motives for wanting her to join the orchestra as the climax reveals.

The comedy stems from the various musicians suddenly set loose from their grim Russian existence on the magical streets of Paris. They are people who have been repressed all of their lives and unsure how to react to this freedom. In particular, Guskov, as Andrei, captures the sense of how meaningful it is for him to have his dream within his grasp. And Laurent is genuinely impressive as a virtuoso violinist. She reportedly studied for three months on the violin to ensure that the film’s final concert scene be authentic. But at the heart of “The Concert,” directed by Radu Mihaileanu, is the importance of art, its ability to fill the soul and transform life, which comes in the form of Tchaikovsky’s ‘Concerto for Violin and Orchestra.’ This is definitely a feel-good film and definitely worth your time. 8/1/10

Get Low - 4 smiles

“Get Low,” starring Robert Duvall, Bill Murray and Lucas Black, is a wonderfully told tale about love, loss, and redemption with some comedy thrown in for good measure. Duvall is Felix Bush, a 1930s Tennessee hermit, a curmudgeon with a past, a recluse who terrifies his neighbors. Rumors fly about who he is and what he’s done. News of an acquaintance’s death gets Felix to thinking about his own mortality. However, he decides he wants a party at his funeral and he wants to attend before he’s dead. He hires Frank Quinn (Murray), a transplanted Chicagoan who runs the funeral parlor and his assistant Buddy (Black) to plan this event. The prospect of death brings Felix back into the mainstream of life and he renews contact with Mattie (Sissy Spacek), an old flame. His other meaningful association is with a preacher (Bill Cobbs) who lives in Illinois and who refuses Felix’s initial request that he speak at the unorthodox funeral service. As “Get Low” slowly moves toward its conclusion, it’s clear that we’re going to learn about Felix’s long-buried tragedy and he’s going to get the redemption he craves.

Based on a true story, “Get Low” boasts a top-notch cast and they don’t disappoint. Sissy Spacek enlivens her quiet role with just enough spark to make Mattie interesting and Lucas Black imbues Buddy with honesty and genuine goodness. Bill Murray’s dry humor is hilarious. ‘What do you do when people won’t die?’ Frank moans about no business. Murray’s funeral parlor owner, who is a bit shady and a lot greedy, adds many appreciated moments of levity. But the biggest pleasure is watching 79-year-old Duvall play crusty and cranky to perfection. Felix’s confession before the crowd, a superior piece of acting, is one of Duvall’s best. Duvall has a juicy role and he knows it, one that will certainly be remembered come awards time. Murray, too, will most likely be recognized at Oscar nomination time. “Get Low” is a pleasure to watch. 7/30/10