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