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