Extremely Loud &n Incredibly Close - 4 smiles

Although “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” is heart-wrenchingly difficult to watch, it’s also very good, dealing with life’s most important issues and building layers of sadness and joy. Based on the novel by Jonathan Safran Foer, director Stephen Daldry has fashioned an emotionally powerful story about the effects of 9/11 on a boy who loses his father, clearly illustrating his pain and confusion. And although 9/11 is a critical element of the film, the storyline takes place a year beyond that fateful day. Critics will dismiss this movie as a manipulative tear-jerker aiming for Oscar recognition. But that does a disservice to this compelling production. And while Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock are the biggest names in the cast, they fill secondary roles. In fact, Hanks’ character is dead by the time the movie starts and we see him only through flashback. Max von Sydow, in a role that deserves recognition, has more screen time than either of them. The film belongs to young Thomas Horn, a former Jeopardy champion who is making his film debut. His Oskar Schell must carry every scene and he is equal to the enormous task set for him.

Oskar is not a normal nine year-old. He’s articulate and intelligent beyond his years, but does not relate well to people, has trouble controlling his emotions and is frightened by just about everything. His father, Thomas Schell (Hanks), believed Oskar to be afflicted with Asperger’s, but tests were inconclusive. We see New York City, circa 2001-2002, through Oskar’s eyes. When 9/11 occurs and Oskar’s father, who is on the 105^th floor of the north Tower, does not come home from a meeting, he does leave six answering machine messages. One year later, while rummaging in Thomas’ closet, Oskar discovers a key hidden in a vase. He believes that by embarking on a quest to discover the lock that matches the key, he will learn something important and keep a part of his father with him. He travels take him to all five Burroughs of New York City. He is accompanied by his grandmother’s lodger (von Sydow), an old man who has lost the ability to speak. In spite of the impossibility of his task, Oskar tackles it with relish, using lessons taught by his father to carry him though the difficult aspects.

For Oskar, the destination of his task is not as important as the journey. In undertaking it, he learns things about himself, his father, and his fellow citizens. He is met with kindness, pity, rudeness and indifference. And he sees his mother and the lodger with different eyes. And, most important, he learns to confront his own fears and overcome them in ways that would make his father proud. When a director decides to manipulate the emotion of his audience, that would seem to be a valid stylistic choice. However, when the viewer notices he is being manipulated, the director has gone too far. With “Extremely loud & Incredibly Close,” Daldry manages to touch the heart without being obvious and he has created an exceptional film. 12/25/11

The Adventures of Tintin 3D - 3 smiles

“The Adventures of Tintin” is a motion capture version of a popular French comic book. Had it been a live motion picture, it might rival Raiders of the Lost Ark for fun, adventure and excitement. As it is, it’s an entertaining movie, full of nonstop action involving exotic locations, grandiose villains, planes, trains, automobiles, motorcycles and ships. It’s also the first time Spielberg has made a 3D feature and the results are mixed. It’s a competent use of the format, but there’s nothing special that demonstrates why “The Adventures of Tintin” is deserving of the process. In fact, I’m sure the 2D version is just as good. A young journalist named Tintin (Jamie Bell), accompanied by his gifted dog Snowy, and a rarely sober Captain Haddock (Andy Serkis), seek the location of the lost treasure of one of Haddock’s seafaring ancestors. Tintin and Haddock, however, are not the only ones on this quest. The mysterious Sakharine (Daniel Craig) is also in the hunt and he’s willing to kill to achieve his goal. With one clue in Tintin’s possession and another in Sakharine’s the race is on to find the third piece, which is owned by a powerful Middle Eastern sheik.

One of the benefits of animation is what it allows Spielberg to do with Snowy. The little dog is smart, if not smarter than the humans that surround him and some of the funnier moments involve Snowy’s abilities in action sequences, like surviving a flood or riding with Tintin on a motorcycle. The action, which is fast and furious, is exciting and flashy, but generates little suspense. The voices were all well cast. And since the animated characters resemble their comic book counterparts, we’re not distracted by seeing an animated version of ‘James Bond.’ “The Adventures of Tintin” is a spirited adventure that’s smarter than your average animated family fare. 12/23/11

We Bought a Zoo - 2 1/2 smiles

I wanted to like “We Bought a Zoo.” It has animals in it and how can you not like a movie with animals? But I really, really wanted to like this movie. The main problem is the uneven tone with its manipulation of emotions and its strength is Matt Damon. Directed by Cameron Crowe, this movie is about overcoming grief and second chances. It’s a melodrama with bits and pieces of comedy, love story, coming of age narrative and father-son relationship drama. Matt Damon rises above the contrived material and humanizes Benjamin Mee, the widowed father of two who decides his family needs a fresh start and uses all of his savings to buy and fix a house with a ramshackle zoo.

Maggie Elizabeth Jones, the 7-year-old redhead who plays Benjamin’s daughter, Rosie, manages to be cute without being overly sugary. And Thomas Haden Church who plays Duncan, Benjamin’s accountant brother, has some of the best lines. Although there is some chemistry between Scarlett Johansson as the zookeeper Kelly, she seems miscast. The film is based on a true story of a Brit who bought a dilapidated zoo and the supporting cast of eccentric characters seem better suited to a British comedy than a mainstream American movie even though they are a likable lot. The least funny part involves a self-important inspector (John Michael Higgins), in charge of deciding whether the zoo will open to the public. His role is, at best, a caricature in the middle of real people with real issues. As a director, Crowe pushes every scene to the emotional max with close-ups in dappled sunlight and glowy background music. So when you feel the emotional pull, you’re also aware of everything Crowe did to get you there. Nonetheless, “We Bought a Zoo” is a sweet if predictable movie, just about right for the good will floating around the holidays. 12/24/11

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows - 3 smiles

To like Guy Ritchie’s version of Sherlock Holmes is to like Robert Downey, Jr. and not be hung up on Basil Rathbone’s portrayal of that famous detective. To like “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows,” the sequel to Ritchie’s 2009 Sherlock Holmes is to like a younger Holmes who can immerse himself in action as well as provide satisfactory mental acrobatics. And this time around, Ritchie introduces Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris) as Holmes’ equal-but-opposite, a brilliant mathematician whose just as smart as our detective. Holmes begins interfering with Moriarty’s schemes when he realizes that Moriarty is using anarchists and an ex-military sharpshooter to carry out assassinations. He’s also using Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams) as a messenger. Meanwhile Dr. John Watson (Jude Law), Holmes’ assistant and friend, is about to marry Mary (Kelly Reilly). To celebrate the impending nuptials, Holmes arranges a ‘stag night’ for Watson that involves the company of Holmes’ older brother, Mycroft (Stephen Fry) and a lot of drinking. While Watson is playing cards, Holmes visits a gypsy, Simza (Noomi Rapace) who may know something about Moriarty’s plans.

“A Game of Shadows” contains a number of action sequences, including a chase-and-escape from Watson’s bachelor party, fireworks on a train, a painful encounter with a meat hook and a race through a forest dodging artillery fire. Ritchie’s style is evident, especially the use of slow motion and numerous quick cuts. The most inventive sequence occurs when Holmes and Moriarty face each other at the end. Since each has the ability to plot out the steps of the battle in his mind, their moves and countermoves are shown before any physical fighting begins. Robert Downey Jr. is comfortable playing the venerable detective and Jared Harris conveys a quiet menace at Moriarty. Unfortunately, Noomi Rapace, so good in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, is wasted here. So put aside your memories of the 1940s Sherlock Holmes movies and enjoy this movie for the popcorn entertainment that it is. 12/17/11

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol - 3 smiles

“Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol” is relentless in amping up the adrenalin with its eye-popping stunts, explosions, high-speed chases and a whole lot of suspension of disbelief. It’s wall-to-wall action with a little story thrown and at 133 minutes, it can be argued that there’s too much of it. The last half hour, when the scene moves to Mumbai seems a little anticlimactic when compared to the spectacular segments in Moscow and Dubai. Director Brad Bird, better known for his Oscar-winning The Incredibles and Ratatouille), proves he can handle the action genre, too. The film’s best sequence is the vertigo-inducing climb up Burj Khalifa in Dubai, best seen on the IMAX screen. And star Tom Cruise handles everything thrown at him with consummate skill and cool self-confidence. He is the reason to see this movie. Well, Tom Cruise and all of the dazzling stunts

Ethan Hunt (Cruise) opens the film in a Russian prison. Techie Benji (Simon Pegg) and an agent named Jane (Paula Patton) engineer a breakout. Later, Hunt is told he needs to break into the Kremlin and steal some nuclear missile codes. When the mission goes bad and the Kremlin blows up, Ethan is blamed and the team is disavowed. As it turns out, a crazed nuclear scientist (Michael Nyqvist from the Swedish The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) has decided the world would be a better place after a nuclear holocaust so he’s planning to start World War III. And Ethan and the team have to stop him, but without outside support (remember, they were disavowed). This leads to some globe-trotting and risk-taking with newcomer Brandt (Jeremy Renner) joining the team. But you’re not supposed to notice that the team manages to get all kinds of sophisticated equipment and suites in expensive hotels without any outside support nor do they have to pay for the many expensive cars they destroy. “Ghost Protocol” is a top-notch popcorn movie and a great companion for a free afternoon. 12/18/11

Shame - 1 smile

“Shame,” starring Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan, is full of self-destructive behavior, from Brandon (Fassbender), a sex addict and his sister Sissy (Mulligan), a suicide-prone nymphomaniac. The movie is about a pair of emotional train wrecks on a collision course, leaving nothing to the imagination nor providing anything valid a normal viewer might learn along the way. “Shame” builds a depressing picture of existence, but it fails to explain why these people are they way they are. Sex becomes a substitute for plot, character development and emotional content. What does Brandon learn? What do we learn? “Shameless” seems pointless and a waste of time. Rated NC-17. 12/4/11

Young Adult -3 smiles

Insensitive, egocentric, self-deluding. These are words that describe Charlize Theron’s character, Mavis Gray, in “Young Adult,” a movie that focuses on discomfort and provides no concluding catharsis. A dark comedy that confirms Diablo Cody as a screenwriter of merit and validates Jason Reitman’s ability as a director, “Young Adult” posits that people don’t change. Mavis’s life peaked when she was in high school and it’s been floundering ever since. The ex-prom queen lives alone in a Minneapolis apartment, where she spends time feeling sorry for herself, drinking two-liter bottles of Diet Coke and sleeping in front of the television. Deciding to recapture the happiest period of her life, Mavis resolves to reconnect with her high school boyfriend, Buddy (Patrick Wilson), not caring that he’s happily married with a new baby.

Cody’s script has sympathy for Mavis, but she’s not an appealing character. Rather she’s so unhappy that she compensates by manipulating everyone she encounters, single-mindedly pursuing her goals with total disregard for the feelings and desires of others. Mavis is a challenging role and in Theron’s capable hands, Mavis comes to life with her immature actions and deluded behavior. The script also provides two perspectives that Reitman handles well. First, there’s Mavis and her self-absorbed behavior. That’s balanced with Matt (an excellent Patton Oswalt), whose feelings more closely resemble ours. Matt sees everything that’s absurd about Mavis – he understands that Buddy is happy with his family and has no interest in Mavis. He also understands that Mavis is miserable. Matt is probably a better match for Mavis because he understands and accepts her for what she is, but that would be another movie. If there’s a weakness, it’s that the conclusion lacks an emotional punch. Mavis doesn’t have an epiphany. We go on a difficult journey with her and she never gains a sense of what’s really important in life. So if you’re looking for a feel-good holiday movie, “Young Adult” isn’t it. 11/30/11

My Week with Marilyn - 2 1/2 smiles

The title, “My Week With Marilyn,” should have been a clue that the movie wasn’t going to be anything more than a superficial look at Marilyn Monroe. The problem isn’t Michelle Williams’ portrayal of this iconic star, but the script by Adrian Hodges that adheres faithfully (maybe too much so) to Colin Clark’s memoir, which is full of clichés. Instead of a complex woman, the script offers a catalogue of Monroe stereotypes: exhibitionist, neurotic, free spirit, and, sadly, drug-addled woman. But we never get beyond these various Monroe faces. Michelle Williams and Kenneth Branagh as Laurence Olivier are effective as are the supporting cast, including Judi Dench, Julia Ormond, Toby Jones and Dominic Cooper. However, Eddie Redmayne’s Colin smiles a lot but exhibits little depth. Again I’d have to blame the script.

The week in question was 1956. That’s when Colin Clark, a young Oxford graduate from a distinguished family, worked as a lowly gofer on the set of The Prince and the Showgirl, an Edwardian comedy that starred Marilyn Monroe opposite Laurence Olivier, who was also the film’s producer and director. The pairing was unlikely and Olivier, a no-nonsense professional, couldn’t abide Monroe’s neediness, her bouts of paralysis or the protective people around her. But seriously, “My Week with Marilyn” is really just a reason for Michelle Williams to display her considerable talents, which she surely does. And that’s the only reason you will want to see this movie.

The Lady - 2 1/2 smiles

“The Lady” is essentially a love story, about Aung San Suu Kyi, (Michelle Yeoh), the Burmese freedom fighter and Nobel Peace prize winner who challenged her country’s oppressive military junta and the enduring love between Suu Kyi and her English husband, Michael Aris (David Thewlis), a professor of Tibetan and Himalayan Studies at Oxford. The movie covers the Burmese student protests of the late 1980s; the violent reprisals by the military; the intimidation tactics intended to suppress the blossoming democratic movement led by Suu Kyi; her 15 years of house arrest in her family home even after she was lawfully elected president; and the military leaders’ continuing refusal to acknowledge international pressure to transition to a people’s government. Suu Kyi made tremendous sacrifices for her political convictions at the cost of being separated from her family and unable to be with her husband even as he was dying of cancer.

The weaknesses of the movie, directed by actioner Luc Besson, is its overly long running time (2 hours, 25 minutes) and the fact that many of the events in Suu Kyi’s life seem to be elements on a checklist. The shocking injustices the Burmese people faced and continue to face today should strike emotional chords, but, for some reason, Rebecca Frayn’s script remains detached. More successful is the depiction of Michael’s unwavering devotion and tireless campaigning on his wife’s behalf. Yeoh radiates a quiet strength, emphasizing Suu Kyi’s nickname ‘the steel orchid.’ As Myanmar (Burma) appears in headlines today, “The Lady” gives you the background you need to know to be concerned about what’s happening in that tiny country. 11/2/11

Hugo 3D - 4 smiles

Martin Scorsese’s latest film, “Hugo,” is a richly illustrated history lesson in cinema history wrapped around the story of an orphaned boy and is an example of one of the best uses of 3D since Avatar. Based on Brian Selznick’s 2007 illustrated children’s novel, the story takes place inside Paris’ Montparnasse train station in 1931, where 12-year-old Hugo Cabret (Asa Butterfield), the orphaned son of a clockmaker (Jude Law), lives inside the station’s giant clock, which he also maintains since his alcoholic uncle abandoned him. An early scene takes us on a journey inside the clock, with its maze-like corridors, ladders and gears. This gives us an introduction to Scorsese’s spectacular use of 3D as the entire screen opens up to various moving parts. The station acts like an indoor village, with Hugo darting among the merchants and passengers, pilfering a croissant or bottle of milk. Hugo is also trying to repair an automaton his father was working on at the time of his death. To accomplish this, Hugo must steal gears and other parts from a shopkeeper who turns out to be the legendary director Georges Méliès (Ben Kingsley), fallen on hard times. In Méliès ‘ goddaughter, Isabelle (Chloë Grace Moretz), Hugo finds an ally. But he also has an enemy, the orphan-hating Station Inspector (Sacha Baron Cohen), who seeks to catch Hugo and send him to an orphanage

In “Hugo,” Scorsese plays homage on several occasions to one of the earliest films, the Lumiere Brothers’ Arrival of a Train at the Station. Scorsese also tells us a lot about Méliès, one of the pioneers of early film technique and special effects. We learn that between 1896 and 1914, Méliès directed more than 530 films but, in order to save himself from bankruptcy, he was forced to sell the film stock that was eventually melted down and turned into shoe heels. Only one print of one of his productions, a 1920’s A Trip to the Moon, exists and he views his life as a failure. By telling Méliès’ story, Scorsese has not only an opportunity to explore the inventiveness of early filmmaking, but also a way to incorporate a message about the importance of preserving films for posterity. “Hugo” is a smart movie with an emotional core and deserves to be seen in 3D. 11/27/11

The Muppets - 3 1/2 smiles

My daughter grew up first with Sesame Street and then with The Muppet Show. So it was with a lot of nostalgic anticipation that I looked forward to seeing “The Muppets” and I wasn’t disappointed. This movie delivers in the same manner that I remember, but adds something new. The movie opens with a slow build to bringing the Muppets on screen by first introducing Jason Segel’s character, Gary, his brother, Walter (who looks a lot like a Muppet) and his girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams). This technique helps us to realize just how much we’ve missed, Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo and the gang. And I hope that this movie marks a return for the Muppets. They’ve been missed.

Gary is taking Mary on a special trip to Los Angeles. Fearing that Walter will feel left out, he agrees to take him along, especially because Walter is a fan of the Muppets and this will allow him to see the Muppet Theater. But when they arrive, they find the facilities are a shell of their former grandeur and that a tycoon (Chris Cooper) intends to demolish the theater and drill for oil. The only way to save the place is to get the Muppets together for a fund-raising telethon. Kermit is the first Muppet that Gary, Walter and Mary approach and he’s cajoled into getting the gang back together. And as they round up everyone and start working on the show, the uniquely Muppet humor shines as celebrities continually pop up in cameos. And Kermit singing “Rainbow Connection” is certainly a high point. Kudos to Jason Segel and his writing partner Nicholas Stoller for writing the script and campaigning for the movie to be made. “The Muppet” movie works in so many ways. 11/24/11

A Dangerous Method - 3 smiles

“A Dangerous Method,” based on John Kerr’s 1994 book A Most Dangerous Method: The Story of Jung, Freud and Sabina Spielrein, examines the relationship between these three people and how far Freud and Jung pushed the boundaries of thinking in the early days of psychoanalysis. Set in 1904 Zurich, the opening scene introduces us to Sabina Spielrein (Keira Knightley), whose physical abuse and humiliation have left the young Russian woman with a severe case of hysteria. Her father has sent her to Karl Jung’s (Michael Fassbender) clinic, where she become’s Jung’s first effort at using Freud’s (Viggo Mortensen) ‘talking cure,’ a novel concept in the treatment of mental illness. Later, when the two men meet, Jung questions Freud’s insistence that all neuroses are rooted in sexual issues. Freud encourages the younger Jung via their first discussion, which lasted 18 hours and the subsequent constant flow of letters between them. Freud eventually learns that Jung is having an affair with Spielrein, who is training to become a therapist after Jung has successfully treated her. Freud, fearing that this ethical lapse could provide ammunition for the many enemies of psychiatry, urges Jung to break it off, which, of course, upsets Spielrein and she reacts violently. Eventually Jung and Freud split when Jung decides to explore Eastern philosophy and astrology as part of his practice.

Director David Cronenberg has assembled a first-rate cast. As Jung, who juggles Sabina with a beautiful and frequently pregnant wife (Sarah Gadon) in Switzerland, Fassbender gives another memorable performance. (He was also in Jane Eyre and X-Men: First Class.) Mortensen, as the cigar-smoking Freud, presents the father of modern psychiatry as a thoughtful, though often intransient, authority figure. Knightley, always effective in period movies, infuses the masochistic Spielrein with intelligence and independence. (Spielrein becomes a noted psychotherapist in her own right who was executed by Nazis during World War II.) The weakness in “A Dangerous Method” is its almost clinical approach with a lack of an emotional core. Nonetheless, it gives real insight into its subjects, especially Jung. 11/26/11

The Artist - 4 smiles

“The Artist” is a totally enjoyable movie-going experience. It’s a black and white movie (gasp!)…..a silent black and white movie (double gasp!). Written and directed by Michel Hazanavicius, it’s about old Hollywood transitioning from silent movies to talkies and Jean Dujardin is wonderful as George Valentin, the dashing star of countless silent-movie epics. George resists the efforts of studio chief Al Zimmer (John Goodman) to try talkies. Stuck in a loveless marriage, George nonetheless falls in love with Peppy Miller (Argentine Bérénice Bejo), a bit player who hits it big in the sound era while George’s career crumbles. Only Clifton (the always effective James Cromwell), his chauffeur and his dog Uggy (a scene-stealing Jack Russell terrier) stick by George through his fall. Luckily Peppy is around to rescue the man she loves.

“The Artist” makes us realize how powerfully performers once acted through movement and facial expressions. As Valentin, Dujardin shines. His elegant physicality, perhaps reminiscent of Douglas Fairbanks, speaks volumes and his volatile emotions animate his features. The jury at this year’s Cannes Film Festival gave Dujardin the Best Actor award. Bejo embodies the vitality of her character’s name and her radiant smile brightens all corners of the screen. And Uggy, who proves to be quite resourceful, is absolutely adorable. Hazanavicius is French, as are his stars, Dujardin and Bejo, but they shot the movie in Los Angeles and all of the dialogue is in English – that is, dialogue that is never heard but mouthed or shown in subtitles until the last scene. “The Artist,” a most delightful and engaging film, is certainly a must see. It’s another movie that will find itself on Oscar’s list for Best Picture and Best Director. 11/9/11

The Descendants - 4 smiles

“The Descendants,” directed by Alexander Payne and starring George Clooney, is a guaranteed multiple Oscar nominee. It has everything a top film should have: perceptive directing, beautiful acting, insightful script and real emotions. Plus it’s George Clooney’s best work, even better than last year’s Up In the Air. The movie opens with a voiceover in which Matt King (Clooney) attempts to explain that Hawaiians experience all of the trials and tribulations that everyone else faces even though they live in what many consider a paradise. Hawaii is just like any other place – there’s homelessness, disease and heartbreak. Matt’s wife, Elizabeth, is the victim of a boating accident, leaving her in a coma and he suddenly finds himself in charge of 10-year-old Scotty (Amara Miller) and 17-year-old Alexandra (Shailene Woodley). He considers himself the ‘backup parent,’ but it’s obvious that now he has to take a more active role, something he’s not ready for. As part of their Hawaiian legacy, Matt and his extended family of cousins own the largest remaining tract of pristine land on Kauai, which is being held in trust. And time is running out. So adding to Matt’s stress is the decision he must make about this land. His cousins want him to sell it, which would net everyone lots of money. If he doesn’t sell it and the trust ends, the land goes to the state

Despite the dark subject matter about a family who’s facing a loss, the script, written by Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, manages to be sad without being overly sentimental, funny without being insensitive and a thoroughly enjoyable film. And Clooney is pitch-perfect as a man who discovers the wife he loves has been having an affair, but because she’s in a coma, there’s no way for him to confront her. Clooney’s Matt must process his anger, grief, love and loss simultaneously all while providing support for his daughters. And the supporting cast is full of exceptional performances, especially Woodley, as the troubled but intelligent Alex. Her rapport with Clooney is one of the reasons this film works. Also effective is Nick Krause, as Sid, Alex’s friend. He’s clueless and caring, genuine and sincere and he knows what Alex is going through. Payne, using Hawaiian landscapes, people and most of all music to great effect, has created a multilayered story with perfect doses of comedy and tragedy. 10/26/11

Take Shelter - 2 smiles

Although Michael Shannon does an amazing job in “Take Shelter,” the script, written by director Jeff Nichols, doesn’t play fair with the audience. For 95 percent of the running time, Nichols builds a strong case that Curtis (Shannon) is developing mental problems. And, then, at the conclusion, you’re left with the possibility that, well, maybe he’s not crazy after all…or is he? In addition, the story develops at a snail’s pace and, at two hours, seems overly long.

Curtis is a skilled construction worker with a wife (Jessica Chastain), a daughter and a dog. He is a seemingly happy man, but there’s one big problem. Curtis is having menacing dreams in which an impending storm threatens to destroy his family. The dreams vary in content, but they’re ominous enough that Curtis begins to confuse them for reality and he’s frantic to keep his family safe. At the same time, Curtis suspects that he’s sick and is determined to seek treatment. Nonetheless, he can’t shake the conviction that his fears have meaning. Shannon is wonderful as a man whose mind and life seem to unravel before our eyes. You feel sorry for him even as you’re also afraid of him. On one hand, it’s possible to see this story as an allegory for a looming disaster – economic or environmental – with its accompanying anxiety. If so, then perhaps the script makes a little more sense. On the other hand, given the parameters of the story, the ambiguity of the ending is bothersome. 11/17/11

Oranges and Sunshine - 2 smiles

A true story this horrific deserves a better script. “Oranges and Sunshine,” starring Emily Watson and Hugo Weaving, is a sluggish film that tells the true story of approximately 130,000 British children, wards of the state in the 40s and 50s, who were told their parents had died and that ‘oranges and sunshine’ awaited them in Australia. Unfortunately, when they arrived, they found themselves in orphanages where they suffered sexual abuse and were forced into years of hard labor. Decades later, in 1986, social worker Margaret Humphreys (Watson) uncovered and exposed this dirty little secret. And, finally, in 2010, the British Prime Minister apologized to the thousands of children who had been treated so cruelly.

Director Jim Loach has his heart in the right place, but he seems overly concerned with handling the material as it happened, which is not a compelling way to tell the story. Once Margaret discovers that children were sent to Australia by the British government and she discovers this early on, there’s little drama in the narrative. And it’s hard to create tension when the villain is a faceless bureaucracy. “Oranges and Sunshine” is a well-intentioned but uninspired effort. 11/19/11

Like Crazy - 1 1/2 smiles

“Like Crazy” is, like, annoying. This movie, starring Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones, is supposed to be about a monumental love and you’re supposed to want them to overcome all obstacles and be together. However, these two are so irritating that you’d much rather see them apart. And the separate lives Yelchin’s Jacob and Jones’ Anna are living, in different cities on different continents, makes more sense. But writer/director Drake Doremus keeps finding ways to shove them back together so much of “Like Crazy” feels artificial.

Jacob and Anna both attend a Los Angeles college and they fall in love. Because Anna, a Brit, is attending on a visa, she is supposed to return to London when it runs out. But that seems unreasonable for them – they’re young and in love and the rules shouldn’t apply. So she violates the terms of her visa. When she does return to England, she is not allowed to re-enter the US. What follows are text messages, terse phone messages and missed connections. Their exchanges are frequently sulky and ill-tempered for no good reason. It would have been more poignant if the reason for their estrangement wasn't so avoidable. All Anna had to do was go to London for the summer and return a few months later. It's obvious that the love Anna and Jacob experience is young love, full of impetuous actions that can’t be sustained without proximity. The foundation for their love is not strong enough to weather the challenges that ensue. “Like Crazy” is ultimately exasperating and tiresome. 11/20/11

The Immortals - 1 1/2 smiles

Director Tarsem Singh creates stunning visuals for “The Immortals,” his loosely-based-on-Greek-mythology spectacle that pays more attention to decapitations, castrations, eviscerations and muscular beefcake than to his narrative. That Theseus slew the Minotaur is the only accurate reference to Greek mythology in this film and that’s debatable when you consider the Minotaur looks like a man wearing a cage-like bull mask. The story involves an attempt by King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke) to destroy the gods and the battle to stop him led by a peasant named Theseus (Henry Cavill). Much depends on the possession of the Epirus Bow, which will free the Titans, ancient enemies of the gods and capable of killing them. Zeus (Luke Evans) forbids the other gods from interfering in the affairs of men although he coaches Theseus disguised as an elderly man (John Hurt).

Singh’s use of mythology allows him to create a series of eye-catching tableaux, much like an elaborate painting, especially a Greek village carved from the sides of precipitous cliffs. While the numerous battle scenes are often interminable and bloody (and not totally comprehensible), Mickey Rourke, chewing up scenery as he goes, is a formidable villain. And Cavill’s sleekly oiled muscular physique proves that he has the right look to play the next Superman, but I hope his acting improves. It’s too bad that “The Immortals” has a great look but muddled story. 11/11/11

J. Edgar - 2 smiles

With his latest, “J. Edgar,” director Clint Eastwood attempts to capture one of 20^th century America’s most enigmatic figures. Unfortunately, he doesn’t succeed. The film is built around Hoover dictating his version of his life story to a young agent shortly before his death in 1972. However, Hoover is not trustworthy when it comes to the truth. The narrative jumps from the Red Scare ‘Palmer Raids’ of 1919 and 1920 and touching on the early days of the bureau, the Lindbergh kidnapping, the war on John Dillinger and Pretty Boy Floyd, the Kennedys and the civil rights movement, which Hoover saw as a communist conspiracy. Hoover’s life is molded largely by his smothering mother (Judi Dench) who sees her son as the family’s ticket to prominence. The only woman other than his mother to play a significant role in Hoover’s life is his loyal secretary Helen Gandy (a very good Naomi Watts), who worked with him from the first days of the bureau to the time of his death. The most important person in his life, though, is Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer), a smart, fashion-conscious, upwardly mobile law school graduate, who becomes Hoover’s life-long companion.

By movie’s end, Hoover is still shrouded in mystery. At most, the movie manages an overview of Hoover’s career while his motivations, sexual orientation and manipulative paranoid personality are made no clearer. Maybe it’s because the unfocused script hopscotches from time period to time period, without much narrative coherence. Maybe it’s because we never really get to know J. Edgar, a man who used the FBI as his personal secret police, compiling files on his ‘enemies’ that he used to intimidate (or blackmail) eight different presidents. Maybe it’s because Eastwood’s directorial style keeps us at a distance, preventing Hoover from becoming a figure we can understand. And maybe it’s because DiCaprio is miscast although he pours himself into the role. (Anyone want to consider how Phillip Seymour Hoffman would be as Hoover?) As a history lesson, this movie might have some value. But the huge amount of material becomes somewhat numbing, especially without any great revelations. It also doesn’t help that the actors spend much of the film laboring beneath mounds of aging makeup. It’s not that “J. Edgar” is such a bad movie. It’s just ineffectual. 11/10/11

The Revenge of the Electric Car - 3 smiles

Chris Paine’s 2006 documentary, Who Killed the Electric Car presented a scathing portrait of the US auto industry’s calculated decision to destroy the momentum of electronic vehicles, especially GM’s recall of its pioneering EV1 model. He’s now returned with a far more upbeat sequel that optimistically depicts how automakers are finally coming around to the concept. Of course, it helps that the bottom line aligns with the greater good. Paine focuses on a group of industry leaders, including Bob Lutz, a veteran GM executive who describes himself as ‘an environmentalist, within limits’ who makes the decision to champion the Volt; Elon Musk, a dot-com millionaire who invests his vast personal fortune on his Silicon start-up car company, Tesla Motors; and Carlos Ghosn, the CEO of Nissan who decides to risk his company’s fate on the affordable Leaf. Also included is the inventor and entrepreneur Greg ‘Gadget’ Abbott, who converts gas-run cars into electric vehicles in his own makeshift facility.

Although the filmmaker gives some historical context via clips from his previous movie, he’s more interested in providing character studies of men who make decisions based on pragmatism rather than strident propaganda usually associated with environmentalists. Paine enjoyed clear access to his subjects, resulting in a behind-the-scenes look at important men making important decisions. Narrated by Tim Robbins, the film includes cameos by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Adrian Grenier, Jon Favreau and Danny DeVito. And even the biggest fan of gas-guzzling autos will root for this group of risk-takers who are leading the long delayed transition from a reliance on oil to a new technology. 11/6/11

Puss in Boots - 1 1/2 smiles

The Shrek movies were huge successes so a spinoff was inevitable. Unfortunately, Puss is too much of a one-dimensional character to sustain a whole movie. Now, I like Antonio Bandaras and I like Antonio Bandaras as Puss, a Latin-lover so romantic and vain that he’s totally unaware that he’s a kitty cat. And while this bit plays well in Shrek, it wears thin after the first 15 minutes. The script, written by Tom Wheeler, Brian Lynch and Will Davies, gives Puss a convoluted back-story that involves growing up in an orphanage and becoming close friends with Humpty Dumpty (voiced by Zach Galifianakis) who later betrays him.

When the back-story threatens to take over, the narrative shifts to the present, throwing in Jack and Jill (Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris) as corpulent grown-up grouches, magic beans and a beanstalk, a girl kitty (Salma Hayek) dressed as Catwoman (??) and a whole lot more. Directed by Chris Miller, “Puss in Boots” is beautifully animated, but the jokes aren’t very funny. I’m not sure if it’s supposed to be an action flick, a children’s cartoon movie or and origin tale. If it’s the latter, Miller doesn’t even bother to explain how Puss got his boots. Oh, well. I say wait for cable. 10/21/11

Tower Heist - 2 1/2 smiles

“Tower Heist” is one of the biggest feel-good comedies of the year. Yes, it has a lot of plot holes and yes, there’s a lot of silliness. But you’re going to want to cheer for our heroes, the average working folks who hope to steal their own money back from a Madoff-type billionaire. Josh Kovacs (Stiller), the general manager of the Tower, a posh apartment complex, oversees a motley staff that includes his flakey brother-in-law Charlie (Casey Afflick); a Jamaican-born maid named Odessa (Gabourey Sidibe) and new-hire Enrique (Michael Pena). Josh is proud of the way they cater to every whim of their elite clientele, the richest of whom is the penthouse dweller Arthur Shaw (Alan Alda). Then the FBI arrests Shaw for fraud and the staff pensions Josh invested with him disappear. Josh’s solution: with the help of a small-time thief named Slide (Murphy), they’ll break into Shaw’s hidden safe and recover the money he has stolen. Of course, things don’t go as smoothly as planned.

The script seems patched together from any number of heist movies, including Ocean’s Eleven and the pacing is uneven. Nonetheless, there’s something enjoyable about a robbery plan where the thieves are motivated by outrage rather than by greed. And the movie benefits from some terrific performances, especially Eddie Murphy, who got laughs as Donkey in the Shrek series, but squandered his movie capital on one crummy film after another. He’s in top form here as a street criminal who lends his expertise to the caper. Matthew Broderick, as a down-on-his-luck executive who’s now squatting in his former Tower apartment, is perfect as a defeated milquetoast, and Pena steals every scene he’s in as the group’s dumb bunny. Alan Alda is good as the silver-tongued bad guy. With Occupy Wall Street still going on, “Tower Heist” is populist fluff…make that entertaining populist fluff. 11/4/11

In Time - 2 1/2 smiles

“In Time,” starring Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried, takes place in the distant future where time is literally money. Time can be bought, sold, traded and stolen. Rent might cost several days and three hours might buy a short bus ride. For the working class, it’s a constant struggle to keep the clock from hitting zero, which results in death. For the rich, with hundreds or thousands of hours in the bank, life moves slowly and is carefree. However, one man who has more than a century left to live, is tired and wants to die so he gives Will Salas (Timberlake) his time. Will leaves the ghetto and heads for the zone where the wealthy live. There, he’s invited to a party at the home of one of the wealthiest men, Philippe Weis (Vincent Kartheiser). When a Timekeeper (Cillian Murphy) accuses Will of murder and time theft, Will takes Weis’ daughter, Sylvia (Amanda Seyfried), hostage and goes on the run. She quickly becomes his accomplice and the two go on a crime spree, stealing time from banks owned by Philippe and giving it to the poor.

The biggest problem with “In Time” is that an interesting premise quickly devolves into a routine Bonnie & Clyde-meets-Robin-Hood action flick with car chases, heists, and gunplay. Timberlake and Seyfried make a cute couple, but they aren’t given much to do other than play the generic action hero and his equally generic love interest. Writer-director Andrew Niccol doesn’t take enough time to make their relationship credible. However, Seyfried looks gorgeous with her dark, red, blunt-cut bob and fashionable clothes. The downside of that, though, is that she has to run in heels – a lot. Which was a distraction for me because I kept asking, ‘How can she run in those heels?’ But if you can get past that and the many time puns (‘Have you got a minute?’ or ‘You’re taking forever’), you might enjoy this movie. 10/29/11

Who Wrote Shakespeare's Plays?

A host of brilliant minds, including Sigmund Freud, Charles Dickens, Mark Twain and Orson Welles, agree that William Shakespeare did not write the plays that many so admire. Of the documents related to Shakespeare, none are literary. They reveal a man who is mainly a businessman, one delinquent in paying his taxes, one cited for hoarding grain during a famine. And he is the only writer of his time for whom there is no contemporary evidence of letter writing and during Elizabethan England, anyone who was literate wrote letters. There is no record of Shakespeare owning any books and, according to John Orloff, who wrote the screenplay for “Anonymous,’ there were two colleges during Shakespeare’s time and his name is not listed as having attended. Shakespeare was a country boy so how did he learn the languages, receive the vast education (e.g., astronomy, geography, literature), gain his exposure to the lifestyle of the rich upper class and learn the intricacies of court intrigue to write such masterpieces as Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, Macbeth and Hamlet?

Mark Twain is said to have favored Sir Francis Bacon. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens is an Oxfordian, that is, he believes the works ascribed to William Shakespeare were actually written by the 17^th Earl of Oxford, Edward de Vere. ‘Where are the books? You can’t be a scholar of that depth and not have any books in your home,’ Justice Stevens says. ‘He never had any correspondence with this contemporaries, he never was shown to be present at any major event – the coronation of James or any of that stuff. I think the evidence that he was not the author is beyond a reasonable doubt.’

The epitaph on Shakespeare’s gravestone reads:

Good friend, for Jesus’ sake, forebear

To dig the dust enclosed here.

Blessed be the man who spares these stones,

And cursed be he, who moves my bones.

Those who doubt that Shakespeare is a great writer point to this rough doggerel and wonder how can it be from a man who wrote:

And all our yesterdays have lighted fools

The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle.

Life’s but a walking shadow…. (Macbeth)

Nonetheless, supporters of Shakespeare argue that his authorship was not questioned during his lifetime or for centuries after his death and no supporting evidence exists for any other candidate.

What do you think?

Anonymous - 3 smiles

As an English teacher, I’m all for anything that will pique students’ interest in great literature. And, it seems, “Anonymous” has hit a sore spot with Shakespeare’s supporters because it proposes that Edward de Vere, the Earl of Oxford, is the true author of the poems, sonnets and plays attributed to William Shakespeare. And he might well be the author, but, then again, maybe not. There is a free study guide (http://www.ymiclassroom.com/pdf/AnonymousCollege.pdf) distributed by Young Minds Inspired, whose curriculum specialists have helped students explore history through films like Schindler’s List and Ken Burns’ documentary about Lewis and Clark. It’s editor is Dr. Dominic Kensley, who once taught Shakespeare at Yale and it is designed to help students weight the evidence on both sides of the Shakespeare debate to ‘gain a fresh perspective on Shakespeare and his times.’ For the average movie-goer, however, “Anonymous,” a period piece directed by disaster-movie maestro Roland Emmerich (Independence Day, 2012), may not convince anyone, but with it’s political backstabbing, romantic tragedy, class warfare and all manner of taboos mixed in, it’s certainly entertaining.

The Earl of Oxford, Edward de Vere (an effective Rhys Ifans) is a nobleman with a passion for the written word, a pastime far below his station. Unable to publish, but wanting to hear his words on stage, he gives his plays to a reluctant Ben Jonson (Sebastian Armesto), but an opportunistic actor named Shakespeare (Rafe Spall) takes credit for them. Meanwhile, as Elizabeth (Vanessa Redgrave) approaches the end of her reign, various candidates for the next monarch appear. James VI of Scotland is favored by Elizabeth’s closest adviser, William Cecil (David Thewlis) and his son, Robert (Edward Hogg). The other main contender is one of Elizabeth’s illegitimate sons, the Earl of Essex (Sam Reid), favored by de Vere. The production design is superb, with Emmerich and his crew effectively transforming a soundstage into Elizabethan England. You have real people in a digital environment, which explains why such a sumptuous looking movie only cost $30 million to produce. Historians and academics may quibble about the accuracy of “Anonymous,” but the rest of us can enjoy the performances and the spectacular look of the movie. 10/28/11

Mighty Macs - 2 1/2 smiles

“Mighty Macs” is a based-on-a-true-story underdog sports drama and every once in a while, it’s good to see a movie that’s uplifting – even if it is predictable. Carla Gugino plays Cathy Rush, a first-time coach who takes over a small college women’s basketball team and, with relentless practices that sometimes border on abusive, shows its players how to win. Mother St. John (Ellen Burstyn), the head of Pennsylvania’s Immaculata College, is more worried about keeping the institution open than about properly outfitting and equipping a basketball team. The young nun who becomes Cathy’s assistant, Sister Sunday (Marley Shelton), has her faith restored as they work with the squad, nicknamed the ‘Mighty Macs.’ The team is the usual mix of odd personalities, but writer-director Tim Chambers shortchanges them by resorting to clichés instead of developing their characters. And David Boreanaz (star of the Fox show Bones) plays Cathy’s husband, but his character is so thinly drawn that you wonder why he’s there at all. Nonetheless, you’ll love seeing nuns shouting basketball strategy from courtside and cheering the girls on to victory. And the updates on the team’s players that flash by at the end emphasizes why this is a sports story that deserves to be told.

Note: Cathy Rush was head women’s basketball coach at Immaculata from 1972-1977. She led the Mighty Macs to three consecutive national titles from 1972-1974. They appeared in six consecutive final four appearances in her six seasons with the school, with a 149-15 record. Rush was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame on April 7, 2008.