Queen to Play - 3 1/2 smiles

“Queen to Play” is a light-hearted fairy tale in which chess is the subject and metaphor for the central character, Hélène, played by Sandrine Bonnaire. Director Caroline Bottaro compares the strategies of chess to the erotic maneuvers in a flirtation. At the same time, a woman’s winning the game symbolizes female empowerment in a man’s world. Hélène (Bonnaire) is an attractive maid at a luxury hotel in Corsica. While going about her chores, she observes a game being played by a sexy American couple (Jennifer Beals and Dominic Gould). When stealthy moves and playful glances result in the woman winning, Hélène is intrigued. Hoping to reignite a spark in her marriage, Hélène buys her husband, a dockworker named Ange (Francis Renaud), an electronic chess set for his birthday. Ange is confused by the gift and ultimately uninterested so Hélène begins teaching herself and quickly becomes obsessed. Eager to learn more, she convinces Dr. Kröger (Kevin Kline, in his first entirely French-speaking role), a widowed American professor for whom she works as a part-time housecleaner, to tutor her in chess. When, after a few lessons, she is regularly beating him, he urges her to enter a local tournament. In addition, Hélène’s relationships with her husband and rebellious teenage daughter, Lisa (Alexandra Gentil), undergo surprising transformations. Ange, initially threatened by Hélène’s passion, realizes she has a gift and gradually begins to admire her skill and tenacity. Lisa, who was one ashamed of her parents for being poor, becomes her mother’s champion.

Though Kline is quite effective, “Queen to Play” succeeds because of Bonnaire. Her Hélène subtly evolves from harried domestic, content to be competent and organized, to a woman who discovers her power and her passion. Bonnaire runs through a wide range of emotions and we feel what she’s feeling. But you have to give some credit for Bonnaire’s amazing performance to the empathetic direction of Bottaro. Catch “Queen to Play” before it disappears from local theaters. It deserves to been seen. Subtitles. 4/14/11

African Cats - 2 smiles

The one thing that “African Cats” has in common with the first two documentary features from Disney’s Disneynature label, 2009’s “Earth” and last year’s “Oceans,” is a stunning combination of vast images and dazzling photography. Where “African Cats” deviates is the heavy-handed narration by Samuel L. Jackson. The animals’ dramatic interactions and their consequences should speak for themselves, but Jackson’s narration constantly interrupts and attempts to build excitement and elicit emotional responses. At one point, Fang, ruler of the lion pride, roars and snarls and gets a threatening crocodile to back down. Jackson intones, ‘Today, the pride’s protector has earned his keep.’ Overly melodramatic? I felt truly manipulated by the time the movie ended.

Shot over more than two years in the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya by directors Keith Scholey and Alastair Fothergill, “African Cats” follows two families living on either side of a river. One is a pride of lions ruled by the fearsome Fang with a focus on a mother lioness, Leyla and her older cub. The other family is a cheetah mother and her five newborn cubs. Unlike lions, cheetahs live solitary lives so Sita must leave her still blind babies behind in order to hunt. Scholey and Fothergill ably convey the intimate story of felines hunting, feeding, traveling from one place to another and the vital bond shared between these mothers and children. For these African cats, the struggle to survive is ongoing and the realities of life are harsh. Although there’s certainly enough of the cute factor with the cubs, there’s also the fact that these cats are predators. After all, they have to eat, too. With its G rating, “African Cats” is definitely family fare, but some scenes might be too intense for the little ones. 4/23/11

Water for Elephants - 1 1/2 smiles

Although “Water for Elephants” is moderately enjoyable, the biggest problem is the casting of Robert Pattinson in the lead. While he might be effective in the teen Twilight series, he’s too shallow of an actor to carry this movie. All he does is brood and react instead of exhibiting a dramatic spark that makes us want to watch him on the big screen. And there’s absolutely no chemistry between him and Reese Witherspoon, which makes their illicit love not dangerous, but, well, boring. Pattinson has more chemistry with Rosie, the elephant. Only Christoph Waltz manages to chew up the scenery as his character, August, gets to rant and rave and explode. August is a manipulative sadistic control freak with a temper and Waltz has fun with it in an over-the-top kind of way.

It’s the middle of the Depression and Jacob (Pattinson) is soon to receive his veterinary degree from Cornell when his parents are killed, leaving him destitute. Jacob forges an unlikely new life working with the animals for the Benzini Brothers’ Circus, owned by the iron-fisted August (Waltz), who is also jealously protective of his young wife, Marlena (Witherspoon), the star of the show. August has a unique way of laying off his workers when the gate is especially low – he has his henchmen throw them from the moving train so he doesn’t have to pay them. When circumstances bring an elephant named Rosie to the circus, August finally has the one sure-fire act that will draw crowds. But Rose won’t perform so August beats her with a bull hook. Then one night, Jacob discovers that Rosie, who likes booze, responds only to commands in Polish. The circus’ fortunes improve, but August beings to suspect that there’s something between Marlena and Jacob. Directed by Francis Lawrence, “Water for Elephants” has an impressive look and Rosie the elephant is quite a performer. Too bad she’s not enough to save this movie. 4/22/11

The Conspirator - 3 1/2 smiles

The American Film Co., which seeks to make movies drawn from American history, hits the jackpot with its first film. Directed by Robert Redford, “The Conspirator” is a real who knew? kind of story. However, because a large part of the story, focusing on the conspiracy to assassinate Abraham Lincoln, takes place in a courtroom, there’s lots of talk and not much action. Redford does a good job in developing the narrative and making one of history’s least sympathetic women into something of a heroine. But the emotional core of the film rests on a character played with considerable emotional energy by James McAvoy, Union veteran and war hero Frederick Aiken, who as a new lawyer defended Mary Surratt, one of four individuals charged in the conspiracy after John Wilkes Booth was shot trying to escape arrest. Interestingly, screenwriter James Solomon uses court transcripts and other research to expose another kind of conspiracy: Secretary of War Edwin Stanton (a steely Kevin Kline), who practically runs the government in the weeks following Lincoln’s assassination, wants a quick trial and execution of the four conspirators to get the whole affair over with, all in the name of the nation’s good. The problem is that the fourth conspirator, John Surratt (Johnny Simmons), who escapes the massive manhunt, is missing. So instead, his mother, Mary (Robin Wright), is put on trial. And rather than put the decision in the hands of a judge and civilian jury, Stanton sets up a military tribunal with generals handpicked to ensure the desired guilty verdict.

Ultimately, “The Conspirator” concerns itself less with the historical conflict and more with our hero’s conscience and sense of justice. Although Aiken has contempt for the rebels and conspirators, he wonders if Mary Surratt, whose guilt rests on the flimsy fact that the conspirators met at her Washington boardinghouse, truly guilty. Around him, Aiken sees political expediency coming to the fore and he gradually comes to see that injustice to Mary is a foolhardy way to bind the nation’s wounds. McAvoy is skillful as a man, first, trapped in a distasteful job and, then, caught in his own conscience. Wright is excellent as the unyielding Mary, her face a mask of grim resolve. Production values are high with authentic costumes seemingly ripped from the pages of old newspapers and the 1865 District of Columbia brought to life with filming in Savannah, Georgia, where much of that era’s architecture survives. “The Conspirator” is a thought-provoking must-see if, for nothing else, to be able to say, now I know. 4/15/11

Soul Surfer - 2 1/2 smiles

The true story of Bethany Hamilton, the blonde teenage surfing champion from Hawaii who lost her left arm to a tiger shark (but continued to surf), sounds almost too obvious for a triumph-of-the-human-spirit bio-pic. “Soul Surfer,” while formulaic in design, is an authentic and heartfelt movie. Bethany maintained her sanity and spirit through her Christian faith and AnnaSophia Robb gives Bethany’s belief in God a concrete depth and understanding. When Bethany gets up on that surfboard again, refusing to wear a prosthetic limb, her determination is genuine and we see that she’s out to prove only to herself that she can surf again.

The story has little conflict as the characters believe that a loving God guides their fates and all will work out for the best. There’s one emotional scene that happens at the breakfast table, but that’s all. Perhaps a bit less optimism would make a more gripping drama. Still there’s plenty of visual excitement in the exceptional surfing scenes as the photography literally gets inside the curling waves on the North Shore of Oahu. Dennis Quaid and Helen Hunt effectively portray Bethany’s loving and supportive parents and AnnaSophia Robb is convincing as a surfer (thanks to effective stunt work and digital effects). However, singer Carrie Underwood is awkward and stiff as Bethany’s religious mentor. Although I enjoyed learning more about Bethany’s story, I think I would have enjoyed a documentary more. Nonetheless, “Soul Surfer” is heartwarming and inspirational. 4/4/11

The Princess of Montpensier - 2 smiles

With “The Princess of Montpensier,” you have a soap opera set during Medieval times full of sexual desire, rivalry and following one’s heart. French filmmaker Bertrand Tavernier tells the story of an unhappy princess in 16^th century France and where you should be deeply engaged, you’re disappointed with the bland results. His film plods along, never pulling you into its characters. Perhaps the problem lies with the young stars. In the title role, Melanie Thierry is appropriately beautiful as the heroine, but she doesn’t have the skill to make Marie’s journey from chattel to emancipated woman a compelling one. In fact, the most sympathetic character is the older count of Chabannes, played by Lambert Wilson, and it’s his skill that results in Chabannes being such a tragic figure.

Set against the backdrop of the war between Catholics and Protestants, this movie focuses on a young heiress, Marie de Mezieres (Thierry) and the different men who vie for her affection: the insecure prince whom she is forced to marry (Gregoire Leprince-Ringuet); the prince’s cousin, a handsome knight with questionable intentions (Gaspard Ulliel); a quick-witted duke (Raphael Personnaz); and the count of Chabannes (Wilson), a retired soldier who becomes Marie’s tutor. “The Princess of Montpensier” has beautiful production values, but with an excessive running time of 2 hours and 20 minutes, and the flat performance of Melanie Thierry, this is one film that I suggest you skip. Subtitles. 4/18/11

Rio (3D) - 2 smiles

“Rio” is brightly colored fluff that can’t compare to anything from Pixar. Even “How to Train Your Dragon” was better. The musical numbers are pretty much forgettable and the story is predictable. And don’t get me started on the needless 3D version. Obviously filmmakers want increased box office receipts because it’s certainly not to give children an exciting movie going experience. They don’t even like wearing the glasses. The birds, however, are cute.

Blu (voiced by Jesse Eisenberg), a blue macaw, was stolen when he was a baby and raised by a loving Linda (Leslie Mann) in Minnesota. Blu is so content with his life that he never learned to fly. But it just happens that Blu is the only surviving male blue macaw and an ornithologist from Brazil wants to bring him home to mate with the independent-minded surviving female, Jewel (Anne Hathaway). Shortly after meeting, Blu and Jewel are snatched by black market animal smugglers and are due to be shipped out of town just as carnival is about to begin in Rio. Of course, they escape, but they’ve been chained together and since Blu doesn’t fly, they have to walk to find someone who can set them free. There are also dim-witted henchmen, pick-pocketing monkeys and an evil cockatoo. Kids will probably enjoy this movie, but if you don’t have a kid to accompany you to “Rio,” I say wait for cable. 4/16/11

Arthur - 1 smile

The biggest problem with “Arthur,” a remake of the Dudley Moore 1981 movie is its star, Russell Brand. If you’re not a Brand fan (and I’m not) it’s going to be hard to like this movie because, essentially, Brand is the movie. Either you have sympathy for his character and root for him to win or you don’t. And with Brand playing the alcoholic Arthur, it’s hard to like him at all. His Arthur is a whining, mean-spirited, immature drunk and Brand goes from being unfunny to down right irritating. Even Helen Mirren, in the role created by Sir John Gielgud, can’t salvage this mess. Granted, the original Arthur wasn’t that great, but compared to this version, it was a masterpiece. Don’t waste your time or money. 4/11/11

Hanna - 2 1/2 smiles

In “Hanna,” a fairy tale cloaked in spy clothing, a mysterious young girl (Saoirse Ronan) is raised by her father, Erik (Eric Bana), a rogue CIA agent, in the Arctic wilderness. He’s taught her German, Italian, Spanish, Arabic and English and he’s trained her to gain the upper hand in a fight, any fight. Hanna has an encyclopedia’s worth of knowledge, but she has no practical knowledge of the outside world. If she wants to leave her isolated environment, Erik has made it clear that she must activate a transponder, which will put CIA agent Marissa Wiegler (Cate Blanchett) on her trail.

“Hanna” is a coming-of-age story as much as a thriller-chase movie and its young star, Saoirse Ronen, is its greatest asset. She effectively conveys Hanna’s unusual abilities and cunning as well as her vulnerability. Her Hanna is a well trained weapon first and an inquisitive teen second. She befriends Sophie (Jessica Barden), a girl her age and fights men twice her size (a whistling Tom Hollander). As the villain, Blanchett with her Southern accent is the big bad witch with a clean teeth fetish. (Don’t ask.) A weakness in the script is the detour Hanna takes when she meets Sophie and her family. Although this interlude further illustrates Marissa’s single-minded pursuit of Hanna, the pace drags. And the recurring fairy tale motif seems fresh at first, but by the time the final confrontation takes place in a Grimm-themed amusement park, with Marissa emerging from a gaping wolf’s mouth, it’s way too obvious. Directed by Joe Wright, “Hanna” has style, but the main reason to see this movie is its star. 4/8/11

Born to be Wild 3D - 3 smiles

“Born to be Wild 3D” runs a mere 40 minutes, but this captivating documentary spotlights the amazing efforts of two women: elephant authority Daphne M. Sheldrick and primatologist Biruté Mary Galdikas, who have dedicated their lives to the rescue and rehabilitation of orphaned, endangered animals. Presented in arresting IMAX 3D, the movie shifts between Sheldrick’s work in Kenya raising baby elephants and Galdikas’ efforts on behalf of orangutans in the Borneo rain forest. With the help of their devoted native associates, these women work tirelessly to prepare their animals for reentry into the wild, doing everything possible to duplicate the presence of the animals’ natural parents.

Director David Lickley compresses this long process into a kind of highlights reel, offering glimpses into Sheldrick and Galdikas’ inspiring work. You get to see little orangutans being hand-bathed and tangling with a clothesline and infant elephants sucking down giant bottles of milk formula and playing soccer. While Morgan Freeman’s narration explains the importance of their work, the main attraction is the animals’ cuteness. And because “Born to be Wild” has some spectacular 3D moments, be sure to see this film in 3D IMAX. Sheldrick and Galdikas’ stories are touching and inspiring and when it’s over, you’ll find yourself full of wonder and wanting more. 4/9/11

In a Better World - 3 1/2 smiles

“In A Better World,” which won the Best Foreign Film Oscar, explores the question, Is man predatory or civilized? and concludes that compassion and forgiveness works better in the long run than violence and revenge. These ideas play out in the relationship between two boys and with Anton, (Mikael Persbrandt), the father of one of the boys. This well-directed and sensitively acted film shifts between two locales. In a refugee camp in Africa, Anton (Persbrandt), a doctor and part of Doctors without Borders, does what he can in the face of brutal tribal violence and murder, splitting his time between relief work and trying to fix his broken marriage in Denmark, while still being a good father to his sons, including eldest Elias (Markus Rygaard). Claus (Ulrich Thomsen) is returning to Denmark after his wife’s death with his grief-stricken son Christian (William Jøhnk Nielsen). Claus tries to reach out to Christian, but doesn’t really know how. When Elias is bullied at school, Christian, newly transferred, becomes his protector.

Much of “In a Better World” is about kids trying to make sense of the morals and messages of the adult world and discovering that grown-ups have problems with morals and messages in the adult world, too. Director Susanne Bier uses the activities in a schoolyard to juxtapose the events that are played out on a larger scale in the world all the time and she’s very effective at capturing her characters’ emotions. Cinematographer Morten Søborg gives us the harsh plains of Africa, the quiet cottage at night, and the eerie stillness high atop a silo by the port where the children see the world and hide from it. Bier’s cast is excellent, especially the child actors. “In a Better World” is a thoughtful timeless work that you’re sure to enjoy. Subtitles. 4/7/11

Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules - 1 1/2 smiles

“Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules,” based on Jeff Kinney’s illustrated children’s books, comes to the screen only because the first Diary of a Wimpy Kid was a surprise hit. Unfortunately, this one, which is inane and hard to watch, should have gone straight to video. All of the main characters return for this forced, unfunny excuse directed by David Bowers. Zachary Gordon and Robert Capron, as the wimpy Greg and his best friend, are cute and a few scenes have energy, such as the slightly creepy sequence in which a half-dressed Greg is trapped in the women’s bathroom at a retirement home. But the central story about Greg’s love-hate relationship with his older brother Rodrick (Devon Bostick) is predictable, but it’s also exasperating watching the almost sadistic Rodrick continually pick on Greg. The usually entertaining Steve Zahn has nothing to do as the boys’ father, but Rachael Harris, as their mom, manages to steal the final scenes as she awkwardly dances to Rodrick’s band. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules” is a collection of episodic skits, some more successful than others. I didn’t laugh much, but ten year-old boys will probably like it. 3/31/11

Source Code - 3 smiles

Best not think too much about the plot of “Source Code,” starring Jake Gyllenhaal, or even what ‘source code’ means. Better to just suspend disbelief and go with it. Of course, you’ll have questions afterward that director Duncan Jones doesn’t answer and that’s why I couldn’t give this science fiction thriller a higher rating. But, all in all, for a movie that keeps reliving the same eight minutes, it’s never boring. This is Groundhog Day on adrenalin. On a commuter train heading into Chicago, Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal, in his best action role to date) wakes up and finds himself sitting across from a beautiful woman named Christina (Michelle Monaghan). Confusion reigns for Colter and when he staggers into the bathroom, the face he sees in the mirror isn’t his. Eight minutes after he wakes up on the train, it explodes and everyone on the train dies. Except for Colter who wakes up in some sort of space capsule with a woman talking to him. He eventually figures out that she is Colleen (Vera Farmiga), an Air Force officer, and she’s giving him orders. Specifically, she’s ordering him back on the train to the moment when he woke up and she’s ordering him to find the bomb on the train as well as who put it there. Colter blinks and he’s on the train again, sitting across from Christina, knowing that the train is going to explode again if he doesn’t come up with answers. He doesn’t. Colter wants other answers when he finds himself back in the capsule, but Colleen and her shadowy boss (Jeffrey Wright) keep telling him there’s no time for explanations. He’s got to get back on the train because the bomb on the train may just be the first in a series of bombs set to destroy Chicago.

As in Groundhog Day, the protagonist can change events within the prescribed time frame so that in each go-round he comes away with more clues about the mystery bomber. And each foray into the specified time frame also further insinuates Colter into the lives of Christina and Colleen. The obvious question is can Colter alter the past? Jake Gyllenhaal’s Colter, although confused for much of the movie, is a solid hero. This is a different kind of war, where getting blown up every eight minutes qualifies as fighting. Farmiga is always good so it’s no surprise to see her morph from cold reason to empathy and Monaghan has believable chemistry with Gyllenhaal. Director Jones does a good job of covering up the holes in Ben Ripley’s script except at the end. Best not to think too much about the conclusion either. 4/1/11

Desert Flower - 2 1/2 smiles

“Desert Flower” has a compelling story to tell, but, unfortunately, there are a lot of problems with this bio-pic. The film is based on the life of Waris Dirie, an international supermodel who began life as a member of a nomadic tribe in Somalia. As a child, she was circumcised, as is the custom in many African countries. Many girls die during or because of this barbaric mutilation, still widely practiced today although there’s no mention of it in the Koran. It is used to subjugate women and propagated by men who refuse to marry any woman who hasn’t been ‘cut.’ When Waris is sold as a fourth wife to an old man, she leaves, walking hundreds of miles across the desert to seek her grandmother in Mogadishu, who sends her to London to work as a maid for a relative. The film jumps between her experiences as a young girl, what happens in London, what forces her to live on the streets and how she is befriended by a ditzy want-to-be ballerina Marylin (Sally Hawkins). Marylin finds Waris a job mopping floors in a fast food restaurant where she is ‘discovered’ by a fashion photographer Terry Donaldson (Timothy Spall). Through him and a modeling agent named Lucinda (Juliet Stevenson), she rises to the top ranks of modeling. She eventually denounces genital mutilation before the United Nations and becomes its spokeswoman against the practice.

Director Sherry Horman does not shift smoothly from the various parts of the story she is trying tell so the movie lacks an overall cohesion characteristic of today’s movies. And the tone jumps all over the place, comedy here, drama there. Stevenson’s overacting seems to trivialize parts of the story and Horman lingers on several unnecessary modeling sessions. And scenes with a janitor (Craig Parkinson) Waris marries to stay in London borders on soap opera melodrama. There are some good things – everything about Waris before her success feels true. Sally Hawkins and Timothy Spall make their characters plausible and model Liya Kebede is convincing as Waris. Although “Desert Flower” is an uneven film, Waris’s story will keep you involved. 4/3/11

Hop - 2 1/2 smiles

Why does the Easter Bunny have a British accent? Why does a chick want to be the next Easter Bunny? And why does that chick have a Mexican accent? Guess we’ll never find out because “Hop” isn’t concerned with these idiosyncrasies. What we do have is E. B. (voiced by Russell Brand), the Easter Bunny heir-apparent, who wants to be a rock ‘n’ roll drummer. He runs away to Hollywood where he meets Fred (James Marsden), an aimless young man who is housesitting and trying to figure out what he wants to do when he grows up. E. B. and Fred have some silly interactions before they are drawn back to Easter Island and the chick coup d’état.

The story is reasonably entertaining with some slow spots and some humorous spots, especially an impromptu ventriloquism rendition of “I Want Candy.” However, the highlight of “Hop” is the seamless integration of live action and animation. You can almost believe Marsden is cavorting with a rabbit. And E.B. is incredibly cute. The subplot of a rebellious chick named Carlos (Hank Azaria) who wants to become the next Easter Bunny is totally devoid of humor and doesn’t need to be there. “Hop” throws in ideas of following one’s dream and family unity with a random David Hasselhoff cameo thrown in for good measure. Better to see this sugary mix with a small child. 4/3/11