Well Above Average

Big Miracle

2012-02-20T20:05:00.002-08:00

In the footsteps (fin strokes?) of movies like "Free Willy" comes this "inspired by a true story" tale of three California gray whales trapped by ice in upper Alaska.

Yes, it's largely predictable as far as outcome. Yes, the all-star cast (John Krasinski, Drew Barrymore, Ted Danson, Kristen Bell, Stephen Root, Time Blake Nelson, Dermot Mulroney and more) and the varied storylines (environmentalism, professional aspirations, tribal allegiance, mass media, unbridled capitalism, cold war politics--oh, and the aforementioned trapped whales) muddy the water, but all in all this was one of the more satisfying movie-going experiences I had lately.

There's plenty of tearjerking potential (this time I was prepared with tissues--yay!) and while a (somewhat) happy ending was a forgone conclusion, there were enough twists and obstacles to keep me engaged in the unfolding drama. Although the true story this film was based on didn't have the solid, upbeat resolution that its movie version did--but then that's Hollywood for ya.

The Artist

2012-02-15T19:48:00.000-08:00

This film by French director Michel Hazanavicius starring French actors Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo is up for Best Picture as well as nine other Academy Awards. It's a black and white silent movie about a silent movie idol.

Talk about meta.

Those who have fallen under the spell of the recreation of this long past era are effusive in praising the film (see TEN Academy Award nominations). And then there are those who aren't impressed--like film critic Jeffrey Wells who said of the movie:

"The Artist is all about re-creation, backward visitation and reflective surfaces. It possesses and radiates nothing that is truly its own, except for a desire to give entertainment-seekers a nice pleasant time."

I wouldn't be quite as dismissive of The Artist's charms as Mr. Wells--but he certainly has a good point. There's nothing new in the film: its plot borrows heavily from the far superior and more charming depiction of the advent of talkies, Singing in the Rain as well as the already multiply-remade A Star is Born. Indeed, one of the minor characters in The Artist is a definite Lina Lamont ripoff.

As baffled as I am about all the buzz surrounding this "re-creation" (Gus Van Sant did a shot-for-shot remake of Hitchcock's Psycho some years back which definitely did NOT receive the adulation afforded The Artist...), I'm more puzzled by the why of it all.

Why would protagonist George Valentin jeopardize his thriving career by refusing to do talkies? Did he think his French accent would put off the audience ('cuz we all know that American women are completely immune to sexy accents...)?

What was the point of having a stellar supporting cast including John Goodman, Malcolm McDowell and James Cromwell whose combined screen time was less than Uggie the dog?

Why the need to tell this story--to recreate a bygone film genre--at all? Mel Brooks did it over 30 years ago--and far more successfully and charmingly than this venture.

The movie felt long and at 100 minutes it's certainly no Lord of the Rings endurance test, but it's a good fifteen minutes longer than the films it's trying to emulate. And while the acting in silent films focuses on emotive facial expressions, Bérénice Bejo crosses the line into the realm of "mugging" for the camera. As the plucky heroine, she's perky and spunky and completely lives up to her aptly annoying name, Peppy Miller. She reminds me of the forced exuberance of Shelly Hack in Charlie perfume commercials.

Bejo did have a nice moment in the film when she crashed Valentin's dressing room and pantomimed caressing herself via his jacket. But overall she gave off a smug vibe and I wanted to smack her. I thought it would have been more entertaining if the beauty mark Valentin gave her to make her stand out among the competition moved around her face--maybe jumping from the right side to the left or something.

Like Hugo, The Artist is a love letter to the film industry. But while it's a lovely little film, it falls in the "Good, not great" category for me.

I Can't Believe It's Not Battlestar Galactica

2012-02-04T16:57:00.000-08:00

I'm newly addicted to the sci-fi series compliments of its playing on BBC America (that channel has also got me hooked on the British version of "Being Human"). We're up to season four now and I'm totally engrossed in the tale of the 30+ thousand survivors of the Cyclon wars searching for Earth.

But this post isn't about Starbuck, Apollo, Admiral Adama or President Roslin. It's about this commercial for I Can't Believe It's Not Butter:

Does the narrator's voice sound familiar to you? I could swear it's James Callis aka Dr. Gaius Baltar.

Anyone know for sure?

Signs of the Impending Apocalypse

2012-02-03T20:08:00.001-08:00

2012 marks the end of the Mayan calendar and I appropriately rang in the new year watching a marathon of The Walking Dead.

Okay, I'm not one to put stock in apocalyptic superstitions -- after all, by all accounts the world was supposed to end in the year 1000 according to Rodulfus Glaber, in 1843 according to William Miller, in 2000 (according to Prince...), twice in 2011 according to Harold Camping and now in 2012 according to the Mayans (although to be fair, they weren't accurate in predicting their own end--why should we trust them to predict the end of mankind?).

Even though Isaac Newton gives us a reprieve until 2060, Jezebel has pulled together a list of apocalyptic signs

To which I would add this:

The "LazySuit." This appeared on a late night infomercial and I was sure it was really a SNL sketch. Taking the Snuggie one step further is this one piece sweat suit with strategically placed zippered opening for easy access.

Living in L.A. where everything is California casual, it's typical to see people wearing Juicy Couture track suits or pajama bottoms--but this bit of fashion takes the cake. The commercial showed grown men and women hanging out in their LazySuits while tailgating.

I can't imagine anyone wearing these out in public--even if they came in NFL-approved team colors instead of lagoon blue, plum, half lagoon blue and half plum, light gray and white striped, fuchsia, sage and berry.

According to the site: "LAZYSUIT is all about a comfy and loose fit, and it is perfect for both genders. When you put your LAZYSUIT on, you will feel how soft and comfortable the material is, so you would want to keep it on at all times."

If you're interested in a one piece sweatsuit, they're on sale for $69.50 with free shipping!

Bring on the apocalypse!

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

2012-01-29T17:18:00.000-08:00

Despite the low Rotten Tomatoes rating, this flick ended up as a Best Picture nominee--so of course I had to see it. The movie is about Oskar Schell (who may or may not have Asperger's or autism) and his journey to find what the key found in his beloved dead father's personal effects unlocks.

The close-to-saintly dad is played by the eminently likeable Tom Hanks and his death in the World Trade Center collapse on 9/11 already is a set up for tugged heartstrings (Note to self: Bring TISSUES to tearjerker movies!!!). Given the premise, it would seem certain that one would be in for a maudlin melodrama. But Thomas Horn as the precocious kid and Sandra Bullock as his mother convey the pain of the loss in a way that's raw and palpable.

The film not only features the top caliber talent of Oscar winners Hanks and Bullock, but Viola Davis, Max von Sydow, John Goodman and Jeffrey Wright contribute nicely as well. The story, however, belongs to Thomas Horn--who possesses one of the most astonishingly beautiful faces I've ever seen.

Yes, the set up is contrived to be an emotional sucker punch. (What in the world is the owner of a small, independent jewelry store doing in the World Trade Center on 9/11?) Yes, it's an unabashed tearjerker. But for emotional resonance (which I've found sadly lacking in most of the movies I've seen of late...), it delivers.

Hugo

2012-01-25T16:11:00.000-08:00

Upon the recommendation of Martin as well as its nomination for Best Picture, I went to see Hugo. I would have preferred the 2D version as I find 3D to be gimmicky and intrusive, but 3D was pretty much my only option. The 3D glasses needed to be in place for the trailers because they were all for 3D movies. I've no interest in seeing a mustachioed Lorax popping out of the screen, but I have to say the 3D effects for Titanic looked pretty spectacular.

Speaking of looks, that's something Hugo had going for it in spades. It's visually stunning. The intricate set design was reminiscent of a Tim Burton movie. And the self-contained universe of the train station had echoes of Steven Spielberg's "The Terminal." I was somewhat surprised that it was a Scorsese movie--it's not exactly his oeuvre.

As far as performances go, Ben Kingsley gives his usual excellent performance as George Méliès. Sasha Baron Cohen plays the station inspector with broad strokes but never over the top and Chloe Grace Moretz did a fine job as the adventure-loving Isabelle--even tackling a British accent with aplomb. (Her accent was even better than Gwyneth Paltrow or Renee Zellweger.) Why everyone in Paris had a British rather than French accent is a mystery to me...

Asa Butterfield as the orphaned Hugo Cabret was probably the weakest link. He was decent for most of the film, but as the central character whose journey the audience is following he didn't evoke much empathy. I was expecting that Hugo would have some Dickensian connection to George--or to the bookstore owner who seemed somewhat startled to hear his name when Isabelle introduced them. As it turned, there was no real connection between the orphaned boy living secretly in the train station and anyone else in the film. Nor was there much connection to the character for the audience. That combined with the overall detachment of the film (gorgeous on the surface, not much substance underneath) puts it in the "good, not great" category for me.

I did appreciate the film history lesson the movie provided by way of the character of Méliès. Much of what was portrayed in Hugo was accurate: Méliès was a magician turned filmmaker in the early days of movie making. He accidentally discovered the optical illusions created by stop action and became a master of early special effects. He did stop making movies working selling candy and toys at a shop in a Paris train station. Méliès, however, was "rediscovered" and honored in the late 20s rather than the early 30s as depicted in the movie--but that's a small quibble.

As an homage to early filmmakers and film making, Hugo has a lot to offer. But although 3D and the visual effects in Hugo are a natural update to Méliès movie making magic, I would have preferred a film that had more depth than dazzle.

Alcatraz

2012-01-19T16:13:00.000-08:00

When I heard that J.J. Abrams, creator of LOST, was executive producing this new series, I immediately scheduled it on my DVR. Of course, there will be many drawing parallels to the intensely-dissected cult favorite--after all, the show is also set on an island, operating under mysterious circumstances including possible time travel and features Jorges Garcia (formerly "Hugo/Hurley") as one of its stars. But so far the new series appears to be a fairly standard crime procedural drama with the mysterious underpinnings as an overarching theme.

The show seems to take notes more from The X-Files and Fringe with the plot following one person each episode. In the case of Alcatraz, that person is one of 260-some prisoners who poof! disappeared when they were due to be transferred to other facilities after Alcatraz was shut down in 1963. 260 prisoners divided by a standard 22-24 episodes per season equals 10+ years to tell all their stories.

I think J.J. may be a little overly optimistic here, don't you?

Apparently these prisoners disappeared and have been in some sort of suspended animation for 40 years. There's a whole secret FBI operation dedicated to tracking down these prisoners and, more importantly, finding out who or what took them and why. It's headed by one of the former guards tasked with transporting the prisoners to their new residences by the name of Emerson Hauser, played by Sam Neill.

The problem is that when these vanished prisoners pop up again, they tend to go on murder sprees. Some are motivated by past grudges, some are motivated by psychotic tendencies, some are motivated by both. But some are apparently motivated by whatever forces abducted and held them for the past decades.

I'll keep watching to see if the series lives up to the promise of LOST (without devolving into a clusterfuck of a unsatisfying finale), but I hope the series gets more Fringe-y and less Law & Order.

We already have four Dick Wolf shows on TV--there's no need for another!

A Dangerous Method

2012-01-18T18:16:00.000-08:00

Although this movie purports to be about the relationship between Drs. Freud vs. Jung, it's more accurately a story of Jung's illicit relationship with one of his patients who went on to become a noted psychoanalyst in her own right. Keira Knightley the initially damaged Sabina Spielrein who is healed by Jung's application of "The Talking Cure" (the stage play on which the movie was based), a method proposed by Dr. Sigmund Freud.

Knightley has received mixed reviews for her performance, but I think she acquits herself admirably. An actress of remarkable beauty, she is fully willing to forgo vanity as her face is contorted by the pain and humiliation of her "affliction." Yes, her accents drops out at times, but I give her credit for attempting to maintain it even during scenes requiring her to be hysterical.

Indeed, it's mainly Knightley's movie (evident in that she gets top billing over both Viggo Mortensen as Freud and Michael Fassbender as Jung) with the depiction of the ultimate rift between Jung and Freud and schism between their analytic philosophies given very little screen time.

The film suffers as most adaptations of plays do being heavy with dialogue and fairly static in nature. Towards the end of the film, I was feeling a bit snoozy as the two lead characters (not Freud) wrapped up their relationship with one final analysis. The most fascinating piece of info I got from the film was Spielrein's thesis regarding the connection of sex and death. It's a very Scorpionic/eighth house viewpoint and it makes me wonder if it inspired Jung's astrological archetypes.

All in all, the film was a perfect representation of the adage, "Physician, heal thyself!" and my long held belief psych students gravitate to the discipline to diagnose their own neuroses.

My Favorite Movies of 2011

2012-01-16T18:30:00.000-08:00

2011 was a fairly ho-hum year for films as far as I'm concerned. I only saw 23 releases which is well under my usual average. Frankly, I just couldn't be bothered. Many of the films I chose to see were praised by critics but left me feeling "meh." I still have a handful of 2011 films to see (The Artist, A Dangerous Method) and there were a few I decided to skip (Bridesmaids), but I'm hoping 2012 will be better than the lackluster 2011 as far as movies are concerned.

My top 10 in no particular order:

1. Fast Five - You'd think the Fast and Furious franchise would have run out of gas by now. Vin Diesel's return to 2009's Fast & Furious injected new life into the formulaic cars + crime + girls + action scenes plot and Five just upped the ante. It's not making critic's lists or winning Oscars, but for action-packed popcorn fun, this flick delivers. I'm looking forward to number 6 in 2013.

2. Harry Potter Deathly Hallows 2 - I missed part one in the theaters and had to Redbox it before seeing the final installment. It was a spectacular ending to the decade long series although I couldn't help feeling (as I did with the other Harry Potter movies) that so much was expurgated from the books to fit into the confines of a two-hour running time.

3. Bad Teacher - Very raunchy, very funny. Think Bad Santa with Cameron Diaz in the Billy Bob Thornton role. The real revelation, however, was Justin Timberlake. You will never be able to look at the pop heartthrob in the same way after this movie.

4. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Way long and felt like two movies smashed together, but still engrossing, gripping with great performances.

5. Jane Eyre - I'm a sucker for period dramas and this adaptation of the Bronte novel delivers with gothic castles, costumes and a smoldering hero in the form of Michael Fassbender.

6. The Muppets - Just nostalgic fun. Following the Dracula puppet show which served as the final scene of Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Jason Segal was the perfect choice to write the Muppet reboot. Not all of the human cameos work, but it's great to see the old gang back together again. The performance of "Man or Muppet" by Jason Segal featuring Jim Parsons is worth the price of admission alone.

7. Anonymous - As I mentioned, period dramas are particularly appealing to me and I'm fascinated by stories set in the Elizabethan era. I once did a college paper on the possibility that Christopher Marlowe was the actual author of Shakespeare's works but the conjecture that they were penned by the Earl of Oxford was a theory I was not familiar with. Rhys Ifans, who played Hugh Grant's bumbling roommate in Notting Hill, is a magnificent Edward De Vere--proving that some things do indeed get better with age.

8. Moneyball - Nice performance by Brad Pitt, but Jonah Hill pretty much walks away with the movie. Even if you're not a sports fans and you find baseball about as intriguing as watching paint dry, you'll be completely sucked into this story.

9. Source Code - Taut, sci-fi thriller. Borrows from a number of similar stories--including 2006's Deja Vu--but does it with style.

10. The Help - Great performances and touching moments. Really does a great job of conveying the pre-civil rights South.

And the rest:

Crazy Stupid Love - Fairly enjoyable with the exception of the obligatory "big speech" moment.

Tower Heist - Silly fun. Like eating cotton candy: more air than actual substance.

The Adjustment Bureau - Damon and Blunt have chemistry and look great together but the fate vs. free will plot stretches belief beyond the breaking point.

The Descendants - Despite the Golden Globe awards I found it too meandering with way too much voiceover exposition.

The Ides of March - Watching the machinations and the dirty underbelly of the political machine will make you want to tear up your voter registration card and move to a nation ruled by a beneficent despot.

J. Edgar - Unfortunately this was so much weaker than I could have imagined. Too much narration, too little action.

50/50 - Joseph Gordon Levitt fights cancer and woos his therapist but the real "romance" is the friendship between his character and Seth Rogen's. The plot wandered a bit for me, but overall it was a decent movie.

Drive - Raves by reviewers and Ryan Gosling. This noir piece had its moments (not to mention one of the most violent scenes I've ever had the displeasure of witnessing), but while most of my friends (and yoga instructors) loved the techno soundtrack, I found it to be intrusive and distracting. Albert Brooks completely upends his traditional neurotic nerd character.

Young Adult - Diablo Cody has come a long way since Juno. Young Adult bears no traces of the unbearably cloying hipster-speak that made her first flick so precious. It's a dark film about damaged people (well, Theron and Oswald's characters, anyway). A much deeper examination of the war zone that is high school than the incessantly flip Juno.

Tinker Tailor Solider Spy - Reviewed earlier--good, not great.

The Company Men - I reviewed lessons learned from this film on another blog.

The Guard - Don Cheadle and Brendan Gleeson in an "In Bruges"-esque film. Definitely worth renting.

Super 8 - The Spielberg influence was evident in this cross between E.T. and Cloverfield. Again, good not great.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

2012-01-15T20:18:00.000-08:00

Given the stellar cast of this adaptation of the John le Carre novel, it definitely made my list of must-see movies. It's interesting to break down just how many of the actors in this spy thriller were also in the Harry Potter series: Gary Oldman (Sirius Black), John Hurt (Ollivander), Toby Jones (voice of Dobby), Ciaran Hinds (Aberforth Dumbledore) and Simon McBurney (voice of Kreacher). Of course it'd probably be more significant to have a list of British actors who HAVEN'T been in the Harry Potter series...

But as far that goes, the film also boast a non-Harry Potter trio of hotties in the Dorian Gray-esque Colin Firth, Tom Hardy and Mark Strong.

The story is slow and deliberate--a definite contrast to the gimmicks, gadgets and over-the-top action scenes of James Bond and other movies of that ilk. It's more like watching a game of chess unfold. I liked the more realistic portrayal of the "spy game." No Alias-style martial arts, no Mission Impossible improbable disguises. Just a methodical game of cat and mouse. The film was also very good at depicting the period--early 70s, Cold War.

I won't throw out any spoilers but I determined fairly quickly who the "Spy" would turn out to be and I was right. I can't say that Tinker Tailor Solider Spy kept me on the edge of my seat, but it was somewhat engrossing. The story of George Smiley, British agent, being kicked to the curb after years of loyal service, resonated too closely--but I wouldn't put this on my list of favorite 2011 movies. A bit low-key and plodding for my tastes, and perhaps a bit too stiff upper lip.

Oh, a bit heavy-handed with the title cards (seriously--someone needs to limit those to one second of screen time. Ugh.).

Edited to add: I forgot to mention that among all the action-thriller trailers was the preview of Wes Anderson's latest Moonrise Kingdom which looks to be the Wes Anderson-iest movie ever. With a cast that includes Bruce Willis, Ed Norton, Frances McDormand and usual suspect, Bill Murray, the trailer makes the flick look like a Wes Anderson parody. Picture Rushmore on steroids.

R.I.P. OLTL

2012-01-14T16:13:00.000-08:00

This week seems to be one of endings, but the finale that saddened me most was the halt to the 4+ decade long run of the ABC ~~soap opera~~ daytime drama, One Life to Live. I can't remember when I began watching OLTL. It was some time around Judith Light's infamous courtroom breakdown scene and the reappearance of slain sleazeball Marco Dane in the form of his here-to-fore unknown twin brother, Dr. Mario Correlli.

One Life to Live went to the twin well fairly often. I'm not sure if there was an instance prior to Marco being revived in the form of his better behaved twin brother (who in actuality was the one who mistakenly murdered--Marco just assumed his identity post-mortem), but there were certainly numerous examples after that. One of which was Ty Treadway coming back to play Troy MacIver following the death of his character Colin MacIver. The writers managed to get "Troy's" shirt off in less than five minute after his return to the show. Well done! Unfortunately, Troy managed to stay fully dressed after breaking out of Statesville to terrorize Nora one more time before the show's finale.

It's a popular trick to kill off a popular character and then bring the actor back as that character's "twin." One time OLTL killed off a popular character, but rather than conjuring up a previously unknown twin, the actor was recast in another role on the show. But get this--he was a walk-in meaning when the character he originally played died, his soul was transferred into the body of another character on the show whose soul had moved on. It was kind of frustrating that characters would interact with Michael McBain (even his soulmate, Marci) and not recognize that he looked EXACTLY like Al Holden.

Of course some twins come back from the dead looking totally different than the original character--like when OLTL recast Todd Manning from unconventionally attractive Roger Howarth to pretty boy Trevor St. John. Initially, TSJ was playing Todd Manning so in most cases a voiceover stating, "The role of Todd Manning is now being played by Trevor St. John" should have sufficed--but noooooooo. The writers had to come up with some convoluted back story that Todd, who had always hated the scar branding him as a former rapist, had been beaten severely and had gotten reconstructive plastic surgery that made him look like another character--whose identity he assumed for months until he revealed the truth of his real identity (and major surgery) to his daughter Star.

If that wasn't enough for fans to swallow (and we were pretty open to swallowing exceptionally far-fetched plots including time travel, characters coming back from the dead multiple times, characters going off to summer camp and coming home ten years older, alter egos, evil twins, questionable paternity, etc.), the writer brought the original actor back about six months ago and rewrote Todd's back story to include another unknown twin who was brainwashed and surgically altered so as NOT to be identical to explain what Trevor St. John had been doing for the last eight years.

Ugh.

The Todd/Victor story was about the only plot point left dangling when the last episode aired yesterday. At one point it looked like OLTL would have a future online, but those plans have since fallen through. Several of the actors/characters are migrating over to General Hospital, so if you still need to get your fix of John McBain or Todd Manning, you still can do so starting in February.

For those who wrinkle their noses and shake their heads wondering how people could be so invested in a "soap opera," ask yourself: Did you make sure to set the DVR so as not to miss an episode of LOST? Are you sucked into season two of Boardwalk Empire? Grey's Anatomy fan? Private Practice lover? Thirsting for Game of Thrones? I'm willing to bet somewhere on your must-see TV watchlist, there's a soap opera or two lurking...

Since I have a bit of free time...

2012-01-12T14:47:00.000-08:00

Apologies for leaving this blog to sit dormant for so long but I was otherwise occupied for a while. Given that I'm not at the current moment (don't you love the cryptic-ness?), I've decided to get back to blogging.

It's not like I have anything better to do.

Oh by way, anyone know any companies in need of an SEO Analyst, Content Manager, Copy Writer/Editor, Blogger, etc.?

Well, well, well...

2011-02-11T10:25:00.000-08:00

So I was contacted via Facebook by some guy who wants my domain name. In exchange for giving it up, he claims he can redesign my Wordpress website (It's Blogger, dude...).

I think he should probably factor in that "Well Above Average" refers to my intelligence level before making any offers.

Dude, I'm not stupid!

Dexter - Season Four

2009-12-13T21:46:00.000-08:00

Every season of Dexter, I am consistently amazed how they manage to shock, awe and up the ante.

Season four is no except. After viewing the season finale, I am pretty much speechless.

My reaction can be summed up in two words:

Holy @#$%.

That's about all I kept saying while watching the last two minutes of the show--which gave us perhaps one of the best TV villains EVER in the form of Arthur Mitchell as played with sheer perfection by John Lithgow.

My brain just may explode considering the possibilities opened up for season five.

Holy @#$%!

An Education

2009-12-13T21:01:00.000-08:00

This little British indie flick has been recommended to me by multiple people. I finally got a chance to see it today and while it still falls into the "good not great" category of most of what I've seen lately, it's still better than most of what you'll find out there.

Actually, I'd say it was "very good" instead of merely good. The acting, direction, cinematography and costumes (it's set in the 60s) were top-notch. What prevents me from being completely bowled over by it was the inability to completely suspend disbelief over the storyline.

The film follows the life of sixteen (going on seventeen--going on thirty-seven...) year-old Jenny--a smart and serious student completely focused on getting into Oxford. Her life takes a major detour when she crosses paths with the charming and witty David--who is twice her age.

David represents all the glamour, sophistication--and most importantly FUN--that is missing from her young life. Caught up in the excitement of all David has to offer, Jenny nearly loses her head while following her heart.

Peter Sarsgaard deftly handles the balance of the charming yet caddish David--yet it's hard to completely sympathize with a character whose moral center is non-existent. It's almost almost unimaginable to watch Jenny's parents (Alfred Molina and Cara Seymour) get so sucked into David's web that they allow their young daughter to be whisked away by an older man.

But while Jenny's parents are easily fooled by the clever and sycophantic David, Jenny is no simpering teenager. It boggles the mind that such an exceptionally smart young woman could fall so completely for David's shtick--even when confronted with his cohorts: the beautiful yet exceedingly vapid Helen (Rosamund Pike) and the dissolute and sometimes cruel Danny (Dominic Cooper). Of course the film compresses events into such a short period of time, it was hard for me to believe Jenny would buy into all David's lies.

But the film is based on a memoir by Lynn Barber in which she had a two-year affair with a charming con artist named Simon. Although Jenny eventually gets back on track towards her goal of attending Oxford, her real education comes through her loss of innocence thanks to David.

Although all the actors do a fabulous job, newcomer Carey Mulligan is indeed a standout with her Audrey Hepburn-esque grace combined with a Vivian Leigh-like steely reserve. And I have to give a special shout out to Olivia Williams--who is almost unrecognizable as the dowdy Miss Stubbs (she almost seems to be channeling a British Frances McDormand...) and her lovely nuanced performance.

Although An Education recalls British classics such as To Sir with Love and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, it doesn't quite have the depth of either film--but still it's worth seeing.

The Road

2009-11-29T20:01:00.000-08:00

I've been looking forward to seeing the road after reading the Cormac McCarthy novel. Okay--maybe "looking forward" isn't quite accurate. Like the book, the movie is grim and grueling and consistent in its unrelenting misery.

The film manages to capture the post-apocalyptic world where humans struggle to live from one day to the next and humanity is in short supply. The story about a man and his son stars Viggo Mortensen at his most grimy and grizzled. Mortensen looks less like Aragorn and a whole lot like Michael Douglas after a month-long bender, so if you're going to swoon over Mr. Heart-throb you're bound to be disappointed.

While the movie mainly stays faithful to McCarthy's novel, it doesn't quite capture the stark and beautiful desolation in his prose. I can't quite put my finger on what was missing, but I feel that while both Mortensen's and Kodi Smit-McPhee gave nice performances, the feeling of the father-son bond which was so strong in the book was somewhat lacking in the film.

Still, the film manages to convey the bleak existence--the chill, the fear, the weariness. But while the book made me want to stock up for a possible global disaster, the film just made me want to take a long, warm shower. With plenty of soap.

Yet another entry into the "good, not great" category...

North by Northwest 50th Anniversary Edition

2009-11-24T09:36:00.000-08:00

Alfred Hitchcock directed dozens and dozens of movies, but if you could watch only one, make it North by Northwest. I've only seen about a dozen of Hitchcock's movies, but North by Northwest is easily my favorite. It stars Cary Grant and features action, suspense, mistaken identity, a cross-county chase and--did I mention Cary Grant?

The suave and sexy Grant appeared in multiple Hitchcock films--seems Hitch had a soft spot for the debonair Brit just like his reputed affinity for icy blondes. Oh yes, the platinum beauty in North by Northwest was played by Eva Marie Saint. Check out the cool banter between the two leads--even under the restraints of the Hays code, the dialogue and chemistry sizzles.

The Special Edition DVD which celebrates the 50th anniversary of the film's release features a restored version of the classic thriller along with:

Documentary: The Master’s Touch: Hitchcock’s Signature Style
Documentary: North by Northwest: One for the Ages
Screenwriter commentary
Music only track
Cary Grant: A Class Apart
Destination Hitchcock: The Making of North by Northwest hosted by Eva Marie Saint
Photo gallery
Trailer gallery

The North by Northwest Special Edition was released on November 3rd and is available in both DVD and Blu-ray.

DevaCurl MirrorCurls

2009-11-23T09:18:00.000-08:00

I recently was given the opportunity to test out one of DevaCurl's newest products: MirrorCurls--a silicone-free shine serum. The elimination of silicone from the 99% naturally derived formula means no build-up or greasiness.

Those natural ingredients, which include sunflower oil, balm mint,
lemongrass, chamomile, and rosemary, give MirrorCurls its luscious scent. The product can be used on either wet or dry hair and can either define curls and add gloss or can be used to straighten hair and make it look sleek and shiny.

With my hair short, my curls are currently pretty much non-existent. But I found the product useful for another purpose. Despite the shortness of my locks--which most would think make it easy to style and keep neat--my hair has a tendency to go all "Dennis the Menace" on me which random pieces sticking out at unwieldy angles. A bit of the MirrorCurls smoothed over my mane tames cowlicks and frizzies into submission.

If you have limp, fine hair, MirrorCurls would help to provide substance and texture. My favorite DevaCurl product still remains Mist-er Right, but MirrorCurls is a nice addition to my hair styling arsenal.

The Blind Side

2009-11-22T14:48:00.000-08:00

The Blind Side has been getting favorable if not overwhelming critical reviews--but the audience response has been extremely positive. The true story of Michael Oher--who was taken in by the Touhy family and went on to become a football star with the Baltimore Raven--is uplifting, heartwarming and an unabashed tearjerker.

Critics may fault it for being a bit predictable, meandering and--at over two hours runtime--a little too long, but the story and characters are so engaging that it becomes easy to overlook its flaws.

At the heart of the story is Sandra Bullock as the feisty, flinty Leigh Anne Touhy. Bullock's role choices have been hit-or-miss, usually capitalizing on her girl-next-door likability. Leigh Anne, however, is a steamroller--ruling her home, husband and everything else she comes into contact with. Bullock does a masterful job as portraying both her hard determination and the compassionate softer side as well.

The immovable object to Leigh Anne's irresistible force is Big Mike, played by newcomer Quinton Aaron. Aaron plays gentle giant Michael Oher with understated dignity. The cast also includes Tim McGraw as Leigh Anne's husband and a scene-stealing Jae Head as the youngest Touhy.

Admittedly, I'm a sucker for these kinds of movies and I shed more than one tear throughout the film. There will be a lot of Oscar contenders coming up in the next month or so--but I doubt many of them will provide as satisfying movie-going experience as The Blind Side.

The BlackAdder Ultimate Edition on DVD 10/20

2009-11-18T21:49:00.000-08:00

I must admit that I had no knowledge of Rowan Atkinson's (aka Mr. Bean) Blackadder series. Set in Britain in the Middle Ages, the show follows the exploits of the foppish, foolish, conniving Prince Edmund (Atkinson). It's a silly send-up of British history done soap opera-style--instead of a costume drama you've got a costume comedy.

I adore the Monty Python series and movies--and Blackadder is reminiscent of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, albeit not quite as sharp and witty.

The Ultimate Edition DVD contains all 25 Blackadder episodes from The Blackadder, Blackadder II, Blackadder the Third and The Blackadder Goes Forth plus the three Blackadder specials: Blackadder Back and Forth, Blackadder's Christmas Carol (which is a purely comedic inversion of the Dickens classic...) and Blackadder: The Cavalier Years.

Special features include:

Baldrick's Video Diary
All-new commentary with Rowan Atkinson, Stephen Fry, Ben Elton, Richard Curtis, Tony Robinson, and Tim McInnerny
All-new interviews with Rowan Atkinson, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Richard Curtis, Ben Elton, and Tony Robinson
Blackadder Rides Again
Footnotes to History - An interactive guide to historical figures and events in Blackadder hosted by Tony Robinson

If British humor is your thing, you might want to think about adding this 6-disc DVD collection to your library. Fifteen hours plus of pure silliness featuring talents such as Miranda Richardson, Jim Broadbent and Robbie Coltrane in addition to Atkinson, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie and Tony Robinson won't teach you anything about history--or Shakespeare (from whom the creators unabashedly steal plot lines and dialogue...), but it will definitely tickle your funny bone.

The Men Who Stare at Goats

2009-11-18T21:27:00.000-08:00

This movie falls into the same category as many that I've seen this year: good, not great. Quirky, offbeat and fitfully amusing, it's a decent showing for director Grant Heslov, long-time producing partner of George Clooney.

The film aims for Coen Brothers-esque twistedness, but falls short. Clooney, as paranormal warrior Lyn Cassady, does his darnedest to ramp up the hilarity, but ultimately the meandering story gets bogged down under its own idiosyncrasies.

One issue is the timeline which spans about thirty years. There is no amount of makeup, fake wigs or lighting (even by the geniuses that light The View, who deftly wash out the deep crevices in the now 108 year-old Barbara Walters...) that can make George Clooney look like a young man in his twenties. Or Jeff Bridges look like a man in his thirties.

Okay, that's niggling complaint. The cast which includes Clooney, Bridges and the dependably smarmy Kevin Spacey has one weak link: Ewan McGregor. Ostensibly cast for the meta inside running joke of "Jedi" references, McGregor seems to be channeling Jason Bateman. If only the filmmakers had decided to hire the real thing instead of McGregor's pale imitation.

Now that might have edged it over to "great."

Then again, maybe not.

Still waiting for the Oscar contenders of 2009 to wow me...

Natural Born Killers 15th Anniversary Director's Cut

2009-11-02T21:49:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe it's been fifteen years since Oliver Stone's groundbreaking film Natural Born Killers was released. Stone took the script by then up-and-coming writer/director Quentin Tarantino and took it from a standard blood-spattered action flick and turned it into a satirical repudiation of our media-fueled violence worshiping society.

Says Stone in the making of featurette:

"[T]he ultimate purpose of the movie—to make people think about the violence that's around them…the whole crimescape that has invaded American life and about the media's coverage of it. The media's built it up into a circus.

A lot of the younger, 90s filmmakers—I'm a little surprised that they think violence is cool and hip, And they play it that way—which is fine for a couple of films like that, but I can't see making a career out of it. Morally, it's a repugnant point of view to me…because I've been in Viet Nam, I've seen the effect of guns and it's pretty terrifying."

Stone certainly sounds like he's not only rebuking media sensationalism but the current filmmaking trend that has seen the like of Saw I-VI and the rise of the torture porn genre. Say what you will about Stone, when he discusses his philosophy behind the making of Natural Born Killers he comes across as thoughtful and intellectual--not the conspiracy theorist wackjob that some would make him out to be.

Stone uses stylistic effects, editing cuts and a throbbing soundtrack to heighten the effect of the story. The violence is graphic--but it's so over the top that it almost loses its impact. Perhaps the non-stop assault on our senses reflects how inured we've become to violence in our everyday lives: the Iraq war, drive-by shootings, etc.

The film features an amazing cast: Woody Harrelson, Juliette Lewis, Robert Downey Jr., Tom Sizemore, Tommy Lee Jones, Rodney Dangerfield and even a young Balthazar Getty in a small, short-lived role. But the real star is Stone's trippy use of rear screen projection, sitcom laugh tracks, animation and more to illustrate his thesis of how media has shaped our outlook and attitudes.

The 2-disc DVD includes the aforementioned making of featurette, a documentary exploring how NBK might be affected by today's instant communication technology like Facebook, Twitter, etc., deleted scenes, an alternate ending and more. Natural Born Killers is available on DVD and Blu-ray starting October 13th.

Where the Wild Things Are

2009-11-01T20:55:00.000-08:00

According to IMDB, Warner Bros. decided against marketing this film as a kid's movie and 70% of the marketing budget for it on broad-based and adult driven buys. That, however, didn't prevent a gaggle of kids from traipsing in or for "kid-based" trailers to proceed the showing. Based on the famous Maurice Sendak book, Spike Jonze's version is a melancholy musing of the imagination, exuberance, insecurities and uncertainties of childhood.

The film is gorgeously shot and the "wild things" are beautifully rendered through the work of Henson puppet creatures, CGI animation and formidable vocalization by James Gandolfini, Catherine O'Hara, Paul Dano, Forest Whitaker, Chris Cooper and Lauren Ambrose. My favorite was O'Hara as the dubious downer, Judith.

Of course, the film lives or dies on the performance of the main character: Max. And Max Records does a fine job as the irrepressible Max. Although Max is unsuccessful in keeping his word providing a Utopian existence for the wild things in his short tenure as king, his overstated promises demonstrate a possible career in politics. The film communicates the story mainly through exquisite visuals, but although Jonze and company do an amazing job of bringing Sendak's (and Max's) world to life, the film ultimately is lacking in emotional resonance.

The closest it comes is KW's (Ambrose) farewell to Max as he prepares to head back home, "I don't want you to go, I'll eat you up I love you so." Even Max's reunion with his mother (Catherine Keener) doesn't have the impact that it should have. All in all, a very good movie that just misses the mark of being a great one...

A Serious Man

2009-10-25T22:04:00.000-07:00

A Serious Man is seriously dark, seriously surreal, seriously twisted. The Coen Brothers film it reminds me most of is Barton Fink. Certainly, Larry Gropnick, protagonist of A Serious Man shares similar obstacles as Barton Fink. But whereas Fink suffered a severe case of writer's block, Gropnick is blocked by the stagnation and stultification of suburbia.

Gropnick is living the so-called American dream: married, two kids, up for tenure. But his wife announces she wants a divorce, his brother is a permanent fixture on the living room couch, and his tenure is being sabotaged by anonymous letter writer as well as a disgruntled student who simultaneously attempts to bribe and blackmail Gropnick into giving him a passing grade.

The stuck between a rock and hard place situation that Gropnick finds himself in with his student pretty much defines his life. Like a fly caught in spider web, Gropnick finds himself struggling unsuccessfully against an seemingly unceasing series of setbacks. Billed as a "comedy," the humor in A Serious Man is exceeding dark and painful. We laugh--but mainly it's a sense of relief that no matter how bad our own lives are, our troubles pale in comparison to the misfortunes of that poor putz, Gropnick, who desperately needs Anton Chigurh to put him out of his misery...

A Serious Man has its moments. Most of the cast, including Michael Stuhlbarg as the entirely luckless Larry, are fairly unknown. You might recognize a few characters: Richard Kind (Spin City, Mad about You) as Larry's even unluckier brother Arthur, Simon Helberg (Big Bang Theory) as Rabbi Scott, Goerge Wyner (too many credits to mention) as Rabbi Nachtner and Adam Arkin as the divorce lawyer. My favorite character was dry and deadpan Mrs. Samsky: Larry's nude-sunbathing, pot-smoking next door neighbor played exquisitely by Amy Landecker.

Although this is far from my favorite Coen Brothers flick, it is definitely classic Coen Brothers in its sensibilities. The story is book-ended between a Yiddish fable and an ambiguous ending that leaves both its Job-like protagonist and audience to grapple with the messy and unfinished business that is life. As Larry's student's father says to him, "Please accept the mystery." And perhaps that is what the Coen brothers are saying to us with this film about life.

Please accept the mystery. You may not understand the beginning. Or the ending. Or anything that comes between. But that's okay.

It's life. It is what it is.

Dear Whore of Lucifer

2009-10-19T22:32:00.001-07:00

My latest favorite best of Craigslist post comes via Chicago:

I have recently enrolled in a 12-step program for people whose lives were decimated and finances ruined by lawyer bills when their spouses filed for divorce after finding someone else to fuck and run off with. I am currently up to Step 8: Willingness to Make Amends. As such, I apologize for the following recent transgressions:

Told the drunk at the bar who wanted a Red-Headed Slut that he's more than welcome to you if that general contractor douchebag is done with you.

Annoyed the staff at several hospitals by calling to see if they had any fresh organ donors on hand with a heart suitable to replace your cold, dead one.

Demanded a refund from Southwest Airlines because I tried to get you on one of their planes but they refused to let my bag fly free as advertised in their TV commercials.

Scrawled your cell number in the stall of the john of the bar at the American Legion post down the street with an offer of free prostate exams for all veterans 65 and older.

Told my neighborhood U.S. Marine Corps recruiter that I knew the exact location of the dank, hopeless cave Osama Bin Laden was hiding in and provided the GPS coordinates to your pants.

Lit several offering candles at your church with prayers that karma would hurry its ass up and come around to you while I was still alive to see it.

For these things, my dear handmaiden of Satan, I make my amends. I'd still love to see your head squeezed in a vice until your eyeballs squirt out of their sockets, but I have to go along with the program.