Trailer - The Answer Man

Actually want to see this. Coming July 24.

CD - No Line on the Horizon (B-)

Artist: U2
Buy it

I am a loyal follower of U2. To say they're my favorite band is like saying oxygen is my favorite element. They've challenged me many times and I've enjoyed the ride for 26 years now.

But this is definitely one of those albums that will take repeated listening. My gut reaction is a B- but that can change over the next week or so. [It did.] Like 1984's Unforgettable Fire, at first it sounds like a Brian Eno album featuring U2. It has soundscapes and ambience rather than melodies in many spots. But it doesn't have as much scale. Definitely not many radio singles on this one, which is okay. It's not a "Let's rock and roll!" album like How to Dismantle An Atomic Bomb.

To me it sounds like a transparent attempt to do something "different" in response to all the potshots the snobs took at their last two efforts, which returned to their stadium-sized anthemic roots. The hooks are definitely missing here. But so is the fun. When it's not somber, it's dry. When it's not mellow, it's thin. Some attempts at fun seem more like parody, with obnoxious choruses sung off-beat (and sometimes off-key). It has its redeeming qualities and a few strong tracks (most notably "Magnificent" - a straight-up U2 song) but it's just not something I'm going to pop in the car stereo very often.

I hated Achtung Baby when it came out. Took me years to come around to most of it. Hopefully No Line will the same. Or it could be like Pop, which I play about twice a year. Time will tell.

Final score: B minus

That Old Pair of Jeans

THAT OLD PAIR OF JEANS
By Fatboy Slim

All you used to do was put me down
But I found a way to pick myself up off the ground
And all you used to do was criticize me
But now I found the good and I emphasize it, see

You would always get so sensitive
And try to turn your transgressions into my guiltiness
But now I'm certain of the way I live
And what I'm responsible for in this twisted game

And it's such a shame
That you try to make pain
Another word for my name
Whether giving or receiving
It's one and the same
Just one more link
In your long-ass chain
But it's time to break
This drain on my strength and will
Time to jump off this negative cycle we've built
Gave my heart
But my self-respect you won't steal
Now it's time to let you go if you can't hear or feel me

So I asked my mama for her two cents
And then I asked my little sister and I asked my friend
Then I asked my papa once and I asked him again
Came to the consensus from all them opinions
That life is too short to be unhappy
And since I know what I'm worth there'll be no settling for dirt
Not when what I deserve is gold
If I want diamonds then I can't settle for coal and

Maybe I was just too strong to let go
Maybe I was just too weak to let it show
Maybe I was just too stubborn to say "No"
But whatever the case I can't take it no more

Sometimes I think maybe we'll patch it all up
Like a favorite pair of jeans that you won't give up on
And I hope maybe one of these arguments we'll make up
And start again like when we started this up
Back when everything was fresh
And every moment a blessing
I'd laugh at all of your jokes
You'd listen to my suggestions
One mind, one soul,
One common destination
Now we can't help but fight over the direction

You've gotta, you've gotta give me a little, little more line
(Repeat)

Batman: The Dark Knight (A-)

Starring Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Gary Oldman, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Morgan Freeman.
Screenplay by Jonathan and Christopher Nolan from a Story by Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer.
Directed by Christopher Nolan.

Rated PG-13 for strong violence, intense situations, and disturbing images.
NOT FOR CHILDREN, EVEN THOUGH IT'S MARKETED TO THEM.

You've heard it all. Dark. Brooding. Expansive. Heath Ledger rocks the house. Gary Oldman rules as a good guy for once. Aaron Eckhart is surprisingly competent.

This is an impressive movie. It will have a lasting effect on you, trust me. It's extremely ambitious in both its visual and thematic conception. It hits the target on the former. It has qualified successes in the latter.

But, again, you've heard all the raves. Why am I giving it an A minus?

Three things, and they all involve Batman himself. All are character issues and two figure significantly in the plot.

First of all, Batman seems to exist in the story mainly as a contrived counterpoint to The Joker. He's not developed much and he's not really that important to the movie if you step back and break it down. Eckhart's Harvey Dent is.

**SPOILERS** (For the twenty-three of you who haven't seen it.)

Second, he faces a false dilemma in this movie that drove me nuts as I watched him grapple with it. Essentially, The Joker announces that he will start killing people until Batman reveals himself. Batman/Bruce Wayne agonizes over this. "It's all my fault! People are dying because of me! He won't stop until I turn myself in!" He then shuts down the Batcave and destroys all his Batstuff.

Huh? Dude, the Joker was killing people BEFORE he made this little ultimatum. He will go on killing AFTER you turn yourself in. What's to agonize about? He's the bad guy, not you. Go catch him. Problem solved.

I hated that stupid gimmick and rolled my eyes as it played out. I didn't believe a minute of it. The only possible explanation I can come up with was that he was looking for an excuse to "retire" and The Joker gave him one. He'd calmly ride off into the sunset with Rachel Dawes as the Joker took over the city? Right. That ended up being a moot point, anyway. (And, btw, he sure didn't grieve very much over THAT development).

**END SPOILERS**

Thirdly (and I'm with Robert Downey, Jr. on this one), the epilogue makes no sense. Why does it have to end that way? Can't we just blame The Joker?

Letterman

CBS is panicking over the state of The Late Show with David Letterman. They should. It has the lowest ratings it's ever had. And its quality is at its nadir as well.

I only see it once or twice a week, usually by accident. If we watch the news on our local CBS affiliate and wander out of the room for ablutions or chores after the weather, often Letterman begins while we're occupied. I'll stop and watch parts of his show as I pass through the living room. It's far from must-see viewing, though.

Dave's always kind of rubbed me the wrong way, I guess because he seems like someone I would not spend two minutes with in a social setting. He seems mean, self-involved, obnoxious - and even disinterested. Whenever he says something like "Of course, we're saddened to hear of it," he always has to add, "Yep, just sick to death I'm telling ya," to make you question his sincerity. Maybe that's a put-on but if it is he's doing a great acting job.

He has some funny gags, a few good regular routines (but some that he runs into the ground for years), and is actually a better interviewer than Jay Leno but his humor has gotten weaker and odder over the years. One especially appalling development has been the recurring skits portraying announcer Allan Kalter as an evil deviant. I'm no prude (by any means) but they are just too twisted and cheaply vulgar and I have no idea how they get past CBS's censors. I could probably deal with them if they were actually funny. But they're not.

What really befuddles me is how Letterman fills the spaces between those moments with things that don't even rise to the level of inane. He'll spend ten minutes out of an hour repeating a word or gesture accompanied by a drum or organ effect. If he tugs at his tie and clears his throat in an extremely exaggerated manner during the opening intro, he'll do that a dozen times over the course of a show as Paul Shaffer laughs his head off. I just don't get it.

That said, I'd probably still take him over Leno for talk or Conan for humor. But not by much.

DVD - The Bucket List (B)

Starring Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman, Sean Hayes, and Beverly Todd.
Written by Justin Zackham.
Directed by Rob Reiner.

PG-13 for language and sexual humor

Buy it

Plot description from the cover:

In THE BUCKET LIST cancer doesn't discriminate in its choice of victims. It's equally eager in its attacks on kindly sage of a mechanic Carter Chambers (Morgan Freeman) and mean-spirited millionaire Edward Cole (Jack Nicholson). When the unlikely pair shares a room at a hospital they learn that they both have less than a year to live as a result of the deadly disease. Inspired by the words of a college professor Carter begins to make a "bucket list" of things he wants to accomplish before he dies. With Edward's limitless funds at their disposal the men embark on an adventure that takes them from Egypt to France to Hong Kong crossing items off their list as death grows closer.

There are enough problems with this picture, both in conception and execution, to prevent me from ever giving it an unconditional recommendation. Many real-life cancer patients find its portrayal of the condition either laughable or offensive. But I think it has just enough redeeming qualities - and messages - to it to make it worthwhile. However, if you find sappy, sentimental moments totally irredeemable, then you should just avoid it altogether.

Final score: B

Trailer:

DVD - Thank You for Smoking (B-)

Starring Aaron Eckhart, William H. Macy, Maria Bello, Katie Holmes (PBA), Sam Elliott, and J. K. Simmons.
Directed by Jason Reitman.

Rated R for pervasive language and for sexual situations

Buy it

Synopsis from the back of the box:

Aaron Eckhart stars as Nick Naylor, a sexy charismatic spin-doctor for Big Tobacco who'll fight to protect America's right to smoke -- even if it kills him -- while still remaining a role model for his 12-year old son. When he incurs the wrath of a senator (William H. Macy) bent on snuffing out cigarettes Nick's powers of "filtering the truth" will be put to the test.

I think the problem many people have with this film is that - unlike most moralizing Hollywood movies - it doesn't take a stand for or against smoking. While I think smoking is disgusting and practically crazy and I've lost count of the people I've known who died from it, I actually found this approach refreshing. It's essentially a cynical, amoral, libertarian satire on the American nanny state, corporate shills, and posturing politicians. In essence it boils down to this message: "Everyone's got a selfish reason for doing what they do and all information is skewed to the interests of the person providing it. Make up your own mind based on that. If you can."

Since I'm neither amoral nor very libertarian I was not thrilled with the main character (His motto: "If you argue correctly, then you're never wrong.") or the way he indoctrinated his son into believing "doing what you do best" is one's highest calling - even if it's for a horrible cause. But his blunt honesty appealed to my cynical side and was often quite amusing.

Based on the novel by Christopher Buckley.

Final score: B minus

Trailer: