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

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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

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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:

DVD - 27 Dresses (C+)

Starring Katherine Heigl (PBA), James Marsden, Malin Akerman, Edward Burns, Judy Greer, Melora Hardin (PBA).
Written by Aline Brosh McKenna.
Directed by Anne Fletcher.

PG-13 for language and sexuality

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Plot description from the cover:

From the screenwriter of The Devil Wears Prada, 27 DRESSES centers on Jane (Emmy winner Katherine Heigl), an idealistic, romantic and completely selfless woman -- a perennial bridesmaid whose own happy ending is nowhere in sight. But when younger sister Tess captures the heart of Jane's boss - with whom she is secretly in love - Jane begins to reexamine her "always-a-bridesmaid..." lifestyle. Jane has always been good at taking care of others, but not so much in looking after herself. Her entire life has been about making people happy - and she has a closet full of 27 bridesmaid dresses to prove it. One memorable evening, Jane manages to shuttle between wedding receptions in Manhattan and Brooklyn, a feat witnessed by Kevin (James Marsden), a newspaper reporter who realizes that a story about this wedding junkie is his ticket off the newspaper's bridal beat. Jane finds Kevin's cynicism counter to everything she holds dear - namely weddings, and the two lock horns. Further complicating Jane's once perfectly-ordered life is the arrival of younger sister Tess (Malin Akerman). Tess immediately captures the heart of Jane's boss, George (Edward Burns). Tess enlists her always-accommodating sister to plan yet another wedding - Tess and George's - but Jane's feelings for him lead to shocking revelations - and maybe the beginning of a new life.

This is a by-the-numbers rom-com confection sprinkled with nothing but charming, good-looking, talented actors. No new ground is broken. In fact, (except for an openly vindictive moment for Heigl's character) the existing ground is paved over with a thick layer of sugary glaze and cordoned off with "Do Not Touch" signs.

But that's okay. There's no pretension of aspiration to high art or even to a cursory correlation with reality here. Just lightweight disposable entertainment. And it does that well. I'm just not sure that's worth an hour and forty-five minutes of my life.

Final score: C plus

Trailer:

DVD - The Savages (B+)

Starring Laura Linney (PBA), Philip Seymour Hoffman, Philip Bosco
Written and Directed by Tamara Jenkins

R for language, mature themes, and sexuality

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Billed as a dark comedy, 'The Savages' is certainly not standard movie fare but I think it's a film that we're richer for having around. Many have tackled end-of-life issues before but very few have done it like this. It is an unsentimental, unapologetic, slice-of-life depiction of two middle aged siblings, Linney (in an Oscar-nominated turn) and Hoffman, managing the rapid mental deterioration and death of their estranged, abusive father and the process - physiological and logistical - that entails.

It averts its gaze from none of the practical and emotional issues met by everyone whose family members live so long. From scatological problems to the appalling reality of nursing homes to the pressures of guilt, it covers the bases. It does punctuate it with moments of humor and sprinkles knowingly wry observations of sibling dynamics throughout. But there are no saccharine reconciliations or dramatic changes of heart in the last act to pull the punches. Things just happen and the people react as we all do - with integrity and responsibility in some areas and utter cowardice and flakiness in others. And with many things left unsaid.

My only real nit to pick is a slight sense of self-indulgence in the characters' professions. Everyone but the father is in the theater (or wants to be). It leads to a bit of inside humor that took me out of the movie a few times. (If you know who Bertolt Brecht is, it could open up another level of Hoffman's character to you. He briefly summarizes Brecht's epic philosophy at one point.) But it's not a huge liability.

Linney and Hoffman are, of course, impeccable but I believe Philip Bosco, who plays the largely silent role of the father, deserves praise as well. He speaks volumes with exhausted eyes and resigned yet pained stillness.

Final score: B plus

Trailer:

DVD - Lars and the Real Girl (A-)

Starring Ryan Gosling, Emily Mortimer, Paul Schneider, Kelli Garner, and Patricia Clarkson.
Written by Nancy Oliver.
Directed by Craig Gillespie.

PG-13 for some sex-related content and some language

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This is my other favorite film of 2007. Knowing that, when I tell you this film's premise you will think I've officially gone off the deep end.

Lars is about a man who buys a "love doll" online and actually believes that she's a real woman. Got your attention? Good. Because even though that's the one-sentence description of the movie, it doesn't even begin to cover all that this movie is really about.

Lars (Oscar nominee Gosling doing a terrific job) is a nice guy and is extremely shy. He also has severe emotional problems. He finds it physically painful to be touched by others and ignores both their repeated hints that he find a girl and the subtle advances of a gangly coworker (Garner). Although he works at his anonymous computer job each day and faithfully attends church, no one is aware of just how serious his condition has become in the past few months. His pregnant sister-in-law, Karin (Mortimer, who actually drives the film), has suspicions, however, and since Lars lives in the converted garage behind their house, keeps unsuccessfully inviting him to have dinner with her and his brother, Gus (Schneider). In desperation, she finally tackles him in the driveway one night and insists he eat the salmon she's made. Later, Gus shrugs his brother's quirks off as "fine."

A shipping crate arrives one day while Lars is at work and Karin casually calls Lars at work notify him. Lars speeds home to open it and that evening announces that he has a lady friend he's met online and that he'd like to bring her to dinner that night. Ecstatic that he's not only reaching out to them but has found romance, Karin and Gus spruce the house up and anxiously await the arrival of Lars' friend. Their hopes are dashed, however, when they meet Bianca - a life-sized, fully-articulated, silicone pleasure doll. Lars explains that Bianca can't walk because she is paraplegic and can't speak English because she's a Brazilian missionary. Since Lars and Bianca are devout Christians and they don't want to give the impression of impropriety, he asks Gus and Karin if Bianca can stay in their house while she's in America.

Terrified that Lars is psychotic, Karin and Gus devise a ruse to get Lars help. They suggest a routine examination for Bianca by their small town's lone physician - who is also a psychologist. After interacting with Lars while she "diagnoses" Bianca, the doctor (Oscar nominee Clarkson in a pitch-perfect performance) suggests to the couple that Lars has not had a complete break. He is delusional, however, and there must be some reason why his mind created the delusion to protect him. She recommends strongly that they humor him until she can find out why. Although Gus has to be strong-armed at first, they eventually play along and soon the entire community follows suit in an effort to help Lars get better.

What follows is a thoughtful, charming, moving, and frequently understated Capraesque comedy that seldom goes for the cheap laugh. It gently reminds us not only of the lengths any of us may go to when we're hurting enough but also of what a family, a church, and a community can do for someone else in pain. There are a few scenes that stretch credulity even for a tale this fanciful but, generally speaking, if you're willing to buy into the premise, it can take you to a pretty nice place.

Final score: A minus

Trailer:

DVD - Juno (A-)

Starring Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner (PBA), Jason Bateman, Allison Janney, and J.K. Simmons.
Written by Diablo Cody.
Directed by Jason Reitman.

PG-13 for mature thematic material, sexual content, language, and a disturbing image

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Easily one of the best films of 2007. Possibly the best. It's a very stylized but not entirely fantastic spin on some very uncomfortable and potentially taboo subjects and whips up thought-provoking and ultimately rather positive results.

I have a habit of assuming everyone has heard the basic premise of every movie I review simply because I keep abreast of upcoming releases. Sorry. Here's Juno's plot according to the back of the box:

Juno MacGuff (Ellen Page) is a cool, confident teenager who takes a nine-month detour into adulthood when she's faced with an unplanned pregnancy - and sets out to find the perfect parents to adopt her baby. With the help of her charmingly unassuming boyfriend (Michael Cera), supportive dad (J.K Simmons) and no-nonsense stepmom (Allison Janney), Juno sets her sights on an affluent couple (Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman) longing to adopt their first child.

There's something to chew on for those in all the generations depicted here. What is maturity? When do you need to grow up? What ways do you hide from it? Why do you want children? How do you do the right thing? And who's the right person to do it with? Everyone will get a jab of self-recognition at all the various stages in life. And apart from all that it's just plain funny, engaging, and touching. I didn't often find it a bust-a-gut, knee-slapping kind of funny but my face started hurting from smiling throughout the first half of the movie.

The performances are solid all around but Page owns the picture, playing Juno's wise-cracking bravado and her fear with equal skill. Her Oscar nomination was a no-brainer. There was a nearly-successful push for a Jennifer Garner supporting actress nom at the Golden Globes and that would also have done her thoughtful, conflicted work justice.

Let me say this: If you are put off by quick, sarcastic, graphic, pop culture-sprinkled dialogue, you may have difficulties enjoying Juno. It comes mostly from the main character and there's enough that some people my age couldn't listen to two lines of it without saying either "What? Huh? What is she talking about?" or "No child of mine will talk like that heathen!" They may want to watch Matlock instead.

Final score: A minus

Trailer:

Advertising - The Trunk Monkey (A-)

Ad campaign for a car dealership chain in Oregon. Cold, a bit violent, but funny as all get out.

Compilation video:



Final score: A minus

Preview - Back to You (B-)

Starring Kelsey Grammer, Patricia Heaton (PBA)

Back to You features two of the best actors in TV history in a show produced by the creators of the most award-winning comedy of all time. How can it go wrong? It's hard to tell from the available clips (laid end to end here with a few gaps) but I have some notes to share after you watch them:



Heaton comes off fairly well here because she's not automatically likeable and she's in an office setting in a suit. This puts some healthy perceptual distance between her and Debra Barone. But Grammer may be cursed with Frasier Crane till the day he dies. Everything is lose/lose. Put him in a suit and he looks like Frasier. Put him in anything else and he looks like Frasier trying to be a regular guy. The hard edge he's shooting for here is often reminiscent of the voice and posture Frasier would assume when he was trying to impress Marty's pals. Still, Grammer has the skill to make us buy Chuck in time, so I'll give him a chance to pull it off.

The supporting cast is looking shaky at best. The nerd has a cliched appeal but the invisible guy is truly invisible. He has all the presence of an empty cereal box. Hopefully this is impression comes merely from the brief time he has in these clips.

The writing is average in spots, above average in others. I like the falcon line!

All in all, it has some potential and a great pedigree. We'll see if it's allowed to find its footing.

Final preview score: B minus

DVD - Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (A+)

Starring Jean Arthur, James Stewart, Claude Rains, Edward Arnold, and Thomas Mitchell
Screenplay by Sidney Buchman based on a story by Lewis Foster
Directed by Frank Capra

This is my favorite film of all time. I watch it every election eve.

It paints a surprisingly frank picture of the ugly nature of politics and begs for just one honest man to make a difference. James Stewart is flawless and absolutely irreplacable as that man - Jeff Smith. The stellar Capra stable of players from Jean Arthur to Edward Arnold to H. B. Warner are pitch perfect. But my special favorite may in fact be Claude Rains, who plays an honest man gone bad with such conflict and realism that he makes a potentially cartoon "villain" feel all the more palpably plausible. This is why "Mr. Smith" may be the ne plus ultra of idealistic films but it is not unrealistic. And I have yet to see any film sustain a half hour that matches this film's third act - the filibuster - in intensity and exaltation.

It's interesting to see how many amateur reviews reveal the film as a Rorschach test for viewers' political leanings. One sees it as taking a stand against the liberal Democrats in power at the time, another as raising an alarm against Republican business interests controlling corrupt politicians. That's funny, because I always thought the film was FOR something, that it was a monument to the American ideals of truth, justice, equality, and the common good - regardless of party.

One more thing: It disheartens me to hear comments about how "cheesy" this film is and how all the manners and idioms of 1939 make it unwatchable. I think these folks are incapable of appreciating any culture but their own. They would probably go to Spain and make fun of people that speak Spanish. Even though it's set in the US, this movie takes place in a different culture: Depression-era America. Back then, people knew when you were "full of hooey" and called you a "crackpot" to let you know it. That may sound funny to some today but our current slang will probably sound even worse in 70 years.

Final score: A+

DVD - Little Miss Sunshine (B+)

Starring Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, Steve Carrell, Abigail Breslin, Paul Dano, and Alan Arkin
Written by Michael Arndt
Directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris
R for pervasive profanity, drug use, adult subject matter
Buy it

Up front: If you don't like quirky indie films, or if you believe the perfect family is even remotely attainable in this lifetime, you'll hate this.

The biggest strike against this movie is its hype. Nothing can live up to the expectations Fox Searchlight has set Little Miss Sunshine up with. It is not a crazy, non-stop laugh riot but rather a whimsical, persistent little movie that often charms its way into your heart and drops a huge lesson in your lap - before falling apart at the end.

The finale was a unusual idea (and turned the inappropriateness of the Jon Benet circuit on its head) but flirted with pervish-ness in itself. And it sort of devolved into an overlong, indulgent mess when everyone pitched in.

Still, it's a thinker. And I like thinkers.

Final score: B plus

TV - Goodbye, Girls

After several months of coquettish avoidance, the CW network and the creative team behind the show have finally announced what has been obvious to the entire world for a painfully long time: Gilmore Girls will be no more after this season's finale.

Easily one of the ten best series of this century, the show has been in decline for the better part of 18 months due (in no small part) to the abrupt departure of its original creator, Amy Sherman Palladino. I don't mind them stopping before it gets too ugly. But it will be sorely, sorely missed.

The rapid-fire dialogue - fortified with seemingly limitless literary and pop culture references and rare, razor-sharp wit and sarcasm modeled after 1930s screwball comedies - gets all the glory and it IS what hooked us. But the loving yet hard-fought relationships between the slightly off-center characters also kept us coming back.

Gilmore Girls had something for everyone. There was just enough teen angst for the high school girls who hung on every twist and turn in young Rory's love life. The literate (e.g., namechecking Dorothy Parker and Robert Benchley) and nostalgic (70s and 80s references in every episode) quips and the confrontations between single mom Lorelai and her judgmental, controlling mother kept adults in stitches week after week.

Special kudos to actress Lauren Graham (PBA), who anchored the show both in humor and in drama and set the pace for all the other actors in delivering an hour's worth of dialogue in 43 minutes week after week. NO ONE else could ever be Lorelai Gilmore.

Here's a first season sampler. In less than two minutes they reference Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom, Noah, Shaft, Charlie Brown specials, Richard Simmons, Barbara Hutton, the Menendez murders, The Waltons, Wonder Woman's invisible plane, gauchos, Flashdance, Annie Oakley, Elsa Klensch, Bob Barker, Oscar Levant, Howard Cosell, Mary Poppins tunes, Emily Post, the Iran-Contra scandal, Fawn Hall, Judy Blume, 50s monster movie titles, Nietzsche, Dawson's Creek, and The Odd Couple:



The Gilmore girls - Lorelai, Rory, and Emily - were a breath of fresh air for seven years. May their Friday night dinners go on forever!

Series Final Score:
Season 1 - A
Seasons 2 & 3 - A plus
Seasons 4 & 5 - A
Season 6 - B
Season 7 - B minus

DVD - The Devil Wears Prada (B–)

Starring Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway (PBA), Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, Adrian Grenier
Directed by David Frankel
PG-13 for some sensuality, adult themes, profanity
Buy it

To begin with, this film is billed as a "wicked" comedy but I found no laughs in it. Maybe two or three mild chuckles. All the telegraphed moments that were intended to be comedy were glaringly unoriginal. Virtually every demeaning thing Meryl Streep's character does to Anne Hathaway's has been done in at least two dozen movies in the past 25 years. Only the specifics have been updated. This one simply has the world's greatest actress doing them.

Hathaway was cast because she's not only talented but also gorgeous and not emaciated. She is instantly likeable. Adrian Grenier is bland window-dressing as Hathaway's love interest. Chronic upstager Stanley Tucci is an actor I often can't appreciate but his under-the-top, small doses here keep him from being a liability. Streep is ... Streep! Her deft touch and perfect subtlety keep her absurd character in the realm of possibility. My biggest complaint is that her character's unsubtle hair is distractingly reminiscent of Glenn Close's Cruella Deville in Disney's "101 Dalmatians."

The entertaining and engaging parts primarily involve life lessons from the moral ambiguity that rears it head for Hathaway's character. However its lessons are contradictory and all over the map. Much of it is trite and all of it could have been done in a decent LifeTime movie but Streep and Hathaway bring it a level difficult to find on TV. And Hathaway's Andy ends up in a pretty questionable "happy ending" that belies her independence.

The film tries it hand at subtle apologetics for the high fashion industry. Even though I didn't buy it, a few of them were food for thought. And it's neat to hear Streep wrap attitude around the word "cerulean."

Final score: B minus

DVD - Click (D and B–)

Starring Adam Sandler, Kate Beckinsale (PBA), Christopher Walken, Henry Winkler
Directed by Frank Coraci
PG-13 for crude, scatalogical, and arrested sexual humor, profanity, child profanity, and drug references
Buy it

Full disclosure: I cannot stand Adam Sandler. He is the black hole of humor. Any idea remotely resembling funny that approaches his vicinity is sucked down into neverending annhilation at the hands of fart gags, monotonous rhyming, and nicknames for male parts.

Moving on ...

A harried workaholic Michael Newman (Adam Sandler) doesn't have time for his wife (Kate Beckinsale) and children not if he's to impress his ungrateful boss and earn a well-deserved promotion. So when he meets Morty (Christopher Walken) a loopy sales clerk he gets the answer to his prayers: a magical remote that allows him to bypass life's little distractions. But as Michael gleefully mutes skips and scans past his family and his friends the remote gradually takes over his life and begins to program him.

You'll notice I've given it two grades. That's because it's like two different movies spliced together.

The first movie is like a live-action Disney flick written by the Farrelly Brothers. The acting, plot, dialogue, music, and direction - even the photography - mimic stuff pitched to a 8-year-old's level. But it's packed with a fratboy's sense of humor. Farts, bimbos, and humping dogs rejoice.

The second movie is like a protracted 'Twilight Zone' episode ... written by the Farrelly Brothers. The upside of this segment is that it actually begins to explore the metaphor that Sandler's universal remote represents. As Sandler rockets through the second half of his life, it takes an emotional and visual dark downward spiral into regret and pathos that may actually read your mail and jerk a tear or two. The downside is that there isn't enough character development in the first movie to earn the tears this second movie wants to jerk out of you. It has to rely solely on the viewer projecting him/herself onto the screen, which means only part of the audience will get it.

Though Oscar-nominated, the aging and fatsuit make-up work created by the legendary Rick Baker is excellent but not quite up to his past work. And Kate Beckinsale seems to age at half the rate of everyone else. But those are quibbles.

There is a moment that I particularly appreciate, even though it takes you out of the film. Christopher Walken's character states the first comment most people have upon seeing the trailer: How in the heck did a schlub like Sandler end up married to a raving beauty like Beckinsale?

Final score: First part, D. Second, B minus

DVD - Junebug (B+)

Starring Embeth Davidtz, Alessandro Nivolo, Amy Adams (PBA), Celia Weston, Ben McKenzie
Written and Directed by Phil Morrison
R for sexual content, explicit paintings, and language
Buy it

While this film is sometimes uneven in its pacing and priorities and often quirky and crude simply for its own sake, on the whole it was well worth the investment of time and effort to watch it. It was certainly one of the better films of 2005 and, as has been stated many times here, Amy Adams' Best Supporting Actress nomination was richly deserved. In fact, she was flat-out robbed in not winning.

If you've ever spent an unexpectedly protracted time in a family member's home (where every routine is backward to yours, personal tensions are kept just out of your sight with varying degrees of success, politeness has different definitions and contexts, and even the sounds and smells are foreign) the stylistic approach of 'Junebug' will give you a nearly claustrophobic sense of deja vu.

Some of the themes presented here are well-worn: "All regional cultures have good and bad in them," "Do you really know the people closest to you?" "Dysfunction is a distorted mask worn by thwarted attempts at showing love," and "Why doesn't anyone say what they're really feeling?" But the realism with which it is occasionally portrayed in 'Junebug' hits awfully close to home.

Amy Adams walked an extremely fine line with amazing ability here. The relentlessly dogged positivity and adorability of her character was designed to be comic, admirable, tragic, and unwittingly profound but could easily have veered into an unbelievably cartoony pathos. Judging from the clips of Adams' audition, she had just the right touch mapped out from day one. I can't imagine anyone else playing her this perfectly. My test for her performance was, "Is this realistic? Have I actually met people like her?" I have.

I am an 8th generation Southerner. Some Southerners see Adams' character as a stereotype. Is she? She could be interpreted as one. If you see her as just a dumb, sweet hick, then she is a stereotype to you. But I saw a voraciously curious, idealistic, restless, compassionate young woman who felt absolutely trapped in a home that didn't reward such things and who adapted the only way she knew how - gathering obscure knowledge like manna and always holding out hope, no matter the evidence to the contrary. She was inundated with negativity from every angle, every day and you could see her mentally trying to ignore the gunk thrown on her rose-colored glasses at the beginning of each sentence she spoke. I thought it was terribly true to life.

Final score: B plus