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.
Starring Katherine Heigl (PBA), James Marsden, Malin Akerman, Edward Burns, Judy Greer, Melora Hardin (PBA). Written by Aline Brosh McKenna. Directed by Anne Fletcher.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
Starring: Lisa Pepper, Abigail Mason, Soren Fulton, Danielle Chuchran, Tanner Maguire, Bailee Madison, Elliott Gould Written by: Brian Bird and Cindy Kelley Directed by: Michael Landon, Jr.
This adaptation of Beverly Lewis' novel The Redemption of Sarah Cain is another commendable addition to the oeuvre of family telefilm producer/director Michael Landon, Jr. Taking great liberties with the plot of the novel, the picture turns the usual Witness-esque story of the 'English' trying to adapt to the life of the Amish on its head. It places the devout orphans of the protagonist's recently departed sister in the heart of a major city and explores the effect it has on their hearts and their family dynamic.
The beginning of the film is worrisome due to extremely clunky, high school drama level dialogue that sounds like it was cobbled from a book of newspaper office cliches. All the editor (played with sorely-needed light humor by Elliott Gould of M*A*S*H and Ocean's 11 fame) needed was a cigar to chomp on and he'd be straight out of a comic book.
Fortunately, things improve dramatically once columnist Sarah Cain starts interacting earnestly with her sister's children. Landon's skill at drawing convincing performances from talented kids is highlighted throughout the rest of the film and, by the end, YOU may want to adopt some of them! And leading lady Lisa Pepper (unsung star of Anthony Hopkins' indie film Slipstream) is frequently good and shows great potential for success. She's very easy on the eyes (it's part of the Hollywood equation, folks) and definitely plays well opposite children.
My favorite part may be the flashback sequence at the end. I won't spoil it for you but it's very appropriate to the character and is beautiful, ethereal, evocative, and expertly photographed and edited.
This compilation was not exactly necessary. Grant's last greatest hits album came out only three years ago. It's primary purpose is as a sampler of the brighter sound of her recently recently reissued, newly remastered back catalog. There are two different versions of this set running around: A straightforward CD version and a CD/DVD Special Edition. This review is of the latter.
I am an Amy completist, so I already own every song and music video on this special edition set. It's difficult for me to judge the strength of the track selection because even though I love them all, there are dozens of favorite songs that aren't on it. That's just going to happen when trying to boil 30 years and 20-odd albums down into 19 songs.
I will say to the new or casual fan who is looking for a greatest hits CD to start their AG collection that this is a pretty good place to start. Her first compilation, The Collection was a good, relatively deep summation of Amy's purely Contemporary Christian period and is a great choice for those who want to focus solely on that era. Greatest Hits 1986-2004 covers her crossover and pop hit periods fairly well.
This CD is an extremely broad sampling of both eras but skews to the lite pop - with better remastered sound quality for current systems. The mix of cheery 70s-style acoustics and string sections with 80s synthesizers and 90s adult pop can be a bit jarring but it's all part of Amy's growth over the decades. My only real gripe is the underrepresentation of her introspective and gut-wrenchingly honest work from Lead Me On and Behind the Eyes, which may be regarded by posterity as her two best albums.
The greatest benefit (for new Amy fans and old) of this 2-disc Special Edition - in my humble opinion - is the nearly half hour of interview footage she provides (Preview). Just sitting on the couch with a mug of coffee, reminiscing and vividly describing the hows and whys of the peaks and valleys of her recording career and her life, Amy demonstrates exactly why she has touched audiences and made devoted fans for three decades. It's nearly impossible not to like such an earthy, gentle person who is openly alloyed with the wonderment and messiness of real life. She's like an ideal next door neighbor that you'd love to sit around and discuss life, love, and faith with. And in some ways we already have because it's all there in her songs.
Starring Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton (PBA), Gaius Charles, Zach Gilford, Minka Kelly, Taylor Kitsch, Adrianne Palicki, Scott Porter, Aimee Teegarden
Arguably the best drama on network television. Why are you not watching it? It was - thankfully - renewed for a second season and will actually air on Friday nights this year beginning October 5.
That wasn't an automatic decision: Friday Night Lights has languished in its timeslot. To its credit, NBC really believes in this show. So much so that it has released this complete season DVD set at the unheard of price of $19.99 - with a money-back guarantee if you don't like it. They really want the word to spread and keep it afloat. I do, too.
Many fans of the show admit that they initially avoided it because they thought it was only about football. But it's not about football. It's about life. It's about high school anxieties, high-pressure jobs, modern-day parenting, the fragility of trust, preserving a marriage, conflicting priorities, sexual morality, physical disabilities, dysfunctional families, reaching out to the children of dysfunctional families and a million other things that pull us all in multiple directions at once. As in life, each time a character recovers from one blow another comes right behind it. Fortunately, things are balanced - as in life - with a healthy dash of perspective and humor.
Some parents will object to the fact that most of the older players are sexually active and drink frequently. Realistically, most junior and senior jocks ARE sexually active and drinking frequently. One kid is depicted as an alcoholic but the rest seem to suffer no consequences from their drinking. Sexually, there is no depiction of the act but there is some before and after imagery. There are plenty of emotional and relational consequences to their "hook-ups." And there are some frank, impassioned, positively-portrayed parental stands made on the subject. Of course, that doesn't mean the kids always listen. Here, mother Tami Taylor (Connie Britton) confronts her daughter Julie (Aimee Teegarden) after spotting her boyfriend buying "protection" at the drugstore.
Britton was robbed of an Emmy nomination this year. Just so you know.
On quality points alone, I'd give this series a full-fledged A. But there is one element that bothers me. Two junior students (one guy and one gal, both the troubled black sheep of the show) have dalliances with adults. Neither story has a happy ending but they are not treated as particularly worse than any other liaison, either. It is not addressed on the show but technically it could all be legal since 17 is the age of consent in Texas. The actors playing the teens are 26 and 24, FYI. But it is still rather creepy.
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.
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.
I'm not a huge fan of the genre but I have a genuine appreciation for Southern Gospel, not least because of my childhood exposure to it. Well, in my limited experience, one of the greatest vocalists ever across any style is Janet Paschal. She has been a favorite of mine since the early 1980s when she toured with tenor John Starnes in Jimmy Swaggart's band. Within a few years she went entirely solo and soon became (and remains) a fixture in uberproducer Bill Gaither's series of video specials. This DVD is a collection of Paschal's most popular moments from those shows over the past two decades.
Paschal has always been a much better performer live than she is in the studio. The audience and the opportunity to physically embody the song for them energize her in ways that a sound-proofed room could never do. And at the half-century mark, she still has the broadest smile and her eyes still have the brightest sparkle I've ever seen onstage.
Between songs, Gaither and Pashcal discuss her feelings for each song and they share memories of the Homecoming tours. Gaither reiterates her reputation as a perpetually positive and thoughtful person and she giggles in response. In an understated moment, Janet also recounts her recent battle with breast cancer and her tortuous rounds of intensive chemotherapy. She has been cancer-free for a year or so and is now touring again.
Here, in a low-quality version of a highlight from the early '90s, Janet floors George Younce, Jessy Dixon, Vestal Goodman and a host of other Gospel legends with a gotta-shout, gotta-dance rendition of "Born Again". If this don't light your fire, your wood's wet!
In this clip, she acts as worship leader to the Homecoming team and ends in a moving duet with gospel pioneer Vestal Goodman.
If I have any complaint, it's that the second half of the disc contains virtually no uptempo numbers and this breaks up the rhythm of the package.
Starring Kellie Martin, Tyne Daly, Randall Batinkoff, Stewart Finlay-McLennan, Tess Harper Buy it
Synopsis: Based on the bestseller by Catherine Marshall, Christy tells the story of an idealistic nineteen year old who leaves the comforts of her city home to teach school in an impoverished Appalachian community in 1912.
Upon viewing this series again for the first time in more than a decade, I was reminded anew of how much I deeply loved and respected it and how bitterly disappointed I was that it was cancelled after one season. I had forgotten just how much I missed it.
On its surface, 'Christy' looked like a simple attempt by CBS to recreate the alchemy of its hugely successful hit 'Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman,' with frontier family drama, a benevolent-fish-out-of-water heroine, and a dash of romance. But it ended up being a great deal more than that. It took those elements and added two other critical ingredients. One is well-worn in television storytelling, the other treated like the third rail of commercial TV.
The series was extremely conscientious about treating the denizens of the fictional mountain community of Cutter Gap with respect and dignity even as it showed the negative side of their almost feral life. Christy Huddleston was constantly learning not to condescend to them, even though many of their ways were not only backward but patently self-destructive, even deadly. She consistently learned as much from them as they did from her.
Most surprisingly, the series addressed religion in an adult manner, making it an organic part of the story rather than a theme to visit every so often. Christy teaches school to the mountain children as part of her service as a Christian missionary. She and the other missionaries speak of God as a matter of course and discuss their faith in honest, practical terms. They have faults and address them inconsistently but determinedly. The agnostic local doctor frequently confronts them with questions (some honest, some not) about their beliefs and motives and they respond honestly, sometimes learning more about themselves and their faith in the process, and frequently give the doctor something to chew on as well. And unlike most television Christians, they discover the error of preachiness without recanting the truth they were preaching. This balanced, faith-with-boots-on approach was bracingly refreshing and downright exciting in 1994. Recent attempts to 'humanize' religious characters by essentially making them act like agnostics (Aaron Sorkin, take note) get it all wrong. 'Christy' got it as close to right as I've seen yet.
Enough praise cannot be heaped on the then-19-year-old Kellie Martin, who carried the series with the aplomb of someone twice her age. She makes Christy not only adorable but admirable. And Tyne Daly, who won another Emmy for this role, is a constant treat.
My only qualms with this release echo everyone else's. Double-sided discs are a huge no-no. Handling them with care is always problematic. The low resolution necessary to fit them on so few discs is not too evident on a conventional 25" TV but is downright depressing on a larger set or a computer screen. There are no extras. The discs deserve a C+ at best
Still, take this prize of a series any way you can get it. It's a fantastic find. Just be warned it ended on a cliffhanger that was, sadly, never resolved (except in an inferior TV movie with a different cast). Final score: A
Featuring Chloe Agnew, Orla Fallon, Lisa Kelly (PBA), Meav Ni Mhaolchatha, Mairead Nesbitt, Hayley Westenra Buy it
Ever since they began conquering the world a couple years back (or at least the part of it that watches PBS) the Irish vocal troupe Celtic Woman has owned the top spot of the Billboard World chart, with each disc knocked off only by their own projects. This concert will only further entrench them in that position.
Even with those breakout CD sales, the core of their success has lain in their concert presentation. The CDs have been like talismans that invoke the concert experience and keep it fresh until you have time to sit and watch it again. But the stage is where they truly rule.
The first video, recorded at Dublin's Helix Theatre, was beautiful, ethereal, and occasionally almost spiritual. But "A New Journey" adds one more element: Fun! Only fiddler Mairead Nesbitt did any real moving and shaking in the original. The vocalists were - apart from gracefully walking up and down ramps - fairly static. This actually lent itself to the otherworldly quality of the show but also subtracted color from the ladies' personalities.
Well, they are alive and in living color in this show filmed outdoors at famed Slane Castle. The greatest benefit goes, hands down, to singer Lisa Kelly. More than the other vocalists, who hearken primarily from classical and traditional roots, Kelly's background is predominantly in musical theater. Her skills in dramatic presentation, audience connection, and dance are unleashed here and she absolutely relishes it. And Nesbitt? Her already energetic presentation takes off into the utterly dynamic.
This shift is apparent in all the performances. Meav Ni Mhaolchatha, only months removed from maternity leave, seems to find a whole new level of characterization and assurance and it suits her. And the addition of the nearly operatic Hayley Westenra gooses everyone's vocal game up another notch.
If I have a nit to pick on the concert, it would be that the setlist frontloads much of the new material and leaves you with repeats from the first video toward the end.
Something else I'm mulling: The crowd reaction shots that punctuated the PBS version are largely gone in this home video edition. That gives more uninterrupted screen time for the attractive ladies but it takes away some of the emotional energy generated by the visibly captivated and moved audience. As an example, here's the charming Lisa Kelly's performance of "Caledonia" from the PBS edition:
On the DVD. I sort of miss the people.
Overall, however, the concert video scores a solid A.
The extras are thin. There's a well-done "Making Of" featurette that explores the logistics of pulling off this massive production outdoors. But it contains little on the show's stars. And that's it, folks! Unlike the Helix DVD, there are no individual interviews with the ladies here. I'd give the extras a B at best.
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."
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?
Starring jeff obafemi carr, Michael W. Smith Directed by Steve Taylor PG-13 for language and violence Buy it
Let me get this out of the way: I do not automatically give all Christian movies an A merely to "give them support." As the leader of my church's drama ministry I believe we are responsible to pursue and promote excellence in the arts. Poor craftsmanship implies poor effort and lacks credibility. Trust me, the makers of this film feel the same way.
When I saw this was a film by Steve Taylor, I knew I had to see this movie.
When I heard singer Michael W. Smith was in the lead role, I wasn't so sure I wanted to see this movie.
Well, I was pleased with much of it, challenged as a Christian by parts of it, and disappointed with lots of it. As with his cutting edge music, Taylor pushed some buttons that definitely needed to be pushed (punched and smashed, too) about the marketing mentality within the church, the social laziness we ignore, the racial ignorance we tolerate (on both sides), and the flawless facade we try to project. As for the occasional swearing the pastor does, that's just real life. Preachers are fallible. Alert the media!
As for Smitty, all I can say is, "He obviously worked very hard on this and there were times when he was very effective." That's nicer than saying, "Don't quit your day job." And more honest, really. He didn't stink at it. But I doubt he'll ever be on Martin Scorsese's speed dial.
jeff obafemi carr (the lowercase thing is his idea) is pretty darn good, though. Hope to see him again.
The great, glaring weakness of 'Second Chance' is in the retreaded plots: Plot A: A small, faithful inner city church is financially strapped and the administrative board plans to shut it down if its fortunes don't turn around, so the congregation rallies to save it. Plot B: A rebellious, successful son is resistant about taking over the reins of a church from his kindly old father, the senior pastor who is beloved by everyone. Heard either of those plots before? Sure, in just about every story about a church that you've ever seen from 'The Preacher's Wife', 'Sister Act,' and 'The Gospel' to dozens of episodes of 'Highway to Heaven' and 'Touched by An Angel.' Is there no other story out there?
I really feel Taylor missed an opportunity by not trying for a more original story to tell, one that the average person could identify with. And hadn't seen before. But this is still a good first effort by Steve.
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.
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