I Am Legend

(Guest Review by Russ)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A brilliant scientist – Robert Neville (Will Smith) is possibly the last human left on earth after a man-made virus seemingly wipes out the world’s population. For the next 3 years, Neville sends out daily radio messages in search of other survivors. But mutant victims of the plague – The Infected – lurk in the shadows (unable to be in the light) waiting to prey on Neville as he tries to reverse the effects of the virus by using his own immune blood.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Will Smith, Alice Braga, Charlie Tahan, and one very well-trained (and emotive) German Shepherd. (There’s also an unexpected cameo in the first 5 minutes, so make sure you don’t miss the beginning.)

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! Let’s face it, you’re seeing I Am Legend because we haven’t had a Will Smith actioner since 2004’s, I Robot, and the good news is both he and the movie are better this time. I Am Legend delivers the goods on suspense and action, and it cuts the surface to go a bit deeper and make you think (albeit not as much as it could have). I did not read the popular Richard Matheson novel the film was based on, so I can’t comment on the translation to screen, but if you’re looking for some year-end action/thriller entertainment, this one will most likely satisfy.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: There are a few clever jokes with the use of mannequins, and some visual funny related to the not-too-distant future (keep an eye on the NY billboards and gas prices), but overall this is no comedy.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: There are some touching and emotional moments that might get to a select few people. Mostly thanks to Smith, these moment come off a little more ‘real’ than in most action films.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: This isn’t the type of movie that usually garners Academy Award recognition outside of the visual effects and technical categories, but if dogs were eligible for Best Supporting Actor, we might have a contender.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: It’s pretty much Will Smith’s film from beginning to end considering he’s practically lonelier than Tom Hanks was with that volleyball in Cast Away. With that said, Smith’s in fine form as the quintessential thinking-man’s action hero. Not only is he tremendously charismatic and fully buff – he also has to pull off the emotion that overcomes someone living with only himself for going on three years. There’s never a false moment in his performance and there are few actors who would be better in this type of role – maybe none. Alice Braga and Charlie Tahan as mother and son are also both good, but it’s still Will’s world.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Francis Lawrence came from the world of music videos and his first feature was the 2005 Keanu Reeves film, Constantine. He handles this film with similar aplomb – the action sequences pop and the quieter moments work well too. He seems like an ‘action’ director trying to go a little deeper which is always a good thing.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Completely serviceable and there are some nice surprises along the way. The script could have been dumbed down, but luckily it never feels as if it were. But one can’t help wish the psychology of the story (and characters) had gone a bit deeper for an even more satisfying ride since it deals with a catastrophe that could be all-too-real in the very near future.

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Eastern Promises

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: When a 14-year-old Russian girl without identification dies during childbirth, the midwife (Naomi Watts) tries to identify and locate the baby’s relatives by having the girl’s diary translated into English. Unfortunately, her efforts to do a good deed, lead her directly to dangerous members of the Russian Mob, where she quickly becomes deeply entangled with too much information.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, Vicent Cassel, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Sinead Cusack, Jerzy Skolimoski

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! While it’s a little slow to get started, and extremely violent in parts, the twists and turns are interesting, surprising, and executed with and impressive subtlety, which leaves you feeling both challenged and satisfied.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Let me put it this way, the first time Nikolai (Mortensen) tells a joke, he has to explain afterwards that he was joking, and I still couldn’t figure out what was funny about what he had said.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Scream at the gore, yes. Clutch your seat from the tension, sure. But probably not cry.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Maybe the Academy will finally nominate Viggo for last year’s incredible performance in A History of Violence. I know that’s not officially how it works, but I was surprised that he was overlooked last year, as that was one of the strongest performances I’ve seen-- ever. And you know how they sometimes honor a less worthy performance a year late, because they realize they messed up the year before? Like when they gave Russell Crowe the best actor award for Gladiator, because they forgot to give it to him for The Insider… It could happen.

In other acting news, I would love to see Vincent Cassel get a Best Supporting Actor nod for this high energy performance as a powerful but incredibly insecure mob boss’s son, who seamlessly switches back and forth between power-hungry and desperate to be loved.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: With each role Viggo Mortensen takes on, his face transforms so completely, that I don’t even think I would recognize him if he were sitting in my lap. Meanwhile, he has met his match in Vincent Cassel. The scenes where these two battle for power are almost enough in themselves to make this film worth viewing. This is an acting duo I would love to see repeated.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: I like David Cronenberg, but I blame him for the extreme levels of gore. While most of the violence was necessary, it wasn’t necessary for it to be shot in such a gruesome manner.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Information in this film is doled out on a need to know basis. Nothing is repeated twice. Nothing is spoon-fed. And because of it, the audience gets smarter. My only complaint (aside from the slow beginning), is that Naomi Watts’ character, Anna, made some really bad decisions, even late in the movie when she really should have known better. I thought maybe it was supposed to come off as “ballsy,” but she was never established as any kind of a vigilante, so she ended up coming off as “dumb blond.”

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This Christmas

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A family gets together for Christmas and all the secrets spill out.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Delroy Lindo, Idris Elba, Loretta Devine, Chris Brown, Keith Robinson, Laz Alonso, Columbus Short, Sharon Leal, Lauren London, Lupe Ontiveros, Jessica Stroup, Mekhi Phifer, Regina King

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. I was hoping this would be the feel good Christmas movie of the season, but it was just okay. They tried to deal with too many characters, who had too many problems, and in so doing lost focus. While the secrets revealed were interesting, and the characters were real and relatable, the movie didn’t have a driving force, a main character, or a central goal or thrust to guide you through.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: A couple of times, if you’re paying attention.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If you cry, like I do, at the gentle tones of Chris Brown’s singing voice, then you’ll cry when he sings, but the drama probably won’t get you there.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It’s on the verge of qualifying for MTV’s Best Fight category, when three beautiful sisters attack each other in the rain, destroying each other's weaves. But I’m not going to put money on this one, because it’s not quite kitsch enough to guarantee a nomination.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Chris Brown is adorable! He’s going to be a huge movie star. Loretta Devine is so charming, you want to take her home and call her, “Mother.” And Lauren London is so gorgeous you feel like she’s going to ask you to stop staring.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: I’m going to talk about the Cinematography instead… I love the lighting in this film. It’s soft and sophisticated and romantic, as a Christmas movie (that’s not about Santa Claus) should be. Everyone and everything looks beautiful. And the hues have a quiet serenity that feels like a Christmas spent with the family: pensive, peaceful, and loving on the outside, but full of drama on the inside.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: It’s missing an objective. No one is trying to achieve anything. No one has to have something. They all just want to have a nice Christmas. It ends up feeling like nothing more than a slice of life. Which is a valid choice, but doesn’t make for the strongest dramatic situations.

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August Rush

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: An eleven-year-old orphan boy (Freddie Highmore) believes that if he learns to play the music in his head, his parents will hear it in the air and come find him.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Freddie Highmore, Keri Russell, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Terrence Howard, Robin Williams

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. This movie didn’t make me angry enough to deserve a red light, but be warned, you will have to suspend disbelief for every plot twist, and even every plot point, in this corniest of movies ever made. Perhaps it thinks itself a musical fairy tale of sorts, but ultimately even a knight in shining armor showing up on a white horse is more believable than the idea that this orphan boy’s parents (who conceived him during a one-night stand, 12 years ago), would hear his music in the air, and go to him… Then again, maybe I’m just jaded.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: It won’t even try to.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: It might, but if it does, you will deny it for the rest of your living days.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Now that would be silly.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Due to the fatal combination of corny dialogue and Jonathan Rhys Meyers’ natural levels of intensity, it actually feels quite creepy when he hits on Keri Russell, on the night of their fateful one-night stand. Once that’s over, all three of the separated family members (Highmore, Rhys Meyer, and Russell) spend a lot of screen time looking up at the sky meaningfully—which clearly the director has instructed them to do. On the flip side, there are break-out singing and acting performances by both Leon G. Thomas III, who plays a young street musician that August Rush (Highmore) befriends, and 11 year-old Jamia Simone Nash, as a singer in a church choir, who discovers that August is a musical prodigy.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Very average, and (as mentioned above) sometimes detrimental to the acting.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: I’m willing to severely suspend disbelief about once a movie—twice if the writing is really clever—I shouldn’t have to do during all the pivotal moments, even in a supposed fairy-tale.

Q: Is there anything else I should know about the movie?

A: Since Music is a main character, I would be remiss not to mention it. Let me just say, this is no Once (I’m referring to the 2006 Irish musical movie). You probably won’t be humming any of the tunes as you leave the theater. The only really creative aspect of the music is that August figures out how to somehow play guitar chords simply by hitting the guitar with a flat hand. Maybe that’s possible, but in this case the visuals and sounds don’t always match up from what I could see.

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Enchanted

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: An animated fairy tale princess (Amy Adams) falls through a magical well, which leads her straight to New York City, where she becomes a three dimensional live-action person, who is lost and confused in this strange and deeply jaded new world.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden, Susan Sarandon, Timothy Spall, Idina Menzel, Rachel Covey, and the voice of Julie Andrews

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. This is a very cute movie with a very cute premise, but it wasn’t quite as clever as I hoped it would be. There were several winks and references to classic Disney animated tales, but all the jokes that really drive home the concept are in the preview trailer. Still enjoyable, it’s just not as spectacular as its premise had the potential to be.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Yes, although not as often as it should.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If you’re under three, and scared of dragons, maybe.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: The composers, Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz, might add to their enormous collections of Oscars. I say this because the Academy often chooses its nominees based on the, “To know him is to love him,” principal. And since between the two of them they already have more than enough statues to bowl with, I conclude that the Academy knows them, and therefore loves them.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Amy Adams is truly a pleasure to watch. Her comic timing as well as her sense of joy will sweep you off your feet. Meanwhile, James Marsden proves once again that he’s not to be discounted as just a pretty face. Between the way he commits to this role as a cartoon prince, and his role earlier this year in Hairspray, he is quickly proving himself a force to be reckoned with in the broad comedy arena.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Having begun his career as an animator, and moved his way up to experienced director of both animation and live-action, Kevin Lima is probably most appropriate director they could have found for this piece.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Close, but no cigar. While the movie is not particularly flawed, for me there were a few moments that were just a little too “easy.” The supposedly jaded, Robert’s (Dempsey) willingness to bring this seemingly insane woman into his house—where his young daughter sleeps—as well as his willingness to bring her to work, and to forgive her for cutting up his curtains are all good examples of moments that could have used a little more justification, which in turn might have deepened the levels of the tale. Sometimes the story forwent real-world logic a little too much in favor of fairy tale logic, and in so doing lost opportunities for both humor and cleverness.

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I'm Not There

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: After sitting through the movie, I can honestly say that I have no idea. For anyone who still cares, I’ve quoted imdb.com, “Ruminations on the life of Bob Dylan, where seven characters embody a different aspect of the musician's life and work.” ... Ohhhh, “Ruminations!”

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Marcus Carl Franklin, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger, Ben Wishaw, Julianne Moore, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Bruce Greenwood, David Cross

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Stop! I was dead bored from the beginning to the end. At one point, a character I’ll call, “Random Townsperson #1” started telling Richard Gere that the people in the town had begun shooting themselves in the face and slitting their own throats, and I actually felt a tinge of jealousy. Bottom line, if you don’t already know everything there is to know about Bob Dylan, you will have no chance of following what’s going on in this supposed art film. In fact, you may not even know that this is a movie about Bob Dylan. Personally, I think a movie should be able to stand alone in both space and time, and considering we’re already 40 years beyond the height of Bob Dylan’s relevance, the audience for this movie has already shrunk to who cares. If you want to get anything out of this movie, you will most likely have to read a summary review of it in advance.

Here is some other suggested reading material you’ll need to peruse before you go: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Dylan, Bob Dylan: the Life and Time of a an American Icon, by Michael Schuman, Bob Dylan: the Essential Interviews, by Jonathan Cott, Dylan and Cohen: Poets of Rock and Roll, by David Boucher, Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right – Bob Dylan, the Early Years: The Stories Behind Every Song, by Gill…Oh, just go to Amazon, and browse for yourself.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Only if your dreams are funny. What I’m saying is that you’ll be far too asleep to laugh at anything happening on the screen.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Only if you value your time.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: I’m fairly sure the Spirit Awards will come up with a reason to nominate this. They love to make their voters sit through pretentious, boring crap-- Especially when it’s star-studded with people who might show up to sit in their award show audience, thereby raising their award’s awareness, relevance and legitimacy.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: It’s hard to appreciate the acting, when you’re mad at the actors for picking this movie. Clearly they all wanted to show-off their Bob Dylan impersonations. Some are better than others, but unfortunately you can see most of them working.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Todd Haynes knows his way around a camera. He proves that he knows how to create every look under the sun in this incohesive jumbled mess of a movie, which jumps around incomprehensibly between black and white parts, modern parts, grainy old film parts, faux-Documentary parts, and many, many more.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: This is a story that stayed inside the writer’s heads. I could watch it nine more times, and get stoned, and psychoanalyze its deep meaning, but I don’t want to.

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The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Based on Jean-Dominique Bauby’s memoir about the stroke which caused him to become completely paralyzed from his head to his toes, this is the true story of how he learned to communicate by blinking his left eye… the only remaining functional part of his body besides his mind.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: A bunch of French people: Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Marie-Josee Croze, Anne Consigny, Olatz Lopez Garmendia, Max von Sydow, Isaach De Bankole, Neils Arestrup

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! This a beautiful film about a man who overcomes his anger at having “Locked-in Syndrome,” which is a condition describing a person who has a completely functioning mind, memory and imagination, but no physical ability to express any of those thoughts through speech or movement. Everyone can relate to being misunderstood and feeling like their thoughts aren’t being heard, for Jean-Dominique Bauby this literally became his life condition. After being the successful editor of Elle France, this condition couldn’t be more opposite to his previously powerful image of himself as a man. But he proves that his spirit of success can’t be stopped as he blinks his way to a best selling memoir, which explains what Locked-In Syndrome feels like, for all those of us who will be lucky enough never to have to experience it.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: This is not a comedy, but the uncensored thoughts of a man who can’t be heard are funny because they’re true.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Very good chance. They got me in the scene depicting the first time Mr. Bauby’s kids see their once vibrant father acting like an impotent vegetable.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: If Julian Schnabel doesn’t win the best director Oscar for this, the whole Academy should be replaced.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: This is a stand-out performance for Mathieu Amalric who plays Jean-Dominique Bauby. He seems like two entirely different people as goes from confident, good-looking Editor-in-chief, to paralyzed shell of an embittered man who can’t even swat a fly off of his own nose.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: With the help of gorgeous cinematography by Janusz Kaminski, Julian Schnabel was able to use visuals to make you feel like you were actually experiencing the blurriness and confusion of waking up from a coma and discovering that no one can hear you scream. His point-of-view camera allows you to look at and see the main characters feeling. And while the main character is immobile, the audience travels the world. My only complaints in regards to the directing is that 1) many of the actresses looked too much alike, and I sometimes had difficulty telling them apart, and 2) he would sometimes cut to crumbling ice-caps, which seemed a little out of the blue. Perhaps it was his way of showing us that this once strong man was falling apart, or I don’t know—I’m sure I could read some significance into this but I shouldn’t have to guess.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: I’m not a fan of bio-pics, because they tend to wander and feel pointless, but this one was worth making. Focusing only on the part of this man’s life that was truly extraordinary, this is a movie you have never seen or experienced before. Without much of a story, and no semblance of a plot, this movie keeps your attention and captures your imagination, except during a few minutes toward the end of the 3rd act when you feel like you get it already, and you’re ready to wrap it up.

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Fred Claus

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: It turns out that Santa (Paul Giamatti) has an older brother, named Fred (Vince Vaughn). Fred is bitter about being in Santa’s shadow his whole life (eternity), and as a result has grown up to be something of a huckster. When Fred asks his brother to give him $50,000 for his latest scam, Santa decides to make him earn it by working at the North Pole. But bringing Fred to the North Pole turns out to be Santa’s biggest mistake.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Vince Vaughn, Paul Giamatti, John Michael Higgins, Miranda Richardson, Rachel Weisz, Kevin Spacey, Kathy Bates, Elizabeth Banks, Bobb’e J. Thompson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Trevor Peacock

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. If you’re one of those people who loves a new Christmas movie every holiday season, this one will do the trick. While the director and star of Wedding Crashers seem like an unlikely duo to bring you your year-end feel-good Santa Claus movie, there’s nothing raunchy to beware of here, and the more mature jokes are hidden in innuendo. Vince Vaughn and David Dobkin do bring their signature styles to the look and feel of this film, so it has a tad more edge than your average Christmas fare—in other words it’s not all sweet and corny. In the end, it probably won’t make any “Top 10 Christmas movies ever made” lists, but it’s good enough to get played, viewed and enjoyed on TV every holiday season.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Yes, thanks to Vince Vaughn’s classic fast-talking rants and rambles, which sometimes make interesting and innovative points you may never have thought of yourself, and other times don’t make any sense at all, but are nonetheless amusing thanks to Vaughn’s commitment to idea that they do make sense. Don’t expect his usual R-rated level of humor, but considering the PG restrictions, it’s not bad at all. Also notable are some great cameos they got for a self-help group that Fred attends.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: It almost had a chance at the end, when the sappy conclusion kicks in, but you’d have to be a real sucker to get taken off guard by this one.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Vaughn is always good for an MTV Popcorn award nomination. I’m thinking for the “Best Fight” category, for his fight with Ludacris, the elf.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Very professional.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: In my opinion broad comedy is the hardest genre to master as a director, and David Dobkin has it down. If he had shot the physical comedy wrong, he could’ve missed what’s funny about the pratfalls. If he had cut to the dialogue wrong, he could’ve ruined the jokes. And if he had lit the scenes wrong, he could’ve made it look like a big, fake situation, instead of convincing the audience that this ridiculous scenario could actually happen in some remote fantasyland. In this film he is also faced with the challenge of creating three visually distinct worlds, and making them feel like they are all part of the same movie. The transition from the distant past, when Santa and Fred were kids, to the modern world, where Fred lives now, to Santa’s home at the North Pole actually help suck you into the movie. Also, most of the special effects where seamless, rather than distracting, as I find special effects often can be.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: I appreciate that they tried to do something original with Christmas by inventing a brother for Santa Claus and creating a sibling rivalry. Aside from that very fresh concept, all the originality in the script seems to come from Vince Vaughn’s improvisations, and not so much from the screenwriters. Also, it is kind of strange to sees Santa as the antagonist. Santa is never mean—after all, he’s a Saint—but you can’t help but resent him a little bit, because he’s the bane of our hero’s existence, and the reason that Fred is so bitter. How could Santa know so much about so many, and not see that it’s kind of his fault that Fred turned out the way he did?

Q: Is there anything else outstanding about the movie?

A: The North Pole has been done so many times, that it’s always fun to see a new stylistic take on it. I enjoyed the scenic design in this case, as they depicted it as grandiose and classy, rather than kitchy, like some renditions I’ve seen of the North Pole. (Okay, I’ll give, I’m referring to The Santa Clause 3—yes, I’ve seen all of them).

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Juno

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: When 16-year-old Juno MacGuff (Ellen Page) accidentally gets pregnant, she commits herself to making sure that her unborn child lands the perfect surrogate family. The question is: can you find perfection when it comes to your family?

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jason Bateman, Jennifer Garner, J.K. Simmons, Allison Janney, Olivia Thirlby

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! What’s fun about this film is the cavalier attitude with which Juno approaches her unwanted pregnancy. At no point do the characters get precious about the issues related to teen pregnancy and whether or not to keep the child. In so doing, this movie easily dodges the “afternoon special” nature of these types of stories.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Yes. Writer Diablo Cody has a fresh and interesting voice, and with it comes a new perspective that is honest, blunt and in your face.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Not likely.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: From the Director of Thank You For Smoking, and in a tone that falls somewhere between that and Little Miss Sunshine, this movie has a good chance at sweeping the Independent Spirit Awards.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Excellent across the board. If you haven’t enjoyed Ellen Page’s work to date, this performance will make you feel like you have just discovered a new star. Michael Cera does his usual Michael Cera thing; but his thing feels so real and unaffected, that I don’t plan on tiring of it any time soon. For Jason Bateman this was my favorite performance of his since Dodgeball (although his characters in these two movies have nothing in common). Bateman brought a sexiness to this role, that hasn’t been in some of his recent work, as he often gets stuck playing “the uptight guy.” Olivia Thirlby does a great job of walking the line between hyperactive teenager and real person. And as Juno’s laid-back-but-concerned parents, J.K.Simmons and Allison Janney make you feel like they can do no wrong on the screen.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: If you liked the directing in Thank You for Smoking, you will like the directing in Juno. Jason Reitman’s sophomore effort proves that his style is already well defined. He brings a slight edge to the look of this film (which matches the style of the script), but he doesn’t try to get too showy, or upstage the story more than just to add a little flare here and there.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The dialogue is clever and raw, the story structure is solid and original, and it never fails to entertain. The only thing I would fault this story with is that I don’t think it will stick with me for more than a day or so.

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Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: When Mr. Magorium (Dustin Hoffman), the 243-year-old magical owner of a magical toy store decides to move on from this life and leave his store to the young pianist (Natalie Portman) who manages it, the store begins to revolt.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Natalie Portman, Dustin Hoffman, Jason Bateman, Zach Mills.

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. Don’t go to this film if you don’t have kids. Also consider that kids over ten years old will probably think the movie too “babyish,” and kids under five may not be ready to deal with the mature themes of death that drive the majority of the story line. This leaves a sweet spot of kids between the ages of six and nine, and the parents who love them enough to sit next to them. While the sweet spot for this film is small, I predict that those kids in their pre-tween years will be indelibly affected by memories of this magical store for the rest of their lives. They will want to go there for entire days at a time, so hopefully 20th Century Fox will create an attraction at their theme park… Oh, wait, they don’t have one.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: There are a couple of chuckles, and interesting turns of a phrase.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Only if one of your parents has died within the last week. That being the case, you might bring personal baggage to the film, which would generate tears about your own loss, as you watch the main character losing her father-figure, Mr. Magorium.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: The Special Effects really are beautiful to watch. And, since it is not an action movie, it may have a good chance of separating itself from the rest of the potential nominees in this arena… Who are we kidding? Transformers is gonna sweep.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Some people will think that Dustin Hoffman has created yet another genius character, while others will just be annoyed by the character Hoffman has so geniusly created. His performance could become a source of great debate. Then again, what do six-years-old’s know about acting?

Q: How is the Directing?

A: For first time director, Zach Helm, this was a very impressive debut. The visuals are stunning throughout, and the lighting changes perfectly from colorful and vibrant, to dark sepia tones as death becomes imminent.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The story was fairly straight forward and predictable, but sometimes still felt a little confused as to its message. Apparently the main character is trying to find her inner confidence, but I never really felt like she lacked confidence in the first place. Sure, they told me she did, but I didn’t feel it in my heart. Her actions were those of a confident woman who believed in magic, and believed she could convince Mr. Magorium not to leave this life. She had lots of good ideas as to how to keep him around, and it didn’t seem to take any effort for her to come up with them. She seemed like she knew who she was on a lot of levels, but was having a little bit of writer’s block on a piano concerto she was writing. Because I wasn’t connecting with the thing the main character was trying to achieve (self-confidence), many parts of the movie seemed without purpose, and almost random, including the conclusion.

Q: Is there anything else outstanding about this movie?

A: “Outstanding” may be a slight exaggeration, but the music shouldn’t go without mention. It becomes something of a supporting character in the film, as you hear the catchy symphony playing in the main character’s head throughout.

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Lions for Lambs

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A Congressman (Tom Cruise) and a Journalist (Meryl Streep) debate the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the role of journalism in those wars, while a college professor (Robert Redford) and a student (Andrew Garfield) debate whether or not they are doing enough to help the world, while two injured American soldiers (Derek Luke and Michael Pena) fight for their lives atop a strategically placed cliff in Afghanistan, that both the Allies and the Enemy are trying to control.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Robert Redford, Meryl Streep, Tom Cruise, Derek Luke, Michael Pena, Andrew Garfield, Peter Berg

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Stop! No matter which side of the political debate you are on, this movie will add nothing to your thoughts or emotions about the current wars. I thought it was based on a play, because it is literally a movie about three pairs of people talking to each other in a room or on a cliff. There is no action, no story, no plot, no inciting incident, no ticking clock, no suspense, and no real tension in this film. It could have just as easily been six people sitting around a dinner table spouting their opinions about politics. If it weren’t for the A-list actors and director, I would have thought I was watching a film school thesis. And since the actors weren’t doing it to help out a desperate film student, the only reasons I can speculate as to why they were attracted to this script are 1) the concepts discussed must be in line with their own political beliefs, or 2) their friends were doing it. To add insult to injury, it turns out the script is not based on a play. It’s just one writer’s internal debate about his own guilt for doing nothing to change our world.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: No.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: No.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: I sure hope not.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Meryl Streep is amazing. She is able to bring enormous depth and real moments to a character that is underwritten, generic and would be indistinguishable from any other poorly written journalist if not for her performance.

Tom Cruise on the other hand should not have taken this role. It is often hard to get past the fact that you’re watching “Tom Cruise” regardless of the movie. Unfortunately, this character (a smarmy and ambitious politician) is too close to his real life persona to ever make the separation between the character and the actor. Like Tom Cruise, Senator Irving incessantly flashes his charming smile to hide the fact that someone has pressed him up against a wall. Then, because the character and story go nowhere, you are never sucked into the film enough to forget that you’re watching the celebrity Tom Cruise.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: That depends, is this a movie by Robert Redford, the guy who directed Quiz Show, A River Runs Through It, and Ordinary People?… I’m just saying I’d be more impressed if he admitted that he farmed this one out to his assistant.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: What story?

Q: Is there anything else outstanding about the movie?

A: The lighting was pretty, and I appreciated that the actors wore their wrinkles for this film.

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