The Dark Knight

(Guest Review by Russ)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: After Gotham City has been rid of most of its crime, a new nemesis comes to town to spice things up and make Batman’s life (Christian Bale) hell again. His name is The Joker (Heath Ledger).

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Nestor Carbonell, Eric Roberts, Cillian Murphy, Anthony Michael Hall

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! Biggest box-office opening in history… fastest film to $200 million (5 days)… Proof that if you like Batman or just super-hero movies in general, chances are very good that this one will give you a thrill.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Despite a character called, ‘The Joker," the film's not really built for humor. But he is the funniest thing going in this piece, especially when he's blowing up hospitals.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If you truly believe in a world where a man dressed like a bat might save your life one day, you might shed a tear or two. You might also consider signing yourself up for psychotherapy.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Technical awards notwithstanding, this movie could land a Best Film nomination based on the box office records it's set (see Titanic). And if you haven't heard the deafening buzz about Heath Ledger’s performance, you're probably wearing noise-cancelling headphones.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Because of your headphones, I am forced to tell you that Ledger’s reinvention of The Joker is mesmerizing and terrifying in its authenticity, while also striking the perfect tone for a comic book movie. Bale – once again – makes Batman perfectly angst-ridden, and Gyllenhaal is an improvement over Katie Holmes (which not only isn't saying much, it's saying absolutely nothing).

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Visually striking, but Christopher Nolan shoots a lot of the action sequences in close-ups, rendering them sometimes hard to follow. They are still an improvement over Batman Begins.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Full, maybe overly so. The script deals with big themes – specifically the psychology of hero vs. villain; and how both can live inside one person. It never talks down to the audience, it’s not dumb and for those reasons alone it stands above most comic book films. But at 2.5 hours the movie feels as long as it is, which it probably didn’t need to be. At times it has a bit of a split personality; focusing not only on The Joker, but also the Aaron Eckhart character of Harvey ‘Two-Face’ Dent-- a storyline which could've been steamlined.

Q: Is there anything else worth mentioning about the movie?

A: Time for another eulogy... Much has been made of Heath Ledger’s performance in this, and it's one thing that lives up to the hype. He’s actually better than the movie, which is saying a lot since the film is very good. After Brokeback Mountain, this is yet another stellar performance that will leave audiences wondering what other fascinating characters Ledger might have sprung on us had he not passed away shortly after making The Dark Knight.

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Boy A

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A young man (Andrew Garfield) gets released from jail after doing time for a murder he (may have) committed as a boy. Now he has to rebuild his life under an assumed identity.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Andrew Garfield, Peter Mullan, Alfie Owen, Taylor Doherty, Katie Lyons, Shaun Evans, James Young, Anthony Lewis, Jeremy Swift

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Stop! If you manage to get past the low-class British dialect which makes the dialogue nearly incomprehensible to the non-Manchester-born viewer, you will be left with a plot that is depressing and not particularly well justified in its unfolding.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Only if you're Satan. And it's not a happy laugh either. It's more of an evil victorious laugh. The kind you let slip when you've just won another soul from the Heavens.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: That would've been a good thing for the filmmaker to aim for... Maybe I'll drop that one in the suggestion box.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It's just slow and boring enough to be called a masterpiece by all those edumacated critics, who go around giving awards for pretension, which they are clearly confusing with art.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Most of the supporting cast was decent. But I never bought that Andrew Garfield was British... And to be perfectly honest, I think I'm still holding a grudge against him for starring in Lions for Lambs.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Dark, Gritty, possibly the least offensive aspect of the movie.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: There are a few good scenes and a few good moments, but the story is a downer with no lessons learned, no inspiration given, and not even a clever plot twist that makes it feel okay when the audience is left with a completely hopeless ending.

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Step Brothers

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A couple of 40-year-olds (Will Ferrell & John C. Reilly), who act like they're 12-year-olds, and still live at home, are forced to endure each other when their respective single parents get married.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Richard Jenkins, Mary Steenburgen, Adam Scott, Katheryn Hahn, Andrea Savage, Rob Riggle

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! Just suspend your disbelief and let the stupidity and ridiculousness of this broad comedy carry you to those rolling hills of laughter.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: If you like jokes that are dirty.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: No, but there is a close up of Will Ferrell's nut sack. A long one. Yes, both.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Is there a Best Hug category?

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The actors put deep commitment into every implausible moment in this absurd scenario. We've seen Ferrell and Reilly do this a million times, but it's Richard Jenkins and Mary Steenburgen, playing the parents, whose interesting character choices bring an element of originality to the screen.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The relational perspective of the juxtaposition of the characters is disorienting in a few scenes-- much like this sentence. In other words, the director sometimes cuts from wide shots, where the characters are standing extremely far away from each other, to close-ups and over the shoulder shots, that make them appear to be in each other's faces. I can't imagine this was done on purpose.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Not in any way genius, but it's a vast improvement on the last several Will Ferrell-Adam McKay collaborations. For one thing, this time it seems like they may have used an actual screenplay as the basis for the film. Yeah, the kind someone writes down and hands out to the cast and crew before filming begins. I know, it's a crazy concept.

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Towelhead

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Based on a book by Alicia Erian, Towelhead spins a humorous tale of a 13-year-old Arab-American girl's struggle with racism, sexual awakening, and statutory rape.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Summer Bishil, Peter Macdissi, Aaron Eckhart, Toni Collette, Maria Bello, Eugene Jones III, Matt Letscher, Chase Ellison, Gemmenne de la Pena, Lynn Collins

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! Relatable, titillating and squirm inducing, this film has all the elements that make independent films worth making.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Yes.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: It's moving, but not gut-wrenching, as it always stays light, even in the darkest of situations.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: You can bet on it. I don't personally believe in betting, but hey, it's your money.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Watch out, Summer Bishil! Your private life is about to come to an end. Before long the tabloids will be stalking your house, just waiting for you to do something humiliating, so they can photograph it, and expose your deepest, darkest secrets to the world... The upside is you're about to become the next "It Girl."

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Alan Ball, in his feature directorial debut, perfectly captures even the most subtle and complex of emotions as they drift fleetingly across the actors' faces. And sometimes, even the editing is funny.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: You'll quickly be reminded of why Alan Ball won an Academy Award for American Beauty. Here, in another depiction of how hard it is for us humans to walk that ambiguous moral ground, the dialogue is always unexpected and the moments are consistently original. He gives credit to the book author, but just to be safe, I'd like to give both of them a hug.

Q: Is there anything else worth mentioning about the movie?

A: If you're squeamish about period blood, you may want to steer clear of this one. You'll be missing a great film. But that's what you get for being a big baby.

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Tell No One

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Eight years after his wife was brutally murdered, Dr. Alexandre Beck (Francois Cluzet) is still being accused of having killed and beaten her, but he has reason to believe that she is still alive.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Francois Cluzet, Marie-Josee Croze, Andre Dussollier, Kristin Scott Thomas, Marina Hands, Francois Berleand, Nathalie Baye, Jean Rochefort, Gilles Lellouche, Philippe Lefebvre, Florence Thomassin, Olivier Marchal, Guillaume Canet

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! This French thriller has enough intrigue, twists and turns to make American filmmakers jealous.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Only briefly, when Dr. Beck discovers thug life.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: No, but it could force you to use your rusty old brain and have to think a little bit.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It was nominated for 9 Cesar Awards, which is the French equivalent of the Oscars. It won four.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The director, Guillaume Canet, started out as an actor, which is evidenced by the distinctively defined characters and the consistently convincing performances.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: At times the hand-held camera work in the chase scenes can be a little heavy handed, but those moments are balanced out by the simple beauty and raw emotion in the look of the rest of the film.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: You're gonna need to pay attention. There's a lot going on, and it's all interconnected. You can try to figure it out, but you won't.

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Mamma Mia!

(Guest Review by Russ)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A young bride-to-be (Amanda Seyfried) hatches a plan behind her mother’s back (Meryl Streep) to find her real father before she walks down the aisle... And of course she does it all using the hit songs of ABBA.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Christine Baranski, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgard, Julie Walters, Amanda Seyfried, Dominic Cooper

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! ! If you loved the Broadway show this movie is based on, you’ll love this movie. If you didn’t love the Broadway show, you’ll love this movie. If you didn't see the Broadway show, you’ll love this movie. Basically, if your heart is beating and you can sit upright in a movie theater for 100 minutes, you’ll love this movie. Just to be clear, there’s no one who won’t love this movie.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: You will laugh at the ridiculousness of it all, but you're supposed to.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Yes, when Meryl sings, “The Winner Takes It All.” Don’t feel bad, just let it out. There, now, don’t you feel better?

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Thanks to the Academy’s arcane rules, Abba’s pristine pop gems will not be eligible for Oscar nominations. But you can pretty much bank on Streep being nominated for an astounding 15th time. And newcomer Amanda Seyfried might get some serious attention, too.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: It's the reason the movie works better than the play. The cast wrings true emotion out of each scenes. Streep brings a weirdly poignant manic energy to her part that is at first disconcerting, but quickly settles into brilliance. She elevates a movie based on Abba songs like only Meryl Streep can. And newcomer Amanda Seyfried is so perfectly cast as her daughter, it’s eerie.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: A bit haphazard and manic, yet it doesn’t undercut the pure joy derived from the songs, the comedy, and the beautiful Greek setting. Phyllida Lloyd is a British theater and opera director, but she opens up the play effectively and nails all the big moments. It doesn’t feel like a play turned into a movie. It just feels like a movie.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Like a patchwork of thin plot points strung together to make the songs make sense... But credit is due for accomplishing that so well! Also, since the film is set in Greece, it's an especially nice touch to add a ‘Greek Chorus’ to the proceedings. Hey, it’s a musical! It’s in Greece! Let’s add a chorus!... So obvious, but sometimes the most brilliant ideas are.

Q: Is there anything else worth mentioning about the movie?

A: Even after all these years, there’s no denying how brilliant and fun Abba’s songs are. You may also acquire a new appreciation for how deceptively smart and effective the lyrics are.

Hot tip: Be sure to stick around for the end credits. You will not be disappointed.

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Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Hellboy returns to save humanity from a forgotten Prince, who is disillusioned with the human race and wants to raise his mechanical, Golden Army from their slumber, in order to do away with peace and people.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Jeffrey Tambor, Doug Jones, Seth MacFarlane, Luke Goss, Anna Watson, John Hurt

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. For a movie that's been so critically praised, it sure has a lot of illogical and boring parts. My conclusion, people are crazy in love with Guillermo del Toro. Unfortunately, your love for del Toro's directing can blind you to the fact that he's not a very good writer.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: There's a scene where they get drunk and listen to Barry Manilow. It's funny, but it also feels like it belongs to a different movie. Like Tropic Thunder.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: I had heard this film had a lot of heart... I looked for it... Who knows, maybe I'm the one who's heartless.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: The makeup is great, but also feels ripped off from Pan's Labyrinth.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Everyone is good except Selma Blair, who exudes none of the sense of powerfulness that seems requisite to a superhero character. She's cute. She's pouty. But I think you could knock her over with a feather. Even when she's on fire.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: When it comes to the directing, even I am crazy in love with Guillermo del Toro.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: I didn't buy it. The bad guys could've easily won about 40 minutes in, if they had wanted to. And again 50 minutes in, and a few other times, too. The conceit of a twin brother and sister being able to read each other's thoughts ruins all the suspense, and forces the bad twin to let the good guys off the hook too many times. Even the final twist is obvious, causing you to wonder why the good guys didn't figure it out before you did.

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Meet Dave

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A spaceship, in the shape of a human, with a crew made up of lots of tiny little human-looking aliens, crash-lands on Earth to find a lost probe, which the mini-aliens need to recover in order to save their planet. Unfortunately for us Earthlings, saving their planet means destroying ours.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Eddie Murphy, Elizabeth Banks, Gabrielle Union, Ed Helms, Scott Caan, Kevin Hart, Mike O'Malley, Judah Friedlander, Pat Kilbane, Marc Blucas, Austin Lynd Myers

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Stop! Meet Dave is a great concept ripe with opportunities for humor and clever observations about human life on Earth... None of which are taken.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Only if you've never been to the movies before, because there's not a joke to be found that hasn't been in another movie before it.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Yes, when you think about the talent that Eddie Murphy continually wastes when he chooses mediocre scripts to star in. I was just watching Eddie Murphy Raw again on TV last night, and man, can that guy be funny! Like for hours at a time.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: In line with Norbit and The Adventures of Pluto Nash, Eddie Murphy's comedies seem to be on a winning streak at the Razzies.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Eddie Murphy has his usual moments of genius in the physical comedy department. And Elizabeth Banks, who has not always given me cause for fandom, is charming and believable as a neurotic overbearing single mother. But several of the child actors in this piece really come off like child actors.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: The slow pace of much of the delivery of the lines-- in particular by the alien and robotic characters-- gives you way too much time to think about how slight your level of entertainment is. On a positive note, when the spaceship first lands on Earth, and rocks fly up into the screen, it's immediately evident that the special effects work is way more professional than in Hancock.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Riddled with coincidence, easy answers, and moments that require supreme suspension of disbelief, this script is either a first draft, or the product of too much time in development, where studio executives forced compromise after compromise onto the screenwriters, gradually sucking any and all life out of what could've been a great comedy. Even the original title, Starship Dave, was multitudes more memorable than the title it's being released with, so you be the judge.

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Get Smart

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Loosely based on the TV series of the same name, secret agent Maxwell Smart (Steve Carell) of CONTROL must bring down the powers of KAOS, despite his supposed absent-mindedness.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson, Alan Arkin, Terence Stamp, James Caan, Terry Crews, David Koechner, Patrick Warburton, Masi Oka, Nate Torrence, Ken Davitian, Dalip Singh

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. The joke behind the Get Smart series is that he's a James Bond-style spy with none of the smooth moves and only half the intelligence. In the movie, Maxwell Smart is socially awkward, for sure, but after a series of highly intelligent problem solving spy moves it becomes clear that this Maxwell Smart is not all that bumbling, hardly stupid and possibly even a genius. Unfortunately, the movie would've been a lot funnier if the main character didn't Get quite so Smart.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: So softly, only a person with dog-hearing would know it.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: No, but you may find yourself wondering if you're not a little bored from time to time.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: The trailer was nominated for an award. Which isn't that surprising when you consider that most of the funny parts were in it.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Solid performances across the board, except Bill Murray, who is in the film for about two minutes. And while the purpose of his appearance is not entirely clear to me, he does manage in that limited time to have several moments which are completely false.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: What little comedy there is gets covered pretty well. But in some of the action scenes, it's hard to tell what exactly is going on.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: The funniest part of the movie is in the opening credits, when you find out that one of the writer's last name is Astle. Go ahead, say it out loud. It's pronounced like "Castle" without the "C."

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Hancock

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A reluctant superhero (Will Smith) must re-brand his image, and in the process he finds out who he really is.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Will Smith, Jason Bateman, Charlize Theron, Jae Head, Eddie Marsan, Thomas Lennon, Johnny Galecki

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. In a world full of cineplex superheroes, the one with amnesia turns out to be not so memorable.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: If you're looking for laughs, I suggest you rent The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: No, but if fingernails on a chalkboard makes you cringe, this movie has a few moments which are so much worse than that.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Gayest superhero suit of the summer.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Jason Bateman is unquestionably back in full force. Will Smith does a strange, pouty thing with his mouth that's a little distracting. And Academy Award winner, Charlize Theron, plays it like she's sending a telegraph, "Bee-beep, bee-beep: Important connection moment is happening here: Bee-beep, bee-beep."

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Technically, there were a few long-lens shots and rack-focuses that took me out of it here and there. The director crosses the line once-- which is egregious, since that can be fixed by simply flipping the negative-- and sometimes it's hard to tell where the action is happening. But ultimately, I was able to figure most of the important stuff out.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Big ups for originality, and for justifying all the moments that seem like pure coincidence. The screenwriters, Vy Vincent Ngo and Vince Gilligan, are up against some innately unlikeable characters doing some innately unlikeable things, and considering the circumstances, they did what they could.

Q: Is there anything else worth mentioning about the movie?

A: I thought I liked this flick a lot more until I sat down to write about it. Yep, it's one of those. You like it, until you try to remember what it was you liked about it.

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