Wendy and Lucy

(Guest Review by Russ)

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: While some might describe this as the sobering account of a young woman’s life, as misfortune and bad luck conspire to leave her destitute, I would describe it as the Michelle Williams-loses-her-dog movie.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Michelle Williams, Will Patton, Lucy the Dog, Wally Dalton, Larry Fessenden, Ayanna Berkshire, Will Oldham

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Stop! This is sort of an ‘anti-movie.’ It has no plot to speak of, no character arcs, and no real conclusion. It truly is 80 minutes of watching Wendy (Michelle Williams) look for her lost dog (Lucy) in some depressing Oregon blue-collar town where pretty much nothing else happens. I’d be willing to bet that Michelle Williams’ home movies have more dramatic thrust than this collection of images and sounds. And higher production values as well.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: No. But after the movie was over, we laughed a lot at our friend Brian’s impersonation of Wendy looking for her dog. He just put his hoodie up and wandered around calling out: “Lucy!... Lew!... Lucy!” I counted even a few strangers laughing. They, too, had clearly seen the film.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Yes. It will make you weep for the current state of indie films. Because when boring, pointless pieces of of film like this are not only getting made, but also getting released, it kind of justifies why most of the independent film making companies closed up shop last year. Independent film is dying. But if this is what passes for independent film, maybe it deserves to die.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It has already won Best Film and Best Actress (Michelle Williams) from the Toronto Film Critics Association. It’s nominated in the same categories for the Spirit Awards. After seeing it, I can honestly say that Canadians have no taste and filmmakers should be insulted if they get nominated for a Spirit Award.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Thanks to filmmaker Todd Haynes, a mutual friend of the director and Michelle Williams, all parties were able to convince her to sign on-- proving once again that old Hollywood adage: it’s not what you know, but who you know. I can’t think of a single good reason why Williams would do this project, unless she was craving an award from the Toronto Film Critics and had a psychic premonition that they’d vote her the winner. I mean, she’s fine, but like I’ve said before, in my review of Deception, she deserves much better parts. Anyway, to talk about acting in an anti-movie is like answering a question about editing while watching America’s Funniest Home Videos: oxymoronic.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: This anti-movie at least adheres to a few well-worn rules when making a low-budget indie that’s meant to be depressing: open on an overcast day as a train moves through a rail yard. Check. Now move to a meandering overly-long tracking shot of the star in which you can’t really make out that it’s the star. Check. Cover that with someone humming a pointless tune and we’ll go ahead and pretend that’s the score. Check. I’m beginning to wonder if there was even a director behind the camera because it all seemed like a collection of security-camera images that caught Michelle Williams roaming around Oregon looking for her dog in real time for 80 minutes. Are you still reading this?

Q: How is the story/script?

A: There is none. There were opportunities for dramatic story-telling set forth, but each of them was promptly avoided like the plague. Wendy could have gone off the rails and gotten angry, or confronted someone a number of times, but the writers simply defused each dramatic opportunity with a character who doesn't stand up for herself. This anti-movie is supposed to be a mediation on our times and economy. How responsible are we for each other? What is the American Dream in 2009, and does it still really exist? Those are truly interesting themes. None of which have any resonance in Wendy and Lucy. I did feel for Wendy – probably because of Michele Williams. But the character is pretty much an idiot.

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

A: Did I mention that this is not a movie?

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzMP6jQ5Txc

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Bolt 3D

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: In this animated movie, a dog named, Bolt, who lives confined to a sound stage in a Truman Show like world, is led to believe that he has actual superpowers and defends the world from the Green-Eyed Man's evil plan. So when his owner, Penny, gets kidnapped, he goes to her rescue, and ends up in the real world, only to discover that he doesn't have superpowers and he is simply the star of a TV series.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: The voices of John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman, Mark Walton, Malcolm McDowell, James Lipton, Greg Germann, Diedrich Bader, Nick Swardson, J.P. Manoux, Dan Fogelman

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! The premise of a dog who needs to believe he's a real superhero in order to give a convincing performance to an audience of humans is totally ridiculous, and possibly the best reason to see this movie. Other good reasons are: because you are a child, because you have a child, because you wish you were or had a child, and because you like things that are totally cute, sweet, witty and adorable. And let's face it, delusional talking animals on cross-country road trips to save little girls are even more awesome in 3D!

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: If you hate cats, like most well-balanced people, you will appreciate all the laughs at their expense. If you love cats, you should really rethink that, but you will still feel vindicated as they are best characters in the film, and they get all the funny lines that weren't already given to the pigeons. Yes, I am talking about humorous cats and pigeons. I can see you running to buy your ticket now.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: There are some moving moments which are especially relatable to domesticated animals that have been abandoned, put in the pound, and released into the wild of the big city to fend for themselves.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: They already got Miley Cyrus, the biggest tween star in the world, to make this her first feature film starring role, so let's spread the good fortune around, by giving the awards to someone else. Nothing whatsoever against this movie, I'm just being a Socialist... er, I mean, "fair."

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Even though he doesn't realize he's just an actor, when he's put to the test, Bolt proves to be a natural talent at it, in a fun sequence where Mr. Mittens, the female cat, has to teach him natural dog tricks like how to act cute so that humans will give you their food. And honorable mention goes to the pigeons who are weirdly wonderful in all their disgustingness, with their quirky neck moves and awkward waddling. I'm pretty sure they must be method actors.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Part road movie, some of these animals must travel from New York to Hollywood, and every city they hit is lit and colored to match real life perfectly. In Vegas they capture the exact color and dryness of the desert, in New York they capture the feeling that dirt and grime is covering every surface, and in Los Angeles they master the classic view of the city, as seen through a layer of muddy smog. And did I mention how cool 3D is?

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Every necessary beat is hit, and hit with humor. The only reason not to enjoy this story is because you're pretentious.

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