Life or Something Like It (2002)

I ran across this movie on cable and it caught and held my attention. Angelina Jolie is a local TV reporter with Lonnie Anderson peroxide blonde helmet hair who is intent on reaching national network fame. Her opening comes just as she is reassigned to the one cameraman she can't get along with (Edward Burns) and she interviews a street prophet (Tony Shalhoub) who tells her she has one week to live -- and his detailed predictions have always eerily come true. She's shaken to reexamine the vapid lifestyle she's chosen to make up for her unpopular childhood, where she perceives her father's love has always been greater for her perfection-obsessed sister. Her facade begins to crack, and Burns' character becomes so sympathetic when you get to know him that she begins to fall in love. I thought Jolie's character was embarrassing herself by losing her objectivity in a transit strike story, but it worked out in the end and she gets to pursue the most sensitive and touching interview with Stockard Channing's Barbara Walters character. Jolie's acting surprised me: She can do more than primp and pout in a moué; she can actually convey the suggestion of emotions! Her coming to terms with what really matters in addition to the truth of her father's love (if not her sister's) makes this a movie that tries and in ways succeeds to convey values that mean something, and it deserves full credit for that. Tony Shalhoub is fine (though we know he is capable of more nuance.) I was going to give this movie three stars but the end really did make me laugh from happiness. Analyze this movie if you must, but if you really like it, you really like it. Four stars.

Curious George (2006)

What an astonishingly wonderful movie! This is a visually and aurally enchanting recreation of the beloved children's tales. It spreads its palette of colors, especially that bright cheery yellow, in just the way that appeals to children all over the world. This is a true G movie! It blends several George stories and Will Farrell does a great job as the voice of The Man in the Yellow Hat. (It's the only thing I like that he's ever done.) The Jack Johnson soundtrack is musically rich and expansive and should not be missed. I plan to buy both DVD and CD. Five stars.

Insomnia (2002)

This is a fairly good blend of plot lines from The Edge, Along Came A Spider, and your average Al Pacino detective vehicle. It's eminently watchable, though Robin Williams' smarmy unctuousness grows old (except on Pacino, who is so tired that he really does need the premise to be repeated so often). Hilary Swank is a good partner -- though capable of so much more, and unavailable during the key dramatic confrontation. Three stars.

Serendipity (2001)

I truly enjoy this charming tale of a love that's predestined, and how John Cusack and Kate Beckinsdale come to terms (discover and cooperate) with that! Five stars.

War of the Worlds (2005)

This film has great special effects and plot tension but feels on the whole too slick and packaged. You can't see enough detail in the effects, which seem to burst out of nowhere, right on cue. (Tom Cruise flees the initial alien onslaught with split-second timing, human bodies disintegrating at his elbows and his ears.) There's a wealth of suspense, but it's big-movie, SFX-induced suspense so it feels smarmy or painted-on; this movie made me want to see the original film, with its story-driven suspense, even more than ever. Four stars.

Collateral (2004)

Collateral is a chilling and tense drama about a no-holds-barred serial hit man (Tom Cruise as Vincent) and his unwilling taxi-driver accomplice (Jamie Foxx as Max). The photography is excellent, the script is intelligent, and the pacing is quite good. Once the supremely confident (and lethally competent) Vincent climbs into Max's cab, you never know what's going to happen, right to the very end. Collateral is a great ride! After seeing this movie a second time, I still very much enjoy the personal connections that Max establishes with Annie (Jada Pinkett Smith) and Vincent. Enjoy! For similar offerings, click my avatar then explore my Hitmen or Hitbabes movie lists. 4 stars. (7-28-06 updated 7-19-10)

Mystic River (2003)

This is a tense tale of parental loss, grief, and determination to exact retribution. Sean Penn acts the hell out of his scenes, chewing through them with gritted teeth and clenched jaw and teary eyes. He is the father who never stops loving his lost child -- or scheming of how (and on whom) to exact revenge. The ensemble cast does a fine job. The setting and milieu ring true. I nearly gave Mystic River five stars but I held back because I don't like to encourage thugs to act thuggishly, even in movies. Four stars.

Closer (2004)

Netflix reviewers largely did not like this film! One-star ratings with descriptions like "horrendous," "waste of time," and "utter garbage" fill page upon page of written reviews. But five-star reviews seem to balance them out to the three-star average. Personally, I found the movie to be extremely well written and acted. I give it five stars, hands down. Its dialogue rings so lean and true, every word so spare and Hemingwayesque, that I had to own it. I think some people's problem with Closer is that it deals with unpleasant topics and settings: unfaithfulness and even a strip club. Make no mistake, I find such things extremely distasteful too; but I can face them, follow the drama (especially when it is complex), and discern the moral of the story -- which is the whole point after all. The best drama and lessons are born of conflict, if a reader or viewer is mature enough to follow the story and grasp the moral. The moral of Closer is that selfishness and the inability to keep a promise (unfaithfulness) can begin small (with a plea for a kiss) and spin centripetally larger until it grows cyclically out of control, because every lie, as with every relationship, involves and affects those who know you. This film is a moral laboratory for what can go wrong in (how not to do) a relationship. The women characters (Julia Roberts and Natalie Portman) are pretty much exemplars for moral choices (though Natalie plays a stripper, she hints at a complexity born of pain or abuse, so she is doing the best she can with the hand she has been dealt). The male characters, Clive Owens but particularly Jude Law, are reprehensibly amoral in their inability to commit to one woman -- to win and then to keep her. For them, it is always about the chase, the challenge, and the greener grass. They can't keep hold of happiness so they end up sowing devastation. Five stars.

VeggieTales: Sheerluck Holmes and the Golden Ruler (2006)

Now I am getting scared. This is my third Veggie Tales movie (viewed not without inner reservations) and I am starting to come to peace with them (as with Barney about 10 years ago). The Man of La Mancha parody is quite cute! VT scripts are usually a bit slow and lame but (as with Barney) this can be a good thing when competing against ADHD-inducing pap like The Powerpuff Girls or Ed Edd & Eddy. The graphics and music are always well done in VT films even if they have to stretch a bit to cadge in a moral for the story, as with this one. Three stars.

Bears: IMAX (2001)

Documentary. With Beavers, this picturesque and respectful paean to the bears of the world is one of my two favorite IMAX films ever. The images and scenes of brown, black, and white bears at play and surviving in the wilds of Alaska teach us (in the words of Chief Dan George) we can only accept and live amongst those creatures we understand; those we fail to understand, we will try to destroy. In the words of Steve Fromholtz as sung by Lyle Lovett, "They just don't come no better than a bear." Five stars.

Usual Suspects (The) (1995)

This movie will alternately hold then rivet your attention right up to the final two minutes that will blow your mind. The theme music is elegant, the visuals are intricate, the characters and the story are complex, and the acting is superb. In this blend of L.A. Confidential and Reservoir Dogs, Kevin Spacey stands out in an excellent ensemble cast that will wow you through and through. I saw this movie ten years ago and it blew me away. I knew I had to watch it again, and again, and with each viewing, I appreciate it even more. It's the story of five expert criminals thrown together through police pressure who pull a dangerous job for the mysterious Keyser Soze, a shadowy master criminal of legendary viciousness and secrecy. The violence is never gratuitous but intensely character driven, and all the characters do well (from Benicio del Toro to Steve Baldwin to Pete Postlethwaite and all the rest). You won't soon forget the scenes, characters, or plot twists of this film. See it soon! Five stars.

One Hour Photo (2002)

This is an atmospherically chilling thriller with a finely nuanced performance by Robin Williams as the lonely, uber-repressed photo clerk who fixates on a perfect family whose reams of photos he has been developing for 11 years. The music sets and drives the tone of the scenes -- listen to it as Williams is ambling down the block-long aisles as he leaves the employ of this Wal-Mart-like megastore. Williams' performance is stellar from his clenched, frozen expressions to the narrowing or the welling-up of his doe eyes; you can see the whole story for what is coming up play across his face -- just barely, but it is enough, and the genius of this movie. Unfortunately the rest of the cast present pretty faces but only barely fulfill their roles; you just don't care about them. And you don't care about Williams' character either; he's waaay too creepy. The end of the movie doesn't really offer answers or a resolution, though it makes a weak stab at one. I think it's telling that my viewing partner's sole response after this movie ended was, "What the hell?" It's definitely worth seeing though. Don't miss it. Three stars.

Rocky & Bullwinkle: The Best of Fractured Fairy Tales: Vol. 1 (1961)

TV. With the Peabody and Sherman episodes, Fractured Fairy Tales delivered some of the most intelligent chuckles in The Rocky & Bullwinkle Show. I grew up with these cartoons and I still remember all the intros and some of the puns and subtle adult jokes. This disc includes the original Bullwinkle intros from the puppet show that preceded the animated cartoons. The creators' inventive, droll, irreverent sense of humor comes through in every line, and the voice talent is unforgettable. Five stars.

VeggieTales: The Wonderful World of Auto-tainment (2003)

This is my second reluctant viewing of a Veggie Tales movie (unless you count Lord of the Beans three times now, sigh) so I can't quibble about how this isn't as good as Lyle the Little Viking Who Could or whatever. (Please don't correct me, it's sarcasm. I joke because I only care about real movies.) Coming from Minnesota, I understand lame humor, but... Veggies Tales are even more lame and corny than the dopiest cornfed humor from the breadbasket of the heartland. Family values fanaticism aside, my son simply enjoys this title and asked for it by name; he chuckled at the few funny spots and we explored all the special feature activities together. The futuristic humor theme may not play as well with the Barneytime crowd because robots and automatons are unfamiliar territory for the kiddos; and frankly "randomized humor" (while often socially suitable humor of the absurd for teens) doubtless goes over like a lead balloon for all but the smallest tykes (when in an absurd mood). Veggies Tales gets high points for its art and music production values; I sincerely enjoyed the Modern Major General number in its main as well as its karaoke versions. The illustrations and arrangements are quite good. The humor is just often too stretched, or it intentionally tries to make you groan. Three stars.

Critic (The) (1994)

Jon Lovitz plays Jay Sherman in The Critic, one of the most intelligent, creative, slapstick, and witty (in that order) cartoons for adults. For some, Lovitz does wear thin over the years, but his single-schmaltz hopscotch through the inanities of bad movies to physical humor to weak puns panning yet another cinematic travesty always make me chuckle. (All week I've been unable to get his "Buy my book!" and "The bluest skies you've ever seen in Seattle..." out of my head.) I will also never tire of Hans Zimmer's musical theme. By way of comparison, The Critic is not as funny as Family Guy but more intelligent, as funny as The Simpsons but more intelligent, funnier than Futurama and Venture Bros. but more intelligent, funnier than Daria but as intelligent, and definitely funnier than Duckman, Mission Hill, Undergrads, and Harvey Birdman. Five stars.

Beavers: IMAX (1998)

Documentary. Beavers and Bears are my two most favorite IMAX films of all time. Beavers takes you swimming underwater with the beavers, plunging behind them through the cool, undulating waters of their habitat. The burring and purring of the female beaver is cute. Kids will love this movie and anyone who loves nature too. Having seen this movie twice and only in widescreen IMAX venues (note: all IMAX movies run less than one hour), I was surprised to learn here that some scenes used tame beavers and human-cut trees, and the massive dam was not all the beavers' construction. I guess any shortcuts justify not having to spend an entire year filming beavers in the wild. It's a beautiful film though about perhaps the only other animal besides man who significantly alters its environment. Beavers are truly amazing when you see what they can do and how they aid the great cycle of nature! Five stars.

Dave Barry's Complete Guide to Guys (2005)

Don't rent this reflections-on-relationships movie expecting it to be as gut-bustingly funny as Dave Barry is in print. That's like expecting Garrison Keillor to be as handsome in a movie as he is on the radio. Dave in this movie is Dave as he is: Hawaiian shirt, utterly relaxed, sometimes even barefoot, goofy grin, pithy one-liners delivered in his warbly voice. He does a good job as host narrator, esp. when interviewing the circle of women who bash men (gently), right up to the (affectionate) ending: "If men knew how cute they were and how much we love them when they do that -- they'd be dangerous! I mean, much *more* dangerous!" Make no mistake, the movie is funny -- and insightful -- just not as tightly produced as, say, Sex and the City. It is a low-budget movie but that's its charm. These no-name actors are all handsome and talented; Dave doesn't throw them farther than they can fly; they do a fine job. It's a low-key examination of how men and women can get along with each other better that all couples or would-be couples could benefit from viewing. Just don't expect Bruce Willis or Robin Williams. Three stars.

J.R.R. Tolkien and the Birth of The Lord of the Rings (2004)

Documentary. This hour-long presentation with thoroughly enunciative narration is well-suited for school children or any adult who seeks an introduction to the sites native to the life of J.R.R. Tolkien. It's replete with photos of scenes from Blomfontein, South Africa (Tolkien's birthplace) to Bornemouth, England (his retirement home) and all childhood and academic sites in between. The script is well-written and only occasionally tries to surmise whether events and sites in Tolkien's life had a lasting effect or inspiration on his literary creations. (It appreciably mentions a mine site that ignorantly claims such an honor for itself.) While it's true that everything green and idyllic inspired Tolkien's writings like air suffuses our lungs, it's simply silly to speculate whether one dual tower or spire inspired the Two Towers. Three stars.

The Matrix: Revisited (2001)

Documentary. This is an extensive making-of treatment of The Matrix movies that omits coverage of the bullet-time technology portrayed in the bonus materials of the first film. Four stars.

National Geographic: Beyond the Movie: Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003)

This documentary explains why altruistic values ring true in Lord of the Rings, using historical examples such as William Wallace, Elizabeth I, Ben Franklin, Lewis & Clark, Winston Churchill and more. Three stars.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)

This 2-1/3 hour sequel to The Curse of the Black Pearl is action-packed and filled with superb character interaction between Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Nightley, Bill Nighey, and many more. The costumes and script are brilliant and Depp as Capt. Jack Sparrow is thoroughly intelligent, spirited, and artfully comic in his role as the perpetual scoundrel. Physical humor and action in this movie abound, such as when Depp has been tied to a spit and must extricate himself (in a far more flamboyant fashion than we or he would expect). I've never seen an extended chase and swordfight scene on a runaway mill wheel before. My favorite scene is where Nightley predicts to Depp that he will face a character test where he must show he is a good man at heart, and he will make that choice because he wants to know badly "what it tastes like" (as she engagingly teases him). He gets to find out what it tastes like in the first of several plot twists that resolve the current story line -- and set the stage for the next. (Pirates 3 is due out May 2007.) Five stars.