Bionicle 3: Web of Shadows (2005)

My youngest son is a huge Lego fan, including Bionicle, so naturally we had to see this third movie in the Bionicle series. To be honest, there is no other way I would have seen it; even though I've always been intrigued by the Bionicle action figures, I am in no way so into them that I'd watch an entire movie -- not to mention a second, a third, and *sigh* God help me, in two weeks, a fourth -- with some semblance of a story line about their exploits against evil. (The only thing more heartwarming than watching a Bionicle movie is to do so while accompanied by the constant chatter of character explication and play-by-play from a preteen fan -- sounds like: "Toa Metro Nui Matoran Keetongu Visorak Rahaka Makuta Turaga yada yada..." Actually, the Lego folks have been lazy about building their imaginary world by trademarking wholesale words from the Maori, Polynesian, and Melanesian languages -- and even Latin -- until a Maori lawsuit shooed them off New Zealand's cultural legacy at least.) The animation in this and other Bionicle movies specializes in swirly, murky, and vague imagery -- not the best. Care seems to be taken with the Toa warriors themselves though; I've always been intrigued by how their faces and postures are made to show a certain level of emotion. The storyline is always (then, now, and ever) about "unity, duty, destiny" and a "prophecy" that "predestines" an individual's service, sacrifice, and victory, often with the words "You have no choice." Often the Toas' appearance (esp. their armament) transforms against their will, leading them to question their essence, purpose, and mission. Lego and animation fans will feel compelled to see this movie -- as may their family members though for different reasons. Cheers! 2.5 stars.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is like U Turn meets The Game. It's a way-cool murder mystery where the semi-innocent bystander, Harry (Robert Downey Jr.), gets wrapped up in a mire of guns, fisticuffs, and bodies along with his newfound "friend" Perry (Val Kilmer), his love interest Harmony (Michelle Monaghan), her supposedly long-estranged twin sister and her best friend, various henchmen (like Mr. Frying Pan and Mr. Fire), and a shadowy crime boss. Half the thrill is finding out who lives or dies much less if a person is really who he or she claims to be. Downey narrates his tale ("since I don't see any other narrator standing around") in a nonchalant tone that's belied by the stress and injury he's made to endure not to mention the crimes he's forced to commit and the life-or-death situations he's barely able to escape. Kilmer is a gay man whose true status and significance is unclear (until the end). The story is full of plot twists and complications; let's just say having to spend a week like Downey's would be a nightmare in anyone's book (even if it included the romantic involvement). Kiss Kiss Bang Bang has a smart-alecky attitude -- Downey's outsider critique of Los Angeles since his character is originally from Indiana -- and I will always be happy to catch and see it again. 5 stars. (8-25-09 posted 8-30-09)

My Super Ex-Girlfriend (2006)

I wanted to see My Super Ex-Girlfriend to learn how they carried off the concept of a superhero girlfriend -- turning the gender tables so Lois Lane is a guy and Superman is a woman (in this case, a *hot* one) -- as well as an ex-girlfriend who throws a hissyfit (and a live shark) at her jilting ex. G-Girl (Uma Thurman) has the best line of the movie: "You broke my heart. Now I'm going to break your EVERYTHING!" This movie is a fun riff off every Superman and superhero movie and cartoon (even Underdog) and the special effects are fine (although the blurry-fast-motion effect was sometimes overdone). We even learn (as in TV's Smallville) how G-Girl aka Jenny Johnson went to school with her nemesis, Prof. Bedlam aka Barry (Eddie Izzard), and how he became her sworn enemy (like a pouting adolescent boy even after becoming a criminal mastermind). We see how fast she falls in love with Matt (Luke Wilson), how she breaks his bed, how she discovers what a lout he is thanks to Hannah (Anna Faris), and the four-way mayhem that follows. Incidentally, it's nice when talking solves problems more than fighting. Here is a fun romp through the superhero trope from an angle not done before -- unless Wonder Woman has ever gone kinda psycho. To the movie's detractors: How many "worst ever" movies have you seen anyway? Of course it is ridiculous; it is a spoof. Of course it is not a 5-star Oscar nominee; it is a 3-star popcorn muncher. Of course it is not a children's film; it's rated PG-13. (If you think this is R-rated material, you don't understand R. See something other than Disney now and then. Nothing is shown other than a man and woman's head and shoulders in a close setting; if your 15-year-old can't handle this, be advised Disney may not hold his interest past age 16.) As you can tell from my reviews, I tend to appreciate the good and I don't believe the negative wipes out or cancels the good. 3.5 stars for technical appeal, 4 stars for emotional. (8-24-09 posted 8-29-09 updated 8-30-09)

A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All (2008)

In his Comedy Network show The Colbert Report (pronounced coal-BEAR reh-PORE), Stephen Colbert spoofs self-important ultraconservative demagoguery through his smug on-air persona, also named Stephen Colbert. (Think of him as a half-hour nightly sendup of Bill O'Reilly.) The show's schtick is pure genius and has caught on like wildfire with an audience that Stephen likes to call (and pander to as) Colbert Nation. (One of his frequent gimmicks is to foment Internet-based write-in campaigns that promote his name. Colbert ran for president in the last election and most recently NASA has named a part of the International Space Station after him.) The Stephen Colbert Christmas Special is his latest effort to capitalize on the schmaltz and lyrical verve his writing staff can offer by not only producing a "Christmas special" TV program in the vein of the traditional ones of days gone by -- but parodying the traditional Christmas special with Colbert's distinctly postmodern (or as he would put it, "ballsy") take, which is itself a parody (of a travesty). Frankly, the concept just didn't work for me. Oh, it's sincere and talented and (just barely) well-enough produced -- it just wasn't funny. At times, it was even grim -- or grimly offensive -- so I don't think the worried looks on the face of every guest star (except Feist) were entirely part of the act. The whole thing just drips with so much sarcasm that the concoction collapses under its own weight. The show begins as Stephen explains how he wants to earn instead of pay music royalties -- so he writes and sings "It's Another Christmas Song." (Its sarcasm is so arch that I would actually prefer "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer.") Then Stephen sees a bear outside his cabin -- his persona has a huge thing against bears -- and fears he will miss the studio taping of his Christmas special. Meanwhile, a parade of guest stars who are to be in the show find their way to the cabin, sing their bit, and leave. A murky-faced Toby Keith stalks in with an assault rifle and sings a benumbed number. I was not amused by Willy Nelson as a fourth king whose gift to Baby Jesus was a bale of ganja! (The number shows everyone in the manger scene, even the animals, smoking pot.) Jon Stewart sings the duet "How About Hannukah?" (my wistful favorite). John Legend sings a soft-porn song about nutmeg. Feist's song "Please Wait for the Next Available Angel" cleverly (if depressingly) compares prayers to getting lost in celestial voicemail jail. Elvis Costello shows up to sing "What's So Boring About Peace, Hope, and Love?" (before the ravenous bear reappears). In two running gags, the applause track is turned up and down quite obviously to rib such televised fakery, and Stephen comments every time two males are under the mistletoe (and finally gets some tongue action). The bonus materials include a video fireside hearth in which Stephen periodically tosses in books for burning, a mildly amusing 25-day video Advent calendar (where he claims Santa Claus must be American because he's fat), and three alternate endings (3x ugh!). The problem with priggish sarcasm that makes fun of self and societal foibles is that, when applied to Christmas, it's more the spirit than the trappings of the holiday that get the shaft. Normally I can separate the depiction of something distasteful from its use to make fun of something distasteful but in this case a great many tasteful things about the holiday get mocked too -- to say nothing of its sacred parts (which I understand, by ignoring them, implicitly lampoons the nationalistic and jingoistic buffoonery of Colbert's TV persona). I'm just saying it's too far of a stretch and you have to look really hard to find anything chuckleworthy. I love Jon Stewart's fake news show and Stephen Colbert's fake talk show but I think our youngest generation needs more than what's fake to appreciate what's real. This Christmas special crassly if fashionably skewers the crass along with the traditional -- and that's just sad. Somehow "America's favorite delusional pundit" satirizing commercial crassness by being even more commercially crass only stuck to the wall like week-old skivvies, even as the exercise left tradition as well as Christmas itself lying in a heap on the floor. 2 stars.

Dogma (1999)

Dogma is eminently unorthodox and more than ten tads of quirky with a sheen of irreverence -- that is, it has a peanuty spiritual center that is covered in chocolate but its candy coating won't melt in your hands. The script is chock full of complexity and humor with a plot that's syncretic and postmodern. This droll comedy begins as two "heavenly archangels," Bartleby (Ben Affleck) and Loki (Matt Damon), weary after centuries of doing God's smiting with swords, decide to steal a page from Lucifer's playbook. Their plan? Sneak down to Earth, crash the consecration of a Catholic church in New Jersey, and exploit a loophole that would prove God wrong and thereby unmake heaven and Earth. (George Carlin is the officious and schmaltzy Cardinal Glick.) Meanwhile, the voice of God (Alan Rickman) asks Bethany (Linda Fiorentino) to stop them (with good reason even though her faith is shaky at best). At her side are the "13th apostle," Rufus (Chris Rock), and "the two prophets," slacker dudes Silent Bob (Kevin Smith) and Jay (Jason Mewes). Arrayed against her are the demon Azrael (Jason Lee) and Serendipity (Salma Hayak) plus the high-sticking Stygian Triplets, who have found a way to keep God out of the contest. You can't keep a good man down though and the confrontation ends with a divine manifestation that throws even more preconceptions on their ear. Seriously orthodox Christians may be offended by farcical as well as whimsical elements of the story though I for one took it all in stride as a) fiction, b) comedy, and c) not a theological treatise. In fact, while I found the ending to be a little weak, I enjoyed every campy and wacky twist that Dogma had to offer. You don't often get a sustained attempt at a semicredible theological story for a Hollywood movie so I cut Dogma a lot of slack -- not that it needed much. Dogma is more campy, zany, and funny than Citizen Ruth meets Bruce Almighty. 4.5 stars.

The Tale of Despereaux (2008)

I just really liked The Tale of Despereaux -- but then I love fairy tales, damsels in distress, noble knight-errants on a quest, and all that stuff. (To those who complained: What did you expect -- Cinderella? Ratatouille?) Despereaux is cute as a button and adventure is in his DNA: He's so curious about embracing the whole of life with his eyes wide open that he's unafraid of knives, heights, cats, or anything else a proper mouse is taught to fear and flee. He finds opportunity in every challenge -- through a gleam-in-the-eyes of inspiration or else refusing to give up. He sees exploration and gallantry as so inimical to life that he doesn't understand why other mice don't take naturally to vaulting over mousetraps to ingeniously steal the cheese, springing down into an abyss because that's where his path or destiny or courage takes him, and so on. (I feel like I understand him.) It helps also that Despereaux's chivalry motivates him to serve and help save a fair maiden who's in a bad place. (After he finally reveals himself to her eyes, she asks: "You're a mouse?" He replies with a courtly bow, "I am a gentleman.") The Tale of Despereaux is a wonderful fable about the human spirit of courage and compassion -- and how these things cannot be contained even in one so small in size and so furry in appearance. 4.5 stars.

Moody Blues: Lovely to See You Live [at the Greek] (2005)

Over the decades, the Moody Blues has been an exceptional progressive rock band. Seminal and accomplished in its poetry, composition, sound, instrumentation, arrangements, and vocals, what other band can touch them on all these fronts? In short, the warp and woof of their melodies and harmonies weave aural and karmic textures that helped shape the 1960s and beyond and still affect fans old and new in a more materialistic age. This Live at the Greek Theatre concert in Los Angeles includes Justin, John, and Graeme with Norda Mullen on flute, guitar, and vocals and three others -- no orchestra (but they rocked with synth and vocals). At their age, the guys don't caper much onstage (though Graeme did for a bit) or play as energetically but they are still the Moody Blues and their music is enduringly good! The highlights of the show were Justin's still-dynamic acoustic guitar -- esp. on Question -- and Norda's greatly sensitive flute -- esp. on Nights in White Satin when she had the audience eating out of her hand! I enjoyed hearing my favorite popular songs, of course, but also The Actor as well as Higher and Higher. Every song was very good though! I caught this on instant watch not Blu-ray with digital sound but I enjoyed it a lot. Songs played (with my favorites in bold) are Lovely to See You, Tuesday Afternoon (Forever Afternoon), Lean on Me (Tonight), The Actor, Steppin' In a Slide Zone, The Voice, Talking Out of Turn, I Know You're Out There Somewhere, The Story In Your Eyes, Forever Autumn, Your Wildest Dreams, Isn't Life Strange, The Other Side of Life, December Snow, Higher and Higher, Are You Sitting Comfortably?, I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band), Nights in White Satin, Question, and Ride My See-Saw. 4 stars.

The Kid (2000)

In Disney's The Kid, we see Bruce Willis' adult character as a boy, where an incident of his father's "tough love" (or maybe it's just verbal abuse) becomes the traumatic experience that determines his life's course as well as the (anti)philosophy that becomes his career trademark. (For good or for ill, you probably won't forget that one line in the entire movie.) Now all grown up, Bruce Willis is an "image consultant" -- a consummate professional who not only tells his business and political clients how to dress and speak and act but esp. how to pick themselves up when everything melts down. Just as they begin blubbering, he stops them dead in their tracks by screaming at them like a child -- "WAAH! WAAH! Somebody call the WAAHmbulance!" before browbeating them into cleaning up their own mess like an adult who holds their position of responsibility. Of course, this character's ever-smooth exterior is just a mask for his childhood pain -- setting him up for the magical premise of the movie as he faces his inner child, for real. The movie works for me without being too maudlin and the younger version of himself (Spencer Breslin) shows adequate chops in the role. 3 stars.

(500) Days of Summer (2009)

(500) Days of Summer is an absolutely sweet, quirky indie-style romantic comedy with lots of great laughs. I sat in an opening-weekend arthouse audience that peeled with laughter frequently. The story's premise might be called The Time Traveler's Girlfriend With Benefits because the narrative ricochets wildly across 500 days that encompass the quizzical romantic relationship between Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Summer (Zooey Deschanel). If you think a normal linear relationship has its ups and downs then try one examined through a timeline that zigs and zags back and forth in its exposition by one day to handfuls or dozens of days at a time. (No actual time travel is involved.) It's all good though and quite captivating. Zooey plays the same character that seems to be her stock in trade: the quirky, laissez-faire slacker girl who's too cute to ignore. She's so laidback you'd think she's medicated -- so it should come as no surprise to Tom that she's an I-can-take-you-or-leave-you kinda gal. He, on the other hand, has these bleary puppy-dog eyes that can show an impressive range of emotion. Frankly, it's not too clear to me whether he's interested in her because she's actually worth it or he just doesn't have other prospects. (I think she might be "worth it" but then he's no player. I'm just saying: Doesn't finding a keeper presume there were other choices?) Love doesn't need logic, of course -- in fact, sometimes it just kicks it to the curb and goes woo-hoo (or wants to) -- so this tale of Summer love makes a great postmodern (if one-sided) love story for the summer season (or any time of the year). Great soundtrack! 4.5 stars.

Liz Story: Solid Colours (1984)

Liz Story's fabled (nay, storied) gifts of composition and performance are evident in every carefully crafted and artfully played musical note (or cascade of them together). Her music is a treasure. Listen to it any time you need to calm and recenter your spirit. 3.5 stars.

Peter and the Wolf (2006)

Peter and the Wolf is a stopmotion delight! It won the 2008 Oscar for Best Animated Short (32 min though the last 4 min are credits). Its rustic setting on the outskirts of a Russian village in winter is artfully depicted down to the smallest details of Peter's hovel. Peter's large baby-blue eyes take in the world around him even as he explores where he should not -- for a wolf is in the woods. The animated storyline behind and depicting Prokofiev's artful music is impressively imaginative and droll (esp. the cat and bird hijinks). This is old-school storytelling at its best -- and with no dialog. Peter and the Wolf is suitable viewing for the whole family although be aware that a threatening wolf is in the second half and he lunges at everyone including Peter (who also gets roughed up by a town tough that points a rifle at him). Don't miss this treasure! 5 stars.

In Praise of the Lord (2006)

A Christian worship program would normally be a gem with classic organ-and-choir hymns such as "Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow" paired with classic poetry such as "A Song to David" by Christopher Smart, "Paradise Lost" by Milton, "Morning Has Broken" by Eleanor Farjeon, "The Morning Watch" by Henry Vaughan, "Pied Beauty" by Gerard Manley Hopkins, "The Church-Floor" and "The Windows" by George Herbert, stanzas by John Donne, the Psalms, and much more. However, the oracular phrasings of the recitants, choir, and organ are almost soporific. (A few spouting poetry carried it off well because of their British accents or Shakespearean diction.) Taken together, the setting (long and close shots of the choir) and occasional visuals (church buildings, stained glass windows) of this presentation at St. Paul United Methodist Church in Lincoln, Nebraska, paint a wince-inducing 1950s esthetic -- except it's in color and the choir's hairstyles are wincingly 1970s. See this if you enjoy Davey and Goliath, the Statler Brothers, or the poetry of Hannah Hurnard. 2.5 stars.

Weather (1996)

DK's trademark photographic style figures prominently in Weather as it does in all its 15+ titles. (A making-of feature even describes and showcases how DK production teams obtain such striking images of tigers, salmon, dinosaurs, parrots, sharks, and so on.) However, stock photography (of hurricanes and thunderstorms but most jarringly the bridge that waggled then collapsed in high winds) is used somewhat for questionable cause and to disappointing effect in this DVD. In addition, Martin Sheen's stentorian script includes (as usual) mention of the mythic and literary aspects of the topic, even though in this DVD perhaps more than in other DK titles such language as "the gods this" and "the gods that" sounds a bit maudlin given that this is supposed to be a science DVD. Of course DK titles are intended for a grade-school audience! This one covers a broad range of weather aspects and should make a good general introduction to the subject. 3.5 stars.

Cracking the Maya Code (2008)

Documentary. Nova has done an excellent job in summarizing the scholarly effort of the last 120 years to decipher and interpret Mayan hieroglyphs -- taking us from the early view of the Mayans as mystic astronomers to a more scientific view of them as historical archivists to the current view of Mayans (finally based on an intimate understanding of their writing system and, for the first time in 1,000 years, the ability to read their language out loud) as fierce warlords. While instituting perhaps the bloodiest of tribal hegemonies in human history is not a flattering legacy, nothing can change the Mayans' unparalleled contributions to literature and architecture in pre-Colombian times or the Western hemisphere. The Mayan culture's early repression by Western (and, obliquely cited, Roman Catholic) imperialism has given way now to Mayan schoolchildren who are learning to speak and write in the tongue of their ancestors. Owning its history is a prerequisite for every culture, notes one Mayan expert, and so thankfully Western archeologists and epigraphers have now opened the wonders of Mayan hieroglyphics to all humanity as well as the descendants of those who built a vast Meso-American civilization while Europe was still in the Dark Ages. 5 stars.

Brainstorm (1983)

Brainstorm is a classic 1983 sci-fi film that blends a serious approach to science with a mainstream thriller and adds celestial as well as digital special effects that are mind-bending -- for the '80s (I can only remember Altered States as better). Think of Brainstorm as Innerspace meets WarGames or Tron (but instead of Jeff Bridges digitally battling the Master Computer Program, Christopher Walken sojourns between exploring the portal of death and saving his Promethean marriage). Our story begins as a chain-smoking project director (Louise Fletcher) is talking the taciturn Walken (wired into a lab chair rife with cabling) through a seminal experiment where his sophomoric stand-in (wearing a transceiver helmet linked to a computer on a cart) cobbles together a loopy list of sensory experiences -- which Walken experiences digitally and so directly that they are forced to unplug him. The potential of this experience-recording technology wedded with direct-to-brain virtual reality is both deadly and intoxicating and the corporate board begins to salivate. All four lab team members are ousted and the military steps in with nefarious purposes but Walken, as the sole remaining prima donna of science, is determined to play and experience the whole of the system's last recording. In cahoots with his technosavvy wife (Natalie Wood in her final role), Walken launches a fox-and-hounds assault on the corporate henhouse to explore how far the rabbit hole really goes. Through flashbacks of memory spurred or captured by the technology, we witness moments that convey the couple's love as well as their past loss and their present fears. Brainstorm takes a largely believable approach to science and scientists, down to the smallest details -- such as Walken's recumbent bicycle (it's a nerd thing) -- yet it adds the romance and devotion of a committed couple. Brainstorm failed in the theaters because its backers preferred to collect the insurance, however, since it was finished and released without promotion, it's also likely that mainstream moviegoers found Brainstorm too esoteric and inaccessible while sci-fi fans were flummoxed by the florid romance. Alas, Brainstorm has a few cheesy scenes, from the black security guard who is attacked by assembly-line robots then covered in excelsior and soap suds to Wood harping Walken back from the celestial lights. Either way, Walken is preternaturally watchable and Wood does a fine turn as a soulmate to the man and the ubergeek. I would almost prefer to call it The Psychonaut's Wife. 4 stars. (8-15-09)

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

Words cannot suffice to describe Monty Python and the Holy Grail. It must be seen (preferably twice) to be appreciated -- and to chuck chortles in its general vicinity. Monty Python's silliness in this, their first movie, is smoothly polished (with added sparkly bits) and thoroughly British. (As such, much of it might pass over the heads but under the radar of those who are not Anglophiles or lovers of wordplay in the English language. For instance, at one point a cartoon of God ends the discussion with a starkly British -- and quite Cleesian -- coinage: "Right." Meanwhile, in America, the word might be spoken with greater nuance and more heavily laden with sarcasm: "Ri-i-i-i-ight...") The monks intoning their chant while methodically whacking their heads is ironically funny and I love the peasant (named Dennis) who gets into a debate with King Arthur about the basis of governmental authority: "You can't expect to wield supreme executive power just 'cause some watery tart threw a sword at you!" So now I've learned a new word (bint) and finally seen what's the deal with the Knights of Ni and the knights of Spamalot! Be sure to pause and read all the pseudo-Swedish moose notes during the opening credits -- they'll put you in the right mood for Monty Python's quirky and absurd sense of humor -- and don't fail to view the bonus disc in its entirety (reviewed separately). 4.5 stars. (8-15-09)

Wordplay (2006)

Wordplay is a celebration of the crossword puzzle and puzzle lovers across the nation -- specifically those devoted to the New York Times daily crossword puzzle as edited by his predecessors and, for the past 25+ years, by puzzler-in-chief Will Shortz. (He has a degree in enigmatology from Indiana University!) Also central to the narrative of this documentary is the 26th crossword puzzle tournament, held annually in Stamford, Conn. Wordplay gives us a brief history of the crossword puzzle and how it came to the New York Times and developed a nationwide following. Offering their personal reflections and affections on their habit of doing the crossword puzzle every day are Jon Stewart, Bill Clinton, Ken Burns, the Indigo Girls, and others. Puzzle authors, savants, and tournament champions also weigh in and reflect on their experiences in designing and competitively solving puzzles. We get to roam the tournament halls with a dozen celebrities (in wordgeek world) and sit in as they kibbitz, compete, and ultimately win or lose in tournament play. Wordplay is a very folksy slice-of-life presentation about word nerds at play. As an attendee and presenter at literary conferences, I felt right at home with these puzzle fans' sense of camaraderie. Wordplay is to the crossword puzzle as Word Wars is to Scrabble. It's a paean to the love of language and creative problem-solving skills that has become ingrained as a daily "me time" ritual for many. Writers and librarians will love it! (Note: Only the most reactionary right-wing types would criticize Wordplay as a liberal or leftist propaganda ploy, however, those who wish to shield their children or themselves from any awareness that gay men exist would do well to skip the segment following Trip Payne's introduction in his home office. In this scene, Trip plays pinball in his home with his "partner" whom he mentions meeting then "dating" then "hitting it off" then "moving in" -- then he calls him "dear" and gives him a quick smooch. That's all -- 30 seconds -- quite understated but if you can't handle it, you have been warned.) 5 stars. (8-15-09)

Pokémon: Giratina and The Sky Warrior (2009)

This 11th Pokemon movie is now my youngest son's favorite and I think it's quite well done too. Building on the approach of its predecessor, the opening scenes set the stage by showing and describing the rich global ecology of the mythical and magical Pokemon creatures who with humans cohabit the planet -- on land, in the sea, and in the air. Then the story begins, set against sweeping panoramic landscapes such as cloud-shrouded mountains and fjords. As usual, some nefariously smug bad guy with endless resources has decked out a globe-hopping airship to hunt, capture, and harness the power of a legendary Pokemon (in this case, the wasplike dragon-sized Giratina). Team Rocket shows up, of course, and another legendary Pokemon (the cute hedgehog-like Shaymin, who can speak telepathically) helps our heroes (Ash, Pikachu and company) to maintain a balance of power. Bad guys and good guys leap back and forth into a parallel universe until all is made well with the world(s). No one could be happier than I to find the animation was very good in this movie. Enjoy! 3.5 stars. (8-12-09)

Shrink (2009)

Shrink held out the tantalizing prospect of ironic dysfunction as only Kevin Spacey can portray it -- the man can convey two flavors of ennui simultaneously just by fluttering his eyelids -- but the movie proves to be disappointingly shallower than one would hope. That said, Shrink is a funny movie that pulled lots of laughs from the audience of a full arthouse theater (many who had come to see a preview of The Cove that failed to arrive). In Shrink, Spacey plays a Hollywood therapist to the stars like Robin Williams (who plays a reformed horndog now married but nostalgically considering a return to philandering) and author of a bestselling book on how to find happiness who is himself crashing on the rocks of despair and engaged in a scruffy downhill slide through obliviousness and towards oblivion. The first half of Shrink is engaging but gritty as Spacey is nearly constantly smoking tobacco and marijuana and in other ways "self-medicating" (to put it nicely). I realize the setting is Los Angeles and Beverly Hills but breaking the law is breaking the law. I couldn't give the first half of the movie more than a grudging 3 stars. Keke Palmer as an unwilling pro bono therapy client ably goes toe-to-toe with Spacey, at one point chiding, "You realize that getting high in a pediatrician's office might be considered a cry for help." Keke shines in her role as these two struggling souls discover they share a common wound and a mutual balm. Shrink, through its ensemble cast (including Houston native Dallas Roberts as a control-freak movie agent, Laura Ramsey as his more-than-able if pregnant assistant, Saffron Burrows as an actress approaching 40, and Jack Huston as a Colin "fockin'" Farrell facsimile) offers a vague resemblance to Crash or The Feast of Love but in the end falls far short of those movies' emotional content and impact, even settling for a superficially satisfying resolution (almost like an episode of Frasier). I give the second half of the movie a grudging 4 stars for an overall 3.5 stars. (8-12-09)

Living in Oblivion (1995)

Living in Oblivion is a movie I've been intending to give a second chance since it and Primer were my first two Instant Watch movies on a laptop that turned out to be dropping sectors and showed severely degraded video streaming. I stand by my original assessment: "A low-budget film with so-so acting about making a low-budget film with so-so acting. You do the math." I still prefer Steve Buscemi in small doses esp. in an ensemble cast (as in Reservoir Dogs) though as star and director, not so much, since he is hard to look at or (as with Woody Allen) to conceive of as being attractive to the opposite sex in any way. I still think this is an interesting film about the process of making films that will attract film buffs, however, I'm more amenable to commending Living in Oblivion as a drama that will hold your interest and make you say "Now that was a well-spent 90 minutes with a story I will remember and cherish." This movie stays with you and grows on you. Frankly, I like the ensemble cast better than ever and I have become a fan of the film's stylistic touchstones: black-and-white for real life with color for camera takes, cinema-verite closeups and long shots, and an amusingly reflexive music soundtrack that steps in during camera takes but pauses during characters' moments of hesitation. Carolyn Keener has a wonderfully moving scene even though she is for the most part playing mediocre take after mediocre take to show the garish meat and the bones of independent film making. Think of this movie as a video record of a trip that captures every mile marker of road, every eye blink of the passengers, and so on. There is some story framing and dramatic structure, albeit in the questionable technique of dividing the film into three parts. The whole production is rather stolid but nevertheless appealing because of its intimacy and sensitivity. I still haven't laughed but I definitely appreciate the characters. 2.5 revised to 3.5 stars. (9-18-07 updated 8-11-09)

Back at the Barnyard: When No One's Looking: Season 1 (2007)

TV. Back to the Barnyard is a hilarious animated series for the kiddos but with plenty of comedy to entertain parents too. An animated Mr. Ed meets Hogan's Heroes on goofy pills, it was my youngest son's favorite cartoon show until the Penguins of Madagascar got their own gig. Building on the movie (Barnyard: The Original Party Animals) but in my opinion much funnier, Steve Oedekerk (screenwriter for Bruce Almighty, Evan Almighty, and the Thumb movies such as Frankenthumb) delivers a Nickelodeon production that is full of manic action, chuckles, and guffaws. (You do have to accept, for simplicity's sake, that Otis the cow has an udder. Get over it. He's by far the funniest character in the show esp. as chief prank instigator -- "Sweet crispy cud!" -- as well as the superhero Cowman -- "Lacto powers, lactivate!") The voice talent is distinctive and quite good with Chris Hardwick as Otis the cow, Wanda Sykes as Bessy the cow, Leigh Allyn Baker as Abby the cow, Jeffrey Garcia (Sheen Estevez in Jimmy Neutron) as Pip the mouse, Tino Insana as Pig, Dom Irrera as Duke the dog, Cam Clarke as Freddy the ferret, Rob Paulsen as Peck the rooster, Steve Oedekerk as Mr. Beady, Maria Bamford as Mrs. Beady, and Mark DeCarlo (Hugh Neutron in Jimmy Neutron) as Bingo the space chimp. Only the first Season 1 disc has been released so far with the first eight episodes: The Good, the Bad, and the Snotty (The animals prank the farmer into attending a two-day turnip convention but the neighbors' nephew Snotty Boy puts a crimp in their party plans so they prank him too), Escape from the Barnyard (The farmer gets a grill, sending a frisson of fear down every animal's spine as they investigate the farmer's true intentions), Cowman and Ratboy (Otis and Pip go on a rampage of do-gooding and superhero campiness), Cow's Best Friend (After Otis saves Duke's life, Duke fawns over Otis until something has got to give), Chez Pig (Pig's family recipe for truffle pies finds fame, tempting the animals with riches as great as "a million bajillion dollars" -- but will they bite?), The Right Cow (Bingo the space chimp lands in the barnyard and schemes to stay after taking over as alpha male), Saving Mrs. Beady (Nosy neighbor Mrs. Beady finally gets committed for her claims of talking animals so the barnyard crew poses as a brain surgeon and a head case to break her free), and The Farmer Takes a Woman (The animals post an online personal ad to find the farmer a wife then dress up Pig as a billionaire to chase off a goldigger). 5 stars.
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Here is a partial season/episode list adapted from imdb.com that promises plenty of movie spoofs! 1/5: Hypno-a-Go-Go, Fowl Play, 1/7: Lights! Camera! Moo!, Animal Farmers, 1/12: A Barn Day's Night, Meet the Ferrets, 1/13: Tale of Two Snottys, Snotty's New Pet, 1/14: Home Sweet Hole, Otis' Mom, 1/15: Barnyard Games, 1/16: Hypno-A-Go-Go, 1/17: Raging Cow, The Great Sheep Escape, 1/18: The Big Barnyard Broadcast, 1/19: Otis' 11, 1/20: Otis vs. Bigfoot, 1/22: School of Otis, 1/23: Top Cow, 1/24: Otis for Mayor, 1/25: Dummy and Dummier, 1/26: Some Like It Snotty, 1/27: The Uddered Avenger, 1/28: Pig Amok, 1/29: Sun Cow, 1/30: Doggelganger, 1/31: Save the Clams, 1/32: Adventures in Snotty Sitting, 1/33: Cowdyshack, 2/1: Wild Mike's Dance Party, 2/2: Buyers Beware, 2/3: Anchor Cow, 2/4: Abby and Veronica, 2/5: Bling My Barn, 2/6: Udderado, 2/7: Cupig, 2/8: Happy Animal Fun Time, 2/9: Dream Birthday, 2/10: Lord of the Beavers, 2/11: Little Otis, 2/12: Kids in the City, 2/13: Snotty & Snottier, 2/14: Treasure Hunt (plus other episodes such as Barnyard Idol, Big Top Barnyard, Brave Udders, Chronicles of Barnia, Otis Season, Dead Cow Walking, Pigmalion, The Haunting, and War of the Pranks). 5 stars.