Review of film: “YES MAN” -- 'Yes' is the New “(K)NO(W)"

Review of film:    “YES MAN”  -- "Yes" is the New “(K)NO(W)" =   

       [ Rating:  8.5 of 10 stars ]

Date Rated: Dec 13, 2008 | Rel. Date: Dec 19, 2008

(Based on an advance preview:) This is one of the best JIM CARREY efforts in years, mainly because he is comparatively "restrained" in his craziness and surrounded by strong supporting characters...

...  Carrey plays Carl Allen, an almost automatically-NEGATIVE man who still suffers from the breakup with his longtime girlfriend. He doesn't want to do much of anything new or different in his increasingly depressed life, despite the urgings of his friends (BRADLEY COOPER, JOHN MICHAEL HIGGINS & DANNY MASTERSON)...

...  Reluctantly, he attends a seminar where the Guru (TERENCE STAMP) urges everyone to say "YES!" to everything. Carrey tries that new-for-him "anti-negative" attitude, meets free-spirit Allison (ZOOEY DESCHANEL), and his life changes massively...

...  The movie is very FUNNY and has some positive messages amidst its consistent and enjoyable nuttiness.

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Review of film: “AUSTRALIA” – Somewhere, over the Rainbow (-- a WAR & RACISM looms)

Review of film:    “AUSTRALIA”   – Somewhere, over the Rainbow (-- a WAR & RACISM looms) =

                   [ Rating:  8.5 of 10 stars ]

Date Rated: Nov 21, 2008 | Rel. Date: Nov 26, 2008

(Based on an advance preview:) This latest Baz Luhrmann film is set (strangely enough) in Australia, and covers the period of 1939-1941...

...  At virtually 3 hours in length, it covers a wide-ranging scope of personal and historical stories:

...  NICOLE KIDMAN plays the wife of an Englishman trying to run a cattle ranch in competition with BRYAN BROWN (King Carney) who runs a near monopoly in the industry...

...  In time, (following the killing of her husband), she enlists the aid of independent Drover (HUGH JACKMAN), who tries to champion the rights of the indigenous people and in particular a mulatto Aborigine boy named Nullah (wonderfully played by BRANDON WALTERS)...

...  The first 2 hours of the film concern a cattle drive, and the last hour involves the little-known WIORLD WAR II Japanese ATTACKS on Darwin in northern Australia during 1942-43...

...  While the movie is not "great", [I found it to be] VERY GOOD overall, with some fine acting, a bunch of “MAGICAL” moments (including its cinematography), and thought-provoking elements.

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Review of film: “QUANTUM OF SOLACE” -- Revenge is Sweet + NOISY & BLOODY

Review of film:  “JAMES BOND -- QUANTUM OF SOLACE” --  Revenge is Sweet + NOISY & BLOODY =   

                              [ Rating:  8.5 of 10 stars ]

Date Rated: Nov 14, 2008 | Rel. Date: Nov 14, 2008

(Based on an advance preview:)  Normally, most JAMES BOND movies are “self-contained” in & of themselves. But this film is in-effect made as a “SEQUEL”, in that Bond (DANIEL CRAIG) works to get back at those who killed his love Vesper in the last installment, “CASINO ROYALE” (2006)...

...  This film has him running (& jumping & riding) around various worldwide locations (Italy, South America, England, etc.) as he tries to find the perpetrators of the previous crime, while he works to juggle the increasingly-testy relationships with his superiors and figure out what new world-control scheme Camille (OLGA KURYLENKO) & Dominic Greene (MATHIEU AMALRIC) are involved in...

...  While the film for the most part avoids a bunch of clever “GADGETS” (which audiences tend to love) & the story is often somewhat confusing & nothing great, the ACTION sequences are wonderfully done, & it’s my enjoyment of that & the enthusiastic acting which caused me to rate the film as I have.

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Review of film: “THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS” -- They’re NOT really Pajamas & the Boy

Review of film:    “THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS” --  They’re NOT really Pajamas, & the Boy

                                                             doesn’t Want to Wear them                                                          

                                   [ Rating:  8.5 of 10 stars ]

Date Rated: Nov 6, 2008 | Rel. Date: Nov 7, 2008

(Based on an advance preview:) This is a very unusual British film set in NAZI Germany in World War II...

...  DAVID THEWLIS plays a well-to-do Nazi military man who’s sent from the city to run a CONCENTRATION CAMP in the country. His wife and two children are initially UNKNOWING about what he does as Commandant & the details of the policies he’s implementing...

...  His 8-year-old son Bruno (very unpretentiously played by ASA BUTTERFIELD) is by nature an “explorer”, and chances to meet and get to know a Jewish boy Shmuel (JACK SCANLON) who’s imprisoned in the camp-- tho Bruno is too innocent to really understand what’s going on there...

...  Little-by-little, his mother (VERA FARMIGA) & older sister (AMBER BEATTIE) start to catch on to the facts of the general situation. Overall, it’s a quite WELL-DONE telling of a story that has a terribly IRONIC ending.

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Review of film: “NICK AND NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST” – Can they learn to play well with each OTHER?!

Review of film:    “NICK AND NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST”  – Can they learn to play well with each OTHER?! =   

                                         [ Rating:  8.5 of 10 stars ]

Date Rated: Nov 1, 2008 | Rel. Date: Oct 3, 2008

Nick (MCHAEL CERA) is doing badly at getting over his cheating ex-girlfriend (ALEXIS DZIENA), continuing to make mix recordings to try to win her back...

...  That upsets his 2 gay bandmate friends (AARON YOO & RAFI GAVRON), who want him to be happy with someone nice-- like the new girl he meets, Norah (KAT DENNINGS)...

...  Little-by-little, Nick sees he has a lot in common with Norah, and the film tells the story of their slowly getting to know each other as they travel around New York trying to find where a favorite band is playing and where a drunk girlfriend of Norah’s (ARI GRAYNOR) has gone to...

...  The enjoyable film has loads of warmth & heart (& finely understated performances by Cera & Dennings), along with bunches of humor and things to “THINK” about (relationship-wise and otherwise).

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Review of film: “FLASH OF GENIUS” – More “GENIUS” Than Flash: A Paean to STUBBORNNESS

Review of film:   “FLASH OF GENIUS”  – More “GENIUS” Than Flash:  A Paean to STUBBORNNESS   =

                    [ Rating:  8.5 of 10 stars ]

Date Rated: Oct 4, 2008 | Rel. Date: Oct 3, 2008

This is the true story of Bob Kearns (played by GREG KINNEAR), a professor who invents things such as the intermittent WINDSHIELD WIPER (to make driving safer)...

...  Initially, he’s supported by his wife (LAUREN GRAHAM) & by his kids (such as JAKE ABEL) as he tries to set up a company to manufacture the product for FORD & others...

...  But, “shockingly” enough, the big company works to in-effect STEAL his product (which he’s shown them) & starts making it themselves...

...  Kinnear, in a well-done UNDER-stated (rather than “flashy”) way, works to FIGHT the company, to get them to admit HE was the inventor of the product (& secondarily to try to recoup some of his lost expenditures for it all)...

...  There are numerous scenes through the years, of him employing a lawyer (ALAN ALDA) & then obstinately going it ALONE thru the court system to try to win what he wants. It’s the little guy gamely fighting the big company...

...  The film is not meant to be “electrifying" (except the wipers!), & it “WORKS” effectively.

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Review of film: “RELIGULOUS” -- RELIGION + INCREDULOUS = Bill MAHER’s positions expressed in

Review of film:    “RELIGULOUS”  --  RELIGION + INCREDULOUS = Bill MAHER’s positions expressed in

                                                                                Documentary form  =  

                    [ Rating:  8.5 of 10 stars ]

Date Rated: Sep 30, 2008 | Rel. Date: Oct 1, 2008

[Per an advance preview:]  If you believe the world is only the way it’s depicted in the Bible, you'll likely HATE this movie-- since it follows a general Khodranite position of, The Bible was compiled over time by "COMMITTEES"...

...  MAHER was raised as a Catholic, & since has become skeptical of most of the precepts he was taught...

...  He visits various places in the world to interview a variety of people about their religion, & works to show (with thought-provoking humor) how many of the beliefs thru the ages have been based on superstitions & clearly INACCURATE after-the-fact claims...

...  Maher also shows how certain precepts & beliefs were at time based on ideas seen in OTHER religions, citing how various cultures had WRITTEN reports many hundreds of years BEFORE Christianity of well-known characters who were RESURRECTED [such as Egypt’s Horus], who were born on Dec. 25th, who walked on "water", etc....

...  He’s an equal-opportunity DEBUNKER of ideas and statements re MANY religions & beliefs. If you can keep a really open mind, you’ll likely appreciate what he’s done here.

Review of film: “MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA” -- Problems ’midst those supposedly on the “SAME” side in a War

Review of film:  “MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA”  --  Problems ’midst those supposedly on the “SAME” side in a War =   

                           [ Rating:  8.5 of 10 stars ]

Date Rated: Sep 24, 2008 | Rel. Date: Sep 26, 2008 =

[Based on an advance preview:]  I had an uncle, LAURIE, who’d been an American PILOT fighting the Axis in Italy in World War II. He’d once commented to me that, tho a number of his fellow pilots were fairly racist & disliked working with the all-black American TUSKEGEE AIRMEN, he’d found them to be EXCELLENT pilots & was always PLEASED to have them helping out on missions...


...  That same basic WWII racism is at the heart of Spike Lee’s new movie about a company of black SOLDIERS fighting and getting caught behind enemy lines in northern Italy...


...  DEREK LUKE plays Staff Sgt Stamps; MICHAEL EALY is Sgt Cummings; LAZ ALONZO is Cpl Negron; & OMAR BENSON MILLER is Pvt Train (around whom the story sort of revolves)...


...  The movie has some unnecessary scenes (& length to some)-- but it’s a very EFFECTIVE, hard-hitting and thought-provoking story of some of the difficulties faced in the way people of different nations and attitudes fight for their own country and its then-current supposed political goals.

Review of film: “EAGLE EYE” -- A FAST Track To Understanding Race Problems & Football

Review of film:   “EAGLE EYE”  --  A FAST Track To Understanding Race Problems & Football =    

                    [ Rating:  8.5 of 10 stars ]

Date Rated: Sep 19, 2008 | Rel. Date: Sep 26, 2008 =

[Based on an advance preview:]  It’s sort of like “Getting Smart-ER”: There’s a need to figure out just WHO is sending messages and making strange things happen to try to MANIPULATE the lives of slacker Jerry (SHIA LA BEOUF) & divorced single Mom Rachel (MICHELLE MONAGHAN)...


...  They’re being threatened and run ragged by mysterious and threatening calls from an unknown female voice. While following demands made to them, they are chased from Chicago to DC by a government agent named Morgan (BILLY BOB THORNTON) and a military lady (ROSARIO DAWSON)...


...  Someone is plotting things, but it’s a mystery just WHO is doing it, what their goal is & “WHY”. With it’s nearly NONSTOP ACTION, this is an exceptionally well-crafted and enjoyable thriller...


...  Better go to the bathroom before it starts, because you won’t want to walk out during any part of it! (It made me wish I’d seen it in IMAX, which would have made it better still!).

Review of film: “THE EXPRESS” -- A FAST Track To Understanding Race Problems & Football

Review of film:  “THE EXPRESS"  --  A FAST Track To Understanding Race Problems & Football =    

                  [ Rating:  8.5 of 10 stars ]

Date Rated: Sep 18, 2008 | Rel. Date: Oct 10, 2008 =

Having performed in some scenes of this film (largely shot in the Chicago area), I was especially interested in seeing what they'd “do” with the story of ERNIE DAVIS, the first African-American man to win the Heisman Trophy...


...  I was impressed with the work done at framing his background & difficulties growing up and achieving football success in the often-racist America of the 1950’s & ’60’s...


...  ROB BROWN does a first-rate job playing collegiate Ernie, & DENNIS QUAID (who in person astutely spoke of how he feels the story hits you both in the “gut” & in the “heart”) gives a finely nuanced turn as the Syracuse coach...


...  The various supporting players (including OMAR BENSON MILLER as Ernie’s teammate & CHARLES S. DUTTON as his grandfather) add to the effectiveness of [telling] a story that’s both sad & uplifting at various points...


...  The football scenes are very effectively filmed, the story “WORKS”, and I thus found it a very SUCCESSFUL commentary on human relationships, trials, tribulations and successes… 


...  [ By the way:  In viewing it, I realized that I can be seen at least 5 times --  briefly --  in the “HEISMAN TROPHY” scene…]

Review of film: “STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS” -- “FORCE”-ing the filling-in of “MISSING” pieces

Review of film:   “STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS”  --  “FORCE”-ing the filling-in of “MISSING” pieces  = 

                                   [ RATING:  8.5 of 10 stars ] 

Date Rated: Aug 9, 2008 | Rel. Date: Aug 15, 2008 =

George Lucas provided the story for this animated film, which seems designed to provide details filling-in some “missing” pieces in the Star Wars universe...


...  Altho this movie uses “STYLIZED” (sharply-angular) rather than Pixar-like “realistic” looks and certain movements for characters (which I would have preferred), there are some GREAT special effects and action throughout the film...


...  Some of the characters are voiced by people from the original LIVE-action series-- SAMUEL L. JACKSON as Mace Windu, CHRISTOPHER LEE as Count Dooku, ANTHONY DANIELS as C-3PO, MATTHEW WOOD (ex-Gen’l Grievous) as Battle Droids, etc....


...  Other main characters are voiced by fairly-close approximations of the originals (re Anakin, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Padme Amidala, Yoda, Chancellor Palpatine, Jabba the Hutt, etc.)... 


...  The story: trying to get Jabba’s help for the Jedis’ plans, while Dooku tries deceipts to derail that...


...  It’s well-done, fun (tho it would’ve been better in 3-D!), and I’ve graded it for lovers of Star Wars [& anyone else might well rate it lower].

Review of film: “MAMMA MIA!” – That’s Some SPICY Music-Filled Greek Resort !

Review of film:   “MAMMA MIA!” – That’s Some SPICY Music-Filled Greek Resort !   

                 [ RATING:  8.5 of 10 stars ] 

]

Date Rated: Jul 29, 2008 | Rel. Date: Jul 18, 2008 =

Music from the Swedish group ABBA has long been exceptionally popular due in large part to their unforgettable, usually-cheerful, “ear-worming”-type catchy melodies. Many years after their initial release, they formed the basis of a stage play which then formed the basis of this film...


...  It’s hard to smoothly integrate a bunch of songs into a coherent story-telling framework, and, tho the plot is somewhat inherently weak, the enthusiastic cast helps the venture SUCCEED: MERYL STREEP does a fine job as lead singer (& resort-owner Donna)...


...  She's aided ably by her onetime-performer cohorts CHRISTINE BARANSKI and JULIE WALTERS, who arrive to attend the wedding of Meryl’s daughter (perkily played by AMANDA SEYFRIED)...


...  Also “game” are 3 possible fathers of her daughter, PIERCE BROSNAN, COLIN FIRTH & STELLAN SKARSGARD...


...  The musical numbers are enjoyably performed by all. My rating is aimed at people who especially LIKE movie musicals or ABBA’s music; it’d be lower for those not in those categories.

Review of film: “SWING VOTE” -- a FINE choice on my “Ballot”

Review of film:  “SWING VOTE”  --   a FINE choice on my “Ballot” = 

                  [ RATING:  8.5 of 10 stars ] 

Date Rated: Jul 24, 2008 | Rel. Date: Aug 1, 2008 =

[From an advance preview:]  The ads didn’t make this look very good-- but the ads were MISLEADING (just like the politicians inhabiting this film!)  MADELINE CARROLL does a top quality job playing Molly, young-but-mature daughter to her slacker dad “Bud” (KEVIN COSTNER)...


...  With surprisingly-believable details, Bud’s shown to be an “uncounted” vote that will help determine a Presidential election between vapid, superficial incumbent Boone (KELSEY GRAMMER) and challenger Greenleaf (DENNIS HOPPER)...


...  It’s both very funny and realistically SCARY the way both parties & their two-faced managers keep changing their basic “positions” to try to get Bud’s vote...


...  I have deep disdain for nearly all politicians (most being members of “Hypocrites ’R Us”), & this film astutely shows WHY many people tend to feel that way nowadays... 


...  While it’s not great, I think so highly of this movie due to an inherent THOUGHT-PROVOKING cleverness in the surprisingly skilled way the story is handled by all involved.

Review of film: “HANCOCK” -- Superheroes don’t always have Super LIVES!

Review of film:   “HANCOCK”  --  Superheroes don’t always have Super LIVES!  = 

                [ RATING:  8.5 of 10 stars ] 

Date Rated: Jul 15, 2008 | Rel. Date: Jul 2, 2008 =

As John Hancock (WILL SMITH) frequently learns, excessive alcohol use doesn’t tend to help the elegance of your flying, landing and inter-personal relationships-- even if you are a supposed superhero (for reasons you don’t really recall)...


...  After Will chances to help him, P.R. guy Ray Embrey (JASON BATEMAN) tries to return the favor by offering to reshape Will’s image. Ray’s wife Mary (CHARLIZE THERON) has her own special reasons for having often-distant and sometimes-“strained” dealings with Will...


...  All the main characters do fine, “believable” jobs (in periodically hard-to-believe roles), and there’s an unusually good blend of both humor and crook-fighting action in this enjoyable twist on common themes.

Review of film: “KUNG FU PANDA” -- Martial arts goes properly ANIMAL-istic

Review of film:   “KUNG FU PANDA”  --  Martial arts goes properly ANIMAL-istic  =

                    [ RATING:  8.5 of 10 stars ] 

Date Rated: Jul 11, 2008 | Rel. Date: Jun 6, 2008 =

The “tongue” is more than just “in cheek” here-- it’s everywhere! The animation is typically fine, but it’s the acting that’s the real joy here. JACK BLACK seems to be having a ball playing the “adopted” Panda Po in a “fowl” family of noodle soup-servers...


...  By quirks of fate, he is judged to be the one chosen by a prophet-like figure to learn how to be a Kung-Fu warrior undergoing training to help save the local populace from a powerful, evil adversary... 


... He takes classes (with a Tigress warrior played by ANGELINA JOLIE and a monkey voiced by JACKIE CHAN) under the tutelage of grand teacher Shifu (voiced by DUSTIN HOFFMAN). With great difficulty, he fights his inner incompetence to try to become the defender he needs to be...


...  The computer graphics are wonderful, the laughs are plenty, the action is nearly non-stop, and a FINE time should be had by all.

Review of film: “JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH” -- A Voyage that’s WORTH the effort!

Review of film:   “JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH”   -- A Voyage that’s WORTH the effort! =  

                                        [ RATING:  8.5 of 10 stars ] 

Date Rated: May 23, 2008 | Rel. Date: Jul 11, 2008 =

At an advance preview, star BRENDAN FRASER & Director ERIC BREVIG spoke glowingly in person of how nearly- revolutionary their film was re being ground-breaking new technology. To my surprise, they were NOT exaggerating: the Real-D process involved shooting 3-D with new digital cameras providing exceptional depth to objects and action, with the finished product provided on a hard drive for projection... 


...  It was so effective, I was caused to FLINCH 2 or 3 times because of the REALISM of unexpected things flying out ‘at’ me. The simple story has some great special-effects as science professor Brendan, his nephew (played by JOSH HUTCHERSON) & their Icelandic guide (ANITA BRIEM) seek info about the nephew’s father-- leading them to a Jules Verne world of giant flowers, dinosaurs and other creatures and adventures...

...  The actors provide a well-done believable base to the often-amazing story. It’s a FUN fantasy, likely to be in the forefront of a new wave of films offered with sense-expanding effects.