MY SISTER”S KEEPER 3.0*** This is a deeply moving story that will stir your heart and cause the tears to flow. While it is definitely a “tear jerker”, it is much more than that. And all that it is will have a profound effect on most people…of sadness, of course, but even more so of the power and wonder of love…love of family and friends and love of life… every precious minute of it. I cried during this fine emotional film as well as on the way home…and, you know, I have found that a good cry is often as good for you and your well-being as a good laugh.
This movie is adapted by director Nick Cassavetes from Jodi Picoult's bestselling novel of the same name. As with his previous films (including the “The Notebook”), Cassavetes allows this latest work to speak plainly, relating the story of a young girl, Anna Fitzgerald (Abigail Breslin), whose parents (Cameron Diaz and Jason Patric) created her specifically so they would have “spare parts” (bone marrow, kidney, etc.) to help prolong the life of their cancer-stricken daughter Kate (Sofia Vassilieva). After 11 years of this sacrifice, Anna finally objects to her second-class status and sues her parents for “medical emancipation”.
Watching it unfold, I was quite moved -- not by mere pity, or by the simple device of pitting one young woman's life and happiness against another's -- but, rather by the portrait of a family that loves each other as best they can, of people trying to do small, good things in the face of big, bad things like death. And “My Sister's Keeper” isn't shy about the medical reality of the situation -- here we see Kate wracked by pain, bleeding at times, suffering from the side-effects of chemo and scared and shivering. But we also see Kate laugh, and love; we see her deal with her sister’s desire to be freed from the painful, risky medical procedures and operations. We see her prepare for death and try to prepare those whom she loves. Simply put,” My Sister's Keeper” is not shy about how much pain there is in the world -- how much random agony and wasteful death there is. But it also isn't shy about how much love there is in the world, as well -- how simple kindness, graciousness, sympathy and true simple love abounds all around us.
The cast is all strong. Breslin is that rare child actor who doesn't seem plastic or too-sweet precious when she plays wise beyond her years. Vassilieva tackles some tough stuff and does a remarkable job; Diaz is more engaging, and more engaged, than she's been on-screen in a long time. And the supporting cast is great; Jason Patric plays Diaz's husband/father with a flinty, quiet strength; Joan Cusack is the presiding judge who always seems human; Alec Baldwin is the lawyer Breslin hires.
There are many memorable moments but the scene at the beach with the blue sky on a windy, sunny day with the ocean swirling as it begins to turn towards darkness was special. I wasn't just thinking about how those things were beautifully shot (which they were) but also about how they were simply beautiful. “My Sister's Keeper” doesn't pull any punches, and it doesn't tell any lies, and it earns every feeling and thought and memory it brings to the audience….and in today’s cynical world, that's not such a bad thing to have.
So, I urge you go if you can handle the emotional nature of the story and for you ladies (and maybe a few of the guys) take several Kleenex or perhaps a couple of big paper towels..you will need them.
Clark
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
"The Proposal" 3.5***
THE PROPOSAL 3.5*** I’ve just seen this movie and wanted to do the review while I was still in the “feel good” mood generated by this movie. Sometimes everything comes together with a movie…a well-written story, just right direction, a right-on musical score, great film locations and, of course, actors performing at the top of their game. …when this happens, it’s a magical experience and a rare one at that. Such is the case here which is even more surprising when you take into account their gamble in taking a well-worn story premise that has been done dozens of times, and then actually succeed in making it fresh and delightful.
The Premise: Margaret Tate (A wonderful Sandra Bullock) is a very successful, hard driving “Devil Wears Prada” type executive and Andrew Paxton ( a superb Ryan Reynolds) is her put-upon, do-anything-for-her Admin Asst. She is Canadian and is about to be deported when she makes a deal with Andrew. He agrees to marry her so she can stay in NYC provided she gives him a job promotion and goes to Alaska with him to meet his family. They really don’t like each other… really…and, besides, this is supposed to be just a business deal …but then ????. But, enough about the story and what happens…the rest you must see for yourself.
I must confess I kept waiting for this movie to crash and burn, and there were so many opportunities, but to my surprise and delight it did not…rather it continued to get better. Credit goes to the entire cast, crew and the excellent director, Anne Fletcher. But special recognition is due Sandra Bullock for a masterful performance…you really must pay careful attention to her non-verbal acting..her facial expressions, her body language..she can and does it all. Then there is Ryan Reynolds who has quickly become one of my favorites (“Definitely, Maybe”; “Just Friends” and “Van Wilder”)…and there is no one… simply NO one who could have played this role as well as he does…he absolutely nails it. Last, but not least is the “Golden Girl’ Betty White, as Andrew’s grandmother, who steals every scene she’s in..she’s the consummate master of her craft..especially in a role made for her extraordinary talents.
I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and highly recommend it . it’s a great date movie for young and old…in fact, it’s a great movie for one and all. A “must see” especially if you like “feel good” movies.
Clark
The Premise: Margaret Tate (A wonderful Sandra Bullock) is a very successful, hard driving “Devil Wears Prada” type executive and Andrew Paxton ( a superb Ryan Reynolds) is her put-upon, do-anything-for-her Admin Asst. She is Canadian and is about to be deported when she makes a deal with Andrew. He agrees to marry her so she can stay in NYC provided she gives him a job promotion and goes to Alaska with him to meet his family. They really don’t like each other… really…and, besides, this is supposed to be just a business deal …but then ????. But, enough about the story and what happens…the rest you must see for yourself.
I must confess I kept waiting for this movie to crash and burn, and there were so many opportunities, but to my surprise and delight it did not…rather it continued to get better. Credit goes to the entire cast, crew and the excellent director, Anne Fletcher. But special recognition is due Sandra Bullock for a masterful performance…you really must pay careful attention to her non-verbal acting..her facial expressions, her body language..she can and does it all. Then there is Ryan Reynolds who has quickly become one of my favorites (“Definitely, Maybe”; “Just Friends” and “Van Wilder”)…and there is no one… simply NO one who could have played this role as well as he does…he absolutely nails it. Last, but not least is the “Golden Girl’ Betty White, as Andrew’s grandmother, who steals every scene she’s in..she’s the consummate master of her craft..especially in a role made for her extraordinary talents.
I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and highly recommend it . it’s a great date movie for young and old…in fact, it’s a great movie for one and all. A “must see” especially if you like “feel good” movies.
Clark
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Anvil ! The Story of Anvil 3.0***
ANVIL ! THE STORY OF ANVIL 3.0*** This documentary of Anvil (a Canadian heavy metal band) begins with testimonials from members of some of the biggest hard rock/ heavy metal bands of all time; from Guns n' Roses to Metallica. They are all united in their praise for Anvil, one group which served as an inspiration to each of them in the early 80s. Anvil shared the stage with Jon Bon Jovi and Whitesnake, and appeared to be destined to be just as successful as their peers. But it simply never happened.
It is hilarious, heartbreaking, touching, puzzling, and suspenseful. It's been called the "real life Spinal Tap," and these metal heads surely do walk the fine line between genius and stupid, but it's got so much more heart and humanity than just that. “Anvil” is about the unstoppable creative urge and the do-it-yourself-or-die-trying spirit. Lips and Robb, the two fiftysomething never-say-never- rockers at the heart of the film, are fascinating, lovable characters, half heroes, half fools, partly delusional, yet partly triumphant too. Lips and Robb have been playing music together since they were 14 and have kept Anvil ticking along, supporting themselves with menial jobs and persisting despite the exasperation of their friends and loved ones. They're good at what they do, they know it and love it and can't stop doing it, even though the music industry passed them over a long, long time ago. They caught all the bad breaks they possibly could, but they didn't let that stop them. This isn't a film about rock n roll, or about these two guys -- it really about all of us, our fears and dreams, our successes and failures, our shining moments and our stupid ones.
This certainly isn't your standard from rags to riches Hollywood melodrama…more of from rags to rags to rags etc…. but it's really fluid and well done. It doesn't matter if you have never heard of Anvil ( I had not), or the bands they inspired or even like the music (I have never been a fan of hard rock/heavy metal music, at all) – yet, this documentary makes it easy to be gripped and captivated by their story.
NOTE: This has been a limited release film and will be hard to find in any theatres…so wait for the DVD release or cable TV play time.
Clark
It is hilarious, heartbreaking, touching, puzzling, and suspenseful. It's been called the "real life Spinal Tap," and these metal heads surely do walk the fine line between genius and stupid, but it's got so much more heart and humanity than just that. “Anvil” is about the unstoppable creative urge and the do-it-yourself-or-die-trying spirit. Lips and Robb, the two fiftysomething never-say-never- rockers at the heart of the film, are fascinating, lovable characters, half heroes, half fools, partly delusional, yet partly triumphant too. Lips and Robb have been playing music together since they were 14 and have kept Anvil ticking along, supporting themselves with menial jobs and persisting despite the exasperation of their friends and loved ones. They're good at what they do, they know it and love it and can't stop doing it, even though the music industry passed them over a long, long time ago. They caught all the bad breaks they possibly could, but they didn't let that stop them. This isn't a film about rock n roll, or about these two guys -- it really about all of us, our fears and dreams, our successes and failures, our shining moments and our stupid ones.
This certainly isn't your standard from rags to riches Hollywood melodrama…more of from rags to rags to rags etc…. but it's really fluid and well done. It doesn't matter if you have never heard of Anvil ( I had not), or the bands they inspired or even like the music (I have never been a fan of hard rock/heavy metal music, at all) – yet, this documentary makes it easy to be gripped and captivated by their story.
NOTE: This has been a limited release film and will be hard to find in any theatres…so wait for the DVD release or cable TV play time.
Clark
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123 3.0***(but barely) To some, “The Taking of Pelham” will be like 1,2,3…to others it will be more like 1,2,3….4.5….6,7,8…….9,10….. For the former, a taut, suspenseful action movie …for the others a slow, talkie-talkie movie with intermittent action often only for action’s sake. I fell somewhere in between… a 1, 2, 3, 4.
Denzel Washington plays Walter Garber, a subway dispatcher in the New York City subway's control center. When Garber notices that the Pelham 123 train has stopped for seemingly no reason, he radios the driver and discovers that the train and its passengers have been taken hostage. A team of ex-cons led by a man who identifies himself as Ryder (John Travolta) is demanding $10 million within one hour in exchange for the 19 hostages. If there's a delay, Ryder threatens to kill one hostage for each minute that the money's late. Garber’s no hostage negotiator, but Ryder refuses to talk to anyone else. This film is a remake of the 1974 version starring Walter Matthau, as the Garber type, and Robert Shaw, as the Ryder. The filmmakers took some liberties with the story, which enhanced and made it more suspenseful.
Washington and Travolta deliver engaging performances. Playing a relatively low-key, almost geeky civil servant is an interesting change of pace for Washington. Travolta is terrifying as a disturbingly intelligent crook. In fact, “Pelham’s” strength lies in the fascinating battle of words and wits in this Washington vs. Travolta match-up…. the simple civil servant against the crazed, tattooed villain. They are great together, whether side by side or on the other end of a microphone. You cannot deny the craft of Denzel and his ability to become a character. As for Mr. Travolta, although he may be over-the-top in his portrayal—he is having fun and plays the bad guy perfectly.
What this film does have over its predecessor is action, and a helluva lot more of it. This is to be expected since Tony Scott is the director…and action is his specialty. It's really hard to explain the action without giving the story away, so I'll just say that if you are an action fan, there is plenty enough to satisfy you. The cinematography is also great, seeing as scenes between the hostages and the subway operator are intertwined with scenes of action on the city streets and wonderful broad shots of the city.
All in all, “Pelham” may not be a great movie but is, in most respects, an entertaining remake. The has action sequences may not always be pertinent but they are, nonetheless, fun to watch. So the ride this movie takes you on is worth paying to go through the turnstiles once but not good enough to justify a return trip.
Clark
Denzel Washington plays Walter Garber, a subway dispatcher in the New York City subway's control center. When Garber notices that the Pelham 123 train has stopped for seemingly no reason, he radios the driver and discovers that the train and its passengers have been taken hostage. A team of ex-cons led by a man who identifies himself as Ryder (John Travolta) is demanding $10 million within one hour in exchange for the 19 hostages. If there's a delay, Ryder threatens to kill one hostage for each minute that the money's late. Garber’s no hostage negotiator, but Ryder refuses to talk to anyone else. This film is a remake of the 1974 version starring Walter Matthau, as the Garber type, and Robert Shaw, as the Ryder. The filmmakers took some liberties with the story, which enhanced and made it more suspenseful.
Washington and Travolta deliver engaging performances. Playing a relatively low-key, almost geeky civil servant is an interesting change of pace for Washington. Travolta is terrifying as a disturbingly intelligent crook. In fact, “Pelham’s” strength lies in the fascinating battle of words and wits in this Washington vs. Travolta match-up…. the simple civil servant against the crazed, tattooed villain. They are great together, whether side by side or on the other end of a microphone. You cannot deny the craft of Denzel and his ability to become a character. As for Mr. Travolta, although he may be over-the-top in his portrayal—he is having fun and plays the bad guy perfectly.
What this film does have over its predecessor is action, and a helluva lot more of it. This is to be expected since Tony Scott is the director…and action is his specialty. It's really hard to explain the action without giving the story away, so I'll just say that if you are an action fan, there is plenty enough to satisfy you. The cinematography is also great, seeing as scenes between the hostages and the subway operator are intertwined with scenes of action on the city streets and wonderful broad shots of the city.
All in all, “Pelham” may not be a great movie but is, in most respects, an entertaining remake. The has action sequences may not always be pertinent but they are, nonetheless, fun to watch. So the ride this movie takes you on is worth paying to go through the turnstiles once but not good enough to justify a return trip.
Clark
Monday, June 15, 2009
HANGOVER 3.5*** “Hangover is a comedy-of-errors trapped in a mystery-riddled-enigma where the soon-to-be-married groom and his three buddies drive to Las Vegas for a blow-out bachelor party night they're hoping they'll never forget. But, instead, the three groomsmen wake up the next morning with pounding headaches, and realize they've just spent a night they can’t remember. They awake to find the groom missing, their posh Caesar’s Palace suite trashed, a tiger in the bathroom, a chicken running loose and a baby in one of the closets. To make matters worse, they can't remember ANYTHING from the night before. Now they must retrace their steps to figure out what happened and hopefully find the groom. The groomsmen lurch from one hilarious situation to another. It's a wickedly smart film and manages to mix the very lowest of the low-brow comedy to wondrous effect. It's rude, raucous, raunchy and funny.
Two things are key to the movie. First is the characters and their great chemistry. The groom doesn't really play that big a role. It’s really the groomsmen. The future brother-in-law, Alan, is a weird and inappropriate guy who never fails to shock and produce hilarity. Phil is the necessary 'cool guy' of the group who likes having a crazy time. Stuart is a neurotic kind-of-dork-but-not-really…someone you sympathize with because he's totally whipped and subservient to his overly bossy, bitchy fiancé. Most importantly, is Hangover's ability to maintain a degree of suspense throughout the film while being irreverent and hilarious at the same time.
This is a “R” movie and it was made with a certain audience in mind. So, if bawdy sex jokes, profanity, and partial nudity (male and female) isn't for you, then sit this one out. For those who aren’t bothered by that, and are looking for a well-done comedy loaded with suspenseful fun, bring your spouse, date or friends and this will be one “hangover” you won’t forget.
Clark
Two things are key to the movie. First is the characters and their great chemistry. The groom doesn't really play that big a role. It’s really the groomsmen. The future brother-in-law, Alan, is a weird and inappropriate guy who never fails to shock and produce hilarity. Phil is the necessary 'cool guy' of the group who likes having a crazy time. Stuart is a neurotic kind-of-dork-but-not-really…someone you sympathize with because he's totally whipped and subservient to his overly bossy, bitchy fiancé. Most importantly, is Hangover's ability to maintain a degree of suspense throughout the film while being irreverent and hilarious at the same time.
This is a “R” movie and it was made with a certain audience in mind. So, if bawdy sex jokes, profanity, and partial nudity (male and female) isn't for you, then sit this one out. For those who aren’t bothered by that, and are looking for a well-done comedy loaded with suspenseful fun, bring your spouse, date or friends and this will be one “hangover” you won’t forget.
Clark
Saturday, June 13, 2009
DRAG ME TO HELL 3.0*** After you have seen this movie, some of you may feel like you have been dragged through hell. The Director, Sam Raimi, is well known for his horror movies which go back to the 80s with his classic “Evil Dead” horror movies and others that followed, and he is also well known for the blockbuster “Spider Man” movies. In “Drag Me” he returns to his first love…the frantic horror movie with frantic pacing, frantic camera-work and outlandish sights and sounds with loads of gory goop and bile to scare the heck out of you all of which is nicely off-set by the dark humor that is scattered throughout the story .. the chuckles provide some relief from the sudden gasps and screams induced by the scary scenes.
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The attractive female lead is Alison Lohman, as Christine Brown who is a loan office at a bank. She is up for the post of assistant manager, and to impress her boss she takes a firm stand against and rejects an old woman’s plea for a third extension on her mortgage. To just call her an old woman seriously understates her repulsiveness. She is actually a dirty, hideous gypsy with discolored scraggly talons for fingernails and disgusting personal habits that include frequent horrible coughing and taking out and in appallingly dirty dentures. She is truly one of the most vile caricatures you’ll have the displeasure of seeing in a horror flick. As you might expect. Christine’s rejection of the gypsy’s plea is a bad, bad idea because this gypsy has an army of soul-stealing, soul-hungry demons at her disposal and for the ultimate in pay-back, the gypsy puts a horrible curse on Christen. For the first three days and nights she will be subjected to full, non-stop demonic torment, and after that, the Demonic Beast will come to claim her soul and drag her to hell. The frantic race is on for her to find a way of preventing this from happening and to seek redemption.
If you're looking for a gory, gruesome horror movie…this is not it. But if you’re in the mood for some heavy-duty frightful moments where things, quite unpleasant things, suddenly and unexpectedly jump out at you… . this is the movie for you. The movie plays like one of those walk-through haunted houses you visit during Halloween where monsters and other disgusting things jump out at you at every turn. Ultimately, "Drag Me to Hell" is just a classic, old fashion campfire horror story, and Sam Raimi happens to be one of the best scary storytellers of our time.
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The attractive female lead is Alison Lohman, as Christine Brown who is a loan office at a bank. She is up for the post of assistant manager, and to impress her boss she takes a firm stand against and rejects an old woman’s plea for a third extension on her mortgage. To just call her an old woman seriously understates her repulsiveness. She is actually a dirty, hideous gypsy with discolored scraggly talons for fingernails and disgusting personal habits that include frequent horrible coughing and taking out and in appallingly dirty dentures. She is truly one of the most vile caricatures you’ll have the displeasure of seeing in a horror flick. As you might expect. Christine’s rejection of the gypsy’s plea is a bad, bad idea because this gypsy has an army of soul-stealing, soul-hungry demons at her disposal and for the ultimate in pay-back, the gypsy puts a horrible curse on Christen. For the first three days and nights she will be subjected to full, non-stop demonic torment, and after that, the Demonic Beast will come to claim her soul and drag her to hell. The frantic race is on for her to find a way of preventing this from happening and to seek redemption.
If you're looking for a gory, gruesome horror movie…this is not it. But if you’re in the mood for some heavy-duty frightful moments where things, quite unpleasant things, suddenly and unexpectedly jump out at you… . this is the movie for you. The movie plays like one of those walk-through haunted houses you visit during Halloween where monsters and other disgusting things jump out at you at every turn. Ultimately, "Drag Me to Hell" is just a classic, old fashion campfire horror story, and Sam Raimi happens to be one of the best scary storytellers of our time.
Friday, June 5, 2009
"Man on Wire" 3.5***
MAN ON WIRE 3.5*** ( A 2008 rental) You think that documentaries are boring? Well, you need to see “Man on Wire” which won this year’s, 2009 Academy Award for Best Documentary. " It is a fascinating documentary that chronicles how a talented and fearless high-wire walker, Frenchman Philippe Petit, assembled a team of friends/accomplices and how they helped him to carry out an astonishing feat. On August 7, 1974, Phillipe stepped out on a wire (really a thick cable) suspended 1350 feet above the ground between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. He performed with no safety net for almost an hour. He crossed between the towers eight times before he was arrested for what later became known as "the artistic crime of the century."
This was stunning unimaginable feat that took him months of secret preparations to accomplish.. The British documentary film-maker James Marsh, after a long but exciting introduction about Petit's previous feats (walking on a high-wire across Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and later on Sidney's Harbor Bridge in Australia), presents Petit's Twin Towers feat like it was a carefully planned “bank heist’… presenting in detail all the aspects of the preparations with a rhythm that catches your breath….. how they gained access to restricted areas of the World Trade Center, the meticulously planning of all the technical aspects of the rigging of the wire/cable, and surreptitiously recruiting “insiders” to help pull off the caper .
This is a suspenseful, at times humorous, drama that moves you to the point of amazement. What the film is ultimately about is the story of a courageous man who, against all logic and all odds, walks back and forth on a wire, high up in the sky, at times sitting and relaxing in-between, then almost dancing, like a Fred Astaire of the skies, for more than 45 minutes, challenging man, nature and the whole world. But what is still more exciting is the beauty of it all, of those wonderful images of that man up there, alone and happy, enjoying his walk in the clouds. A breathtaking film worthy of its Oscar!!
NOTE: Arrested after his successful walk, the words "Man on wire" appeared on the violation written up by the N. Y.P.D., which is how the film gained its title .
Clark
This was stunning unimaginable feat that took him months of secret preparations to accomplish.. The British documentary film-maker James Marsh, after a long but exciting introduction about Petit's previous feats (walking on a high-wire across Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and later on Sidney's Harbor Bridge in Australia), presents Petit's Twin Towers feat like it was a carefully planned “bank heist’… presenting in detail all the aspects of the preparations with a rhythm that catches your breath….. how they gained access to restricted areas of the World Trade Center, the meticulously planning of all the technical aspects of the rigging of the wire/cable, and surreptitiously recruiting “insiders” to help pull off the caper .
This is a suspenseful, at times humorous, drama that moves you to the point of amazement. What the film is ultimately about is the story of a courageous man who, against all logic and all odds, walks back and forth on a wire, high up in the sky, at times sitting and relaxing in-between, then almost dancing, like a Fred Astaire of the skies, for more than 45 minutes, challenging man, nature and the whole world. But what is still more exciting is the beauty of it all, of those wonderful images of that man up there, alone and happy, enjoying his walk in the clouds. A breathtaking film worthy of its Oscar!!
NOTE: Arrested after his successful walk, the words "Man on wire" appeared on the violation written up by the N. Y.P.D., which is how the film gained its title .
Clark
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Movie Review/ "Up" 3.5****
UP 3.5***This is the latest animated 3-D movie from the fabulous folks at Pixar Studios…their track record is nothing short of amazing…WALL-E, Ratatouille, Cars, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo and others including the 2 Toy Story films “Up” is right “up” there with the best of them and has more of a sweet emotional feel than others.
So it’s “up, up and way” on a magical ride…not on the ole carpet this time but instead in a house, of all things, being floated in the sky by thousands of colorful helium balloons poking out from the chimney. This miraculous airborne extravaganza is the handiwork of Carl, a retired balloon salesman (what else) who at 78 yrs is a gruffy, lonely old widower. Carl intended for it to be a solo flight to a long dreamed of visit to a remote spot in South America…but unexpectedly, along for the ride, is Russell, a 10 yr old gung-ho Wilderness Scout who had been pestering Carl to let him help him so he could earn his last merit badge. The two voyagers make it to South America where the real adventure begins .They encounter a giant bizarre bird (it’ll remind you of “Big Bird” from “Sesame Street” but with slicked down multi-colored feathers and a giant beak), and a dog named Dug with a collar that lets him speak but not very smartly….but it is very hilarious!! And there's more than that, a great deal more; but “Up” is one of those movies where the best thing about it is the journey, and to give away those fascinating details would spoil the magic for you. I will add that there is, of course, a villain who is mean and evil but not very scary.
The movie begins with a sweet and emotional prologue. You see Carl as a very young boy and his two loves…..his boyhood idol, Charles Muntz, a world famous explorer; and Ellie, a kindred spirit and the girl he falls in love with, marries and shares a wonderful life with until her death ….and South America was Ellie’s dream first. All this is done with a minimum of dialog, as a moving montage, and it is one of the sweetest, most tender movie moments I've seen in a while.…keep a Kleenex handy. It is hard to make a cranky selfish old 78 yr old man likable, but knowing his past helps to explain his “challenging” personality.
Pixar strikes gold again…”Up” has a brilliant and simple story, beautiful visuals, excellent voice work, funny dialogue, beautiful music and very, very enjoyable characters. The only negative I can say about this movie is that it ended. And it’s great for the entire family…even the small kids will “get it”.
Clark
So it’s “up, up and way” on a magical ride…not on the ole carpet this time but instead in a house, of all things, being floated in the sky by thousands of colorful helium balloons poking out from the chimney. This miraculous airborne extravaganza is the handiwork of Carl, a retired balloon salesman (what else) who at 78 yrs is a gruffy, lonely old widower. Carl intended for it to be a solo flight to a long dreamed of visit to a remote spot in South America…but unexpectedly, along for the ride, is Russell, a 10 yr old gung-ho Wilderness Scout who had been pestering Carl to let him help him so he could earn his last merit badge. The two voyagers make it to South America where the real adventure begins .They encounter a giant bizarre bird (it’ll remind you of “Big Bird” from “Sesame Street” but with slicked down multi-colored feathers and a giant beak), and a dog named Dug with a collar that lets him speak but not very smartly….but it is very hilarious!! And there's more than that, a great deal more; but “Up” is one of those movies where the best thing about it is the journey, and to give away those fascinating details would spoil the magic for you. I will add that there is, of course, a villain who is mean and evil but not very scary.
The movie begins with a sweet and emotional prologue. You see Carl as a very young boy and his two loves…..his boyhood idol, Charles Muntz, a world famous explorer; and Ellie, a kindred spirit and the girl he falls in love with, marries and shares a wonderful life with until her death ….and South America was Ellie’s dream first. All this is done with a minimum of dialog, as a moving montage, and it is one of the sweetest, most tender movie moments I've seen in a while.…keep a Kleenex handy. It is hard to make a cranky selfish old 78 yr old man likable, but knowing his past helps to explain his “challenging” personality.
Pixar strikes gold again…”Up” has a brilliant and simple story, beautiful visuals, excellent voice work, funny dialogue, beautiful music and very, very enjoyable characters. The only negative I can say about this movie is that it ended. And it’s great for the entire family…even the small kids will “get it”.
Clark
Re-Review: "Taken;"The Notebook" & "Lars and the Real Girl"
I re-watched 3 films I’d previously seen and done reviews. I was delighted all over again and actually would rate 2 of them higher based upon the revisits. They were:
“Taken” (2009) First time 3.0***; Rewatch 3.5*** I went to see this again this past week with my wife and we both really enjoyed this movie… I even more than the first time and thus the higher 3.5***. Part of my earlier review is below:
“Taken” is a story of a desperate father’s search for his kidnapped daughter in this non-stop action thriller. The father is a former CIA Agent played by Liam Neeson. His 17 year old daughter goes to Paris with a friend on vacation, but to his horror, they are immediately kidnapped shortly after arriving by a well organized group of really bad Albanian sex slave-traders. he flies to Paris and skillfully and lethally uses his special Bourne-like skills to try to track down the bad guys . From the moment the abduction takes place, the action becomes nonstop and you won’t be able to take your eyes off of the screen. The tension and suspense just builds and builds as does the action and the body count. Neeson is well cast as a softhearted, thoughtful man who is big enough and skillful enough to be one really bad-ass dude and inflict serious damage/mayhem once he gets angry…and losing his daughter causes huge anger which lasts and intensifies as the movie plays out. He’s the avenging action hero, wreaking havoc upon those so deserving of such. Then it's over…..and a quick glance at the watch reveals that only 94 minutes have gone by and yet so much has happened
“The Notebook” (2004) The first time only 2.5*** and I don’t know what I was thinking…I missed this one badly…it is a true 3.5***film…a beautiful love story showing the power and endurance of love…the total commitment that some…..or at least the very blessed…endow with their love…and then how when it is a mutual commitment, there is nothing more wonderful. It is beautifully filmed mostly in South Carolina ( Charleston and Georgetown) and dares to be honest about how the road to such unique and special love can be qutie difficult and heart rendering. Great cast with Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams and James Garner. This is one you can rewatch many times as a reminder of the wonder of love…yes 3.5***.
“Mars and the Real Girl” (2007) 4.0*** the first time and it was just as good in the rewatch. This is one of my all time favorite “feel-good” movies.. I know that is not true for some people who have seen it and were turned off by the presence of the life-like doll (“Bianca”) that Lars gets to be his companion/girl-friend. But if you can accept the fact that “Bianca” is NOT a sex toy at all to Lars but a crutch… a make-believe person, that Lars uses to emerge from his isolated lonely world, then you can begin to accept Bianca for what she is to him…it’s a strange but beautiful experience…funny at times..but touching and heart-rendering too. Some of my review is below:
This is one of the most remarkably original films that I have ever seen, providing a refreshing comment about what we can learn from one another if we approach each other's frailties with kindness and understanding. Lars Lindstrom (Ryan Gosling), is a young man living in a small town. At first glance, Lars appears to be normal enough–he is polite and presentable–but as we soon discover, a crucial switch in his head has never flipped and, as a result, he suffers from an extreme case of shyness and isolation. Despite the fact that everyone who knows him adores him, he spends virtually all of his time hunkered down in his garage apartment, while trying to dodge nightly dinner invitations from his well-meaning sister-in-law who lives in the main house with his brother. One night Lars comes to their house to introduce them to his new girlfriend, Bianca, and to ask them if she can stay with them since he and she are deeply religious and don't believe in sex before marriage. They agree. To Lars, Bianca is a beautiful, special woman he can finally open up to; but, in fact, she is a plastic, anatomically correct sex doll purchased on the Internet. If that weren’t strange enough, Lars treats her as though she were a real person–he has conversations with her and even pushes her around in a wheelchair. The fascinating and really sweet aspect of the story is how everyone reacts to Bianca….. what happens when Lars takes Bianca to church, to the local mall, and even to an office party. Won’t tell ‘cause the joy of this movie is experiencing these scenarios and the people's reactions. As time goes on, the relationship between Lars and Bianca changes and evolves in surprising ways before concluding in a unique and heartfelt manner.
Clark
“Taken” (2009) First time 3.0***; Rewatch 3.5*** I went to see this again this past week with my wife and we both really enjoyed this movie… I even more than the first time and thus the higher 3.5***. Part of my earlier review is below:
“Taken” is a story of a desperate father’s search for his kidnapped daughter in this non-stop action thriller. The father is a former CIA Agent played by Liam Neeson. His 17 year old daughter goes to Paris with a friend on vacation, but to his horror, they are immediately kidnapped shortly after arriving by a well organized group of really bad Albanian sex slave-traders. he flies to Paris and skillfully and lethally uses his special Bourne-like skills to try to track down the bad guys . From the moment the abduction takes place, the action becomes nonstop and you won’t be able to take your eyes off of the screen. The tension and suspense just builds and builds as does the action and the body count. Neeson is well cast as a softhearted, thoughtful man who is big enough and skillful enough to be one really bad-ass dude and inflict serious damage/mayhem once he gets angry…and losing his daughter causes huge anger which lasts and intensifies as the movie plays out. He’s the avenging action hero, wreaking havoc upon those so deserving of such. Then it's over…..and a quick glance at the watch reveals that only 94 minutes have gone by and yet so much has happened
“The Notebook” (2004) The first time only 2.5*** and I don’t know what I was thinking…I missed this one badly…it is a true 3.5***film…a beautiful love story showing the power and endurance of love…the total commitment that some…..or at least the very blessed…endow with their love…and then how when it is a mutual commitment, there is nothing more wonderful. It is beautifully filmed mostly in South Carolina ( Charleston and Georgetown) and dares to be honest about how the road to such unique and special love can be qutie difficult and heart rendering. Great cast with Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams and James Garner. This is one you can rewatch many times as a reminder of the wonder of love…yes 3.5***.
“Mars and the Real Girl” (2007) 4.0*** the first time and it was just as good in the rewatch. This is one of my all time favorite “feel-good” movies.. I know that is not true for some people who have seen it and were turned off by the presence of the life-like doll (“Bianca”) that Lars gets to be his companion/girl-friend. But if you can accept the fact that “Bianca” is NOT a sex toy at all to Lars but a crutch… a make-believe person, that Lars uses to emerge from his isolated lonely world, then you can begin to accept Bianca for what she is to him…it’s a strange but beautiful experience…funny at times..but touching and heart-rendering too. Some of my review is below:
This is one of the most remarkably original films that I have ever seen, providing a refreshing comment about what we can learn from one another if we approach each other's frailties with kindness and understanding. Lars Lindstrom (Ryan Gosling), is a young man living in a small town. At first glance, Lars appears to be normal enough–he is polite and presentable–but as we soon discover, a crucial switch in his head has never flipped and, as a result, he suffers from an extreme case of shyness and isolation. Despite the fact that everyone who knows him adores him, he spends virtually all of his time hunkered down in his garage apartment, while trying to dodge nightly dinner invitations from his well-meaning sister-in-law who lives in the main house with his brother. One night Lars comes to their house to introduce them to his new girlfriend, Bianca, and to ask them if she can stay with them since he and she are deeply religious and don't believe in sex before marriage. They agree. To Lars, Bianca is a beautiful, special woman he can finally open up to; but, in fact, she is a plastic, anatomically correct sex doll purchased on the Internet. If that weren’t strange enough, Lars treats her as though she were a real person–he has conversations with her and even pushes her around in a wheelchair. The fascinating and really sweet aspect of the story is how everyone reacts to Bianca….. what happens when Lars takes Bianca to church, to the local mall, and even to an office party. Won’t tell ‘cause the joy of this movie is experiencing these scenarios and the people's reactions. As time goes on, the relationship between Lars and Bianca changes and evolves in surprising ways before concluding in a unique and heartfelt manner.
Clark
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