42      3.5***

 

became             Everyone should remember the name Jackie Robinson. He became more than a baseball player, he became a legend, and a hero to the oppressed. Almost 70 years later his influence is still felt today. You ask anyone who truly follows baseball and they know the name, the number (42), and what it meant to the sport.

Luckily this film doesn't try to do too much by trying to tell the life story of Jackie Robinson. Iinstead it focuses on Robinson's days in the Negro League in 1945 thru his first season with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. Even with America coming off its victory against Fascism in World War II, racism was still prominent and it was especially true with the racist attitudes against African-Americans. At a time when  society in America was l segregated based on race, Jackie Robinson became the first African-American Major League Baseball player. He broke through the color barrier that had kept blacks out of the Major Leagues. Despite his amazing skills as a ballplayer, Robinson faced huge adversity dealing with the racist prejudice from the public, the fans, and fellow ballplayers. He wasn't just the first black major league baseball player, his greatness on the field also had  a huge impact on the game and America's attitude towards African-Americans. He became an icon in the civil rights movement in America, and ended racial segregation in America's greatest past time. This is why we remember his name, and his number.

 

Little-known actor Chadwick Boseman brings all the necessary elements to the role of Robinson. He looks like a ballplayer and is totally convincing in the baseball scenes. He  also effectively conveys the emotional turmoil inside a man forced to endure racially charged taunts and other various indignities due to the color of his skin. He shows the grace and class with which Robinson handled the onslaught. It took true courage to not fight back. It showed true character to turn the other cheek.

 

 Harrison Ford plays Branch Rickey, the Brooklyn Dodgers' General Manager who made the bold decision to bring an African American into the Major Leagues in 1947. Ford is tremendous. It's a rare treat to watch one of Hollywood's most famous leading men disappear into a character. At first, it seems odd to see Ford playing an old curmudgeon. But then one comes to the astonishing realization that Ford (at age 70) is actually a few years older than Rickey was when he brought Robinson to Brooklyn. In the movie, Rickey professes that his motives are financial – the Dodgers have lots of African American fans that would pay to see Robinson play. He claims the only color he cares about is green. Ford's commanding and ultimately moving portrayal, however, hints at more decent and high-minded desires driving Rickey's decision. He would seem to be a sure bet for a  Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination..  

The baseball action has a more realistic look and feel than most baseball films. Computer graphics are also effectively used to recreate long-since-demolished ballparks like Ebbets Field and the Polo Grounds in exact detail.

The filmmakers present a movie that most families will still find acceptable for young fans that don't know Robinson's story or his significance in American history. You hear lots of n-words, but  each character that uses them is sternly chastised on screen. (Aside from those scattered slurs, there isn't much that most parents would find objectionable.)

 

Clark

 

 

 

 

42      3.5***

 

            Everyone should remember the name Jackie Robinson. He became more than a baseball player, he became a legend, and a hero to the oppressed. Almost 70 years later his influence is still felt today. You ask anyone who truly follows baseball and they know the name, the number (42), and what it meant to the sport.

Luckily this film doesn't try to do too much by trying to tell the life story of Jackie Robinson. Iinstead it focuses on Robinson's days in the Negro League in 1945 thru his first season with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. Even with America coming off its victory against Fascism in World War II, racism was still prominent and it was especially true with the racist attitudes against African-Americans. At a time when  society in America was l segregated based on race, Jackie Robinson became the first African-American Major League Baseball player. He broke through the color barrier that had kept blacks out of the Major Leagues. Despite his amazing skills as a ballplayer, Robinson faced huge adversity dealing with the racist prejudice from the public, the fans, and fellow ballplayers. He wasn't just the first black major league baseball player, his greatness on the field also had  a huge impact on the game and America's attitude towards African-Americans. He became an icon in the civil rights movement in America, and ended racial segregation in America's greatest past time. This is why we remember his name, and his number.

 

Little-known actor Chadwick Boseman brings all the necessary elements to the role of Robinson. He looks like a ballplayer and is totally convincing in the baseball scenes. He  also effectively conveys the emotional turmoil inside a man forced to endure racially charged taunts and other various indignities due to the color of his skin. He shows the grace and class with which Robinson handled the onslaught. It took true courage to not fight back. It showed true character to turn the other cheek.

 

 Harrison Ford plays Branch Rickey, the Brooklyn Dodgers' General Manager who made the bold decision to bring an African American into the Major Leagues in 1947. Ford is tremendous. It's a rare treat to watch one of Hollywood's most famous leading men disappear into a character. At first, it seems odd to see Ford playing an old curmudgeon. But then one comes to the astonishing realization that Ford (at age 70) is actually a few years older than Rickey was when he brought Robinson to Brooklyn. In the movie, Rickey professes that his motives are financial – the Dodgers have lots of African American fans that would pay to see Robinson play. He claims the only color he cares about is green. Ford's commanding and ultimately moving portrayal, however, hints at more decent and high-minded desires driving Rickey's decision. He would seem to be a sure bet for a  Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination..  

The baseball action has a more realistic look and feel than most baseball films. Computer graphics are also effectively used to recreate long-since-demolished ballparks like Ebbets Field and the Polo Grounds in exact detail.

The filmmakers present a movie that most families will still find acceptable for young fans that don't know Robinson's story or his significance in American history. You hear lots of n-words, but  each character that uses them is sternly chastised on screen. (Aside from those scattered slurs, there isn't much that most parents would find objectionable.)

 

Clark

 

 

 

 

 

OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN    3.0***

Watching this film brought back many of the best of the Die Hard memories, and yes everyone is saying that this is pretty much a Die Hard in the White House.. This film is actually a hell of a lot better the most recent disaster Die Hard #15 or whatever. It's like Gerard Butler, the star of Olympus, has really gotten  in touch with the true soul of Die Hard’s John McClane .This film is a quite a good action flick, despite its cliché moments, plot holes, and over-the-top play on patriotism.

 

Gerad Butler plays Mike Banning, a former U.S. Army Ranger turned Secret Service agent, once in charge of the Presidential Detail. Banning was close to President Benjamin, the First Lady and their son Connor. After a tragic car accident that results in the death of the First Lady, Banning is basically demoted to a desk job at the Treasury Department near the White House. One day a group of terrorists launch a brilliant and believable coordinated attack on the White House( code name: “Olympus” ) and take it and the President hostage after a bloody battle including many civilian deaths.. During the attack Banning manages to shot his way into the White House. With the White House under terrorist control, the President hostage, and U.S. forces powerless, it’s up to Mike Banning to take down the Terrorists from the inside, before they succeed in their terrifying plot to destroy the United States… sounds like Die Hard just with a different and very special building.

 

The action is intense, bloody, and unrelenting. Gerard Butler has this commanding presence that you'd expect from an action star. He plays Mike Banning as a hard working professional rather than falling into the so often seen disgraced hero looking for redemption role. He kicks ass, he cracks clever one liners, he’s human & bleeds and hurts, and ends up coming across quite believably as a reluctant hero  . We get very good performances from a great supporting cast led by Morgan Freeman, Aaron Eckhart, and Melissa Leo.

 

It's fast, it's loud, it's preposterous, and yet my wife and I enjoyed every minute of it. The film is chock-full of sensational and well-shot action sequences and special effects, but its biggest strength is its cohesion. From start to finish the plot( as unbelievable as it is at times) moves smoothly, and you can easily tell who the good guys and the bad guys are, and can totally root for the good guys.  

 

3.0***  

 

Oz The Great and Powerful tells the story of Oscar Diggs, better known by his stage name Oz, a small time circus magician whose quick hands and quicker tongue often get him into trouble. When Oz's lies and womanizing ways finally catch up with  him, Oz makes his  escape in a hot air balloon which takes a turn for the worse when it gets sucked into a tornado and is taken to the magical Land of Oz. The film is both a prequel and an  homage to the classic film “The Wizard of Oz”. From the very beginning the movie captures the feeling of the classic by opening the movie in black and white with black bars on the side . This effect gives way to one of the most visually striking scenes in the film  when Oz first looks onto the Land of Oz and the film slowly and gradually widens the screen and adds fantastic color.  

 

Oz runs into some eclectic characters that are welcomed additions to the story. They are a gorgeous porcelain doll and a very chatty monkey (voiced by Zach Braff). Oz eventually is led to the Emerald City by Theodora (Mila Kunis, stunningly beautiful as always). There he meets the witch Evanora (Rachel Weiz, whose performance is one of the films highlights), and is sent on a quest to kill the wicked witch and claim the throne. But instead he meets Glinda the Good Witch (Michelle Williams).  

 

Unfortunately the casting  for the movie was poorly done. James Franco was not the first actor to be considered to play the character of Oscar Diggs ( Robert Downey and Johnny Depp turned it down among others)  and they should not have settled on him. He does not seem to  care about his performance. He just swaggers about as if he is above the material and the other actors. Also the script makes  his character so unlikable that you really do not  care much  about him. While Franco is in his own little world, Mila Kunis just looks lost in her performance. She is not believable as the wicked witch of the West and just comes across as lightweight compare to her sisters played by Rachel Weisz and Michelle Williams who are both much better actors than this film deserved. Weisz in particular gives the film's best performance because she at least makes an effort and  has fun with it. Williams does the same with her role, making her sweet tooth character a joy to watch and brings a real sincerity to the role which is a god sent because of how insincere Franco is in his.

 

The visual effects  are stunning and beautifully crafted.  To be fully appreciated try to see it in the 3D version at IMax as I did. The colors are vibrant, the atmospheres are lush, and the entire effect it has on a viewer, young or old, is eye-popping and awe-inspiring. The movie succeeds in creating a stunning   new  world of OZ, complete with eccentric characters. . It is wonderful to see the world of Oz on the big screen again, revised and made extravagant for 2013 .  .

While the movie isn't perfect my any means, Oz is entertaining and fun for the whole family.

 

Clark. 

 2.8*** out of 4***

 

 

PITCH PERFECT  3.2****

                                                                                   Becca (Anna Kendrick) is a freshman at Barden University who dreams of going to LA and becoming a DJ, but her father is a professor at Barden and urges her to study there at least for one year. If she doesn't like it, then he promises to help her  with her plans to go to LA, but under the condition she get more involved in the College activities. That is when she decides to join the Barden Bellas, an all-girl a-cappella group headed by two other students: Chloe  and  Aubrey . After a disastrous performance in last year's collegiate finals, Chloe and Aubrey are having a hard time recruiting new blood. Besides recruiting Becca, they  have to pick some very unconventional coeds (i.e. not the pretty glamorous types) but those picked are talented and are needed in order to be good enough to face last year's champions: the all-male group from Barden, The Trebles, who are the favorites to win the competition again, But the Bellas are determined  to win but must overcome the “do the safe songs” attitude.

“Pitch Perfect" is basically "Bring It On” ( the rather good competitive cheerleading movie)", but with a cappella singing groups instead of cheerleaders and without the dirty tricks to sabotage the other.…and it's also much funnier. It’ll also remind you of TV’s GLEE.  If this doesn't sound generic enough, there is also a love story subplot centered around Beca and a guy who looks shockingly like Dane Cook. OK, so if this sounds like every teen flick that you've ever seen, about a misunderstood misfit who ends up helping the popular kids (that were mean to her in the beginning ) try to win their something-or-other championship/tournament, only to discover that in the end that they are all the same,  then that is only because  "Pitch Perfect” is exactly that. But before you write this dark horse off, let me just say that it is a real movie treat due to a sharp really funny script and a surprisingly hilarious, eccentric and immensely engaging cast, which include the likes of  Rebel Wilson (as Fat Amy… she was also the fat one in “Bridesmaids”) and  Anna Kendrick (as Becca). There is also  the perfectly hilarious banter from Elizabeth Banks and John Michael Higgins, who play the two commentators of the national a cappella competition. “Pitch Perfect" elevates itself far above the mundane-ness of your everyday teen comedy. In fact, from the non-stop laughs, to the quite satirical teenage dialogue and the great music  … this is a quite fun “feel good” movie.  

This film also gives you a full dose of musical entertainment. Many of the songs will be familiar to you and you will be tempted to sing-along because the music and singers are so enthusiastic. It’s infectious. My wife had to nudge me a couple of times to pipe it down.

The movie is fun and sassy and just a hoot to watch. The “perfect” type of movie for having a truly fun experience.

Clark

LIFE OF PI   4.0***

 

 

         You will see no more imaginative and thought provoking than Life of Pi. It is primarily the thrilling story of a young Indian teenager boy name Pi who is stranded alone on a 26 foot lifeboat with a 450 lb. man eating Bengal tiger (actually it’ll eat anything ) in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. How he gets there and what happens is for you to see and enjoy for yourself.  While Pi and the Bengal  tiger are sharing the boat that does not mean they get along, not at all. The film makes it vividly clear  that while they are stranded together, Pi is a human boy and the a Bengal tiger is a carnivore with a huge appetite The beauty of this scenario is that it never mistakes that the only common traits between these two  is that they are stranded together and both are mammals. The acts of sheer courage and  ingenuity Pi is called upon to use to keep him and the tiger alive are amazing … more like astounding.   

 

Ang Lee ( “Brokeback Mountain” and “Crouching Tiger” ) directs the film  with absolute grace and expertise and along the way employs 3D as perfectly as I have seen . Among the many spectacular elements of this film is  the magnificent CGI (computer generated images). The Bengal tiger is perhaps the best animated animal ever created ! The angry green eyes, richly textured orange & white striped skin and every hair on its fur look rich and full of life and is accentuated  by the 3D.And then when your hear the thunderous roar for the first time, you  realize this is as real as it can get! The rest of the animals ( the film’s opening is at a zoo in India) look great too. The lovely blue ocean and its resident creatures are the jewel in the crown.  

 

There are many scenes of such wonderful amazement that words fall short of describing it… you really have to experience them for yourself. Right from the beginning credits to the poignant scene where Pi is in the  lifeboat  and watches the mammoth ship sink underwater,then the heart-pounding introduction of the Bengal tiger on the lifeboat, the surreal dream sequence of Pi, the many sunsets and nights at sea, the mesmerizing scene with the jellyfish and blue whale and just so many other scenes that each one can be paused and made into a collection of brilliantly picturesque wallpapers. Such brilliant cinematic quality is very rare and it needs to be experienced on the hugest screen possible and in 3D. It's why we go to the movies.   

Thanks to, Ang Lee, this is a movie  that lets you enjoy it on so many levels. If you are just looking for a beautiful 3D movie to feast your eyes on, this is it . If you are in a mood for a thrilling, spine tingling adventure epic this is it.  If indeed, you want to experience something very thought provoking, Life of Pi never forces on you  a particular thought, instead it whispers ever so slightly to think about matters of human and animal natures  while caressing your senses at times and then rocking them at other times  with fabulous visuals and remarkable action sequences.

Life of Pi, is a rare masterpiece that stands as a prototype not only for a perfect book adaptation and a 3D movie( sorry Avatar, you have just been replaced), but also for a movie based on the intricacies of human nature This is an impressive triumph of a film.

Clark

Rating: 4.0*** out of 4

 

 

 

 

Here is another movie worth seeing this year. In fact, it’s  a MUST see if you enjoy well done “feel good” Rom-Coms.. The story follows a family in a very serious situation, but we can all identity with the truth and emotions that comes with struggling through hard  times. It's a story that's easy to connect with, and it's a film that will make you smile from beginning to end.  

 

Silver Linings Playbook is about a man named Pat, played by Bradley Cooper  who has just been released from an eight month sentence in a psychiatric hospital as a result of a plea bargain for a serious assault. He wants to get his life back  on track so he can get his wife back but is being held back by his parents and his unstable condition Also the fact that his wife has a restraining order prohibiting him from seeing or being anywhere near her is a big problem. . After a little while, he strikes up an interesting friendship with Jennifer, played by Jennifer Lawrence .  She is a friend of Pat’s wife and he sees her as a possible go between. Both of these characters are going through  difficult  problems which makes their friendship even more quirky and thought-provoking.

Because a large amount of romantic comedies are stale and overdone, Silver Linings Playbook is a breath of fresh air.. What's original about Silver Linings Playbook is that it doesn't follow that same old predictable story line in the slightest. It is unpredictable but at the same time, more relatable The most surprising aspect of Silver Linings Playbook, however, is  the “Oscar” worthy performance of Bradley Cooper. Even though this is a comedy, Cooper plays what is maybe one of the most serious roles he's ever performed. This is without a doubt Cooper's best work thus far in his career. Jennifer Lawrence has a performance of equal caliber  She's quirky, complicated, hilarious, and you really just can't get enough of her. Robert DeNiro also delivers a strong performance as Cooper's over the top, almost fanatical Philadelphia Eagle's fan and loving, somewhat OCD father. Chris Tucker of “Rush Hour” fame plays a surprisingly mellow role . But even though he’s mellow, he is still very comedic in a toned down way.

Silver Linings Playbook is full of creativity and has a minimal on romance clichés. It is hands down one of the best romantic comedies to be made within the last couple of years. This film contains many laugh out loud moments and a number of scenes that will warm your heart to the point where you can't help but leave the theater smiling. Silver Linings Playbook is the perfect date movie that both men and women can easily enjoy. Be forewarned, the dialogue contains several uses of the “F” word but there is no violence or nudity.

 

Clark