‘2012' is yet another entry into the ‘end of the world' genre of films. This movie sticks closely to the now familiar pattern established by predecessors such as ‘Armageddon', ‘Deep Impact', and ‘The Day After Tomorrow'. Director, Roland Emmerich, also served as producer on the latter film and other special effects laden projects such as ‘Independence Day' and '10,000 B.C.'

The story centers on Jackson Curtis, played by John Cusack (‘Martian Child', ‘Ice Harvest', ‘Must Love Dogs'), who is a frustrated author, divorcee, and considered a bit of an under-achiever by those around him. Jackson inadvertently stumbles upon a possible government cover-up of a pending disaster and immediately tries to spirit his kids, ex-wife, and her current husband to safety. This is where the real roller-coaster ride begins as we see scene after scene of this major cataclysm unfolding.

Chiwetel Ejiofor (‘American Gangster', ‘Inside Man') plays another key character, Adrian Helmsley, a government scientist who is coordinating the findings of various other colleagues and attempting to sound the alarm over the pending disaster. Danny Glover (‘Lethal Weapon' - all of them!) does a decent job as the U.S. President. We also get a cameo by George Segal as part of an aging lounge act duo who happens to be doing a cruise ship gig at an inopportune time. The one character that is a standout has to be Woody Harrelson, who plays a conspiracy hound and underground radio broadcaster. His limited screen time is still a hoot to watch.

The special effects are over the top, to be sure, and the movie is mostly playing off of formula laid down by many previous disaster flicks with perceptible nods to ‘Poseidon Adventure', ‘Towering Inferno', and ‘Airport'. The two things that really weigh down this film are length and the relentless narrow escapes by Jackson and his group of would-be survivors. With a run time of over 2 ½ hours, the film feels a bit tedious at times. The continual harrowing escapes of the main characters become overblown and more improbable with each scene. Added attempts to build tensions actually border on annoying.

As sheer entertainment, ‘2012' certainly delivers. It's always amazing to see just how good special effects have become - especially if you like seeing things blown up. The hook missing here is the potential for any of this to actually happen. Films like ‘Deep Impact' worked because we know asteroids are really out there. In this scenario we have planet alignments, solar activity, and neutrinos - as involving a physics subject as you'd want to tackle. Coupled with some vague references to the Mayan calendar, a root cause for this end of the world scenario is just too muddied to stir an audience.  So, if your looking for plausibility, I'd leave your skepticism at the movie theater door and just go along for the ride.

Offical Web Site: 2012 Movie 

 

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OK, so it's that scary time of year again... no, not tax time - Halloween! Not planning on donning that Donald Trump costume again and hitting the local parties with your ghoul-friend? Here are a few of my personal favorite Halloween titles you might enjoy instead:

First up is 'The Frighteners' (1996), starring Michael J. Fox, Dee Wallace, and John Astin. This serio-comic pic was directed by Peter Jackson (yes, of 'Lord Of The Ring' fame). The lead character, Frank (Fox), gains not only the ability to see dead people; but is able to interact with them as well. He proceeds to use his special ability to run a scam; having some of his 'dead' associates harass unwitting targets, and then offering to exorcize the spirits out of the prospective client's home/life for a fee, of course. This all goes well until a malevolent entity shows up and actually starts killing people. I like Fox's humor in this and he deftly bounces between camp and serious action. This one is not for the kiddies - rated 'R' for violence.

My next selection is 'From Dusk Till Dawn' (also 1996), directed by Robert Rodriguez and screenplay by Quentin Tarantino. This film features an ensemble cast that includes Harvey Keitel, George Clooney, Salma Hayek, Cheech Martin, Kelly Preston, and many other familiar faces. A couple bank robbers, with a few hostages in tow, seek a spot to lay low following a violent heist. Unfortunately, their choice yields some unexpected surprises - a truly unique twist on the standard vampire format and pure Tarantino!

Last, but not least is another vampire pic titled 'Near Dark' (1987). Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, 'Near Dark' is a reverse twist on the more recent 'Twighlight' plot, but in this case the vampire is actually the girl and the boy who tries to woo her is mortal. Caleb (Adrian Pasdar) is smitten with Mae (Jenny Wright) and ends up joining her gypsy vampire family as they seek out fresh victims. Lance Henriksen (a favorite character actor) plays the leader of the 'family'. The film plays out like a cross between 'Lost Boys' and 'Bonnie & Clyde'. Bill Paxton is also in this and does a great turn as vampire who loves to ham it up.

Hopefully among these three titles, something will spook your fancy. Witch will you choose?

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 The Couples 

‘Ah-ha!' I thought, finally a decent date movie for my better half and myself. Having done a Caribbean cruise ourselves earlier this year, I figured we would not only enjoy the promised laughs (previews have a way of setting our expectations, don't they?), but the beautiful island scenery as well. ‘Couples Retreat' is a humorous take on the practice of marriage encounter sessions set in a beautiful island paradise. Cynthia (Kristen Bell) and Jason (Jason Bateman) play a married couple that have failed at procreation and feel their marriage is falling apart because of it. They learn of a group encounter session being offered at the aforementioned tropical island. To take advantage of the special rate, they have to cajole three other couples (including Vince Vaughn) into signing on for the trip as well. Once on the island, all of the respective spouses slowly reveal their own inadequacies and frustrations but continue to fight the suggestion that they could all use some couples therapy.

 

Director Peter Billingsley helms this film and unfortunately for us, his resume is pretty thin. As a matter of fact, this is his only full-length feature film directorial experience, and it shows. The pacing is really off as the movie spends way too much time just getting everyone to agree to the trip (duh, we already know that they all go!) Another annoyance is that this film is really too ‘talky' - instead of having the characters reveal their various foibles through their actions, we have to sit through seemingly endless dialog and listen to bickering and whining that isn't always so funny.

 

While I did find myself laughing out loud a few times and the Mrs. claimed to enjoy it as well, I felt like there were a lot of unexplored topics and situations that would have made this film a lot more relevant and could have added to the laughs. ‘Couples Retreat' is still a fun movie and quite suitable as date-night material, it's just not quite romantic comedy paradise.

Official Web Site: Couples Retreat 

 

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 Directed by Jonathan Mostow (‘Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines', ‘Breakdown'), ‘Surrogates' has a familiar feel to it. It's sort of a cross between ‘Die Hard' and ‘I Robot'. While I liked the concept behind the story; the actual film was creeping me out a bit - the whole notion of people just lounging at home while their mechanical alter-egos step out into the real world to do whatever bidding their controller wants to vicariously experience. There are some unsettling parallels to the current practice of people masquerading as something they really are not, on various web sites and chat rooms.

With a running time of just under 90 minutes, Mostow keeps things moving along at a brisk pace. Bruce Willis, as Detective Tom Greer, ends up channeling his John McClane character vis-à-vis his unorthodox approach to his work, his tendency to get very banged up in the process, and the requisite dysfunctional relationship with his spouse. Initially Tom roams the streets as his surrogate - the film gives the distinct impression that 90% of all adults do so - but then has to re-enter the streets as a more vulnerable ‘meat-bag' (as real humans are referred to in several situations). We are also introduced to the fringe element of society that has chosen to shun all ‘robots' and as a result are segregated from mainstream society and are derisively referred to as ‘Dreads'.

 

 

Also filling a seemingly recycled role is James Cromwell (‘Spider Man 3', ‘Star Trek, First Contact'), who again plays an aged doctor/scientist responsible for the creation of these mechanical human extensions - just as he did in ‘I Robot'. The rest of the cast is adequate with Rosamund Pike (‘Die Another Day', ‘Fracture') doing duty as Greer's wife, Maggie; and Ving Rhames ("Entrapment', ‘Mission Impossible') playing a cult-like leader of a group of Dreads. Since several of these actors play both their human selves and the surrogate model as well, it's interesting to see their deliveries in both instances.

With a fair amount of things getting crashed, burned, or just plain blown up, this is definitely a guy's action flick, but there is the human element with Tom and Maggie's own back story that could qualify this as a date movie (if only just barely). Again, I found the concept intriguing and can only wonder what other cultural and moral avenues might have been explored had this script been fleshed out a bit more. While definitely not Oscar material; the film is just good entertainment with some great special effects and make-up work. If you're not up to seeing this, maybe you can get someone else to go check it out for you?

Official Site: Touchstone Picures/Surrogates

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Megan Fox or Matt Damon? Megan Fox or Matt Damon? This was my quandary as I stood in front of the box office this afternoon. While part of me was curious to see if ‘Jennifer's Body' could chew all of the bite taken by its previews; I also felt that it would probably be a bit too sophomoric in the end. To me, ‘The Informant!' seemed like a vote for cinematic intelligence - boy was I gonna be sorry!

I really hate to pan this movie because Matt Damon, as Mark Whitacre, truly acts his posterior (and his prosthetic nose) off in this snoozer of a flick. That fact alone makes this barely watch-able, since he's in 99.9% of the scenes. Directed by Steven Soderbergh (‘Michael Clayton, ‘Pleasantville', ‘Good Night, and Good Luck'); the script plays out like a one note song.

 While based on factual events, Soderbergh chooses to paint the story as a corporate farce with writer Scott Z. Burns and the book's author, Kurt Eichenwald, as co-conspirators. While there are a few light chuckles (heavy emphasis on few & light), the audience can see where the story is going with their eyes closed. To compound the boredom, we keep being brought back to the central point of Mr. Whitacre's veracity, over and over and over again. The joke of Whitacre being told not to do something - so he does it, is funny once or twice, but gets old fast.

 The story takes place in the early 90's, but Soderbergh's time machine must have malfunctioned as his direction gives the final product a ‘70's' look and feel from the costumes right down to the titles. Scott Bakula does a decent turn as FBI Agent Brian Shepard, and we get some cameos by folks like the Smothers brothers (remember Dick & Tom?) In my humble opinion, ‘The Informant!' as a light comedy film didn't translate well from the book, which was written as a thriller. While I usually enjoy most of Damon's work (‘The Departed' is a favorite) I liked him better when he was Brad Pitt in ‘Burn After Reading'. If Mr. Soderbergh was trying to duplicate that bit of Coen brothers cine-magic, he fell very far short. I wonder when the next showing of ‘Jennifer's Body' starts?

Official Movie Site: 'The Informant!'

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Looking for some cinematic adventure? Want to sample something other than the usual Hollywood fare being doled out at the local multiplex? Our local entertainment treasure, The Portsmouth Music Hall is again hosting this years 'Telluride by the Sea' event.  Titles for this year's festival include 'Coco Before Channel', 'The Last Station', 'An Education', 'Vincere', and 'Bright Star'. There are also two documentaries, 'The Solitary Life Of Cranes' and 'The Last Truck: The Closing Of A GM Plant'.

'Coco Before Channel' is a bio-pic of the noted designer's early life starring Audrey Tautou. Another focused biography;  'The Last Station' is an account of the final months of Leo Tolstoy's life and features notable actors Christopher Plummer, Helen Mirren and Paul Giamatti. 'An Education' also has some star power of it's own with Peter Sarsgaard, Emma Thompson and Alfred Molina. This film is a coming-of-age story where newcomer Carey Mulligan becomes entangled with an older man who lives a loose lifestyle. Benito Mussolini's mistress is the subject of 'Vincere' and the film follows her fatal attempt to have their son legitimately recognized. 'Bright Star' is a feature film from Jane Campion (‘The Piano') that is also a biographical look at the relationship between poet John Keats and Fanny Brawne.

The documentary, 'The Solitary Life Of Cranes' is not about birds, but construction crane operators and their ‘bird's eye' view of the activity playing out below them. This is a UK offering and if you've ever traveled to Europe, you'd note these superstructures are quite common where ever construction is taking place. The film has an approximate running time of 27 minutes. The other listed documentary, 'The Last Truck: The Closing Of A GM Plant' should strike a chord with many local residents, given the contraction of our own regional manufacturing enterprises. While areas north of Massachusetts never boasted any similar automotive assembly plants, there have been a number of automotive-related businesses that have shuttered their operations in our area.

Given the list of titles, there seems to be a little something that almost anyone would enjoy. The film festival runs from Sept 18^th through the 20^th with additional screenings late on Sunday and on Monday (the 21^st) evening. Be sure to consult the Music Hall's website for screening details!

Official Site: Portsmouth Music Hall

 

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‘Frozen River' is Courtney Hunt's directorial debut and this work was honored at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival with the Grand Jury Prize for Dramatic Filmmaking. If you've never heard of this title, it's understandable. This is yet another gem of an independent film that pretty much flew under the wire with regard to general movie audiences due to a limited release. Thanks to DVD, you can still enjoy this masterful work.

Ms Hunt's story centers on two women who are both in difficult straits and reluctantly partner in the smuggling of illegal immigrants across the border in upstate New York. Melissa Leo (‘Righteous Kill', ‘American Gun') plays Ray Eddy, a struggling mom with two sons; a husband who can only be counted on to let the family down; and a pipe dream of purchasing a double-wide (as in mobile home) so they can move out of their existing, crumbling trailer. Ray crosses paths with Lila Littlewolf (played here by Misty Upham) while trying to track down her husband. It seems Lila, who has dubious ties to the local Indian reservation, also has possession of the car belonging to Ray's husband.

As Ray and Lila begin to understand each other, their common desperate situations lead them into the smuggling business. They soon find that the task is a lot more perilous than they originally thought, but they don't realize that they are each risking what little they both have until it's too late.

Ms Hunt's film follows a documentary style and it is easy to forget you are watching a movie. Actors Leo and Upham deliver flawless performances and you can't help but be drawn into their characters. Details like Ray serving Tang and popcorn to her kids as a meal, or Lila holed up in her tiny camper in the dead of winter are only part of the pallet Hunt uses to paint her dark and dramatic tale. The overall result is a tight, focused and no-frills film that still carries a dramatic punch. Watch, enjoy, oh - and pass the Tang and popcorn please.

Official Website: Frozen River

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It is amazing just how high the bar is being raised in the realm of animation films. Storyline aside, this offering from Shane Acker (Director) and Starz Animation is incredible to look at. There were moments in this movie I actually forgot I was looking at an animated scene. If you find nothing else to enjoy in the movie, simply looking at all of the quality renderings is reason enough to be awed by this film.

‘9' is definitely an adult themed offering; the film carries a PG-13 rating. Placed in a post-apocalyptic country where all forms of life have appeared to have been eliminated by machines run amok; the film centers on these nine so called ‘stitchpunks'. These animated rag-doll-like creations are the handiwork of the same scientist responsible for building the very machine that lead to the current devastation. Each stitchpunk was given a number upon creation and every one of them was imbued with a fragment of the scientist's soul. As the film begins, we follow the ‘birth' of the last stitchpunk, ‘9', and his exploits with his other stitchpunk bretheren in this now decimated environment.

While the rag-doll characters might lead one to believe that ‘9' may follow path similar to that of ‘Wall-E', it decidedly does not. There are few if any ‘cute' moments, and these characters are in nearly continuous peril. There are some interesting philosophical points raised by film and it forgoes the typical humans triumphing over evil machines story line. In fact, the demise of humans is a foregone conclusion and it is the essence of the human soul (from the aforementioned scientist) that remains standing against the deadly mechanical foe.

While studios like Pixar (‘Finding Nemo', ‘Toy Story'); Dream Works (‘Over The Hedge'); and Blue Sky Studios (‘Ice Age') have all been putting out quality products; it's great to see newer studios like Starz come out with a film that not only equals that level of quality, but also surpasses it in some areas. Overall, I enjoyed this very much as the film keeps the viewer engaged every step of the way. The Rube Goldberg-like contraptions and devices are a bit reminiscent of the animated feature, ‘Robots', but are also rendered in incredible detail. I did find myself puzzled by a few plot elements, but taken as a whole, ‘9' delivers as promised.

Official Movie Site: '9 - The Movie' 

 

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It is so fitting that on the 40th anniversary of the famed music festival that we would get yet another homage to that epic event. Directed by Ang Lee ('Ice Storm', 'Brokeback Mountain'), the film is actually based on the memoirs of the lead character, Elliot Teichberg. If you're planning on taking in this movie, be forewarned that the actual Woodstock Festival makes only a cameo appearance. This story is more about Elliot and some other key people close to him, and the effects the subject event has on them and their lives.

The script closely follows Elliot (played by stand-up comic Demetri Martin) as he tries to help his aging parents cope with running a run-down motel that appears to have little hope of ever becoming profitable again. In the process, Elliot sacrifices his own career and appears to be at a crossroads of his life on multiple fronts. One of the real standout performances here is from Imelda Staunton ('Harry Potter and The Order of The Phoenix', 'Nanny McPhee') as Elliot's Mom, Sonia. Other familiar faces include Eugene Levy ('American Pie', 'A Mighty Wind') as Max Yasgur and Richard Thomas (' The Waltons') does a short turn as Reverend Don, one of the festival organizers.

Ang Lee does a great job of capturing the era and the flavor of the rural Catskills area. Costumes, vehicles, background events all paint a complete backdrop that is effective in transporting the audience back 40 years. The music is a bit of a tease, as we only get snippets of Hendrix, Guthrie, Jefferson Airplane, and others as the story plays out. While the film is based on a memoir, some liberties have been taken to make more of some of the central themes. For instance, in 1969, Elliot would have actually been about 34 yrs old. His character is portrayed as a younger man in his early 20's; a change that plays better into the story line of young people putting on the concert and him becoming more self-aware.

While 'Taking Woodstock' is a really character study, it probably does a bit of a disservice to the event by playing up the sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll aspect as opposed to the peace, love, & music festival it had been billed as. As I said earlier, none of the festival's actual music performances are shown at all (you only hear the performances from a distance or in the background), which makes this less of a Woodstock movie, and more of an Elliot & Co. story. In that aspect, the film disappointed me. Enjoyable for the most part, the story does drag in a few places and all in all, for me, it was just an ok movie, not a great one.

Official Movie Site: http://www.filminfocus.com/focusfeatures/film/taking_woodstock/overview

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Promotional shot of the band

 Picture a group of kids (late teens, early 20's) thrown together in an effort to become a renowned soul music band. Long before there ever was an 'American Idol' or 'America's Got Talent', we had this comical look at the struggles behind trying to make it big in the music world. To emphasis the struggle portion of this, the story is set against an economically depressed Dublin, Ireland. 'The Commitments' (1991) is based on a novel by noted Irish author, Roddy Doyle, and directed by Alan Parker ('The Life Of David Gayle', 'Angela's Ashes', 'Pink Floyd - The Wall', 'Midnight Express'). The film is a toe tapping homage to Motown and 60's rock that will have you laughing as well.

As the story starts out, we're introduced to Jimmy Rabbitte (Robert Arkins), who is obviously a bit of a schemer - always looking for ways to turn a quick quid (UK slang for British Pound). Director Parker moves the story right along and immediately sets Jimmy off trying to assemble a decent collection of musicians (the auditions are a hoot). You won't find much in the way of 'known' actors here, unless you're Trek fan; Colm Meany (‘Die Hard 2', ‘Last Of The Mohicans') fills in as Jimmy's irascible and wisecracking father, who is also an Elvis fanatic. Bit of trivia for ya: Andrea Corr - of the Irish band, The Corrs (Remember ‘Breathless'?) auditioned for a musical role in this, but ended up with the part of Jimmy's sister, Sharon, instead.
The Commitments in action on stage

Alan Parker does a great job of catching the working-class flavor of Dublin and the attendant nightclub scene. I can't believe this film is almost 20 yrs old. It is still as entertaining and enjoyable as it was in its initial release. I can listen to their accents all day ("It's RIDE, not roid...") and they make for some hilarious lines. This is definitely one of those movies you won't mind buying, because I'm sure, much like myself, you'll watch it again and again!

Offical Site: http://www.thecommitments.net/

On IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/find?s=all&q=The+Commitments&x=12&y=7

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