SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE: Quick Bite

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE THE UNDERDOG...

Best Picture, Director and Screenplay at the Golden Globes,

BAFTAs and the Oscars

This was the little film that could... and after all the awards were handed out, we're left with the DVD. This film follows the lives of two brothers growing up amidst extreme poverty in Mumbai. Starting with a (literally) shitty life, we are introduced to the brothers who have very different personalities and ways to cope with their surroundings. Jamal, the little boy that would, lands in the right spot at the right time and through flashbacks we witness his growth, his brother's way to cope and the emancipation of the 'third Musketeer'. The general idea that I could use to summarize would be that things happen for a reason, good or bad, and by believing that things can be better and having an optimistic view of the world, no matter how lousy, brings hope of huge proportion. Sure, there are all sorts of holes in the premise, the basic tenant of hope in combination with the underdog/indie feel vaulted this film to be epic. Good work by Danny Boyle.

BITE: Not a perfect picture, but hope and faith bring it home for a great hit.

MARLEY AND ME: Quick Bite

MARLEY AND ME... HAVE TISSUES READY

This movie broke too many of my film reviewer rules: 1) Never see a movie with a dog in it. Never. Especially if it is about said dog. 2) See all Owen Wilson films no matter the reviews. 3) Avoid Jennifer Aniston films. 4) NEVER see a movie about a dog.

Based on real life, we follow the story of Josh and Jennifer Grogan, (Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston) writers for different Florida newspapers. True to form, their lives flow with a certain pace, marriage, house, family, careers; which includes an adorable puppy named Marley. I envisioned more of a light movie, but along with the obvious comedy came the drama and it surprisingly was done equally as well. Slowly we get sucked into their lives that we don't realize how much we actually care about them toward the end of the film. The end of the film is strong and based on real life, not the Disney typical happy endings. I fully recommend this film for both dog lovers and haters.

BITE: A sweet and believable story about the twists and turns in real life.

ZACH AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO: QUICKIE

ZACH AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO
Zach (Seth Rogan) and Miri (Elizabeth Banks) are friends and roommates and have been since high school. While attending their first high school reunion, they realize that neither is living life like they wanted to. They are drowning in bills and one by one, their utilities get turned off for non payment and they must decide how to handle their impending financial ruin. Who wouldn't think sex tape? Miri unwittingly star of her own mini-episode, "Granny Panties" agrees and the two bring everything and everyone together. After a few obstacles, they finally work on the video. It's around that time that each sees the other in a different light. Without sounding prudish, as I can swear with the best of them, this movie had way too much arbitrary swearing. Seriously. There is a time and a place for colorful language and I'm all for it, but it just made this movie start on very shaky ground. It was like a frat party with cursing and farting and beer drinking. Luckily, after the vulgar start, a rhythm began and the characters became real. The swearing was toned down. I cared about the characters.
1/2 Bite: Predictable, but sweet in its moments. Funny parts, but not a 'laugh a minute' flick.

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN: Quick Bite

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN OR FEEL THEIR WRATH

Who knew there were adolescent vampires? Before Twilight...I guess the Swedish do. Dubbed in English, this is one of the most scary yet touching films I have seen to date. Oskar is a freakishly pale boy who is picked on by bullies at school. He is very self aware, but longs for companionship. A mysterious man and his daughter moves into the same apartment complex as Oskar, yet he doesn't meet her right away. While he is outside practising his self defence moves one night, she, Eli, shows up out of nowhere. They become friends. It is also around this time that a string of murders start to impact the community. We then see the man who is killing and soon understand why. This movie centers around the tender friendship between the two and the impact Eli has on Oskar. For a horror film, it is unusual, the most I've seen.
Bite: High honors for the Quiet Vampire. Much props for stepping outside the box.

KUNG FU PANDA: QUICK BITE

KUNG FU PANDA KICKS BUTT

Had to take a break from all the serious flicks. Po (the voice of Jack Black) is a bumbling unlikely hero. The story tells that true strength comes from inside yourself and facing your fears and overcoming shortcomings.. and so on. It was a cute film. Glad that all the Hollywood mommies and daddies are finally making something their kids can watch. Not sure if fighting is the best idea for a children's film. It sounds conservative, but really, ask any kid what the movie was about and 99% of the time I'm sure you'll hear 'Panda' and 'Fighting' close together. Great voice for Jack Black. He rocked it. I wish I looked at whose voice was whose beforehand, but not necessary.
BITE: Entertaining and great animation.

SEX AND DEATH 101: Quick Bite

SEX AND DEATH 101: EARNS AN A+

From the man who brought up Heathers, comes a film so odd, so surreal and so very good. An ordinary, wait, an extraordinary, and handsome man Roderick Blank (Simon Baker) finds himself happy and content with his work, life and impending nuptials. Then comes a mysterious email of 101 names. Each name, up to a certain number, is the same of a sexual conquest. Shortly thereafter he finds who the new names are, and he does so with great enthusiasm. All the while, there is a serial killer, Death Nell, is on the loose creating mayhem and controversy. Add the "Matrix" like office for those who seem to be in control of, well, everything and it comes a very different kind of movie. It's not a perfect movie by any means, but I really enjoyed it. When it jumped from surreal to reality it was seamless. It was great to see Winona Ryder back on the big 'screen' and she did a fabulous job. I could swim in the pools of Baker's eyes and he did a good job too! Surprise hit, Mindy Cohn (who will always be known as the fat girl from the Facts of Life) as Blank's lesbian assistant. She has comedic timing down and was perfect in the role. Bite: Fun film, little too long, but good payoff. See this film!

ELEGY

ELEGY

George: Beautiful women are invisible.

David: Invisible? What the hell does that mean? Invisible? They jump out at you. A beautiful woman, she stands out. She stands apart. You can't miss her.

George: But we never actually see the person. We see the beautiful shell. We're blocked by the beauty barrier. Yeah, we're so dazzled by the outside that we never make it inside.

Ben Kingsley is David, a charismatic college Professor, who, unlike before, finds himself mesmerized by one of his students, Consuela Castillo, (Penelope Cruz) although she is half his age. A relationship develops and soon becomes intimate and full of life. He lives through her eyes, fresh and new, wholeheartedly immersing himself in her experiences. However, over time, she questions his participation in the relationship, while he sees it more as an affair. Where the flame burned, it then fizzles until again, it is cold and dark. Elegy is a moving and life affirming film, well written, acted and directed. Cruz lights up a room and could make a sack cloth dress look stunning. Kingsley is hot. Upon first glance, he is self assured and cocky. Once Consuela has his heart, he does nothing short of donning full armor to protect it. It is that fatal flaw, his need for unconditional love that ultimately smashes the relationship to bits. Can it be mended?

Big Bite: A wondrous look into two lives and the meaning of love and friendship. Muy bien!

ROLE MODELS: Quick Bite

ROLE MODELS: BETTER THAN 'TOP MODELS'

"Danny: No, I like to rock n' roll all night and *part* of every day. I usually have errands... I can only rock from like 1-3."

Paul Rudd (Danny)and Seann William Scott (Wheeler) are two "men" who haven't completely matured despite their age. As often does, one thing leads to another and they are sentenced to community service, in particular, the "Big Brothers"program. Along the lines of Knocked Up and Super Bad, this is just one more film about immature men and stupid women. This time, however, they throw in some foul mouthed children to make it more funny. Augie (McLovin', Christopher Mintz-Plasse) is one of those "children" he is 20, the other Ronnie (Bobb'e J. Thompson). It was entertaining, but practical and would have been a mess without Rudd. Pretty dull humor.
1/4 Bite: It wasn't terrible, but does that make it good?

SYNECDOCHE, NY: Quick Bite

SYNECDOCHE, NY: GREAT PLACE TO VISIT, BUT I WOULDN'T WANT TO LIVE THERE

Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary defines "synecdoche" as: "a figure of speech by which a part is put for the whole (as fifty sail for fifty ships), the whole for a part (as society for high society), the species for the genus (as cutthroat for assassin), the genus for the species (as a creature for a man), or the name of the material for the thing made (as boards for stage).

Was that confusing for you? Try watching the film. From the man who brought us Adaptation and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, for your entertainment pleasure, welcome to Synecdoche, NNY. Philip Seymour Hoffman is Caden Cotard, a theater director given a grant to produce his life's opus. A dream becomes a dream which becomes and dream and so on until the boundary between reality and fantasy disappear. Giving up the fight for meaning and structure, the once confusing movie became clear. It is a search for the meaning of life and trying to understand ourselves. But, the meaning comes from the search, not an answer.

Half-Bite: Purely an existential movie, not for the faint of heart or mind.

LAKEVIEW TERRACE: Quick Bite

LAKEVIEW TERRACE: GREAT PLACE TO VISIT...

Loving Samuel Jackson doesn't make this movie magically fathomable. He plays a bigoted police officer, Abel, with a power complex that he uses to bother his unsuspecting, racially mixed next door neighbors Chris (Patrick Wilson) and black woman Lisa (Kerry Washington). It was mildly entertaining, but a bit too preachy and predictable.
Half-Bite: Nothing original but did keep my interest up until the end.

THE PINEAPPLE EXPRESS: QUICK BITE

THE PINEAPPLE EXPRESS: JUST SAY NO

It began with the 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up and ends now. "Stoner" movies began as far back as Reefer Madness, the anti-marijuana flick and progressively got more screen time: ie, Spiccoli in Fast Times At Ridgemont High. As of late, it seems like Seth Rogan has the golden touch, or rather, the perfect hit. This movie is not one of them. I would defer to Harold and Kumar Visit White Castle before watching this again. It is aimed at the immature and/or those who imbibe.

Bite me: Rent Fast Times at Ridgemont Times and witness the real thing.

MILK

GOT MILK?
Perhaps the majority of those who die 'before their time' are idolized in some way or another. Harvey Milk was the exception. Sean Penn breathes life into a great man who was very much human and flawed as he was effective and courageous. It's hard to believe how much has changed over the 31 years since his assassination in 1978. It's also hard to believe how much has not changed since that time as well, but that's another story. This film follows the path that changed an ordinary man into a political activist. The dialogue is sharp, the story is clear and accurate, the acting across the board was flawless. The DVD has features that include the many people who promoted Milk and those he promoted. Interesting on how the main character is no where to be found. Penn has been on the bitter end of a great deal of bad publicity for his own activism and level of seriousness. He has proved to us that Spicoli is no more. With MILK he doesn't just lighten up, he transforms. This is one of those films where the authentic recreation of a life is reflection of a master craftsman. Paired with Gus Van Sant, they make a film that touches one's spirit and offers a bit of hope. "Without hope, life is not worth living."
BIG BITE: This is a piece of art; a well crafted movie which touches the heart and soul.

RACHEL GETTING MARRIED

RACHEL GETTING MARRIED

Kym (Anne Hathaway) gets out of rehab just in time for her sister's impending nuptials. She broods. She smokes. She's obviously edgy with her self deprecating humor and sardonic wit. It's the typical dysfunctional family including a stellar performance by Deborah Winger as Kym's mother. However, there is nothing fresh or original here. We get to watch this bohemian/ethnically diverse group of friends/family and a group who won't stop the wandering minstrel act. It might be a clever way to score the film, but it wasn't. It was terribly irritating. The actors do a fine job of pretending they aren't acting. It seems like there was ton of improvisation and it wasn't done well or written well. Hathaway did a better job in a similar role (HAVOC). In this film her dialogue feels in authentic or forced. She made due with what she had, but I still wanted to see one more layer pulled back. It was a nice change to see the returning "black sheep" make an ass of herself by selfishly demanding attention. The underlying plot with Winger never becomes evident, which the story desperately needed.

1/2 BITE: Not a terrible film, but could have been better.

CHANGELING

CHANGELING

Christine Collins: I used to tell Walter, "Never start a fight... but always finish it." I didn't start this fight... but by God, I'm going to finish it.

The words of a determined woman whose son vanishes one day and the story of a corrupt Los Angels Police Department and what they did not do to help her. Based on a true story, Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie) after being forced to work late, comes home to find her son gone. Keep in mind, this is the 20's and place for women, well, there was one. Regardless, the police department in Los Angeles at this time was pretty dirty, so they created as many good PR situations as possible. The boy they return to her is not her son. The department explains everything and try to force Collins to comply. She does not. All in all, this was a pretty good film. Directed by Clint Eastwood, it had a good pace, it looked the period, plot that moves and so on. However, even though Jolie was okay in this part (it felt like she was acting), I mostly thought about three things while I watched: 1) I want red lipstick like hers that stays perfectly in place all day and night; 2) I also want to be able to look that good when I am in the act of crying and/or after I've cried and 3) Was she sucking in her cheeks the whole movie? John Malcovich played a pivotal role as a Reverend to help Collins expose the LAPD and find her son.
Half a Bite: Decent film, worth watching

SNOW ANGELS

SNOW ANGELS... LITERALLY

Don't we all think of laying down in the snow, flailing our arms and legs as if to take flight and the carefully standing up to look back and see a beautiful angel, white and fluffy? This movie is not about those kind of snow angels. It is bleak and sad, taking place in a small town where everybody knows everybody. Slowly as the story unfolds, we are introduced to our "major players". Annie (Kate Beckinsale) is a waitress with her friend Barb (kudos for Amy Sedaris in a dramatic role) at the local diner. Her husband, Glen (Sam Rockwell), has sworn himself off the booze and with help from Jesus Father God, he promises his redemption and tries to insert himself back into Annie's and his daughter's lives. Little by little, his true colors show and through a series of drastic events, and eventually bring the plot to crescendo. Beckinsale and Rockwell are amazing in their roles. However, it's Rockwell who rocks this picture. He could have made his character too much to believe true. He stopped just short of that invisible line. Why he didn't get nominated for something is news to me. This film is breathtakingly sad and during the bleakness of the winter, plain depressing. There are no happy endings; but at least they are done right.

BIG bite: Intense movie, well acted and painful to watch, but in a good way.