PARIS JE T'AIME

Paris Je T'aime... and I loved this film too! "Little neighborhood romances"... This is a film about love and like love, and this film, it is simple and complex all at the same time. Actually this isn't quite one film, but 18 short films and the two ties that bind each is love and Paris. All 18 are different and unique as they are directed by 18 different and unique directors. From Wes Craven to the Coen brothers, these segments tell the tale of many kinds of love: tragic, funny, kinky, sweet, heart wrenching, pitiful, passionate, and bizarre. Just as there are these many types of love, they are portrayed by many types of characters. This is no average film about love, mind you. These stories are short, but they are filled with characters that you know well enough that compassion comes quickly. You may find a part of yourself in each character as they go through their own trials and tribulations. These are not mere characters, but diverse individuals who become familiar within seconds of screen time. As the directors are top-notch, the acting is unbelievable. I use that word, because rather than watching a movie, I felt like I was looking in on these people's lives; a voyeur of sorts. As there are too many directors of note to list, there are just as many actors to list, a few better known are: Steve Buscemi, Natlie Portman, Juliette Binoche, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gena Rowlands, Bob Hoskins. However, the biggest love story from this film is the love of Paris. The scenery is mesmerizing. This film transported me back to the City; the outdoor cafes, the Metro, even Pere Lachaise, the cemetery where Jim Morrison is buried (among others of course). If you have never been, you will catch a glimpse of the energy the city itself holds. Just as I loved Paris, I loved this movie.
Rating: A stellar collaboration creating an excellent film. Tres bien! (Partly subtitled)

YEAR OF THE DOG

Year of the dog barks up the right tree. Meet Peggy Spade (Molly Shannon) who has a sweet and simple existence which includes her beloved dog Pencil. He is her best friend and she gets along better with her dog than with men in relationships because dogs don't disappoint you. She has a good job. She has a good friend, Layla (Regina King) who obsesses about her boyfriend and seems to have had too much caffeine. Everything is just enough. She tries to connect with her brother who seems to have everything, including his uber-parental, condescending wife, Bret (Laura Dern dazzles) children, and nice home in the suburbs. Then all hell breaks loose. without giving away the movie, little by little Peggy starts to lose her mind, among other things. Peggy has an altercation of sorts with her neighbor Al (John C. Reilly). We soon meet Newt (Peter Sarsgaard) who is a typical animal-activist/new age hippie. Both roles are reversals for each actor. Reilly is known best for portraying kind, meek men. Sarsgaard makes a great bad guy/villain. Both actors are well cast in their roles. In this movie, Al is a hunter and not terribly sensitive, while Newt is an overly sensitive animal loving vegan who opens up a whole new world to Peggy. Then the crazy gets turned up a notch. Molly Shannon carries the film with gentle grace and spot-on comedic timing. It's a smart and clever film that has a very dry borderline dark sense of comedy. In the midst of her story, the very serious issue of pet overpopulation is addressed in a realistic way that is not often seen in film. At the core, YEAR OF THE DOG is a love story and a woman's path to find love.

Rating: A very sweet, surprisingly funny comedy, but bring a tissue.

LUCKY YOU

Lucky you was unlucky for me. Boy meets girl. Boy loses girl. Boy gets girl back. Now, add some pretty pictures of Las Vegas and lots of poker shots and lingo and then you get LUCKY YOU. To complete this utter waste of time, add a poker faced (had to do it) Eric Bana (Huck), as a hot-shot, cocky, poker/semi-con man, a lack-luster Drew Barrymore (Billie) who should be told not to sing anymore, and a wasted cast of thousands; okay, maybe not thousands but enough to make a few minutes of this movie palatable. Robert Duvall, also not his finest work, as Huck's father, the veteran poker king who is the target that Huck is aiming at when he plays. Unless you really, really like poker, don't see this movie. The first attempt at a plot is to bring an estranged father and son back together (through the highly therapeutic game of poker). The second attempt at a plot is the romance/con between Huck and Billie. After watching Eric Bana try to portray this slick character, I couldn't tell if he had to repress his emotion because he plays poker and so he always hides his "tells" or if it was simply bad acting. I'll bet you know which it was. His lack of a pulse, or the plot, or the burdensome, unnecessarily extended poker playing sequences did nothing to promote a romantic storyline between Huck and Billie. The writing was halfway decent until you hear one too many bumper sticker lines: "The key is watching and understanding", "Some people don't want to be fixed", Hustle- 10, commitment -0"... enough already. There is a handful of outstanding actors who were given mere seconds of screen time when they could have made this movie more interesting. Robert Downey Jr. is a 1-900 con artist and we see him for, maybe 4 minutes. Jean Smart is the token woman poker player, who is beautiful and self assured on screen and at the poker table. There were great long shots and shots of the back of her head. Horatio Sanz, a cast member on Saturday Night Live, plays a hilarious compulsive gambler, Ready Eddie, who bets a guy if he can live in the bathroom of one of the casinos for a month and sends Huck on an amusing sequence on another bet. Debra Messing plays Billie's sister and has maybe 6 minutes of screen time. A total waste of talent and terrible miscasting in the leading roles. I have a HUGE crush on Robert Downey Jr., and to toss him away so carelessly hurt more than losing your savings on a drunken Vegas road-trip. This film was directed by Curtis Hanson who brought us 8 Mile, In Her Shoes and LA Confidential among other wonderful films. Maybe he bet he could make this film work. He lost.

Rating: Unless you REALLY like poker and long movies, skip this one.

EL CANTANTE

El Cantante was just not spicy enough. You think salsa, you think spicy... but not this time. I have seen this movie before but the characters had different names: Sid and Nancy, Jim and Pam, June and Johnny, Kurt and Courtney... Hector Lavoe (Marc Anthony) was a man who expressed his pain through his music. He was a troubled, and eventually self-destructive man who managed to shine on stage, sober or high. Marc Anthony, despite being far too skinny for the role, stepped into Hector's shoes and danced effortlessly. When we see him fall, there is no malice and it is easy to sympathize with him, despite his choices. Then there is Jennifer Lopez who plays Hector's "soul mate" Puchi. She looked pretty and... ??? I could have easily seen Rosie Perez in that role doing a much more convincing job. Lopez tried to become Puchi and fails miserably. She has no fire in her eyes when she is angry, hurt, viperous. To hear her swear would be like hearing Jackie Kennedy swear. She says the words, but there is no passion, no feeling, no nothing. She might be "Jenny from the block" but that block feels like Park Avenue. Aside from Marc Anthony's performance, the only thing with true spirit in this film is its music. This was the birth of salsa and it sounded raw and fiery and full of life.

Rating: Entertaining to watch and learn about Hector Lavoe, but not a must see.

10 ITEMS OR LESS

10 Items or Less gives you more. Time for a break and this was just the film to deliver it. Morgan Freeman is an actor who hasn't "committed" to a role in four years. The one under consideration (indie flick- "under the radar")has him playing a grocery store manager. So, in true actor tradition, he goes out to the field to observe what being a store manager means. On his journey, he meets a feisty grocery clerk, Scarlet (Paz Vega from Spanglish) who faithfully believes in 'ten items or less or nothing' rule. She hesitantly offers to help him after he is stranded at the grocery store. Like Alice in Wonderland, they go off through the rabbit hole and Freeman discovers a world he never before encountered; the real world. He finds Target mesmerizing and the car wash great fun. The awe and wonder he experiences is much like Kevin Spacey's "alien" character in K-PAX. "All the world's indeed a stage and we are merely players." This film could not be sweeter if it tried. It isn't a long film, but a short day-trip in movie-land. It is light and quietly funny. Freeman looks like he is actually having a good time. Vega is so believable that you forget she is playing a part. They have a connection that compliments each other without being lustful or naive.

Review: A funny film that portrays our ideas (and maybe they are true) on how actors are.

MR. BROOKS

But Mr. Brooks was always such a quiet neighbor... This phrase is usually uttered by the neighbors of serial killers after they've been caught. But in this movie, MR. BROOKS, isn't a serial killer, he simply has an addiction to killing. He has a family; wife played by a super hot looking Marg Helenberger, and a daughter in college. Kevin Costner portrays Mr. Brooks as person first and a serial killer second. We don't hate Mr. Brooks for what he does. He has an addiction and Costner portrays that so we see Mr. Brooks is a pretty good guy with a bit of an addiction problem. What they don't see is Mr. Brook's invisible friend, his id, Marshall, played by William Hurt. Hurt is brilliant in a role that could have been overplayed. Marshall stokes the fire for Mr. Brooks addiction. As he chants the serenity prayer like his own personal mantra, somehow Marshall pushes so hard that he convinces Mr. Brooks to kill, 'just one last time'. Thing is, like all addicts, that one last time isn't. In this case it is a necessity because he gets caught by a witness with a camera. So in comes "Mr. Smith" played to serious perfection by Dane Cook, who is best known for his comedic abilities. Here's the twist, Mr. Smith enjoyed witnessing the murders so much that now he wants to be at Mr. Brook's next killing. So although he doesn't want to, he indulges Mr. Smith. Mr. Brooks must watch a lot of Law and Order. He is fastidious in his methods, borderline obsessive compulsive. He is well skilled in how not to get caught. As these murders are taking place, they are being investigated by Detective Atwood (Demi Moore). Not only was the part not cast well, the detective work was totally unbelievable. It wasn't because Mr. Brooks was so smart. Detective Atwood is going through a divorce which has made her angry and spiteful; supposedly. I just didn't buy into her act one bit. She looked like she was acting; either that or sleepwalking. However, this film was written well and it makes Mr. Brooks a suspense filled thriller. The end took such a twist I didn't know which end was up.

Rating: A must see, well put together edge of your seat movie. Very well done!

EVENING

Indeed, it was a wonderful life...and death.

Every film, in some way, is about life or death. As a society, I think we pay closer attention to the young and turn a blind eye to our elderly and their deaths. EVENING provides us with a realistic portrayal of a woman, Ann Lord, on the brink of death (Vanessa Redgrave), whose memories as a young girl (Claire Danes) fade in and out as she also interacts with her own grown daughters. It is a strong film about and including mothers and daughters. Natasha Richardson (Vanessa's real-life daughter) is Constance, the daughter who has the seemingly ideal life with a husband, children and a dog named spot. Toni Colette plays Nina, the free spirit/black sheep. The memories Ann has as a young woman center around her best friend's wedding. We see two very different paths; one that was expected of a woman in '50s (marriage, teacher or secretary) versus young Ann, an aspiring singer and free spirit. Meryl Streep is the older Lila and her real-life daughter is the younger Lila, Mamie Gummer. This film touched my heart. It reminded me that life is as beautiful as it is painful and nobody has it all figured out thus far. The casting was as perfect as the acting (hail to Glenn Close for one very sensitive scene). I am fond of Claire Danes' work and it is refreshing to see her make the move into a more mature role. Her facial expressions show so much without being obvious. It was a beautiful film and I wish it had done better at the theater. Ann says, "There's no such thing as a mistake. You get nervous, but you sing anyways."

Rating: Excellent film and you might find an appreciation for your mother you never considered.

THE INVISIBLE

The invisible really should have stayed that way. I really wanted to like this picture... a combination of Ghost, The Sixth Sense and your average rebelious-teen flick. Marcia Gay Harden's talents were wasted in this film. Justin Chatwin (Nick) wasn't terrible, but he wasn't that great either. I think this movie was left for dead and should have stayed that way.

Rating: Ok to watch if you have nothing else to do.

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What's with Jim Morrison and Vampires?

WHAT DOES JIM MORRISON HAVE TO DO WITH MOVIE REVIEWS?

There is a scene from Eternal Sunshine of the spotless mind where Mary Spevak, starts sharing her favorite quotes...

"Blessed are the forgetful, for they get the better even of their blunders.

Nietzsche (A favorite of Morrisons). Beyond Good and Evil... Found it in my Bartlett's."

Like Mary, I also love quotes. Face it, there are only so many words and combinations thereof, that it is most likely that the sentiment you are trying to express has already been written.

Those who know me know I like Jim Morrison. LOVED the movie. Bought the Soundtrack and visited his grave in Paris. Before Ray and Walk the Line and the like, Val Kilmer had his Jim Morrison down. He was Jim. Same simple movie plot, music, drugs, women... ending in either salvation or death. Jim was a film student in his early days, perhaps the foundation for the quote.

The reason that Jim's quote spoke to me is this. When I watch a movie, a really good movie, well acted, great cinematography, cool soundtrack... and that certain something that you bring to the screen from your own life that can relate to something in the movie, like a secret you both share, once that movie has ended, I feel like I have taken a piece of that movie with me. Sucked just enough blood from it so that we both continue to live, but that hole in me is now satiated, at least temporarily. The great thing about owning DVDs is that you can access that feeling on your own, like a movie medicine cabinet.

Taking something away from a movie that can suspend all rationale, make the unreal seem possible and makes you forget you are in a theater (even drowning out the cell phones and people who think they are whispering) leaves you with memories, perhaps insight and even feelings to reflect on, and even helps us all to better communicate with each other, make a connection on some common level. Just remember, if all else fails, "Vote for Pedro."

Who the Hell am I?

WHO THE HELL AM I?

In my life the phrase I have heard the most, whether in relation to a job or hobby is, 'do what you love' or 'find your passion and follow it.' I am passionate about movies; not making them, directing them or acting in them. I like to watch them and with the creation of the DVD, I like to rewatch and learn about the film, watch the outtakes and alternate endings. I sometimes spend whole days watching movies back to back, or over and over. I can't rent less than three at a time. I know nothing about movies except for what I like and what touches me. If you are looking for a film authority, I am not it. Sometimes the best movies are the ones we can relate to; the ones that touch us in a personal way. My list of favorites may make some "seasoned critics" laugh. I don't care. Maybe you'll agree, maybe you won't. If I think a movie is a must see even if you have to "pay the full price", I'll tell you. Likewise, if you should spend your money on other things, like gum and baseball cards, rather than a movie ticket, I'll tell you that too. You can choose to listen or not. I don't care. I'm having fun. Welcome to my world.