THE GOLDEN COMPASS

THE GOLDEN COMPASS DOESN'T KNOW WHICH WAY IS UP
This is a pretty film. It is very, very, very, very pretty. There are some neato CGI effects. They are really, really, really, really neato. Oh, and Nicole Kidman is in this for, about 17 minutes of film, along with Daniel Craig. This film is a combination of Harry Potter meets Narnia, meets Lord of the Rings, meets Star Wars meets the Matrix. Serafina Pekkala: "There are many universes and many Earths parallel to each other. Worlds like yours, where people's souls live inside their bodies, and worlds like mine, where they walk beside us, as animal spirits we call daemons." Blah, blah, blah, blah... Obviously it is an adventure movie with little bits of all the other films tossed in. There is no motivation for the characters. The girl, Lyra, is a young girl, but acts and thinks like a 35 year old. I think they took a life-sized cardboard cutout of Nicole Kidman and just moved it around here and there.

It is a long movie... no, it just seems like a long movie, so much should have been edited. Then there's the ending. As their sky-boat rides into the sunset, Lyra ends with this... "We'll set things right. We will. You, and me, and Iorek, and Serafina Pekkala, and Mr. Scoresby. And my father. We'll set it right, Pan. Just let them try to stop us." That, of course, leads us in to the other films to come, but unlike the referenced films, there is no feeling of closure. A good film should be able to stand alone no matter how many prequels or sequels there are. This was a very, very, very, very terrible film.
NOT a pick: Save your time, not a good plot or characters. Total waste of time.

YOUTH WITHOUT YOUTH

YOUTH WITHOUT YOUTH IS COPALLA'S "OPUS"
Francis Ford Coppala has been MIA for the past 10 years and then now presents this film he wrote and directed. The first part of this film has a Bergman/Fellini/Lynch sort of feel and it's what I imagine a regular movie on acid would be like. I refuse to attempt to even try to present the film's plot and/or the hidden messages detected thereof. The dream world meets reality is actually a dream but it's not. Got that? Yeah, me neither. However the second part of this film, feels like Hitchcock and the more romantic moments of his films. Past lives, his one and only love, throwing one's self before a speeding train to save a lover who has got her heel stuck in the train track... bits and pieces that attempt to describe.

Each scene has carefully scored music to accompany it and that music plays like an individual role and/or character. It is a beautiful, lavish film. Tim Roth plays the main character, Dominic, but aside from a brief appearance by Matt Damon, there were no other cast members I recognised. Roth owned this part. It could have been played too over the top, but he gave it just enough energy to bring Dominic to life and hitting a home run for the good of the whole movie. I was mesmerized by him. Even when the film took tangents that I could barely follow, it was Roth than was impossible to ignore. This film was beautiful, heartfelt and well made. That being said, this is not a movie for the masses. It is long and hard to follow at times. If you can handle existential psychology, then this is your film.
PICK: Although not for everyone, beautiful looking well acted and a strong musical score.

BELLA

BELLA IS BEAUTIFUL
"One Person Can Change Your Life Forever..."
This is one of those movies, like Magnolia where even though we can't connect the dots right away, by the end of the movie we see the picture of the whole puzzle and stand back shaking our heads and say, oh yeah, I get it. This is definitely a character driven story. No explosions, so gunfire, but compelling characters in a story where the end isn't what you think. It is a story about pain, redemption, grief, trauma, suffering but for some reason is life affirming and more warm than cold. Similar in The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom, your actions each day, no matter how big or small can possible alter the life course of another person as they can do the same for you. No major actors (major Latino actors) but each actor is strong and compliments the other. It is a beautiful story, even though there is not much plot in the movie, there still is a big picture.
PICK: A simple story told by not so simple characters, poignant and touching

UNTRACEABLE

UNTRACEABLE, UNWATCHABLE

What a waste of time. By my posting on the Internet, the movie's message would be reinforced. The Internet can be used for evil and not good and it unites us to see things we never imagined. Early on we see what the moral of this story is as our main character, tough FBI agent Jennifer Marsh (Diane Lane) literally drives by a gory accident and we see the cars slowing to see. However, it is not merely a message driven film. Actually, it feels like there are two films mismatched and shoved together, the glue still wet and sticky. One film is a copy of the Saw series. It is violent, graphic and uncalled for. I was hoping it would only suggest the atrocities, but it doesn't. Credit that to the societal need for blood and guts.

The second film is a character piece, only there is only one character, Agent Marsh. There are other actors in the film, but Agent Marsh has more of a back-story than anyone. Think of The Silence of the Lambs in reverse. The bad guy barely has a thread of a motive for the killings and we don't really care about her domestic life. It is scary to think about how much information is accessed on the Internet. What happens to our world when the power goes off? How long could we function not being able to use the ATM, credit cards, debit cards... it is a good message, just not carried well in this movie.

NOT a pick: Disjointed stories that don't work well together. Pay cash and see a better flick.

RESSURECTING THE CHAMP

RESURRECTING THE CHAMP A KNOCK OUT
It's both a pleasure and a curse discovering a film that has flown under the radar for whatever reasons, but turns out to be insightful and sincere. This story is based on actual events that turn out to be a lie. Samuel Jackson, one of the finest actors in the business, plays "The Champ" a homeless man with a ruddy complexion and a love of beer. One night Erick Kernan (Josh Hartnett), green sports reporter working on back burner, well-hidden stories comes across a groups of punk kids beating up on the man. The two engage in conversation and the reporter smells a winning story, just what he needs after his editor says he "sees a lot of typing, but not a lot of writing." He gets to know the Champ, but doesn't get to know the person.

Sometimes we need the truth to be clean and, well, true, no matter what reality is. We find out later in the film that this includes the dynamics of father/son bonding. Kernan wrestles with his father's ghost and his son's adoration. Some say the ending is sad, but even with the sadness comes redemption. The idea sinks in on the importance of being who you are, no matter where you are. As mentioned, Samuel Jackson owns this movie. His performance is flawless and steady. Hartnett, on the other hand, was horribly miscast in his role. It wasn't his acting, but rather is teenage/boyish face that stands out. Although he is supposed to be young and a budding writer, he looks like he is writing a book report rather than an article. Additionally, his son was miscast as well. When do six-year-olds talk like that? When does a six-year-old understand the abstract issues bouncing around in his father's head? He is cute, but unbelievable as far as his dialogue. All in all, I enjoyed this film and, did I mention, LOVED Samuel Jackson?!?

PICK: Suspend your expectation for realism and enjoy an entertaining movie.

STARTING OUT IN THE EVENING

STARTING OUT IN THE EVENING LEADS INTO AN INTERESTING GOODNIGHT
This unique film provides insight to something different. There are no zombies, hostages, car crashes or tough guys who can break into a security system with a paper clip. There is no doubt that this is Frank Langella's film (Leonard Schiller). His portrayal of a man, weary from the curves life tosses around, falls prey to a budding collegiate, Heather (Lauren Ambrose), who is writing her graduate thesis on his writings. She has unbridled enthusiasm and that starry look in her fully dilated eyes that intrigue and interest him. He has a daughter older than she, Ariel (Lili Talor) but we see the train wreck far in advance despite his cloudy vision. This is definitely a New York/East Coast film and has the literary credentials to make it all believable.

The relationship between Leonard and Heather is inventive and uniquely human. However, Taylor's role sort of came out of left field. It almost felt like the character and her issues were written at the last minute and tossed in with crossed fingers. It wasn't a matter of either likability or acting. It was simply oddly available. Langella stays independent and offers an extremely well polished role. Ambrose, in my eyes, is and will remain Claire from Six Feet Under, which I loved, but her part could have been played by almost anyone in that age group. I liked the way the movie ended, particularly for Langella's character. Tread lightly and carry a forgiving stick.
HALF PICK: Wasn't all together what it appeared to be, but that can be good at times.

THE KITE RUNNER

THE KITE RUNNER SOARS

"Rahim Kahn: Now there is a way to be good again..."

A lovely film and a long journey for two childhood friends. One man looks back over his life and decides that maybe as an adult he can right a wrong done when they were young. Wonderful film and horribly hard to watch in some places, but like everything else, sometimes that's how it goes. A brief review for an excellent film.
PICK: Well done film; more of a journey than a destination.

THE ORPHANAGE

THE ORPHANAGE... A SCARY/LOVE STORY
Laura (Belén Rueda) and her husband purchase the house where she grew up, an orphanage. It is her dream to rennovate and re-open the house to disabled children. While busy with the renovation, her son withdraws into a fantasy world, including invisible friends and all. At the opening of the house, the family hosts a big party and everyone seems happy except her son, who throws a small fit and runs off. The rest, you'll have to see to believe.

When I saw this movie I thought I was seeing a horror film. I did not know that it: 1) wasn't an average horror film and 2) is a Spanish, a subtitled film. Shortly after the movie began the subtitles all but disappeared. Some elements are universally scary... objects that move on their own, strange sounds, and flashes of children with scary masks. Laura starts to lose her mind, engulfed in grief over the loss of her son, most say. She doesn't give up and goes to great lengths to find him. Without giving it away, the ending is vastly different than any other horror film I have ever seen. A realistic and sincere movie that will keep you trying to figure out what you saw for hours if not days.
PICK: An intelligent horror/love film, just scary enough to be believable.

THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY JAR

THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY JAR PAINFULLY LOVELY

"I decided to stop pitying myself. Other than my eye, two things aren't paralyzed, my imagination and my memory."

-Jean-Dominique Bauby

Now and again you hear a film described as a "testament of will and spirit".This is that movie. Jean-Dominique Bauby (Mathieu Amalric) does not say a word, but luckily we can hear what he's thinking and for most of the film, we also see through his eye, his perception. In his peak of life and work, he suffers a cerebro-vascular accident that leaves him in a state of total paralysis, known as the "locked-in syndrome." He is still mentally aware, but his body won't let him move, including his tongue (which is helpful while trying to speak). Speech therapist, Henriette (Marie-Josée Croze), figures out a way for him to communicate through the blink of an eye. Painstakingly they work together to write his last book. He died two days after the publication of his book. He uses his imagination to tolerate portions of his rehabilitation. When given a feeding tube in real life, he escapes to an image of a table full of food, every delicacy he could conjure in great quantity and his speech therapist in a low-cut blouse dining with him.

This is a movie about what it means to be alive. It is not about acting. It is about being human. As the tale is told, it does not "pretty" his condition, but it does show what it means to choose life instead of pity. It also provides a realistic ending which celebrates life, rather than leave us feeling sad or terrible. This is one of the most touching and "life affirming" movies I have seen. It makes you question what it means to have an "happily ever after". Unconventional and human, a film everyone should see.

PICK: Innovative film techniques lets 'blink' in his shoes. Courageous story.

BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD

BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD... IRISH TOAST OR RUTHLESS FAMILY FUN?! DISCUSS...
It seems as if dysfunctional families are more the norm than the rule. In a story written so tightly, shaving inches off the reels of film and mastering such a precise plot, we dive into two a story about two brothers. Andy (Philip Seymour-Hoffman, certainly busy these days) and Hank (Ethan Hawke) are perhaps equally doomed. Andy is married to Gina (Marisa Tomei, who has fully come into her acting prime) and slowly we are sent back in time. With each trip, the details about the brothers, their lives and the whole plot unfolds and comes into focus. As the layers are revealed bit by bit, the story gets more and more repulsive. Andy is an arrogant prick who has a nasty cocaine habit in addition to his many lackluster qualities. Hank is not the sharpest tack in the box. It is he who provides a moral compass of sorts, but his pace falls behind his brother's smarmy actions. Again, we are shown the results of traumatic childhoods, real or perceived. The lines blur, because it isn't black or white. There is a lot of gray and adults need to be accountable for their own lives and let go of the past or they may end up a plot line for some writer's dramatic script. So well written and driven by the characters, this cast and the script are all brilliant and clever. Films like these are a testament to how truly violent and scary the world is now. The unthinkable is served to us with the nightly news on our TV trays. Did somebody say Menendez?
PICK: Outstanding script, sharp, clear characters and a very well laid out plot.

THE SAVAGES

THE SAVAGES TYPICAL DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY

"Maybe dad didn't abandon us. Maybe he just forgot who we were."

There are some things that we accept as part of life and others that we didn't even consider. We are born. We have a mother and a father (or two mothers or two fathers...) and someday we will die. What happens from A to Z is that we realize two important things. One is that we aren't teenagers anymore (more obvious in body than spirit) and two is that our parents, whether good or bad, have done their best (which may not feel like the best, but it is theirs) to help us reach a point when the roles reverse. This is payback to our parents for making it through our adolescence. Siblings, Jon and Wendy Savage (Philip Seymour-Hoffman and Laura Linney) have been estranged from their father for a length of time when the receive the call that their father's girlfriend has died and now he needs assistance. In this very clever and well crafted film, we get to know these characters. They have flaws, but they aren't evil. They are human. It becomes obvious how this circle keeps spinning round. By the rules of nature we keep swearing that we won't repeat our parent's "mistakes", but we do anyway. The Savages show a realistic portrayal of a family, that like many others, was traumatic and that trauma breeds into adult life "issues"... which is why we have therapists. This movie has heart and insight into one of the most important lessons. We are all flawed. Superior acting, seamless path between reality and fiction; a movie to watch twice.

PICK: Flawless acting provides us with realistic family drama. Well done.

CLOVERFIELD

CLOVERFIELD... MAKE SURE THE DRAMAMINE IS NEAR
Long ago and far away, I can recall Saturday afternoons spent with my brother watching Godzilla movies and drinking Dr. Pepper. Cloverfield is the new version of Godzilla. The film begins at a loft in Manhattan, full of 20-something beautiful and fabulous people. Everything is going well and then the lights go out and the ground moves. When the lights come back on, they watch the news, assuming it was an earthquake, and see that "something" is wrong in Manhattan... really wrong. So the movie is about who lives and who dies (and how they die) and just when you think it's over... "Hud: Okay, just to be clear here, our options are: die here, die in the tunnels, or die in the streets. That pretty much it? Rob: Yeah... that's pretty much it". This isn't a movie I would normally rent, but all the "blood/country" still in my system and I wanted something different. Overall, I was pretty impressed with Cloverfield. No big named stars, but it was easy to forget they were actors. One guy brought a camera with them as they fled and most of this is seen through his eyes/the camera lens. That was what I hated about the Blair Witch Project. It was hard to follow all the bumpy camera work without feel nauseated. This film has some very realistic scenes (I felt a flash of the WTC attack) just as many unbelievable scenes. It was just the right mix to make each cancel the other out. The worst feeling isn't the fear, but the dread; running from an invisible, but still very big, bad enemy; literally fighting for your life. Cloverfield, by the way, originally was a working name for the movie, but comes from the boulevard that the production offices were located on in Santa Monica during this shoot.
PICK: Entertaining and scary without being overly gruesome or bloody. Not for children!

LARS AND THE REAL GIRL

LARS AND THE REAL GIRL A PERFECT MATCH
The world can be a lonely and terrifyingly lonely place when you are both alone and lonely. This is an original film about how one town joined together to make the world a little less lonely for one man. Lars (Ryan Gosling) is a painfully lonely man. He is socially awkward and very quiet; Until one day, he gets the best present ever. Her name is Bianca, half Brazilian and half Danish and the effect she has on him transforms him from recluse to bright and self-assured. Oh, a more more thing... she comes from a box. No, seriously. The difference between Lars and maybe every other man searching the site, is that all Lars wants is companionship. He's far too withdrawn into his own world that is takes a woman who can listen. But she does more than that. His brother (Paul Schnider) and wife (Emily Mortimer) who begs Lars to join them for breakfast, dinner, coffee, water?? get Lars to see the doctor, Dagmar (Patricia Clarkson) who diagnoses Bianca with "low blood pressure" and thus has to "treat" her (while attempting to look into his mind) regularly. After the initial shock, people begin (as requested by the doctor) to treat Bianca as a real person, while also showing support for Lars and whatever he's mixed up about. In his words, via Bianca, "All she wants is to be treated normal." He wrestles with reality as he argues with Bianca. It's safer. Soon Bianca has a social schedule that rivals Lars. The town really rallies together and piece by piece, the gap gets wider between Bianca and him. The conclusion of this film is sweet and heart touching. What's more touching is how the way this whole town reaches out for Lars, instead of making him an outcast, is genuine and sweet. This is a movie about what happens when someone is treated with compassion and care, despite the situation. Why can't we all remember to do this? (and yes, there is an actual 'Real Doll" site)
PICK: An original and odd premise to show the most simple kind of love. Well done.

JUNO

JUNO... THE LITTLEST INDIE THAT COULD
"You should've gone to China, you know, 'cause I hear they give away babies like free iPods. You know, they pretty much just put them in those t-shirt guns and shoot them out at sporting events."

Unless you have been hiding out under a rock since December, you have already either heard about or have seen Juno. It was nominated for a million categories the standouts being their many Oscar nominations including Ellen Page (Juno) who was nominated for best actress and Oscar winner Diablo Cody for best screenplay. In a year where most all the nominated films were literally bloodbaths, this was the fresh breeze, a lifeboat to save the movie goer drowning in blood and violence. Not since the After School Specials or just about anything on the Lifetime channel has a movie been made about a teen facing pregnancy, nevertheless a funny one. Juno is a true character, richly written and delightfully portrayed. She has a keenly developed level both maturity and immaturity, which I think is part of the human condition, however her spin is unique. Loved her brief and hilarious interaction with Rainn Wilson (Dwight from NBC's The Office). When I was much younger we used the term "home fry" and at the time it seemed cool. Who knew? The cast on the whole has clearly developed characters, who supported Juno, each holding their own as an integral part of the story. The best part of this film was how it found itself rising from the indie cinemas (The Grand Cinema) into the more mainstream theaters as the buzz grew louder. Who would have guessed that a bright and funny film could cheer up so many in the 2007 "blizzard of blood".
PICK: Very clever, well written and refreshingly delivered. A VERY big pick!!!

THERE WILL BE BLOOD

THERE WILL BE BLOOD IS BOLDLY COLD BLOODED
"I don't want to talk about those things. I see the worst in people. I don't need to look past seeing them to get all I need. I've built my hatreds up over the years, little by little, Henry... to have you here gives me a second breath. I can't keep doing this on my own with these... people. [laughs]"

This was a Daniel Day-Lewis movie, without even the slightest doubt. When a grown man can say "I take your milkshake" and make it sound threatening, that's some serious acting, because milkshakes are inherently good. I won't go into elements of the story as it was a long film and sometimes pretty slow. The plot was not the focus, however. It was Day-Lewis as Daniel Plainview, a self-made oil tycoon. The first time we meet him he is well spoken, confident even a bit arrogant. Then one by one, each worst than the one before, Plainview is a very bad man. He lies, he steals, he does the unthinkable in his quest to gain control of the oil rich area and the pipeline it could link to. It works. But at what price? This is a story about a very very bad man and his ability to pull the same from people who are seen as good. He is ruthless, driven and greedy; and those are some of his better traits! Across the board Day-Lewis swept the awards season. He is hardly recognisable and every gesture, every move, right down to his little finger stays in character. This was an intense and bold movie based on an (Upton Sinclair novel (Oil!) brought to us by Paul Thomas Anderson, known for, among others: Magnolia, Punch Drunk Love, and Boogie Nights. This film was dirt, greasy, dirty and confusing. (Confusing, please elaborate)... it was confusing because it is hard to fathom the increasingly rotten things this character says or does. Did I mention that this man was terrible??? Worth the time, but don't touch the milkshake.

PICK: This film takes us to another world and introduces us to a man who demands blood.