A Doctor, A Lawyer, and A Priest

Quick Hits on 5 Movies

2012-01-02T20:50:00.004-06:00

1. Source Code - B. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as a tool of the military used in an experimental program for data extraction. He can travel back in time to repeat the 8 minutes prior to a bomb exploding on a train in order to try and find the bomber. Not exaclty mind-blowing, but I didn't mind the existential dilemma and the acting was good from a quality supporting cast (Jeffrey Wright, Vera Farmiga, Michelle Monaghan). A nice little 96 minute film.

2. Girl With a Dragon Tattoo - B+. My first reaction to hearing the news that David Fincher was remaking the original film, I was disappointed because I felt like it was a waste of time and a Fincher film. Even though I enjoyed the Fincher version very much, I still feel that way. Doc's review is right on. I loved the sound and score of the film, and the last hour was electric.

3. The Help - B+. I expected to hate this mommy book club film, but found it surprisingly touching and interesting. Great performances all around, especially from Jessica Chastain (exact opposite of her Tree of Life character). Plenty of cringe-worthy message moments and female stuff I just don't get, but it is definitely worth your time.

4. Warrior - B+. Priest raved about this one, and even still I had low expectations. I loved the darkness and its resistance to cliches. The uniqueness of the ending and the real damaged people on display were a treat. I was riveted.

5. The Change-Up - B-. Director David Dobkin (Wedding Crashers) does the classic changing places film with Jason Bateman as the sturdy father/lawyer and Ryan Reynolds as the loser bachelor guy. After they switch places, they have to play each other's roles. This one was roundly panned, but I laughed at several of the jokes. Not bad.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - A-

2012-01-02T19:49:00.009-06:00

In theaters, Rated R for everything

David Fincher received unwarranted criticism for male chauvinism for 2010's The Social Network. But there's at least 3 great female characters - 2 lawyers and Rooney Mara's Erica Albright. Fittingly, Fincher's next film contains the greatest pop culture heroine since Marge Gunderson: Lisbeth Salander - the unforgettable tattooed, pierced, violent, bisexual computer hacker with a photographic memory. And Fincher chose Mara to play her - obviously appreciating her tough-talking, no-nonsense style. But she does plenty more than talk this time around . . .

If you've read Stieg Larsson's book or seen the original 2009 Swedish film, you'll remember journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig this time) losing a court battle and his credibility because of unproven allegations about a rival. He's hired by a rich family's patriarch (Christopher Plummer) to investigate a girl's disappearance 40 years prior. Eventually, Blomkvist enlists the help of Salander and the 2 uncover many horrific crimes involving rape, torture, murder, Nazis, child abuse, racism, and Old Testament justice.The cold Scandinavian feel of the original film is replaced by that distinctive Fincher feeling. While the original had the element of surprise, Fincher's stark visuals (the camera attached to Lisbeth's motorcycle, the slow approach to the houses, a clock subtly showing that Craig is enraptured by Plummer's story, etc.) easily compensate. Mara is surprisingly great both with emotion and accent. My favorite moment in the film is the look on her face when Craig says, "I want you to help me catch a killer of women." (see top photo) Craig is relaxed and natural - and just as good giving the opposite performance of James Bond - more passive, cerebral, and weathered. I loved the way he frequently tinkered with his glasses to help himself think.

The supporting cast (including 1980s bad guy Steven Berkoff, the noble Christopher Plummer, ER's Goran Visnjic, the still-beautiful Robin Wright, and Swedish native Stellan Skarsgard) is superb - some giving career best work. Steven Zaillian's script is excellent though lacking the Aaron Sorkin one-liners - which is fine since the film is supposed to be more deliberate and thought-provoking. The music by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross lacks the melodies and originality of The Social Network but is perfectly appropriate for the pitch black subject matter and frozen landscapes.

The major flaws are an ill-advised opening credits sequence (which was way too James Bondish) and the film's uneven pacing - by trying to include the entire book, the film lacked fluidity and contained too many tangents and characters to keep straight. Though I imagine that will be remedied with repeat viewings. And I plan a lot of them. A-

Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol - C+

2011-12-22T22:07:00.004-06:00

In theaters. Rated PG-13, 133 minutes. Trailer.

Despite being somewhat of a film snob, I've generally enjoyed the Mission Impossible series, so the addition of Jeremy Renner and the direction of Brad Bird (The Incredibles) made the 4th installment seem promising. Unfortunately, this film is really just a boring slog with a few cool action scenes and very few funny lines. The plot is typical and the stunts and gadgets way too unbelievable for me, and the storyline involving Renner and Ethan Hunt's (Tom Cruise) wife is way too underdeveloped. Some of the scenes (especially the sandstorm) are cool, and Cruise is a magnetic star, but it is not entertaining enough to make up for the lack of plot or character development.

Christopher Hitchens, RIP

2011-12-18T23:02:00.004-06:00

I still remember seeing him for the first time in 1998 on Hardball with Chris Matthews. It was a pivotal moment, as I found someone that spoke to me in a way very few people ever have. He had plenty of faults and bad arguments, but we're all better off for being able to listen to his arguments.

On religion.

Best of everything else.

Young Adult - B

2011-12-18T22:35:00.002-06:00

In theaters. Rated R, 96 minutes. Trailer.

Charlize Theron stars as a shallow, damaged, and beautiful woman (Mavis Gary) battling depression and looking to her high school sweetheart to make her happy. The film is written by Diablo Cody and directed by Jason Reitman. I love dark films and unvarnished renderings of damaged people, but this one didn't deliver nearly as much as I thought it would. Theron is great in a dense and interesting role, but Cody and Reitman leave her floundering in a story that just wallows in her pain, with scene after scene just reinforcing her character. The trailer has most of the funny stuff. Weird movie.

Songs of the Day

2011-12-18T22:25:00.002-06:00

Two pop gems (really, I can't listen to either enough):

1. I Gotta Good Feelin' - Flo Rida. The artistry these days is in the production, and this one is firing on all cylinders.

2. My Heart's A Stereo - Gym Class Heroes, featuring Adam Levine. Try as I might, I can't deny Levine's talent. This is a brilliant fusion of a pop hook and a catchy, interesting rap song.

Song of the Day - Tick of the Clock

2011-12-17T17:19:00.001-06:00

By The Chromatics

A short version is on the Drive soundtrack. The longer, better version is here.

Favorite Lines

2011-12-16T16:47:00.003-06:00

The Big Lebowski"Mr. Treehorn treats objects like women, man."

Snap Judgments - a Quick Review of 5 Movies

2011-12-16T08:58:00.007-06:00

Friends with Benefits

It begins superbly as Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis bounce dialogue off each other like a modern, vulgar His Girl Friday. Woody Harrelson and Patricia Clarkson provide excellent, hilarious support as her mom and his best friend. But then director Will Gluck (Easy A) tries to get the film to mean something and drags in Alzheimer's disease. And the film becomes exactly what it claims to detest during the cheesy singin' and dancin' finale where Timberlake woos her back. Still, can't wait to watch the first half again. B

A Better Life
An illegal Mexican immigrant (Demian Bichir) gets his truck and equipment stolen and goes looking for it with his son. That's the entire 98 minutes. Despite the good performance by Bichir, (especially great in a late, tearful farewell scene), the movie doesn't address any of the issues readily available to it. It comes closest when the son asks what's the point of so many poor people having children. But the father (hence the writer) won't or can't answer. I need another liberal guilt message movie like I need another mortgage. C+

30 Minutes or Less

Danny McBride and Nick Swardson strap a bomb to pizza delivery guy Jesse Eisenberg's chest to force him to rob a bank. He enlists his best friend (Aziz Ansari) to help him. Eisenberg is horribly miscast and seems to be in a different movie than everyone else. Lots of stupid people do stupid, mean-spirited, unfunny things. And the script leaves enough loose ends to hang itself 10 times. Cruel, misogynist crap. And sorta racist. It would be an F but it's only 83 minutes. D

Kill the Irishman
In 1970s Cleveland, a mob war has Danny Greene (Ray Steveson) smack dab in the middle - and he proves very difficult to kill. Despite the interesting true story, writer-director Jonathan Hensleigh can't elevate the material past cheap Goodfellas knock-off (which he seems to acknowledge when Paul Sorvino shows up toward the end). It's nice to see great actors like Christopher Walken, Val Kilmer, Vincent D'Onofrio, and Bob Gunton get tough-guy parts, but the film just sits there and you're left thinking how great they were in prior films. The amateurish special effects don't help matters. C

Your Highness

Danny McBride and James Franco are brothers who team up to save a maiden (Zooey Deschanel) from an evil wizard in the Middle Ages. Your overall take on the film will depend on how much you enjoy McBride's incessant vulgarity. His anachronistic one-liners are actually funnier than in modern era films - but occasional restraint and subtlety would be nice. The special effects and bathroom humor are embarrassing. And the gore is way overdone. C-

Song of the Day - Don't Be Shy

2011-12-16T05:16:00.002-06:00

By Cat Stevens

This one is always worth a revisit.

Don't be shy, just let your feelings roll on by
Don't wear fear or nobody will know you're there
Just lift your head and let your feelings out instead
And don't be shy, just let your feelings roll on by
On by

You know love is better than a song
Love is where all of us belong
So don't be shy, just let your feelings roll on by
Don't wear fear or nobody will know you're there
You're there

Don't be shy, just let your feelings roll on by
Don't wear fear or nobody will know you're there
Just lift your head and let your feelings out instead
And don't be shy, just let your feeling roll on by
On by, on by.

I Melt With You - C

2011-12-15T13:25:00.005-06:00

Rated R for language and drug use

4 college friends (now each 44 years old) meet every Spring Break in Big Sur for a week of relaxation and reflection. Richard (Thomas Jane) is a professor struggling to find inspiration for his second novel. Ron (Jeremy Piven) is a wealthy stock broker in trouble with the SEC. Jonathan (Rob Lowe) is a doctor who sells prescription drugs to addicts. Tim (Christian McKay) is tortured by the death of his boyfriend and sister who both died in an automobile accident when he was behind the wheel. A pact they made 25 years earlier will result in disastrous consequences . . .

For the viewer. What begins as an interesting discussion of adolescent naivete and real world adult problems descends into overblown depravity and despair. Early on as we get to know the characters, the natural charisma and great performances of the actors keep things interesting. Director Mark Pellington uses the beautiful landscapes well and expertly chooses songs to support scenes. Then, his music video origins get the best of him as the second half overdoes it with the shaky camera, quick cuts, and inappropriate close-ups. But the music is still good. So there's that.The biggest problem with the film is the lack of a single likable character. The college buddies take more drugs and drink more booze than everyone in Boogie Nights, Goodfellas, Blow, and Leaving Las Vegas combined. Seriously - enough to kill a herd of rhinoceroses. You certainly can't relate to them and will probably feel they richly deserve the miserable lives they have. By the time it finally ends, it's a relief, not a release nor epiphany. C

Song of the Day - Paradise

2011-12-14T22:15:00.002-06:00

By Coldplay

I've always had a soft spot for their melodies and sentimental lyrics. This one is a return to form after the last album's letdown.

Countdown to The Master.

2011-12-08T21:33:00.001-06:00

Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood will score Paul Thomas Anderson's new film The Master.

Crazy Stupid Love - C+

2011-12-07T21:52:00.003-06:00

On DVD and Blu-ray, PG-13

After his wife Emily (Julianne Moore) springs a divorce request on him, Cal (Steve Carell) moves out and falls into a depression until he meets Jacob (Ryan Gosling) at a bar. Jacob remodels Cal's image and shows him how to be a ladies' man. But the divorcing couple's kids want them back together and they still have feelings for each other. Through an abundance of coincidences and plot contrivances, we end up getting a lesson we didn't ask for about soul mates and true love . . .

The Crazy: Released just 3 months ago, the film is already hopelessly dated with references to the prolificacy of Steve Jobs (who has shuffled off this mortal coil) as well as the stable, unusual marriage of Demi and Ashton (they're divorcing).

The Stupid: The whiplash tonal shifts might be the result of 2 directors (Glenn Ficarra, John Requa) or more likely it's just their style (since it's even worse in their only other directorial effort - I Love You Philip Morris). It's a byproduct of wanting it both ways - heartfelt and hilarious - a tough thing to pull off, to be sure. Since they scripted Bad Santa, there's still some good will left. The many problem is the numerous impossible coincidences, from timely meetings to surprise entrances to unmentioned relationships.The Love: The cast expertly plays the hand they're dealt. Moore gives a great dramatic performance that adds undeserved depth to the film, especially in a phone call about a pilot light to Carell. Gosling is even better since he has to be alternatively charming, sincere, and funny. His comedic banter with Carell is first-rate and he also has great romantic rapport with Emma Stone, playing a character that changes everything.

But they're mostly wasted on a plot that's overcooked and over-thought - and the climactic cringe-inducing school speech will have you looking for the fast forward button. C+

Favorite Lines

2011-12-06T22:50:00.002-06:00

Bottle Rocket
"Did you ever have a touch to lose, man?"

No Need To Explain

2011-12-05T23:53:00.001-06:00

Too Big Too Fail - B+

2011-12-05T23:14:00.006-06:00

On DVD (2011). Trailer.The 2008 Wall Street/Financial system meltdown was a cataclysm several years in the making. The timing (right before a Presidential election without an incumbent candidate) was horrible and the incestuous relationship between the Treasury, the Federal Reserve and Goldman Sachs only exacerbated the situation (don't miss Matt Taibbi's legendary article on GS). Too Big Too Fail (directed by Curtis Hanson) is a very straightforward depiction of these events as they unfolded behind the curtain. The stakes are high and the humans charged with solving the crises are just normal people, which makes it very scary. The cast is uniformly excellent, especially William Hurt as Henry Paulson (Treasury Secretary) and Paul Giammatti as Ben Bernanke (Chairman of the Federal Reserve). My favorite scenes are those between these two men in their private dining room. Hanson's disciplined direction allows the story to tell itself and the actors shine. A must see.

Best of 2011 (so far)

2011-12-05T01:05:00.000-06:00

Lots of film left to see, but here's a starting point list followed by the additional films worth seeing this year (with links to their trailers):

1. Drive
2. Tree of Life
3. Beginners
4. Descendants (no published review yet)
5. Too Big to Fail (no published review yet)
6. Melancholia
7. Margin Call
8. Contagion
9. Ides of March
10. Moneyball

Haven't seen, but may figure into my list: Shame; Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy; Rampart; War Horse (doubt it); The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo; The Artist; Carnage; Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (Streets Have No Name alert); Young Adult; The Help; We Need to Talk About Kevin.

Favorite Lines

2011-12-05T00:58:00.001-06:00

Inglourious Basterds
"Well, if this is it, ol' boy, I hope you don't mind if I go out speaking the King's."

Beginners - A-

2011-12-04T22:36:00.002-06:00

On DVD (2011). Rated R, 105 minutes.

What a pleasant surprise.
I expected to hate this film based on the trailer and the subject matter, but found it to be a contemplative study of love and loss. Ewan McGregor stars as a graphic designer whose father (Christopher Plummer) came out of the closet at 75, after Ewan's mother has died. The film follows his recollections of his father during his gay exploration period and his own relationship with a fetching actress (Melanie Laurent). As he remembers, he deals subtly with the guilt he feels about his dad's denial of self, the weirdness of his childhood and his own relationship issues. I loved the reset sequences about the stars and 'what people looked like'. Worth your time.

Where to Begin? (J. Edgar and Margin Call)

2011-12-04T21:49:00.004-06:00

My hat's off to Doc. He's kept us going. Here is a short summary of 2 films I've seen, with more to follow:

J. Edgar, C - Clint Eastwood directs Leonardo DiCaprio in a crappy biopic. J. Edgar Hoover is a fascinating figure in 20th centruy American history, but Eastwood and screenwriter Dustin Lance Black (Milk) turn the film into a fabricated platonic love story between Hoover and his longtime aide, Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer). The film is 137 minutes long and you feel every minute. Despite all the riveting material related to Hoover, there are only a handful of scenes that weren't annoying or boring. Judi Dench and Naomi Watts are wasted as Hoover's mother and longtime secretary, respectively.

Margin Call, B - A fictional account of a brokerage houses downfall in 2008, this film charts some interesting territory related to the ethics and "products" being sold in the new Wall Street. Writer/Director JC Chandor directs Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Kevin Spacey and Zachary Quinto in this ensemble drama that tells the story of a 24 hour panic period when a brilliant analyst figures out the firm's risk structure spells doom. Not nearly as direct or literal as Too Big To Fail (A-, review to follow), this is a promising debut from Mr. Chandon. Loved Irons and all the 'big dogs' coming in with their helicopters.

Best SNL Skit so far this Year

2011-12-04T17:46:00.005-06:00

And a welcome return for the best cast member's best character:

Mr. Buscemi's episode also included the best commercial in forever:

And Mr. Samberg's best digital short in a long while too:

Favorite Lines

2011-12-04T07:05:00.002-06:00

Zodiac
"Just because you can't prove it doesn't mean it's not true."

Song of the Day - The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie

2011-12-01T19:23:00.002-06:00

By Red Hot Chili Peppers

Still going strong 2 decades gone; and at their syncopated, harmonizing best here.

Song of the Day - You Are a Tourist

2011-11-28T19:18:00.002-06:00

By Death Cab for Cutie

A thin but catchy tune I can't keep out of my head.

Favorite Lines

2011-11-28T01:03:00.000-06:00

Fargo"What are you - nuts? We had pancakes for breakfast. I gotta go to a place where I can get a shot and a beer. A steak maybe. Not more f@ckin' pancakes. Come on."

Favorite Lines

2011-11-27T13:44:00.003-06:00

L.A. Confidential
"With a wrecking ball. Wanna help me swing it?"

Favorite Lines

2011-11-26T19:44:00.004-06:00

Apocalypse Now
"They were gonna make me a Major for this . . . and I wasn't even in their f@ckin' army anymore."

The Tree of Life - A

2011-10-24T19:48:00.005-05:00

On DVD and Blu-ray, Lawyer here, Priest here

Jack O'Brien (Sean Penn) is a success in the modern world but still haunted by the death of his little brother in the late 1960s and his tough upbringing even earlier in Waco, Texas. The majority of the film takes place when Jack is around 11 years old (and played by Hunter McCracken). His father (Brad Pitt) is a tough and critical, sometimes intentionally, as he tries to prepare his sons for a cruel world. His mother (Jessica Chastain) prefers her 3 boys to follow the Sunday morning teachings of grace, forgiveness, and love. Interspersed with the modern day scenes and the childhood memories are breathtaking visuals about the beginnings of the universe, earth, and man.

Combining the origin of the earth with the origin of a single man solidifies man's insignificance to nature as director Terrence Malick's central theme - prevalent in all of his films. His style is unmistakable - multiple narrators, often with a Southern accent; stunning cinematography in natural light; nature upstaging people; and striking use of music (less so here by Alexandre Desplat, but the classic musical choices are inspiring - especially this, this, and this). As in all of Malick's films, the plot is an afterthought - each film preferentially gets by on mood and tone.Many will find the film confusing, pretentious, boring, or all of the above. There are flaws - including too many close-ups for my taste. And you get the feeling hundreds of alternative editing choices could have been made without much difference in the final product. Brief snippets are seemingly from Malick's childhood memories and serve little purpose other than to prompt evaluation our own memories - and why they're remembered. Pitt never really pulls of the piano enthusiast portion of his character but is otherwise brilliant. The beach scene is labelled "Eternity" on the Blu-ray, with the final chapter being labelled "Was it a Dream?". Both are possibilities and there doesn't have to be one answer. It recalls the doozy finale of 2001: A Space Odyssey as it goes off the deep end with symbolism, imagery, and challenging (often clandestine) themes. But it feels a bit anti-climactic after all the real world greatness that precedes it.As someone who's tried to reconcile religion and science their entire adult life, the film couldn't have a better starting point. But it's the personal moments that hit the hardest and closest. Being excited when your overbearing, stern father leaves on a trip. The trauma of moving to a new town when you're young. The death of a childhood acquaintance - and your awkward response. How the outdoors feels when you're free to roam with friends. And on and on. I've gotten many things out of the film both times I've seen it and will be revisiting it often. It's a rare and mighty film that can help you come to terms with your past while encouraging you to become a better person (and father) in the present. A life-changer. A

Tree of Life - Excellent Analysis

2011-10-24T15:08:00.000-05:00

So, before Doc formally expands on his A for Tree of Life, here is the breakdown from Matt Zoller-Seitz on the film. Here is a link to the previous Malick film studies he has done.

Zooey Deschanel, the Rangers, and America

2011-10-24T12:48:00.002-05:00

Here is a video of Zooey Deschanel's rendition of the Star Spangled Banner from last night's World Series game. Keep watching for President George W. Bush's first pitch to Nolan Ryan.

DVD and Blu-ray Releases - 10/25/11

2011-10-24T11:19:00.003-05:00

Attack the Block - #
Captain America - #
Father of Invention - #
A Little Help - #
A Serbian Film - #
Shaolin - #
Tom & Jerry Golden Collection - #
Winnie the Pooh - #
Wrong Turn 4 - #

Click below for this week's Blu-ray releases

The Conversation - *
Dazed and Confused (Criterion) - *
The House by the Cemetery
Identification of a Woman (Criterion)
Island of Lost Souls
Jurassic Park Ultimate Trilogy - *
Zombie

# - also on Blu-ray
* - Doctor approved

Weekend Box Office: 10/21-10/23/11

2011-10-23T18:35:00.002-05:00

Title/Gross/%Change/Total

1. Paranormal Activity 3: 54 mil / NEW
2. Real Steel: 11.3 mil / -31% / 67 mil
3. Footloose: 10.9 mil / -30% / 31 mil
4. Three Musketeers: 8.8 mil / NEW
5. Ides of March: 4.9 mil / -31% / 29 mil
6. Dolphin Tale: 4.2 mil / -33% / 64 mil
7. Moneyball: 4 mil / -26% / 64 mil
8. Johnny English Reborn: 3.8 mil / NEW
9. The Thing: 3.1 mil / -63% / 14 mil
10. 50/50: 2.8 mil / -34% / 29 mil

The Tone Remains the Same

2011-10-22T21:11:00.008-05:00

Clearing the pictures off the laptop.

Bad Teacher - B-

2011-10-20T15:45:00.003-05:00

On DVD and Blu-ray, Rated R, 92 minutes

Elizabeth Halsey (Cameron Diaz) is a middle school teacher because of, as she puts it, "shorter hours, summers off, no accountability". When her rich fiance breaks it off, she's forced to downsize her life and look for a new man. She thinks a breast augmentation will help and starts to save and steal money to afford it. In her classroom, she's terrible - mostly showing movies (like Stand and Deliver and Lean On Me). She finds the gym teacher (Jason Segel) funny but he doesn't have enough in the bank account. A new substitute teacher (Justin Timberlake) has rich parents but he's goofy, dense, and easily influenced. Another teacher named Amy Squirrel (Lucy Punch) becomes her rival in many ways when Halsey breaks too many rules to count . . .

The R-rated dialogue is often hilarious. Diaz clearly loves playing the antithesis of her movie star persona. And indeed, part of the humor lies in the shock value of watching Miss Rom-Com curse and slut it up in front of the kids. The supporting characters are pretty good - especially Phyllis Smith (TV's The Office) as an agreeable confidant and John Michael Higgins as the dolphin-loving principal. Director Jake Kasdan keeps a light, humorous tone and successfully makes the audience side with the drug-abusing, vulgar, promiscuous opportunist over the hard-working, dedicated, honest educator - no small feat.

And therein lies the problem - you're supposed to be happy that Halsey overcomes Squirrel so completely at the end. But that is morally problematic at best. The screenwriters want to have it both ways - and Halsey's abrupt "redemption" at the end can't hide the fact that she's probably done irreparable damage to many students. But it's just a movie - and funny enough until your brain starts to analyze it. B-

The Wire alumnus: Deirdre Lovejoy - wasted as a concerned parent of an excellent student - a far cry from her accomplished and shrewd prosecuter Rhonda Perlman.

Melancholia - B+

2011-10-19T22:56:00.005-05:00

Coming soon (Currently OnDemand). Rated R, 135 minutes. Trailer.

Danish Director Lars Von Trier has courted controversy lately with pro-Hitler comments in Cannes this past May and the genital mutilation, misogyny and overall weirdness of his previous film, Antichrist (including this famous demon voiced fox...). Despite all that, I was intrigued by his new film, Melancholia, because of its doomsday focus and 'normal' narrative. Starring Kirsten Dunst, Stellan and Alexander Skarsgaard, Kiefer Sutherland and Charlotte Gainsbourg the film is split into two parts, each focusing on a sister. Kirsten Dunst's Justine is the focus of the first chapter as her bizarre behavior ruins her own wedding. Gainsbourg's Claire is the focus of the second and much stronger chapter which focuses tightly on the family dynamics as a planet hurtles toward earth and may or may not collide with earth. Click below for more on MELANCHOLIA:

The title sequence of the film is set to Wagner and features a series of beautiful but odd stills and moving photos that don't really make sense in advance of the film, but let you know you're in store for a visually beautiful and challenging couple of hours. The first chapter at the wedding is hard to watch without knowing that Justine has visions of the future and that she is afflicted by Melancholia. There are several interesting frames and lots of insightful extended family explorations that are worth watching.

The second chapter reveals the real threat of annihilation and informs the first chapter as Justine's irrationality is explained. Throughout this portion of the film, the visuals are stunning and the music provides a mood that both ominous and hopeless.

Von Trier is a visual alchemist and this film does not disappoint. I found its commentary on the futility of life in the face of the end of the world to be very thought-provoking.

This is not for everyone, but I found myself thinking about the day after and really enjoyed it.

Just Because

2011-10-19T20:54:00.002-05:00

DVD and Blu-ray Releases - 10/18/11

2011-10-18T16:56:00.002-05:00

Bad Teacher - #
Batman: Year One - #
A Better Life - #
Clone Wars: Season 3 - #
Monte Carlo - #
Pearl Jam Twenty - #
Peter Gabriel: New Blood - #
Pirates of the Caribbean 4 - #
Red State - #
V: Second Season - #

Click below for this week's Blu-ray releases

Cape Fear
The Crow
The Goonies
The Guns of Navarone - *
Kuroneko
Willy Wonka & Chocolate Factory

# - also on Blu-ray
* - Doctor approved

Weekend Box Office: 10/14-10/16/11

2011-10-16T11:34:00.004-05:00

There were less choices in the 80s so even the mediocre films feel like "classics" since you saw them a dozen times on TV. Now that the 80s kids are running things, unnecessary remakes are a monthly event. This weekend there were 2 and hopefully the moribund box office returns will red light future endeavors. The slogan (This is Our Time) for the Footloose remake is hilariously un-self-aware. No, it was Kevin Bacon and Chris Penn's time. Get your own ham-fisted triumph-over-suppression flick.

Title/Gross/%Change/Total

1. Real Steel: 16.3 mil / -40% / 52 mil
2. Footloose: 16.1 mil / NEW
3. The Thing: 8.7 mil / NEW
4. Ides of March: 7.5 mil / -28% / 22 mil
5. Dolphin Tale: 6.3 mil / -31% / 59 mil
6. Moneyball: 5.5 mil / -26% / 57 mil
7. 50/50: 4.3 mil / -24% / 24 mil
8. Courageous: 3.4 mil / -30% / 21 mil
9. The Big Year: 3.3 mil / NEW
10. Lion King (3D): 2.7 mil / -41% / 90 mil
11. Dream House: 2.5 mil / -44% / 18 mil
12. Contagion: 1.8 mil / -38% / 72 mil

An Influence

2011-10-15T22:34:00.004-05:00

Joan Allen gets approached in Manhunter . . .

DVD and Blu-ray Releases - 10/11/11

2011-10-13T19:41:00.001-05:00

Bones: 6th Season - #
Chuck: 4th Season - #
Green Lantern - #
Horrible Bosses - #
Judy Moody - #
Tree of Life - #
Zookeeper - #

Click below for this weeks's Blu-ray releases

Aspen Extreme
The Bad Seed
Camp Nowhere
Dark Night of the Scarecrow
Disorganized Crime
The Family Man
Four Feathers (Criterion) - *
Indian Summer
Maniac Cop
Scrooge

# - also on Blu-ray
* - Doctor approved

Ides of March - B+

2011-10-10T22:40:00.007-05:00

In theaters. Rated R, 102 minutes. Trailer.

Ides of March tells the consultant/campaign manager side of a week inside a close presidential race. George Clooney directs himself as the candidate and Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ryan Gosling, Paul Giamatti, Marisa Tomei and Rachel Evan Wood as his surrounding cast. Gosling is the lead character, playing an up and coming media consultant that has bought into Clooney's governor for president character. This film could have been called swimming with sharks; it portrays the cut-throat nature of high-stakes politics, especially among the campaign staff and media. Click below for more on IOM:

Golsing is a true believer that learns the dark arts of campaigns, adapts, and comes out a hardened (and successful) operative. As he deals harshly with a bad situation, he quickly feels the same treatment and he is all the more hardened for it.

The film is bathed in gray and it informs the general cynical mood of the film. There are no good lessons to be learned here, as human nature plays out in the big time.

All of the actors are at the top of their game here, with PSH being extra-special. Clooney's candidate gets a little annoying as he spouts Clooney's personal Democratic views with such fervor. This is probably an A- for me just because of my special predisposition to politics.

Weekend Box Office: 10/7-10/9/11

2011-10-10T14:34:00.003-05:00

Title/Gross/%Change/Total

1. Real Steel: 27.3 mil / NEW
2. Ides of March: 10.4 mil / NEW
3. Dolphin Tale: 9.2 mil / -34% / 49 mil
4. Moneyball: 7.5 mil / -38% / 49 mil
5. 50/50: 5.5 mil / -36% / 17.3 mil
6. Courageous: 4.6 mil / -50% / 16 mil
7. Lion King (3D): 4.6 mil / -57% / 86 mil
8. Dream House: 4.5 mil / -45% / 14.5 mil
9. What's Your Number: 3 mil/ -44% / 10 mil
10. Abduction: 2.9 mil / -48% / 23 mil
11. Contagion: 2.8 mil / -42% / 69 mil
12. Killer Elite: 2.2 mil / - 56% / 21.6 mil
13. The Help: 2 mil / -34% / 163 mil
14. Drive: 1.8 mil / -45% / 30 mil

DVD and Blu-ray Releases - 10/4/11

2011-10-04T05:21:00.004-05:00

African Cats - #
Buck
Fast Five - #
Ken Burns: Prohibition - #
Scream 4 - #
Bored to Death: 2nd Season - #
The League: Season 2 - #
The Walking Dead: 1st Season - #

Click below for this week's Blu-ray releases

Almost Famous - *
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The Cider House Rules
Cinema Paradiso - *
Dead Alive
Harakiri (Criterion)
Jackie Brown
Last Exit to Brooklyn
Life is Beautiful
The Lion King - *
Pee-wee's Big Adventure
Pulp Fiction - *
Salo (Criterion) - ^
Space Jam

# - also on Blu-ray
* - Doctor approved
^ - Crap Alert

Weekend Box Office: 9/30-10/2/11

2011-10-03T05:06:00.001-05:00

Title/Gross/%Change/Total

1. Dolphin Tale: 13.9 mil / -27% / 37 mil
2. Moneyball: 12 mil / -38% / 38 mil
3. Lion King (in 3D): 10.6 mil / -52% / 79 mil
4. Courageous: 9 mil / NEW
5. 50/50: 8.6 mil / NEW
6. Dream House: 8.1 mil / NEW
7. Abduction: 5.6 mil / -49% / 19 mil
8. What's Your Number?: 5.4 mil / NEW
9. Killer Elite: 4.92 mil / - 47% / 17.5 mil
10. Contagion: 4.91 mil / -42% / 65 mil
11. Drive: 3.3 mil / -43% / 27 mil
12. The Help: 3 mil / -31% / 159 mil

Song of the Day - Mighty to Save, Hillsong (!)

2011-10-02T21:59:00.002-05:00

Sure, I love the shock value of posting praise choruses as a song of the day. But, this chorus (my second post from Hillsong) is really, really good (especially 2:00 to 4:00). Almost makes me wish I wasn't burdened with my belief system.

The Thin Blue Line - B+

2011-10-02T21:22:00.002-05:00

On DVD (1988). Rated PG, 103 minutes. Trailer.

As a cinephile and a Dallasite, it is sad that it took me this long to watch Errol Morris' The Thin Blue Line. The documentary tells the story of the wrongful conviction and near execution of Randall Dale Adams by the Dallas County District Attorney's office in the 70's. Morris does a masterful job of presenting the facts in a reasonable and fact-based manner (Michael Moore should take notes) and the stunningly depraved attitude of the DA (their mantra was that any prosecutor could convict a guilty man but it took a real prosecutor to convict an innocent man). Worth your time - the film led to Adams' release and the Oscar for Best Documentary in 1988.

SNL - Alec Baldwin

2011-09-30T21:49:00.002-05:00

Amazingly funny season opener with Alec Baldwin and Radiohead. Favorites sketches:

1. Who's On Top?
2. Top Gun Screen Tests (Pacino is great - Doc will love Harvey Firestein)
3. Red Flag

Moneyball - B+

2011-09-29T19:36:00.004-05:00

In theaters, PG-13 for language, 133 minutes

In Fall 2001, Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) is the Oakland A's General Manager and former player who never reached his full potential. He's faced with his 3 biggest stars leaving for bigger markets and more importantly, bigger paychecks. After he meets Peter Brand (Jonah Hill), they find a way for their small salary team to compete with the wealthy. This is mostly by evaluating players different than everyone else - placing a higher value on on-base percentage rather than a "name" player. Initial skepticism and failure eventually makes way for success and validation . . .

Pitt is excellent in the movie star role - he's in every scene and carries it all effortlessly. Hill is the best he's ever been, especially in the trading deadline scene when he's on the phone. As A's manager Art Howe, Philip Seymour Hoffman is borderline unrecognizable as the crabby, condescending roadblock in their way. The uncredited Spike Jonze is at his wacky best in a short scene. The writing by none other than Steven Zaillian (Schindler's List, the upcoming The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network) is great as expected. The highly detailed (and nerdy) statistics are explained well and the banter between Pitt and Hill is superb. But you've already seen all of the best lines in the trailer.The main problem is the generic made-for-TV directing by Bennett Miller. There's maybe one shot (Beane's truck hurrying onto an exit ramp) that breaks the mold. While Miller does nicely allow several scenes to play out with pauses and breaks, there's hardly a "cinematic" shot in the whole thing. And this is despite the considerable talents of cinematographer Wally Pfister (The Dark Knight, Inception). The editing is frequently distracting, with unimportant shots sporadically spliced in for no effective reason. And the whole thing is 10 minutes too long. Even worse, the baseball player close-ups look like outtakes from Jerry Maguire. Then, Miller bungles the ending by using a song (sung by Beane's 12 year old daughter) that's horrifically similar to Juno's "Anyone Else But You". It's contrived for an emotional payoff that eluded Beane in real life. But the real Beane is a true hero - choosing family and loyalty over money. And ultimately winning the war while losing all the battles that mattered most. B+

Wish It Went Longer

2011-09-28T12:28:00.003-05:00

DVD and Blu-ray Releases - 9/27/11

2011-09-28T10:47:00.003-05:00

Carlos (Criterion) - #
Good Neighbors - #
The Hour - #
Jeff Dunham: Controlled Chaos - #
Transformers: Dark of the Moon - #

Click below for this week's TV and Blu-ray releases

TV:
Army Wives: 5th Season
CSI: 11th Season
CSI: Miami - 9th Season
CSI: NY - 7th Season
How I Met Your Mother: Season 6
Hung: 2nd Season - #
King of Queens: 9 Season Set
Kojak: Season 2
Law & Order: SVU - 12th Year
Married With Children: Complete Series
The Middle: 2nd Season
New Tricks: Season 5

Blu-ray:
Basket Case
Ben Hur
Footloose
Mimic
A Nightmare on Elm Street 2 & 3
Phantom Carriage (Criterion)
Torso

# - also on Blu-ray

Just Because

2011-09-27T22:29:00.010-05:00

Watch the full episode. See more Austin City Limits.

Picture of the Week

2011-09-26T22:34:00.002-05:00

Nirvana's Nevermind Baby - All Grows Up

Song of the Day - Lithium

2011-09-26T22:02:00.002-05:00

By Nirvana

The 20th anniversary of Nevermind's release was 2 days ago. It started an excellent musical mini-revolution that lasted 5-6 years. All the Nevermind tracks are essential, so this one is arbitrarily singled out. Only "Territorial Pissings" is even close to a throwaway, but it shows them at their most raw and powerful.

Weekend Box Office: 9/23-9/25/11

2011-09-26T09:49:00.002-05:00

Drive's disappointing box office numbers probably reflect an audience that expected more car chases and less character development. Maybe the marketing led them astray. The "Drive" in the title isn't really about his job, but what motivates him internally. It's really about his connection to 2 people and how this changes his modus operandi. Audience members should be challenged to examine their own inner drive. Anyway, the meaningless box numbers after the jump.

Title/Gross/%Change/Total

1. Lion King (in 3D): 22 mil / -27% / 62 mil
2. Moneyball: 20.6 mil / NEW
3. Dolphin Tale: 20.3 mil / NEW
4. Abduction: 11.2 mil / NEW
5. Killer Elite: 9.5 mil / NEW
6. Contagion: 8.6 mil / -41% / 57 mil
7. Drive: 5.8 mil / -49% / 21 mil
8. The Help: 4.4 mil / -32% / 154 mil
9. Straw Dogs: 2.1 mil / -59% / 8.9 mil
10. I Don't Know How She Does It: 2 mil / -53% / 8 mil

Drive - A

2011-09-24T04:19:00.000-05:00

Lawyer's original review with plot points is here. There are small spoilers below.

Valhalla Rising was highly stylized but too grimy and gritty to connect to the characters. The violence was overdone from the opening scene. Of course, I'll never know what director Nicolas Winding Refn did between that medieval debacle and this modern masterpiece. He apparently watched the first and second seasons of TV's Miami Vice. And he probably watched Blue Velvet, Manhunter, and Thief several times too. All films are derivative and have to start somewhere. Refn emulates some of my favorite directors while finding an amazing balance and patience that allows the characters to breathe and develop . . .

Refn's use of color is reminiscent of Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut. His tight frame composition informs on characters motivations, desires, and connections. Refn's slow camera movements are hypnotic (particularly the shots of the LA buildings). It's always fascinating to see how foreign directors see America and Refn clearly loves Los Angeles. The fusion of music and images is evocative of none other than Michael Mann and as assured as Martin Scorsese. Light bulbs that change intensity are downright Lynchian as is the way Gosling retreats into the bathroom after his shotgun kill.The emotional depth of Carey Mulligan is perfectly balanced by Gosling's flat affect. Some beautiful compositions have Mulligan bathed in red and orange lights while Gosling is supported by cooler colors - blue, green, silver, and white (see below, but there's a better one in the film). A late terrific touch has an Exit sign above Gosling's head as he makes some final decisions. And this is one of dozens. I needed a pause button to keep up with the genius. The editing is consistently intriguing, flashing forward and back just enough to keep it interesting. The tension is brilliantly built with ticking clocks and Gosling's reaction shots.The violence is severe and shocking, but (like Bound's severed finger) the film wouldn't be as intense without it. Some minor flaws include Albert Brooks's shaved eyebrows, Ron Perlman's attempts at profanity, and Gosling walking around in public with blood stains on his jacket. For a guy that plays it safe, this seems way out of character. But the rest of it is pure cinema, probably too artsy for some, but right up my intellectual alley. A massive jump in style and substance for Refn. A

Win Win - B+

2011-09-23T10:32:00.003-05:00

On DVD and Blu-ray
Rated R for language

Mike (Paul Giamatti) is a small town New Jersey lawyer whose practice is struggling to stay afloat. For some extra money, he agrees to take care of Leo (Burt Young), one of his wealthy clients, who has Alzheimer's but wants to stay at his own house. When Leo's grandson Kyle shows up to see him, Mike has to make further adjustments. Mike also coaches wrestling at the high school and finds extra inspiration when Kyle turns out to be an excellent wrestler. . .

If it sounds like every American indie film you've seen the past 10 years, it is. But the performances by Giamatti and Amy Ryan (the wife) give it depth while the sacrifices (and compromises) Mike makes for his family makes it relatable in these down times. The inspiring score helps as does the comedic relief from friends/coaches Bobby Cannavale and Jeffrey Tambor.The film gains momentum as it progresses and while the ending is never really in doubt, how it gets there is so nicely restrained and understated, that it still sneaks up on you. The deft touch is provided by writer-director Tom McCarthy, whose previous 2 films (The Visitor, The Station Agent) were too contrived and preachy to be completely successful. His subtle, complicated touch here allows it to build into a sum greater than its parts. B+

The Wire alumnus: None other than Mr. McCarthy, who played an ethically challenged newsman in season 5. And I can't help but think of the similarities.

The Honey Badger

2011-09-23T06:50:00.003-05:00

NSFW (depending on where you work)

Snap Judgments - a Quick Review of 5 Movies

2011-09-22T10:32:00.007-05:00

In a Better World

A doctor alternates working between an African refugee camp and his hometown in Denmark. He has marital problems and his sons are having trouble at school. But it really doesn't compare to the horrifying lives the Africans have. Which is the whole point director Susanne Bier bluntly brings home. Bier made the same point more subtly in After the Wedding, which was much less manipulative about white guilt and how the affluent create problems for themselves to solve. But, the acting and emotions ring true and it never hurts to have a reminder of how good we still have it. This won last February's Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. B-

Unknown
Liam Neeson and his wife (January Jones) arrive in Berlin for a medical conference. When he discovers his briefcase is missing, he takes a cab back to the airport (without her). The cab gets into a wreck and he slips into a coma for 4 days. When he wakes up, no one recognizes him - and he may not even exist. Neeson is in full Taken mode here, but it's not nearly as sharp, invigorating, or honorable. Taken played it straight while films like this will obviously have lots of twists. The best scenes belong to Bruno Ganz (Downfall) who plays a former Stasi agent that's become an investigator. His comments about modern generations forgetting about their past could have spun off into another movie, which would have been more interesting than what we got. C+

Just Go With It

Adam Sandler plays a plastic surgeon who finally wants to settle down (with Brooklyn Decker) after years of falsely wearing a wedding ring to pick up women. After she finds the ring, he has to fake a marriage (and impending divorce) with his assistant (Jennifer Aniston), who has 2 kids from a previous marriage. Lies begat more lies until everyone learns the elusive life lesson that it's better (and easier) to tell the truth. The simplicity of the message matches the obviousness of the humor - and the predictability of the conclusion. What exactly is the elegant Nicole Kidman doing in this? And why is Sandler so physically abusive to the kids? At least I laughed at the sheep getting the Heimlich maneuver. So there's that. C

Paul
Two nerdy Brits (Simon Pegg, Nick Frost) are traveling across the American Southwest when they discover Paul, an escaped alien (voiced by Seth Rogen). They then try to protect him from the pursuing FBI agents. The script (by Frost and Pegg) seems to only exist in an attempt to discredit Christianity. A fundamentalist Christian (Kristen Wiig) loses her faith immediately when Paul feeds her brain all sorts of information through his hand. She quickly becomes a foul-mouthed slut and is happier for it, of course. The script certainly doesn't exist to provide any laughs. We can safely say the success of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz belongs entirely to former Pegg-collaborator and director Edgar Wright, who succeeded without him with Scott Pilgrim. Director Greg Mottola has done good (Superbad) and great (Adventureland, Arrested Development) work, but the heavy Lucas-Spielberg references and ridiculous plot leaves him stranded. The sole bright spot is Jason Bateman, who deadpans every one of his agent's acerbic lines beautifully. D+

Take Me Home Tonight

A recent MIT grad (Topher Grace) returns home and regresses to living with his parents and working at the mall. His twin sister (Anna Faris) is about to marry her shallow boyfriend (Chris Pratt) and his schmuck best friend (Dan Fogler) just lost his job. But his unrequited love of high school is back in town and the group heads to a party for one crazy night that will change everything. The message of "you can't win if you don't take a shot" is fine, but the writing lets the hard-working actors down. There are no memorable lines or moments and the whole thing feels like a retread from every coming-of-age movie (or TV show) ever. The movie is set in 1988 for apparently no other reason than to have an expensive soundtrack of 80s pop songs. They should have spent more money on a rewrite. C-

DVD and Blu-ray Releases - 9/20/11

2011-09-22T10:23:00.002-05:00

Bridesmaids - #
The Kennedys - #
The River Murders
Set Up - #
Spooky Buddies - #

Body of Proof - 1st Season
Castle: 3rd Season
Hawaii Five-O: 1st Season - #
The Mentalist: 3rd Season
Mike & Molly: 1st Season - #
Modern Family: 2nd Season - #
Raising Hope: 1st Season

Click below for this week's Blu-ray releases

Breakfast at Tiffany's - *
Dead Heat
Dumbo - *
Le Beau Serge (Criterion)
Les Cousins (Criterion)
The Others - *
Scrooge
Vamp

# - also on Blu-ray
* - Doctor approved

Vanilla Ice Real Estate Program

2011-09-21T21:44:00.003-05:00

Vanilla Ice has a real estate investment plan for you. This video is priceless. Money Quote:

"When I'm not touring around the world....I'm makin' money in real estate."

Song of the Day - A Real Hero, College

2011-09-18T21:54:00.001-05:00

This moody gem sets the tone for Drive and I cannot get it out of my head.

Drive - A

2011-09-18T21:15:00.005-05:00

In theaters. Rated R, 100 minutes. Trailer.

A film that evokes Taxi Driver, Scarface and Lost in Translation all at the same time? I really didn't know what to expect when I walked into director Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive which stars Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks and Ron Perlman. Gosling is the unnamed and very introverted "Driver" who is a movie stunt drive by day and a heist driver by night. After falling for a neighbor, he involves himself in a complicated situation that challenges his tightly controlled existence. Click below for more on DRIVE:

The film is as understated as any Michael Bay film is loud. Refn's elegant and velvety direction and visuals provide a counterbalance to the grime and grit of the locations and characters in the film. Gosling's Driver is very economical with his words, and his burgeoning relationship with Mulligan's character is one of the most emotional I've experienced in years despite only a few scenes and dozens of words. I was shocked this was playing in a normal theater and not an arthouse - it feels like an arthouse movie the whole time and the audience didn't appear to enjoy it much. I loved the moodiness of the film and the excellent music, not the least of which is A Real Hero by College.

Much has been made about the violence in the film - it is as graphic as any Scorsese film and brings Scarface to mind in one scene in particular. Some have viewed it as a major flaw - I disagree and feel that informs Gosling's character. He hardly speaks but clearly is a volcano of emotions and anger that I think the explicit nature of the violence is just right for the film and Gosling's character.

My favorite scene in the film is the Welcome Home scene during Standard's speech - Mulligan's nonverbal acting is amazing and it nearly brought me to tears.

Get there.

Weekend Box Office: 9/16-9/18/11

2011-09-18T16:43:00.002-05:00

Title/Gross/%Change/Total

1. Lion King (in 3D): 29.3 mil / NEW
2. Contagion: 14.5 mil / -35% / 44 mil
3. Drive: 11 mil / NEW
4. The Help: 6.4 mil / -28% / 147 mil
5. Straw Dogs: 5 mil / NEW
6. I Don't Know How She Does It: 4.5 mil / NEW
7. The Debt: 2.9 mil / -38% / 27 mil
8. Warrior: 2.8 mil / -47% / 9.9 mil
9. Rise of Planet of Apes: 2.6 mil / -33% / 172 mil
10. Colombiana: 2.3 mil / -42% / 33 mil

Warrior A-

2011-09-16T11:41:00.003-05:00

Rated PG-13, In theatres, 140 minutes

Miracle’s Gavin O’Connor directs this film about two estranged brothers and their dad destined to meet in the finals of a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) tournament without tricks or subtleties, but it’s the stronger film for it. Like Miracle, if you saw the trailer, you know the story, but you don’t know that O’Connor, who also co-wrote, is using the set-up to explore the emasculation of men by the financial crisis and what it means to be a man in 21st Century America. Along the way we get a stellar performance out of Nick Nolte as a recovering alcoholic father as well as perfectly shot fight scenes that neither exaggerate nor downplay the brutality of MMA.

The basics: Nick Nolte plays Paddy Conlon, wrestling trainer, three years sober, and apparently an abusive father and husband. His youngest son Tommy (Tom Hardy, Inception), a wrestling prodigy, left in his early teens with his mother. Mom died, and Tommy is finally returning home after a stint in Iraq. Older son Brendon (Joel Edgerton, Animal Kingdom), stuck around to be with his girlfriend, now wife, Tess (Jennifer Morrison). After some years in the UFC, he’s settled in to teaching, but his youngest daughter got sick and he’s caught between hospital bills and a house that’s lost half its value in the crash. He takes to fighting to pay some bills, his school gets wind of it, and now he’s suspended without pay. Brendon returns to serious fighting against his wife’s wishes to stave off foreclosure. Meanwhile, Tommy, who is RIPPED btw, gets back into fighting to keep a promise made to a dying comrade to take care of his wife and kid. Tommy comes back to have dad train him, but he can’t come close to forgiving his father for the past. In fact, both sons heap so scorn and abuse on their father until your heart breaks a bit for him even though you know he probably has it coming.

The bonus: O’Connor approaches his material like nothing so much as a Greek tragedy. The GreekProxy-Connection: keep-alive
Cache-Control: max-age=0

understood what anyone with Kenny Rogers Greatest Hits already knows: Sometimes you’ve got to fight to be a man. He plays with the two main male archetypes: warrior and the father/husband protector. Both his protagonists feel like they’ve failed in those roles and are looking for redemption in the most male of all pursuits: hand-to-hand combat. Into this crucible O’Connor dumps the pain of brothers separated and a father’s attempt to make up for that which cannot be replaced. Unlike last year’s otherwise superior The Fighter, Warrior never forgets exactly which story it’s telling—the reunification of the brothers and father. The other subplots are perfectly handled to drive the primary narrative and are balanced to propel not take away from it. Whereas The Fighter never has that one emotionally climactic payoff you expect from a sports movie, Warrior knocks it out of the park. All the leads and supporting cast are good, and Nolte is exceptional, potentially lining himself up for a Best Supporting nomination come award season.

O’Connor here produces, for my money, a better sports film than Miracle, no small feat. His last film, the ambitious but flawed Pride and Glory, signaled he was interested in more than straight studio pics, and he comes through here admirably. Like a poor man’s Michael Mann, he is interested in the world of men and the struggles to be masculine in our current context. There is a scene between the brothers on a beach as they address the issues dividing them that, if it had been better, might have propelled this to a full A from me. O’Connor is still wrestling with the medium, but he’s got things to say, and he’s smart enough to appeal to the average dude while he’s saying them.

Much better than I expected going in. A-

Inside Scientology

2011-09-14T21:41:00.003-05:00

By Janet Reitman, 2011. 464 pages.

Scientology has always fascinated me, but I've never been able to understand what it is exactly. This book does a good job of laying out the facts without a bias. Even so, I found myself laughing out loud at several passages, especially Scientology found L. Ron Hubbard and his fleet of ships and commodore outfits. The "religion's" ridiculous language and happy talk is all just a a scam for a cult that feeds cash to its bizarre leader, the ruthless David Miscavige. Worth a read - you should know about Scientology and be aware of their tactics. Their response to this book pretty much showcases exactly what they are. Here is a great video from Southpark that is 100% accurate on its telling of the Scientology creation story.

Thor - B-

2011-09-14T16:22:00.006-05:00

On DVD and Blu-ray
PG-13, 114 minutes

Through an interspace portal, the arrogant Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and friends start a war with some ice creatures (Frost Giants) which upsets his father (Anthony Hopkins), the king who then banishes his son to Earth (through another portal). There, Thor meet some scientists (Including Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgard, and Kat Dennings) who are trying to understand the portal. During his brief stay on Earth, Thor will learn humility and altruism which makes him worthy in his father's eyes . . .

The unusual choice of Kenneth Branagh to direct turned out to be wise since he has enough Shakespearean history to keep the dramatic, political scenes afloat while family members try to out-scheme each other. Branagh's smart sense of humor frequently shines through, too. The action scenes (something new for Branagh) actually make sense but are hardly groundbreaking. The experienced, talented cast are good enough to make the audience believe all the nonsense (they sell it well, so it's easier to buy).

What keeps this in the mid-tier range of comic book movies is the choice of style-over-substance with respect to the title character. The camera loves Hemsworth, but he just isn't interesting enough to draw you in (like Robert Downey, Jr. in the original Iron Man, for instance). The film also doesn't have anything else on its mind other than a young man maturing and gaining his father's acceptance. B-

The Wire alumnus: Idris Elba (as a loyal gatekeeper for Thor) - quite the drop-off from the iconic Stringer Bell.

DVD and Blu-ray Releases - 9/13/11

2011-09-14T15:07:00.004-05:00

Conan O'Brien Can't Stop - #
Hesher - #
The Hills Have Eyes - #
Incendies - #
The Last House on the Left - #
Meek's Cutoff - #
Spartacus: Gods of the Arena - #
The Tempest - #
Thor - #
True Legend - #

Click below for this week's Blu-ray and TV releases

TV:
The Big Bang Theory: 4th Season
Blue Bloods: 1st Season
Camelot: 1st Season
Glee: 2nd Season
Grey's Anatomy: 7th Season
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: 6th Season
Love Wedding Marriage
Outsourced: Complete Series
Private Practice: 4th Season
Rescue Me: 6th Season
Sanctuary: 3rd Season
Supernatural: 6th Season

Blu-ray:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Citizen Kane - *
The Count of Monte Cristo
Don't Say a Word
The Frighteners
Halloween II
Manhunter - *
My Life as a Dog (Criterion) - *
O Brother, Where Art Thou? - *
Poltergeist II
Star Wars: Complete Saga
Star Wars: Original Trilogy - *
Star Wars: Prequel Trilogy
3 Women (Criterion) - *
Trainspotting - *

# - also on Blu-ray
* - Doctor approved

Hanna - B+

2011-09-13T00:17:00.001-05:00

On DVD (2011). Rated R, 111 minutes. Trailer.

Saoirse Ronan, Eric Bana and Cate Blanchett star in this Joe Wright (Atonement, The Soloist) directed film. Bana and Ronan are on the run from Blanchett's CIA character after a government program went wrong. The film has several spellbinding chase sequences with interesting and cool visuals paired with excellent music. After their cover is blown, Ronan has to try and meet up with Bana and experiences a coming of age beyond her caretakers control. The film doesn't really explain itself, but it explores several interesting themes and was a blast to watch. I can't wait to see it again.

Contagion - B+

2011-09-12T22:55:00.003-05:00

In theaters. Rated R, 105 minutes. Trailer.

Contagion is a taut and wonky film about a modern-day deadly virus that causes a near collapse of civilization. Directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring a ridiculous cast (Kate Winslet, Matt Damon, Marion Cotillard, Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow), the film presents a chillingly realistic 2 weeks in the life of a virus and the attempt to contain it. The film is intelligent, interesting, and ambiguous. Click below for more on the best film so far this year:

Soderbergh uses his considerable skill to weave together the governmental response at the Center for Disease Control (CDC), a subplot in China involving the World Health Organization (WHO), a crazy blogger and Matt Damon's family and survival. We are challenged to think about what we would do in each of their shoes and reminded that all the things that normalize society can go away very quickly when survival is not assured. I enjoyed the pulsating score and loved the intense but not scary tone that Soderbergh struck. Definitely worth your time - might rise to an A- on a second viewing. Here's an article from the NYTimes on the plausibility of the film from one of its technical advisors. Here's a great article discussing the history of 'disease cinema'.

Weekend Box Office: 9/9-9/11/11

2011-09-12T22:41:00.002-05:00

Title/Gross/%Change/Total

1. Contagion: 22.4 mil / NEW
2. The Help: 8.9 mil / -39% / 137 mil
3. Warrior: 5.2 mil / NEW
4. The Debt: 4.7 mil / -52% / 22 mil
5. Colombiana: 3.9 mil / -47%
6. Rise of Planet of Apes: 3.9 mil / -51% / 168 mil
7. Shark Night 3D: 3.4 mil / -59% / 15 mil
8; Apollo 18: 2.9 mil / -67% / 15 mil
9. Our Idiot Brother: 2.7 mil / -51% / 21 mil
10. Spy Kids 4: 2.5 mil / -48% / 34 mil
11. Crazy Stupid Love: 2.3 mil / -31% / 79 mil
12. Don't Be Afraid of Dark: 2.2 mil / -58% / 21 mil

The Boxer.

2011-09-11T14:02:00.001-05:00

WTC in the Movies

2011-09-11T08:54:00.003-05:00

9/11 was unlike any other day ever. No one could watch Pearl Harbor or a presidential assassination on live TV. We watched the Challenger explode as it happened, but that was an accident. John Hinckley's attack was caught by cameras, but all the shooting victims survived. There have been many more people killed in a single day, many times in fact. 230,000 people died because of the 2004 tsunami. 316,000 people died because of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. But that was Mother Nature doing her random thing. 9/11 changed everything for many reasons, not least of which is the altered NYC skyline.There have been hundreds of movies which showed the iconic Towers, often featuring them. Every time one of those old movies shows up on cable, an immediate reminder of the horrors that occurred 10 years ago comes to mind. Even the crappiest of 70s, 80s, and 90s NYC movies suddenly has gravitas. 12/7/41 isn't on the forefront of your mind unless you're watching From Here to Eternity. 11/22/63 doesn't come to mind unless you're watching In the Line of Fire or JFK. You rarely see Dealey Plaza or the USS Arizona memorial in a movie, if ever.

No doubt, future generations will definitely not be as affected by watching Wall Street or Working Girl. My oldest son (born well after 9/11) just asked about the Towers last week which stunned me. The day (the day) is slowly entering into history. Yet it feels like it was just yesterday. And it does, every time I watch Fight Club or Being John Malkovich or Dressed to Kill or Ghostbusters or Taxi Driver or Mean Streets . . .

10 Years

2011-09-11T08:12:00.003-05:00

10 Years - 1 Day

2011-09-10T20:15:00.004-05:00

Here is the best, most comprehensive site I've seen.

PJ 20 - Tivo Alert

2011-09-09T23:13:00.001-05:00

Pearl Jam is on Jimmy Fallon tonight. Below is a super awesome clip from their upcoming documentary.....can't wait.

Watch the full episode. See more American Masters.

DVD and Blu-ray Releases - 9/7/11

2011-09-07T23:02:00.003-05:00

Assassination Games
The Entitled
Everything Must Go - #
Hanna - #
Last Night - #
X-Men: First Class - #

Click below for this week's TV and Blu-ray releases

TV:
Community: 2nd Season
Criminal Minds: 6th Season
Fringe: 3rd Season - #
The Good Wife: 2nd Season
The Office: Season 7 - #
Parks & Recreation: Season 3 - *
Two and a Half Men: 8th Season

Blu-ray:
The Caine Mutiny - *
Children of the Corn
Dressed to Kill - *
40 Days and 40 Nights
Hellbound: Hellraiser II
Hellraiser
The Hills Have Eyes
Scarface
Scream Trilogy
Straw Dogs - *
United 93 - *

# - also on Blu-ray
* - Doctor approved

Weekend Box Office: 9/2-9/4/11

2011-09-04T18:12:00.003-05:00

Title/Gross/%Change/Total

1. The Help: 14.2 mil / -2% / 119 mil
2. The Debt: 9.7 mil / NEW / 11.6 mil
3. Apollo 18: 8.7 mil / NEW
4. Shark Night 3D: 8.6 mil / NEW
5. Rise of Planet of Apes: 7.8 mil / -12% / 160 mil
6. Colombiana: 7.4 mil / -29% / 22 mil
7. Our Idiot Brother: 5.2 mil / -26% / 15 mil
8. Don't Be Afraid of Dark: 4.9 mil / -42% / 16 mil
9. Spy Kids 4: 4.6 mil / -23% / 29 mil
10. Smurfs: 4 mil / -16% / 132 mil
11. Crazy Stupid Love: 3.2 mil / +4% / 74 mil
12. Harry Potter 8: 2.4 mil / -5% / 375 mil
13. Cowboys & Aliens: 1.8 mil / -24% / 96 mil
14. Captain America: 1.8 mil / -20% / 172 mil
15. 30 Minutes or Less: 1.7 mil / -37% / 35 mil

Limitless - B

2011-09-02T19:39:00.011-05:00

On DVD and Blu-ray

Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) is a down-on-his-luck struggling writer whose girlfriend dumps him. When he runs into his ex-wife's brother on the street, he decides to take a mysterious pill (called NZT) because, as he puts it, "how could things get any worse?" After 5-10 minutes, the drug stimulates his brain and allows him to become smarter by increasing neuronal connections. He uses this cognitive catapult to become a Wall Street investor and make millions of dollars. This draws the attention of investing guru Carl Van Loon (Robert De Niro) who then employs him to negotiate a merger . . .

For a movie about stimulant drugs with 2 shots of severed hands and the protagonist licking blood off the floor, it's surprising this got a PG-13 rating. The directorial touches include ramping up the color saturation when someone takes NZT, using lots of blue tints when the characters are "normal", and moving very quickly through the NYC streets to show a manic episode. Cooper is charismatic enough but doesn't have quite enough range to pull off all that is asked of him (genius, bum, martial arts expert, lothario, etc). Much better is Mr. De Niro, who's better here than he's been in over a decade (1997 being his last landmark year - Jackie Brown, Wag the Dog, Copland). In fact this speech is the best scene in the film:
The film loses its way when Eddie's once and future girlfriend (Abbie Cornish) becomes an action hero for a solitary scene. The abrupt ending and abundant loose ends (for starters, who killed the blonde?) corrupt an otherwise interesting discussion about success, greed, and addiction. B

The Wire alumnus: Brian A. Wilson, typecast as a detective.

New Cronenberg

2011-09-02T12:46:00.002-05:00

David Cronenberg's History of Violence is one of my favorite recent movies. His new one is a look at the legendary interaction between Sigmund Freud and Karl Jung, and stars a who's who of current priest favs including Viggo Mortenson, Keira Knightley, Vincent Cassell, and Michael Fassbender. Watch the trailer here. And here is the rest of it.

Source Code - B

2011-09-02T12:45:00.001-05:00

On DVD and Blu-ray

Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) is an Afghanistan War veteran trapped in a capsule who is forced by Air Force personnel (including Vera Farmiga and Jeremy Wright) via audiovisual equipment to enter another man's memories of the last 8 minutes of his life aboard a train which then blows up at the end of each sequence. Colter then gets debriefed and redirected to find the source of the bomb (in an attempt to prevent another terrorist attack). It's Groundhog Day meets The Matrix meets Heaven Can Wait . . .

It's actually fairly predictable (since no Muslim has been a movie bad guy in over 10 years) and the usual post 9/11 bad guys (education, the military, white guys) are indeed the bad guys here. Gyllenhaal is pretty good (especially during a phone call to his father - the best scene in the film), but Wright and Farmiga are just cashing paychecks. As the love interest, Michelle Monaghan shows some humor and energy which plays off of Gyllenhaal well. Director Duncan Jones (Moon) keeps the pace fast and the special effects are integrated well into the story. But the whole thing is nearly undone by a nonsensical coda which feels tacked on by a feel-good studio committee. At least Duncan, Gyllenhaal, and writer Ben Ripley hit the message (enjoying the miracle of life as well as your family and friends) right on the mark. B

Praise for Rushmore

2011-08-30T23:07:00.000-05:00

A great film analyzed by the great AO Scott:

9/11 - 10 Years Later

2011-08-30T21:25:00.002-05:00

We've all compartmentalized the emotions from 9/11/01, but the 10 year anniversary demands that we honor that day by remembering all the uncomfortable details. Hopefully Doc and Priest will join me in adding documentaries and shows they learn about and think are worth viewing. The first for me is George W. Bush - The 9/11 Interview on The National Geographic Channel (click on the link for episode times). This is a poignant remembrance of that day in the life of George W. Bush - very well done. Certainly lends a little credence to the "Miss Me Yet?" billboards.

And here is the rest of it.

Captain America - B-

2011-08-29T21:42:00.002-05:00

In theaters. Rated PG, 125 minutes. Trailer.

I'll say this for Captain America - they know who the good guys are for once. It is refreshing to see such a jingoistic pro-American film even if it is written on a 5th grade level. Chris Evans is World War II era Captain America, a runt of a man with a lionheart that gets transformed into a superhuman supersoldier with a serum developed by a nutty german professor (Stanley Tucci). The Nazis are fighting in the dark arts of the supernatural, and Tommy Lee Jones rolls out his crusty guy with a heart schtick as the general utilizing Captain America to win WWII. Click below for more on CA:

This film was sold in the trailer as a grittier, more complex film than your standard comic film. There are some interesting moments, but it isn't made for adults. The little guy with a big heart is pleasant to watch and Chris Evans is decent as the earnest Captain trying to do what he can. The best part of the film was the Howard Stark (Iron Man's dad) character, played ably by Dominic Cooper (can't wait to watch him in Devil's Double). Great for a father/son movie when the son is about 10 years old, but not for a jaded, cynical adult looking for a complicated meditation on the meaning of life.

Adele Classes Up VMAs

2011-08-29T21:29:00.008-05:00

I fast forwarded through most of last night's MTV Video Music Awards because it seemed like a really long Idiocracy outtake. The one shining moment was when Adele outclassed everyone in the room with a simple, elegant black dress, a microphone and a piano. Watch last night's performance of the year's (decade's?) best song, Someone Like You.

DVD and Blu-ray Releases - 8/30/11

2011-08-29T08:24:00.004-05:00

Bereavement - #
5th Quarter - #
Forks Over Knives - #
In a Better World - #
The Perfect Host - #
Prom - #
Scooby Doo & the Ghosts
Scooby Doo & the Pirates
Scooby Doo & the Robots
Scooby Doo & the Zombies
Skateland - #
Wonders of the Universe - #
Wrecked - #

Click below for this week's TV and Blu-ray releases.

TV:
Cougar Town: 2nd Season
Desperate Housewives: 7th Season
House MD: Season 7 - #
Nikita: 1st Season - #
90210: 3rd Season
Parenthood: Season 2
Sons of Anarchy: Season 3 - #
Vampire Diaries: 2nd Season - #

Blu-ray:
Blood Simple - *
Coen Brothers Collection - *
Complete Jean Vigo (Criterion) - *
Final Destination 2
Final Destination 3
Good Will Hunting - *
If . . . (Criterion)
Madea's Big Happy Family
Miller's Crossing - *
Nightmare Before Christmas
Orpheus (Criterion) - *
Raising Arizona - *
Strike - *
Top Gun - *

# - also on Blu-ray
* - Doctor approved

Weekend Box Office: 8/26-8/28/11

2011-08-28T11:42:00.002-05:00

Title/Gross/%Change/Total

1. The Help: 14.3 mil / -28% / 97 mil
2. Colombiana: 10.3 mil / NEW
3. Don't Be Afraid of the Dark: 8.7 mil / NEW
4. Rise of Planet of Apes: 8.7 mil / -46% / 149 mil
5. Our Idiot Brother: 6.6 mil / NEW
6. Spy Kids 4: 5.7 mil / -51% / 22 mil
7. Smurfs: 4.8 mil / -39% / 126 mil
8. Conan the Barbarian: 3.1 mil / -69% / 17 mil
9. Fright Night: 3 mil / -61% / 14 mil
10. Crazy, Stupid, Love: 2.9 mil / -39% / 70 mil
11. 30 Minutes or Less: 2.6 mil / -59% / 32 mil
12. Final Destination 5: 2.5 mil / -68% / 38 mil
13. One Day: 2.4 mil / -53% / 9.6 mil
14. Harry Potter 8: 2.4 mil / -48% / 371 mil
15. Cowboys & Aliens: 2.3 mil / -45% / 93 mil
16. Captain America: 2.2 mil / -48% / 169 mil
17. The Change-Up: 1.2 mil / -56% / 35 mil

HBO Sunday Night - 8/21/11

2011-08-26T23:13:00.006-05:00

Curb Your Enthusiasm: The Bi-Sexual
Series 8, Episode 7

Larry meets a lady (Amy Landecker - A Serious Man) at an art show and finds out she is also interested in Rosie O'Donnell. They start a competition to win her over and the baseball metaphors start flying - especially when Larry starts equating Viagra with steroids. Larry also has issues with a Japanese restaurant. And Leon moves out to NY to mooch off of Larry some more. Just looking at O'Donnell wears me out and her voice is even worse. The baseball metaphors were frequently heavy-handed. Larry's interactions with the Japanese characters were hilarious but the whole episode felt forced. Weird how much Landecker looks like Cheryl Hines. B-

Entourage: Motherf*cker
Season 8, Episode 5

Vince gets interviewed by a Vanity Fair journalist (Alice Eve) and immediately falls for her. Johnny finally decides to join Dice on strike. Ari messes up his family situation again. And Eric sleeps with Sloan's ex-stepmother. The series verged into soap opera territory yet again with another rinse and repeat episode. Not much happened - let alone anything interesting. There were no laughs and no drama. But with only 3 episodes left, it looks like I'll stick with it to the bitter end. C

DVD and Blu-ray Releases - 8/23/11

2011-08-24T21:56:00.006-05:00

August & Everything After - #
The Beaver - #
Blitz - #
Greatest Movie Ever Sold - #
Henry's Crime - #
Little Big Soldier - #
Poetry - #
Secret Sunshine (Criterion) - #
Sympathy for Delicious
Trollhunter - #
Win Win - #

Click below for this week's TV and Blu-ray releases.

TV:
Brothers & Sisters: 5th Season
Gossip Girl: 4th Season
NCIS: 8th Season
NCIS: Los Angeles: 2nd Season

Blu-ray:
Baby
Bambi II
Ernest Goes to Camp
Ernest Goes to Jail
Ernest Scared Stupid
Holy Matrimony
Hostage
Last Dance
Miami Rhapsody
Play it to the Bone
Rounders
Scenes from a Mall
Swingers - *
The Tie That Binds

# - also on Blu-ray
* - Doctor approved

My New Favorite Website

2011-08-24T19:18:00.013-05:00

If you feel the Bruce Willis portion of Pulp Fiction is the weakest section, I've agreed with you for almost 17 years. But the following video analysis sheds a blinding amount of light on what exactly QT was up to.Part 2 after the jump.The Big Lebowski and Full Metal Jacket video analysis by Rob Ager on Collative Learning are also mind-blowing.

Song of the Day - Walk, Foo Fighters

2011-08-24T00:03:00.000-05:00

Great grunge anthem from Dave Grohl and Co. I thoroughly enjoyed the documentary about the band "Back and Forth" (directed by Oscar winner James Moll). The song and film are worth your time.

Songs of the Day - Guilty Pleasures...

2011-08-23T22:33:00.002-05:00

1. Friday Night, Katy Perry. Great song about having illegitimate fun - I can't relate, but sounds great.

2. Edge of Glory, Lady Gaga. After a few misses, Lady Gaga is back. Both this and Friday Night violate my strict 'no saxophone' rule for pop songs.

3. I Like It, Enrique Iglesias. Indefensible, but I like it.

Talihina Sky - B+

2011-08-22T21:00:00.006-05:00

Coming on DVD (now on Showtime). Rated R, 85 minutes. Trailer.

An origin documentary about the band Kings of Leon, this film is a warts and all look at one of the most successful (if dysfunctional) current American rock bands. After I witnessed their infamous meltdown last month, this project has really interested me. The band is comprised of 3 brothers and a cousin - the 3 brothers are the sons of a southern preacher that traveled constantly doing revivals in Pentecostal churches. The facade of Christianity cracked (surprise) when they found out that their father was drinking and their parents got divorced. As a result, the band's soul searching is interesting to me, not to mention their Pixies/grunge inspired sound. Click below for more on TS:

The film focuses on a Followill family reunion in Talihina, Oklahoma (near McAlester) and the origins of the boys. The best parts are when they are talking about their upbringing, especially Caleb's discussion of being poor. Their are also some astounding screaming matches and arguments that KOL should be commended for allowing to be aired. Caleb is the lead singer and true leader of the group, and he is clearly still conflicted on what path he should take and whether he should be guilty about the way he attained his success (and his wife...). Worth your time.

Song of the Day - Better Days, Eddie Vedder

2011-08-22T20:43:00.002-05:00

A good folk-rock ballad from West Memphis 3 benefactor Eddie Vedder. You'll have to ignore the fact that this was on the Eat, Pray Love soundtrack.

Weekend Box Office: 8/19-8/21/11

2011-08-22T05:59:00.006-05:00

Title/Gross/%Change/Total

1. The Help: 20.5 mil / -21% / 72 mil
2. Rise of Planet of Apes: 16.3 mil / -41% / 134 mil
3. Spy Kids 4: 12 mil / NEW
4. Conan the Barbarian: 10 mil / NEW
5. Smurfs: 8 mil / -42% / 118 mil
6. Fright Night: 7.9 mil / NEW
7. Final Destination 5: 7.7 mil / -57% / 32 mil
8. 30 Minutes or Less: 6.3 mil / -53% / 26 mil
9. One Day: 5.1 mil / NEW
10. Crazy, Stupid, Love: 5 mil / -30% / 64 mil
11. Harry Potter 8: 4.4 mil / -39% / 366 mil
12. Cowboys & Aliens: 4.2 mil / -46% / 89 mil
13. Captain America: 4.1 mil / -43% / 165 mil
14. The Change-Up: 2.9 mil / -54% / 32 mil
15. Glee 3D: 1.8 mil / -69% / 10 mil
16. Horrible Bosses: 1.3 mil / -46% / 113 mil

Song of the Day - Sail, AWOLNATION

2011-08-21T13:29:00.002-05:00

Eclectic rock/rap song with lots of cool sounds and cadences.

The Conspirator - C

2011-08-18T21:32:00.005-05:00

On DVD. Rated PG-13, 122 minutes. Trailer.

Directed by Robert Redford, The Conspirator tells the story of the trial of Mary Surrat, Lincoln assasination co-conspirator. This seemed very promising, but the stilted direction and most boring script ever combined to make this worse than anything on the History Channel. James McAvoy is fine as Frederick Aiken, the Union war hero that is forced to take the case of Ms. Surrat (Robin Wright Penn). The whole thing has a masterpiece theater feel - which you would think Redford would try to avoid given the 19th century setting. Click below for more on the most boring movie of 2011:

Justin Long, Rachel Evan Wood, Tom Wilkinson, Kevin Kline, and Colm Meaney all prance around in costume without anything interesting going on. The film feels like a terrible version of The Scarlett Letter or To Kill A Mockingbird. There are tons of overlit 'dusty' scenes and overly staged scenes and this was a total waste of an interesting story.

DVD and Blu-ray Releases - 8/16/11

2011-08-17T10:37:00.003-05:00

The Conspirator - #
Dexter: 5th Season - #
The Grace Card
Hoodwinked Too - #
Jane Eyre - #
John Carpenter's The Ward - #
Priest - #
Something Borrowed - #

Click below for this week's Blu-ray releases

Armed and Dangerous
Assassins
The Big Lebowski - *
Cobra
Cul-de-sac (Criterion)
David Holzman's Diary (Criterion)
Demolition Man
Hush
The Killing (Criterion) - *
Muppets from Space
Muppets Take Manhattan
The Specialist

# - also on Blu-ray
* - Doctor approved

Rise of the Planet of the Apes - B

2011-08-15T21:27:00.004-05:00

In theaters. Rated PG-13, 110 minutes. Trailer.

As a sci-fi hater, I was surprised that this trailer was so appealing to me. A prequel to Planet of the Apes set in modern times, the film provides a plausible explanation for the leap in simian intelligence. James Franco portrays a geneticist on the verge of the discovery of a drug that will reverse alzheimers disease by allowing the brain cells to repair themselves. The drug has a stronger effect on chimps, and after an accident Franco takes home the offspring of one of the test chimps to raise. Click below for more on ROTPOTA:

The film hums along at a great clip for the first hour, and then bogs down before the escape of the apes. There are about 20 sluggish minutes but then the escape begins. The escape itself works pretty well, although I found the violence and explosions amateurish. The performances from Franco, Freida Pinto and Brian Cox are fine, although Pinto is totally wasted in a throwaway role. John Lithgow keeps his overacting mostly under control, although I had a few Harry and the Henderson flashbacks with all the hairy interactions.

This one is just a good fun summer film. The script is decent and is, as I said, plausible. Much better than the original Planet of the Apes or the recent update with Marky Mark.

HBO Sunday Night - 8/14/11

2011-08-15T19:04:00.007-05:00

Curb Your Enthusiasm: The Hero
Season 8, Episode 6

The show picked up right where the last one ended - on the plane from LA to NY - where LD trips on his shoelaces and inadvertently becomes a hero. After arriving in New York, he runs into Ricky Gervais, who will insult Larry, steal his girl, and take some of his money. If I actually liked Gervais, I might have enjoyed the episode more. He has never worked for me outside of Extras and the UK version of The Office. His arrogance and constant condescension during his standup routines and talk show appearances have ruined him . . .

As for the show, it verged into to frustrating territory this week with implausible occurrences (the dinner party seating arrangement) and annoying characters (mainly the waiter) wasting great performances from David and Susie Essman (Jeff's wife). Gervais is no substitute for Super Dave or Richard Lewis. B

Entourage: The Whiz Kid
Season 8, Episode 4

Vince has to take a drug test and turns to Billy for help. Ari uses Dana to get back at his wife. Nora Dunn's marriage counselor returns to gang up on Ari. And Scott Caan uses a fake fifth appendage as a telephone. The bulk of the short episode (less than 20 minutes without credits) was spent on Vince's urine test - an uncomfortable issue and an unusual place for the show to go with so few episodes left. Turtle whined the whole time. Rob Morrow was underused. At least a paranoid Johnny was good for a couple of smirks. And the great Rhys Coiro came through again. B-