Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Sorry I haven't written in a bit. A lot of excuses... I've got some catching up to do as I've seen a number of movies lately.

As for "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," the most important thing I can say is that true sci-fi fans should view this movie. It is an incredible 1956 black/white vision so great that it has spawned (sorry for the pun) innumerable copycat movies.
This movie stars Kevin McCarthy and Dana Wynter. You may recognize McCarthy from the many MANY guest roles he's played over the years on various TV shows and movies. I realize a lot of people don't like black/white movies because they like the color and more modern effects. True, this movie doesn't have all the special effects today's movies have, but hey, it was 1956! They did a good job with what they had.
The movie centers on a small town, which is typical for most sci-fi creature movies. The doctor (McCarthy) just returns from a medical convention and is greeted by his nurse at the train station. She notes that there have been curious things happening, but just as soon as they started, they went back to normal overnight.
Turns out, seeds from somewhere out in space fell on nearby fields and took root. They grew pods which formed into humans, replacing the population in their sleep. This concept could be used to argue a number of more recent films, such as copycat "Invasion," "The Stepford Wives" or even "Nightmare on Elm Street" as sleep is the key ingredient for human death. Even "Star Trek" used sleep to defeat the Borg (the collective alien race determined to take human bodies and turn them into soulless machines). It is my belief that "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" started the sleep-replacement plot-line. So with that said, it is one of the cornerstones of the modern alien invasion genre.
Sex, well no, there really isn't any. Wynter's character is a divorcee who throws a few quips that are clearly sexual in nature. There are, however, scenes in which McCarthy and Wynter must spend two semi-platonic nights together. Wynter's dresses are fashionable and somewhat daring, especially compared to the rest of the town. It is clear that the producers wanted to make sure she was seen as the helpless sex kitten in the movie rather than an equal to the doctor (McCarthy).
As far as age appropriateness, I'd let middle school kids and up view it. That age and younger might have nightmares. Heck, some adults might have nightmares... I should also note that the movie was so disturbing to some of the preview audience (remember, 50s) that the producers wrote in two extra scenes: one as the intro and the other as the new ending. Personally, I think it would be much scarier had they left those two off. As an aside, if you liked the ending to "Soylent Green," you should enjoy this movie's ending as well.
The violence is minimal, as no one is actually mauled in the picture, but there are some slightly off-camera scenes in which you should be aware.
Socially, this film has been regarded as a reaction to communism. Write me and let me know what you think.
Overall, I'd rate this as one of the better sci-fi films of the 50s. The theme, music and plot-line are still very much alive today.

Twilight

This was an awesome movie! I didn't read the books (yet) but was able to follow along nicely. I had certain expectations and had heard rumors - but folks, it's about vampires so it wasn't really that hard to keep up. Unless you've been under a rock, you know what they look like, eat, act like, etc. No shockers there.
As for the overall feel, I really enjoyed the acting. Both lead characters did an excellent job. I have to say that my favorite acting was the secondary players though. Billy Burke as the dad was great - just like you'd expect in this role. Sarah Chalke as the mom was genius. The whole time I kept wondering where I knew her from and then BAM - she was the evil Nina on "24." (As a side note, several of the actors were in "24"... coincidence???)
There were issues with some of the directing that I need to point out. In the scene in which Edward shows Bella what he really looks like, his shirt is undone (thankyougod). But in the next shot, his shirt is buttoned up - not enough time to do this. There were several timing errors like this one that I caught - and I'm not a professional movie critic. This is the director's fault and it doesn't sound like it will be repeated as the gossip fodder is growing that Catherine Hardwicke may not be at the helm for the next series in this saga.
There is no sex, only a brief make-out scene. You don't actually get to see someone sucking the blood out of an unwilling human. There are a few scenes that border on that, but none that should make your teen have nightmares. In fact, it might make your teens hot for the male lead, steamy Robert Pattinson or the tomboy Kristen Stewart. I have to say that I've really liked Stewart's acting since "Panic Room." She's great in everything - I just wish she'd smile more.
As for the appropriateness, I would let 13 year olds and up view this. There are scenes that parents may feel are too grown-up for their smaller kids.
I would definitely say this movie is one to watch - and watch out for the sequels. I hope they don't disappoint.

Wall-E

What can be said about "Wall-E" that hasn't been said about all other Disney movies? Not much. Sure Wall-E is cute and there is a seemingly impossibly love interest. The one thing that makes this a little more unique is that it is told from a machine's point of view. Wall-E is a disposal unit who remains on earth long after the humans left to form their new life on a spaceship. Earthbound Wall-E is infatuated with all-things human. He collects human objects, much like Ariel did in "The Little Mermaid." And true to the Pixar creed, John Ratzenberger is in this movie too (I don't think they can make one without him.) Another slightly unique item is that Sigorney Weaver is the voice of the spaceship. She was also the secondary spaceship voice in "Galaxy Quest" - which was much more fun than this movie. Last but not least was Fred Willard's human hologram as the CEO of the company. That man is comic gold. He was the funniest thing about this movie to me. Wish I'd been a fly on the wall while taping his scenes.
As you might have guessed, "Wall-E" is about the earth's environment, being eco-friendly, having an apocalyptic trash overload and human redemption.
What made the movie a little more special to me was that one of the robots, Eve, had the ability to show a lot of emotion with her computer-generated eyes. I liked that feature. I also liked that Wall-E was able to mess up some of the machines so that the humans could really take a look at what they had been living in rather than what was on their personal screens (difficult to explain).
What I didn't like was that the Disney aspect showed through. There were no parents in the movie. There were cross-dressing scenes with Wall-E (once with a bra over his eyes and another with makeup on his eyes). I'm afraid Disney showed through much more than Pixar did on this one. I was hoping for more imaginative scenes, but then, I'm a mom - not a 6 year old. There just wasn't that much to laugh about in this movie compared to other recent hits, like "Madagascar 2." What I was hoping for was more fun and laughs.
Despite this, I'd say it was a decent movie and one that most preschoolers up would like. I would not recommend buying it until you've seen it because it just didn't live up to the hype to me. Cute, yes - but no "Nemo."

100 Movies to Watch Before You Die

According to Yahoo! these are the movies you need to see before you die. Take a look and let me know what you think. I think there are some they left out and some that might not need to be must-sees. I'm anxious to hear what you have to say.

Max

I watched "Max" this week and felt it was such a good movie that I wondered why it had not received more buzz.
The movie is about an art dealer named Max who meets a young Hitler after WWI. Hitler is an aspiring artist and desperately wants Max to pick him up as a serious artist with his own show. Max, a Jewish playboy of sorts, is skeptical about the quality of Hitler's art and is concerned about his growing passion for politics, as it may interfere with his artistic career. Max and Hitler share a common background in that they served in WWI and lost something. Max lost an arm but came home to a family and continued wealth. Hitler came home to nothing but increasing bitterness.
Most interesting to me was the relationship between Max and Hitler. At times, Hitler begged Max for help, once even stating that Max had saved his life. Yet when Hitler had a political audience, he ranted on about how the Jews had poisoned the German bloodline. It was as though Hitler was living two lives and consciously knew it.
I did a small amount of research after watching the movie and found Hitler's work to be excellent. You be the judge. If you were to see these paintings in a museum, would you have known they had been painted by the same person who had millions of Jews killed? It doesn't seem possible that someone who could create life on canvas could so quickly take it all away in reality.
I really enjoy historical films and this one didn't disappoint. The actors were phenomenal. John Cusack played the title role while the exceptional Noah Taylor portrayed Hitler in scary detail. Leelee Sobieski played Max's lover while Molly Parker was Max's long-suffering wife. It was very moving - I got chills when Hitler addressed a large crowd in an auditorium. I wept for the real-life Jews who had to be a part of this atrocity.
I would recommend this movie to teens and up. Remember that it is only someone's interpretation of what happened, not that everything is exactly as it is laid out in the movie. Historical movies are usually 50% truth at best. A lot of liberties are taken. As I try to remind high school kids - don't watch the movie instead of studying for the test.

101 Dalmations - Animated

For some reason, my 4-yr old is fascinated with this Disney movie. We just bought the newest DVD reincarnation (as per the image), so the animation is really bright and less 60s/70s-looking than I remembered.
Plot: Being Disney, something bad has to happen to the children and/or parents. In this case, the dalmatian puppies are stolen away from their parents and are in direous peril. Of course, their human counterparts are helpless. It's up to the older canines to use the Twilight Bark and rescue the puppies. They are aided by a cat and a horse as well. The villain is the nasty human, Cruella de Vil. She wants the puppies for their skins - for a new fur coat (she said she "worships furs"). To see her in action, click on the title link in this blog - it will open in youtube.
I'm not sure if it's just me, but the two baddies remind me a lot of the two crazy burglers in "Home Alone." Cruella's henchmen/baddies, Horace and Jasper, bungle the job assigned to them. The dogs (along with a large number of store-bought dalmatians) finally find freedom. It's a warm fuzzy story that most kids like. Happy ending and sing along music. I especially liked the scenes in which the dogs are watching TV - to me those are the best parts.
Now, Cruella is not only scary to small children, she talks about killing puppies and in one scene makes a reference to hell. She's a chain smoker and the baddies drink alcohol. So, thought I'd put that out there... Possible teaching opportunities.
As I stated, my 4-yr old loves this movie. I think it is appropriate for most kids. You may want to be sensitive if children have been adopted (or taken from their parents).
Additionally, if you get the new DVD, Selena Gomez from The Wizards of Waverly Place has a cute little video that preteens will love.

Downfall

Yes, it's in German. Don't let that stop you. Just read the subtitles. You'll get used to it - promise. If you can walk and chew gum, talk on the phone while driving or eat breakfast while checking your email, you can do that.
With all the buzz of Tom Cruise's new movie about Hitler, I thought it would be nice to review a really good movie about Hitler from the people who knew him.
As a disclosure, Bruno Ganz is my favorite male movie actor of all time. In "Downfall," he plays Hitler. Of course I loved his performance, but my admiration went to new lengths after watching reel footage of Hitler. Ganz picked up Hitler's mannerisms - it is truly brilliant.
The supporting cast is also excellent. I don't want to give too much away but this wonderful movie heralds Hitler's last days, mostly in the bunker with the rest of his faithful supporters. (Anyone who knows anything about WWII knows that Hitler dies, right?)
Despite Germany's imminent defeat, Hitler pushes his people on, determined to continue fighting. Some of his people defy his actions (I'm assuming this is where some of the Cruise film comes in).
Of particular significance is the family/military unit. The people in the bunker are like Hitler's extended family. It is clear he dotes on some more than others, and he has a loving partner to serve as the mother figure. What may not be known to most Americans, is what the real parents of some of the children who were living in the bunker did when they realized they were not going to win the war. I don't know how to put into words how I felt when I watched those scenes. It is emotional and I don't know what I would have done in their place.
As for the appropriateness of the movie, I'd go father than saying I'd let teens watch this, I'd ENCOURAGE them to watch this. It is a great history lesson and one they won't soon forget. My suggestion is for teens and up.
While I used to be a big Cruise fan, I'm not now. I haven't seen his movie, "Valkyrie," but I'm willing to bet you could get a lot more out of "Downfall." I hope you rent this (I have a copy). If you do watch this, please let me know what you thought.

Hercules - Animated

Although I've seen almost every Disney movie made, I'm not really a big fan. One of the reasons is that Disney routinely places a child in a parent-less situation. Just think...when was the last time you saw a Disney movie that didn't involve a parent dying, a parent already dead, adoption or some sort of parental guardianship? Yep, never.
Disney's 1997 adaption (loosely) of the Greek fable of Hercules turned out to be a pretty good movie. There was action, a love interest, singing, a really bad villain, kooky talking animals and a feel-good ending. However, I think the movie didn't do as well in some parts of the country because it doesn't specifically address ONE higher being. This is also a Disney trait. You can see a small mouse wishing on a star or a mermaid's deal with an undersea devil but you can't address the notion of one "god." In Hercules, Disney displays multiple gods, as with the Greek monotheistic tradition. I think this probably got the far right-wingers upset. Who knows?
As for the movie, it has all the key elements kids like. My 4-yr old loves this movie. I'm sure part of it is because the colors are really vivid and he thinks it's funny. It's also got a catchy series of songs - I found myself singing along. The first time he watched it I think he might have been a little scared of the scenes with Hades (wonderfully voiced by James Woods).
The story, as you probably know, is about a child born to gods (Hera and Zeus) who is stolen away (by Hades) and lives among mortals, believing the people who raised him to be his true parents. He finds out the truth later and works to become a real god by performing feats of heroism. His training comes from the satyr Philoctetes (Danny DeVito), ensuring more laughs to the situation. There is a love interest in Megara, or Meg for short. Also, Paul Shaffer voices Hermes, the messenger, who looks and acts exactly like himself, including glasses. One other note is that Charlton Heston is the narrator. I think that was a great move on Disney's part.
The movie is sweet and not as scary as "The Little Mermaid" or "Sleeping Beauty." It is male-centered, which is rarer nowadays, but little girls will like it too. I would suggest this movie to any age person willing to endure several episodes of gospel singings by the Muses and can overlook the multi god sentiment. I really liked this movie.

Persepolis

This is not a childrens' animated movie. Let's get that straight. It's for teens up.
Personally, I loved this movie because it is told from the female author/narrator's point of view as she grew up during various political regimes in Iran, particularly the Islamic Revolution. She is honest and often funny. I think all teenagers need to watch this movie.
"Your mom won't let you go to the mall today? Aw, maybe the government will change overnight and you'll have to wear a burka everywhere and go to religious schools, huh."
It is animated but in all black and white. The first and last scenes have additional color. While watching it you completely forget you are watching something that resembles a comic book. This is a don't miss history lesson that is enjoyable and funny to watch.
Additionally, it was nominated for best animated movie by the Academy but lost to "Ratatioulle." They should not have been in the same category from my perspective, but that's another story. The animation category is the most controversial. Don't believe me? Look up SpongeBob vs. Disney. Sadly, Disney always wins.

Death Note

This 120-minute film is subtitled in English and filmed in Japanese. To fans of this TV series (I am!), this movie could be a disappointment. I watched it with my two teenage boys and my oldest boy's girlfriend, who was unfamiliar with the series. The boys and I were upset from time to time because the movie did not follow the series in all areas. I had to keep reminding them that it was like any other book we'd read or TV series where they can't fit 30 hours of TV or 400 pages of a book into a 2-hour movie. Cuts had to be made and situations tightened, leaving out subplots. Overall, I have to say this was a really good movie. Don't let the title throw you off.

The story centers around a college guy, Light Yagami (played by Tatsuya Fujiwara), who studies law and investigates a crime. Thoroughly disappointed in what he learns, he stumbles on a notebook with mystical powers. He is later joined by what we would call a ghost , the shinigami Ryuuk. Invisible to everyone else, Ryuuk becomes Light's sole confidante as he begins a rein of what he calls justice. He does this by writing down the names of criminals in the Death Note, thereby killing them in a matter of seconds. Light's misguided attempt at world peace drives him to seek more power and eventually he becomes consumed with his arrogance and need for secrecy. There is a sequel to this movie so the ending will not be as satisfying as a stand alone. Of particular interest to many Americans is the role of Light's dad, who is also the police chief, played by Takeshi Kaga of "Iron Chef" fame. The role of Light's nemesis, "L" is excellent played by Kenichi Matsuyama.
There is very little blood. All the violence is in watching actors feign heart attacks. There are some bad words, but mild compared to most teen films. I recommend this movie because of the uniqueness of the plot, the great acting and an experience into foreign film that most teens are lacking. If you aren't aware, most films are either re-makes of foreign films or (sometimes AND) backed heavily by foreign money. So very few U.S. films are truly U.S. creations. Go rent this original.

Traitor

Don Cheadle, steals my heart as his movie roles keep getting better. His acting is so good and so believable that his movie roles are getting better. I loved him in the "Oceans" movies and adored him in "Hotel Rwanda," but this is a close second. The audience is not aware if Cheadle is a good guy or not as he races across continents, religions and international situations. Guy Pearce ("Memento") and Neal McDonough ("Star Trek:First Contact") play U.S. agents searching down Cheadle's character. Jeff Daniels plays the government official working the covert operation. Said Taghmaoui plays the radical Cheadle befriends and together work as a team against the U.S. This is one of those movies in which the audience is shocked (in a good way) at the ending. I highly recommend you rent this one.

Tropic Thunder

This was recommended by my professor. What was he smoking? Do I want to know? This was a silly, stupid movie with a few exceptions. The opening pretend credits were LOL funny, one with Tobey McGuire ("Spiderman") posing as a gay monk opposite Robert Downey Jr. Jack Black's role was stupid and forgettable. The star, Ben Stiller, had the everyman role and played it better than expected. Unfortunately, the movie wasn't all that. There are definitely funny parts (one at the end on the bridge) and takes at the mercy of the way movies are made. This is a movie for those who are not offended by racial slurs, gay situations, drug use, potty humor or child villains (who tote guns and smoke). Side note: Tom Cruise has a small part that is pretty good and you get to see him dance like an idiot as the ending credits roll.

UPDATE: My professor read this and feels I have done this review an injustice. I will admit that after reading his email, this movie was better than my bashing. Hey, it even got some award noms (not for the movie, but for the comedic actors) Looking at the movie from a film maker's perspective, it is slightly more funny than I gave it credit. Sorry.

The X Files: I Want to Believe

How about The X-Files, I Want to Throw Up? As a huge fan of the series and anything the two stars have ever been in, I was sorely disappointed. Yes, I knew it would suck, but I held out for some hope. It was poorly written (shame on you Chris Charter, Spotnitz, Morgan, Wong, or whoever else was involved - you know who you are) and not well acted. But who could with that script? David Duchovny acted much more laid back and Anderson was mild compared to her earlier role on the series. Pileggi showed up for 2 minutes and got top billing - WTF? Amanda Peet did a great job along with her partner Xzibit. Billy Connolly played the ex-priest with a fetish for young boys yet has some divine connection to God by way of visions. The twist is in the villains, of course, and that part is interesting. As a repeat villain (Battlestar Galactica) Callum Keith Rennie used this movie to help perfect his craft and thereby isn't in a starring role. Watch for him with a Russian accent. The rest of it is somewhat predictable and boring. Unless you are a hard-core fan, run from this bomb.

The Dark Knight

I know people will hate me but I didn't like this movie. The only redeeming quality was Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker. Christian Bale's Batman was mild, Maggie Gyllenhaal as the love interest was not convincing, and again - Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman are the better actors who have been shoved off in the overseer roles. Aaron Eckhart's role as Harvey Dent/Two-Face was okay but the special effects for his alternate personality were out of this world. My only real beef with this movie is that as a comic book reader, I was disappointed the audience saw a very young Commissioner Gordon's daughter. I am taking this to mean that future movies will not follow in the comic book line. I was glad to see Scarecrow and some other buddies show up and hope to see more of them in sequels. If you want to see Ledger, watch this. Otherwise, it's a skipper.

Wanted

Skip this movie. Go online and look at sexy pictures of James McAvoy and Angelina Jolie. You'll thank me later. This is an unbelievable movie about a secret society of assassins and the quest for one young man (McAvoy) to find out about his lineage. The special effects were the only redeeming quality in this movie. Folks, I had this one figured out with the exception of the mass murder scene at the end. This was not that creative of a movie and I'm disappointed that these stars did the gig for money instead of their craft. Especially Morgan Freeman, who played the behind-the-scenes boss that he's played in a number of movies. Morgan: Please stop being the old wise sage and start doing the action again. You've got it in you.

The Happening

Again, the critics hated this but I kind-of liked it. It is a bit preachy about ecology and the state of the planet, but a good lesson. That being said, do not watch this movie if you don't mind gore. This movie is filled (I mean it) with suicide of various bloody means. I love me some Marky Mark, excuse me, Mark Wahlberg, and he did a great job acting with the part he'd accepted. It would have been a better movie if there had been less blood and horror and more relationship and disaster. The adorable Zooey Deschanel played Wahlberg's whiny conflicted wife to a T. The best part of the movie was the suspense, which was unfortunately brief. After they have a sense of what is causing the mayhem, the audience is subjected to countless suicides. Why? I'm not sure, maybe for water cooler reasons. M. Night Shyamalan can and has done better. For you teens of the 80s, watch for Betty Buckley (Eight Is Enough) in a mentally disturbed role. This movie's not all that and a bag of chips but it is something for someone who is comfortable with semi-slasher movies.

Iron Man

I had decided I wasn't going to fall in love with this movie because of all the hype. I found that I really did like it because of its unpredictability. Just when I thought THIS was going to happen, THAT happened. Good going, writers! As a teen of the 80s, I loved watching Robert Downey, Jr. in this role, which seemed suited for him. Terrence Howard played Downey's best friend and a military officer (how convenient...) and I understand Paramount/Marvel has not asked him to reprise his role for the sequel - Shame on you! As for the sort of love interest, Gweyneth Paltrow's role was milquetoast - a yawner. The scene stealer was the almost unrecognizable Jeff Bridges as the villain. Please rent this movie. It's really a good story (but not PC) and you'll need to see it to watch the sequel...

Nim's Island

I love Jodie Foster. I love Jodie Foster. There, I've said it. To me, she is the great actress of my age. This was a cotton-candy role for her: very light, sweet and venerable. She paired with Abigail Breslin in a role of little girl lost and Gerard Butler as the hunky reclusive dad who gets lost at sea. Foster always lived her character's role out in her fictional writings but through Breslin's emails, feels compelled to swallow her fears and face her toughest challenges. The movie centers around Breslin yet has such good secondary storylines that the movie feels richer than just a kid-flick. This is watchable with elementary age kids and up. It has a feel-good, although somewhat predictable ending.

21

Based on a true-tale of a college student with mad math skills, Jim Sturgess (who also had a role in "The Other Boleyn Girl") stars in this teen to 20s movie. He needs a love interest, which Kate Bosworth fills gracefully. Kevin Spacey is the teacher who recruits Sturgess and welds him into team member of card sharks, memorizing lines and numbers. Are they unstoppable? Of course not - Laurence Fishburne is on the case as an agent seeking revenge on Spacey. The best parts of this movie are the beginning and end with the college dean interviews. Priceless ending. I liked the movie and would recommend for a good date night.

The Other Boleyn Girl

Trashed by the critics, it was a good movie. Historically, no, it wasn't realistic. Again: Kids - this doesn't take the place of your history book. However, it did do a good job in other areas. I liked Eric Bana's acting, Natalie Portman's scheming and the beautiful innocence of Scarlet Johannson, who was the best performer. Johannson's role was of a daughter, lover, mother and pitiful sister. She played each of these roles well. Kristen Scott Thomas played the doomed first wife of Henry XIII to perfection. If you want to see an interesting take on a no-so-historically-accurate movie, see this. The sets and costumes were worth it.