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The
Simpsons Movie
Reviewed by Russ Simmons
When cartoonist Matt Groening’s bug-eyed dysfunctional family first
appeared on a segment of The Tracey Ullman Show in 1987, few
could have guessed that over the next two decades that The Simpsons
would become the longest running comedy in TV history.
Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie (and the actors who gave them voice)
have finally arrived on the big screen and fans of the series will celebrate.
Others will be at an utter loss.
True to the cheeky yellow humor of the small screen version, The
Simpsons Movie is a cautionary tale about environmental issues, rampant
consumerism and governmental intrusion disguised as a cynical animated
comedy.
David Silverman, one of the original directors of the TV series, admitted
that, “The dumber Homer was, the funnier the show was.” In
keeping with that template, Homer nearly brings about the destruction
of his hometown as the result of utter stupidity and apathy.
After a clever opening sequence that comments on the absurdity of paying
to see a show at a theatre that you can see for free at home, The
Simpsons Movie relates the sordid tale of a man’s love for
a pig…and its unintended consequences.
After rescuing a pig and taking it home as a pet, Homer collects the
porker’s waste in a silo. Although he was warned that the Springfield
Lake was already too polluted, Homer dumps the feces in the lake, an act
that causes it to bubble into a toxic disaster. The government, led by
EPA chairman Russ Cargill (voiced by Albert Brooks) encases the town in
a giant transparent dome in order to control the damage.
Thanks to a backyard sinkhole, Homer and family manage to escape the
angry Springfield mob and head off to Alaska. When it becomes evident
that the government is about to blow Springfield off the map, the family
faces a strong ethical dilemma and Homer is the only one who can save
the day.
The acerbic script is the collaborative effort of Groening, Al Jean,
James L. Brooks and eight other writers with lengthy ties to the series.
Usually, that many writers pose a problem…too many chefs spoiling
the broth. Fortunately, that pitfall is generally avoided here. The writers
and director Silverman (Monsters, Inc.) have created a movie
that is on a par with most episodes…and three times longer!
For fans, The Simpsons Movie is as refreshing as a cold Duff’s
Beer on a hot Springfield day. (PG) Rating: 3.5 (Posted 07/27/07)
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No
Reservations
Reviewed by Deborah Young
Food and sensuality fit together like hand and glove. For proof just
look to films such as Chocolat (2000), the story of a mysterious
stranger whose tasty chocolates allure men and evoke much gossip. Then
there’s Like Water for Chocolate (1992), which uses cooking
as a metaphor for sexual passion. And, I couldn’t leave out the
daffy romantic fantasy Simply Irresistible about a young female
chef whose cooking creates magic.
No Reservations is a bit more down to earth than those films.
A remake of the 2001 film Mostly Martha, it tells the story of
a single chef who becomes the guardian of her 8-year-old niece.
In this version, Catherine Zeta-Jones plays the food-obsessed Kate, head
chef at a Manhattan restaurant called 22 Bleeker. The movie begins with
Kate telling her therapist (Bob Balaban, Gosford Park, 2002)
about the best way to prepare quail. She speaks of pig bladders and cooking
temperatures in soft, low tones that betray food’s total seduction
of her.
Kate’s boss ordered her into counseling (because of her obsessive
behavior and antagonism of patrons who complain about her food). But Kate,
an emotional ice cube, refuses to discuss her life with the therapist.
Instead, she talks about food and sometimes takes gourmet dishes to the
therapist.
Kate follows her routine at the restaurant and in counseling until life
changes when a tragedy leads her to take custody of her young niece (Abigail
Breslin as Zoe). Kate has no idea how to care for Zoe. She can’t
even get the girl to eat.
Then Kate’s boss hires Nick (Aaron Eckhart, Thank You for Smoking,
2005), a free-spirited sous chef. Nick plays opera music in the kitchen,
cooks Italian food for his coworkers, and upsets Kate’s ordered
world.
Despite its many clichés, No Reservations still entertains,
mainly because of its competent, likeable cast and ambiance-creating soundtrack
(including music by Phillip Glass).
Even the soundtrack is a cliché, with songs that are romantic
comedy staples. But these songs, such as Michael Buble’s rendition
of “Sway” (sung by the Pussycat Dolls in the 2004 romantic
comedy Shall We Dance) and Paolo Conte’s Via Con Me (featured
in French Kiss, 1995) are song staples for a good reason. They
create an aura of romance, as do scenes of the two chefs tasting food
together.
Viewers of this film won’t see (or hear) much that’s new.
But No Reservations recreates old themes with style. Cinematographer
Stuart Dryburgh (director of photography for Painted Veil, 2006)
and director Scott Hicks (Snow Falling on Cedar, 1999) have created
a visually appealing film. And actors Zeta-Jones, Eckhart, Breslin and
Balaban have created characters with whom we can relate. (PG) Rating:
3.5 (Posted 07/27/07)
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Who's
Your Caddy?
Reviewed by Russ Simmons
In an attempt to bring more entertainment options to minorities, BET
founder Robert L. Johnson and Bob and Harvey Weinstein created “Our
Stories”, an independent film studio. Their aim was to produce “family-friendly
feature films for African American and urban audiences.”
It’s a worthy motive, to be sure. It’s too bad that their
first effort is the lame and unintentionally offensive comedy Who’s
Your Caddy?
Antoine “Big Boi” Patton, half of the acclaimed Hip-hop group
Outkast, leads a large ensemble in this awkward farce about the efforts
of a rap star to gain membership to an elite, all-white Carolina country
club.
Patton plays C-Note, a phenomenally successful music artist whose father
was once a caddy at the Carolina Pines Golf and Country Club. C-Note takes
matters into his own hands after the stuffy head of the membership selection
committee (Jeffrey Jones from TV’s Deadwood) rebuffs his
efforts to join the club.
Dropping a few million bucks on a mansion that borders the golf course,
C-Note and his posse move in and make their presence known. In a defensive
move, the club hires an African American lawyer named Shannon (Tamala
Jones from Booty Call) to find any and all loopholes in the rulebook
to keep C-Note out of the club.
Naturally, after initial resistance, Shannon begins to see that C-Note’s
cause is a worthy one. They set into motion a series of strategies to
drag the club and its snooty membership, kicking and screaming, into the
21st century.
Director/writer Don Michael Paul (Half Past Dead) relies heavily
on the charisma of his cast to make the movie work. In fact, he allowed
so much obvious improvisation that many of the cast members ought to sue
for screenwriting credit.
Among those in the supporting cast are Sherri Shepherd (TV’s The
View), Faizon Love (Idlewild), Terry Crews (Norbit),
Finesse Mitchell (TV’s Saturday Night Live) and Tony Cox
(Bad Santa). Their considerable efforts make this mess nearly
tolerable.
While much of the comedy falls flat, the biggest problem with Who’s
Your Caddy? lies in its rampant use of stereotypes. While it is good to
see black characters that are empowered and wealthy, there are still plenty
of gangsters, dopers and hoochie mamas to push the limits of the PG-13
rating.
In spite of all the good intentions behind the production and the inception
of “Our Stories”, Who’s Your Caddy? is still
well under par. (PG-13) Rating: 1.5 (Posted 07/27/07)
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Hairspray
Reviewed by Russ Simmons
Big is beautiful, and you need look no further than Hairspray
for proof.
The movie musical has arrived with buoyant bouffants in tow. Rousing,
energetic and infectious, this Tony Award-winning show piles the fun as
high as a beehive hairdo.
In 2002, a musical version of John Waters’ hit 1988 movie of the
same name opened on Broadway. Thanks to catchy tunes, engaging choreography
and a feel-good vibe, it was a big improvement on the original. Now, a
movie version of the musical has hit the big screen, and it may be the
best of the lot.
Hairspray tells the story of Tracy Turnblad (newcomer Nikki
Blonsky), a 16-year-old living in Baltimore in 1962. Short and on the
hefty side, Tracy dreams of being a dancer on a local American Bandstand-style
program called “The Corny Collins Show.” If she is to succeed,
she must smash the barriers of prejudice surrounding race, sex and appearance.
As is the tradition with the show, a man in drag always plays Tracy’s
mom. John Travolta gets the assignment here as the disapproving Edna Turnblad,
donning a fat suit, prosthetics and full regalia. It’s clear that
he’s having a ball with this cross-gender characterization.
The entire cast is terrific, but Blonsky’s energetic, do-or-die
performance sets the tone. Christopher Walken is fun as Tracy’s
dancing dad, Wilbur, and Michelle Pfeiffer also shows that she’s
got the musical chops, playing an evil TV station manager who tries to
thwart Tracy’s efforts.
Other notable cast members include Amanda Bynes, Allison Janney, Jerry
Stiller, Elijah Kelley, Brittany Snow, Zach Efron, James Marsden and Kansas
City native, Hayley Podschun.
Highlights include Wilbur and Edna’s charming duet, “Timeless
to Me,” “I Know Where I’ve Been,” sung by record
store owner Motormouth Maybelle (Queen Latifah), and the rousing finale,
“You Can’t Stop the Beat.”
Director/choreographer Adam Shankman might not initially have seemed
the right choice (his previous credits include The Pacifier and
Cheaper by the Dozen 2.) But he puts the pedal to the metal,
creating an exhilarating and entertaining extravaganza, and the screenplay
by Mark O’Donnell and Leslie Dixon is an improvement on Waters’
original.
The music by Marc Shaiman, with lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman,
is infectiously toe tapping. The score’s mix of Broadway and the
‘60s pop sound may be derivative, but it sure is fun.
In spite of the potentially chaotic energy, this well-aimed spritz of
Hairspray keeps everything in place. (PG) Rating: 4.5 (Posted
07/20/07) |
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Harry
Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Reviewed by Deborah Young
This latest Harry Potter movie gets a bit Orwellian and more serious
in tone than the previous movie in the series. Here, the Ministry of Magic
replaces Orwell’s Big Brother, and Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) joins
the members of a secret order to thwart Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes),
who has returned.
The adventure begins when Harry and Dudley (Harry Melling) get attacked
by Dementors. Harry then gets notices that he will be expelled for using
magic to protect himself and Dudley.
As though his pending expulsion were not enough trouble, a representative
of the Ministry of Magic joins the staff of Hogwarts. This smiling, pink-clad
woman named Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton) may appear benign, but
she’s actually a sadistic fascist who soon rules Hogwarts.
Dolores dumbs down the curriculum at Hogwarts in a seeming attempt to
keep the students defenseless. So Harry becomes a covert instructor to
his peers, who want to be armed with the best magic possible in case they
have to fight dark forces.
This time around there’s more action, more danger for the protagonists
and more adult themes. Like Star Wars’ Anakin Skywalker,
Harry faces the fact that he has a dark side, and he has to choose between
good and evil. His godfather, Sirius (Gary Oldman) acts as Harry’s
compass as the boy attempts to discover who he really is.
Nick Hooper’s scored contains both grand orchestral pieces and
barely noticeable sounds. It may not be the greatest standalone music,
but the score serves as great background music for this fast-paced tale
of intrigue.
Those with young children might take note that this film contains a death
and scenes of cruelty to the Hogwarts students. But for older children
and adults, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix provides
138 minutes of adventure. (PG-13) Rating: 4 (Posted 07/16/07) |
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Joshua
Reviewed by Russ Simmons
When the classic Broadway play The Bad Seed was turned into
a Hollywood film in 1956, the producers added an absurd final scene that
changed the chilling tone of the original. They were afraid that movie
audiences weren’t ready for the story of an evil child who got away
with murder.
As the new movie Joshua demonstrates, contemporary producers
have no such compunction. Moral ambiguity is the order of the day, so
showcasing a pre-teen homicidal maniac can be done without reservations.
Although it lacks the gore and revolting graphic sadism of many contemporary
films, Joshua still has enough creepy chills to please most horror
fans.
The new thriller focuses on a brilliant youngster played by young Jacob
Kogan. The offspring of an affluent Manhattan couple, Joshua appears to
be a fairly normal child except for one thing. He seems to lack emotion.
Joshua’s parents are Brad and Abby Cairn, played by Sam Rockwell
(The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) and Vera Farmiga
(The Departed). Their lives are about to be upended as they welcome
a new baby girl into their home. Joshua may not feel love, compassion
or empathy for his new sibling, but resentment is a feeling he is all
too familiar with.
Unusually polite, excessively neat and inordinately intelligent, Joshua
makes his dad understandably proud. But Brad starts to wonder about his
precocious son when he starts mummifying animals and tells him, “You
don’t have to love me.”
Additionally, Abby is suffering from a serious case of postpartum depression
and, ultimately, is institutionalized. Grandma has an untimely accident.
The dog dies. Could this all be a coincidence or is our little overachiever
also a master manipulator?
Rockwell is excellent as the harried dad who can’t quite believe
that his beloved offspring is capable of heinous acts. Farmiga, one of
our very best actresses, also provides strong support even though her
character is annoyingly shrill.
Young Kogan is appropriately one-dimensional, a creepy canvas onto which
viewers can paint their own eerie persona. Knowing Joshua’s modus
operandi, it’s easy to read a lot into his slightest glance.
Director George Ratliff, best known for the documentary Hell House,
allows the story by first-time screenwriter David Gilbert to unfold very
deliberately. One could argue that its pace is too leisurely for its own
good.
Still, Joshua is a modestly successful little thriller. It manages
to create an unnerving nightmare version of parenthood. (R) Rating: 3
(Posted 07/13/07) |
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Transformers
Reviewed by Russ Simmons
Nostalgia can be a powerful thing. Like the red and blue tinted glasses
required to successfully view a 3-D movie, some flicks require rose-colored
glasses to ensure maximum enjoyment.
Men in their 30s and 40s will gladly don rose-colored glasses for Transformers,
the big-screen adaptation of the popular Hasbro toy line that inspired
a popular TV cartoon series.
Director Michael Bay (The Island, Pearl Harbor) may
have found the ideal movie for his unique talents. With a keen eye for
over-the-top visuals and a knack for staging slam-bang action sequences,
Bay has taken a silly premise and, aided by a few mechanical reconfigurations,
“transformed” it into a wild and entertaining opus.
Shia LeBeouf (Disturbia) stars as a Sam Whitwicky, an awkward
teenager who has just received his first car. But, as we soon discover,
this is no ordinary clunker. His Camaro is actually a highly advanced
robot from outer space named Bumblebee. This is an intelligent piece of
machinery that can change its structure to become a fierce battlefield
warrior.
Some initially fearful days follow in which Sam learns of Bumblee’s
powers. But it is obvious that our mechanical friend has Sam’s best
interest in mind. It also doesn’t hurt that he helps Sam win the
affections of a gorgeous girl named Mikeala (Megan Fox from TV’s
Hope and Faith).
It turns out, of course, that Bumblebee and some of his fearsome allies
are on Earth to locate a pair of glasses that belonged to Sam’s
grandfather, an explorer who discovered a giant robot frozen in the arctic
decades earlier. These glasses hold the key to an ongoing intergalactic
conflict. In order to save Earth, Bumblebee and his friends must use the
glasses in order to find a mysterious cube and prevent the evil frozen
robot (Megatron, leader of the Decepticons) from awakening.
Only purists will care very much about the plot. Lots of actors show
up, like Jon Voight, Anthony Anderson, John Turturro, Tyrese Gibson, Josh
Duhamel and others, but they’re disposable. The only amusing ones
are Kevin Dunn and Julie White as Sam’s goofy parents. Most fans
will be content to see just how well that Bay and his army of computer
technicians can stage a $150 million orgy of big screen action. On that
count, they’re quite successful.
While his movie is overlong, terribly silly and excessively loud, Bay
delivers enough eye candy to give you cavities. Put on those rose-colored
glasses and go along for the ride. (PG-13) Rating: 3.5 (Posted 07/03/07) |
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License
to Wed
Reviewed by Russ Simmons
Robin Williams is an undeniably creative and brilliant performer. Given
the right material, he can deliver sensational work.
Given the wrong material, however, and Williams can grate on the nerves
like fingernails on the chalkboard. Sadly, his latest effort falls into
the latter category. License to Wed is a labored, unfunny comedy
that is a phony as it is manipulative.
Williams plays Reverend Frank, a minister with methods that are, to say
the least, unorthodox. Before anyone can be married in his popular church,
they must complete his rigorous marriage preparation course. He counsels
engaged couples and pushes them to the limit to test their commitment
and compatibility.
The focal couple of the film is Sadie Jones (Because I Said So’s
Mandy Moore) and Ben Murphy (John Krasinsky from TV’s The Office).
Obviously in love and seemingly made for each other, Sadie and Ben don’t
appear to need the good reverend’s counseling. But at his insistence,
they agree to Rev. Frank’s terms.
As you might expect, Sadie and Ben are put through the mill, provoked
into conflict and severely shaken.
Of course, License to Wed exists in a sitcom world where excess
is all too often considered a virtue and any sense of reality is simply
inconvenient. The filmmakers certainly hope that we put our brains on
hold and just go along for the ride. Sometimes that’s too much to
ask.
Although the committee of Kim Barker, Tim Rasmussen, Vince Di Meglio
and Wayne Lloyd is credited with the screenplay (obviously too many chefs,
here), you can certainly consider Williams a co-writer as well. He inserts
a patented parade of puns and one-liners that you can bet the farm weren’t
in the original script. His efforts generate a few laughs but ultimately
detract from the proceedings.
Director Ken Kwapis (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants)
allows this well-meaning enterprise to degenerate into a series of middling
sight gags and silly complications. One particularly annoying sequence
sees Sadie and Ben struggling with two mechanical baby dolls that the
reverend has foisted upon them. They’re expected to go about their
business while these robotic nightmares scream, kick and spew liquids
from every orifice.
Of course, Rev. Frank knows exactly what he’s doing. In his efforts,
he succeeds in brining out the best in them and cementing their relationship.
Unfortunately, he brings out the worst in us. We just want to shoot him.
(PG-13) Rating: 2 (Posted 07/03/07) |
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Ratatouille
Reviewed by Russ Simmons
If nothing else, the wizards at Pixar have proven two things. They’re
always willing and able to raise the bar in terms of animated artistry.
They also make their cartoons accessible to adults. In the case of their
latest effort, however, it may not be quite as accessible to kids.
While Ratatouille is easily among the very best films that this
impressive company has produced, it is clearly aimed at adults and older
children. The toddlers may actually feel left out this time.
Like Toy Story, Cars, Finding Nemo and Monsters,
Inc., Ratatouille is beautifully rendered and intelligent.
This time, however, they’ve created an art house cartoon.
Ratatouille tells the story of a French rodent named Remy, voiced
by comic Patton Oswalt. Remy is a unique fellow to say the least. Unlike
his furry family, he has an unusually keen sense of smell and taste. He
also has ambition. Not content to simply rummage for whatever garbage
he can find, Remy likes to mix flavors together to create singular taste
sensations.
Inspired by a book called Anyone Can Cook by a deceased chef
named Auguste Gusteau, Remy sneaks into an old woman’s kitchen to
secretly learn the ropes. Through a set of unusual coincidences, Remy
finds himself separated from his family and in the walls of the very Parisian
restaurant that belonged to the late chef who authored the book.
Remy sneaks into the kitchen and concocts a savory soup. When it is accidentally
served, it becomes a hit. A lowly garbage boy and wannabe chef named Linguini
(Lou Romano) is mistakenly believed to have made it. Now, however, Linguini
must repeat the feat.
Once he’s discovered that a rat made the soup, Linguini convinces
Remy that they should team up. Remy hides under Linguini’s hat and
by pulling his hair, sends signals that allow them to work some culinary
magic together.
If all this seems a bit odd to you, you’re right. It is hard to
imagine how the creative forces behind this story were able to convince
producers that this would make a great movie. Thankfully, they did…and
they were right.
The computer-generated imagery put on screen may very well be the best
ever. While the filmmakers did not attempt photo-realism, it is often
achieved. More impressive is the fact that they’ve created a wholly
unique and believable environment for this story to live in.
Writer/director Brad Bird (The Incredibles) cements his position
as the best in the business and the movie can boast of a smart script,
sensational visuals and fine voice work. (Peter O’Toole is amusing
as a scary food critic.)
The youngsters may no savor Ratatouille, but their parents will. (G)
Rating: 4.5 (Posted 07/03/07) |
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