WATER FOR ELEPHANTS (2011)

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I’m reminded of an interview I once saw with Tom Hanks who for some reason was talking about his favorite Elvis movie called “Roustabout.” In his very Tom Hanks style he quoted both Elvis and Barbara Stanwick, first uttering like the guttural girl, “This is not a circus, it’s a carnival and don’t you forget it!” Then lifting the corner of his upper lip, “So a uh, a carnival has like a ferris wheel and a circus has, like elephants?” Well, I’d love to have seen this circus flick with Mr. Hanks, even though the actors would be less mimicable. Robert Pattinson, ironically called Jacob in this film, actually acts. He reacts as only a hero could – for the right despite the consequences. His performance reminded me of Keanu Reeves in his true chick flick A Walk in the Clouds. Not terribly dimensional, but likeable and kindred. Reese Witherspoon hasn’t aged. I read once that she insists on sleeping 10 to 12 hours per night, and that it’s her secret to success and happiness, and youth, and physical beauty. Nah. Really? Nah.

This is a movie movie, for entertainment alone. No hidden symbolism. Just straightforward plot moved by characters on a train who hate then love each other, who learn from one another, and who fight to survive despite the ringleader’s cruelty. Triumphs and tragedies, loyalties and love affairs, the inner ring of circus life.

CONSPIRATOR (2011)

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Lincoln is dead…assassinated. We take for granted today, perhaps, the weight of these words at a time when our country was so very young and mid-civil war. I suppose since JFK, our country has understood and acknowledged the possibility of a presidential assassination. During WWII, it seems the country loved FDR “like a father,” according to my Veteran grandfather. I recall visiting Spain during Bush 2nd term of office hearing little children yell their two known English phrases, “I love you” and “Hate Bush.” Security shut down half of Seattle a month or so ago when President Obama visited Bill Gates. Yes, times have changed since April 14th, 1865.

In this film, directed by the one and only Robert Redford, a bright young soldier/lawyer Fredrick Aiken (James McAvoy) brilliantly defends Mary Surratt (Robin Wright) in the court hearings following the murder of President Lincoln. This film hatched beautifully, opens my eyes to a scene from history which I recall filling only about a paragraph in my 8th grade History book. The witch-hunt continues and places a Mother on trial – a season of firsts in American history. Produced by the American Film Company, this film boasts Historical accuracy. Fortunately the all-star cast and crew provide the frosting: a memorable, engaging, definitive story to support what would otherwise be a movie saved for that 8th grade history class. History alive now holds us more than accountable not to re-commit the mistakes of our past.

SOURCE CODE

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[HINT: 9 action film titles are hidden in the review below.]

Well done, director Duncan Jones (son of David Bowie). From it’s inception, this film knows it must have a target audience with high expectations. It’s essentially catering to film tourists. Despite the apparent clash, the titan who traverses the continuum through the darkness of one night only to tread the dawn of an uncertain next day, Jake Gyllenhaal heroically sleuths like a true Holmes from moment one without forcibly satisfying the classic need to tell the background details right away. They unfold these truths in tandem with the plot – how refreshing! Exciting, intriguing, and true to code: Sci Fi action at it’s best: See it.

YOU AGAIN

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Hot at a redbox near you…did this one miss the theaters?

I’ll tell you. It’s something like Freaky Friday meets Avatar meets High School Musical.

No. It’s an episode of Smallville meets almost any Sandra Bullock film.

No. It’s…it’s…

Did I ever tell you why I can’t stand home movies. Yes, all home movies. Of friends, of relatives, yep, even of myself. Especially the funniest home video shows. It’s because they drag on forever without a plot, or a truly funny moment, and they move so slowly that you have time to mentally configure 100 ways that the moment could have been better. Yeah, that’s You Again.

LIMITLESS

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WARNING: The following must be read into with overt sarcastic undertones, (which might then be noted as overtones…hmm).

This film is truly limitless. I learned so much about the human psyche, about the healthy restoration of relationships, about the negative elements of substance abuse. In fact, it made me feel that I, too, should strive for a future on Wall Street, or better yet, in politics. It reminded me that the true creative centers of the brain, once unleashed, will be used for the benefit of human life universal, and not for selfish gain. I learned that I am only limited by filth and ugliness – that pretty people are smarter. And, that clean people have more fun. I learned that a majority of the world’s smartest and best are actually simply drug addicted, and that medication is a secret weapon for success.

Ugly hair Bradley Cooper, pre-NZT (his drug of choice)

Actually, on a SERIOUS note= this is a terrible movie. The dizzying, long, panning shots through taxi cabs and into the brain’s internal censors are fast masks to cover the ridiculous story-line and worse writing. And, Brad, old Blue Eyes, you should never narrate. Or act. …modeling. Modeling might be your gig. Or comedy. But your message to the world with this film is that drugs are good. WRONG! Bad Blue Eyes. Drugs ARE BAD. They don’t make you famous or popular or smarter. In fact, sci-en-ti-fic studies prove that drugs actually kill parts of your brain – parts you will never get back, parts that some may have used to write, direct, and produce this unfortunately barbaric blockbuster (…blood slurping? really? I have not been this incensed since, well, since another blood slurping, lessonless plot-forsaken flick was released (See Sci-fi, Eclipse). Please do not join the masses who will see this and come one step closer to actually accepting that murder and lascivious living is acceptable, tolerable, or worse: funny. Rather, note the irony in the title, think of someone you know who struggles with addictive tendencies, and recognize this for what it really is: Limited.

STAR TREK

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J.J. Abrams revives the tribute of my lifetime. I had no idea that years of choosing to spend time with my dad in front of what he just affectionately categorized as “Sci-Fi” would turn me into a Trekkie. Sure, I’ve heard of Tribbles, Jean-Luc Picard is my personal Gandalf-esque mentor, and Janeway reminded me of my more feminist professors in my more mind-shaping classes. What of it? It was about the phasers set to stun and the Vulcan mind meld and the hyccup phrasing of Captain Kirk.
Now, however, the crew members of the Starship Enterprise are my age, Starfleet Academy is accepting applications, Bones is attractive, Romulans have a nasty streak, and I want Chris Pine to father my children.

GNOMEO AND JULIET

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Lawn Gnomes in love.
+ Elton John music
+ a phenomenal cast that no one could afford to cast in anything but an animated feature (including James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Michael Caine, Jason Statham, Maggie Smith, Patrick Stewart, Ozzy Osbourne, and Hulk Hogan)
= an animated masterpiece? … not so much.
I went in with very low expectations, which were met. I just finished teaching the book Romeo & Juliet, which I love teaching. Some of my students wanted to see it. Joy! They were the highlight; I absolutely loved watching them interact and make connections with the book (the few that existed…). There were sadly more connections to other films than to the actual Romeo & Juliet tale. They dropped movie lines like kids drop cash for candy. Forrest Gump, The Godfather, Brokeback Mt. Yup. They did.

Don’t see this. Really. And don’t take your children. And don’t make it a cult classic when it comes to DVD. Just read it. Perhaps I’m biased. Perhaps I’m jaded. Perhaps they took a funny idea like,  “Hey, let’s make an animated movie about lawn gnomes that fall in love.” Shakespeare is funny enough without froggy flirtation.

“I’m not a smart bird, but I know what love is.”

THE BROTHERS BLOOM

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Weiss. Weiss is quirky and unforgettable as the epileptic photographer.
Brody plays the perfect brooding brother.
Ruffalo, the wild, true con artist.
All is well with the Brothers Bloom, all except their lives. Bloom, after playing scripted characters for his brother’s approval and the family survival for as long as he can remember, now longs for an unwritten life. Steven Bloom plans and plays it all out professionally – a flawless performance as the paralleling Icharus character. Bloom agrees to play one last character and meets the most “real” girl he’s ever met.
I’m still pondering whether Weiss’s character is created or simply lived. A girl called “Bang Bang” also adds quirk and intrique. This film is a must-watch. It must be watched at least a few times. The details are brilliant. Please beware the silly scenes, the few unnecessary phrases. Do recognize the artwork, the scenery, the poetry. Dwell in the moments delivered to you via Rian Johnson’s Directorial masterwork.

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

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Adventures with Max are phenomenal, well-written, well-played, well-dreamed, and well-filmed. Ordinarily, book-to-film adaptations lack depth and intrigue. This film, having no more than 10 pages to work with, however surpassed my every reading of this book before. Little Max gave an astounding performance. I could feel his pain, understand his loneliness, sense his sorrow, and at the same time, he made me more resilient with his every battle cry!
Henson’s monsters ala Sendak spoke candidly, played violently, felt intensely. Each highlighting and honing in on an aspect of the boy’s internal sensibility, became a kalidescope of kid-sized reactions and thoughts. The new “family” made him their king and asked if he in his power could take away the sadness and loneliness. His response became the backbone of the film, “I have a sadness shield and I take loneliness and do this…kapkooo!” King Max grew up over his short season as king of the Wild Things, learning how to deal with his inner termoil and how to love his family again. Saying goodbye, Max sailed back across the sea to the perfect sound track by Karen O and the Kids.
So, let the wild rumpus begin!

SHUTTER ISLAND

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Scorsese, the scar-faced Santa Claus, delivers coal to sinful souls through a wet, red door in this film. Justice and mercy, forgiveness and grief – these intermingle as Leo fights demons and seeks truth. In finding it, however, he also finds himself in interminable pain. This journey is a powerfully concocted trudge through the tortured mind, and ironically it’s a thinker film without a lot of action. Are we meant to see ourselves in one of the two pairs of shoes – as potential patients? Are war “heroes” made at the price of, how did Leo put it in the film…something like, “our God-given moral code?” Motifs flourish in this film: water & death, fire & life, light & escape. Most of the elements are present, but Scorsese’s most impressive elements are the cast members themselves. Each performs perfectly in his / her roles. I love this cast. Each one would make my list of “people I would have lunch with…living, dead, fictitious…” Ben Kingsley is lovely as always – a father/mentor figure. Mark Ruffalo has the role of “foil” down pat, and he such a handle on de-emotionalizing and controlling his characters. I feel safe in his performances – curious, but safe. A favorite and most telling scene is the conversation between Leo and Ted Levine (Monk’s Captain Stottlemeyer). And I’ve come to expect seeing Christopher Plummer lately, so of course he was the man in the chair. Leo is stunning. He is dangerous and unapproachable as a human being, a perfect match to the foil. He is the hero. I love his purpose and his approach to the journey – he fears not for himself – a heroic earmark.I am a Gretel. I love following bread crumbs. (Beware: light spoilers to follow.) It opens with a Hitchcockesque score, which doesn’t continue, but bursts forth once again at the very end. I was surprised to hear the conflict indicator line “A storm’s coming” in the first five minutes of the film. Crumbs: Ruffalo’s gun, accent, and sideways glances; the guards’ boredom, the supposedly-menacing lighthouse (usually a beacon of safety), the darkly humorous interviews. It’s not a question of what is real, but what is actually unsafe? Scorsese sets the audience up well and moves the story at a digestible pace, but shows me too much gore to ever want to see it again. Yes, Scorsese indulges in a violent commentary on life, but at the expense of all comfort. What initially advertises as beautiful is frightfully bloody and heart-woundingly sad.