Charlie Wilson's War

Charlie Wilson's War
Starring Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Philip Seymour Hoffman & Amy Adams

Mike Nichols (director) swiftly pours us a vibrant shot of comedy and drama in the very first scene. Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks), naked, relaxes in a hot tub with three naked women and another man. They talk about some movie the one girl's starring in, but Wilson is disinterested; he's only interested in the news on the television - the Soviet Union is taking over Afghanistan. As the story continues, we follow the playboy congressman, a renegade CIA agent (Hoffman) and a Houston socialite (Julia Roberts), who band together and pull off one of the greatest covert missions in history, which eventually aided the dismantlement of the Soviet Union and ended the Cold War. We know Nichols can do drama ("Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and "Closer"), but I wasn't sure about comedy. However, with his incredible cast - though Roberts is a tad overrated, but still edgy - he knocks down that barrier.

Hanks leads the way through a series of awkward, hilarious situations and also through periods of anguish and loss. It's a perfect mixture. His office is run by bombshell women, all bearing cleavage, save Amy Adams who is Wilson's backbone secretary. She's smart and, though a bit pure, understands Wilson's scandalous ways. Hoffman is a complete lunatic and fits the role to a "T," and Roberts delivers a half-and-half, milked up performance.

There are scenes in "Charlie Wilson's War" that astound us. Emily Blunt plays a blouse-buttoned professional daughter of some not-so-important Texan, and as she sits in Wilson's office, she is disturbed by the sexiness of his office gals. In the next scene, however she is clad in bra, panties and stilettos, in Wilson's suite, with the Washington stud. It's hilarious! Also, as Wilson and Hoffman's Gust Avrakotos team up, trying to gain funds from other countries, the duo use lap dance persuasion tactics to draw the mullah from the countries leaders. Once again, we are dealt a double flavored shot of comedy and drama.

Yet, the truly dramatic scenes in which Hanks and Adams venture to Afghanistan to see the horrible warfare going on there is very touching. Their working relationship is great and nothing is pushed to the limits. It shows Wilson's softer side, never flirting with his secretary or going over her wall.

Though Wilson was able to boost funds from 5 million dollars to $1 billion annually, there is great tragedy in the film, for our government, once the Soviets were out, pulled out of Afghanistan, and as a result, we are now fighting the country we should have stayed to educate.

Grade: A-

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

Starring John C. Reilly, Jenna Fischer & Kristen Wiig

"Knocked Up," "Superbad," and "Walk Hard" are the trio of films produced by Judd Apatow (he also wrote "Knocked Up" & "Walk Hard" and directed the first). So, in a year of Apatow, a closer examination of the three will bring us a review of the last: "Walk Hard." "Knocked Up" brought us laugh after laugh of showing us humor. "Superbad" was all about ridiculous dialogue. While "Walk Hard" knocks off the biopics, giving us both physical and dialogue humor. However, it wasn't as good as either of the summer hits, and why it's nominated for a Golden Globe is beyond me.

It's lead man, John C. Reilly, put so much of himself into the character of Dewey Cox that it was both hilarious and too much all at the same time. Now, don't get me wrong - I laughed a lot during "Walk Hard," but in retrospect, I can't really remember why. Nothing sticks with the film. It's too elongated in time (not the running time) and covers too much history to feel right.

Other than Reilly, my favorite performance was Kristen Wiig as Edith, Dewey's first wife. Creating a comedic side to the infringed wife of Johnny Cash in "Walk the Line," Wiig brings true absurdity to her disheveled life with Cox. She's the only supporting performer that is both funny and true to the role. Wiig and Reilly relate stupidity to reality. Jenna Fischer, on the other hand, is just trying to have fun, but grounds herself in an amateur performance. But she's still super hot.

All in all, "Walk Hard" was a funny, ridiculous epic biopic tracking the life of Dewey Cox: made up rock star. Oh, it has a descent soundtrack (I guess) and The Beatles scene in India is the best part of the film, thanks to George (Justin Long), Paul (Jack Black), Ringo (Jason Schwartzman) and Mr. John Lennon (Paul Rudd).

Grade: B-

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Starring Johanny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, Sacha Baron Cohen & Jamie Campbell Bower

The themes are revenge and love, the symbols are blood and barber knives, and the motif is a barber chair that sends murder victims down a hatch, crunching on the stones below, only to be used for meat pies sold to the general public. And are we hungry! Tim Burton's film adaptation of the ground-breaking musical that showcased Broadway's darkside, "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street," does just as Todd's mechanical chair. We are shot down a hole of music that knocks us senseless, characters so interwoven that we fall for the spell of the unpredictable, and whole lot of blood. With original music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, a most intricate composer, and the horrific unusualness of Burton, Sweeney's story unfolds beautifully.

The beauty of blood is shown in the very first scene. As we listen to the introductory music, we watch blood drip and flow through London's underground. London is dark. London is dangerous. With a sailor boy named Anthony (Jamie Campbell Bower), Sweeney (Johnny Depp) arrives after years of imprisonment and is out to kill the man who wrongly accused him, putting him away: Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman). However, before he tries to hack the judge, he meets Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter), who owns a shop, selling "the worst pies in London," according to the song. Anthony falls in love with a young girl tucked away in a house. She is Johanna (Jayne Wisener), Todd's daughter and now captive of Turpin. We learn that Turpin wishes to marry the young Johanna, which of course puts pressure on Anthony to rescue her. We are also given other characters who play great roles in the rising of the plot: Toby (Ed Sanders), the boy who begins to work for Mrs. Lovett; Beadle (Timothy Spall), who weasels his way in and out of the streets, working for Turpin; Signor Pirelli (Sacha Baron Cohen), who loses a barber contest to Todd (and later loses a bit more); and the beggar woman (Laura Michelle Kelly), the only character to sense the evil going on in Todd's barber shop.

Every actor and actress sings and performs incredibly well, bringing the musical's usual thrusting melody to a cold whisper. Depp is creepy as he was in many-a-film, and Rickman, Cohen, and the other cast members were are great, however, the real triumph was Helena Bonham Carter's Mrs. Lovett. Her voice is soothing and crisp, while her portrayal was desperately great. The newcomers caught on to Burton's oddities, particularly Jamie Campbell Bower. The usually dull innocence of Anthony was annoying in the stage production (I Netflixed it), but Bower - and I'm sure with the help of Burton - gave the role a wolfish sense, something wild and hungry, yet his voice was high and chilling.

And on top of all this, there was blood. Burton reached back to classic horror films and brought the red stuff streaming out. With every slash of the barber knife, it poured, sprayed, splattered. It looked great, and with significant killings, Burton changed the ways of his blood dripping mechanics. Bloody perfection.

It looked great, sounded great, and felt great. "Sweeney Todd" is at the top this year for it's ability to bring the stage to life on screen.

Grade: A+

A Few DVDs of 2007

Away from Her
Starring Julie Christie, Gordon Pinsent & Olympia Dukakis

Though Christie stole the show with her terrific portrayal of a woman losing her memory to Alzheimer's, there are a number of great performances in this film. The film is a bit slow, but the moral and the determination to present a true portrait of Alzheimer's is great to watch. As of now (I have not seen Juno) I'm all for Julie Christie being nominated for Best Actress, but there is one lovely lade below who gets my vote (if I had one), and it sure isn't Lindsay Lohan.

Grade: B

The Lives of Others

Starring Martina Gedeck, Ulrich Muhe & Sebastian Koch

Though it deservedly won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film last year, "The Lives of Others" was released to the U.S. in 2007. This film delivers great performances by all three actors listed above, particularly Muhe who embodied the silence of Wiesler who discovers in himself the corruption of his people and finds inspiration of the people (Gedeck & Koch) he's out to uncover. The film is beautiful, but hard to follow - you really have to know your history!

Grade: A-

Waitress

Starring Keri Russell, Jeremy Sisto, Cheryl Hines, Nathan Fillon & Andy Griffith

There's no way that anyone couldn't enjoy "Waitress." In a year of pies (this movie, "Pushing Daisies," "My Blueberry Nights" - which i am halfway through, and "Sweeney Todd"), Keri Russell's picture-perfect illustration of a girl with a big heart, big dreams, big problems and a big belly is surrounded with her love for making incredibly unique, often bizarre, pies. She'll make you laugh and love her to death.

Grade: A-

I Know Who Killed Me

Starring Lindsay Lohan, and who gives a shit

Plain and simple: don't see this movie. She doesn't even show her boobs. This movie is proof that I will have no problem at all making films in Hollywood.

Grade: F

La Vie en Rose

Starring Marion Coltillard

Yes, this foreign epic was long and drawn out, but who could deny the power Marion Coltillard had on screen? She tore Edith Piaf in pieces and succeeded in doing what "I'm Not There" did for Bob Dylan, except Marion played every part. She was charming, sad, humble, and powerful. The best leading female performance of the year - I still have to see "Juno."

Grade: B

Once

Starring Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova

This is a simple formula for a cinematic masterpiece: give us two likable people, a lot of fantastic music, about 90 minutes of screen time, and you've got yourself "Once," one of the year's best, a diamond in the rough that doesn't overdo, over sing, over love. It just is.

Grade: A

National Treasure: Book of Secrets

National Treasure: Book of Secrets

Starring Nicholas Cage, Justin Bartha, Helen Kruger, Jon Voight, Helen Mirren, and Ed Harris

The first "National Treasure" didn't really woo, but it was exciting and entertaining to say the least. The villain was well developed and determined. The protagonist (Cage) was equally developed and determined. The love interest held our attention. However, all of these descent qualities went down the drain for "Book of Secrets."

Primarily, the excitement factor was on an all-time low. Cage, Bartha and Kruger's characters were dull, too intelligent, and hardly made mistakes. We knew, of course, that their goal would be accomplished the minute they "sang" the "I Want Song." Sure, there were many different locales all around the world, but it seemed forced and unattached.

Ed Harris is great. Yet, his role as the prime villain in "Book of Secrets" was his worst choice as an actor ever. This villain was a villain for maybe about 30 minutes of the film. Then he gained the Bugs Bunny "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em" philosophy, only because Cage and his gang of nerds are way too smart for Harris' role. The last half hour or so was pointless. The writers tried to inflict terror in Harris' character by giving him a knife or setting him in power situations, but he was weak. The worst villain.

One aspect of the first "National Treasure" that was enjoyable was the beginning relationship between Cage and Kruger. It was childish and PG-rated, but was still a love connection. Beginning "Book of Secrets" with them separated could have been a wise choice, but it was inevitably predictable, and quite pointless. Oh, and what about Voight and Mirren? The best part of the film with their separated for years and rekindling their love, but not enough screen time! And, North Dakota?! And, how did everyone have just enough water bottles?! I digress.

If you want to see the blockbuster of December, go see "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," but you will be rewarded with a whole lot of pointlessness.

Grade: D+

I'm Not There

I'm Not There
Starring Cate Blancett, Ben Whishaw, Heath Ledger, Christian Bale, Richard Gere, Marcus Carl Franklin, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Michelle Williams, and Bruce Greenwood

If anything can push itself closer to a masterpiece than what "I'm Not There" does, it's trying too hard. Through the eyes of director and writer Todd Haynes, we are given a collage of Bob Dylan, though he's never there (pun). With five, six or seven different interpretations of Dylan's life through five and up to seven fictionally true life characters, a near masterpiece - and the most original movie I have seen in years - forms.

There is Woody Guthrie, the lone wanderer, played masterfully by the young Marcus Carl Franklin. The casting is perfect for Woody, a version of Dylan. He is naive, adventurous, and running from or to something. Franklin's youth carries the character from place to place. Then we have Heath Ledger's Robbie Clark. This Dylan is washed-up and very persuasive in character. Love to anguish, Clark falls for Charlotte Gainsbourg's artsy Claire, and in the midst of the 60s, we see the evolution of couple. Probably my least favorite Dylan, Christian Bale is the epitome of folk music. He lives it. He is it. But Bale's character, Jack Rollins has the easy road compared to the other Dylans. (Bale also plays Pastor John, which may be the sixth Dylan). The final two definite Dylans are the most spectacular. Ben Whishaw's Arthur Rimbaud, outlaw, jailed up, delivers a picturesque interview monologues that trail throughout the film.

And finally, Cate. Cate Blanchett, in her most terrifically jaw-dropping role, is "I'm Not There." Her Dylan named Jude Quinn is the rock of Haynes film, and he knows it. She embodies Dylan more than any of the men playing him. She is the chameleon. She is perfect. She is, and I say this with all my knowledge of Hollywood, the best actress of our generation. Hand her the effing Oscar now.

Oh, yes - what about that seventh Dylan? Well, Richard Gere has a fun role near the end of the movie, playing Billy the Kid. Though he does cross paths with Franklin's Woody-Dylan, one may list Billy the Kid as a mirrored Dylan. I do. His scenes are bizarre and imaginative, giving us an alter-reality and something to ponder.

Todd Haynes delivered one of the best films of 2007, and one that really needs to be watched 50 times to grasp everything. I honestly can't wait to see it again.

Grade: A

I Am Legend

I Am Legend
Starring Will Smith & Abby the Dog

In a futuristic world that contains threads of "28 Days Later" and "Cast Away," this modern day version of the 50s novel commands an audience needy of action, love, humor, and Will Smith. For an hour and forty minutes, captivation takes control of the theatre, and one of the better end-of-the-world films comes to life. Of course, it has its kinks.

Will Smith is Robert Neville, assumably the last man on earth - well, at least on the isle of New York City. He and his trusty dog, Sam, hunt for wild deer during the day, watch taped news from years ago, listen to Bob Marley, and sleep. Except the sleeping part is more difficult - there are creatures about. Neville studies the humans and animals that were affected by a virus, but he never caught it. They are dangerous, hungry, and never enter the light.

As we enter his Tom Hanks circa "Cast Away" life, flashbacks are given as information about what happened before everyone died or became infected. His wife and daughter are now gone. It's just Neville and Sam.

The suspense of "I Am Legend" arises from a well known world that is so distant and strange. Times Square looks the same but doesn't. It's wild, relentless, deadly. Well, I guess nothing has really changed. Also, the fact that some of the creatures seem to be evolving runs the risk of never being safe. However, the movie takes a turn from being a good old Smith and Sam, lost, unavailing kind of adventure to one of hope. This is a good move for what else can you do, I guess? But it also lessens the tension in a way, knowing that someone else has been out there. Oh well. The final decision of Robert Neville is one to be highly questioned, but the movie before the last 20 minutes was great fun.

Grade: B

No Country for Old Men

No Country for Old Men
Starring Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Tommy Lee Jones, Kelly MacDonald, and Woody Harrelson

Precise, pestilent and perfect. "No Country for Old Men" lures its watcher in close and bites him from behind. In the year's masterpiece to top, the Coen brothers adeptly create a beautiful, shocking film full of breathtaking cinematography, quick dialogue, characters that are both paramount and futile, and thrills that go beyond the genre of a thriller.

Set in 1980 Texas, we follow three braided storylines: Llewellyn Moss (Josh Brolin) and his wife Carla Jean (Kelly MacDonald), Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones), and Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem). The Moss' life revolves around getting past the next bill, but when Llewellyn comes across a drug-gang battlefield, he also falls upon a case of two million dollars - it's actually the same case and amount as the money case in "Fargo," the Coen Brothers previous work of perfection. Sheriff Bell is after the psychopathic lunatic Chigurh, who, on occasion, flips a coin to determine whether you're going to die or not.

Every second of this movie is beyond expectation, and every decision of film-making is beyond predictability. Jones adds to his 2007 repertoire ("In the Valley of Elah") with another well-defined performance. The role of Carla Jean is any understated actresses dream of playing, and MacDonald quietly delivers an unbelievable display of female rigidity, particularly her final scene which is beyond perfection and could earn her many nominations for supporting actress. Brolin commits to the performance of his lifetime. He and his character are unstoppably determined and risky, but the buzz and praise has to go to Bardem. He is so eerily calm as the psychotic mass murderer that chills run down your spine every time he graces the screen. There are scenes so grueling and terrifying that your heart begins to race while his is strangely in tune. He is fantastic and will win the Oscar.

Though there are still a handful of movies to see this year, "No Country for Old Men" tops the list so far. It's an instant classic and an instant favorite.

Grade: A+

The Golden Compass

The Golden Compass

Starring Dakota Blue Richards, Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Eva Green, & Freddie Highmore

What you see is what you get. This cliche can be used perfectly for this year's beginning epic trilogy "His Dark Matters: The Golden Compass," for the film's trailer looks as though it will be a lesser "Chronicles of Narnia," but with a PG-13 rating, it will try to be "Lord of the Rings." It is neither.

The film, about a girl who is given a truth-telling golden compass, lacks depth and falls into the pitfalls of so many fantasy stories; its heart lost in its fantastical world. "The Golden Compass" falls short on character, trying to add so much detail without giving background knowledge. The story itself is fun, but there's no feeling at all.

However, there are some great scenes. Dakota Blue Richards, the Aussie lead, is disastrously good (strange, I know), where Nicole Kidman is elegant, regal, and evil as Mrs. Coulter. Her character is by far a favorite and Kidman pulls her out of every character downfall that all the others are trapped in. There's been talk about Oscar for Kidman, but I highly doubt this - she was just fun to watch. Also, the daemons are a great twist of fantasy, and are spectacular to watch when their human is killed. They just poof into a pile of dust!

Being that there are two more installments of the trilogy, we may see this series developing more, but for an introductory film, "The Golden Compass" did not point in the right direction.

Grade: C+

2008 Golden Globe Nominee Predictions (The Movies)

Here are my predictions for the 2008 Golden Globe Nominations announced this Thursday, December 13th (probable front-runners are in bold and italics):

Best Motion Picture - Drama

• Atonement
• No Country for Old Men
• There Will Be Blood
• American Gangster
• Michael Clayton

Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy

• Juno
• Sweeney Todd
• Charlie Wilson's War (if it's considered a comedy???)
• The Savages
• Waitress

Best Actor - Drama

• Daniel Day-Lewis - There Will Be Blood
• Tommy Lee Jones - In the Valley of Elah
• James MacAvoy - Atonement
• George Clooney - Michael Clayton
• Denzel Washington - American Gangster

Best Actor - Musical or Comedy

• Johnny Depp - Sweeney Todd
• Tom Hanks - Charlie Wilson's War (where does this belong???)
• Philip Seymour Hoffan - The Savages
• Ryan Gosling - Lars and the Real Girl
• Jack Nicholson - The Bucket List

Best Actress - Drama

• Julie Christie - Away from Her
• Keira Knightley - Atonement
• Cate Blanchett - Elizabeth: The Golden Age
• Angelina Jolie - A Mighty Heart
• Jodie Foster - The Brave One

Best Actress - Musical or Comedy

• Ellen Page - Juno
• Amy Adams - Enchanted
• Marion Colltilard - La Vie en Rose
• Laura Linney - The Savages
• Keri Russell - Waitress

Best Supporting Actor - Drama, Musical or Comedy

• Javier Bardem - No Country for Old Men
• Hal Holbrook - Into the Wild
• Tom Wilkinson - Michael Clayton
• Philip Seymour Hoffman - Charlie Wilson's War
• Casey Affleck - The Assassination of Jesse James

Best Supporting Actress - Drama, Musical or Comedy

• Cate Blanchett - I'm Not There
• Saoirse Ronan - Atonement
• Amy Ryan - Gone Baby Gone
• Tilda Swinton - Michael Clayton
• Jennifer Jason Leigh - Margot at the Wedding