The Drum, The Swarm, and The American President

Another weekend has come and gone with nothing productive getting done. Seems like I’m having a LOT of those kinds of weekends recently J On the plus side, wandering aimlessly gives me plenty of time to catch some of the current movie offerings- here’s a quick roundup of recent (and all new for a change!) viewings.

My two movie guru buddies told me I needed to see “The Visitor” and they don’t usually steer me wrong, so I borrowed this little gem…turns out the gurus were right once again.

This is one of those “perfect” films for me; that is, one that I feel, not just watch. It doesn’t happen often- I would say that it hasn’t happened to me since “Once.” I like dramas that unfold slowly, that give me time to know the characters- this one does just that; the script is understated and “real.” The acting is subtle, honest, and sometimes intense- the cast pulls you in and makes you care. Richard Jenkins is an actor that I’ve seen, but am not familiar with; I hope to change that, because his performance is brilliant (not to mention that the man can beat a mean drum!). The film is beautifully shot and has great energy, but it’s also a disturbing human drama. Watching these characters deal with racial prejudice is not easy (maybe as Americans it hits a bit too close to home to see fellow human beings treated this way??), but it does make for a very emotional movie experience.

As if one emotional film about racial tensions wasn’t enough, “The Visitor” was followed by “The Secret Life of Bees”, based on the best-selling novel. Might as well get this out of the way from the start…this is a Chick Flick Extraordinaire, and while my movie-going crowd will not appreciate it, I enjoyed it VERY much.

“…Bees” is a pretty, slow-moving Southern feminist drama that takes place in the early days of the Equal Rights movement. It has an interesting cast; Queen Latifah is her usual self; assured and positive, projecting strength and wisdom- the mother figure of the film. Alicia Keys is one of her two sisters; passionate, driven, and sometimes unforgiving. It’s a hard character to pull off, but Keys manages to make us care about her. The other sister is played by Sophie Okonedo, who turns the role of a mentally unstable woman into a broken, wounded, and completely heartbreaking character. And Jennifer Hudson is Rosealeen, who’s run away and seeks refuge with the sisters. Hudson is underused, but she shows a great sense of timing in her first non-singing movie role. The character undergoes a change in the film; unfortunately we are only shown bits and pieces of it, so the affect of the story arc is lost.

All of these stars are outshined, though, by Dakota Fanning as Lily, the girl who runs away from her past and finds the home that she’s always wanted. I’ve always been a reluctant fan of hers- she’s been good in whatever role she took on, but she’s always seemed a little creepy to me…a grown-up mind in a little girl’s body. But now, she’s finally starting to grow into her talent, and it’s AMAZING. You can’t take your eyes off her when she’s onscreen, and there’s not a single line reading, movement, gesture, or look on her face that isn’t absolutely genuine. One other casting note- as Lily’s father, Paul Bettany was so unPaul Bettany-like that I had to read his name in the credits to be sure it was him. When you’re THAT unrecognizable in a part, you’re doing something VERY right.

The most surprising thing about “The Secret Life of Bees” is that it starts as a simple human drama, then it sneaks up on you and becomes one of the most heartfelt tearjerkers that I’ve seen in a long time. There were tears aplenty (and yes, some of them mine), and they are well-deserved. It’s sad, funny, moving, uplifting, and (no pun intended) sweet.

And last (and least), is “W.” It’s been a long time since we saw a great Oliver Stone film. And it’ll be a little while longer. Not that this film is “bad”, it’s just not GREAT. If the “revelations” about George W’s past, his family’s treatment of him, and the way they influenced his life are true, then I learned something I didn’t know. The rest is something I could find in a documentary, and at over 2 hours and 10 minutes long, that’s more than I’m willing to sit through.

There are a couple of standouts though, good and bad. On the plus side, Josh Brolin continues to amaze me as George W. Until “No Country…” I had no idea this guy could act, but his look, his voice, and his mannerisms are absolutely perfect. What’s great is that you don’t for a second see an “impersonation”, he just seems to BE Bush. Also impressive is Jeffrey Wright as Colin Powell (why the hell isn’t this guy a HUGE star by now????), and Richard Dreyfuss gives an amazingly restrained and intelligent performance as Dick Cheney.

Not faring as well is Thandie Newton as Condoleezza Rice. She may look the part, but my GOD is she annoying. She poses, struts, and over-articulates through the entire performance. She should stick to making Norbit sequels. And for this one I may get blasted, but I was not impressed by James Cromwell as George Bush, Sr. I heard the opinion that it was great that Cromwell didn’t try to emulate Bush in look, mannerisms, or voice, which normally I would agree with. But for me, part of the point that Stone’s making is that contrary to what the public may perceive, George Sr. had a very negative impact on George W’s life. To get the full impact of the difference between the public President and the private father, I feel like we needed to first see the persona that we know and identify with. Then, when the “dark” side is revealed, it’s in contrast to the public “character” that Bush Sr cultivated. I never saw Bush Sr. in the performance, so for me there was no shock. I don’t need an impersonation, but I would have liked to see someone who could better inhabit the part (perhaps JAMES Brolin in a little stunt casting?).

Besides the casting missteps, I could have also done without the EXTREME (to the point of being claustrophobic) close-ups, and could somebody PLEASE recut this with a proper soundtrack??

So in this election year, “W.” doesn’t get my vote for one of the best of the year. And while we’re on the subject…

Hope to see you at the polls!!!

And The Band Played On

I started this “rant” as a response to a good friend’s well-written (and appreciated) blog, but when it went beyond a response and became a full-blown commentary, I thought it a little much to post there, so I’ll use my own blog as my…forum, if you will. The original blog concerned gay marriage, and the forces that seek to stop it. But it goes SO much deeper than that, and I (of course) have an opinion. So now, please forgive me for just a moment while I step up on my soapbox.

We live in a country founded on the basis that every person living on its shores is entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” It saddens and sometimes shames me that we now live in a country where basic rights can be denied to a person (and legally at that) not because they’re killers or thieves or rapists…but because of who they choose to have a relationship with. Impossible to imagine, or even fully appreciate, but true nonetheless.

Straight couples meet, they fall in love, they marry. They vow to be there for each other “in sickness and in health.” If tragedy should strike and a spouse should end up hospitalized, their husband or wife is there. They consult with the doctors; they carry out treatment. If the spouse is unable to take care of themselves, the husband or wife is given the power to make decisions for them. If the spouse should die, the surviving husband or wife can at least know that they will be helped financially through their spouse’s benefits. All of this comes with the legal institution of marriage, but in many states, you are still granted these rights simply by virtue of the fact that you are a “straight” couple living in America.

But does anybody even stop to think of these things as “rights”? For married heterosexual couples, I would guess probably not; it simply is how it is. Now consider this:

A gay person is not considered relevant in the case of a partner’s medical emergency, or even death. They are not considered family, can be denied hospital visitation, cannot have power of attorney, and they have no legal say in the caregiving of their partner. Surviving partners are denied health, 401k, social security, and pension benefits that a straight person would automatically be entitled to on the death of a spouse. Same-sex couples have no legal right to live together in a nursing home/facility. In some states, even making funeral arrangements is denied to the surviving partner.

Think about this for a minute; imagine your husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, lover- dying in a hospital room. Imagine being denied the right to see them, and learning of their death from someone who had the “right” to be there. Then think about how you feel knowing that you could not be with them as they died simply because of your sexual orientation. How is that moral? How can that be legal? How is that even human?? Unforgiveable.

So, how did being gay change one from a person who is entitled to simple rights into an outsider who needs to fight for the right to protect, care for, or even to BURY their loved one? A person’s orientation is as insignificant to the outside world as having green eyes, or being left-handed. Why have we elevated it to the status of an opponent capable of world domination? With all of the hate, war, economic problems, and racial tensions present in the world today, why in the name of God do same-sex relationships cause such turmoil??

Ah, there’s an issue. To all of you “religious” conservatives out there: I respect your religion, and your right to study and practice it. It does not, however, empower you with the Devine right to sacrifice those in the population that YOU deem unworthy. You have a God, and I hear that he is quite powerful and capable of making up his own mind. Let’s let him, shall we?

And to all you politicos and government “officials” who waste your time and my money denying simple rights to American citizens: Help us resolve our National Debt. Get us out and KEEP us out of war. And let’s make laws that promote family unity, no matter how that family is made up. Times are changing. You need to do the same.

I now respectfully step down off my soapbox.

The Lost Weekend

My weekends are usually pretty busy- not that I do a whole lot, but there’s usually housecleaning to do, shopping to get done, clothes to launder, bills to pay. There’s usually time spent with family, and time spent with friends. And all that before Sunday night, when it’s time to start getting ready for the work week ahead.

Well, this past weekend I did none of that. It was cold, dark, and rainy, and I just didn’t feel like doing anything. I even took off Monday, with the intention of doing absolutely nothing. So, instead of doing anything productive, I watched movies. Lots of movies. Here’s the roundup:

Saturday I saw “Body of Lies”, the new Ridley Scott “political thriller” with DiCaprio and Crowe. And those three men are the entire reasons I wanted to see this flick. After all, with clout like that, how bad can it be?? “Quite” would be a good answer. It’s long, dull, and for the most part un-thriller like. There’s nothing special about the direction. The actors are adequate but not great (Leo and Mark Strong as “Hanni” being the exceptions). And the script has a vague “been there, done that” feel. Body of lies? Hmph. Body of poo. Skip it.

It has been said (ok, sung- thank you Frank-N-Furter) that “a mental mind fuck can be nice!” That’s really the only way I can describe Sunday’s foray into moviedom. I watched two flicks back-to-back that probably should never be watched together by anyone, ever again.

“21 Grams” is so much more than I thought it would be. I don’t know why it took so long for me to see it, except that I have to be in a mood for thoroughly depressing movies about human suffering, and this one tops almost all of them. The casting is brilliant (Sean Penn is always amazing, but I had no idea that Naomi Watts could do that), and the shots looks great. Just one quibble…that technique of showing the film all cut up and out of chronological order? Yeah…stop it. There are very few films that really pull this off- “Pulp Fiction” comes to mind, and I’ll get to another one (by this same director) shortly- but there are SO many cuts and time warps that all emotional arc is lost to the mercy of the technique. It’s heartbreaking as is…but it would be absolutely devastating told from beginning to end.

After taking a few minutes to grab a stiff drink and try to get that one out of my head, I watched “Donnie Darko.” Mind fuck, I tell ya. This one doesn’t so much jump around in time as it does show what happens when time splits off in another direction. It’s extremely dark, sometimes very disturbing, completely fascinating, and not really so hard to follow if you take time to freeze-frame and read the entries from the book that “explains” things. I saw the director’s cut; I’ve been told that I need to see the original version. All in good time, my little pretty. All in good time. The brain can only take so much.

And finally, Monday I watched one of the most lauded films of 2001, “Amores Perros”, directed by Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu, who directed the aforementioned “21 Grams.” I have to say that this was my favorite of the weekend. It has layers; I LOVE layers. The technique of showing things out of order works to perfection, showing us a single accident from the points of view of three different sets of characters affected by the tragedy, while allowing each section to complete the arc needed for us to become emotionally involved. It’s fast, brutal, honest, and beautifully played out. And beyond all the pain and suffering, the ending manages to be uplifting, even hopeful. The applause is well-earned.

Now I’m really looking forward to a flick that goes from beginning to end for a change. Hey, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” looks interesting…

Nosferatu

In the beginning, there was The Count. Starting with an historical figure (Vlad the Impaler of Romania), Bram Stoker took a bit of folklore and added a lot of imagination to create a vampire myth that still scares readers to this day. Stoker’s “Dracula” was the textbook example of vampire stories for many years- because of his tale, we know what vampires look like, how they survive, and what they can (and cannot) do. It was through “Dracula” that we learned about garlic and stakes, of crosses and coffins.

Anne Rice reinvented the vampire legend with the introduction of “Interview With the Vampire,” the first of the Vampire Chronicles, which was followed shortly by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, who brought vampires back to popular literature with a series of books about the Prince vampire Count Saint-Germaine. Now comes the newest addition to the folklore; “The Twilight Saga” by Stephanie Meyer. The series begins with “Twilight” and continues with “New Moon” “Eclipse”, and “Breaking Dawn”.

Meyer’s vampires stray the furthest yet from the creatues of old. These vampires can move easily in daylight (although they exhibit an interesting phenomenon when exposed to direct sunlight that keeps them inside except on cloudy days). They do not drink human blood, preferring the more humane choice of feeding on animals. And they love humans…passionately and against all better judgment. The novels center on the relationships between vampire Edward Cullen, his human love, Bella Swan, and Jacob Black, a love interest for Bella who’s not quite human himself. They are written for young adults, and Stephanie Meyer was hailed as the “new J. K. Rowling” when the first book came out in 2005. I must admit that I liked the novels for the most part…but (with one exception- more on that in a bit), “Harry Potter” this ain’t.

My biggest problem is that Meyer has a tendency to repeat things ad nauseum. It’s not enough to describe a character’s beauty; it has to be pounded in hundreds of times during the course of the novels. Besides that, the characters are likeable but not overly interesting as individuals, there’s a lot of descriptive language that is for the most part unnecessary, and there are changes of voice that are sometimes a bit jarring. But, that being said…

What is GREAT about these novels- the element that makes them so fun to read - is the dark romance at the center of the story. True love between a human and vampire should be dangerous and scary, bringing with it questions about life, death, human frailty, and the appeal of immortality. The books convey all of that and more, and ultimately make us care about how the characters deal with the paths they have chosen. While I enjoyed all of the novels, the fourth in the series, “Breaking Dawn”, is far and away the best of the lot. Somewhere between the first and last books, Meyer learned how to write, and she has a created a novel that is (finally!) as quick moving, well plotted, and full of interesting characters and situations as any of the Harry Potter novels. It also “grows up” a bit, presenting themes that are more adult in nature while still keeping a lighter tone. I can’t wait to check out her first “adult” novel and see how it compares.

If you’re a fan of vampire lore and supernatural love stories, give this vampire series a try. And don’t blame me if it..

Wait for it…

Sucks.

Slow Burn

I’ve just been to see the new Coen Bros. flick “Burn After Reading” and wow...I’m kinda speechless. I liked it…mostly. Actually more than I thought I would, with a couple of minor exceptions. More on that in a sec…

A couple of things really impressed me. First, there’s a LOT going on here…it’s a dark comedy with plenty of twists and turns, mistaken identities, and sudden (and surprising) shocks. It could have been confusing, but the Cohen’s have a way of puzzling you while always keeping you up to speed. I like that it takes its time introducing us to these folks before things get really fucked up...which they do pretty quickly. And second, there’s the PERFECT cast.

Frances McDormand has one of the most expressive faces in movies today. I’m not sure how she manages to find so many levels of quirkiness and still hold on to a characterization, but she does it to great effect for the Coen Bros. I was kind of rooting for her from the beginning- even though she’s completely naïve, jumps to conclusions with no thought, and hangs out with total losers like Brad Pitt. Speaking of whom…

Anyone who’s followed my blogs knows that I’ve come to respect Pitt a LOT as an actor. At first I wasn’t sure if he was parodying his earlier dumb-but-pretty roles here, or if he meant us to take this character seriously. Well, you can’t really take him TOO seriously, but after some thought I think he’s pulled off a major feat- his fitness trainer/extortionist is not dumb…exactly. More like innocent…not too bright and completely childlike in his approach to life. His character is simply too…well, simple, to see the consequences of his actions. He and McDormand bounce off each other nicely.

I was looking forward to seeing Tilda Swinton again- she was (IMHO) the best part of “Michael Clayton” and she’s equally good here…but in a completely different way. Where Karen Crowder was a nervous breakdown waiting to happen, Katie Cox is strong, self-assured, bitchy...and a lot of fun to watch. All that AND we get to hear her using her real accent. Great part, great actress.

George Clooney sheds the good-guy image to give us a character that’s twitchy, paranoid, and…well, a little bit of a perv. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I’m not sure I really liked him, but I sure cared what happened to him. His reaction in a particularly violent scene is at once funny and distressing. As a matter of fact, from this scene on I was riveted and couldn’t wait to see where the film would go.

Also on a casting note…somebody get J. K. Simmons (Juno’s dad) a bigger role in something. Anything. He’s only in 2 scenes, but it both, he’s the voice of US, the audience- asking questions we would ask, and saying the things we would say if we were there. Every line is delivered in a complete deadpan, no expression whatsoever. And he’s funny as hell. Small part, HUGE impression.

Casting segues nicely into the couple of problems I had with the film. Regarding John Malkovich, I have to say that I was just not impressed with his one-note, grate on the nerves performance. I know I’ll get shit for this, but pretty much any actor could have shaved his head, adopted a pissed-off, “the world’s done me wrong” attitude, and huffed and puffed numerous variations on the “WHAT THE FUCK?” theme 20 or 30 times. What a total waste of an enormously talented actor.

Another problem for me is that the film seems to want to be a throwback to 30’s screwball comedies except with a dark side, and I’m not sure it completely pulls it off. The dialogue is dead-on, but some of the twists and turns are SO preposterous that I found myself just shaking my head on occasion.

And is it just me (probably), or did anyone else feel like there was something missing from the ending? I don’t particularly need (or even appreciate) a film that wraps up all its loose ends, but the final act of this one felt rushed, abrupt, and unfinished. On the whole, though, “Burn After Reading” is an entertaining way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Enchanted

In the past I’ve experienced some remarkable vacation destinations: the Southern charms of Savannah and Atlanta; the hustle and bustle of Vegas; the friendliness of Puerto Vallarta; the excitement that is The Big Apple. But there’s one place that I’ve visited that draws me back time and again. It’s a place of beauty and a place of fun, where you can travel the world, experience thrills (if that’s your thing), or just sit back and enjoy the magic, whether you’re a kid, or just a kid at heart. It’s also the #1 vacation destination in the U.S. and one of the top vacation resorts in the world. It is, of course, the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida.

I first visited The World almost exactly 20 years ago, and my first impression wasn’t a good one. I had booked the trip on a whim, expecting to go with a friend. The friend backed out and instead of canceling, I decided to go it alone- my first solo trip anywhere, ever.

I had booked a room at the Polynesian Village, a sprawling, island-themed resort that I was told sat on a lake directly across from the Magic Kingdom. I arrived in a thunderstorm, and I was soaking wet by the time I finally made it to the hotel. After calling the folks to let them know I arrived safely and then changing into dry clothes, I headed out to see what the resort had to offer. Unfortunately, thunderstorms in Florida mean gray, dark skies, heavy humidity haze, and constant dampness. I ventured out to the beach and found the lake, but it was so hazy I couldn’t tell where the water ended and the sky began, and I certainly didn’t see any signs of a kingdom, magic or otherwise. So, I found an ice cream shop, had a quick snack, and went back to the room to hang out. I looked through park info, watched a tour of the resort on TV, listened to it rain, and finally went to bed- not quite what I had expected from my first night.

The next morning I woke up bright and early, with the Florida sun streaming through the windows. The Orlando news showed the temperature as 79° and 80% humidity…at 7:00 in the morning- not a great start. I ventured outside and found the beach again, and from there I roamed up a grassy hill that overlooked the beach and the lake. It was all haze across the water, with nothing to be seen but gray skies, and I couldn’t believe I was finally at Walt Disney World, and I was disappointed. And just then, something amazing happened. As I stood there, a gentle breeze stirred through the palm trees, the skies across the lake began to brighten, and floating in the sky at the far side of the lake was the glint of something golden. As the breeze continued to blow the haze away, spires came into view. And as the last of the haze faded away, Cinderella Castle emerged from the mist, gleaming in the morning sun. The Magic of Disney, indeed.

I just came back from my 7th trip to WDW, and no matter how many times I experience it, my first glimpse of Cinderella Castle sitting majestically at the end of Main Street always takes me back to that first moment, some 20 years before, when my first Disney trip really began. And I’m happy to report that to this day, the Magic lives on.

°o°

A Knight's Tale

I was one of the many who saw the premiere of “The Dark Knight” at 12:01 a.m. on opening day. The hype behind the Bat was huge…and for my money, at least, it lives up to every single expectation, and then some. One thing was obvious as the release date approached; people would either be going to see this film because of the film itself, or they were going to see Heath Ledger’s final performance. It’s a win/win either way.

The vibe is completely different when you see a film at the very first showing of its run; the midnight crowd is involved, energetic, and very vocal. That 12:01 a.m. showing has the potential to change a good movie experience into a GREAT one. Keeping that in mind, I recently saw the film again by the “light of day”, and the good news…it’s as phenomenal as I remember.

There’s a LOT of story going on here, and it’s by far the darkest of the Batman films to this point. I like that. The darker these films get, the more we learn about the characters. And the look of the film is incredible. The comic-book look of the original movies is fun to watch, but I prefer the more “realistic” approach of these last two outings- for me, the style is more appropriate for a character called “The Dark Knight.” Even the FX don’t stand out- they’re there of course, but they just blend in to help tell the story, not make you notice the cool effects.

Until these last two films, Michael Keaton had always been my favorite Bruce Wayne/Batman. Val Kilmer was…ok. George Clooney was a joke. But I don’t think you can find a better actor to play the part than Christian Bale. Like Daniel Craig as James Bond, Bale brings something brand new to the character, and that’s conflict. His Batman isn’t sure he’s doing right by the people of Gotham City; he’s flawed, and that makes him fascinating to watch.

Bale’s moody Bruce Wayne is perfectly balanced by Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman as the wise advisors in his life. They provide not only heart, but comic relief- something Wayne needs in his life- and WE as the audience need to occasionally lighten the mood.

There are a few welcome new additions to this cast. Maggie Gyllenhall as Rachel Dawes finally makes the character real for me. Katie Holmes is cute and all, but an Assistant D.A.? Never believed it for a second. Gyllenhall has the class, style, and confidence to pull off the character and finally make us care what happens to her.

I’ve been a fan of Aaron Eckhart since “Thank You For Smoking” and he makes the perfect Harvey Dent/Two-Face. His transformation from Gotham City’s “white knight” to villain is understandable, sad…and totally believable.

And last, but certainly not least, is Heath Ledger as The Joker. All hype aside, this truly is a stunning, Oscar-worthy performance. Ledger’s Joker is a cold, maniacal sociopath, and a complete enigma to the audience. We have no idea who he is, or why he is the way he is; even the story of how he received his disfiguring scars changes throughout the film. He’s chilling, and riveting, and you can’t take your eyes off him when he’s onscreen.

After that midnight showing, I was a little bit surprised at myself to find that I wasn’t saddened by the appearance of Heath Ledger, but after the second viewing, I know why- because Heath Ledger does not appear onscreen. He simply IS The Joker. Not for a second do you see Ledger’s face, or hear his voice, or see his mannerisms. He literally hides behind a painted mask…and disappears.

Long Live The Bat.

At The Movies

Well friends, the summertime movie season is off and running! I’ve caught up with a few of the more recent offerings and I’ve found quite a lot to like in what’s been- up to now– a year with some highly anticipated releases but very little to love. So, here’s a roundup of some recently seen releases:

“Wanted” is an action flick starring James McAvoy as an underachieving loser working in a dead-end job who suddenly finds himself thrown into the mysterious world of “The Fraternity,” an uber-secret society of assassins. The group is headed by Morgan Freeman, and Angelina Jolie is the seasoned veteran who shows the newbie the ropes.

I went in to this one expecting the standard shoot-em-up, chase-em-down action adventure, but it turns out there’s a bit more to it than that. The members of The Fraternity possess some unusual powers, secret identities are revealed, and a couple of interesting twists keep the story moving along. Jolie and Freeman may be the “big” names, but the real reasons to see “Wanted” are James McAvoy (I’m tellin’ ya, he’s gonna be HUGE!), and the FX. Sure, there are plot holes big enough to drive trucks through, and there isn’t a whole lot of characterization, but if you’re a fan of these actors and of the genre, “Wanted” is a fun, adrenaline-filled step above the standard “action flick” fare.

Next up, the big red guy and his rag-tag team of mutant sidekicks is back in “Hellboy 2”. If you’ve seen and liked the original (and I did), then this one’s right up your alley. HB2 is one of those big, loud, rip-roaring, FX-filled spectacles that wants to do nothing more than entertain you for couple of hours. Mission accomplished. While I had a great time at this one, I was hoping for a bit more from del Toro than the standard sequel that overlooks character development in favor of huge set pieces overstuffed with FX. That said, it’s a great way to spend an afternoon.

With “WALL-E”, Pixar strikes gold (Oscar pun implied and intended) yet again with this simple story of a lonely ‘bot that finds love, defeats the bad guys, and saves the Earth, all while keeping us smiling and teaching us a thing or two about ourselves and our planet. The CGI animation is spectacular, with scenes and details that look SO realistic that you might not believe they’re CG. There are a couple of clever references to previous Pixar features, and I found myself admiring the beautiful original score by Thomas Newman many times throughout the film. “WALL-E” is smart, funny, inventive and entertaining…and though it may be too subtle for the little ones to catch, there’s a message (or two) there that we can all learn from.

And now, to my small band of movie-going friends, a personal note: Let’s get this out of the way right now…you will hate “Mamma Mia”. You will not like the singing. You will not like the dancing. You will not like Meryl Streep (I thought she was a riot- quirky, funny, moving, belting out tunes like a Broadway vet- is there any part this woman can’t play!?), you will not like a singing Pierce Brosnan (wait…neither did I), and you will not like the silly ABBA songs that make up the soundtrack. This film is sappy and short on characters, and the thin storyline exists only to support the songs. And yet- it’s bright, it’s funny, it looks great (the Greek isle locations are gorgeous), it has enjoyable supporting performances (Christine Baranski and Julie Walters are hilarious), and it does exactly what it sets out to do, which is to have a little fun with us and send us on our way. Now if I could just get “Dancing Queen” out of my head…

And that’s it for now. As I’m putting this entry “to bed” I’m getting ready to head out with friends to a midnight movie premiere. I won’t reveal too much just yet…let’s just say it promises to be an interesting Knight.

Kung Fu Hustle

The weekend movie scene last weekend seemed so promising, with not one but TWO major openings; “The Incredible Hulk” and “Get Smart.” But when The Big Green Guy opened at only 72% and the Secret Agent Man came in at a whopping 52% (Rotten Tomatoes of course, the movie-goer’s bible), I decided to skip the new releases and head to a flick that promised lots of laughs and loads of summer fun…’Kung Fu Panda.” I mean, hey…the trailer looks great, right? And at 88% on good ol’ RT, could I be wrong? Hell, yeah.

Let’s start with the good stuff. First, it looks absolutely amazing. It is DreamWorks, after all, so it should. The martial arts scenes are particularly well animated, and the backgrounds are beautiful. The Asian-ish soundtrack by composer Hans Zimmer does its job without being overwrought. And be sure to watch for the very cleverly animated DreamWorks logo at the very beginning of the film.

I was also glad to see (hear?) that the voice talent was not over-used. Sometimes the actors’ voices are so well known that they overshadow the characters; this time around they’re certainly well known, but they don’t take over.

Now, for the bad stuff- which is just about everything else. Oddly enough, the first thing that comes to mind is…the voice talent. There are some pretty famous people here, including Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu, Michael Clarke Duncan, and Jackie Chan (?!?) …yet with only a couple of exceptions, the characters speak so little that I didn’t even recognize the voices until their names came up in the credits. I guess this isn’t so much a problem as it is an oddity to me- do you really need to pay Angie to say two lines when anyone could have done it, possibly even better, and for a whole lot less money? In hindsight, I guess the fact that the producers thought they needed that much “clout” should have been a clue that there wasn’t much going for it from the start.

As for the rest- there’s almost no story, what’s there isn’t funny, there’s no characterization, and I found myself bored through most of the film. I couldn’t even muster up sympathy for the fat, luckless panda. Only Dustin Hoffman got a smile out of me, but unfortunately, he can’t carry it alone-try as he might.

Here’s hoping that Disney/Pixar’s “Wall-E” will finally deliver the goods and be the summer CG movie to beat.

Legends of the Fall

The summer blockbuster season is on! And so far it has seen the surprisingly good continuation of one franchise, the meteoric rise of another, and a spectacular fall from grace of a movie icon.

If you enjoyed “The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe,” book one of the Narnia Chronicles, you’ll want to check out the second entry in the series, “Prince Caspian.” There’s not a lot of real characterization in either flick, but the heroes are likeable enough that you root for them to succeed, and the effects and scenery are both beautiful to see. Caspian is the darker of the two, dealing with the trials of growing into adulthood, family betrayal, and death. It’s a long one, and probably not for the kiddies, but for fans of fantasy/adventure films, it’s well worth the time.

Then there’s the movie based on a comic book about a man who saves the world wearing a suit made of iron. Oh, and it stars Robert Downey, Jr. When I first heard about “Iron Man” I laughed my ass off, and not in that good way- it sounded like a terrible concept, and the trailer looked boring and stupid. Then it showed up on Rotten Tomatoes at 94%...holy shit! But I’m happy to say that Mr. Downey, Jr. is in fine form, and this is the most fun I’ve had at the movies in quite a while. It has an interesting story, great performances, amazing effects, and it moves along at the speed of…well, Iron Man himself.

Last, and certainly least, is the long-awaited (?) Indiana Jones sequel, “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” This just sounded like a bad idea from the beginning, and had too much going against it even before it got started; it’s been 19 years since the last Indy flick, which means a 19-years older Harrison Ford. Spielberg hasn’t had a great track record as of late. And George Lucas is…well, still George Lucas, unfortunately. Crystal Skull is deadly dull.

Where this movie should be light, fun and fast, it’s dull, uninvolving and slow. I found it a bit jarring to see a Raiders flick set in the mid-50’s, complete with Elvis music. A major character from the original film is back, and the characterization is so wrong that it no longer feels like the character we once knew and loved. The riddles and clues that lead us to the final outcome are lame and poorly thought out. At least one character is completely unnecessary (if I hear “Jonesy…” one more fuckin’ time…), and Cate Blanchett? She looks great and does the accent really well, but all I kept thinking was, “Wow, Cate Blanchett looks great and does the accent really well.” Even the John Williams score sounds like a tired rehash of the classic original. Where, oh where, is John Rhys Davies’ Sallah when you need him??

The biggest disappointment for me, though, is the turn from the occult interests of the original films to something that is…well, not to give anything away here…completely alien to an Indiana Jones tale. It was obvious from the very beginning, and not very original at that. A HUGE misstep, in my opnion.

Kudos all around, though, to Shia LaBeouf, for giving us a character that at least provides some energy and fun; to the photo of Henry, Sr. (Sean Connery) on Indy’s desk, for reminding us what a good Raiders movie really looks like; and for the production designers who at least managed to make this film look like the originals in tone and style. It looked great…and that’s the only thing it has in common with its predecessors.

To quote Indiana Jones himself, “It ain’t the years, honey, it’s the mileage.” Here’s hoping that Indy and company can finally retire, and fade away gracefully into the sunset.

To Have and Have Not

“There’s only us, there’s only this. Forget regret, or life is yours to miss.
No other road, no other way. No day but today.”
-Jonathan Larson

I had one of the best weekends I’ve had in a long time a couple of weeks ago, doing something that I very rarely get to do…shop. Not just the “I’m going to the store to get a couple of things that I need” shopping; no, this was “I’ve got the money to go out and get whatever the fuck I want” shopping. I bought shorts. I bought shirts. I bought a wallet. Went out to lunch. Then went out to dinner. I’d forgotten how…satisfying?...it can be to be able to buy what you need, AND have what you want, without having to consult the checkbook for every dollar.

The week following my “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” shopping spree, I checked into a local hospital for a couple of simple tests, not really medically necessary right now, but something that would need to be done in the not-too-distant future anyway. I had my trusty insurance card with me, because I understood that the procedure was covered under most insurance. I either understood wrong or my insurance sucks. Let’s go with my insurance sucks. I walked out of there owing several hundred dollars, which I no longer had…mainly due to the above-mentioned shopping spree.

My first thought was, “Why the fuck did I do all that shopping the other day?” The money I spent on that fun, happy weekend would have easily paid for at least half of the medical bill. I still had other bills to pay, grocery shopping to do, and a whole lot less money to do it with now. I felt like I couldn’t afford anything “extra” now, because I didn’t know what might come up in the future.

But you know what? I don’t care. I’m finally fed up with worrying about money. How much I have. How much I don’t have. How much I owe. I’m tired of feeling like I can’t go to a movie, or buy a CD, or pick up a 6-pack or two to share with my friends, without going broke. I have a new philosophy: if I want it, and I have the money for it at the moment, I’m going to get it. I can’t worry about what might happen anymore; life is too short. I’ll take care of my obligations, but then I’m going to take care of ME. In a hundred years-shit, in 10 years- is anybody really going to care that I was a day late with the rent, or that I had to make double payments because I missed a month? I don’t think so.

And with that, I’m off to get that 6-pack or two and have some fun with my friends, because there is, indeed-

“No day but today.”

Electric Dreams

“A computer makes it possible to do, in half an hour, tasks which were completely unnecessary to do before.”
-Anonymous

I’m baaaa-aack! Damn, it’s amazing how much I’ve come to rely on my trusty computer to get through my daily routine. Found that out the hard way when I booted my system a few weeks back and got the dreaded blue screen and “fatal error” message. Jeez, the inconvenience…

No getting online to see what movies were playing. No, had to actually call the theater. No chatting with friends, either. Had to pick up the phone. What a pain in the ass. No shopping…what, you really think I wanna walk through a mall? Couldn’t look up a restaurant menu, schedule my next Netflix delivery, or pay my bills.

No updating the iPod either, or checking email, or even doing taxes. Hell, I even had to resort to going to a buddy’s house and perusing his cable for…umm…let’s just say, thank the gods (and Mr. J. S., you know who you are) for HBO and Katie Morgan.

But now, thanks to the Geek Squad (and by the way, if that’s what’s passing for “geek” these days…holy shit), “normal” life has resumed once again. It’s taking time to adjust- I’ve gotten used to picking up the phone, going into a store, writing checks and putting them in the mail, picking up an actual TV Guide to find out what’s on, and looking outside to see what the weather’s doing. How did we ever do all this stuff before computers?

And now, I’m back. Looking at my last few posts I see that I haven’t written much recently (even before the computer fiasco), and during these last few weeks I realized how much I’ve missed it. So let this be a sort of re-dedication of the Corner Café- cleaned up, reorganized, and open for business once again.

Field of Dreams

Holy GOD, is the fuckin’ wind gonna blow every single day this winter? I’m SO tired of the wind, and the cold, and the long, dark days. I’ve been sick, my friends have been REALLY sick…so how about a break here? Bring on the spring. And just what’s hastening my desire to see the days turn warm and the grass to turn green? Well, it is…of all things…“America’s National Pasttime.” Yep. Baseball.

Blame it on an old documentary about the game, “Ken Burns’ Baseball.” Two innings down, seven to go, and I’m hooked- on the show, on the game. Anyone who’s ever been interested in the players, the history, the stats, and the fun of the game needs to pick up a copy of this show. I’d be willing to bet that even die-hard fans will discover things they didn’t know.

Now, I won’t claim to have ever been a true aficionado, but ever since I was a little kid watching the Padres play in San Diego, I’ve been a fan of the sport. I don’t know the players well, I can’t quote you last year’s stats, but when the Rockies beat the odds and found themselves in the World Series, I found myself drawn to the game once again, and I’ve experienced some of the excitement I used to feel on those warm summer nights under the bright stadium lights. Since I haven’t followed the game in so long, I can’t lay claim to a favorite team…Cubs? Nah. Yankees? Hmmm (guess I’ll leave them for you, BP). Ok then, until they give me a reason to re-think the decision…Go Rockies!!

This year, my goal is to watch (or go to?) a game, any game, whenever the opportunity arises. I want to learn the stats, I want to know the players. I watched some of last year’s Series with a friend who reminded me how much more fun it is to watch a game with company (and pineapple wine!) than it is to watch alone, so here’s hoping that maybe this season I can look forward to more baseball and friends- the bar’s always open, guys. I know I’d have a blast…and maybe learn something in the process.

And until the season gets in full swing, I’ll bide my time and wait for the day when the wind stops blowing, the flowers start blooming, the trees leaf out, the days grow long and the nights stay warm, and the first cry of the season goes out…

PLAY BALL!

Parenthood

I love living the single life. It’s a freedom that I can’t imagine giving up for anyone. So I’ve always told myself that’s how I’ll know it’s happened…when I find that person who makes me want to give up my solitary freedom and invite them in, that’s when I’ll know it’s *gulp* LOVE.

Thing is…the way I was raised, that scenario also includes having a kid, or maybe two. And while sometimes I think that I would love to have a little one to play with, and hold, and guide (hey, don’t laugh…I think I’d make a great Dad!), most of the time I have to admit to myself a hard truth…I don’t think it will ever happen. Even if I found that “special someone” to share my life with, I’m not sure I have what it takes to be a parent. And that thought makes me a little sad.

I’ve said this before- my family is so “functional” that it’s almost abnormal in this day and age. My grandparents were together for 51 years, and my parents are still together after 44. My brother and I are- at least by most standards- normal, well-adjusted, and contributing nicely to society, thank you very much. Considering that, I’ve wondered a lot over the last several years (age will do that to you) what my problem is- why the aversion to having kids? And it all comes down to this…it scares the holy shit out of me. And not in the “I’ll feel differently once I have one” way, but in the “there’s not a chance in hell I’m putting myself through that” way. Selfish? OH yeah, very. But humor me here…

Kids these days have so many more pressures than anything that I had to deal with in my (albeit long ago) childhood. Back in “the day” there were drugs, there was alcohol, there was sex- just like today. The difference is that drugs in my day meant pot. Alcohol in my day meant a beer or two. And sex in my day meant…well, sex.

It’s a whole different world out there now. Today when we talk about drugs we talk about heroin, or meth, or those “cool” psychedelic drugs like Ecstasy. They don’t just make you high, they kill- kids.

Drinking has changed since my day, too. We used to chug beer. Good for you? Well…no. But we didn’t die. Now the news is full of stories of college kids who binge drink with hard liquor and die of alcohol poisoning. Dead by 20- WAY too fucking young to die. They’re older, but they’re still kids.

And sex? Seems harmless enough, doesn’t it? And it was, in my day. Of course there were the usual suspects when it came to the perils of unprotected fornication; an STD here or there, maybe a baby or two before the age of 15. Not pretty. But today, it can be a matter of life and death. And guess which age bracket is dying in bigger numbers than ever before…yep.

Even worse than those things though, and one of the things that scares me worst of all, is that children are also preyed on in this generation, more so than in any before. It absolutely breaks my heart to read about children kidnapped from their front yards, picked up at their schools and never seen again, or snatched right out of their own homes in the dead of night. And adults molesting children…I take that very personally, and I would be in jail for murder if it ever happened to my child. I don’t know how parents cope with the possibilities of such things.

At this point in my life, then, I have to wonder…am I a coward? Lazy? Are all of these things just excuses to make me feel better when people seem disappointed in me because I don’t have kids of my own? Or the worst thought of all, one that I struggle with from time to time…is there something missing in me that makes having and loving a child impossible? God, how I hope the answer is no.

And so, I’ll probably (I won’t say never!) know the joys (??) of parenthood myself. But to my friends who live with this responsibility every minute of your lives, I mean this from the bottom of my heart- you have my undying respect for the job you do. How do you do it?? You have the hardest job on the planet, but you never give up. Anyone can make a kid, but you guys help them learn to be good people. They don’t always make it easy on you, and I’ve seen your struggles- but you’re always there for them, and they’ll always remember the contributions you made to their lives.

And I envy you that.

A Knight Lost

Last weekend I went to see a movie and got there just a bit late. The trailers had already started by the time I got to my seat, but I recognized the one showing the minute I heard it; there on the screen was the menacing, maniacal Joker of “The Dark Knight.” Just weeks before, I’d watched this trailer with a thrill of anticipation. But on this day, after this week, the feeling was one of sadness, and loss.

Earlier in the week, word started spreading that actor Heath Ledger had been found dead in his New York apartment. Just the thought seemed ridiculous; even though CNN screamed the headline in big red banners, I didn’t quite believe it. But that night I turned on the TV, and there, where there should have been stupid reality shows and pointless sitcoms, was the video of Heath Ledger’s body being taken from his apartment, dead at the age of 28.

Of course everyone presumed an overdose, and I’m a little ashamed to admit that before the facts were known, my first thoughts were that here was another spoiled actor who had it all; looks, money, fame, and that he had thrown it all away on drugs and alcohol. But there were no stories of the temper tantrums or drug-induced rages that we’ve come to expect from celebrities these days. Instead, friends and family told of a man who was enjoying his life. Of a father who was devoted to his 2-year old daughter. And of a brilliant actor who was headed for major movie-stardom. With an overdose of sleeping pills, the world lost one of its most promising young actors, not to mention a person who seemed genuinely easy to like.

Maybe it was just the shock, but the news seemed to hit me hard for a while. It took a long time to put my thoughts together and write them down, and I’m not exactly sure where I meant for this to go, or why it affected me so. Maybe it’s because through his movies I feel like I might have known a bit of him, and he’ll be missed. I looked forward to seeing how far he could go. Maybe it’s just human nature for our hearts to go out to others who have lost someone. Or maybe something like this puts things in perspective, reminding us that things happen quickly, and unexpectedly, and that we need to make the most of our time with the people in our lives while we can.

Now it’s time to pull out my copy of “Brokeback Mountain”…and try to keep from crying.

Heath Ledger
1979-2008

From Hell

You’ve got to hand it to J.J. Abrams. His marketing strategy for his new film, “Cloverfield”, was brilliant; no pictures, no interviews, no clips, no details. Speculation ran rampant but nothing could be confirmed- an almost unheard-of scenario in these days of instant internet access. The good news for Abrams and company? Hype of near unparalleled proportion by the time the thing finally opened. The bad news for us? It doesn’t live up to the hype.

Now, I like J.J. Abrams’ work; before “Lost” got…well, lost in itself, it was a fascinating character study of people caught in an extreme situation. “Felicity” was cute, but also real in an angst-ridden kind of way. I’ve seen every episode of “Alias”, and there are few movies that I anticipate loving more than the upcoming Abrams-directed “Star Trek”. But sadly, “Cloverfield” is as close to the run-of-the-mill, “I know what’s going to happen next” monster movie as you’re ever going to find.

If anything sets this film apart from all the others of the genre, it’s the documentary-style, you-are-there feeling achieved by the use of a single video camera (they ain’t kiddin’ when they call this “The Blair Witch Project” meets "Godzilla”, folks). Beginning early one April morning, the hand-held, home video camera documents the events leading up to, and immediately following, a mysterious attack on New York City. To his credit, director Matt Reeves does pull off moments that leave us feeling the terror, confusion, and extreme claustrophobia of people dealing with what is at first believed to be another terrorist attack. After a promising beginning, though, things fall apart pretty quickly. WARNING: Minor spoilers ahead; read at your own risk.

The characters aren’t quite as whiny or irritating as they usually are in these kinds of flicks, but they didn't really make me care whether they live or get crunched, either. That’s a problem. Another problem is the by-the-book way the story unfolds. Seen it a billion times. And the third- and most surprising- problem of all is the monster itself. Yes, we do get to see it…and I wish we didn’t. Early on, we’re only able to catch quick glimpses of it as it rounds a corner, or witness the amount of destruction that it’s capable of (the scene of the head of the Statue of Liberty crashing to the street is very surreal, and quite startling). Quick flashes, horrors only hinted at...THAT would have scared the shit out of me…but eventually the monster is revealed, and for me, at least, the movie is over.

If you REALLY want to see a good monster flick that defies every single gimmick of the genre, get yourself to a video store quick and rent “The Host”, the most fun, original, and truly engaging monster movie you’ll ever see.

And speaking of unique monster movies, I was intrigued by the previews for Guillermo del Toro’s “Hellboy II”, so, having never seen the first one in its entirety, I borrowed it from a friend and watched it this weekend. Red is my new favorite color.

What a beautiful movie this is. It’s gorgeous to look at, from the amazing costume designs (you’re honestly telling me that Abe isn’t CG??) to the huge set pieces. It has the look of the graphic novel, brought to full, blazing, colorful life, with characters that you actually care for. And it is extremely entertaining. If the sequel is even half the movie that the original was…

Oh, crap.

The Haunting

I’m a sucker for a scary movie. I grew up in the ‘80’s with “classic” films like “Halloween” and “Friday the 13th.” “A Nightmare on Elm Street” ushered in the first of the new breed of slasher flick, those with huge budgets for unheard of special effects, and more gross-out material that we’d ever seen before. But one thing never changed, no matter the gimmick, no matter the subject…the genre is nothing if not predictable. And isn’t that half the fun? To yell at the screen “you stupid fool!” right before said fool is run through with a pitchfork?

How times have changed. This weekend I went to see “El Orfanato (The Orphanage)” expecting a run-of-the-mill haunted house story. What I got instead was a total revelation; a psychological thriller that is as intelligent, unpredictable, and beautifully filmed as it is chilling.

The orphanage of the title is the site of fond memories for Laura, who lived there as a child. As an adult with a husband and a child of her own, it’s her dream to buy the old orphanage, now abandoned, and turn it into a home for her family. Her hope is to one day open her home to underprivileged children, and give them the hopeful, happy life she enjoyed there as a child.

Strange things begin to happen, though, when her young son Simon starts to talk to invisible friends he meets in the house. Laura and her husband humor him at first, but it doesn’t take long for things to take a turn for the worse, and when they do, the spooking really begins.

To say anything further would expose more than I’m willing to give away, but to call this a simple ghost story is a HUGE disservice. Surprising layers are revealed slowly, and the tension created as each new piece of the puzzle comes into view is terrifying. There are no cheap haunted house gimmicks here; every goosebump and shiver is well-earned, and there are plenty.

The cinematography is gorgeous and changes fluidly from dark and haunting to bright and hopeful in the blink of an eye. A first-rate cast makes you care what happens to these people (Belen Rueda, as Laura, is astonishing, never once falling into the horror genre cliché) and a well-constructed script keeps you thinking and guessing…a rarity in “horror movies.” The film can be taken on many levels; on one hand, it’s a supernatural thriller. On a deeper lever, it explores themes of intense love of a mother for her child, and the effects of devastating loss. Another rarity- this is the first (and only) horror movie in memory that brought me- and a few others in the theater- to tears. The stunning conclusion is so unexpected that if you get as caught up in the film as I did, it’s impossible not to shed a tear. Or 10.

The film is directed by A.J. Bayona and has as its Executive Producer Guillermo del Toro, who directed last year’s amazing “Pan’s Labyrinth.” There are bits of that film here, as well as nods to the classic suspense tale “The Turn of the Screw” and even “Peter Pan.” Bayona knows just when we need to be jolted from our seats, but he also knows how to creep up on us until the anxiety is nearly unbearable. His directing style reminds me very much of del Toro’s; assured and grounded, so that even the bizarre is believable.

For you folks out there who normally wouldn’t go with a mile of a”horror” movie (and you know who you are), I would advise this: forget the label and take a chance on this one. There are chills and frights, to be sure, but if you appreciate good filmmaking (and I know you do), I truly believe you will walk away with respect for “The Orphanage.”

Just don’t see it at night.

Happy Hauntings.

My Favorite Year

2007 is now a memory, and 2008 looms before us with the promise of new starts, new opportunities…and new movies! And so, at the end of my first year of blogging, I thought it appropriate to take a fond look back at 2007 and post my first-ever 10 Best list for movies released this past year. And here they are, in order of release:

“The Lookout”- Not many people saw this one. Too bad. Joseph Gordon-Levitt had me hooked with “Brick” and is quickly becoming one of my favorite young actors, and Jeff Daniels continues to show why he’s a brilliant character actor. There’s not a single word or action wasted thanks to director Scott Frank, and an original concept and atmospheric locales make for a surprisingly emotional thriller. If you haven’t seen it, find it.

“Once”- Not a lot to say; pure, simple, emotional, and a perfect ending. Not to mention a helluva soundtrack.

“3:10 To Yuma”- The re-emergence of the once-dead western genre; beautifully paced, gorgeous to look at, with two great leads and yet another perfect ending.

“Across The Universe”- Director Julie Taymor uses the music of the Beatles to lead us through the turbulent 60’s, and introduces us to a group of friends who we follow as they meet, part, fight, dream, and love. The vocal arrangements are fresh, the concept is unique, and if you just sit back and let it take you, it’s one psychedelic ride.

“The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”- If you’re able to appreciate the extremely slow pacing, this movie has a lot to offer; Brad Pitt, beautiful cinematography, brilliant sound design. Oh, and Casey Afleck’s not too bad either.

“No Country For Old Men”- The most thought-provoking movie I saw this year. And the creepiest villain since Norman Bates. The cast is first-rate and it appears that the Coen’s are back. And then there’s that ending…discuss amongst yourselves.

“Charlie Wilson’s War”- What I thought was going to be a sermon on the politics of the Cold War is instead turned into a funny, fast-paced commentary on the traditions of our “clandestine services.” Tom Hanks and Philip Seymour Hoffman play off each other like Laurel and Hardy, Julia Roberts finally plays a character that is not Julia Roberts, and the screenplay by Aaron Sorkin is first-rate.

“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”- It took Tim Burton to finally bring Sondheim to the mainstream, and a better match there’s never been. From the very first frames we’re drawn into a gothic London where a brilliant cast, inspired direction, and razor-sharp lyrics collide to give us what is surely cinema’s first, true Horror Musical (Andrew Lloyd Webber and Joel Schumacher, take note). Literally (pun intended) a cut above the rest.

“Atonement”- I went into this film expecting one of those handsome Merchant Ivory movies; gorgeous locations, beautiful people, the requisite British accents…and not much else. Before long, though, you’re caught up in a story that is as heartbreaking and emotionally charged as it is breathtaking in its beauty. It’s impossible not to be moved by James McAvoy’s performance; he has expression and charisma to spare, and here’s hoping he’ll be a major star before long.

“Juno”- Can’t find a single negative thing to say. Here’s an intelligent, beautifully written, hip, well-paced comedy with one of the best casts of any movie EVER, and it’s simply the best time to be had at the movies this year. Get ready to see a LOT of Ellen Page…she’s gonna be big.

So there you have it. There were so many to choose from this year that it was hard to narrow down the list. Do I include “Enchanted,” the Disney flick that manages to skewer its Fairy Tale Princess genre, even while creating a pretty wicked Fairy Tale Princess movie in the process? Or “Ratatouille” about the little rat that could? Or how about “Hairspray,” which gave us John Travolta in drag?

What about dramas like “Gone Baby Gone” that proved that Ben’s not dead after all, or the all too-real “Zodiac?” Or maybe “A Mighty Heart” with a surprisingly restrained performance by Angelina Jolie, “American Gangster” with Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington trading shots, Adam Sandler’s phenomenal performance in “Reign Over Me,” or Viggo Mortenson’s take on the Russian mob in “Eastern Promises”?

And what would the year have been without action/adventures like “The Bourne Ultimatum” and the fantasy/adventure of “Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix”?

Good movies all- and here’s hoping that 2008 has many more great ones in store for us.

Here’s wishing you all a Happy New Year.