The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Movie Review

“I was just thinking how nothing lasts. And what a shame that is.” – Benjamin Button

Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt) was born in New Orleans on the day World War I ended. He was born with severe arthritis and sagging skin. Benjamin was a baby that looked like an old man. Abandoned at a nursing home by his repulsed father, after his mother died in childbirth, Benjamin is raised by a caring, black, nurse that believes he is a gift from God.

As a child growing up in a house full of elderly people, Benjamin fit right in. And though he looks like them, he gets younger as they die and are replaced by other ailing seniors. He learns many life lessons from his housemates, but still needs to experience the world for himself, and so at the age of 18, but looking like a man closer to 60, Benjamin sets off on his own.

What follows is a story very much like Forrest Gump; we view the world through his unique perspective as he spends decades experiencing love, friendship, and loss. Cate Blanchett plays Daisy, the woman Benjamin has loved since they were both children. As he gets younger, and she older, they meet and build a life together somewhere in the middle. The movie is told through flashbacks as an ailing Daisy lies in a nursing home in New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina bears down.

Brad Pitt commands the screen with all the charm and sex appeal of a young Robert Redford, and though Cate Blanchett may receive an Oscar nod for her supporting role, Tilda Swinton gives an emotional and layered performance as a married woman Benjamin has an affair with as he’s out discovering the world.

The movie looks amazing; particularly the costumes from different eras and the special effects as most characters age and Benjamin does the opposite are impressive. It’s a long film at almost three hours long and it’s sad. I cried like a teething child at the end. I suspect Donny cried too. The lessons of Benjamin Button lie in how we choose to measure our lives and what we leave behind when we’re gone.

Gran Torino: Movie Review

Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) is an equal opportunity bigot. Blacks are spooks, his Hmong neighbors are fish heads, and his barber, who he likes, is a dumb Wop. Even so, Walt Kowalski may be Eastwood’s most likable and rooted for character since Dirty Harry.

As the movie opens, Walt is burying his beloved wife. He seems more annoyed that she left him alone with their ungrateful children and grandchildren than heartbroken. Walt is set in his ways and resists all attempts by his children to “make his life easier” read: move into a nursing home. He recognizes their true motives; to get their hands on his home and mint condition 1972 Gran Torino.

And they’re not the only ones. After his teenage neighbor, Tao Vang Lor (Bee Vang), unsuccessfully tries to steal his Gran Torino due to pressure by neighborhood thugs, Walt takes the shy boy under his wing. He teaches him a trade, how to stand up for himself, and how to get the girl. Their friendship at first seems an odd pairing. Walt is old-fashioned and set in his ways; as a Korean War veteran the American flag flies proudly outside of his Michigan home though he is obviously emotionally scarred by the things he did there, his postage stamp sized lawn is mowed frequently with an old-school push mower, it seems on the outset that he despises foreigners and change, and he drinks and drives American.

But Walt recognizes in Tao someone who wants to work hard and has a good spirit, which is more than he can say for his own family whom he seems offended by with their foreign cars and entitlement issues. He makes it his personal mission to see that Tao doesn’t fall to the pressure of a group of neighborhood thugs and that provides the movie’s real tension.

Clint Eastwood is known for casting talented newcomers and minorities in major roles, and at times it seems that he is the only one in this film with real acting experience, but it works with the character Tao who really comes off lost and in need of direction.

I was surprised by how funny, I mean laugh-out-loud funny, this movie is and it was all in Eastwood’s snappy lines, facial expressions, and growls. Not many actors his age could pull off the following line so believably. Said to a group of black guys harassing a young girl, “You know how every once in awhile you come across someone you shouldn’t have fucked with? That’s me.”

Don’t be surprised if this film doesn’t garner a few Oscar nods. Written and directed by Eastwood, Gran Torino is one of those rare films driven by story and character.

Seven Pounds: Movie Review

Seven Pounds is a heartbreaker. Pure and simple. It is unashamed in the many ways it will tug at your heartstrings and almost demands your tears. If you cry easily, have the tissues at the ready. Ladies, if you have a man that mocks you and ruins a good cry during a movie – and I think we all know that sometimes it just feels good to cry during a movie – then leave him home.

Will Smith plays Ben Thomas, an IRS agent on a mission to improve the lives of seven strangers. He uses his many connections to get information on these people to determine that they are truly in need, but also that they are good people. The latter stipulation is of great importance as he wants to ensure that they’re prepared not to waste the second chance at life he’s willing to provide. This is key to a plot point revealed early in the movie, but kept out of all press for the film, and I will not ruin it here.

Rosario Dawson is Emily Posa, an artist struggling with a congenital heart disease and a possible recipient of Thomas’ goodwill. It’s pretty obvious that they will fall in love which is fine because at its heart – beyond all the hush-hush surrounding the plot – Seven Pounds is a love story. It’s a love story between the two characters, and a love story to lost love, to generosity, to sacrifice, and to life.

I had pretty much guessed the gist of the plot due to the trailers (which will only reveal more now that the movie is out, so if you don’t plan on seeing it for another few weeks I would avoid commercials for it if you can), but even if I hadn’t the movie is quite predictable despite the red herrings bandied about. Even though the plot offers no real surprises, if you’re paying attention, it’s worth your time for Will Smith’s performance alone.

One standout scene, and there are several, involves Smith’s Thomas questioning of an elderly woman in a hospice. He was able to convey compassion, disappointment, sadness, and anger with his face and body language more artfully than someone who also rocks big budget, action hero, summer movies should.

Rosario Dawson, who I’ve always liked, really shines here as well. Emily is ill throughout the whole film and spends almost every frame pale and with sunken eyes, yet Dawson manages to breathe a life into the character that makes it easy for you to understand how Ben Thomas could fall for the fragile, yet strong when she has to be, Emily.

Seven Pounds is one of those films that played its hand early on. You know the ending from the first scene, so the challenge becomes making the audience interested in sticking around to figure out the why when you’ve already revealed the what. It has capable help from supporting performances by Woody Harrelson as a blind man Ben Thomas may help, the sexy Michael Ealy as Thomas’ younger brother, and Barry Pepper as Thomas’ best friend and partner in his plans. Though Seven Pounds unfolds predictably during its several flashbacks, it succeeds, due in large part to Smith’s ability to make you care about what you know is happening to him and those around him.

There are some feel good Forrest Gump type movies coming out for the holidays (Curious Case of Benjamin Button), so it’s understandable if you don’t feel like seeing a tearjerker this time of year, but I’d see it if you can. And if you find yourself having to wait for DVD, that’s fine too. It’s a must see either way.

Twilight Movie Review

If you liked the book, you’ll love the movie.

If you loved the book, you’ll really love the movie.

I really loved the movie.

Sue me.

I almost didn’t go. It occured to me the other day that I had seen a trailer for the movie (the whole stopping the van with his hand scene) before I’d even heard of the books and it wasn’t something I would normally pay to see. Also, I really didn’t want to be disappointed and for someone who usually doesn’t let critics sway her opinion, the negative buzz was starting to affect me. I’d only pumped a few ounces of breastmilk for Jack and didn’t want to think about my baby starving while Mommy went to get her Cullen on. I’d already told my 19 year old cousin Jaden that we’d be going so I prettied myself up for an afternoon out.

Before picking Jaden up I stopped at Krogers for some candy to smuggle in to the theater (don’t judge me) and since I pass the theater on the way to her house, I stopped to get our tickets so they wouldn’t be sold out. As I waited in line I noticed the two white girls purchasing tickets in the line next to me. They asked for two tickets to the 2pm showing of Twilight. I felt better about myself ’cause at first glance they seemed a lot older than teenagers. Then I noticed one returned her debit card to a velvet Crown Royal bag and realized how juvenile she must be. I turned my attention to the black couple purchasing tickets in front of me – also for the 2pm Twilight. I tapped the sistah on the arm.

“How’d you get him to come with you to see this?”

She smiled. “He wanted to see it. He’ll see anything.”

The brother turned to look at me as he put their tickets in his wallet, “I love going to the movies.”

I purchased tickets for the 2:50 show and left to get Jaden. She hadn’t read the books, but was curious to see what the fuss was about. I told her that I had enough candy in my purse to put us in a diabetic coma and we were off.

As we settled in to watch the trailers I tried not to think about the fact that I was probably the only female viewing this movie who was also lactating. Jaden and I made a date to see the Will Smith flick, “Seven Pounds” together and the movie began..

Twilight is the story of Bella Swan, a 16 year old high school junior who moves to Forks, Washington (the rainiest, cloudiest, most sun deprived city in North America) to live with her father so that her mother can travel with her new husband, a minor league baseball player. Just as Bella is settling in to life with her police chief father, she meets Edward Cullen. Edward is brooding, goregous, and pale.

Turns out, Edward and his “adoptive” parents and siblings are all centuries old vampires. What follows is the usual “I love you, but we can’t be together… or can we” storyline.

I’m going to write this with the assumption that some, if not most, of you have read the book. I know that upon my recommendation many of you got the first book in the four part series…

I was one of those readers that wasn’t feeling Robert Pattinson as Edward at all. Even when the movie started, I still didn’t like him. It wasn’t until, after being peculiarly hostile to Bella when they first meet, that he properly introduced himself that I “got it.” The 16 year old inside me sighed… and melted just a tad. But I’m getting slightly ahead of myself.

Forks looked exactly as I pictured it, though I thought Chief Swan’s house looked a lot better than I’d imagined. I love the fact that they diversified the cast a bit by making one character black – that was white in the book – and another Asian. I found all of them extremely likable… even Jessica who readers learn turns out to be a bit of a bitch. The introduction to the Cullen “kids” was perfect. In the book, they’re already seated at a cafeteria table when Bella notices the gorgeous, pale, quintet, but because this is a movie a more dramatic entrance was required. And we were treated to a bitchwalk. (I’ll be blogging about bitchwalks with Tralfaz soon.)

When I read the books, before I knew the cast of the movie, I’d always pictured someone like Katherine Heigl as Rosalie mainly because her standoffish attitude was very similiar to that of Heigl’s character, Isabelle, on the canceled show Roswell. But, I must say, Nikki Reid did Rosalie Hale justice.

Alice was perfect (more on her in a bit) and though I agree with the “look” of the actors picked to play Jasper and Emmett, I had small issues with their performances. Jasper is the newest member of the Cullen clan, who do not feed on humans, and as such he has the hardest time being around humans and controlling his natural desires. This should play across his face from time to time, but all I got from the actor was the panicked look of someone thisclose to shitting their pants. Emmett, who is tough, boisterous, egotiscal, and strong, only displayed the characteristics a fraction of the time. Other times he came off as a bit wiggerish.

Yesterday I looked at a video clip Chrissa had posted in her blog from her first time seeing the movie. It’s the scene where Bella first sits next to Edward in biology class and his hostile behavior leaves her bewildered. We later learn that he was having a strong, never felt before, reaction to her scent and was fighting the urge to feed off of her, to kill her. But she doesn’t know that. When I watched the clip from Chrissa’s blog, it played as comedy. People, including Chrissa, could be heard snickering as Edward eyed an uncomfortable, squirming Bella. I thought, this is a bad sign. People shouldn’t be laughing, should they?

Then I happened to flip through the book before going to see the movie and came across that part. I’d forgotten that in reaction to the looks of disdain on Edward’s face, Bella took a quick whiff of her hair to see if maybe she smelled bad. The scene was meant to be funny. Meyer’s had written it that way. When watching the movie for myself and able to see the clip in full, I noted that Bella walking by the fan sent her scent across the room to Edward, setting off his preternatural urges. It was funny watching her squirm thinking, “What is his problem? Do I stink? Is there a booger in my nose?” I found I wasn’t laughing at the movie, but with it.

The early introduction of Jacob was surprising, but necessary, as were the random murders throughout the movie. I thought it made the climax, which felt rushed in the book, more realistic in the movie. We know James, Laurent, and Victoria are coming. The Cullens do not. I wasn’t feeling Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black either, until I saw him as Jacob. I do think, though, he’ll have to eat lots of spinach to pull of Jacob in the later movies.

I really couldn’t think of too much that was left out of the book except maybe the several days of Q&A as Edward and Bella got to know each other, though they did touch on that a little as they did the nighttime chat montage. Whatever was left out wasn’t missed by me so I have no complaints. Although, I would have liked to see a scene where he disappears from her bedroom because he can hear Charlie coming well before she could, but they made up for that by his reaction outside her house when Jacob and his father, Billy, were driving up.

When Bella realizes what Edward is the confrontation scene the next day was very well done. When she sees him across campus, approaches, but continues to walk by him without saying a word he silently follows. No need to say, “We need to talk.” He knew what was up. Everything that followed was both sexy and scary.

I read some complaints about the special effects, but I didn’t see a problem. Where were the areas that people found this lacking? There really didn’t seem to be much of a need for anything too extravagant. One thing I did note was the absence of fangs. Is it just me or were there no fangs in this vampire flick? Jaden had one of several very funny lines tonight as we pulled into her driveway still gushing over what we’d just seen.

“When he was in the sunlight I expected him to burn, but they really were marketing this to teenage girls – he glittered!”

I enjoyed everything from the restaurant scene to Bella’s relationship with Charlie going from uneasy to comfortable. He’s not as I pictured him, but Charlie had some great lines as well. “I put another pepper spray in your bag.” And I found that where the books made Bella too clumsy at times the movies gave her just the right amount of awkwardness.

The baseball game was something I was really looking forward to seeing on the big screen and it didn’t disappoint. It was another way for the movie to display the personalities of the other Cullens who had relatively small roles in this film but remain such large characters for those who have read the series. And I mentioned earlier, because we’d gotten a taste of the danger James and company represented throughout the film, the final confrontation didn’t seem as rushed and forced as it did in the book.

My favorite part of the final battle is when Alice, Emmett, Jasper, and Carlisle arrive to help with James. Not to give anything away, but I loved seeing the vicious side of Alice. I leaned over to Jaden, “Damn. Alice ain’t no joke.”

I loved how excited Jaden was at the end of the movie.

“Nooo, they can’t end it like that! Now I have to read the books.”

And so we headed to my house so she could borrow my copy of Twilight and I could nurse Jack whose starving image invaded my paranoid mind several times throughout the film. Note: He took to the pumped breastmilk via a bottle just fine which means more girls’ night out to the movies for me and Jaden.
I loved, loved, loved, this movie. I thought it remained surprisingly true to the book. Was just the right length though I wouldn’t have minded more. The acting was decent – I thought sometimes Edward was a little too wide eyed, but enjoyed the subtle scenes for those of us who have read the books like when he tries to move and behave human as he nervously waits with Charlie for Bella on prom night. I cringed at Bella’s delivery of this line, “What is going on?” as she and Edward pulled up to a bunch of police cars. Normal people say, “What’s going on?” Jaden and I each had a, “Well, hello there” moment when Carlisle first pushed through the double doors at the hospital. I’d forgotten about him and Esme (another casting I didn’t agree with until I actually saw it) up until that point.

I wanted to see more Cullens, but I know that there will be time for that in the next movies as I’ve read the books and I know how their stories unfold.

It’s not gonna win any Oscars, but it will delight fans of the book. As Jaden summed up perfectly on the way to my house, “I can see why people were so addicted. It’s like Pokemon for girls!”

The Dark Knight: Movie Review

First off, there will be no spoilers in this review. You should go see this movie knowing as little as possible. It’s in two parts and you can just skip to The Review below.

The History

December 14th, 2007 – Donny and I went to see I Am Legend it’s opening night in IMAX. We chose IMAX because if given a choice, you should always choose IMAX and there was the promise of seeing ten minutes of the new Batman movie when you did. The ten minutes we saw in the theatre was the same “first five minutes” that’s been all over the internet in previous weeks.

I thought the Batman franchise had turned into a big pile of steaming dookie. Batman Begins put me to sleep – though, to be fair, I watched it late at night when I was, well, sleepy. I had no idea what to expect from the new installment. After seeing I Am Legend I looked up the movie on IMDB and was surprised to learn it was Heath Ledger playing The Joker. A month later he was dead.

May 7th, 2008 – On Donny’s birthday we go see a matinee of Iron Man while Kali’s in school. The first full trailer of The Dark Knight plays before it. It makes me sad. The trailer had so much promise and though there was yet to be buzz about Heath’s performance it seemed wrong that he wouldn’t be arround to reap the rewards… receive the accolades. It got me to thinking about a whole lot of wasted potential which only grew as we later watched Robert Downey Jr. completely become Tony Stark. How great that he got his act together so we could witness this treat, I thought. It could have easily been him found dead of an accidental overdose.

July 8th, 2008 – On my Dad’s birthday we took him out to dinner, but my stepmother insisted on paying. Desperate to do something for him we offered to take him to a movie since he rarely gets out to see one. A shame for such a big movie fan. We settled on an opening day IMAX viewing of The Dark Knight. The Saturday before the movie my Dad calls to say that he has seen nothing but positive reviews. There’s Oscar buzz, talks of a two and a half hour long movie that doesn’t feel it, and a nice little plot twist. The Wednesday before the movie Donny drops my Dad off at home after he helps pick up Jack’s armoire.

“Your Dad is really excited about going to see Batman.”

I realized then that I was too. I’d purposely avoided any reviews (and still have after seeing it) for fear of ruining anything for myself. I wanted to go in a blank slate, but that was kinda impossible. There was a lotta pressure for this film to be good and Heath Ledger to be great. Damn buzz!

The Review

Amazingly good. This movie set the bar high for any superhero film to follow including a third installment. After this, there can be no more excuses for Christopher Nolan has presented the world a template. We shall call it, “How Not to Fuck Up a Franchise,” or “How To Revive a Superhero Franchise Long Since Written Off,” or “How to Tell a Great Story and Still Be a Big Budget Summer Movie.” Any will do.

Christian Bale is back as Bruce Wayne and as such he’s as cocksure as ever. But as Batman, his moonlight gadget-wielding, crime fighting alter ego, he’s having doubts. Half the city has been calling for his head to answer for his brand of vigilante justice and the other half of Gotham City has taken to donning knock-off bat suits inspired to take on the bad guys themselves. Bruce wonders if Batman’s days as Gotham’s protector should come to an end, but who can he trust the city to when there are whispers of corruption in almost all aspects of law enforcement?

Enter Harvey Dent, played by Aaron Eckhart, Gotham’s fearless District Attorney. He has no reservations in taking on Gotham’s handful of mob leaders and the mysterious Joker who seems to have the mobsters all chasing their tails. He’s young, virtuous, and completely uncorrupted. He also just happens to be dating Bruce Wayne’s longtime friend and love interest Rachel Dawes, played for the first time by Maggie Gyllenhaal, a role originated by the cardboard cutout known as Katie Holmes.

That’s the shell of the story and usually that’s where most movies of this ilk will end. You take that shell, you blow stuff up, add a car chase, some witty banter, and voila! Superhero movie! But this isn’t most movies.

What The Dark Knight does well is make you care about these so-called secondary characters. Nolan does not waste one moment of the two and a half hours. You come away completely understanding the motivations of every single character. And I mean it, every single character. From Bruce to Harvey, to Lt. Gordon (Gary Oldman), to Alfred (Michael Caine) to the mayor (played by the never-aging Richard on Lost), to several of the police detectives, and yes, even The Joker.

The performances are so dead-on perfect. There’s a scene where an over zealous accountant at Wayne Enterprises proves to be a bit too good at his job. He makes a demand and the look on Morgan Freeman’s face, as Lucius Fox, conveyed more than most actors could with ten lines of dialogue. I will finally remember Aaron Eckhart as someone other than that handsome blonde guy that kinda looks like that other handsome blonde guy who was on Boston Legal for a few seasons. Harvey Dent proved to be a nice surprise. Maggie Gyllenhaal was completely believable as the tough assistant D.A. drawn to two heroes. And man, does that woman have an old-Hollywood beauty about her. She was born for the big screen.

But of course, what everyone will be talking about, and they should, is The Joker. Heath. Heath. Heath. There’s a saying amongst black southerners when someone makes a really good meal. They say that the cook “put his foot in it.” I really don’t understand it as the thought of anyone putting their foot in food before serving it seems very nasty and quite unsanitary, but I’ve been known to adopt the saying and take it a bit further.

Heath Ledger put his foot up the ass of this role. Seriously. He should not be nominated for an Oscar, or win it, because he’s dead and it’s sad. He should be nominated because he’s just. that. great. The devil’s in the details. The hunched walk… an almost shuffle. Not the walk of an ass kicker, but rather someone who has seen better days. The clothing. Remember Jack Nicholson and his henchmen tearing apart a Gotham museum set to Prince’s Party Man? Yeah well, you won’t catch this Joker shuckin’ and jivin’ and he has bigger fish to fry than a few museum valuables. He doesn’t wear bright suits and loud makeup. We find out that his clothes are custom made, but they too look like they’ve seen happier times. They are as worn and damaged as the man who wears them.

There are the little ticks. The tongue occasionally darting out like a reptile. The quick glances to the side. The eye roll. The hair pulling. This Joker has issues. As the movie goes on, his makeup becomes faded and corroded. As does the man. But he always has a plan. Even though when the end is all but nigh, you just know The Joker has something up his worn sleeve and here’s the kicker… you want him to! “How is he going to get out of this one?,” you ask yourself in anticipation.

The most beautiful thing about Heath’s performance is that you honestly forget that it’s him. When Jack Nicholson took on the role, it was so obviously Jack. It fit. I mean, come on, whenever I think of Jack Nicholson the first image that comes to mind is him in the front row of the Oscars or a top table at the Golden Globes looking like he sweats malted scotch, hiding those hooded eyes beneath sunglasses, and flashing that devilish grin. And his Joker was essentially that in makeup and a bright purple suit. But with Heath’s performance he delivers a Joker more diabolical, more damaged, deranged and oddly, more real. He is The Joker from the comics that will rush in to kick Batman when he’s down being pummeled by the Joker’s cronies. Yeah, he’s not above a sucker punch or two. And that’s the comedic side. I mean, his name is The Joker afterall. But there’s also the menacing side that will cut your mouth from corners to ears in a split second.

Save for one single moment, I forgot The Joker was Heath Ledger. And that moment happens to be my favorite moment of the film. Possibly one of my all time favorite moments of any film. A moment I will never, ever, forget. Briefly, we get a glimpse of The Joker without makeup. It is but a few brief seconds of Heath Ledger with The Joker scars pulling the corners of his mouth and I thought, “That’s Heath Ledger.” And all that comes with that. He’s dead, he won’t get to know how great he was in this movie, he won’t get to see his daughter grow up, he’s dead and it’s ridiculously wrong.

But more than that that flash of a moment also gave more life to the character of The Joker than most films deliver in a villian when given a full ninety minutes! This man looks like a kid. His eyes darted to the right briefly in that scene and in that moment, the bad guy was kinda vulnerable. Sneaky, but vulnerable. You find yourself thinking, “Who is this guy!?” He sure doesn’t look like he could be the same hunched, shuffling, gravel voiced, cackling, mad man that has Gotham terrified. And just like that you want sequels. He doesn’t even have to be in all of them, but just the promise of him is enough to keep the franchise going. You want to know more. As he later says, there’s a feeling that he and Batman are meant to do this forever. But sadly, that is not to be because who the hell wants to be the actor to fill those shoes?

If you want to see an image of the moment click here. But I wouldn’t if you haven’t seen the movie yet… unless you don’t plan on seeing it, but that would just make you lame.

My second favorite moment of the movie you’ve probably seen in trailers. The Joker is leaning out the window of a cop car with the wind blowing his hair. It is so beautifully shot. So sums up part of what makes The Joker so dangerous. He basks in the chaos he causes.

Because nothing is perfect, I can point out one teeny, tiny, flaw. And it’s small. The ferry boats scenes. That’s all I will say. They came off kinda cheesy and predictable to me, but necessary. Like I said, Nolan didn’t waste one frame in this film. The ferry boat scenes summed up wonderfully the beliefs of Batman and The Joker and how completely different they are. So, on the surface where they may seem to belong in a lesser movie, they were needed here.

Of course, there’s the other cool stuff: the gadgets, the one liners that don’t seem forced or corny, the blowing up of lots of stuff, the fight scenes, the car chases, the Batmobile, etc. But the two things that make this film are

1. A really great story wonderfully acted by everyone involved.
2. Heath Ledger as The Joker.

Go see it. Now. In IMAX if you can. It is all but a given that I will be buying this baby on Blu-Ray the day it comes out.

Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix Film Review

As I drove, alone, to the theater this morning the weather was gloomy. It was chilly, overcast, and rain had begun to drizzle. It seemed fitting as the tone of this film was definitely darker than any of its predecessors. As well it should be. When you first begin the journey that is the story of Harry Potter and its many characters it all seems very tame, doesn’t it? It’s almost as if you got your somewhat happy ending at the beginning. “A dark wizard tries to kill a little boy, but he survives? That doesn’t sound so bad.”

As the stories progressed we find that being “The Boy Who Lived” kinda blows. It’s lonely as he’s an orphan and the few true friends he has managed to make can never fully understand the burden placed upon him. It’s dangerous as he’s in constant fear of what Voldemort, a.k.a The Dark Lord, a.k.a He Who Must Not Be Named, a.k.a. that guy from Strange Days (Ralph Fiennes), might be planning, and he must go through all of this while dealing with the normal rises and lows of being a teenaged boy.

As each volume unfolded we got reminded time and time again what a hard existence it is to be Harry Potter. The cold wind and big fat rain drops put me in the right frame of mind as the film began.

Readers of the books know that The Order opens with Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) having spent a summer alone with the mean spirited Dursleys. He’s been brooding because he’s not had one word from the wizarding world as to what is going on now that they all know Lord Voldemort has returned having tricked Harry into participating in his rebirth, and then killing Cedric Diggory, at the end of Goblet of Fire.
Things quickly pick up as Dementors attack Harry and his cousin, Dudley (Harry Melling), in a park in Little Whinging. This was one of the scenes I had been looking forward to seeing the most as I remember the shock and excitement of reading about the events in the book. Such a blatant attack early on really set up the rest of OOTP well. You know right away that, yet again, the danger has been taken to a whole new level.

As The Order of the Phoenix, a group of good wizards and witches led by Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) and formed to fight Lord Voldemort the first time he rose to power, come to pick Harry up and take him to their headquarters I was pleased that things were moving along so quickly and I was excited to finally see what Kingsley Shacklebot (and auror at the Ministry of Magic working in secret with The Order) and Nymphadora Tonks looked like. They both did not disappoint but I was most pleased with Tonks (Natalia Tena). She was everything I imagined her to be – spunky, quirky, pretty, clumsy, and above all kick ass…but more on that later.
Things don’t get better for young Potter, looking all growed up I must say, as he finds out from The Order, that also includes his fugitive godfather Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), the Weasley parents, and his father’s arch rival and his own Potions master Severus Snape (played with ghoulish glee by Alan Rickman), that the Ministry of Magic has made it their business to try and discredit Harry and his claims that Lord Voldemort has indeed returned.

The wizardry news is filled with stories professing that Harry is a liar and out for attention. Also fearing that Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of the wizardry school Hogwarts, is backing Potter’s claims in an effort to take his job as Head of the Ministry, Cornelius Fudge (Robert Hardy) places his under secretary, Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton), at Hogwarts in an effort to try and control what goes on there.

Much of the movie is spent at Hogwarts, as usual, as Harry and his friends led by Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) deal with the over growing presence of Umbridge at their school (educational decrees up the wazoo!), taking their Ordinary Wizarding Level exams (O.W.L.s), and attending secret Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons taught by Harry. Hey, if the Ministry is too stubborn to acknowledge Voldemort’s return and protect them, then they need to protect themselves, don’t they? You bet your ass they do.

All of this leads to a climax at the Ministry of Magic so good I wanted to stand up and cheer. But I was alone. And I’m like 6 feet tall. And grown. So, overall, I’m thinking that woulda been weird.

So now, as is my way, I’m going to tell you what was good before I get to the bad…

- What J.K. Rowlings does expertly, and so far the many directors of each film has managed to capture as well, is display Harry’s constant wonder and joy at his new, true, world. He finds out he’s a wizard much later in life than most children in his world. And now, even five years later, he still displays amazement at experiencing new aspects of the wizarding world. For instance, in Goblet of Fire when he attended the Quidditch World Cup and used a portkey for the first time and now in Order as he arrives at the Ministry of Magic to answer charges of unauthorized use of magic in front of a Muggle (He was cleared. He only used the Patronus charm to defeat the Dementors and save his and Dudley’s lives. Besides, the whole hearing was nothing more than an excuse to further discredit Harry and, by extension, Dumbledore.) Showing Harry watch people arrive to work by Floo Powder and the self flying paper airplanes that serve as inter-office memos is a nice touch that reminds the viewer that he’s just as new to some of this as we are.

- Sirius Black – though he’s never been a huge part of any of the books he’s in (even the one that bears his name – The Prisoner of Azkaban cause let’s face it, he’s not in many actual scenes of the books), he’s still such a presence in the Harry Potter world. He’s the only real family Harry has left and watching the scenes between them knowing the tragic outcome was heartbreaking. I did notice one thing though. He is definitely a rock star. I mean. Sirius Black is like the freakin’ Mick Jagger of the wizarding world. Don’t believe me? Just pay close attention to the scene with him and Harry at the train station.

- Watching members of The Order line up outside 4 Privet Drive and mount their brooms.

- Luna Lovegood! I loved Luna in all loony glory. She spoke as if she were in a haze, but delivered some of the best moments, and advice, of the movie. I totally want Harry to end up with Luna now. Hopefully, J.K. makes that happen in the final book.
- Dolores Umbridge. She was like a walking, talking, bottle of Pepto Bismol. And just as nasty.

- Minimal Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane)…and I didn’t mind.

- Patti said in her review that she wanted to “make sweet, sweet, love to” the final battle that took place at the Ministry. Sign me up for the orgy, please. The film found an impressive way to visualize that battle. The Death Eaters dissolved into black smoke and whipped around our hero and his friends, but when The Order showed up (and wow, what an entrance) they fought back in streaks of white. It made the battle much more magical because let’s face it, two people pointing sticks at each other and shouting Latin can get kinda…lame.

- Though I appreciate Kingsley getting a line, I have a feeling I would have rather seen the painting of Phineas Nigellus deliver the original line, “You know, Minister, I disagree with Dumbledore on many counts…but you cannot deny he’s got style…”, after Dumbledore made his exit from Hogwarts…a scene I was dying to see that did not disappoint.

Here’s what was not so good…

- Several scenes ended weirdly. Like the director didn’t know quite when to cut them so instead we get an uncomfortable fade-out or a shot pulled back straight out of the room and into the skies above Hogwarts.

- As the books got longer it was inevitable that more would have to be cut from the movies. As much as someone like me wouldn’t mind a four hour epic, as long as it was done right, including each aspect of a book that you’ve come to love for its many details, most of America wouldn’t get down with it. And I understand that. And I deal with it. But that doesn’t stop me from missing little details like how much work the teenagers put into helping Mrs. Weasley rid the headquarters of doxies and dead puffskeins, the explanation of how Tonks is related to Sirius, the fact that Professor Trelawney is the one who spoke the prophecy regarding Harry and Voldemort, and everyone running into Neville Longbottom’s parents at the St. Mungos when they go to visit Mr. Weasley.

- There were not enough scenes of the occlumency lessons between Snape and Harry. Considering that their failure to successfully complete the lessons due to their mutual hatred is what led to Voldemort being able to lure Harry and his friends to the Department of Mysteries, I thought there could have been at least one or two more scenes to show the breakdown. Especially knowing what Snape does in The Half Blood Prince, one wonders if this was part of his plan.

- Grawp. I didn’t care for him in the book and he seemed pointless in the movie, but I understand why he had to be introduced. Much like Kreacher, who is rumored to play a big role in Deathly Hallows, had to be at least introduced in this movie.

- Dolores’ comeuppance, being carried away by the Centaurs, always struck me as disturbing. Seeing it didn’t help. Though I did miss the scene with Ron later torturing a catatonic Umbridge with the sounds of hoof beats.
Finally, I thought there wasn’t enough mourning shown by Harry after Sirius’ death. The ending of the movie, didn’t seem to match up with the ending of the book tone-wise, I mean the final chapter was titled, “The Second War Begins,” for God’s sake! I wanted more feelings of impending doom. Some serious stuff went down in this installment and it whispered of what’s to come. Why was everyone so damn optimistic? They shouldn’t be.

As I watched the final scenes of the movie the words of the prophecy stuck with me. “One must die at the hands of the other as one cannot live as long as the other survives.” And though I’m anxiously awaiting the final book (just one more week!) and hoping for good things, I found myself hoping that Voldemort kills Harry.

Why? Because this movie did such a great job of reminding me of the burden that comes with being Harry Potter, and how though they (he and Voldemort) are eerily alike, Harry is much different (and better) because of who he is at heart and the friends that he has. I somehow feel as if I’d rather he dies in Deathly Hallows fighting the good fight than having the added burden of being a murderer.

Transformers: Movie Review

Lately I’ve been confronted with people’s misconceptions of girls that look like me.

“You don’t look like a gamer!”

“You’re going to see Transformers?!”

Damn right, I am.  Opening day at that.

After watching Transformers yesterday afternoon I got to thinking about how ridiculous this notion that attractive people can’t be geeky nerds is.  We all started out the same way. We were all children who watched cartoons after school, on Saturday mornings, and in some cases (Voltron!) before school.

The cartoons that made an impression on me as a kid were The Smurfs, He-Man, Thundercats, She-Ra, Jem, Voltron, and Transformers.  As I type this I can still see and hear the Transformers commercials I enjoyed as a child.

We have no idea what we’ll grow up to look like and it doesn’t matter. There is still an exciting anticipation that comes over us as we realize that the things that engrossed us as children will once again be brought to life with the advances of today’s technology.  We trust the Michael Bays of this world to update, yet respect, our childhood heroes, but more importantly we trust that they will do so in a way that will leave the new generation with a feeling of, “Oh, I get it!”

I have very few, trivial, complaints about Transformers the live action movie.  So trivial, in fact, they really need not be mentioned, but to be fair and balanced I shall.

Let’s begin with what was right.  The plot revolves around the Autobots’ (both good and bad) desire to obtain a mystical cube called the All Sparks.  It has the power to give life and is behind the conception of the Autobots. Those who wanted to possess the cube for evil, The Decepticons lead by Megatron, waged war with the other Autobots on their planet and in the process the cube was lost.  Both groups set off to find the cube and it leads them to Earth where the cube, and Megatron literally on ice, has been in the custody of a covert military group.

As the Decepticons launch attacks against the U.S. military in an effort to locate the cube and their leader, the good guys led by Optimus Prime realize that the key to finding the cube lies with a teenage boy named Sam Whitwicky (Shia Lebouf) who is a descendant of an explorer who discovered Megatron decades ago.

This movie did an excellent job of introducing back story with fluidity.  Instead of one big scene where we’re spoon-fed the history the story was allowed to naturally unfold. Information such as what became of the mystical cube, MegaTron, and the importance of Sam Whitwicky develops and makes sense.

In this day and age of six-in-one gadgets that make phone calls, play music, surf the web, make coffee, etc., the movie incorporates that and uses it to its advantage to explain the Autobot’s knowledge of our language, culture, and to help them achieve their goals – both positive and negative.

The special effects make this movie one that you have to see at least twice. There were times during their transformation from Autobot to helicopter, car, semi, CD player, cell phone, etc., that I found myself truly not believing what my eyes were showing me. The very definition of blink and you’ll miss it. This is one of my few, very small, complaints.  During the Autobots fight scenes things happened almost too fast.

Surprisingly, the robot characters were expressive and displayed distinct personalities.  Jazz, Optimus Prime’s first lieutenant, was cocky and confident. Ratchet, the medic, was logical and calm. The weapons specialist, Ironhide, was a bit hotheaded and didn’t mind, uh, lubricating an annoying military blowhard. And Bumblebee, the kickass Camaro tasked with being Sam’s guardian, came off as loyal and playful like a puppy…and he had little to no dialogue!

A lot of action films of this nature waste too much time with trying to convince their characters that the events are actually happening. We are most times forced to watch several scenes of characters making bad calls and needing way too much convincing to get things to happen. These characters only had to see a police car change into a homicidal robot once to get with the program. Also, I appreciated that the film allowed us to rely on our imagination for the carnage that would surely result from truck-sized robots fighting it out on the streets.  No gratuitous and gory death scenes of innocent bystanders.

The movie is long, but I suspect that most will enjoy it enough not to mind.  Also, it does a nice job of keeping you entertained until Optimus Prime makes his appearance – and let’s face it, we were all really just waiting for that moment.

In keeping with the whole “more than meets the eye” theme another small annoyance involves two of the three female leads. Makayla and Maggie. Both girls are sexy as hell, beautiful, and smart, but were tarted up beyond belief.  I know that we are a society that likes to look at attractive people and that this movie is mostly marketed towards young men and boys; however, as a woman I also know that sexy isn’t always about being overt and after the 20th gratuitous boob/belly button/legs shot I began to feel like no matter how many cars they hot wire, no matter how many alien frequencies they decrypt, no matter how much they contributed to saving the world, they were still just the T&A of the film.  Besides, as much as I appreciated Anthony Anderson’s comic relief it would have been nice to see Maggie crack the code all on her own.

Spoiler Alert: And my final, teeny tiny, I’m mostly joking when I say this, complaint is….”Why the one “black” robot gotta be the one to die? Huh? Why they gotta kill the brotha Autobot?”

Overall, loved, loved, loved this film. I’ve already watched it again since beginning this blog. God bless the internet.

As we walked through the parking lot after the movie I found myself checking out the other cars in a different light. A young, black, couple had to wait for my brother to strap his son in the backseat before they could enter their car and we had a small chat about the movie. The man summed it up best when he said, “I felt like a kid again for the first time in like ten years.” And as I drove back to our house I found myself wishing that the Dodge Charger I was navigating would suddenly do something.

Spider-Man 3: Movie Review

First, I just want to say that no matter how awesome your child is (and mine is pretty awesome) there will come a time when they will do something to embarrass the hell out of you. Something that will leave you thinking, “Why? Why are you doing this me? Please Lord, I will do anything if you just make this child stop!” My moment came today at about 3pm as I sat in a theater watching the trailers before Spider-Man 3: Rise of the Sandman.

Kali did not want to see this movie. I told her she had to be the only child in the history of lucky ass children to stay home from school and get to go to a movie and not want to go. I mean, really.  So, we’re sitting in the darkened theatre and I just finished having a geek girl orgasm over the Harry Potter trailer. Oh, sweet Jesus it’s going to be great. Just as the volume lowers people in a two row radius of us undoubtedly heard my child crying and whimpering like Uncle Chester was about to pay his nightly visit to her room.

“I don’t want to be here. I want to leave. This is scary. Get me out of here. I want to leave now!”

I didn’t know who I wanted to stuff into my faux Prada bag more; her or myself. I whispered, “Kali, that isn’t the movie we’re going to see and if you don’t cut it out I’m going to….” What? Take her home? That’s what she wanted!  Donny just cast glances at the other movie goers as if to say, “I don’t know these people.” Bastard.

Now, on to the movie…It’s times like these when I just realize that life is good. I was going to start this off by saying how much we love this time of year in my house, but truly there is something to be said for life year round.

I love fall, starting around Halloween time straight into winter and the holidays, because of the crisp weather, leaves, holiday commercials, the smell of everyone in the subdivision burning wood in their fireplaces, and getting to sleep in feety-pajamas.

I love the spring because of the warm weather, blooming flowers, and Kali’s and Donny’s birthday. And then you have weekends like this one that kicks off my favorite part of summer. No, not the BBQs and pool parties. I’m talking about the summer blockbusters.

Spider-Man 3 was not a bad way to kick things off. Those who’ve been reading awhile know that I’m a geek; a comic book reading, sci-fi watching, vampire novel reading, RPG playing, nerd. My Spidey senses start to tingle when a movie opens with the word MARVEL and the fluttering pages of comic books.

Spider-Man did enough to warm this fan girl’s heart, but just barely. There were moments that were a little heavy on the cheese, and though I know that Peter Parker is this bumbling, aw shucks, nerdy kid at heart, some of his more tender moments came off more laughable than sympathetic.

SPOILER WARNING: Like the breakup scene with MJ on the bridge. I wanted to yell at the screen, “Man up, Parker!!” And once Parker is taken over by the black intergalactic goo that turns him all “venom” it went from being aggressive and creepy to downright over the top. Take for instance when the change first occurred. He’s swaggering down the streets of NY and turning the heads of all the ladies. He turned into a bit of a macho prick – sexy, but still a prick. But then, instead of him getting sexier, more aggressive, and more dangerous he turned into Jim Carrey in The Mask. The whole scene at Mary Jane’s new job where he hops around and dances with Gwen Stacy (the lovely Bryce Dallas Howard) caused me to actually ask myself, “What happened to the movie I was just watching?”

Some other head scratching moments include the introduction of Sand Man (Thomas Haden Church) as Ben Parker’s murderer, the “what took you so damn long” revelation made by Harry Osborn’s (James Franco) butler, and SPOILER WARNING: Harry’s redemption followed quickly by Harry’s death.

Coming in at 2 hours and 20 minutes sometimes the movie seemed to drag, but I guess they needed the time to deal with the movie’s (technically) 4 villains. I never understood the casting behind Kirsten Dunst as M.J. If you read the comics, you know that Mary Jane was supposed to be HOT! Kirsten Dunst? Not so much. Although, I must say that she sadly has more chemistry with James Franco than her leading man, Tobey Maguire.

So, what did the movie get right? The action sequences were amazing. We’re talking hold your breath, edge of your seat, action. The fight scenes were done well and intense. Tobey Maguire nails Peter Parker’s struggle to do the right thing and please everyone (including all of NYC) at the same time. BDH was great as Gwen Stacy (who was really the girl in the Peter/Harry threesome from the comics and quite the looker herself), and I wish they’d given her just a little more. The same goes for J.K. Simmons (as J. Jonah Jameson) and Thomas Haden Church, two actors that I love in everything they do. And Topher Grace gave Eddie Brock just the right amount of smarmy.  I particularly enjoyed Bruce Campbell’s trademark Sam Raimi cameo as the Maitre d’ of Restaurant Constellation.

If you can get past the massive love story, and you may not want to if that’s your thing, then there’s some massive action that makes Spider-Man 3: Can Someone Pass Mary Jane a Comb, worth seeing.

Superman Returns: Movie Review

I really want to try to explain why the story of Superman has always captivated me so.  I suppose there’s enough explanation in the history of him.  The world’s first comic book hero, a mythic symbol of hope, courage, strength, and moral certainty.  Created during the Depression Era by two young immigrants, Superman came to symbolize the American Dream. The ultimate refugee. A stranger in a strange land, trying to find his place in it, trying to do good.

Superman was the first to make the comic strip to big screen transition.  Already a success in print (comic book then newspaper strip), radio, and television, movies seemed the next logical step. First in animated theatrical shorts, then in 1978, in a live action blockbuster most of us are familiar with.

The first Superman movie resonates with me for many reasons.  There’s the first impression of seeing the man of steel in flesh and blood, for those of us too young to remember or appreciate the TV series starring George Reeves.  Here was this larger than life character, played by a larger than life man.  Christopher Reeve, whose true strength and character would be tragically displayed almost twenty years later, brought to life the size and stature of a man who was both bumbling and unsure (Clark Kent), and powerful and confident (Superman).

Richard Donner, the director, got it right. The movie was a perfect blend of history, exploring the mythology of Superman, and action. Who can forget the first time Superman saves Lois after she falls from the helicopter atop the Daily Planet?  The roaring score by John Williams accentuated one of my favorite all time movie moments.

“Easy Ms., I’ve got you.” “You…you’ve got me? Whose got you?”

Superman Returns, and director Bryan Singer, had a lot to live up to.  Brandon Routh, the new Superman, did as well, and I wanted him to succeed.  I hold a special place in my heart for soap actors (those on the ones I watch especially) that transition to primetime television and movies.  I wanted this virtual unknown to do well.

The first thing they got right was taking the story back to the basics.  With producer Jon Peters owning the rights to the story since the early 90′s, he’d considered for many years the resurrection of the Superman mythos to the big screen with ideas of Superman in black latex and lots of silver. Thankfully, Bryan Singer and writers Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris came along to convince him that the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” method was the way to go.

The story begins with Superman’s return to Earth. Five years prior, astronomers discovered remnants of the lost planet, Krypton. This prompts Superman to leave Earth in search of answers and possible survivors. Upon his return, he discovers a different world. A world at war. On a smaller scale, his world has changed as well. His love, Lois Lane played by Kate Bosworth, is now a Mom and involved with another. Some things, however, stay the same as Lex Luthor, played by Kevin Spacey, is recently released from prison, and focused on one thing: world domination.

The story has heart, and beautiful in its simplicity. With Lois Lane about to accept a Pulitzer for her piece, “Why the World Doesn’t Need Superman,” Superman finds himself wondering if that is true. The movie did a wonderful job of portraying a man who is not at all human, struggle with extremely human emotions.  Superman, Kal-El the last son of Krypton, would not be Superman were he not raised human and all that it means, yet still rise to meet his destiny of hero.  Of savior.

Brandon Routh embodied all that Superman is.  He is believable as Clark the farm boy with his Midwestern values, as Clark Kent the bumbling reporter, and as Superman the world’s protector.

It was like watching Christopher Reeve all over again. And that’s a good thing. The character of Superman was created long before most of us were even thought about. His beliefs, attitude, style, etc., was set in stone.  Brandon Routh didn’t need to reinvent the wheel.  He need only breathe life to a beloved character, and sell it. That he did.  And then some.

The first time he rushes off to save the day, or specifically a crashing plane carrying Lois Lane and space shuttle, you’re overcome with that same feeling of excitement.  Just like when he caught a falling Lois Lane 28 years ago. As he runs through an alleyway in Metropolis, ripping off the tie and glasses, the music is a nostalgic mix of the theme from the live action television show and the first film.

Kevin Spacey may have needed a toothpick a time or two for some scenery chewing, but overall he brought a darker Lex Luthor to the screen. I liked that. I still prefer Michael Rosenbaum’s portrayal of Lex on Smallville (don’t even get me started on how fantastic that story is), but Kevin Spacey’s Lex is more believable as the Lex fans of the Superboy comics and Smallville would imagine him to grow up to be than Gene Hackman’s.

When Superman saves Kitty, Lex Luthor’s ditzy girlfriend played by the wonderful Parker Posey, comic book officiandos will recognize that scene as the cover of the first Action Comic that featured Superman. (1938, and it sold for a dime.)

It’s that kind of respect and knowledge of the Superman stories that got it right, and came before it that makes Superman Returns a great movie.  Not relying solely on astonishing CGI, it relies on story. It relies on history. It provided nostalgic entertainment for diehard Superman fans like me, and it’s also a great vehicle with which to introduce the franchise to a new generation, like my daughter’s.