Happy Feet - 2.5 stars

The Film Fest director described Happy Feet as a combination of March of the Penguins and Moulin Rouge. I have to agree, but not in the way he intended. It doesn't combine those great elements, it copies them. The story starts out exactly like March. The penguins are walking across the ice trying to protect their eggs and find their eggs. However, they are singing. It's very cute for about 3 minutes. Then you realize that the songs are uninventive ripoffs or just songs by the artists themselves. The story has too many elements shoved together, none of which really engage. It tries to be the story of the kid who doesn't fit in, the environmental story, the cross-cultural story. It's fine, but not nearly as original as it could and should have been. Brittany Murphy has an incredible voice, and Robin Williams never ceases to amaze as 3 different characters.

Kids will love it. There are a few scary moments with the big, mean seal. Opens Nov 17th.

Closer - 2.5 stars

Starring Natalie Portman, Jud Law, Julia Roberts, and Clive Owens this one's about a love triangle with a fourth (Portman). The acting is good, with Portman stealing the show, the story on the other hand floats around ambiguously most of the time. The writer does a great job taking you through emotions in each of the individual break-ups that litter this film, with a masterful portrayal of those intimate moments when you realize a break-up is for real. Roberts, Law and Owens hold their own (with Roberts leading that pack) but don't quite have it in this one. The characters seem to wafer between sadism and stupidity in their choices about love and their partnership, making want to roll your eyes.
- Jim

Mean Creek - 4 stars

Starring Rory Culkin, Ryan Kelley, Scott Mechlowicz, Trevor Morgan and Carly Schroder and a group of friends and family who take Josh Peck (the local bully) into the back country to exact a little revenge. When all goes awry they find out who they and their friends really are. George (Peck's character) turns out to be a bit more human than they think, until his poor judgement and lack of social skills reminds the group why they came in the first place. Well acted and doesn't take the easy outs when the opportunity is provided. The similarity of the mannerisms between Mechlowicz and Brad Pitt are almost creepy, his character is the most predictable. I highly recommend this movie, don't watch it too late at night it has a piercing quality that will follow you into your dreams.
- Jim

Running with Scissors - 2 stars

This movie is perfectly named. Watching it really felt like Running with Scissors. This film has some great performances and some wonderful moments (check out the stills on imdb), but it's still painful. Annette Benning stars as a dysfunctional mother married to absent alcholic father Alec Baldwin. She abandonds her misfit teenaged son with her even crazier shrink and his family including Gwyneth Paltrow. This film tries to combine the non-stop dry humor of The Royal Tenenbaums and the mysticism of the magic Magnolia only to fall flat on it's face. It's major saving grace is that it's a true story. I wonder if I would have liked it more had I known that at the beginning. Jim & I almost walked out, and we saw another couple leave. By the way, I think this shot is an homage to the absolutely brilliant Harold & Maude (if you haven't seen this one, run, don't walk, to your nearest video store).

Running with Scissors opens nationwide on 10/27/06.

Little Children - 3 stars

Little Children is a good film that fails to be great. As usual with major studio films with big stars, the acting was very good and it was well shot. However, it was too long in parts (aka it dragged) and most importantly the very dramatic stories fell flat at the end. Here you have complex relationships with interesting characters, then all of a sudden they go, "Oh, I guess I'll stop doing that thing now," then finish going about their day. Jackie Earl Haley's perfomance was Oscar worthy as a pedofile.

The movie poster and preview don't exactly represent the film. It is a bit creepy and sexy at moments, but primarily it's a film about relationships, family, and personal struggle. The trailer had me expecting a horror film.

In theaters now.

The Accidental Tourist - 2 stars

I watched the Accidental Tourist because I just read the book. The book is great, the movie sucks. It's quite difficult to translate a slow, character-driven story to the big screen. Plus, the casting was all wrong. For example, Gina Davis who can't pull off quirky and dishoveled, they needed more of a Lily Taylor. Gina is better at white trash (see Thelma & Louise).

Skip it.

The Departed - 4 stars

The Departed is a near perfect Boston/mafia/cop movie. The all-star cast really lives up to it's potential, a rare find. Leonardo DiCaprio seems to have come into his own, Matt Damon has perfected the young smarty, Alec Baldwin is always brilliant, Mark Wahlberg steals the show as an obnoxious cop, Martin Sheen is classic, and Jack Nicholson is over the top crazy. On top of all that, it's hilarious. It's a mafia movie so there is some violence, which isn't all that bad. There is a ton of foul language, mostly coming from Wahlberg, which is one of the funniest things about it. Definitely a must see, but it's not necessary to see it in the theater. If you haven't seen Little Miss Sunshine yet, go see it with a crowd before it's too late.

Spike & Mike's Sick & Twisted (1997) - 1 star

This movie sucks. If you are really into extended scenes of people puking or into watching small animals blow up each other with granades, then go for it.
- Jim

Catch a Fire - 4

Catch a Fire is a stunning movie. This will certainly be nominated for Oscars. Here is a quote from imdb that sums it up perfectly:

"This movie, set in the 1980's, depicts and contrasts the brutal oppression of White South Africa with the opposition of the ANC, most notably Joe Slovo, a hero of the time. Joe Slovo paid a high price for his opposition, including the loss of his wife to the oppressors of the day, but this movie, with a screenplay written by one of his children, takes a high-minded, forgiving approach that few of us could ever contemplate in the circumstances. Told through the eyes of Patrick Chamusso, a gentle man whose quiet life becomes radicalized by oppressive forces, the movie is powerful, emotional and, curiously - for reasons mentioned, balanced."

The movie was directed by Philip Noyce who also directed Rabbit Proof Fence (see my review of this amazing film). The only known actor in the film is Tim Robbins, along with an amazing cast of American and South African actors. It's impossible to tell which is which, the accents and emotions are so real.

Catch this one on October 27th when it goes into general US release.

The Woodsman - 3 stars

The Woodsman, starring Kevin Bacon, is about a man re-entering society after serving 12 years for child molestation. He truely thinks what he did was bad, but has an uncontrollable impulse.

The movie is pretty good, taking the high road when it could have easily gone down the most obvious route. He struggles at work when people find out, he develops a new relationship, and trys to make contact with his family. All at the same time as still battling his demons. Kevin Bacon delivers another nuanced and creepy performance. Kyra Sedgwick is consistently good and always cute. It's not as disturbing as it could have easily been, but it does attack a gross subject.