The end of the summer as we know it....

I promise that I'm not jumping the "end of the summer" train on a whim. However, in the coming weeks my free time will be a rare and valuable commodity, so I won't have much blogging time. In addition, if I share with you the best movies of the summer now, perhaps you can go see some of them while they're still in theaters, especially considering that many of them are now playing in less expensive, 2nd-run theaters.

Overall, this summer movie season didn't pan out the way I thought it would. Sure, I was expecting to love "Harry Potter", but there's no way in a million years I would've thought I'd like a "Planet of the Apes" movie more than the latest Pixar offering. Nor did I expect to be sorta bored by Captain Jack Sparrow. I doubt I could have predicted that I'd fall in love with Woddy Allen's latest or that a film about maids in Mississippi would evoke a far stronger emotional response than seeing Chicago destroyed by Decepticons. Actually, maybe I could've predicted that one.

The plus side was that I didn't see any awful movies. There were no films that looked entertaining that weren't, at least on a base level. However, there weren't a lot of GREAT films either. That's why I want to share with you my top ten list and some of my other favorite things about the summer movie season, so you can go see some movies that you might have missed that were truly worth the price of admission. So here's my top ten:

10. "Cowboys and Aliens" - Directed by Jon Favreau ("Iron Man, "Elf") this movie is far more cowboy than alien and it's all the better for it. It sort of feels like they were filming "True Grit" and got interrupted by the production of "Independence Day 2" and while that combination may not seem to have much dramatic weight (especially given the jokey title), it's handled in a way that makes absolute sense. The cowboys (including the terrific Daniel Craig and the newly re-energized Harrison Ford) don't see this invaders as "aliens". They are referred to as "Demons", which is a monster that fits in their world view. Seeing these characters set aside differences and devise solutions that are grounded in their reality is really quite fun and the cast sells it with absolute conviction.

9. "Thor" - I know that this movie has some detractors, but I am not one of them. This movie feels like a big budget action movie conceived by Shakespeare, with all of the pathos and intrigue one would expect from such a project. On top of that, it introduces the world to a new leading man in Chris Hemsworth, whose previous biggest roll was that of Kirk's pappa in the recent "Star Trek" reboot. While some people (and this includes every woman I've talked to that have seen this movie) find the movie particularly compelling whenever he takes off his shirt, the fact is that he's got talent behind the looks and every moment he's on screen is energized. Granted, the Earth scenes which focus on his developing relationship with a astro-physicist (played by Natalie Portman) aren't as well centered and developed as the scenes on his home planet of Asgard, they're still entertaining and give the main character his story arc. This is the perfect movie for Kenneth Brannagh, best known for his Shakespeare adaptations, to jump into the world of big-budget blockbusters. I only wish he were helming the sequel, because I'd love to see him play in this world a little longer.

8. "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" - It's not over-stating to say that this movie is to this franchise what "Batman Begins", "Star Trek" (2009) and "Casino Royale" were to theirs. It replaces the cliches with heart and the bulky ape suits with cutting-edge f/x and while the central protagonist may be James Franco's character, the central performance is unquestionably that of Andy Serkis as the highly developed chimp named Caesar. Serkis may have delivered this performance by way of motion capture animation, the same way he brought to life Gollum in "Lord of the Rings" and King Kong in the 2005 remake, but regardless of the special effects, it's clear that this performance is his. He gives this movie it's soul and it's edge. His performance also gives the movie it's dramatic balance. It shifts tones from medical drama to apocalyptic war movie subtly through every shift of the head and every turn of his gaze.

7. "Kung Fu Panda 2" - Are Pixar and DreamWorks trading places? No, I don't think so, but based on their output this summer, an argument could be made. While "Cars 2" was overly-dependent on pop culture references and car-related puns, "Kung Fu Panda 2" continued to get it's humor from characterizations and it's heart from genuine emotion. This film was beautiful to look at (the villain, an evil peacock, moves with a fierce grace that reminds one of the best parts of films like "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "Hero") and a delight to behold. Family entertainment in the truest sense of the term, equally fantastic for kids and adults alike.

6. "Captain America: The First Avenger" - I sort of wish they had left the subtitle off this one, because it gives the false impression that this movie only exists to set up next year's "Avengers" blow-out. The truth is that "Captain America" is a smart, fun and nostalgic blockbuster that is simultaneously self-aware and sincere. Well aware that the original "Captain America" comic books were thinly-veiled American propaganda designed to inspire patriotism during WWII (after all, the cover of the first issue was a picture of Caps knocking Hitler to the ground with one punch, an image that is spoofed in the film). The movie acknowledges the propaganda of the image in a hilarious sequence detailing Captain America's USO tour, but it moves beyond the surface to show the genuine patriotism that stirs in the heart of the Captain, (a.k.a. Steve Rogers, played with perfect sincerity by Chris Evans). Plus, this movie gives us the first superhero romance in many years that we actually care about, largely because of the spirited performance of Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter and the genuine chemistry the two share. A wonderful throw back to movies the way they used to make them and a great way to beat the summer heat.

5. "Super 8" - The term "b movie" originated in the late 1920's and refers to a low-budget film that is the "lesser" film in a double feature. The b-movie was the warm-up act, the a-movie was the main event. Usually b-movies were sci-fi or horror films that weren't meant to be taken very seriously. However, in the 1970's Steven Spielberg made a name for himself (not to mention a large fortune) by taking b-movie plots and infusing them with a-movie writing, acting and production values. With films like "Jaws", "Close Encounters of the Third Kind", "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial" he showed that fun movies could be really GOOD movies as well and thus inspired a generation of filmmakers. J.J. Abrams was one of those filmmakers and Spielberg's influence on his style is clear in his t.v. work ("Alias", "Lost") as well as in his films ("Mission:Impossible III", "Star Trek" 2009). "Super 8" is Abrams big, gooey love-letter to those late 70's-early 80's era films and it's splendidly done. It helps that Spielberg was the executive producer, but this movie truly feels like time machine back to that era of film. The everyman in extraordinary circumstances who is forced to deal with his own personal issues as he battles the big, scary thing, whatever that may be. It's still an engaging and inspiring formula and this movie does it very well.

4. "X-Men: First Class" - Can somebody please explain to me how a movie this fun, this well written, this exquisitely acted can flounder at the box-office while "Transformers 3" effortlessly earns over a billion dollars worldwide? For my money, this is the best of the X-Men films, as it's the first to delve into the emotional background of ALL of the characters, which makes the cool action sequences mean more than a great display of digital magic. This is the story I want to see continued. Placing these characters on the background of the cold war is absolutely brilliant, making the motivations of both sides of the mutant issue more raw and volatile. Plus, if you need more convincing, this movie has one of the absolute best performances of the summer in Michael Fassbender's portrayal of Magneto, a man who is kind by nature, but brutal by circumstance.

3. "The Help" - I really didn't expect to love this movie as much as I did. I was expecting something along the lines of "Fried Green Tomatoes" and, while this movie does evoke that combustible, sweaty, Southern spirit, it is first and foremost a film about humanity. Every character, from the saintly to the vile, is shown with genuine human strengths and weaknesses. Characters that seem to be stereotypical are revealed to be far more than their surface shows. I know it's a cliche, but this movie made me laugh and cry. Plus, it has the best acting ensemble of the summer, with each performance pitch perfect. Loved it.

2. "Midnight in Paris" - Again, I haven't been the biggest fan of Woody Allen. Once in a while, I'll see one of his movies that just seems to spark, but often they come across as whiny and self-indulgent. Fortunately, this one sparks brightly. This is a tribute to the inspirational power of art and the transformative power of conversation in the guise of a light comedy. The plot is sort of a bubbly take on "Somewhere in Time", with the protagonist (winningly played by Owen Wilson) inexplicably shifting from present day Paris to Paris in the 20's every night and getting to meet his artistic heroes, such as Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Gertrude Stein, only to learn that great art has lest to do with when it was created, but how and why it was created. A really wonderful film.

1. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 2" - I freely admit that I am a fan of this series, both in book and movie form, but even if I weren't, this movie truly is a fantastic film. Smart, creative, enthralling and soundly rooted in emotional characterization, it is, quite simply, the movie of the summer. However, be forewarned, it does assume you've seen EVERY other Harry Potter movie, so if you're one of the 7 or 8 people who haven't seen it yet, brush up on your Potter-lore before you dive in.


There were some other movies that I really did enjoy this summer, including the charming "Winnie the Pooh" and the darkly amusing "Crazy, Stupid, Love", but these are my favorites. Below are some of my other thoughts about the season....

Biggest disappointment: "Cars 2" - Not horrible, but we expect better from the best studio in Hollywood. Runner-Up - "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides"

Best Performances: Andy Serkis, "Rise of the Planet of the Apes"
Michael Fassbender, "X-Men: First Class"
The entire cast of "The Help"
Corey Stoll as Hemingway, "Midnight in Paris" (the perfect
combination of war-hardened wisdom
and swagger)
Emma Watson, "HP7, PT. 2" (largely based on her performance in my
favorite scene of the summer. See below)
Chris Hemsworth, "Thor"
Elle Fanning, "Super 8"


Favorite movie moments of the summer: (SPOILER WARNING! In order to share scenes, I have to reveal plot points. If you haven't seen these movies, go ahead and stop reading now unless you want plot points spoiled.)

"I'll go with you" - Harry Potter
For those of you who have seen the movie, you know that Harry finds out he must make the ultimate sacrifice in order to defeat Voldemort. Throughout the film, watch Hermione whenever he mentions the Horcruxes. She clearly suspects that Harry is a Horcrux himself and when he reveals that he knows this and that he must be killed to defeat his enemy, her response isn't pity or denial. She simply says, through streaming tears, "I'll go with you". This willingness to give her life, merely to keep her best friend from being alone at the end of his is the ultimate testimony to the nobility of this character, one of the strongest female characters ever committed to screen.

Anything with Neville or McGonagall - Harry Potter
This movie has far too many great moments to pin-point them all, but anytime Neville or McGonagall showed up was cause for celebration. In particular, Neville's speech and McGonagall's battle with Snape...and her sending the Slytherin's to the dungeon....and her "I've always wanted to use that spell" line...and....well, like I said, anything with Neville or McGonagall!

"Ying/Yang" - Kung Fu Panda 2
There is a section in this film, towards the end, that is pure visual poetry. Throughout the film, Po is trying to find inner peace, but finding it very difficult, especially as the truth about his origins begins to surface. However, after understanding and acceptance of his past, he finds his peace, only to be fired on by a fleet of ships armed with cannons. However, as the cannonballs come toward him, he uses his own motion and physicality to re-direct the cannonballs back to their target. At one point, the cannonball spins him around as he attempts to re-direct, giving the visual illusion of turning him literally into the ying/yang symbol. Yes, it's a cartoon and the physics of the situation are ludicrous, but it's visually stunning and a good example of the layered story-telling going on here.

"The Satellite Dish" - X-Men: First Class
If you want to know why I'm so taken by Michael Fassbender's performance in this movie, just watch this scene. As Magneto is trying to maximize his powers, he realizes that he's only used anger as the motivating emotion to release them before. In a particularly heart-breaking scene, Xavier (James McAvoy) accesses his memories to show him a tender moment from his childhood involving his late mother (whose separation and brutal murder caused his powers to surface in the first place). The look on Fassbender's face as he relives this scene and as he discovers the level of power he has when he accesses his empathetic emotional side is pure cinema magic.

"Letting Go" - Super 8
Much of the emotional thrust of "Super 8" deals with another main character losing his beloved mother, this time in a pretty horrific accident. The child (played terrifically by newcommer Joel Courtney) has one personal momento of his mother, a locket with a picture of his mother holding him as a baby. In the final scene of the film, there is a huge magnetic field that causes all metal objects to fly into the town's water tower. Amid the big-budget mayhem, the boy's locket slips from his pocket and he grabs it. The locket opens giving him a last look at his mother as he tearfully let's it go. Yes, it's sentimental and emotionally manipulative, but it's handled with grace and sincerity and it's a powerful moment.

So, there you go. I'll keep trying to blog when I can throughout the year and I'll definitely see you next year as we get "The Avengers", "The Dark Knight Rises" and "Brave" or, as I like to call it, Pixar's (hopeful) return to greatness!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II: Movie Review

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II"/Rated PG-13/Warner Bros./Dir. by David Yates/130 min.

WARNING: There be spoilers ahead. If you haven't read the book "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows", you may not want to continue.

After 11 years and 8 films, the Harry Potter movie saga is at an end. While every installment has brought new mysteries to light and provided ample character development, they have all been a prelude to a battle. So, the question is, does the movie get it right. Director David Yates has been, for my money, the best thing that could've happened to this series, delivering movies that are faithful, yet fresh and creative. Thankfully, he is at the helm here again and he gets is almost perfect. It's a small "almost", but I'll get to that in a moment.

More than any of the other films, this is an action movie. It's a war film. There isn't much in the line of character development because the characters have been developed over the course of the previous chapters (with a couple key exceptions). It's pretty much a race to the battle for Hogwarts, but it's a thrilling race. The story begins exactly where Part 1 ended, with Voldemort holding the mythical Elder Wand, one of the three "Deathly Hallows" (magical objects that make their holder a master over death) and Harry is still looking for and destroying horcruxes (objects that hold a small piece of Voldemort's soul). Harry's search brings him back to Gringotts bank, but this time it's not to make a withdrawl, it's a bank heist.

Among the many wonderful performances in this film, one of the most delightful is Helena Bonham Carter, who has already shown us that she can be totally crazy as Bellatrix Lestrange, but in this scene is playing Hermione morphed into Bellatrix thanks to a polyjuice potion. Hermione's shyness and awkward walk in high heels are spot on.

After a bout with self-replicating gold and a ride on a giant dragon, the film moves us quickly back to Hogwarts, but it isn't the magical place that Harry once considered a home away from home. It's a darkened police state, with students being marched and those who dared stand up for what's right are beaten into submission. It's on this dark canvas that the battle for the future of wizarding kind happens and it's here where the movie's greatest and (few) weakest moments occur.

Let me preface this with a note about the running time. Deathly Hallows Part II is the shortest of all the Harry Potter movies, where it really should have been the longest. The final battle is both glorious and hurried. While I appreciate the idea of giving the audience a feel for the havoc of war, there are moments that could have been given a little more weight. For example, Molly Weasley (the wonderful Julie Walters) and the aforementioned Beatrix Lestrange have an epic battle in the book after Beatrix attempts to kill Molly's daughter. It's a pivotal moment in the book and easily one of the most triumphant scenes in the series. However, in the film it's boiled down to about 30 seconds, with momma bear Weasley having her Ripley from "Aliens" moment and ending as quickly as it started. Since the whole series has been leading to these types of moments, I would've gladly sat for another 20 minutes just to enjoy the grandeur of these scenes a little more.

This is a small complaint. The number of scenes that are pitch perfect far outweigh these scenes and, frankly, it's a great compliment to the books and the movie that the only complaint I have is that I wanted more. The highlight for me was the scene where Snape's motivations are finally revealed. It's one of the finest performances I've ever seen from Alan Rickman and that's truly saying something.

Overall, I loved it. Neville was great, Luna was great (plus it was implied that they become a couple, which was something I always wanted from the books), McGongall was AWESOME! It was a very satisfying ending to one of the best fantasy series in the history of film. That's not hyperbole, it's fact.

Grade: A

Midnight in Paris - Movie Review

"Midnight in Paris"/Sony Classics/94 min./Rated PG-13/Dir. by Woody Allen

Over the past 45 years, Woody Allen has directed 45 films, making him one of the most prolific living American directors. Unfortunately, his films have also been pretty uneven. His unique voice can often tightwalk a dangerous line between insightful and whiny. In fact, some of his earlier, more acclaimed films I find almost impossible to get through. His films of the 80's, including "Hannah and Her Sisters" and "Radio Days" were my previous favorites of his. It's not a coincidence that these films didn't star him (although he was a supporting actor in "Hannah"). His voice as a writer is much less, for lack of a better word, nebbish-like than his voice as an actor. Plus, I just find it totally implausible when he casts himself as a heart-throb (possibly the only failing that he and Adam Sandler share).

That having been said, "Midnight in Paris" is my new favorite. It's light, but surprisingly profound. A comedy that tastes bubbly, but manages to nourish beyond the fizz.

The premise is pretty high-concept for Allen. A successful Hollywood screenwriter named Gil (Owen Wilson) is visiting Paris with his high-maintenance fiancee (Rachel McAdams). While very taken with the city, he can't help but fantasize about what it was like in the 20's, when Paris was the epicenter for the greatest artists and writers of the time. His fiancee tolerates his nostalgic attitude all the while keeping an eye to a pseudo-intellectual former professor of hers (played with a great American accent by Brit, Michael Sheen).

One evening Gil separates himself from the group to walk through the streets of the city of lights, only to discover that every night at midnight a car arrives at a certain set of steps to whisk him off to Paris in the 20's. Wilson plays befuddled with a warm charm as he meets his idols, including Ernest Hemingway, F.Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald and Cole Porter. However, when he leaves the group from the 20's, he's instantly transported back to 2011.

As I said, it's pretty high-concept for Allen, but the plot conceits give the film a misty warmth that permeates every scene, regardless of the time period. It's such a blast to see how different and how similar the two time periods are and Owen Wilson is the perfect "everyman" to take us on the journey. His natural stammer mimics Allen's trademark nervousness, but it feels more born out of innocence than Allen's does. Wilson is just happy to be along for this ride and every shocked reaction and star-struck interaction feels honest and sincere.

Speaking of honesty, one of the runaway terrific performances in this movie (and that's saying a lot with a cast this extraordinary) belongs to Corey Stoll as Hemingway. As he uses the language of love and courage and bravery, Stoll is every bit the personality I've always envisioned Hemingway to be. He gives the master author an authority that makes the audience just as mesmerized as Gil is.

It would be easy to dismiss "Midnight in Paris" as a nostalgic love letter to the grand history of the city, however Allen does so much more than cast a loving eye back in time. It's a love letter to art, to the creative spirit. It's a love letter to optimism and to courageously meeting the world with conviction of purpose. I adore the ways the ideas of the strength of love and the nobility of art are presented in this film. Plus, it's just a lot of fun.

"Midnight in Paris" is the anti-summer film. In a season where movies are judged by explosions per minute and opening weekend grosses, this is a movie that uses words and ideas to thrill. It's every bit the source of eye-candy and movie-going excitement that any other special-effects extravaganza is, it just nourished the mind and the soul as well. I loved this movie.

Grade: A

Transformers: Dark of the Moon - Movie Review

"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"/Dir. by Michael Bay/Paramount Pictures/Rated PG-13/157 min.

Michael Bay likes to blow stuff up real good. I know this is a bold statement about the man who directed "Bad Boys", "Armageddon" and the "Transformers" films, but I stand by it. He pays lip service to the idea of a "plot" and to "character", but really, they're nothing more than an explosive delivery system. In previous films, this sort of bothered me, especially in "Pearl Harbor", where he used one of the most tragic events in U.S. history as a means for his fetishistic love of all things destructive. One shouldn't be watching the attack on Hawaii and think "Wow, those explosions are cool!".

However, I thought the first "Transformers" movie was the perfect marriage of director and material. Go ahead Michael, make the giant alien robots blow stuff up. Fill the story to the brim with silly characters and silly plot contrivances because this is, after all, a movie based on a toy. (anytime you start a movie with the credit "in association with Hasbro productions", you know you're not looking at a future best picture candidate) Yes, "Transformers" was profoundly silly, but it was fun and gave the maestro of destruction a perfect canvas for his unique sensibilities.

Unfortunately, it also made him a fortune and gave him free reign to go crazy on the sequel, which amped up the action, but also amped up the "comedy" with wall to wall characterizations that made Jar-Jar Binks seems subtle and sophisticated by comparison.

So, the real question for "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" is this: Is it better than the last one? The answer, thankfully, is yes. The annoying characters are still annoying, but there's less of them. The "funny" parts are still, for the most part, met with silence and the "serious" parts met with laughter. It's still WAAAAYYY to long, with a final battle that lasts for over and hour. Seriously. Over an hour. However, it's more of the guilty pleasure that the first one was, instead of just the guilt (minus the pleasure) of the second one.

This time, our protagonist, Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) has graduated from an ivy league school, but is still having a hard time finding work. Fortunately, his new girlfriend (former Victoria Secret model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley) just got a great new job and is making enough for both of this. However, Sam feels that his past service to the country (you know, saving the world a couple of times) should have afforded him a better career path.

Meanwhile, bad things are happening in the world of robots in disguise. Several world events, including the original moon landing and the explosion at Chernobyl, are being revealed to be all Cybertron-y. It's up to all of the gang from the previous films to get together and figure it out before Earth becomes the blueprint for "The Matrix".

As I said, the plot is strictly incidental, although there are some nice twists as the true villains of the story are revealed. They're fairly obvious, but these twists show more cleverness than this series has heretofore shown as a standard. In the end, the central protagonist isn't Sam, or even Optimus Prime and his Autobot buddies. It's the mayhem.

I mentioned earlier that the final battle is over an hour long and while I believe it was a little bit of overkill, it's still a pretty stunning set of eye-candy. The previous films took a slightly more cartoonish approach to the ending set pieces, but this one has a bit of a "War of the Worlds" type vibe to it. The threat is surprisingly dark for this light an entertainment and it's doubly impressive in 3D. (word is that James Cameron himself gave Bay pointers on how to effectively use the format). Supposedly, this is the final film in a trilogy and I kind of hope it is because the sheer volume of havoc found in this battle would be unwise to try to top. As it is, I don't think I need to see a giant special-effects extravaganza for quite some time and for those of you who know my love for all things digital, you know that's saying something.

The bottom line is this. "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" is not a good film, but it is a great spectacle. It's less annoying that the 2nd film, although not quite as much fun as the 1st. However, if you liked either of those two, it's an easy recommendation.

Grade: B-

Cars 2: Review

"Cars 2"/Walt Disney Pictures-Pixar Animation Studios/Rated G/113 min./Dir. by John Lasseter and Brad Lewis

When I was a kid, my mother would always respond to the statement "My room is clean" with the same question: "Is it Paul clean or is it Mom clean". "Paul Clean" meant that on the surface, my room looked great. The bedspread was straight, the floor was uncluttered, the plethora of Star Wars toys were poised on shelves, looking like three dimensional art. However, if one looked beyond the surface (i.e. under the bed or in the closet), things might not look as nifty as they did before. "Mom Clean" meant that the room honestly didn't look that much different at first glance, but on closer inspection one could see cleaned windows, polished desks and chairs and spotless closets. There were times when she asked this question that I could proudly say, "Mom Clean!" At those times, I loved having mom go to my room and discover the work that had been done beneath the surface. However, if the answer was ever anything other than that, I would just hang my head and go back to work.

Recently, in the deluge of computer animated films, critics have asked a similar question when presented with the final product: "Is it DreamWorks good or is it Pixar good?". That question seems very insulting to DreamWorks, but it really shouldn't be. DreamWorks deals, for the most part, in surface entertainments and they're really quite good at it. However, when they give the world a "Kung Fu Panda" or a "How to Train Your Dragon", they're clearly making sure that there's more than just the surface entertainment. That's why those films have been labeled by many critics as "Pixar good".

Pixar is famously known for the mantra "story, story, story". John Lasseter, the founder of Pixar and current creative head of Pixar and Disney Animation, has stated this time and again and, as a result, they typically produce truly transcendent films. I use the word transcendent quite literally. The films transcend plot and technique to reveal layering and depth that renders audiences truly moved by the experience.

Of course, every family has a black sheep and Pixar's was "Cars", the 2006 film that had to settle for being "successful" as opposed to "one of the best animated films of all time", a moniker often placed on new Pixar films. "Cars" had always been the one Pixar film that was "DreamWorks Good". It was, on the surface, entertaining, funny and a lot of fun to look at, but underneath the surface there was no exciting sense of discovery. It was a non-transcendent comedy, a solid entertainment, but so much less than the character-masters at Pixar were capable of.

When it was announced that they were making a sequel to "Cars", my first response was "Of all your films, you're choosing to make a sequel to your least acclaimed film? Why not 'The Incredibles?!? That one's begging for a sequel!" Then I remembered that "Cars" had become the most successfully merchandised film in their canon and figured that Disney honchos pressured them to come up with a franchise. After seeing the film, I'm still pretty sure that money was the motivation behind it getting made.

"Cars 2" is a totally different genre than the first film. Where the original was a comedy teaching the value of an relaxed, old-fashioned lifestyle, this one is a spy thriller/comedy. Which means that instead of being lulled to sleep, certain adults in the audience may feel bombarded by noise and action.

The plot centers around a World Grand Prix race, in which Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) is one of the favorites to win. Against his better judgement, Lightning decides to invite his best bud Mater the tow truck (Larry the Cable Guy) to come along and help in the pit crew. However, during the Tokyo leg of the race, Mater is mistaken for an American spy by the automotive equivalent of James Bond, a suave car named Finn McMissile (Michael Caine), who in a nifty bit of creativity has a grill that looks like a smoothly manicured moustache. Of course, as in all mistaken identity spy movies, zaniness ensues, and I don't use that phrase sarcastically. The results of Mater getting thrown into the spy world are often quite funny.

There's an unlikely but appealing romance thrown in for Mater in the form of a female spy played by Emily Mortimer named Holly Shiftwell, a nice tribute to the Bond tradition of giving heroines silly, doubly-entendred names. Plus, there's a richly textured world created here that's really a kick to look at. This is a case of the 3-D really working, making the world come alive in a visually exciting way.


On the downside though, there's a ham-fisted message that makes the environmental aspects of "WALL-E" seem extremely subtle. It's not that I disagree with the message, but nobody likes getting beat over the head with a moral, even if it's a good one.

Also, at the end of the day, this is a "Cars" film. No matter how visually engaging or pun-fully funny it is, there's never any sense of concern or wonderment. Will Mater live and save the day? Of course he will. Will he and Lightning learn the true meaning of friendship....again? Yep. Will we be given something beyond the surface plot elements to ponder on the ride home? Unfortunately, no. This movie is "DreamWorks Good", which, again, isn't an insult, it's just disappointing from a studio that so consistently shows us it's capable of more.

Also, your enjoyment of this film will definitely hinge on two questions: Did you like the first one and do you like Mater, because this is absolutely his movie. If the answer to either of those questions is no, then tread with caution. (by the way, my personal answers to those questions are: yes, like, but not love. and absolutely, Mater is the "simple-isn't-stupid" heart of the franchise)

As a teacher, I know the disappointment when an extremely talented and capable student turns in an assignment well below their ability level. Had any other student turned it in, you might give it an "A-" or a "B+", but for this student, those grades wouldn't accurately represent what they CAN do. Knowing what Pixar is capable of, "DreamWorks good" simply isn't good enough. It's delightful that DreamWorks is showing a desire to become more "Pixar Good", but Pixar should never be anything less. However, if you're just looking for a light and forgettable family film, this one can fit the bill.

Grade: B

p.s. There are very bright moments before the movie even starts with an awesome preview for Pixar's next original movie, the Scottish adventure, "Brave" and a delightful new short with the "Toy Story" characters. Don't miss them.

School's out! Bring on the summer movies!!!

Well, the last note has been sung and the last paper turned in. The 2010-2011 school year is done, which means I can spend some of my free time reviewing movies. Unfortunately, the school year ended about a month and a half after the summer movie season began which means this first entry is all about playing catch up. Let's get to it!!!

"Thor"/Paramount Pictures/Dir. by Kenneth Brannagh/Rated PG-13/115 min.

Of all the Marvel comic characters, this is the one that's always left me a little bewildered because it's the one that moves the furthest from the "real world" sensibilities of most of the others. Stan Lee prides himself on creating fantastic characters that are rooted in human problems and frailties, so adding the Norse God of Thunder to the Marvel canon of superheroes feels a little....odd. However, the movie does a terrific job of not only explaining how the mythological Thor fits into the Marvel universe, but of making him feel, for lack of a better word, human. I attribute this to the writers, the director and Chris Hemsworth, the soon-to-be star playing the titular lightning slinger. Two of the writers credited with writing the screenplay (Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz) are also responsible for the summer's other awesome superhero saga "X-Men: First Class" (more on that later) and they do a terrific job of grounding the immortal characters with human motivations and frailties. This not only serves to make them more empathetic, but it also makes the relations that Thor forges with the human world more understandable. Director Kenneth Brannagh, who has never directed this type of film before injects the film with the grand Shakespearean angst that's defined his career and he proves to be an inspired choice for bringing this movie to life.

Best of all is Hemsworth, who energizes the whole movie with the innate likability that he brought to his brief moments in 2009's "Star Trek". He effortlessly makes the audience want to root for this character and it will be a treat to see him interact with the other Marvel characters in next year's "The Avengers".

As for the other actors, including recent Oscar-winner Natalie Portman, they do a fine job with what they're given to do, which isn't a lot, but it's fine for this type of an origin story. Here's hoping that in future films their characters are fleshed out a little more.

Grade: A-

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides/Walt Disney/Dir. by Rob Marshall/Rated PG-13/137 min.

Pirates 4 is not a bad movie, it's simply an uninspired one. I know that the last adventure of Jack Sparrow, "At World's End", has it's detractors, but I'm not among them. I found "A.W.E." to be a perfect ending to the story of Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann, with each of these characters ending their arc in a surprising, yet somehow inevitable place.

The mistake that "On Stranger Tides" makes is it assumes Jack Sparrow was the hero of the previous Pirates movies. He wasn't. Not even a little bit. Those films were always the story of Will and Elizabeth with Jack being the "Puck"-ish character throwing a wrench into everything. However, here he's cast as the leading rogue and it just feels off. He's given a romantic sparring partner in Angelica Malon (aptly played by Penelope Cruz), however their romantic chemistry is never given much time and the audience is meant to care about it not because of said chemistry, but because...well....we're told they used to care about each other a lot. Sorry, but moviegoers usually prefer to see a relationship built on character and situation rather than be told to care about a couple.

The real romantic sub-plot is shuttled off to a bland preacher and the only bland mermaid in the movie (for some reason the mermaids are represented as horrific piranha-like creatures, other than this one pretty, but bland exception) and their stories conclusion is frustratingly unresolved.

The characters are still fun and there are a few nice moments (the revealing of the fountain of youth is pretty nifty), but it's easily the weakest of the series and a bit of a disappointment.

Grade: B-

"Kung Fu Panda 2"/DreamWorks/Dir. by Jennifer Yuh/Rated PG/90 min.

Think about the original "Kung Fu Panda" for a moment. If you didn't like it, you won't like this one. If you liked it because of the fat-panda-getting-beat-up jokes, you probably won't like this one. If you liked it because of the sincerity of the screenplay, the beautiful visuals and the surprisingly well-choreographed fight scenes, then this movie is an easy recommendation.

Much of the plot is spent explaining how a big panda ended up being the son of a noodle-obsessed duck and the answer is simple and satisfying. Po (Jack Black) learns about his past through his experiences with a new threat to the valley of happiness, a vengeful peacock named Shen (terrifically voiced by Gary Oldman). "Kung Fu Panda 2" not only amps up the threat-level (surprisingly so for an animated film), but it is every bit as visually thrilling as the original. For example, the villainous Shen hides his arsenal of knives among his feathers, so it looks like he's pulling metal feathers out of his skin and hurling them with deadly accuracy. It's kind of a neat visual and is a great metaphor for the character itself, making his menace seem innate, but also revealing it to be more surface-bound. The movie is filled with "more beneath the surface" moments like this in its narrative, which is part of the reason this is such a treat for adults as well as kids.

Grade: A

"X-Men: First Class"/20th Century Fox/Dir. by Matthew Vaughn/Rated PG-13/132 min.

Thus far in the summer of superheroes, this is the best of the bunch. Everything about this film is inspired, from the casting, to the writing, to the direction, it's everything a movie with "X-Men" in its title should be and a wonderful recovery from the scatter-shot "X-Men Origins: Wolverine". By taking the concept of mutants back to its discovery by the U.S. government and placing it against the backdrop of the Cuban Missile Crisis, "First Class" re-vitalizes the franchise and re-imagines it as a superhero movie set in a James Bond universe. Michael Fassbender is not only easy to visualize maturing into Sir Ian McKellan, but he embodies Magneto with an understandable and uncontrolled anger that is terrifying and empowering all at once. As Magneto's frienemy, Charles Xavier, James McAvoy is terrific, especially when he's pleading with his friend to maintain his humanity. The special-effects are awesome and the action sequences are what summer was made for, but the movie is great because of this unlikely friendship, which is at the heart of the full-blooded superhero/political thriller.

Matthew Vaughn ("Stardust") is a fantastic choice to direct this film. He's always shown a knack for presenting the fantastic as merely the background to intimate stories about relationships and that is the sensibility that "X-Men" was built around, both as a comic series and as a film series.

Grade: A

"Super 8"/Paramount Picture/Dir. by J.J. Abrams/Rated PG-13/112 min.

I was 11 years old when "E.T." was released in theaters and it was the first movie that I saw multiple times in the theater. (I was too young to see "Star Wars" in the theater and too young to have discretionary money for multiple viewings when "The Empire Strikes Back" came out). At 11, I was the target audience for Spielberg's fantasy combining the mundane aspects of suburbia with the incredible concept of getting an alien best friend. I, like everyone else, was entranced and was transported by the experience.

Director J.J. Abrams has made no secret of the fact that "Super 8" is his tribute to the Spielberg films of the late 70's/early 80's and elements of old-school Spielberg are all over the place. Foul-mouthed, but good-hearted kids? Yep. One parent households? You betcha. The kids even have a middle-school science teacher played by the same guy who played the high-school science teacher in "Gremlins".

With such sincere, but obvious, tipping of the hat to Spielberg, it'd be easy to dismiss "Super 8" as more love letter than movie, but Abrams also realized that the best Spielberg films are about realistic characters overcoming the genuine hardships of life against the backdrop of extraordinary happenings and in so realizing he has made a truly heartfelt film that is as much a tribute to youth itself as it is to Spielberg.

As a word of warning to families, "Super 8" also keeps the Spielbergian tradition of scaring little kids spitless. The other-worldly forces here are not benign like "E.T." and there are scenes that play out more like "Jurassic Park" or "Jaws". If you wouldn't let your child see those movies, don't take them to this. Also, if the kid-related cursing in "E.T." or "The Goonies" bothers you, this one will too. Otherwise, feel free to enjoy. It really is a treat.

Grade: A


"Green Lantern"/Warner Bros./Dir. by Martin Campbell/Rated PG-13/105 min.

Personally, I think most critics were a little harsh on this movie. It's entertaining and fun to look at. Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively are solid and likable actors and Peter Saarsgard is a perfect nebbish-turned-maniacal villain. The are really only two problems with "Green Lantern". First is the central plot conceit, which is that aliens from all over the universe have harnessed the energy of will power into ringsg that give their wearers the ability to materialize anything they can think of. They use this power to defend the universe against evil. This is a very, very, very silly premise. It is, however, the premise of the comic book as well, so the movie is simply being true to the source material. If you can laugh off the premise and go for the ride, you'll be fine.

Secondly, it's an origin story and as such, it's not much different from the roughly 5,375 other superhero origin stories Hollywood has produced lately. There's a guy, he's in love with a girl, but it never works out because of one central flaw (vanity/shyness/arrogance, take your pick). However, he then gets super powers from an unusual source (dying alien/radioactive spider/unrealistic technology, take your pick) and through that power is able to overcome the aforementioned flaw. The one thing "Green Lantern" has that a lot of these other origin tales don't is a sense of humor. For example, in a lot of these films the heroine can't recognize the hero when he's wearing a mask, in spite of the fact that they've been intimately connected for years. Heck, she usually doesn't even recognize him when he talks in his regular voice (I'm looking at you Lois Lane!). "Green Lantern" addresses this cliche quickly and in a way that winks its eye at the other clueless heroines in superhero films.

While the first two acts of "Green Lantern" are pretty standard for an superhero origin film, the final act hints at the potential of this story as a franchise. In fact, I'll go as far as to say that the last 20 minutes have some of the best moments I've seen yet this summer. If the inevitable sequel can build from that and make a whole movie that's as solid as the last 20 minutes of this one, that sequel could be one of the best superhero movies ever. As it is though, the "Green Lantern" is made up of some great moments and some merely adequate ones.

As such, its grade is an above-average: B-

OK, I'll try to write this blog about once a week, to keep you abreast of what movies are new and worth your time. Thanks for reading!!!

2010 We Hardly Knew Ye....

I realize that I'm about a month late, but this is part of the problem with not getting paid to do this. I'm subject to release dates and figuring out how or when I'm going to be able to see the movies that I'm supposed to see if I love movies. Plus, I'm also bound by my personal tastes. As a result, I know that I come short. For example, when I have time and the inclination to see a movie and I want to see one of the year-end "prestige" films, chances are far better than I'm going to watch a Coen Bros. western as opposed to a dark psychological thriller about the competitive nature of ballet. Go figure. Therefore, there are "prestige" films that I haven't seen...because they haven't opened here or I only had time to see one of them or I simply wasn't in the mood.

So please take everything I say with a grain of salt. This list is not the 10 best movies of the year, they're the 10 best that I saw. With that disclaimer, I present my 10 favorite films of 2010.

10. Tron: Legacy - I feel confident stating that I'm probably the only person making such a list that put this movie on it and, yes, I understand that the plot has issues and that the character Clu, played by Jeff Bridges, but digitally altered to look younger, is more nightmare inducing because of his plasticine face than he is for his tendencies toward tyranny. However, I really thought this movie was a giant ball of cool. The effects were extraordinary (and absurdly overlooked for an Oscar) and the action was eye-popping. This is the most flawed movie on this list, but darned if I don't love it. (Plus, the Daft Punk score was 10 shades of awesome)

9. Secretariat - My grandfather worked with racing horses and some of my fondest memories of family trips involve visiting him at his summer job. There's such a unique vibe behind the scenes at a horse track. I think that horse racing gets a bad rap because of all the gambling and drinking, but I seriously remember it being a very family friendly place. Maybe that's why this movie struck such a chord in me. It's horse racing seen through the eyes of Disney, which is to say that it's old-fashioned, sanitized and emotionally manipulative, but I love it. Diane Lane is absolutely committed to the role of Penny Chenery, the owner of Secretariat who simultaneously builds his career, saves her horse ranch and salvages her struggling family. They truly don't make movies like this any more. It's a movie genetically engineered to make an audience cheer.

8. True Grit - I'm a fan of the Coen Brothers style, but sometimes their movies dwindle into the gruesome and disturbing a little much for my tastes. "True Grit", their take on the novel by Charles Portis which also inspired the only movie for which John Wayne won the Oscar, certainly doesn't shy away from the gruesome and disturbing, however, much like "Fargo", it views these events through the eyes of an innocent. In this case, it's a fiercely determined 14-year-old girl, played by the incredible Hailee Steinfeld. While Jeff Bridges' and Matt Damon's lawmen are integral to the plot, this is the story of that girl and as such maintains a level of humanity and universality that is often missing from hard-edged westerns. It's a sweeping look at a seemingly lawless time in American history and a fine addition to the Coen Brothers' canon of films.

7. Tangled - I don't think a movie surprised me this year more than this one. After the last decade, the magic of Disney animation seemed lost forever. With every film, there seemed to be a desperate desire to play catch-up to the hip and edgy style of DreamWorks. "Bolt" was an entertaining film, but a decidedly un-Disneyish one (it felt more like an attempt at a Pixar-style buddy comedy). The problem with all of this is that Disney was trying to be something they simply weren't. Last year's "Princess and the Frog" was definitely a step in the right direction, but the story was more juvenile than the stunning artwork that framed it. Well, Disney seems to finally have remembered who they are. "Tangled" is a fresh and buoyant return to the type of films Disney made in the early 90's. It's not a re-tread of those films, but a joyous addition to the tradition of them. The animation is soft and luminous in a way that makes you forget you're watching a computer animated film. It FEELS hand-drawn. It's truly a stunningly beautiful film to look at, but the story that surrounds that artistry is equally joyous and buoyant. While other films from Disney animation have seemed to work exhaustively for every gain, this one effortlessly entrances.

6. How to Train Your Dragon - I realize that I have a few animated films here, but that's not just because I'm an animation fan (which I am). This year, the big three (Pixar, Disney and DreamWorks) each released films that will long be remembered among their best. This terrific year for animation was kicked off back in March with this fantastic adventure. For only the second time in their existence (the first being "Kung Fu Panda") DreamWorks created a film that was about character and story instead of tired pop culture references rapped in a day-glo colored gloss. It's multi-layered, extremely entertaining and will easily be one of the films of the year that I re-watch the most.

5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I - I'm a bit bewildered that this series hasn't gotten more love on year-end lists and Oscar nights. What started out as a charming, but cloying series about a magical castle/school has turned into a superlative character study and surprisingly frank look at the way government and media can manipulate the truth and, therefore, the people. As the characters have grown, so has the narrative and artistic styles of the films, growing darker and richer with each episode. This seventh and penultimate entry marks a high-water point of creativity and depth for the series. Each of the other stories have taken a mystery shrouded in a vague sense of foreboding and wrapped it around stories of school life. There was a familiarity with the formula of each installment, but that familiarity is jarringly yanked away in this film, leaving the protagonists in the darkness of the world, unprotected by guardians and mentors. In doing this, the characters are allowed to transform into fully-realized individuals who behave much like any teenager would in similar situations. This is truly a wonderful film.

4. The Social Network - This film has been praised for being a film of our time and that it certainly is. "The Social Network" is a product of the 00's much the same way that "Wall Street" was a product of the '80's. However, being "of the moment" doesn't make a film great. What makes this film exceptional is the screenplay by Aaron Sorkin. Much the way he did in "The American President" and "The West Wing", Sorkin reminds us how fun a language English can be. The words in this film create a palpable tension that is orchestrated almost like a verbal symphony. It's an amazing thing to hear. Plus, the acting's pretty great too.

3. Inception - Here's where we get into the difficulty of putting together this kind of a list. In some ways, I think "Inception" is the most masterful movie of the year. It is so richly constructed and memorably executed that I can't really think of any other movie making a more historically significant impact on the world of film. The only thing that keeps it from the top spot is it engaged and thrilled parts of me more than it did the whole. Which is to say, it never grabbed my heart the way a couple of other movies did. This is not an insult. I think the movie would have had less of an impact had it gotten overly maudlin, but such is the difficulty in picking favorites. Sometimes your favorite person isn't the smartest or the most talented, but it's the one who grabs you by your heart and won't let go. That having been said, I think that "Inception" will be a movie that will be examined in film schools for years to come as a master class in expert film-making.

2. The King's Speech - One of the most inspiring movies I've seen in a long time. Though the title may imply differently, this is not so much the story of a royal learning not to stutter as it is the story of a man desperately trying to figure out how to overcome his own short-comings in order to reach the greatness of which he knows he's capable. In other words, this is the story of life...everyone's life. Overcoming our own personal roadblocks in order to progress and reach our potential is a, if not THE, central theme of life and this movie deals with that process and that struggle in a way that is truly inspirational. (for my friends who are deterred by the film's "R" rating, let me state that this is one of the most ridiculous ratings I've ever witnessed. It's rated R for one scene in which the protagonist is instructed to curse as a means of overcoming his stuttering. In this scene, the F-word is uttered more than the three times allowed for a PG-13 rating. Without this scene, the film would undoubtedly be rated PG, as there is nothing outside of this scene that would even necessitate a PG-13 rating. Just so you know. :)

1. Toy Story 3 - Once again, a Pixar movie has swooped down and claimed my heart. I wasn't really expecting this one to grab me the way that it did, but by the end of the movie I was sniffling and holding back tears just like everyone else. The secret to this film (and to the other great Pixar films) is that it's not for kids. Sure, the story about toys coming to life is obviously a no-brainer for winning kids over, but the plot is about feeling abandoned by children as they grow up. These movies are, and always have been, about parents. They're about the combination of pride and pain a parent feels as their children become more independent and need them less and less. The film is also about the way we deal with our own mortality. There is a scene (and if you've seen the movie, you'll know exactly what scene I'm talking about) in which the characters decide that the only way they want to face mortality is hand in hand, united. In that single image, I see everything I love about Pixar. They're not afraid to deal with the darker aspects of life, but there is a positivity and a humanity that permeates everything they touch. Not only is this a great movie, but it cements the Toy Story trilogy as one of the greatest film series of all time.


Now, I would like to give my own awards for the year. Welcome to the Paul's (a.k.a, the worst attended awards show ever)

Cutest characters of the year: The Minions from "Despicable Me" - The plot might try to convince us that the orphans are the cute ones (and they are pretty cute), but they can't compete with the "evil" minions living in Gru's basement. I want one of my own. I want it now.

Best Bad Movie of the Year: "The Last Airbender" - This is truly a horrible movie, but it's one of the most entertainingly bad movies I've ever seen. Add the commentary track from rifftrax.com and you have the makings of a fantastic comedy.

Best Use of 3D: The flight scenes in "How to Train Your Dragon" - This year there was some good 3D and there was some pretty bad 3D, but the scenes from "Dragon" were breathtaking. (runner-up: the healing incantation in "Tangled")

Best Proof That In Spite of My Love of "Little Women" and "Pride and Prejudice" I Am, Indeed, A Man : "Eat, Pray, Love" - Blech. This was a beautifully shot and acted movie built around one of the least appealing characters EVER. The selfishness displayed on her "road to self-discovery" crosses the line from narcissism to reckless endangerment. If this exact plot had been filmed with a man in the leading roll, it would never have seen the light of day because it would have been seen as an unwatchable misogynistic mess. But the scenery truly was beautiful.

Best Excuse to Wring More Money From the American Public: "Avatar: Special Edition" - Typically, movies that are released in "Special Edition" form are done so years after their initial release. Sometimes it's because special effects have improved to allow the director to expand (as George Lucas did with "Star Wars". Thank heaven that technology allowed us to see what Jabba the Hutt's face looks like when someone steps on his tail). Sometimes it's because the movie has gained a cult status and people are clamoring for another serving (such was the case with "Blade Runner"). However, in the case of "Avatar", it was obviously about the money (because being the highest grossing film of all-time wasn't good enough). But I'll be darned if I didn't like the special edition better. Much like the extended versions of "Lord of the Rings", it fleshed out several characters and gave us more insight into the plot. Plus, it was fun to see all those battle scenes in 3D again.

One More Nail in the Coffin of Rom-Coms: "Leap Year" - I so wanted to like this movie. I love romantic comedies when they're done right. (In fact, if you want to get technical about it, "Tangled" was the best romantic comedy of the year) Plus, I think Amy Adams is one of the most likable actresses around. However, this movie pulled out every single tired rom-com cliche with the subtlety of a chainsaw. Still waiting for a good, non-animated romantic comedy to which I can take my wife.

Best Animated Short That Can't Be Nominated For the Oscar For Best Animated Short: "The Tale of the Three Brothers" from "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I" - Was anyone else as blown away by this animated sequence as I was? Wow.

Things I learned from the movies in 2010:

If you're not sure if you're dreaming, just try to remember how you got to where you are.

It's good to think of as many as six impossible things before breakfast.

Taylor Lautner is physically incapable of keeping a shirt on.

Apparently, growing up means giving your toys away to the cute toddler down the street. I guess I never got the memo.

I can't go to the moon because NASA isn't sending the monkeys anymore.

When you try to "Benjamin Button"-ize Jeff Bridges, he looks like one of those creepy "Polar Express" kids.

Feeding chicken to a chicken is a bad, bad thing.

Jay Baruchel's voice is far less jarring when it's coming out of a cute cartoon character's face.

If I'm ever trapped in an elevator with four strangers and people start to die, I should turn on the old woman immediately.

Apparently, there is a Vegan Police Force. Who knew?



Anyway, that's all I've got for now. If you have any questions or think I'm out of my mind, feel free to comment. TTFN!