New Releases for May 4th, 2010
California Dreamin’
Directed by Cristian Nemescu.
In English and Romanian with subtitles. A group of American soldiers travel to Romania on a simple, peaceful mission to install a radio station. Their commander, Captain Doug Jones (Armand Assante), leads them via a NATO train through Romania. When they reach a small Romanian village, the stationmaster, Doiaru (Razvan Vasilescu), immediately halts the train because he wasn’t informed that a train filled with American soldiers is coming through their town. He requires that the army’s Captain show the appropriate paperwork in order to be able to leave, but the Captain’s unable to provide it. Doiaru clearly doesn’t like Americans, especially given that he says, “Fuck Bill Clinton!”, and doesn’t treat Captain Jones with respect. A series of miscommunications and complex bureaucracy forces the American soldiers to stay in the village until the paperwork gets sorted out. That’s when the plot turns into something a bit more character-driven as the Captain and Doiaru gradually warm up to one another and the soldiers interact with the local women. One of those local women happen to Monica (Jamie Elman), Doiaru’s 17-year-old daughter, who meets the handsome Sgt. David McLaren (Jamie Elman) and flirts even though she doesn’t know how to speak English. Co-writer/director Cristian Nemescu jumps around between the genres of drama, romance and comedy in a way that makes for a slightly unfocused experience. There’s more screen time showing Sgt. McLaren’s percolating romance with Monica, whose father gets angry when she sees her with him. She uses her classmate, who happens to have a crush on her, as a translator, which leads to a somewhat funny scene when he incorrectly translates on purpose in front of Sgt. McLaren. Fortunately, there aren’t any moments that feel too contrived, sappy or preachy. Nemescu didn’t finish editing the film because he died in a car crash six weeks after finishing it. Had he worked harder to tighten up some lengthy scenes with soldiers interacting with the women in the second out, fleshed out the relationship between Captain Jones and Doiaru more and made the transitions between the black-and-white flashbacks more fluid rather than distracting, California Dreams would have been much more emotionally resonating. At a running time of 155 minutes, it occasionally drags and slightly overstays its welcome, but still manages to be mostly intriguing and intelligent. Number of times I checked my watch: 2. Released by IFC Films.
The Dukes
Directed by Robert Davi.
After nearly 50 years since their fame, the band members of The Dukes, cousins Danny (Robert Davi) and George (Chazz Palminteri), along with their manager, Lou (Peter Bogdanovich), stage a heist during their comeback into the world of music. They both work as cooks at an Italian restaurant run by Aunt Vee (Miriam Margolyes), but they’re more focused on finding the money to turn a local nightclub into a place where they can sing in front of a crowd. Although the plot occasionally veers toward contrivance and doesn’t have any real surprises up its sleeve, it’s still an engaging ride thanks to the onscreen chemistry of Robert Davi, Chazz Palminteri and Peter Bogdonovich. They all add much-needed charisma and invigorate the film with their performances. Director/co-writer Robert Davi includes just the right dash of light comedy to balance all the dramatic and somewhat thrilling heist scenes. He also moves the film along at a brisk enough pace so that there’s never a dull moment to be found. Moreover, it’s worth mentioning the terrific soundtrack filled with lively oldies music. As long as you’re willing to suspend your disbelief for 96 minutes, The Dukes manages to be a breezy and pleasantly diverting ride. Number of times I checked my watch: 1. Released by E1 Entertainment.
Mine
Directed by Geralyn Pezanoski.
This captivating and heartfelt documentary focuses on the pets, mostly dogs, which went missing and were abandoned in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. Homeowners, many of the poor, were separated from their pets, not by choice, throughout the evacuation process. They hoped, as would any pet owners, that they would eventually be reunited with their pets shortly after the hurricane. Little did they know that the procedure to get their pets back would be filled with red tape given that so many compassionate people from around the country chose to adopt those orphaned pets as their own. Do the original owners have a fundamental right to get their beloved dogs back after the new owners have already provided food and shelter for the dogs? Is it wrong for the animal shelters to euthanize the dogs after less than a year without anyone claiming or adopting them? Those may seem like questions with simple answers on the surface, but not when you factor in all the stress that animal shelters have to go through when they’re inundated with orphaned pets. Director Geralyn Pezanoski wisely includes revealing interviews with a wide variety of subjects from all sides of the coin, namely, the original and new pet owners, volunteers, rescuers and employees at animal shelters each of whom has their own unique perspectives and feelings about who should be the rightful pet owner. Everyone young and old, especially pet owners, will feel deeply moved by the original owners’ desperate attempts to either find their missing pets at the shelter or get them back from their new owners. Dog owners will particularly relate to the footage of a dog suddenly looking out of the car window as it recognizes its original homeowner’s neighborhood and, later, runs toward its owner and greets him with a plethora of excitement and joy. It’s quite suspenseful to watch as the new owners learn about the original ones’ requests and contemplate what should be done to make both owners happy---a sort of Nash equilibrium---although, in some cases, not everyone ends up happily ever after. At a running time of only 81 minutes, Mine manages to be a captivating, deeply moving, illuminating and well-balanced documentary for everyone, pet owner or not. Please be sure to stay for a stinger after the end credits.Number of times I checked my watch: 1 Released by Film Movement.
Nine
Directed by Rob Marshall.
Based on the Broadway musical. Inspired by Federico Fellini’s 8 ½. In 1965, Guido Contini (Daniel-Day Lewis), an aging film director, suffers from a midlife crisis as he’s about to turn 40. He and his film crew gather at Cinecittà Film Studios in Rome to begin production on his ninth film, but his last two films were flops and he currently has writer’s block, so he hasn’t even written the screenplay yet. During a press conference where he announces his next film, he recalls the encounters he had with seven women who played an important role in his life. He desperately hopes that he’ll find inspiration through those recollections. Those women include Luisa (Marion Cotillard), his wife, Carla (Penelope Cruz), his mistress, Stephanie (Kate Hudson), an American fashion reporter for Vogue, Saraghina (Fergie), a prostitute, Claudia (Nicole Kidman), the star of his film, Lilli (Judi Dench), his costume designer and good friend, and, finally, his beloved mother (Sophia Loren). Unfortunately, the screenplay, co-written by Michael Tolkin and Anthony Minghella, awkwardly jumps back and forth between the lively musical numbers and lackluster dramatic scenes. Although director Rob Marshall includes song and dance numbers that are well-choreographed and stylishly shot, they’re often too distracting and lack fluidity with the preceding and following scenes. Guido lacks chemistry with each of the women except with Lilli and Luisa, but, concurrently, his relationships with them are rather ephemeral onscreen as well as dull. The screenplay doesn’t really capture his thoughts and feelings organically and thoroughly enough, so he always remains at an emotional distance from the audience and ends up a forgettable character that never comes to life. On a positive note, Marion Cotillard gives a radiant, heartfelt performance and Penelope Cruz sizzles just as expected. At a running time of 1 hour and 58 minutes, Nine boasts an all-star ensemble cast, lively musical numbers, but it suffers from style over substance with an uneven balance of drama and romance that leaves you unmoved and underwhelmed. Number of times I checked my watch: 3 Released by The Weinstein Company.
Preacher’s Kid
Directed by Stan Foster.
Angie (Letoya Luckett), a 23-year-old woman, still lives in Augusta, Georgia with her widowed father, Bishop King (Gregory Alan Williams), a preacher at the local church. She attends the church quite often, sings in its choir and helps her father by bringing him his asthma inhaler whenever he needs it. He essentially has her on a tight leash and hesitantly lets go of the leash when she goes off with an R&B singer, Devlin (Durrell "Tank" Babbs), to tour with his travelling road show for a musical R&B gospel play, "Daddy, Can I Come Back Home?", as an understudy for the show’s protagonist, Desiree (Tammy Townsend). Angie falls head-over-heels for Devlin and naively believes that he has good intentions for her. Little does she know that he’s actually a sweet-talking, abusive control-freak who behaves like a misogynist. Essence Atkins plays Peaches, a performer in the traveling show whom Angie befriends. Will Angie find the courage to do the right thing by going far away from him? Staying with him would be a form of masochism. What will it take for Angie to grow up and to discover how much she truly needs the support and warmth of her family and church after all? Fortunately, Letoya Luckett gives a lively performance that radiates with charisma which helps to make Angie appealing and easy to care about as a human being. Writer/director Stan Foster explores those questions and themes in an easy-to-swallow way that doesn’t delve too much on the darker side of Angie’s journey nor does it veer toward melodrama or corniness. Many scenes do feel clichéd, but so what? Real life is filled with clichés, predictability and fallible people who are similarly led astray like Angie, and, on top of that, there’s always some truth to clichés after all. Foster focuses more on how she opens her eyes to the harsh truths of showbiz life and finds a way to improve her life by cherishing those who truly care about her, love her and respect her. He also balances heavy moments of the drama with some much-needed humor. In a way, she’s like a baby bird that flies from its nest and only during its journey as it sours into the air to be free does it learn how much it actually needs and values its nest. At a running time of 1 hour and 41 minutes, Preacher’s Kid manages to be crowd-pleasing, heartfelt and inspirational. It’s a wonderful, uplifting, and life-affirming movie.Number of times I checked my watch: 0 Released by Gener8Xion Entertainment and Warner Premiere.
Tetro
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola.
Bennie (Alden Ehrenreich), a 17-year-old waiter on a cruise ship, stops by in Buenos Aires to search for his long-lost brother, Angelo (Vincent Gallo). He shows up at Angelo’s apartment which he shares with his girlfriend, Miranda (Maribel Verdu). Angelo, though, would rather be called Tetro, short for his family’s surname, Tetrocini. He has given up his passion for writing poetry and playwriting while bottling up the anger and sorrow that has scarred him in the past. He treats Bennie with hostility, yet, with the insistence of his girlfriend, he lets him stay at the apartment. Tetro’s bottled-up pain has something to do with the relationship between his father, Carlo (Klaus Maria Brandauer), a famous conductor now living in the United States. In an interesting turn of events, Bennie decides to type out Tetro’s unfinished play and add an ending behind his back. He sends the script to a famous critic named Alone (Carmen Maura), who loves it so much that she enters it into the Festival Patagonia which she runs on her own. Once Tetro discovers that Bennie submitted and altered the play, he’s forced to confront his troubled past, which won’t be spoiled here. Writer/director Francis Ford Coppola has crafted a very intricate, intelligent drama that gradually reveals more and more layers and revelations pertaining to character development through the use of flashbacks. There’s much more to Tetro and Bennie, for that matter, than meets the eye, which makes them increasingly interesting and complex characters even though they’re not particularly likable. Coppola shoots the present-day scenes in lush black-and-white while filming the flashback and some ballet sequences in bright colors. At times, the film’s tone feels uneven and distracting from the overall momentum as it gyrates between poignant drama, and absurdity or bizarreness à la David Lynch which will cause you to briefly scratch you head in bewilderment as if you were watching a strange dream. It’s interesting to observe the evolving dynamic between Bennie and Tetro as well how Tetro’s play---or art in general---reflects life itself and vice versa. At a running time of 2 hours and 7 minutes, Tetro manages to be visually arresting and intelligently crafted for the most part, but its slightly uneven tone diminishes its overall power to captivate and engross you thoroughly. Number of times I checked my watch: 3 Released by Lionsgate. 
Tokyo Sonata
Directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa.
In Japanese with subtitles. When Ryuhei Sasaki (Teruyuki Kagawa) gets fired from his administrative job at a corporation, he feels too ashamed to tell the sad news to his wife, Megumi (Kyoko Koizumi), and two sons, Kenji (Kai Inowaki) and Takashi (Yu Koyanagi). He pretends to go to work each morning, but instead lines up at an employment office in hopes of finding another job. On top of that, he can’t afford to buy lunch, so he lines up outside to get free food. It’s there that he meets one of his old friends, Kurosu (Kanji Tsuda), who happened to have been laid off work. Kurosu invites him to have dinner at his home while pretending to his wife that they’re both colleagues at work. Ryuhei seems afraid of losing his power as head of the family and tries to use it as often as possible to try to strength his self esteem and reputation. For instance, he gets angry at his older son, Takashi, for enlisting in the U.S. army and prohibits his younger son, Kenji, from following his passion to play the piano. Gradually, the Sasaki family becomes more and more dysfunctional. Co-writer/director Kiyoshi Kurosawa slowly builds up dramatic tension as you observe Ryuhei sinking further and further away from the state of stability which he had before he got fired. Kurosawa wisely adds some comic relief to ease the tension, such as Ryuhei programming his cellphone to ring at a designated time so that he could pretend that it’s an important business-related call. The plot briefly goes over-the-top later in the second act as it veers into thriller territory in a way that’s very slightly distracting from its overall dramatic momentum. Nonetheless, the screenplay’s poignant moments, strong attention to detail along with fine performances from the entire cast helps to keep you mostly engaged from start to finish. At a running time of 119 minutes, Tokyo Sonata manages to be an often captivating and engrossing drama with a sensitive, intelligent and tender screenplay. Number of times I checked my watch: 1. Released by Regent Releasing.
Tooth Fairy
Directed by Michael Lembeck.
Derek Thompson (Dwayne Johnson), a minor league hockey player nicknamed “The Tooth Fairy” for knocking out other players’ teeth on the ice, doesn’t believe in the Tooth Fairy and even steals tooth-fairy money from under the pillow of his girlfriend’s young daughter, Tess (Destiny Grace Whitlock). The next morning, he finds a summons under his pillow accusing him of disseminating false beliefs, grows a pair of wings, and ends up in Fairyland where he stands in front of Lily (Julie Andrews), the head honcho of Fairies. She sentences him to two weeks as a Tooth Fairy and if he reveals his secret identity to anyone, he’ll receive an extension to his sentence. Tracy, a caseworker who dreams of becoming a fairy, assists and observes him along the way. Ashley Judd plays play Derek’s girlfriend, Carly, and Chase Ellison plays her teenage son, Randy, while Billy Crystal briefly shows up in a very delightful, comedic performance as a Fairyland outfitter who provides Derek with his fairy costume and all the magic potions, i.e. invisibility spray and amnesia dust, which he will require to perform his duties as a fairy. Although the premise sounds very silly and ludicrous, the screenplay by co-writers Lowell Ganz, Babaloo Mandel, Joshua Sternin, Jeffrey Ventimilia and Randi Mayem Singer, has its fair share of whimsical scenarios that will delightfully entertain kids while keeping adults mildly amused, as they as they can get over some cheesy moments. Dwayne Johnson has a lot of fun in the title role and isn’t afraid to behave so goofily in a Tooth Fairy costume. Derek and Carly have virtually no romantic chemistry and the bonding relationship between Derek and Randy feels very contrived and corny at times. However, the film’s messages about the importance of both adults and kids believe in their dreams and have faith in saying “what if?” every now and then are quite inspiring ones that every child—and adult—should learn. At a running time of 1 hour and 41 minutes, Tooth Fairy is somewhat silly and cheesy, but nonetheless amusing, whimsical and delightfully goofy with inspirational, feel-great messages for everyone young and old to appreciate. Please be sure to stay through the end credits for additional scenes. Number of times I checked my watch: 2 Released by Twentieth Century Fox.
New Releases for May 11th, 2010
Daybreakers
Directed by Michael and Peter Spierig.
In the year 2019, a viral outbreak 10 years earlier has now turned almost everyone on Earth into blood-thirsty vampires while some humans can still be found hiding away in fear for their lives. A blood shortage has caused the vampires to morph into grotesque-looking creatures desperate to kill any anyone for blood. Charles Bromsley (Sam Neill), CEO of Bromsley Marks Corporation, the major supplier of human blood, searches for a way to create a substitute for blood that would greatly increase the corporation’s profits, so it’s not surprising when he says that he’s not looking for a cure, but rather repeat business. You might find yourself asking, “How’s the different from the true intentions of pharmaceutical corporations in the real world?”Edward (Ethan Hawke), a hematologist working for Bromsley, meets two humans, Audrey (Claudia Karvan) and former vampire “Elvis” (Willem Dafoe), whom he shows compassion for. Elvis has discovered a special cure that morphs vampires back into humans, so now it’s up to Edward to do everything he can to bring the cure to fruition no matter how much Bromsley uses aggressive force to oppose it. The tension escalates a bit once Edward’s younger brother, Frankie (Michael Dorman), and Bromley’s daughter, Alison (Isabel Lucas), get caught up in the battle between Edward and Bromley. Michael and Peter Spierig, a.k.a. “the Spierig Brothers,” who previously wrote and directed Undead together, blend sci-fi, action and suspense with just the right amount of social commentary sprinkled here and there to make it an intriguing and thrilling ride that doesn’t require you to check your brain at the door for the entire duration. The brilliant opening scene gives you a reminder that you’re not watching a run-of-the-mill sci-fi action film. While the dialogue doesn’t sparkle with wit or memorable lines, at least it’s not stilted to the point of being cringe-worthy. It’s always a pleasure to see Willem Dafoe having such a great time with his role and providing some quirky, dark comic relief along the way. The Spierig Brothers also include great make-up and CGI effects that add a lot of visual style to the film along with some blood-and-guts for shock value. Admittedly, though, the action-filled third act could have been tightened up much more intelligently so that it wouldn’t feel so underwhelming, weak and slightly anti-climactic. Nonetheless, at a running time of 1 hour and 38 minutes, Daybreakers manages to be a suspenseful, visually stylish and gory sci-fi thriller that’s simultaneously entertaining and provocative. Number of times I checked my watch: 1 Released by Lionsgate.
Edge of Darkness
Directed by Martin Campbell.
Based on the BBC miniseries written by Troy Kennedy Martin. Thomas Craven (Mel Gibson), a Boston police detective, witnesses his daughter, Emma (Bojana Novakovic), being shot-to-death near the entrance of his home. He may or may not have been the intended target, but the more he digs deeper to investigate the murder, the more he believes that someone did intend to kill his daughter. Who would want to killer? What might their motives be? When he learns that she had worked for a corporation called Northmoor at the time of her death, he visits the giant facility to interrogate the corporation’s CEO, Jack Bennett (Danny Huston). The way that Jack reveals a big secret about Northmoor so nonchalantly and openly to Thomas early on seems very unrealistic and labels him as someone who’s shady, unreliable and probably has other, darker secrets that he’s covering-up. Ray Winstone plays Darius Jedburgh, a CIA operative who tries to discourage the persistent Thomas from continuing his investigation. Shawn Roberts shows up as Emma’s boyfriend, David Burnham, who happens to also be her co-worker at Northmoor. Mel Gibson’s anger-filled performance at least keeps you mildly engaged while director Martin Campbell maintains an appropriately brisk pace. The screenplay by William Monahan and Andrew Bovell starts out intriguingly as you’re wondering along with Thomas about who killed his daughter and why, but as the plot thickens with twists and dirty politics get involved, that’s when it all becomes increasingly convoluted. A truly great murder mystery, à la Dial M for Murder, The Third Man, Fargo or, more recently, the brilliant Tell No One, should be concurrently intelligent and suspenseful while tugging at your heartstrings every now and then. Edge of Darkness feels pedestrian and not particularly well thought-out, especially during the over-the-top third act. The scenes during which Thomas interacts with hallucinatory images of Emma come across as awkward rather than poignant. At a running time of nearly 2 hours, Edge of Darkness manages to be an initially intriguing policier that gradually loses suspense and cleverness as it bites off more than it can chew. Number of times I checked my watch: 2 Released by Warner Bros. Pictures.
North Face
Directed by Philipp Stölzl.
In German, French and Italian with subtitles. Based on a true story. In Germany 1936, Henry Arau (Ulrich Tukur) a member of the Third Reich, works as a publisher for a German newspaper, Berliner Zeitung. The Nazi Party wants to find talented mountain climbers who could scale the north face of the Eiger Mountain located in the French Alps to boost its reputation throughout the world right before the Berlin Olympics begin. Henry’s editorial secretary, Luise Fellner (Johanna Wokalek), happens to know of two men willing to climb that treacherous slope under freezing conditions, so, to please the Nazi Party, Henry gives her the task of finding those two men and persuading them to go on that life-threatening journey. Andi Hinterstoisser (Florian Lukas) and Toni Kurz (Benno Fuermann), Luise’s former boyfriend, agree to the challenge despite the fact that two climbers had froze to death on the Eiger a year ago. Two Austrian climbers, Willy Angerer (Simon Schwarz) and Edi Rainer (Georg Friedrich), also scale the Eiger to race them to the top, but they soon join along with them. What ensues is an adventure that’s often gripping, harrowing and breathtaking to watch. Director/co-writer Philipp Stölzl allows the tension to build gradually, but once it becomes very suspenseful, it stays that way as you’re wondering if and how those climbers will survive the elements. You’ll feel so engrossed into the incredibly realistic action sequences that you’ll think you’re watching documentary footage. It’s also worth mentioning that Stölzl includes a gentle touch of humor along the way which nicely balances the intense, heavier moments throughout. The scenery seems like a character of its own and a deceptive one at that: it appears very serene and beautiful at times, but within a matter of minutes, it can turn into hell on earth. At a running time of just over 2 hours, North Face, manages to be suspenseful, meticulously crafted, harrowing and thrilling. It’s an incredible true story about courage and the power of the human spirit. Number of times I checked my watch: 0 Released by Music Box Films.
New Releases for May 18th, 2010
The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela - Directed by Olaf de Fleur Johannesson.
This mildly engaging docudrama follows the experiences of Raquela (Raquela Rios), a transsexual “ladyboy” who fulfills her dreams of escaping the lifestyle of prostitution in the Philippines by becoming an internet porn star. Michael (Stefan Schaefer), a smarmy webmaster of an internet pornsite, takes her to Paris where their relationship gradually deteriorates. Did she really think that a guy working in the porn industry wouldn’t treat her like an object? She’s got a lot to learn about life, but at least she’s off the streets. Writer/director Olaf de Fleur Johannesson blends documentary and fictional reenactments with mixed results. The footage of Raquel’s interaction with other transsexual prostitutes feels tedious and unrevealing. Better interviews, or, in some cases, faux interviews, would have helped to add much-needed insight about their lives. The film does have a timely yet underdeveloped message, though, about the temptations and disappointments in the booming internet industry where true happiness is fleeting. Raquela learns a lot about herself throughout her endeavors once she leaves the Philippines. Most of all, she wants to settle down with a man who, unlike Michael, loves her for who she truly is. If only The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela had explored her emotional journey more thoroughly, it would have been much more engrossing and insightful to watch. Number of times I checked my watch: 3. Released by Regent Releasing/Here! Films.
The Girl on the Train
Directed by André Téchiné.
In French with subtitles. Based on a true story and the play "RER" by Jean-Marie Besset. Jeanne (Émilie Dequenne), an unemployed young woman, resides with her widowed mother, Louise (Catherine Deneuve), at suburban home in the outskirts of Paris, and spends her time rollerblading through the streets. Samuel Bleistein (Michel Blanc), her mother’s former lover who works as a lawyer and Jewish activist, agrees to help Jeanne find a secretarial job. One day, as she’s shopping for a suitcase, Franck (Nicolas Duvauchelle), a young man aspiring to become a wrestler, not only convinces the salesman to bring the price down but agrees to pay for it as well and asks her out for a coffee date. Soon enough, the two fall in love with one another and, not surprisingly, Jeanne’s mother doesn’t seem quite fond or trustworthy of Franck. Little does Jeanne know about how Franck’s involvement in the drug trade will get him into serious trouble that risks his life. In a subplot, Jeanne slashes her face on other parts of her body to falsely claim that she was attacked by anti-Semites on a train. This particular deceit makes her seem mentally unbalanced, naïve, and hard to trust as a protagonist in the eyes of the audience. The screenplay by director/co-writer André Téchiné weaves together the increasingly troublesome relationship between Jeanne and Franck as well as Jeanne’s lie about the attack. Although the intricate plot as whole has some intense and provocative moments, it too often gyrates back and forth between the two subplots in such a way that its momentum and, ultimately, its plausibility, diminishes, therefore making it hard to feel truly immersed and engrossed in the life of Jeanne or to care about what happens to her for that matter. Unfortunately, the third act comes across rather contrived, lazy and leaves you underwhelmed. On a positive note, Émilie Dequenne gives a charming, radiant performance as the sexy Jeanne and helps keeps you mildly engaged whenever she’s onscreen. The same can be said for the reliable-as-always Catherine Deneuve who adds some gravitas. Ronit Elkabetz is terrific in a support role as Samuel’s Orthodox former daughter-in-law. At a running time of 1 hour and 45 minutes, The Girl on the Train lacks sufficient focus, plausibility and an emotional core despite being provocative with a terrific ensemble cast and Émilie Dequenne’s charming, radiant performance. Number of times I checked my watch: 3 Released by Strand Releasing.
Invictus
Directed by Clint Eastwood.
Based on the book Playing the Enemy by John Carlin. After serving twenty-seven years in prison, Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) gets elected as President of South Africa in 1994 and struggles to find a way to put an end to the apartheid that has segregated the blacks and whites of the nation for decades. He decides to start a campaign that would unite his country by calling Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon), the captain of the country’s predominantly-white rugby team, Springboks, into his office to show his support for the team and to encourage them to win the 1995 World Cup Championship. His black body guards don’t quite like the idea of working along with Afrikans which Mandela had just hired. Also, Mandela has Francois and his rugby team travel throughout the country to teach the sport to young black kids. The reliable-as-always Morgan Freeman delivers an Oscar-worthy performance that nails Mandela’s warmth, charisma and strength of mind with utter conviction. Whenever he’s onscreen alone, the movie soars into a somewhat engrossing, captivating drama. For example, it’s quite moving to watch how Mandela recalls the powerful, inspirational words from William Ernest Henley’s short poem, “Invictus,” which is Latin for “unconquerable.” The scenes with Francois feel less-than-captivating and dull by comparison, though. Screenwriter Anthony Peckham essentially squanders the opportunity to flesh out the unique friendship between Mandela and Francois by instead focusing too much on Mandela’s repeated attempts to show his support for the Springboks by showing up at the games, one of which he shows up briefly in a rather unconventional way. Peckham doesn’t allow the audience to get into the mind of Mandela beyond what he was like as a President. The same could be said for Francois whom you barely even get to know as the captain of Springboks. On a positive note, director Clint Eastwood moves the pace along at an appropriate leisurely pace, includes terrific cinematography as well as a well-chosen musical score that tugs at your heart and keeps your pulse pounding, especially during the many exciting rugby matches. Despite a captivating-as-always performance by Morgan Freeman, Invictus ends up rather dull and underwhelming while lacking enough sharp attention on the dynamics of Mandela’s friendship with Francois Pienaar off of the rugby field. Number of times I checked my watch: 3 Released by Warner Bros. Pictures.
The Spy Next Door
Directed by Brian Levant.
Bob Ho (Jackie Chan) works as an undercover CIA spy and decides to give up his job so that he could spend more time with his girlfriend and next-door neighbor, Gillian (Amber Valletta), and her three kids, Ian (Will Shadley), Nora (Alina Foley) and Farren (Madeline Carroll). When Gillian has no choice but to leave town for a few days, she lets Bob take care of them while she’s gone. Little doe s he know that his babysitting task won’t be quite as easy as he expected it to be given all the household chores, i.e. cooking breakfast, that he hasn’t yet mastered. Ian snoops around on Bob’s computer one day and downloads a top-secret formula in order to show to his classmates how cool he is. Little does he know that the download has angered a Russian terrorist, Poldark (Magnus Scheving) and his sidekick, Creel (Katherine Boecher), who now hunt down Bob do get the formula back, but not before fighting him off. Will Bob be able to keep his former job as a spy secret from Gillian and her kids? Will Gillian eventually forgive him if she were to find out the truth? Will there be a lengthy final battle between Bob and his enemies? Anyone who has ever watched an action comedy geared toward little kids would already be able to answer those questions without hesitation. Just because co-writers Jonathan Bernstein, James Greer and Gregory Poirier follow a standard formula filled with clichés doesn't necessarily mean the predictability and use of clichés take away from the film’s entertainment value, though. Jackie Chan still proves to be a charming actor with great comedic timing and it’s a lot of fun to watch him during the fresh action sequences. It’s also worth mentioning that Madeline Carroll, last seen opposite Kevin Costner in Swing Vote, shines as Gillian’s teenage daughter, Farren. So what if the villains seem very cartoonish and often silly? They’re not meant to be realistic or truly menacing because, after all, The Spy Next Door’s target audience are little kids who find it easy to laugh at slapstick humor. Adults willing to find their inner child and suspend their disbelief will find the film to be pleasantly diverting and amusing albeit forgivably juvenile. Director Brian Levant wisely keeps the pace moving along at an appropriately brisk pace and an ideal running time of just 92 minutes that pass by rather quickly. The Spy Next Door manages to be an entertaining comedy loaded with action and laughs for all ages. It’s forgivably silly, cartoonish and far from a classic, but nonetheless feels fast, funny, fresh and harmless. Please be sure to stay through the end credits for outtakes. Number of times I checked my watch: 1 Released by Lionsgate.
A Touch of Spice
Directed by Tassos Boulmetis.
In Greek, Turkish and English with subtitles. Fanis Lakovides (George Corraface), a middle-aged Greek chef also working as an astronomer and living in Athens, prepares a meal for his grandfather, Vassilis (Tassos Bandis), who lives in Istanbul and hasn’t him since he was a little boy. He recalls the events during his childhood when he and his Greek Orthodox parents, Savas (Leroklis Michaelidis) and Soultana (Renia Louizidou), were living in Constantinople, later known as Istanbul, in Turkey. Back then, during the 1960’s, Vassilis owned a spice store and often bonded with his eight-year-old grandson, Fanis (now played by Markos Osse). He taught him how to use and to appreciate different spices. In a rather imaginative and captivating scene, he connects spices to the planets of the solar system, such as Venus, represented by cinnamon, while salt represents the sun. It’s easy to understand how and why Fanis became so passionate about cooking. In a somewhat contrived subplot, he becomes the boyfriend of Saime (Gözde Akyildiz). During increasing tensions between the Turks and the Greeks, he and his family are forced to deport to Greece where he must separate from Vassilis and Saime, who he often writes letters to. Basak Köklükaya plays the older version of Saime who Fanis visits as an adult. The way that she willingly agrees to spend time with him in Istanbul after all those years of separation willingness lacks authenticity, although it does show he means a lot to her. That doesn’t mean that she’ll just drop everything and start a romance with him, though. Writer/director Tassos Boulmetis infuses the genres of drama, romance and history with a touch of whimsical comedy, but all of that add up to a rather uneven experience that lacks an organically moving emotional core. As the plot jumps back and forth in chronology, it loses its dramatic momentum and feels overstuffed. There aren’t enough scenes between Fanis and Vassilis that show their strong bond as grandson and grandfather. The same can be said for Fanis and Saime as boyfriend and girlfriend because their chemistry falls flat onscreen. Ultimately, A Touch of Spice has a few imaginative and amusing scenes as well as all the right ingredients of a romantic dramedy, but those ingredients merely simmer without coming to a boil. It often feels contrived and convoluted while its variety of ingredients, so-to-speak, merely simmer together without actually coming to a palpable boil. Number of times I checked my watch: 3 Released by Menemsha Films. 
Valentine’s Day
Directed by Garry Marshall.
Reed (Ashton Kutcher), a florist, proposes to his girlfriend, Morley (Jessica Alba), but she’s not ready to make that big commitment yet. Meanwhile, Reed’s platonic friend, Julia (Jennifer Garner), travels to meet her lover, Harrison (Patrick Dempsey), and little does she believe that he’s actually married even when Reed goes all the way to the airport boarding area to warn her. A publicist, Kara (Jessica Biel), must deal with a private confession that her client, Sean (Eric Dane), makes at a press conference where a TV reporter, Kelvin (Jamie Foxx) is at. Kathy Bates briefly shows up as Kelvin’s producer. Holden (Bradley Cooper) interacts with a soldier, Kate (Julie Roberts), who sits beside him on airplane. Little does Jason (Topher Grace) know that his new girlfriend, Liz (Anne Hathaway), actually moonlights as an adult phone entertainer while working as a receptionist for Paula (Queen Latifah), Sean’s agent. Willy (Taylor Lautner) and Felicia (Taylor Swift), two dimwitted high school teens, are madly attracted to one another and aren’t afraid to show public displays of affection. Another high school couple, Grace (Emma Roberts) and Alex (Carter Jenkins), attempt to lose their virginity at Grace’s house when her mother isn’t expected to be at home. Estelle (Shirley Maclaine) confesses to her longtime husband, Edgar (Hector Elizondo), about the time that she cheated on him many years ago. If you think all of these subplots blended together sound so overstuffed and unfocused, just wait until you watch how they unfold with such headache-inducing dullness and silliness. The lazy screenplay by Katherine Fugate fails to bring any of these characters to life and leaves every couple with no romantic chemistry as the plot gyrates chaotically back and forth from one story to another. You’ll feel like you’re watching 10 films all at once, none of which is the least bit compelling, funny or heartfelt. On top of that, the city of Los Angeles itself comes across as the most interesting character in itself. Imagine everything you enjoyed about other romcoms like Love Actually or, the quintessential one, When Harry Met Sally, take away all the charm, intelligent humor, memorable characters, genuine poignancy and witty dialogue, and you’ll end up with something along the lines of Valentine’s Day. On a positive note, director Garry Marshall includes a lively soundtrack and one of the most star-studded, attractive ensemble casts in recent memory. Valentine’s Day ultimately manages to be stale, unfunny, painfully dull, asinine and charmless. It’s the antithesis of everything that a truly great romantic comedy ought to be.
Number of times I checked my watch: 7 Released by Warner Bros. Pictures. 
New Releases for May 25th, 2010
Alice Neel
Directed byAndrew Neel.
This absorbing documentary provides fascinating accounts of the life and work of painter Alice Neel. Alice painted portraits of a wide range of people, from the rich to the poor. What made her
works unique was how she painted them in a very natural way—whether the expressions were sad or happy or angry. She even painted nude portraits which some critics felt was uncomfortable to look at. Her love of painting was very evident and, amazingly, she wasn’t intimidated to change her way of painting despite her lack of income. Director Andrew Neel, her grandson, combines old footage with Alice along with interviews with family members and her friends. Andrew does a great job of bringing Alice Neel to life as an artist and uses interesting footage with her which helps you to understand what she’s thinking. In a way, Andrew has created his own portrait of his complex grandmother who never reached fame or fortune, yet made has undeniably made her mark in the art world. If she were still living today, she would be proud that her grandson has honored in this well-rounded documentary with all of her humanity intact. It’s quite inspiring that Alice Neel followed her passion to paint without conforming to society’s norms. Life was certainly
not easy for her and she turned-off some people by capturing them in moments of discomfort, but at least she managed to channel her frustrations through an artistic medium. Number of times I checked my watch: 0 Released by SeeThink Productions.
Dear John
Directed by Lasse Hallström.
Based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks. John Tyree (Channing Tatum), a U.S. soldier, meets Savannah Curtis (Amanda Seyfried) , a college student, while home on leave during spring break 2001. The two instantly fall in love and, soon enough, John introduces her to his father (Richard Jenkins), an obsessive coin collector who’s suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome, a mild form of autism. When the 9/11 tragedy takes place, John must go back to fight overseas and feels sad to be separated from the love of his life. He and Savannah promise one another that they’ll communicate with one another through writing letters in order to keep their romance alive. When John goes off to war, Savannah bonds with his autistic father and, after corresponding back and forth with John through many letters, she suddenly writes her very last letter simply stating that she has moved on with her life. Has she gone off to marry her best friend, Tim Wheddon (Henry Thomas), perhaps? Will John return from the war and confront Savannah in hopes of getting some sort of closure? Anyone who’s ever watched a romantic drama before will be able to figure out everything that happens from the very first moments that you meet John, Savannah and, briefly, Tim. The lazy, dumbed-down screenplay by Jamie Linden fails to bring any of these characters to life; the only mildly interesting one is John’s father, played by the underrated, reliable-as-always Richard Jenkins. Even the musical score and beautiful scenery, while quite lively, just adds to the sappiness and will make you roll your eyes rather than moved to tears or uplifted. Both Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried are attractive stars, but Tatum gives a wooden performance while Seyfried overacts at times. They both lack charisma onscreen and it’s not quite clear what Savannah sees in John in the first place beyond his good looks. Moreover, why should she trust him given his troublesome past? The third act piles on so many contrived, schmaltzy, including a character’s sudden battle with cancer, that it feels overstuffed and like a Lifetime TV movie-of-the-week. At a running time of 1 hour and 45 minutes, Dear John is bland, excessively corny, schmaltzy and contrived while lacking any requisite romantic chemistry. It cannot be saved by picturesque scenery and attractive leads alone. Number of times I checked my watch: 4 Released by Screen Gems.
Mystery Team
Directed by Dan Eckman.
Jason the “Master of Disguise” (Donald Glover), Charlie the "Strongest Kid in Town" (Dominic Dierkes) and Duncan the “Boy Genius” (D.C. Pierson) have come together to form the Mystery Team to solve mysteries in their suburban town ever since they were little kids. Local townspeople pay a dime for each mystery that needs to be solved, but those mysteries aren’t anything like the one they’re about to try to solve. A very young girl shows up at their stand and asks the Mystery Team to figure out who killed her father. The girl’s older sister, Kelly (Aubrey Plaza), also claims that the killer(s) stole a ring during the murder, but she doesn’t have much hope that the Mystery Team is competent enough to retrieve it, so she initially brushes them off. Their adventures throughout the investigation become increasingly ludicrous, such as when they visit a strip club and need to retrieve the ring from inside a toilet after it fell out from a stripper’s you-know-what. They also find a little kid sitting at the strip club waiting for his mother, a stripper, to finish her shift. Co-writers Dominic Dierkes, Donald Glover and D.C. Pierson have written very stupid characters who are almost as dumb as Sarah Palin when it comes to their logic, but at least they’re quite funny more often than not. Duncan looks and behaves a lot like Napoleon Dynamite. When Charlie notices a friend of his making a circle with his left hand and sticking a finger through it when referring to a sexual act, he thinks it means to poke a girl in the eye. Initially, the performances of each of the three actors who make up the Mystery Team come across as very grating and awkward, but, once you realize that they’re merely lampooning detectives while having a lot of fun in their roles, you’ll find yourself oddly entertained and even laughing at all the absurdity. At a running time 1 hour and 45 minutes Mystery Team manages to be an outrageous, offbeat comedy that’s often preposterous and silly, but nonetheless quite funny and delightfully bizarre. Number of times I checked my watch: 2 Released by Roadside Attractions.
Owl and the Sparrow
Directed by Stephane Gauger.
In Vietnamese with subtitles. Thuy (Pham Thi Han), a 10-year-old girl, lives with her uncle, Tran Le Minh (Nguyen Hau), in the rural village of Bien Hoa where she works at his bamboo factory. She’s overworked and unhappy working there with all of his yelling at her, so, one day, she runs away all the way to the big city of Saigon. There, she learns how to make a living by selling postcards and flowers to pedestrians. Her uncle, meanwhile, searches for her whereabouts throughout the city. The last thing she wants is to go back to living and working with him or to end up in an orphanage. While wandering around Saigon, she meets Hai (Le The Lu), a zookeeper who talks to a baby elephant that’s about to be sold off to another zoo. His heart still hasn’t healed from breaking up with his beloved girlfriend and hopes that he still has a chance to be with her. Thuy also befriends Lan (Cat Ly), a stewardess who used to smile a lot, but now, during a five-day layover in Saigon, she’s sad, lonely and sleeps with a married man who refuses to leave his wife. With her youthful spirit intact, Thuy finds a clever way to introduce Lan and Hai. Writer/director Stephane Gauger takes a simple plot and infuses it with genuine warmth and tenderness. There are many small moments that radiate more authenticity than most dramas, such as when Lan tells Hai that he has an honest face and, soon after, she holds his hand. At the heart of the film, though, there’s the charming performance of Pham Thi Han, who’s so convincing here that you eventually forget that you’re watching a child actor in her big screen debut. Admittedly, Gauger uses too much shaky cinematography that slightly diminishes to sense of realism and palpable dramatic tension that’s quite character-driven. It’s also worth mentioning, though, that all of the characters seem complex enough to seem real and believable without going over-the-top, especially Thuy’s uncle, Than, who’s somewhat of a bad guy, but not in the traditional sense—he’s not physically abusive or cruel; just very strict, uptight and often angry in a way that makes Thuy feel uncomfortable. Ultimately, Owl and the Sparrowmanages to be a captivating and engrossing drama brimming with genuine warmth and tenderness as well as a charismatic, radiant and heartfelt performance by newcomer Pham Thi Han. Number of times I checked my watch: 1 Released by Wave Releasing. 
The Road
Directed by John Hillcoat.
Based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy. A father (Viggo Mortensen) and his young son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) struggle to survive in post-apocalyptic America. Some kind of disaster has left every town and city throughout the country in ruins and looking very much like a ghost town. All the father and son need to survive is food, water, shelter and a means of defending themselves. A gang member (Garret Dillahunt) nearly kidnaps the son before the father comes to his rescue armed with a gun, so now the father and son must do their best to avoid that vicious gang who are involved in turning people into slaves. As the two wander through the barren landscape heading toward the sea, the father recalls moments from before the apocalypse when his beloved wife (Charlize Theron) was alive and well. He still hasn’t overcome that she had committed suicide during the start of the apocalypse. Robert Duvall, virtually unrecognizable here, briefly shows up as a blind old man whom the father and son decide to help along their treacherous journey toward the sea, which the son has never seen before. Unfortunately, the screenplay by Joe Penhall takes a premise that could have been riveting and engrossing and turns it into an experience that merely has a few harrowing moments, but, for the most part, feels dull and meandering. You’re never really given a chance to get to know the father and son enough so that you would care about whether or not they survive. Their interactions with one another simply fail to resonate on an emotional level. The same can be said for the numerous flashbacks where the father and his wife spend time together. Fortunately, Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee both give decent, somewhat heartfelt performances as the father and son, which help you to at least stay remotely engaged without drifting off to sleep. Out of all of the characters, the most interesting one happens to be the setting itself. Director John Hillcoat does a great job of creating a very sullen atmosphere through the very bleak settings that are filled with so many washed-out gray, brown and black colors that you almost feel like you’re watching a film shot in black-and-white; perhaps actually filming the post-apocalyptic scenes in black-and-white would have been wiser. Hillcoat maintains a slow pace that occasionally drags as you’re waiting for something—anything---to happen to the father and son that doesn’t involve them continuously walking on and on together. At a running time of 2 hours, The Road manages to be tedious, dull and anticlimactic despite decent performances and exquisite cinematography filled with bleak images. It’s ultimately an underwhelming experience that lacks emotional resonance. Number of times I checked my watch: 4 Released by Dimension Films.
New Releases for July 13th, 2010
The Bounty Hunter
Directed by Andy Tennant.
Milo Boyd (Gerard Butler), a bounty hunter who used to be a police officer, goes on a job assignment to hunt down and apprehend Nicole Hurly (Jennifer Aniston), a reporter who happens to be his ex-wife. She’s in trouble for skipping bail for a mere traffic violation. He will get paid $5,000 if he brings her into the police station. Just as he tracks her down, she tells him about a murder mystery that she’s reporting on for her job, so she does everything in her ability to free herself from him so that she can get back to work. Will he help her solve the mystery? Will he bring her to the police station so that he can get his $5,000? Will Milo and Nicole kindle their romantic spark that they had when they were married? Unfortunately, screenwriter Sarah Thorp has no idea how to blend a variety of genres together because the comedy awkwardly gyrates back and forth between all the action, suspense, drama and romance which create more nausea than laughter or palpable tension. Milo and Nicole have virtually zero chemistry together onscreen and even their banter and bickering isn’t remotely sharp or fun to listen to. You’ll find yourself longing for films such as the classic Adam’s Rib which has far more intelligently written quips and rapports between a man and woman as well as lots charisma, chemistry and charm which The Bounty Hunter also lacks. Whenever Milo and Nicole talk to one another, you’ll end up feeling annoyed and rolling your eyes at some of the corniness. The visual gags, which range from dark comedy to sexy comedy and dark comedy, are cheap, forced and juvenile. On a positive note, the fleeting laughs come from some of members of the support cast, namely, Christine Baranski, Carol Kane and Jeff Garlin and the underrated Siobhan Fallon who briefly add a much needed oomph to an otherwise underwhelming film. At a lengthy running time of 1 hour and 50 minutes, The Bounty Hunter overstays its welcome and ends up as one of the most unfunny, vapid and nauseatingly convoluted romcoms in recent memory. The lively supporting cast at least helps to keep you briefly awake. Number of times I checked my watch: 6 Released by Columbia Pictures. 
Chloe
Directed by Atom Egoyan.
Catherine Stewart (Julianne Moore), a gynecologist, suspects that her husband, David (Liam Neeson), a music professor, might be cheating on her after he misses a flight home and she reads a text message sent to him by one of his female students. She hires Chloe (Amanda Seyfried), a high-end prostitute, merely meet and converse with David in order to learn whether or not he’ll try hit on her. The situation gets out of hand when Chloe claims that David had yielded to her seductions by having sex with her. Catherine even asks her for all of the juicy details and, all-of-a-sudden, finds herself physically attracted to her. She and Chloe engage in a sexually-charged relationship and, soon enough, Chloe also tries to seduce Catherine’s teenage son, Michael (Max Thieriot). The screenplay by Erin Cressida Wilson has its fair share of thrills and intrigue up until the scene where Chloe and Catherine initiate their steamy affair, but, after that, the suspense wanes and the plot begins to feel rather convoluted, unimaginative and somewhat silly. Moreover, too much is spelled out and spoon-fed to the audience rather than allowing them to use their intelligence to deduce or infer from any subtleties (which, in this case, don’t really exist). It’s as if Wilson didn’t quite know what to do with the material from that point on and, therefore, the plot’s momentum essentially runs out of steam. Fortunately, Amanda Seyfried’s sizzling scenes as Chloe along with Julianne Moore’s raw, brave and honest performance as Catherine help to invigorate the film and to keep your eyes mostly glued to the screen. Director Atom Egoyan, who also directed Adoration, Where the Truth Lies and Exotica, includes an appropriately brisk pace, exquisite cinematography and a well-chosen musical score. If only he were to have a tighter screenplay with a much less preposterous third act, Chloe would have been consistently brilliant and suspenseful. At a running time of 1 hour and 36 minutes, Chloe manages to be a seductive and mostly intriguing erotic thriller that eventually loses steam and veers toward silliness while failing to trust the audience’s intelligence. Amanda Seyfried sizzles, though. Number of times I checked my watch: 2 Released by Sony Pictures Classics.
Saving Marriage
Directed by Mike Roth and John Henning.
This provocative, absorbing and well-balanced documentary follows the events that followed after the 2003 Massachusetts Supreme Court declared the ban on same-sex marriages as unconstitutional. In turn, legislators proposed an amendment that would allow only for marriages to be between a man and a woman. Gay rights activists want gays and lesbians to be treated equally and fairly without discrimination. Those in favor of the amendment to ban gay marriage seem to have a problem with homosexuality itself, as one perceptive interviewee admits, but it’s much more complicated than that. Kris Mineau, head of the Massachusetts Family Institute, readily admits that he can’t imagine a child being able to deal emotionally with having two same-sex parents and, therefore, it would cause confusion. Co-directors Mike Roth and John Henning do a great job of showing both sides of the issue as the amendment goes through a series voting procedures. You’ll be moved and inspired by how gay and lesbian couples come together to voice their opinions and to, basically, show to those on the other side of the issue that they’re human beings with feelings, thoughts and concerns just like everyone else. Arline Isaacson, a gay-rights activist, along with Carl Sciortino , who’s running for Congress, and many others work diligently to try to convince legislators to vote against the amendment. It’s quite gripping to watch what happens as they courageously continue on their important mission to promote basic human rights, which isn’t easy in a society that has homophobic, prejudice and intolerant people that they must deal with. Regardless of which side of the issue of gay marriage you’re on, Saving Marriage manages to be a thoroughly compelling, insightful and important documentary. Number of times I checked my watch: 1. Released by Regent Releasing/Here! Films.
Terribly Happy
Directed by Henrik Ruben Genz.
In Danish with subtitles. Based on the novel by Erling Jepsen. Robert (Jakob Cedergren), a police officer, transfers to Skarrild, a small town in Denmark, after suffering from a nervous breakdown and committing some sort of misdeed back in Copenhagen. He calls his wife every now and then and leaves messages on her machine, but she repeatedly doesn’t pick up the phone or call him back. When a young boy gets caught shoplifting for the second time, Robert learns that the law enforcement in Skarrild prefers to use violence and aggressive over standard protocol, so he’s told to hit the boy instead of to arrest him. He meets Ingelise (Lene Maria Christensen), a woman who’s abused by her domineering, alcoholic husband, Jorgen (Kim Bodnia). Ingelise seeks comfort from Robert and, soon, they have a secret, sexually-charged love affair. Director/co-writer Henrik Ruben Genz combines gritty action, psychological thrills, suspense, drama and dark humor in a very smooth, compelling and refreshingly intriguing way that’s very Coen-esque and even Lynchian in its different tones. Just when you think the plot will veer in a particular direction, it suddenly shifts gears and surprises you with its twists. To explain the events that occur as a result of the love affair between Robert and Ingelise would spoil the surprises. If the screenplay weren’t so organic, filled with intricate details and well-developed characters, the twists would seem gimmicky and contrived rather than clever and realistic within the context of the narrative itself. In the most crime thrillers nowadays, i.e. Edge of Darkness, the first act follows with a mediocre second act and then onto a convoluted, messy third act. Here, though, the transition from one act to the other seems smooth and consistently well-written without insulting your intelligence or creating nausea through confusion and convoluted subplots. Moreover, Jakob Cedergen gives a solid performance that masters Robert’s toughness as a police officer as well as his fragility as a human being with a moral conscience. At a running time of 1 hour and 30 minutes, Terribly Happy manages to be a taut, intriguing and refreshingly well-crafted crime thriller brimming with many clever twists and turns. Number of times I checked my watch: 0 Released by Oscilloscope Laboratories. 
Vivere - Directed by Angelina Maccarone.
In German with subtitles. Francesca (Esther Zimmering), a taxi driver, searches for her younger sister, Antoinetta (Kim Schnitzer) on Christmas Eve while dealing with her affections for Gerlinde (Hannelore Elsner), lonely older woman who she saves from a car accident. Despite decent performances, especially by Hannelore Elser, Vivere has a somewhat dull and confusing plot, especially with its shifts in perspective which rewinds the narrative, just like in Go. Writer/director Angeline Maccarone includes very little character development and melodramatic scenes that belong in a soap opera. The romance between Gerlinde and Antoinette feels contrived and awkward rather than poignant. Number of times I checked my watch: 6. Released by Regent Releasing.
New Releases for July 6th, 2010
Brooklyn’s Finest
Directed by Antoine Fuqua.
Sal Procida (Ethan Hawke), a Narcotics officer, lives with his wife, Angela (Lili Taylor), and seven kids in an apartment that has mold which exacerbates Angela’s asthma. They desperately need money to move to a new apartment, so it’s up to Sal to figure out a way to provide it. He puts his life on the line when he considers stealing money from drug dealers while on a drug bust in Brooklyn. Just one week before his pension plan begins, Eddie Dugan (Richard Gere), a burned-out cop, attempts to kill himself by pointing a gun in his mouth and pulling the trigger, but can’t bring himself to do it. He must show the ropes to two rookie cops in his Brooklyn precinct. Chantel (Shannon Kane), a prostitute, has sex with Eddie and cares more about him emotionally than her other clients. Will she give up her life of prostitution to start a new life with him outside of the crime-infested city? Finally, Clarence Butler (Don Cheadle), an undercover cop known as Tango on the streets, goes through a serious dilemma when he must kill Caz (Wesley Snipes), a drug dealer recently released from prison who had once saved his life. Screenwriter Michael C. Martin recycles many plotlines and conflicts that can be found in superior crime thrillers such as The Departed andTraining Day, but what keeps the film engaging are the solid performances and a few intense sequences. The film jumps back and form between the gritty events that surround Sal, Eddie and Tango so often that you never really get a chance to get to know any of them enough to root for one of them. Concurrently, they each go through complex moral dilemmas that often blur the line between right and wrong for them—especially when it comes the police’s aggressive tactics that lead to drug dealers/addicts dead from gunshot wounds during a raid. Director Antoine Fuqua keeps the pace moving briskly and includes terrific cinematography with gritty visuals that turn the streets of Brooklyn into a character in itself. He could have trimmed some of the action sequences a bit so that the film wouldn’t drag occasionally during its running time of 2 hours and 5 minutes. Ultimately, Brooklyn’s Finest offers no surprises, is far from a classic and has forgettable characters, but at least it’s mildly engaging thanks to solid performances and Fuqua’s stylish directing. Number of times I checked my watch: 2 Released by Overture Films.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Directed by Niels Arden Oplev.
In Swedish with subtitles. Based on the novel by Stieg Larsson. Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist), a financial jounralist convicted of libel, gets a new assignment when an elderly, wealthy tycoon, Henrik Vanger (Sven-Bertil Taube), invites him over to his home. Henrik tells him about his niece, Harriet, who had mysteriously vanished forty year ago and has not been found ever since. He wants Mikael to solve the case as efficiently as possible, but it’s easier said than done. In a parallel subplot, Lisbeth Sander (Noomi Rapace), a very skilled computer hacker suffering from a behavioral disorder, turns the tables on her probation officer who had raped her. Henrik eventually hires her to help Mikael with the mystery in ways that won’t be spoiled here. It’s very exciting, intriguing and suspenseful to watch the plot unfold because you’ll find many unexpected, clever twists and turns that transpire as Mikael and Lisbeth get deeper and deeper into the disappearance case. They, as well as you, desperately want to figure out whether or not Harriet is still alive, who may have wanted her to be “disappeared,” and, most importantly, why she “disappeared.” Co-screenwriters Nikolaj Arcel and Rasmus Heisterberg do a great job of withholding information from the audience so that you follow Mikael and Lisbeth along for the edge-of-your seat ride that gets darker and darker. The intricacies of the mystery aren’t quite as brilliant as the ones found in Tell No One, but you’ll still find yourself struggling to point a finger at the culprit(s) while trying to single out the red herring(s). Director Niels Arden Oplev moves the pace along briskly and includes a well-chosen, pulsating musical score that adds to the suspense. The real pleasure here, though, is watching Noomi Rapace as she radiates the screen with her raw and captivating performance as Lisbeth, one of the most lively, memorable characters in recent memory because of her tough, rebellious, subversive attitude and very stylish, gothic look (not-to-mention her large dragon tattoo) as well as her sheer intelligence when it comes to technology. She’s a breath of fresh air and helps to invigorate the film. At a running time of 1 hour and 32 minutes, The Girl in the Dragon Tattoo manages to be an intriguing, intelligent and suspenseful thriller boasting a radiant, captivating performance by the scene-stealing Noomi Rapace.Number of times I checked my watch: 1 Released by Music Box Films.
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