Movie News Today

Empire provides a viewer's guide to the career of Ryan Gosling which I'll be delving into in my review for Drive early next week.

Jason Bateman has two more films on the docket because, as I've said before, he prefers the shotgun method (scatter several movies across the landscape; one's bound to hit the target) of acting. I love Bateman but let's face it, you can't base your decision of whether or not you'll see a movie on his presence in said movie.

Jeremy Renner will star in King of Heists about a real-life crook who took a big score in the 1870s. Sounds good to me.

With Moneyball opening this weekend, Rope of Silicon gives us the top 10 baseball movies and Rotten Tomatoes takes it a step further with the top 20 baseball movies. Though, of course, both lists are flawed because neither include 61*, my favorite sports film of all time. Oh well.

Cinema Slants watches the new TV shows (so you don't have to) and tells you what's worth your time and what is not. I plan on posting a brief guide myself over the weekend but check out part one of the Fall Television Landscape series here in the meantime.

Dan the Man's Movie Reviews takes on Children of Men, a great film that no one saw when it came out but now more and more people have been peer pressured into seeing.

The trailer for Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar biopic debuted today and it looks...good, I guess. Clearly this is Oscar bait of the highest order but...I don't know, I'm more skeptical than others. We'll see.

In Home Viewings: "The Beaver"

Walter Black (Mel Gibson) is a chronically depressed, miserable man who has been lost in a dark cloud of despair for years. He has driven the toy company his father founded to the brink of bankruptcy and that's nothing compared to the damage he's done to his family. His youngest son (Riley Thomas Stewart) doesn't essentially doesn't have a father, his oldest son (Anton Yelchin) despises him, and his wife (Jodie Foster) has kicked him out of the house. As the voiceover tells us, Walter died inside long ago but his body didn't have the decency to follow suit. On a serious bender, Walter finds a beaver hand puppet in a dumpster and when he comes to after a failed suicide attempt, he begins to speak to himself through the beaver (with a British accent, no less). He develops his own form of therapy, speaking only through the beaver and begins to reintegrate himself into the lives of his family members and his company with great success. Before long, however, Walter can no longer find the line of reality between himself and the beaver and watches as all the progress he had made washes away.

The similarities between Walter and Gibson himself are obvious and significant. Add in some unfortunate voicemail rants and a touch of anti-Semitism and this could play as a Gibson documentary. These similarities are also where "The Beaver" makes its money. Walter's transition seems authentic (to a point) as if Gibson himself is undergoing the therapy along with his character. He exhibits the right character traits of man who has lost his way and is struggling to find a way back and the work he does with facial expressions, body language, etc. is rich. It's quite possible that, as a Gibson fan and someone who wants to see him get back on track, I could be exaggerating the overall quality of his performance but I think a great deal is asked of him in this roll and he delivers. I wouldn't go so far as to call this a superb performance but it is solid and compelling and an example of just how good Gibson can be when he gives himself a chance. 

The other elements within "The Beaver" represent a decisive step down from the work done by Gibson. Foster's character never really finds a foothold to become substantial and her work as director is satisfactory but unspectacular. Kyle Killen's script is uneven, too drawn out in some parts but rushed in others resulting in a film that doesn't develop quite the way I believe it was supposed to. And while I am generally down with a darker narrative, "The Beaver" is almost overwhelmed with it to the point of frustrating bleakness. Yelchin and Jennifer Lawrence (the Valedictorian cheerleader) have some nice moments together but their relationship is poorly developed and is treated at times like a distraction from the storyline involving Walter. A lot could have been done with Yelchin's character and his relationship with Walter but it stagnates early on and just barely reaches for redemption in the end. All totaled, "The Beaver" is a good movie with one great performance that carries the film much further than it could have gone otherwise. It is a worthwhile viewing but not one that I'd look forward to seeing again. 

Grade: B+

DVD Roundup - 9/20

Bridesmaids (2011) - Kristin Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Mya Rudolph
An unsuccessful single woman (Wiig) finds her life upturned when her best friend (Rudolph) gets engaged to a wealthy man and begins hanging out with a different crowd. Extreme shenanigans ensue. Bridesmaids is, in a word, hilarious. In a year that is ripe with R-rated comedies, this one is the funniest and the one that has the most staying power (stuck around in theaters for a very long time). It also brought the world around to the genius of Kristin Wiig who has somehow been virtually ignored over the last decade despite her incredible and versatile work.

In Home Viewing Recommendation: Make no mistake, Bridesmaids is well deserving of its R-rating so if that brand of humor is not for you, stay away. Otherwise, check it out if you somehow missed it in theaters.

Modern Family: Season 2 (2010) - Ty Burrell, Julie Bowen, Ed O'Neill
According to the Emmys, this is the funniest show on television and if there was no such thing as Parks and Recreation, that would be correct. (I'm a little bitter about the P&R snubs.) Still, Modern Family is the rare sitcom that manages to make itself appealing on almost every level: families and singles, young and old, traditional TV fans and those who prefer more wit, everyone watches this show. That's what made Friends work for a long time and what made The Office so special. It isn't quite to that level yet but it rarely misfires and while I think it's ridiculous that Julie Bowen won an Emmy for her work (she's the worst part in my book), the cast is top notch.

IHVR: I don't have the passion for Modern Family that I do Parks and Rec but seriously, this show is laugh-out-loud funny every single week.

Raising Hope: Season 1 (2010) - Lucas Neff, Martha Plimpton, Garrett Dillahunt
True story: at the beginning of the last pilot season, Raising Hope was the last show I watched from week 1. That includes ho-hum procedurals like Detroit 187 and Blue Bloods, neither of which made it into my rest-of-the-year rotation. But Hope hooked me from the first episode (GREAT pilot which is very rare) and it only got stronger throughout the year. Modern Family is a better show but if you pressed me and forced me to choose, I'd probably say Hope is more entertaining. Also, I dream of a world where Garrett Dillahunt has either an Emmy or an Oscar and Hope is the best chance of realizing that dream.

IHVR: If you enjoyed the previous work of Greg Garcia (My Name Is Earl and Yes, Dear) or any of the non-laughed tracked sitcoms on TV these days, Raising Hope is definitely worth catching up on.

New to Blu Pick of the Week

The Others (2002) - Nicole Kidman, Fionnula Flanagan, Christopher Eccleston
During WWII, a woman (Kidman) who lives with her two sick children becomes convinced that her home is haunted. No, The Others isn't what I'd call a GREAT film but of all the Sixth Sense knock-offs that came along in the half decade after that film changed the world, this is my pick for the best. It is genuinely spooky and the twist is quite solid.

Also New to Blu
Dumbo (1941) - Sterling Holloway, Edward Brophy, James Baskett (The Disney classic that I kind of hate)
Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) - Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, Patricia Neal (The Hepburn classic I've never seen)
Scary Movie 2 and 3 (2001, 2003) - Various Wayans Brothers (The Wayans "classics" that make me want to jab a screwdriver in my own eye)

Also New
Castle: Season 3 (2010) - Nathan Fillion, Susan Sullivan (I don't know why I don't watch this show but I don't. If it showed up on Netflix Instant, I'm convinced I'd be caught up in a week.)
The Mentalist: Season 3 (2010) - Simon Baker, Robin Tunney
Hawaii Five-0: Season 1 (2010) - Kyle O'Loughlin, Scott Caan
The Kennedys (2011) - Greg Kinnear, Katie Holmes, Barry Pepper
Body of Proof: Season 1 (2011) - Dana Delaney, Jeri Ryan
Mike and Molly: Season 1 (2010) - Melissa McCarthy, Billy Gardell
Happy Endings: Season 1 (2011) - Elisha Cuthbert, Damon Wayans, Jr.
Law and Order Los Angeles: Complete Series (2010) - Alfred Molina, Skeet Ulrich

Review: "Warrior"

I’m a sports guy. I watch a ton of sports, I talk about sports incessantly even when no one cares what I have to say, and I work in sports. As such, I find that most people assume that I love sports movies. The truth is, though, that because I know a great deal about sports, I’m generally far more critical of this genre than I am of others. Look, I am of relatively average intelligence and I wouldn’t claim to be an expert in many things (including cinema, oddly enough). But I am a leader in the following fields: French fries, making fun of others, and pointless sports knowledge. I’m not bragging; it’s just the facts. When I watch a sports-related film, I see all the mistakes and continually have to fight the urge to say, “That would never happen.” I imagine it’s the same for doctors watching a medical drama, crime scene investigators watching “C.S.I.”, or homeless clowns watching the work of John Travolta (see what I did there?). “Warrior”, however, is the exception to the rule, the rare sports film that combines realistic action and a compelling storyline and creates an outstanding experience for any moviegoer. It truly bums me out that no one is making a big deal about this film and no one is going to see it ($10 million total gross to date).

“Warrior” focuses on the men of the Conlon family. Tommy (Tom Hardy) is a former marine returning home for the first time in 14 years. Brendan (Joel Edgerton) is a high school teacher struggling to make ends meet. Their father Paddy (Nick Nolte) is a recovering alcoholic who drove them both away with his many forms of abuse. The one thing that binds them all together is fighting. Boxing, wrestling, MMA (mixed martial arts for the uninitiated) brawling, or whatever else, the Conlon men know how to fight. When a fight promoter puts together a winner-take-all five million dollar MMA tournament, both Tommy and Brendan enter the field and are set on a collision course with one another. But this battle is nothing compared to the real question at the core of “Warrior”: is there anything that can heal this broken family?

From a sports standpoint, you can’t get much better than “Warrior” even if you’re not a fan of UFC or MMA. (For the record, I am not a UFC guy. I’ve always enjoyed boxing but with UFC I always feel as if I’ve just paid $55 to watch a man die. I’m not prepared for that step in entertainment.) There are a few clichés to be sure and I’d bet that hardcore MMA fans could poke holes in the action but for the most part, director Gavin O’Connor maintains a terrific air of reality when his characters are inside the octagon. The punches, kicks, and strangle holds are graphic but not overly so, just enough to convey the physical beating an MMA fighter takes on a nightly basis. The film also goes to great lengths to portray the dramatic differences in the various fighting style of each competitor, a major part of the MMA world. Tommy is ruthless and wild; you can feel his inner rage with each and every strike. Brendan on the other hand is calm and cautious, almost reluctant, everything built around waiting for his opponent to make a mistake. I’m not entirely sure that these details will matter so much to the average viewer but I found this to be indicative of the attention paid to each facet of the film as a whole.

But the real value of “Warrior” isn’t in the sports action at all but rather in the complex relationships of the Conlon men. In truth, this is really a character study under the façade of a sports movie. All three of these characters are tremendously well-written and intricate and the actors who portray them are worthy of serious award consideration. Their interactions are often heartbreaking and honest but with enough of a loving undercurrent to allow the audience to remain hopeful for a resolution between the characters. Hardy’s Tommy is initially hard to connect with and difficult to embrace but the film leads you on a journey to understand and accept him and delivers an excellent payoff when it’s all said and done. Nolte gives us his first meaningful performance in over a decade, reminding me and every other member of the audience that, yes, when this guy is on, he is an OUTSTANDING actor. Every word that Paddy speaks is racked with grief, the weight of his actions evident in every action. It is Edgerton, though, who makes the film in my book. I’ve long been a fan of Edgerton so I’m far from unbiased but his performance is subtly brilliant, quiet and yet extremely powerful, his face always full of the emotions you would expect a struggling father to have. He epitomizes the underdog perfectly and carries that with him throughout his scenes both in and out of the octagon. Hardy and Nolte are more likely to receive the attention of the various awards committees but it is Edgerton who holds the film together.

The secret to creating a great sports movie is not to get the audience to root for the team or contestant on the field (or in the octagon, as it were). That part is easy and it comes naturally. No, the secret is to get the audience genuinely and actively involved with the off-field narrative, to make the audience root for the characters in their flawed, human forms instead of their superhuman on-field personas. This is where many sports films fail and where “Warrior” succeeds. It is a few steps shy of a perfect film considering the handful of clichés it cannot avoid and a few sub-character scenes that aren’t entirely necessary. But these are small cracks in a solid foundation that makes “Warrior” a film to remember.

Grade: A

Kindly go and see this movie please,

Brian

Movie News Today

Denzel Washington is in talks to take the lead for a remake of The Secret in Their Eyes. Always happy to see Denzel in action but I wish the guy would stretch himself a little.

Source Code (or at least the technology within it) is being pitched as a TV series. Incredibly intriguing and pretty smart in my book. Also, if you haven't seen Source Code yet, check it out. You won't be disappointed.

Will Forte has joined the cast of Neighborhood Watch which, I have to say, sounds kind of awesome. Love me some Forte.

This weekend brought us the 63rd Emmy Awards and here are the results in case you missed it. I promised I wasn't going to rant on the Emmys and I won't. But let me at least (briefly) provide the three best and worst from the show (not including the Lonely Island medly which was A-MAZING):

BEST
1. Friday Night Lights Gets a Solid Send Off - A writing award for the series finale plus Best Actor in a Leading Role (Drama) for Kyle Chandler are really not enough considering how great the show was for 5 years, but it'll have to do. I've come late to the FNL party but man...what a great show. Also, "Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose" is perhaps the greatest TV/Movie inspiration saying since "Get Busy Livin' or Get Busy Dyin'."

2. Character Actors Get Their Due - As far as award shows go, very few things make me happier than veteran, quality character actors finally getting some attention. On the night, Peter Dinklage won for his work on Game of Thrones (the only award the show got unfortunately), Margo Martindale picked up some hardware for her run on Justified (another show that deserves more attention), and Barry Pepper won for his performance in The Kennedys. All excellent actors, all worthy of the attention.

3. The In Memorium Segment - Always a touching part of any award show, the quartet rendition of "Hallelujah" was exquisite. Yes, it distracted from the focus of that segment and yes, that song has been sung and sung and sung but that doesn't mean it isn't still awesome and that was an outstanding version.

WORST
1. "Funny" Announcer Guy - I have no idea what FOX was thinking or who the guy was but the dude calling out the standard, "This is his third nomination and first win" information added in a ton of "jokes" that were absolutely painful. Stop it. That never, ever needs to happen again.

2. Safer Stand-Bys Take Too Much Credit - Look, I love Mad Men. It's an incredible show. But winning Best Drama four years in a row is boring. Friday Night Lights, Justified, and Game of Thrones deserved some of the attention Mad Men was given (not to mention the fact that Sons of Anarchy received not a single nomination). Also, as funny as Modern Family is (and it is great), I don't think it really deserved a clean sweep across the comedy board though it's toughest competitor should have been Parks and Recreation which was very poorly represented.

3. No Emmy for Steve Carell - Let me say first off, I love Big Bang Theory and Jim Parsons is a major part of that affection. But Michael Scott is one of the greatest characters of the decade and for Carell to finish his run on The Office without an Emmy is a travesty. Absolute crap.

Random Ramblings of a Demented Doorknob takes a look at one of my very favorite films, The Untouchables. Definitely check this one out.

Scarlet Sp1der and Flixchatter both give us their favorite movie images. Fun lists, both of you!

Weekend Box Office Returns
Gotta say, I did not expect this. What a weekend for The Lion King! Also, thanks to all of you who didn't go see "I Don't Know How She Does It" and for pushing "Bucky Larson" out of theaters altogether. I knew you could do it!

1. The Lion King 3D - $29.3 million
2. Contagion - $14.48M ($44.19 million total)
3. Drive - $11.02M
4. The Help - $6.44M ($147.36M)
5. Straw Dogs - $5M
6. I Don't Know How She Does It - $4.5M
7. The Debt - $2.95M ($26.54M)
8. Warrior - $2.77M ($9.91M)
9. Rise of the Planet of the Apes - $2.62M ($171.62M)
10. Colombiana - $2.3M ($33.35M)

An Open Letter to George Lucas

Hey George,

It’s me, Brian. You remember me, right? The toddler who walked around the house quoting the first 15 minutes of “A New Hope” word for word and sound for sound? The kid who spent every penny of his allowance trying to put together the complete collection of “Star Wars” action figures? The teenager who skipped school to see the first screening “Phantom Menace” on opening day? The adult who has an entire bookcase filled with Chewbacca memorabilia despite the constant mocking of his wife, family, and friends? No? Well, probably if you saw my face you’d remember.

Anyway, George, whether you know it or not we’ve been pals for 28 years. Your hard work took me to amazing places that I could have never imagined and helped lay the foundation for the nerd I am today (and all the beatings that came along with that). You’re not exactly a father figure so much as a “cool uncle figure”, the guy who takes you to awesome movies and maybe sneaks you a beer or something. Everyone needs an uncle like that, right George? It is because of this relationship which we’ve cultivated over the years that I feel I must write to you today and express my concern. Just know that it comes from a place of love.

I’m concerned about you, George. This is a big week for you and I don’t think it’s going to go as well as you might have hoped. On Friday your “Star Wars” films will be available on Blu-Ray for the first time ever. The greatest trilogy in the history of film (plus the three prequels which, quite frankly, suck) will finally be available in a format compatible with the greatest home viewing technology to date. I’m a simple man, George. I wear t-shirts almost every day, I drive a Ford Explorer that has 100,000 miles on it, and I’d prefer a Whataburger over just about anything a fancy restaurant has to offer. I don’t spend extravagantly and I have few luxuries. But I love HD, George. I’ve completely embraced the HD phenomenon to the point that my friends know not to even suggest I watch a television show if our cable provider doesn’t offer an HD option. I am constantly upgrading my DVDs to Blu-Rays and not just the ones that will look appreciably better in HD than in standard; I just bought “The Blues Brothers” on Blu-Ray. “The Blues Brothers”, George! If any film didn’t need to be upgraded to HD, it’s an early ‘80s comedy with almost no value in the cinematography department. Suffice it to say, upon learning of the “Star Wars” Blu-Ray  release, my initial glee was indescribable. In my joy I skipped around the block, smoked a celebratory cigar, and had the logo of the Rebel Alliance tattooed across my back (one of these things is not true but I’ll never say which). It was a truly glorious day. I half expected Carrie Fisher to knock on my front door in order to present me with a medal of honor.

And then the bottom dropped out.

Within 24 hours of my initial high, disheartening reports concerning this box set began to surface. I refused to believe these erroneous rumors at first; surely you had learned from your mistakes, George! But alas, I realized I had to do the research. I almost wish I hadn’t, George. I almost wish I would have ordered my copy of the box set and blindly ridden the wave of “Star Wars” euphoria the likes of which I hadn’t felt since Jar Jar Binks attempted to drive me to suicide 12 years ago. Instead, I nervously flipped on my computer and ventured over to Amazon where I typed in “Star Wars Blu Ray”, said a quick prayer, hit “enter”, and scrolled down to the comments section to see for myself.

My thoughts are best summed up in the words of Darth Vader: “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!”

Not only will this box set NOT feature the original versions of the films that multiple generations of “Star Wars” fans have come to love, you’ve also indicated that you NEVER intend for those versions to see the Blu-Ray light of day. Instead, our beloved trilogy will be jam packed with the added scenes and remixed sequences that plagued the “special” editions of the films in the mid-‘90s. To be honest, excluding the infamous “Han Shot First” moment in “A New Hope” and the stupid finale at the end of “Return of the Jedi”, I’m not that bothered by these changes. They’re unnecessary, to be sure, but they don’t fill me with the homicidal rage that other fanboys experience. But you couldn’t just stop there, could you George? You had to take it a step further. Over the last few months, more and more details of this set have surfaced and despite Lucasfilms’ best attempts to gloss them over, the negative aspects of these features have inevitably come screaming forward. You’ve added more changes, changes that on the surface may seem small but that further alter the original vision of the film.

Currently adorns the wall of my office. Yes, I am 28.

More importantly, George, you’ve spit in the face of your fans; you know, the people that made you the multibillionaire that you are today. I love everything about the original version of the original “Star Wars” trilogy. EVERYTHING. I love “Star Wars” more than any other piece of pop culture EVER and I love it just the way it was in 1977, 1980, and 1983. Allow me to speak for the billions of “Star Wars” fans worldwide when I say we don’t want your changes! We don’t want Ewoks that blink. We don’t want Hayden Christensen added into the final scene of “Jedi” in place of whoever the old guy was that played Jedi Ghost Anakin in the original version. (In fact, we don’t want Hayden Christensen AT ALL. If you’re going to make changes, can’t you edit him out entirely and replace him with Chris Pine, Ben Foster, or literally ANY OTHER ACTOR in the world?) We don’t want Ben Kenobi screaming like a drunken hobo to scare off the Tusken Raiders. And while we’re at it, dadgumit George, we don’t want Greedo shooting first!!! Han Solo knew the crap was about to hit the fan and he blew that little green freak away with the calmness that a normal man might show when swatting a fly. That’s part of what makes him so awesome! You took that part of him away, George; you robbed an entire generation of “Star Wars” fans of that knowledge.

There’s been a lot of internet noise about your Blu-Ray set, George, and a number of people who have simply said, “Well, they’re his films so he can do with them as he wishes.” But that’s not entirely the case. Sure, you made these films, God bless you. You changed the world with your revolutionary special effects and your rejuvenation of the sci-fi genre as a whole. You put together a set of films that have accepted more love across the globe than any other film franchise and that’s really not an overstatement. As such, they are your films and you can mess them up if you want to. But this sentiment fails to take into account the fact that without us, the fans, without ME, you’d be living in a three bedroom townhome on the outskirts of Malibu producing mediocre films that receive mediocre reviews and wondering about what would have happened if people would have just embraced your vision. We did embrace your vision, George. We flocked to theaters in a way that had never been seen before. With just the returns on “A New Hope” we set you up for life and that’s not even taking into account the sequels and prequels, the numerous theatrical and home viewing re-releases, the parodies and the merchandising. You made the films but we made you.

The thing you have to realize is that this is a partnership, George. You make films and we go to see them. You create merchandise and we snatch it up like it’s coated in gold. You put together a freaking Disney World thrill ride and we stand in line for hours to ride it. Without you we have a “Star Wars” sized hole in our lives but without us, your work following “A New Hope” doesn’t exist. Simply put, if no one buys into your product it doesn’t matter!  And if you don’t believe me just ask Joss Whedon and the cast of “Firefly.”

I’ve stood beside you, George. I’ve handled the ups and the downs and I’ve done my best to deal with the changes that you seem hell bent on shoving into my life because at the end of the day, my life is better with “Star Wars” than without (Jar Jar Binks aside). I have owned no less than five versions of this franchise on VHS and DVD and I would like nothing more than to walk into Best Buy on Friday and pick up my pre-ordered copy of the Blu-Ray set. In all honesty you have jammed this set with INCREDIBLE bonus features and it will kill me to not delve into those extras with the voraciousness of a Wookiee attacking an opponent following a loss (I stretched it a bit too far there, didn’t I?). But I can’t do it, George; I can’t continue to support the glee you seem to take in destroying my childhood memories. I can’t trust you, George, and that is perhaps the greatest tragedy of them all. As someone who paved the way for understanding and drawing upon the power of the fans, your inability to comprehend our ownership of your films is STUNNING. All of this animosity could have been avoided simply by providing the original version of these films in addition to the altered version you claim to like better. Would that have been so hard, George? Wouldn’t that have been worth the extra cost to avoid all the hate, anger, and frustration? The effort you made to put these films together so long ago has been repaid a trillion times over and now it’s time you repaid us in kind. I want my cool uncle back, George; I want the guy who showed me a wide world of awesomeness, not the guy who shows me dorky YouTube videos and treats me like an eight year old. Make this right, George. Make it right.

With love and concern,

Brian

Weekend Movie Guide

"Drive" - Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Ron Perlman, Bryan Cranston
A crew of hardened thieves hires a Hollywood stuntman (Gosling) to be their getaway driver. But when the job goes bad, the man is forced to get his hands dirtier than he'd ever intended. This is what you might call a serious action film and one that's supposed to be fairly gritty. Gosling, always an excellent actor but rarely as accessible as other big name stars continues to run amok in 2011 and solidify himself as a full on movie star. The early reviews for "Drive" have been incredibly positive and it's possible this could see some award nominations.

Value: $10 I'm planning on checking this one out over the weekend and it's a near sure thing that my anticipation will be rewarded.

"I Don't Know How She Does It" - Sarah Jessica Parker, Greg Kinnear, Pierce Brosnan, Christina Hendricks
A top level business woman (Parker) juggles the demands of her family life with those of her career. I'm going to resist the obvious "I don't know how..." jokes and instead just saw that, having seen the trailer approximately 100 billion times, I would probably rather eat glass than watch even five minutes of this movie. I would also wager that the percentage of this film's audience that are women over the age of 35 will be somewhere between 99 and 100. Please stop making movies, Sarah Jessica Parker. Please.

Value: $1 This will be a big seller to middle age "girl's night out" events and that's about it. Rotten Tomatoes is LAMBASTING this sucker. And rightly so.

"Straw Dogs" - James Marsden, Kate Bosworth, Alexander Skarsgard
When a young couple (Marsden and Bosworth) move back to the smalltown where the wife grew up, they find the locals to be less than welcoming. A remake of a Dustin Hoffman film from almost 40 years ago, "Straw Dogs" is a horror/thriller that promises to upstage its predecessor in the department of "uber-violence." I'm personally less than impressed by the cast and while I generally like vigilantism, I have to be honest: home invasion films FREAK ME OUT.

Value: $4 The reviews have been almost squarely down the middle, either mildly positive or moderately negative. So there's a solid chance that if you're into this type of film, "Straw Dogs" will provide a payoff.

"The Lion King 3D" - Matthew Broderick, Jeremy Irons, James Earl Jones (re-release)
After his father's (JEJ) death, a young lion named Simba (Broderick) is exiled from the pride until discovering that his uncle (Irons) betrayed him. He returns to reclaim his crown and lead his pride back to its former glory. I almost didn't sum this one up before I realized it's been 17 years since "The Lion King" debuted and there might be some poor, unfortunate soul out there who's never seen it. My second favorite Disney film of all time, "The Lion King" is a powerful achievement in film and I don't just mean animated films. A true classic.

Value: $7 Despite how great this film is, two things bring down it's "value": 1.) It's in 3D (beating) and 2.) It will be available on Blu-Ray in just two short weeks. So if you're a DVD/Blu-Ray collector like myself, you might not want to spend $15 to see the movie once when you can spend $25 in a few days and own it forever. Just some friendly advice.

Movie News Today

JJ Abrams has officially signed on to direct "Star Trek 2." Now maybe we can get rolling on that sucker!

Jason Bateman again reiterates his plans/hopes to start shooting the much anticipated "Arrested Development" movie. Look, I know this is never going to happen but as one of the four original viewers of the show who campaigned tirelessly to get people to watch when it was still on the air, I'm going to continue to hold onto the lie and report these little pieces of news as if it were a sure thing.

Gerald McRaney has joined the cast of Tarantino's "Django Unchained." Am I alone in thinking Major Dad plus Tarantino is pretty awesome?

A remake of "Point Break" is in the works. There are two "Point Break" camps: the camp that thinks it is the greatest action film of the early 90s and the camp that thinks it's a cheesy nightmare of a film featuring a disgustingly robotic performance by Keannu Reeves (you can guess which camp I'm in). Both camps can agree, however, that it absolutely DOES NOT need to be remade. If someone tries to remake "Top Gun" I will lose it. Fair warning, Hollywood.

In other news, I've been bashing on Keannu Reeves for probably 15 years and I just learned that he has two n's in his name (per IMDB.) Good to know.

Terrence over at ScarletSp1der takes a look at "The Italian Job", one of the funnest films of the last decade, and drops some knowledge. Check it out!

Mark at Fast Film Reviews delves into "Higher Ground" which I unfortunately missed this weekend and probably won't get a chance to see until DVD. It's getting good buzz, though, so check it out if you have the chance.

Finally, the trailer for Cameron Crowe's "We Bought a Zoo" debuted today and while it's slightly more obviously "feel good-y" than I'd hoped, both Crowe and Damon belong on my "I Will See Anything You're Involved With" list.

Review: "The Help"

DISCLAIMER: I do not know how historically accurate this film is nor do I care. There has been some controversy, on both racial and factual levels, regarding “The Help” and while I’m sure some of it is valid, much of the negative press seems at best nitpicky in my book. Regardless, I am here to report on this film and the story it tells and nothing more. If you’re looking for a historical commentary, I would suggest finding another review.

There was a time in my life when if you’d asked me what I wanted to do for a career and excluded all ridiculous things like professional basketball player and Will Smith’s best friend, there’s a decent chance I would have told you civil rights historian. This was a short period of time, mind you, because I soon learned that to be a historian you had to spend a LOT of time studying which was never my strong suit. Even if I managed to master the art of studying, between interviews for features on the History Channel and the extras they put on disc two of a special edition DVD that no one watches, I would have to do something else like teach History or manage a museum, neither of which held any interest for me. Still, I’ve long held an interest in civil rights and I can very rarely resist a film or book centered on this topic no matter how historically inaccurate it may be. I didn’t read “The Help” (because if I don’t stand up to Oprah’s immeasurable power then no one will) but my wife did and I kept the film adaptation on my radar as a result. My attention was rewarded with one of the better films of the year and one that will certainly garner plenty of attention when Award Season rolls around.

After her college graduation, Skeeter Phelan (Emma Stone) returns home to Jackson, Mississippi with a new job and a new outlook on life. She soon finds, however, that she is much different from her group of childhood friends, particularly their leader, Hilly Holbrook (Bryce Dallas-Howard). Looking to make a name for herself as a journalist, Skeeter begins interviewing two lifelong maids, Aibileen (Viola Davis) and Minnie (Octavia Spencer), in hopes of putting together a book written from the perspective of the help. In the very midst of the civil rights movement, Skeeter’s book (and those who lent their voices to its creation) becomes a hot button issue that has much more impact than even Skeeter could have imagined.

The narrative of “The Help” is engrossing and relevant. Very rarely does a film grab my attention on an emotional level as quickly as this one did. While I am a self-professed cry baby, I usually don’t have to fight the urge to weep within minutes of the opening credits like I did this time around. “The Help” is emotionally charged but in an organic way that doesn’t feel forced. Given that this is the first real film for writer/director Tate Taylor, I was a little concerned going in that he would overload the audience with fake emotionalism. That’s an easy trap to fall into but Taylor navigates around the typical “tug at your heartstrings” pitfalls with the panache of a much more experienced hand. The script is strong, providing natural moments for both laughs and tears. Taylor’s characters are extremely well defined; they know who they are and so does the audience and through that, their personal evolutions are much more meaningful. He also takes great pains to avoid the vilification of most of the white characters. What I mean by this is that it would have been very easy (because it’s been done a hundred million times before) to turn all of the white characters aside from Skeeter into vile, racist scumbags one step away from membership in the KKK. Instead, Taylor illustrates the ignorance and the cultural failings that many people would exhibit in 1960’s Jackson, Mississippi. Skeeter seems more open minded than her counterparts and that, I feel, leads the film away from becoming a prolonged celebration of the white woman who led the way and allows for more focus on the true stars of the show, Aibileen and Minnie.

The cast of “The Help” is exquisite, almost perfect across the board. Bryce Dallas-Howard makes Hilly sufficiently hateable and as the only character in the film that is truly a bad (or even evil) person, she’s asked to carry a lot of the load. It is somewhat of a one-note character, truth be told, but Dallas-Howard maximizes her screen time and shows just what a force she will one day be. Allison Janie and Sissy Spacek are both excellent in limited screen time with Spacek providing quality comedy and Janie embodying the change that Skeeter hopes to provoke. As a social outcast, Jessica Chastain is absolutely dynamic. She brings a presence to the screen that is eerily similar to that of a young Julia Roberts (incredibly high praise in my book). Stone isn’t overly impressive but then again, she isn’t much to work with. Every time she is called upon to carry a scene she does so beautifully but “The Help” really isn’t about Skeeter and as such, Stone isn’t asked to do much.

In the end, the power of “The Help” comes down to the performances of Davis and Spencer, both of whom are MAGNIFICENT. Aibileen and Minnie are wholly different but together they form a brilliant team. Aibileen exhibits quiet strength; she says little but when she does speak, it is always worthwhile; she misses nothing and the years of witnessing the changes in the children she’s raised have clearly worn on her. Minnie, meanwhile, is filled to the brim with sass; she is quick to speak and even quicker to lash out with hilarious if truly unfortunate methods; she is hard but not unsympathetic to those around her. Both of these actresses absolutely nail their parts and bring humanity to the struggle for equality that is often, quite frankly, lost in many civil rights films. Both seem born to play their parts and both deserve the accolades which will undoubtedly come their way.

“The Help” tells a sprawling tale, though at times at times it deviates a little too much from what makes it special and becomes a bit long winded. I imagine readers of the book will enjoy the tangents (such as a love interest for Skeeter) more than I did but still, the transition from second to third act is a little sluggish. That said I found “The Help” to be bold and compelling, a human drama that pulls the audience in and doesn’t let go until the final credits roll. It shines a light on an underexposed segment of the fight for civil rights and portrays its subjects not as larger than life heroes but instead real people with genuine courage.

Grade: A-

How is “hateable” not a word?

Brian

DVD Roundup - 9/13

Thor (2011) - Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman

A brash young Norse god named Thor (Hemsworth) is stripped of his power by his father (Hopkins) and banished to earth. When our world comes under attack, however, Thor realizes his true potential and learns the value of selflessness. The summer's first super hero film, "Thor" was a good start for the blockbuster season but isn't overwhelmingly great. Hemsworth is convincing and Hopkins reminds you of the power he once had but the villain (Tom Hiddleston) is unimpressive and Portman's character is 100% worthless. It's a fun film and a solid starting point for the potential franchise but don't expect "Iron Man" or "Batman Begins."

In Home Viewing Recommendation: Definitely worth seeing. Rent this one!

Conan O'Brien Can't Stop (2011) - Conan O'Brien

A documentary crew followed deposed Tonight Show host Conan O'Brien on his cross country comedy tour. Let's be clear on this up front: Conan O'Brien is a comedic genius. It doesn't matter if you don't like him or you don't care for his brand of humor. It's not about that. Conan understands what he finds funny and what his target market finds funny and he hammers that home time and time again. And no one works harder than old Coco, either, which is exactly what this doc is supposed to be about. I cannot wait to rent this. Review to come soon, I'm sure.

IHVR: Sight unseen, I'm saying this is worth your time if you enjoy documentaries.

Sonic Youth-1991: The Year Punk Broke (2011)

Another documentary, this one following the band Sonic Youth and their influence on the grunge movement. This movie also has some footage of Nirvana just before their break into the mainstream. The 20th anniversary of Nirvana's "Nevermind" is right around the corner and as a HUGE fan of the band and the grunge movement in general, I'm extremely interested in seeing this.

IHVR: I'm in for sure and if you're a music fan that doesn't have much knowledge of this time period, I hope you'll check it out, too. The perfect Netflix Instant doc.

Meek's Cutoff (2011) - Michelle Williams, Bruce Greenwood, Paul Dano

A group of settlers hires a hardened cowboy (Greenwood) to lead them across dangerous territory but soon come to realize that he doesn't know where he's going. I'm always interested by Westerns and this one picked up some solid reviews from major critics (including Christy Lemire, my go-to film expert) but it wasn't as well received by the casual filmgoer.

IHVR: I'm not running out to rent "Meek's" tomorrow but if it pops up on Netflix Instant, I'll add it to the queue.

Big Bang Theory: Season 4 (2010) - Johnny Galecki, Jim Parson, Kaley Cuoco

I was late to the "Big Bang Theory" bandwagon but I've come to really dig this standard sitcom about a group of nerdy scientists who live across the hall from a would-be actress. In fact, it's become my go-to "I really need to get some writing done and I've already watched Sportscenter so I'm going to watch something I've seen a hundred times but still enjoy" show on boring weeknights. It is surprisingly well-written and the characters grow on you with each season.

IHVR: Good times here and a lot of fun to catch up on. Check this one out.

New to Blu Pick of the Week

Star Wars - The Complete Saga (1977-2004) - Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Ewan McGregor

I'm going to make a bigger deal out of this later in the week. SPOILER ALERT: I'm more than a little angry at George Lucas right now concerning all the reported changes to the original trilogy. I am going to do my best to resist the urge to buy this as my form of personal protest (in addition to my lack of an extra $100). But as hypocritical as this may sound, at the end of the day it's still "Star Wars" FINALLY coming to Blu-Ray so...yeah, of course this is the pick of the week. I will nerd out for "Star Wars" anywhere, any time. Just trust me. It's pretty sad.

Also New to Blu

Halloween 2 (1981) - Jamie Lee Curtis

Citizen Kane (1941) - Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten (Confession: I have never seen "Citizen Kane." Sorry.)

O Brother Where Art Thou (2000) - George Clooney, John Turturro, John Goodman

Trainspotting (1996) - Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremmer, Robert Carlisle

The Frighteners (1996) - Michael J. Fox, Jake Busey

The Count of Monte Cristo (2002) - Jim Caviezel, Guy Pearce, Richard Harris

Don't Say a Word (2001) - Michael Douglas, Brtitany Murphy, Sean Bean (SPOILER ALERT: Sean Bean dies. Shocking, I know.)

Also New

Supernatural: Season 6 (2010) - Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles

Glee: Season 2, Volume 2 (2010) - Lea Michele, Matthew Morrison, Jane Lynch (I gave up on "Glee" about two episodes into Season 2 so I cannot speak to the quality of this season though the fact that I gave up two eps in should speak for itself.)

Grey's Anatomy: Season 7 (2010) - Ellen Pompeo, Patrick Dempsey (The show that will replace "Desperate Housewives" when it ends this season as the leader for the "E.R. Memorial Award for the Show You're Shocked is Still on the Air Every Time You See a Commercial for It.")

Spartacus: Gods of the Arena (2010) - John Hannah, Manu Bennett

Rescue Me: Season 6 (2010) - Denis Leary

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Season 6 (2010) - Charlie Day, Kaitlin Olson, Glenn Howerton, Rob McElhenney (After I finish "Mad Men" and get through "Breaking Bad", I'm starting on "Always Sunny." I hear only hilarious things.)

Blue Bloods: Season 1 (2010) - Tom Selleck, Donnie Wahlberg, Michelle Moynahan

Private Practice: Season 4 (2010) - Kate Walsh

Camelot: Season 1 (2010) - Joseph Fiennes, Eva Green

Love Wedding Marriage (2011) - Mandy Moore, Michael Showers

Bill Cunningham New York (2011)

Outsourced: The Complete Series (2010) - Ben Rappaport, Diedrich Bader (AKA "The Show That NBC Inexplicably Thought Would Be Better Than a Full Season of "Parks and Recreation.")

The Tempest (2010) - Helen Mirren, Djimon Housou

Hesher (2011) - Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Natalie Portman