Last of the Dogmen

Back in 1990, Kevin Costner created Dances with Wolves, a marvel of history and visual beauty. I loved Wolves so much I have since watched it at least ten times. So I am a fan of the Old West White Man-Gets-to-Know-Indian genre.

In 1995, Tom Berenger and Barbara Hershey tried to bring a similar tale to life. While lacking the scope and cinematic oomph of Wolves, Last of the Dogmen is a solid film, except for a few weak moments that require editing.

The story takes place today: In the rugged mountains of Montana, a bounty hunter goes where no one else has ventured. There, he sees images in a haze and witnesses events that make him believe that a long-lost tribe of Cheyenne Indians lives as they did a hundred years ago!

No spoiler, as usual, but I should say that we must do a little suspension of disbelief to get into the movie. Could there be a land so desolate and remote that Indians still survive? Could a tribe thrive in the wild separate from current civilization? What if Indians from the 1800's had decided never to integrate into American life and live alone shunning the outer world?

Tom Berenger and Barbara Hershey, both still young and striking, make a handsome romantic couple on the prowl for the lost civilization. He's a rugged mountain man and she's an anthropologist. Both seek answers to feelings of emptiness in their lives.

Okay, don't laugh. This one is rather gripping. Remove one stupid scene of Berenger on a horse riding through town and you've got a very unusual, interesting flick.

Ride 'em, cowboy!

What Doesn't Kill You

Back in 2008, Ethan Hawke, Mark Ruffalo, and Amanda Peet got together to make a gritty story that takes place in Boston. Many films have portrayed street kids who are born into crime: Al Pacino's Scarface is perhaps the most notable of the genre. But this film is right up there among the best.

No spoiler, of course. Basically, Ethan and Mark play two brothers from south of the tracks who start their criminal careers as kids by running shady errands for the local hoods. Later, the two graduate to bigger feats. They end up in trouble, as you'd expect.

The kicker is that one of the two is married to the beautiful Amanda Peet and has two kids: will his family life keep him from getting into worse hot water?

What makes this film unique is that it is so real and believable. Not once does the script go Hollywood or over the top. You, the viewer, join the two desperate brothers in their rugged, ragged endeavors as young gangsters. You feel as if you are in their shoes.

Of the three, Amanda steals the show. She's so believable as the wife who tries, desperately, to hang onto a husband who is mired in crime. Will her marriage survive? Will she get her husband to go straight? What about money? What about the future. Can one brother make it while the other clings to the gangster world?

Grade of A. This is a top-notch street-punk story, with enough of a punch to keep you guessing!

Blind Trust

Who's the dashing lady in the picture above? None other than the daughter of Kate Capshaw, wife of Steven Spielberg. Kate is an actress, of course, and daughter Jessica joins the tradition. Doesn't Jessica resemble her mom?

Jessica is fantastic in a little known made-for-TV Lifetime Movie Network mystery called Blind Trust. As I've said in previous discussions, whodunnits on LMN are among the best you'll find. I would encourage viewers not to watch much of the other movies on LMN: they mostly involve woman as victims of male abuse...very unpleasant!

But for a good old-fashioned mystery, you may not discover better than LMN! Move over, Alfred Hitchcock!

In Blind Trust, Jessica plays a woman on trial for a double murder. Can't divulge details, because I won't be a spoiler, but let's just say that Jessica ends up trusting the wrong guy! The plot is a grabber: the single woman, who's quite passionate about her new boyfriend, finds him and her roommate dead. Who done it???

Art Hingle, not a major name among actors, is also outstanding as the lawyer. He's smart, clever, truly brilliant in court. But does he have a tragic flaw? He seems a bit sleazy... And what about his assistant?

Ah, so many folks could possibly be bad! Therein lies the wonder of this entrancing crime flick. If you like mysteries, put this one at the top.

Enjoy!

The Outlaw Josey Wales

I have long been a fan of Clint's. Who can forget his Dirty Harry series? Who cannot savor his spaghetti westerns? I consider The Unforgiven to be the best western ever. Question is, for me, how did I miss Eastwood's early work of 1976 called The Outlaw Josey Wales?

Not one to be shy about going back and seeing a film I should have, I viewed the western. Oh my, it is SO good! Clint is pure Clint in the film. He spits to express rage. He shoots pistols with both hands. He faces danger as if it were nothing. He is courageous and strong. He is indefatigable. He is, well, the western hero par excellence!

The plot? Not very complex. The baddies have wronged Clint in a mighty way! They have killed his family! OK, this is enough of an excuse for our hero to go a-huntin' the evil men out there. He does so with zest and thus becomes one of the most wanted men in the wild west.

Great revenge stuff!

I would argue that Clint's later Unforgiven could not have been made, had it not been for the earlier Josey Wales. In both westerns, the hero is an anti-hero: rough, tough, roguish, at times very unsympathetic!

Enjoy this oldie. Be patient. It's a bit dated. But what fun!

Margin Call

Every so often a gem comes along that is so good it defies words. Margin Call is fantastic! With Kevin Spacy, Demi Moore, Jeremy Irons, Stanley Tucci, and others, the film sparkles.

What's it about? The flick is a thinly veiled portrait of Lehman Brothers, back in 2008, on the verge of spilling the beans. The beans: The brokerage company was over-leveraged with bad real estate mortgages. It unloaded billions of dollars of worthless securities on an innocent marketplace, kicking off the recession that still exists today.

Got your interest?

The tone of the film is very David Mamet. Mysterious. Tense. Looming evil. More riveting than a thriller.

I think what I enjoyed most of all was the extraordinary portrait of capitalism. Is our economic system basically each person for him or herself? Does might make right? Do the ends justify the means? In a Machiavellian world, is there room for morality? Is money what our lives are all about?

So: Meet the executives at the firm! Join them as they stay up all night, meeting in groups, to figure out how best to save themselves at the risk of ruining the U.S. Get into the spirit of amoral ruthlessness!

Great, great movie! A+++ A must-see.

Hugo

There is something to be said for knowing next to nothing about a film prior to seeing it. One sits in a dark theater and just allows a story to unfold. Son, Greg and I went on a magical mystery tour watching Hugo. Set in early 20th c. Paris, (Hear that, David? Hear that, Jenna?) this latest by Martin Scorsese focuses on a young orphan who lives in, and operates, the clock tower of Paris's train station. With themes and references to Deism, post-Industrial Revolution obsession with automatrons, and class injustice, the film, while immediately captivating starts slowly in plot, causing this viewer to briefly wonder, where is this going? And then, the magic gathers steam. Suddenly we have a multi-layered tale stitched together with great care and love. For, in the end, this is a love story of sorts, Scorsese's Valentine to film.

Beautifully filmed, with enchanting color palette and side stories, Hugo is truly different;I enjoyed every moment. I have more to say, but wish to wait until others have seen it. I won't tell you more. But do go see this! And then (but not before!!)research this guy:

Sarah's Key

The French have a long history of anti-semitism.

In the 1700's, Voltaire's famous novel Candide is full of negative references to Jews. At the turn of the century, around 1900, the famous Dreyfus case erupted. A French captain, who was Jewish, was framed for a crime he did not commit. Emile Zola, the famous novelist, jumped to Dreyfus' defense by writing, J'Accuse. He was found dead under mysterious circumstances weeks later. Forty years later, Celine wrote "Bagatelles pour un massacre," in which the author described how best to annihilate the Jewish people. Over centuries, synagogues have been pillaged. French Jews have long felt like a people "non grata" in their own land.

So: When the Nazis entered Paris in June of 1940 and began their five year occupation, the French were all-too-willing to help them round up Jews. This reality forms the basis for Sarah's Key.

The movie is brilliant. It tells us about history through the eyes of a single young survivor, 12 year old Sarah. Kristin Scott Thomas, bilingual in English and French, does a superb job as the newspaper journalist investigating the survivor.

Never a spoiler, I can't say much more about the plot.

Back to history, therefore. It is documented that, in 1942, the French police rounded up some 80,000 Parisian Jews and put 13,000 of them in a holding tank, a large indoor arena for bicycle races. The arena was called Le Velodrome d'Hiver, or Le Vel d'Hiv (prounounced valedeev) as it is known today. For two weeks, French citizens were held in squalid conditions until they were transported to Auschwitz, where they perished.

Fact: Out of the 80,000 Jews rounded up, only 3,000 survived. On a percentage basis, therefore, the French were more efficient killers of Jews than any other European people.

Personal account: I once asked an elderly French person about the Vel d'Hiv event. She answered in French, "Quoi?" Yeah, right. Similarly, ask older Germans in Munich about the location of Dacau, located on the edge of town, and they'll answer, "What?" We must re-visit the past not to repeat it. No one must deny what happened.

Sarah's Key is a must-see. Very insightful, and sad, as you'd expect. Grade of A+

Zombie Apocalypse

OK, this reviewer must confess to very eclectic tastes in movies. If it's on the screen, TV or big screen, I will watch it, no doubt!

Zombies! Yes indeed. Lots of fun. What a great genre. I will review TV's very popular and praiseworthy Walking Dead in the future. Right now, I must laud the 2011 movie that garnered fine reviews among those who appreciate finely crafted blood and gore.

Ving Rhames, whose best work was the gangster-bully in Pulp Fiction, wows viewers with a fine, believable portrait of a survivor. The basic story? The human race has become infected with zombie-itis! For those of you who don't watch zombie movies, zombies are those who are the "walking dead": they sort of wander around mindlessly, trying to bite and infect humans who are healthy.

The result? Humans on the run!

Join Ving Rhames and about ten young people who have somehow survived multiple zombie attacks. They are headed to the west coast, L.A. to be exact, because rumor has it that the only safe human zone is on Catalina Island. The only problem is getting there!

The zombie genre is, of course, a great metaphor for all outcasts in our society. We treat those with viruses (eg AIDS, even flu) as entities we don't want among us. Our poor and homeless count among our "zombie" aliens. Others society rejects: black, hispanic, depressed, manic, divorced, separated, gay, lesbian...the list goes on.

So to appreciate the zombie world, which is gaining in popularity (e.g. Twilight, which offers vampires, simply another form of the zombie), please think in broad, metaphorical terms.

If you have not "tasted" the genre (bad pun), consider renting Zombie Apocalypse. You'll be surprised to find yourself "thirsting" (bad pun) for scenes and feeling very much a part of a vicious, man-eat-man (bad pun) world!

Grade of A-. I would have preferred a little different ending.

Anthony Bourdain (TV) Redux

My dear spouse recently treated a mild bout of insomnia by watching Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations before bedtime. She asked me to join her. I hesitated, saying that ol' Anthony was a chauvinistic pig and how in the world, with her being a devoted Feminist, could she watch that arrogant, foul-mouthed, multi-divorced, skirt-chasing, man?

Her response was wise: Bourdain gives a travelog like no other. Huh? I thought the guy just traveled the world stuffing his ugly face! Well yes, he does, dear spouse replied. But he really gives amazing insight into life in different countries.

So: Intrepid David, who fears no image on the screen, set out to see if the anti-woman man could really educate his viewers. Surprise! Amazing as it seems, Anthony wowed my socks off! The guy has a touch for interviewing folks in the street. He also gives compact history lessons that would please anyone with a distaste for history. Bourdain offers an amazing flavor (pun very intended) of life in foreign lands.

Witness his recent show on Nicaragua. I learned all about Samosa, Ortega, the Sandinistas, the Iran Contra Affair, and much more as I watched Bourdain describe local culinary delicacies. Although I was grossed out by his meal of calves' blood and bull testicles, I was entranced by his narrative of the land adjacent to Costa Rica.

Therefore, I advise viewers, particularly women, to overlook the "male" as presenter. Think of Anthony as someone who skillfully instructs you but with whom you'd never want to be friends!

This review is "redux", because I earlier did a piece on Bourdain. This followup is meant to encourage viewers to further investigate the restauranteur.

Grade: A Really surprising, good stuff!

Jolene

Ever wonder where Jessica Chastain came from when she starred so brilliantly in The Debt? (Note: I lauded The Debt earlier on this site.) Well, it turns out that when she was a teen, maybe around 18, she played the starring role of Jolene. Wow, what an incredible tour de force!

The movie is a heart-wrenching drama. It's about a young teen who, having been mistreated earlier in foster homes, lives on the edge of disaster. The story opens with her marrying at 16. Does that tell you something about the flavor of the flick?

The narrative is first-person. The protagonist's words ring very true. We viewers feel the heartaches and disappointments of a kid whose maturity and judgment are lacking.

Without spoiling any of the plotline, I can safely say that the film follows young Jolene through a ten year period of her life, from about 16 to 26. During that time, the poor mistreated soul gets involved with a number of inappropriate older men...and women.

Apparently, part of the inspiration for the film came from Dolly Parton's touching song, Jolene. I checked out that song, and the lyrics are about a pretty young woman who is on the verge of stealing another woman's man.

This film is not easy to watch. But it touches a note of absolute, pure reality. Jessica Chastain is a new talent to be reckoned with (purposeful neaswap, English teacher!).

Grade: A This film is one you won't forget.

The Fall (1997)

Want sultry? Want sexy? Want over-the-top romance? Then check out this very daring, avant-garde, brilliant piece of film making.

Daring: Well, many scenes are way beyond R! But don't think the film is in any way low-brow. Quite to the contrary, it beautifies a very hot and passionate love affair.

The plot is intentionally simple: A cabbie meets a supermodel. They have a sizzling, emotionally intense relationship. They're each far more intelligent and well-educated than their stations in life might suggest: he's a former writer and she's well schooled.

Amanda de Cadenet, the lady with the seductive look in the picture above, steals the show. Her mate, played by Eric Shaeffer, is less effective. Minor characters round out a very stellar cast.

I can say no more! But I can suggest that the language, music, setting, indeed poetic mood of the entire film is way beyond our expectations. The love between the oddly matched couple is heart-wrenching. I recall the French classic, Un Homme et Une Femme. I recall Mickey Rourke's quasi-edgy 8 1/2. I recall Bogart and Bacall. I recall Taylor and Burton.

Where will the relationship go? Can it succeed? Will their class differences separate them? What madness possesses the pair who throw all caution to the wind and go with their feelings?

Oh my, what a whopper of a love story! Not for the prim and proper!

A film apart. Original. Soaring. Very special.

Grade: A+

In Time

So, when hubby's band is holding rehearsal in our house, how is one to kill a couple of hours (after shopping, etc.) than to sit in a cool, dark theatre. Not much out there I wanted to see, so I figured I could watch Justin Timberlake and hope he'd break into some hip-hop. Thus, In Time.

Meh.

It's strength: writer Andrew Niccol's sci-fi concept, where those reaching the age of 25 are engineered to die unless they can beg, borrow, steal, earn enough TIME to go on. Hence, the new world commodity is time, not money. The sustained metaphor was fun, and thought-provoking. "I'll have the steak dinner." "That'll be 3 weeks." The theme morphed into class wars. The rich have all the time - the poor live "one day at a time." The rich stockpile time, the poor have theirs stolen in the streets. Banks are time banks. And on and on. Fun dialogue throughout.

Unfortunately, instead of taking this to its potential intellectual boundaries, it was reduced to good-guy, bad-guy, car chase, gun fights............ Geeze.

Acting performances by Timberlake and his paramour, Amanda Seyfried (yes, of Big Love, etc.) were dreadful, even garnering a few giggles in the audience at some of the bad puns. She had one expression, if you can call it that - Miss Doe-Eyes.

Having said all that, my 94 minutes watching this film were not wasted. The concept has lingered in my mind. It gives new meaning to the adage, Time is Money. In this case, Money is Time. But what if we could watch our life's time being counted down as they can? How would you spend your time, hmmm? Because guess what? It IS counting down. Makes me want to not waste a second!

As JT remarked more than once in the film, "You can do a lot in a day."

Make it a good one, people!

Post Grad

See the charming young lady above? That's Alexis Bledel, who got her start in TV's Gilmore Girls. She joins Zooey Deschanel, Rachel MacAdams, and a host of starlets who thrive on being "cute."

Alexis' charm is about all there is to laud in a less-than-stellar film. She makes viewers want to adopt her...but she stars in a bust of a flick.

The plot, without giving anything of substance away, centers around the naive young grad, who, having been a high achiever in high school and university, feels it will be a piece of cake to land a top job. Of course, she has a rude awakening when she enters today's job market and flounders.

Carol Burnett, a once funny comedienne, returns to the screen to join Michael Keaton as part of the family to which the young, disillusioned grad must return. The situation has great potential for humor....problem is, it just isn't funny. Ol' Carol looks too dour in her old age to be upbeat, and her lines fall flat. Michael was better suited for Batman.

So, this reviewer cannot recommend this mediocre fare. Way too few laughs and way too much stupidity. Grade of D.....D as in doldrums.

Pefect Plan TV movie

Once again, Lifetime Movie Network presents a gripping whodunit.

As I've asserted in past reviews, folks are often too quick to dismiss LMN films as silly chick-flicks. Yes, most of the fare is about abusive husbands and victimized women. But if you stick to the mysteries, the made-for-women network offers some real humdingers!

The Perfect Plan is not a perfect work of art, but it truly grabs viewers. Emily Rose deftly plays a realtor who's suffering from a bad economy. LMN is often current and refers to realities in our lives. She's teetering in a relationship at home, on the job, and just about every which way.

I will not give away any spoiling info, but suffice it to say that our heroine runs into trouble when she sells a big home. Could there be fraud? Murder? And..what if she's attracted to the suspect? We wonder if our poor protagonist can trust anyone!

Ah, typical LMN fun! This film is full of good acting and twisted plot-lines. Minor characters are solid and believable. It kept my attention and got me thinking about it afterward.

Grade of A-. The minus is for the moments of LMN sentimentality that cloy a tad.

Amreeka

I love immigrant movies. Each tells a similar story: the newcomers to America usually find disappointment and discomfort before they discover happiness.

Amreeka is a fine addition to the genre. It tells the story of a divorced mother and her son, who make their way from Bethlehem to a small town in Illinois.

I can't give away much more, but I can say that the first part of the film, life in the Israeli occupied territory, is revealing. Life is tough for Arabs who struggle to make ends meet amidst the terrible political tensions of Israeli/Arab issues.

When the plot moves to Illinois, the protagonist, who used to work in a bank in the mideast, can only get a job in a fast-food restaurant. Her pride keeps her from revealing her real job to her in-laws, with whom she lives. And amidst this embarrassment, her son is becoming Americanized!

For once, the actors are not "beautiful" people, as they so often are in Hollywood flicks. They are overweight, not particularly attractive, and certainly not very successful. Yet they win our hearts.

Grade of A: As the "New-to-America" genre goes, this film is top-notch.

Shades of Ray

I am crazy about "Bollywood" films! What does this word mean? No one is sure. Folks seem to use it to refer to flicks that involve half American, half Indian/Pakistani/Persian protagonists.

Seems that young twenty-somethings in many immigrant cultures struggle with being very American yet having traditional parents. This conflict makes for some great stories!

Check out the handsome couple above. They have something in common: Each has an American ("white") parent and a Pakistani parent. The result? Old values and new values clash in a zany, wild way! Ah, therein lies the humor!

Shades of Ray is a delight. Can't be a spoiler, but I can safely say that Ray, that handsome dude whose "cuteness" my dear spouse noted, loves a blondie who is NOT of his culture! He is sure he wants to marry her...until he meets a lovely half-Pakistani who could possibly win his heart.

I think we can safely say that many films fascinate when they portray new/old generations. The young-uns today want to determine their own destinies. Strange, because parents think they know better.

Enjoy!

Pan Am (TV) 2nd Episode

Uh oh again. Pan Am looked somewhat promising in the pilot. I think this series will crash and burn (horrid pun).

We watched the second episode of Pan Am, involving a flight to Paris. How insipid can a story be?

We witnessed two grown adults working as stewardesses who fear their mother. Really?

We viewed a truly far-fetched plotline about a stewardess being a spy. Really?

We saw pretty ladies who do nothing more that primp and flirt. Really?

Sad to say that we could not watch the entire episode. We shut off the TV and bid the ladies of the sky farewell.

Good-bye, Pan Am. Nice knowin' ya.

Anthony Bourdain (TV)

Okay, here's a conundrum: There's a guy on TV whom I don't particularly like. Fact its, most folks tell me he's obnoxious. BUT: He has staying power and, at times, his shows are very, very insightful.

I must thank my dear spouse for bringing me back to Mr. Bourdain. I stopped watching him long ago. I found him smug, uncouth, and reeking of sexism. He seemed like the kind of man who had been married and divorced maybe, uh, 50 times! I said to myself, no need to watch the poster child for male arrogance.

Well, in truth, his personality has not changed. But with my spouse's wise guidance, I have begun to look past the man at his mission. He presents travelogues that are very unique, unlike any other out there. When Anthony take us to a city, he shows us aspects of a culture that we rarely see.

Case in point: his tour of Sao Paolo. Sure, he does his usual schtick on foods. He also takes us into the streets where the "real" people live. He shows us poverty, wealth, old, young...from so many points of view. The ultimate effect? An extraordinarily memorable view of a famous city.

My overall opinion: Go back and re-visit the man whom you would not want your daughter to date. He's an exceptional analyzer of foreign manners, foods, dress, and lifestyles.

Or: Try not to judge the package by the wrapping.

Grade: A or F.... depends on your tolerance for an annoying TV personality and level of interest in foreign cultures.

Homeland (TV) 2nd Round

Uh oh, I might have spoken too soon. My prior review was full of accolades for this new series. Was I doing wishful thinking? Was the pilot all there is?

The second segment of the series was flat. No plot movement. Nothing new. This could portend a stagnant show.

We already know the poor prisoner of war was traumatized. Need we see gratuitous torture scenes over and over again?

We know so little about the main characters. Why aren't we getting more "inside" them? We need to learn more about these folks!

Clare Danes, pictured above: A bit cloying, annoying as a lead character. Is it her voice? Her mannerisms? She sort of grates on the viewer's nerves.

Overall? Still somewhat entertaining. But let's hope the series picks up and grabs us.

Pan Am (TV)

Check out those outfits in the picture above! Those were the days!

Pan Am, a new series on TV, takes us back to the early 60's, when flying was a total experience. Back then, you got served a delightful meal (several, in fact), wandered over to the bar to meet fellow flyers, lit up a cigarette wherever you chose, and, if you were a male, gawked at the lovely ladies in their matching blue suits.

The fun of the film, like Mad Men, is in the flavor of the 60's. Back then, sexism was rampant. In-flight servers were called stewardesses. They had to be single, pretty, poised, and maybe more. They were the admiration of many young women, who dreamed of seeing the world and living in style. Pilots and passengers could hit on the young ladies as much as they wished, for those were the days of NO awareness of women's issues.

Two of the female leads, Christina Ricci and Margot Robbie, are excellent. Christina's best role in the movies was as the girlfriend of Charlize Theron in Monster. She was appropriately down-and-out, equally as troubled as the prostitute who would end up killing clients. Margot Robbie is a little known actress, but so pretty that she lights up the screen. Among the men, Mike Vogel, who plays the young pilot, is to women what Margot Robbie is to men: cool and hunky.

Plot: Well, not so gripping. And here is the problem with the series. No spoiler, of course, but the little twists and turns of the story are not too believable nor too powerful. Alas, the 60's redux, Pan Am wannabe Mad Men, might well falter simply for lack of a good, solid tale.

Let's see where this one takes us. It may soar (pun intended). At least, this reviewer hopes so.

Homeland (TV)

Oh my, just when I was about to give up on TV, I encountered yet another good series: Homeland. It took only a few minutes of the pilot to immerse me in the story. Wow!

Without risking giving away anything of substance, I can safely say that the plot is reminiscent of the 60's spy genre involving brainwashing: a sergeant has been held in captivity for eight years in an enemy land.

During that time, he was tortured...but did he turn? Now that he is back home, is he just another traumatized war vet or a foreign agent? This is the question that plagues an obsessive CIA employee, who is convinced that the vet being feted as a war hero is very possibly a spy.

Actors: Top-notch. Clare Danes has proven her worth in so many dramatic roles. My favorite, believe it or not, was her part in Terminator III, where she played the veterinarian who doubts there is such things as killer machines. Then there's Mandy Pantinkin. To me, his best role was as the ex-lover of the female writer George Sand in Impromptu. Witness a newcomer who really shines: Morena Baccarin. She's pretty and believable as the wife of the prisoner of war. Damian Lewis is outstanding as well...never quite smiling as a sane person should!

Character shading: Everyone's credibility is in doubt. Who can we trust? Who is good and who is evil?

Okay, viewers, have I tempted you?

Catch the pilot before the series progresses. This show has pizazz! Critics are calling it the new 24. I prefer to call it the new Manchurian Candidate.

When guys come home from war, anything can happen.

New Girl (TV)

Readers will recall this reviewer's dismay at insipid TV offerings. I often wonder if it's just me, or does the entire U.S. find the programs on the tube lame?

A new series, New Girl, is an exception. This show is a delight!

Never the spoiler, I will refrain from giving away any details, but the picture above says a lot. A single girl joins three guys as a roommate. No big deal, by today's standards. But she's no ordinary girl, and these are not plain old guys.

All four vie for who is the most neurotic, socially awkward, and outrageously goofy.

Remember Three's Company? Or When Harry Met Sally? The theme is similar: Guys and gals try to be friends, try to repress their natural attraction for each other, as they assist each other to survive in a zany world. New Girl does the theme perfectly!

Zooey Deschanel, like Amy Adams, Rachel MacAdams, Ellen Page, and a host of cute starlets, charms her way into our hearts with her tears, laughter, and total social ineptitude. She's the sweet girl next door who can't quite get it together.

Zooey is a great comedienne. She reminds this reviewer of Lucille Ball, or maybe Mary Tyler Moore.

Watch her glimmer and shimmer as the wacky female roommate the guys come to adore!

Great fun. Good humor. Good TV.

Case 39

Horror has never been my favorite genre. But as a reviewer, I strive to be open to all types of films.

Believe it or not, there is such a thing as a good and bad horror flick. Bad horror contains wanton scenes of violence but annoys more than it scares. Good horror contains wanton scenes of violence that scares more than it annoys. Case 39 is outstanding as the creepy, weird, bloody, often stupid genre known as horror goes.

See Renee in the picture? She's proven her mettle in Chicago, Bridget Jones's Diary, and many, many films. I consider her top-notch as an actress. But as an actress in a horror film? Even better! Do my esteemed readers recall that Renee got her start as the terrified victim in the 1994 classic Chainsaw Massacre flick? By the way, the dashing Matthew McConaughey was the saw-wielding maniac in that same work.

Okay, back to Case 39. What's it about? Did you ever see the truly scary film of 1956 called The Bad Seed? In that black and white spooker, a little girl turns out to be, well, not everything a sweet little girl should be! Is there anything scarier than thinking a kid could do evil? You get the gist of Case 39. It's sort of a remake of The Bad Seed.

No more on the plot, lest I give too much away. Suffice it to say that Renee Z, the kind-hearted, optimistic, caring, generous, loving social worker, might have made a slight mistake bringing home one of her young clients!

Ha ha! Just wait and see how big that mistake is!

Case 39 reminds us that horror films can have substance. Every once and a while, when you read about a young kid who has done something terrible, you will no doubt recall Renee Zellweger's performance and one nasty, devilish, little girl!

Bridesmaids

Our daughter, who abounds in wit and good taste for movies, suggested we see this cute chick flick. She was right! The film is frothy, sassy, daring, and at moments, gross....got your interest?

Can't say too much without doing what today's trailers do (give away everything!). Basically, two best friends, who have known each other since grade school, share everything about their personal lives...including the details of some of their amorous adventures. Great portrait of female best-buds who thrive on the closeness of their bond.

Enter a monster known as marriage! Soon, everything changes!

That's the setting. The fun is in the characterizations. Both of the friends are highly bright and neurotic, and they do not hesitate to speak the truth!

Acting: Great. Interestingly, the actors are little known compared to big names. Kristen Wiig, who is wonderful as the pissed-off blond, played some parts in Saturday Night Live. Her biggest claim to fame was being Gwyneth Paltrow's best friend as a kid (perhaps the kernel for the plot?). Maya Rudolph's best work was Away We Go, a tongue-in-cheek comedy about newyweds getting settled.

The rub: Comedy and tragedy are often two sides of the same coin. In this film, I found the main character more pathetic than funny. After all, the poor thing struggles to find a decent guy and undergoes many heartaches. My spouse found more pathos than humor throughout, so a female voice corroborates my opinion.

Grade of A. Top notch film work. Entertaining. Educational. Sad.

Jesse Stone: Night Passage

In 2006, Tom Selleck produced and acted in a marvelous mystery series, known commonly as the Jesse Stone made-for-TV movies. Viewers, this series is fantastic! Check out an earlier review from 2010 on Selleck's Jesse Stone: No Remorse. We lauded that piece of work. Now I must similarly laud the first in the series.

Night Passage tells the story of a burned out cop, Jesse Stone, who has just divorced, left L.A. where he was a homicide detective, and moved with a mangy dog to a small town in Massachusetts. He will be the new police chief there. Jesse figures the biggest crime in a small New England town will be a stolen bike. He does not count on murder.

There. The scene is set. No more details, lest I give away too much.

The beauty of this film is not in the plotting, however, so don't expect a very detailed whodunnit. The marvel is Jesse's characterization. He's a depressed alcoholic, who lives a solitary life and likes it that way. He's a man of few words. Thus the sparse, terse, magnificent dialog, which is the charm of the film.

Jesse may drink too much and say too little, but he's a man of integrity and strength. He is one tough SOB. Example: When he confronts a bad guy who claims to have "rights", our hero simply kicks the dude in the family jewels! Yeah, he's got some Dirty Harry in him.

The tone is somber but shaded. The acting is incredible. Check out Viola Davis as the subordinate cop, long before she landed her golden role in Doubt. Check out Tom, mature actor now, way better than the old days.

I'm gonna watch ALL the Jesse Stone flicks. Can't wait!

Emmys 2011

Help! Someone tell me, please, what's worth watching on TV?

Just saw the Emmys last night, and the only part I could appreciate were the dazzling movie stars! But the evening was supposed to honor top shows, not slinky ladies, so I remain stupefied!

OK, let's be positive. TV has shown us some fine dramas, including Mad Men and Big Love. Comedies? Maybe Glee. But the rest of it just does not grab this viewer.

Not that I have not given some of the shows a chance. I've watched Modern Family and said to myself, ok, older man marries young bombshell, son is gay...so what? I've tried 30 Rock, and except for the brilliant Tina Fey, the humor is weak. I've looked at so many others....

So I seek some valued input. What should I watch? Please give me some direction!

As for the Emmys themselves, I can't be too enthusiastic. Jane Lynch was brassy and daring, but she sort of grates on the nerves. The show was rather slow and uninspiring....like the rest of TV.

I'll stick with the movies...with just a few exceptions.

Terribly Happy (Danish, 2008)

Foreign films entrance me. As I browsed DVDs, I could not help but notice a Danish police thriller. Danish? Is there any crime in that little country? Well, maybe, a few stolen bicycles...ok, enough teasing! In fact, Denmark has its share of bad guys just like everyone else. And their police carry guns for good reason.

Last night, we watched a police procedural that was truly fascinating. The story takes place in a small town in Denmark. Folks meet at the local bar and gossip. There's a code of silence, however, that goes with the malicious chit-chat.

Enter our hero, a cop from Copenhagen, who has been stationed in the small town as the lone law-enforcer. Why? He had a nervous breakdown in the big city and did something terribly wrong...which makes him terribly unhappy (check out the title).

Can't say much more, except to reveal that the one-man police force falls for a femme fatale in the small town...a woman who is at once reviled and pitied. Oh, I must add that a crime is committed. What kind of crime? Who dunnit? And what about the mysterious "bog", where bodies and cars seem to turn up?

Yes, it's a goodie, this little film from the Land of the Tivoli! You'll see how people live in a small village...and learn who and who not to trust!

Exam

My dear spouse and I were glued to the screen last night, watching a little-known (no, unknown) film called Exam. Made in England, the unusual flick is unlike anything I have seen.

Exam is a thinker. You join the protagonists in a search to unlock a puzzle.

No spoiler, but see those folks in the picture? They're the finalists for a very prestigious job in a big biochemical firm. They only have one task to complete: they have to answer one question posed by the proctor.

One question? How hard can that be?

Hard! Really hard. You see, there's some question about the question, and those who question the question find their careers in question! Sorry, could not resist...but just imagine what it would be like to have to figure out what a question is in order to answer it in order to obtain the job of your life!

Here's the rub: Will the finalists cooperate to solve the riddle? Or will they play dog-eat-dog. Or will they hurt each? Kill each other? So many options, and so little time to solve the enigma.

What fun!

I loved the film, but I would have to downgrade it to B+ only because of the "pill" introduced into the plot. What pill? Not a bitter one, readers...

Find out for yourselves!

Gone with the Wind

Please, readers, indulge me a minute! Of course you've seen Gone with the Wind...haven't we all? But I watched it last night, all four hours worth, and just wanted to remind viewers to go back and see it again!

This review, requiring no description of plot or characters, will be a hodge-podge of thoughts:

Costuming: Magnificent! Love those flowing gowns in the Antebellum old south.

Pre Civil War: What a flavor of the south. Men being gentlemen, everyone dancing, slaves smiling, an entire society set in its ways.

War brewing: Enjoyed being reminded how enthusiastic the young men were about going into battle.

Scarlet, Rhett, Ashley, and Melanie: Still fabulous, all of them! Great dialogues, dramatic tension, super acting. And what lookers they were!

Dated sexism: Rhett's aggression toward Scarlett bothers modern viewers...a reminder of what sexism there was way back when. EG: He says to her, "You need to be kissed and a lot!"

Personal tidbits: Leslie Howard died only four years after making the film, shot down in a plane during WWII. Vivien Leigh only got the big role because of a chance meeting with David O Selznick while he was filming the Atlanta fire scenes. She won a second Oscar for playing Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire. She was married for 21 years to Laurence Olivier, until he ran off with the younger Joan Plowright. Vivien fought TB most of her adult life. Olivia de Havilland, who played the angelic Melanie, is still alive and well at 95 in Paris! Hattie McDaniel, or Mamie, decided not to attend an award ceremony in Atlanta in 1939 because she was afraid of racial violence.

History: The film is still a great history lesson of the Civil War. From the pre-war years to the defeat of the South, viewers recall the bitter conflict.

Irony: The year GWTW came out, 1939, the world was on the verge of chaos, with war about to break out. The pre WWII world, a rather naive one like pre-Civil War America, was about to undergo an initiation into a harsher, crueler world.

More irony: In 1939, African Americans had no rights in the South...long after the Civil War had ended. So southerners who viewed the film went home after the movies to the Jim Crow ways. In other words, the film raised little consciousness in America.

Final thought: They don't make 'em like that any more! What fun it was to revisit this old favorite.

A Date with Tad Hamilton

Time to visit the world of fluff. Sometimes, when our brains are fried from a long day, it's fun to watch lightweight fare that does not make us think! When I'm in that kind of mood, I enjoy superficial romances, LMN-style, that feature pretty faces and mindless plots. As fluff goes, A Date with Tad Hamilton is right up there.

The threesome in the picture above present the story in a nutshell. Cute young girl is stuck between two guys. Girl likes guy, guy likes girl...you get the point. No plot spoiler, but simply one guy is a movie star and other other a grocery store manager. Which one will the girl end up with (neaswap....sorry, Valerie)?

The appeal? Those faces, of course! We guys can stare at Kate Bosworth in different outfits all day long and never tire of her great looks. And the girls get to ogle two dashingly handsome dudes, Josh Duhamel and Topher Grace. It's like a beauty pageant!

Interestingly, some romances can turn dour and sour quite quickly. After all, we're dealing with broken hearts and disappointments. But not this cute little flick. It's a frothy romp that never loses its delightfully airy, meaningless tone!

So for what the film is, an easy escape from a tough day, A Date with Tad Hamilton sparkles!

Grade of A-, believe it or not!

Sleep Easy, Hutch Rimes

See the guy in ropes in the picture? He's in a heck of a jam! He enjoys bedding women who work at his insurance agency. No big deal, but the problem is that a few of them, like the lady above, are armed and dangerous!

Sleep Easy is an engaging thriller, with twists and turns that surprise at each moment. It is full of femmes fatales, wicked men, and unexpected villains. Example: Hutch Rimes, the protagonist who meets attractive office workers at the "Sleep Easy" motel, has a fairly easy life until one of his ladies asks, "Care to help me kill my husband?"

No more details, lest I spoil the story.

Flavored like a Hitchkock mystery, the film provides a bevy of talented actors who keep the suspense in high gear. Steven Weber, a little known actor, shines as the amoral, less-than-smart playboy who meets his Waterloo at the hands of a few vicious babes. Gail O'Grady, best known for her role as the blond secretary on Hill Street Blues, brilliantly plays the lusty, back-stabbing bitch who tries to get back at lover boy. Then there's Swoosie Kurtz, a fine character actor, who offers up some shocking and unexpected moves.

Who's gonna shoot whom? Who's gonna betray whom? Which baddie will bring down our poor, misdirected cad? Which women will turn to violence?

Not a well-known film, but a little diamond in the rough.

A- grade. Lots of fun...serious yet light in tone.

Hanna

Oh my, I seek words in my paltry vocabulary to describe the most original, tense, unusual, weird, gripping film to come out in years! Hats off to the writers of a script that is unlike any that precedes it!

I will never spoil a film for viewers, so I must describe this gem without giving anything away. Okay, probably safest to say that the girl in the picture above is a tough, deadly, wily teen who has been trained by her father to be a killer. She has been raised alone in the woods, where her days consist of living off the fat of the land and practicing martial arts, shooting, and other vicious activities. She must be good enough to face the baddies who are after her and her father.

Got your attention?

Acting: Wow! The girl who stars is Soirse Ronan. Who? Go back to the year 2007 and check out a little-known kid nominated for Best Supporting Actress in Atonement. That's her. What a talent. Now take Eric Bana, of Munich fame, and Cate Blanchett, of, well, everything fame, and you've got a whopping cast. By the way, Cate is normally not cast as an evil bitch, but she sure fills the bill here!

Can't say much more, except to laud this piece of work. My dear spouse and I were held captive by the flick for two hours. We wanted to take food and potty breaks, but the story would not let us go!

A+ film making. Viewers, this one goes to the top of the list. See it before anything else!

Contagion

I loved Outbreak, the classic "microbe-danger" thriller with Dustin Hoffman and Rene Russo. So I figured that Contagion, with a great cast and lots of hype, was a natural sequel...but it never quite got its act together.

OK, to be positive, there were lots of good "getting sick" scenes...folks hacking, coughing, breaking out in rashes, dying on the spot. The acting was strong, with talent galore. The film offered a good view of social unrest that could follow a major contagion. And there were some good references to historical markers, such as the Great Flu of 1918 and Ebola.

But in general the film did not work. It tried to do too much. Each of the actors shown above had an individual story, and so did about ten others, so there was not enough time to give all the plot lines the depth they deserved. The story attempted to do a linear time progression, showing how the "plague" spreads, but the day by day, week by week account was confusing and a bit illogical.

No spoiler, so no further details. Suffice it say that this viewer was not nearly as moved as he expected to be. Although, in truth, I did take a long shower when I got home...lots of germs and cooties all around us!

Beware the microbes! Beware the hype about Contagion! Beware a film that just tries too hard.

Grade: B- Sometimes engaging, mostly slow.

The Debt

Did you enjoy Munich? This viewer thought it was great. The Debt is equally as powerful. But it's actually about two women who do the work of warriors. Helen Mirren as the older agent, and Jessica Chastain as the agent in her prime, steal the show from all the other performers.

The story? Much like Munich, it's about Israelis who strive to bring perpetrators of murder to justice. Sadly, in real life, only a handful of Holocaust sadists were captured and tried for their crimes, fifteen or so at Nurenburg and most notably, Adolph Eichman. In spite of Simon Weisenthal and other determined Nazi hunters, the vast majority got away with their crimes.

With these facts in mind, it's inspiring to watch a movie where Israelis hunt down a war criminal. No spoiler, as usual, but the plot is really quite simple: three agents stalk the Butcher of Treblinka, a doctor who did ghastly experiments on prisoners. Do they succeed? If so, at what cost? Does the truth matter more than the success of the mission?

Jessica Chastain, a little-known model who miraculously landed this role, shines as the beautiful young Israeli Mossad agent who, until now, has worked at desk jobs. She must prove herself in the field to two more jaded, experienced Nazi hunters. Fast-forward to the present, where Helen Mirren (who looks somewhat like the younger Jessica), is the old gramma being feted for her past deeds. But is she worthy of the praise? What must she do now to prove her mettle? Is she too old to go back out in the field?

What a great film! For those viewers like me who really admire empowered women, the flick grabs and holds on. Prepare to sit on the edge of your seat for the entire movie.

Grade of A. An outstanding work, bold in design, lofty of purpose, and full of fine acting and a gripping plot.

I really enjoy going back in time and watching today's stars, particularly the talented ones, at the outset of their careers. Alec Baldwin and Jennifer Jason Leigh were in top form in this taut, engaging thriller.

Never a spoiler, I will strive to offer the broadest description of the film: Alec is a real baddie, who has a prison history and revels in hurting people. Of course, he steals to live and has no conscience at all. He meets Jennifer, who plays a dingbat college student dabbling in prostitution. She's gullible, caring, charming...and with her exquisite deep south accent, wins our hearts.

OK, the scene is set.

Now consider the actors. Alec has been a bad dude in so many films....remember him in The Cooler? Recall how he broke his best friend's leg without breaking a sweat? Then he was evil incarnated in The Juror. Creepy how he bullied Demi Moore! He does comedy, of course, but I've always thought he was better as a badass.

Jennifer Jason Leigh proved her true worth in her best work, The Vicious Circle. When she played Dorothy Parker at the Algonquin, mingling with other intellectuals, she was fantastic. She was awesome too in The Machinist, Road to Perdition, and The Hudsucker Proxy. Oh, have I forgotten her masterpiece, Single White Female? What a crazy roommate she was!

Wanna have fun? Go back and watch this thriller made in 1990. Check out how dashing the young actors were. Try to ignore the role Fred Ward plays: the writers never quite got his detective thing right.

White Lightning (2009)

Portraits of the criminally insane are jarring: most viewers will recall Helter Skelter as a good example of such a film. Here's a better one: White Lightning. It's gritty, disturbing, scary, but incredibly real. If you've got the stomach for it, this film is a pure, unadulterated masterpiece.

Gotta travel to the backwoods, the poverty-stricken pockets of the Appalachian mountains, to get the feel for why a young boy goes astray.

Played brilliantly by an unknown teen actor, Owen Campbell, the kid is mentally unbalanced from the start: he sniffs glue, paint thinner, whatever he can get his hands on for a high. He goes in and out of the juvenile punishment system, getting crazier and wilder with each negative turn.

Leap forward to the boy turned man: he's now a handsome, dashing misfit (witness: my dear spouse muttering, wow, he's so cute!). Another unknown, Edward Hogg, plays the unhinged protagonist masterfully. Problem is, the young man's good looks can't save him from himself. He teeters on the verge of insanity, hitting booze and drugs when he seeks solace from his inner demons.

No spoiler, but violence lurks at every turn! Up in them-thar-hills, folks isn't too big on the crazy kid, so they's turnin' to shotguns 'n all to take care o' things....get the picture? If you think Deliverance packed a backwoods wallop, you ain't seen nothin' yet! (The language sort of grabs you...sorry, English teacher.)

Kafka is alive and well in them thar sticks. So is Faust.

Grade of A: White Lightning is as good as grit gets. By the way, lots of fascinating symbolism for those who seek it.

Psycho (1998)

Check out the pictures above. Which of our bathers seems more scared? Janet Leigh's scream will forever live in the annals of great scenes. Anne Heche's shower looks like a holiday!

Get the point? Sometimes remakes are better than the original. Not in this case. The remake is also a fairly complete re-write. No spoiler, of course, but Mama bates and our crazy man himself play distinctly different roles in the '98 version.

Vince Vaughn is always a good creep. See Clay Pigeons for his creepiest and best performance. Yet even sneering Vince could not really get a good scare going. And Anne Heche was just too laid back to be a good scaree.

Thus: Stick with the original. Don't bother with the remake.

Grade of C for the re-do.....stale and tired and not even a tad spooky.

The Conspirator

This reviewer recently panned a film that everyone loves (Midnight in Paris), but today he will laud a film that other reviewers have panned. Is David out of step with the world?

I had the great pleasure of viewing Robert Redford's masterpiece, The Conspirator. As a Lincoln and Civil War buff (I have read many books on Honest Abe and visited most Civil War sites), I must admire the historical accuracy of this film. Redford did his homework.

The story is well-known by even the I-hate-history folks: Mary Surratt was the owner of the boarding house in which John Wilkes Booth and others gathered to plan their vicious plot. Did Mary know about it? Was she involved? Did she deserve to be the first woman to die on the gallows back in 1865? These are just some of the questions addressed in the film.

But there's a greater theme that persists: Do suspects have rights even when the country is furious and seeking vengeance? The question is still not resolved: The military today seeks to try terrorists rather than have them judged by a jury of peers in a civil court.

OK, those are the overall themes. But what really counts in the film is the fine acting: James McAvoy, a little known character actor, shines as the brave young lawyer who defends Mary Surratt. There could be an Oscar nomination forthcoming for him. Tom Wilkinson, always wonderful, again proves his mettle as the lawyer's mentor. Robin Wright is excellent as Mary Surratt, sometimes arrogant, sometimes docile, sometimes guilty, sometimes innocent, always fascinating as The Conspirator.

Go back in time to another era. The film makes you feel as if you are in 1865. It's about as authentic as period pieces can get.

I assign a grade of A. A must-see. Leave it to Redford to teach such an awesome history lesson.

Lord of War

Most viewers have stars they love to hate. My least favorite? Too many to count! However, today it's my dear spouse who takes the honors: she least likes that man shown above, Nicolas Cage. So I had to sneak this DVD on screen and watch it in the wee hours of the night!

I do not share her view of NC. I thought he was fantastic in Leaving Las Vegas. This was no doubt his best work, for which he could or should have been recognized with at least an Oscar nomination. I liked him in the recent tongue-in-cheek thriller, Drive Angry. He was great in Captain Corelli's Mandolin. But one of his best roles is as a gun runner in Lord of War.

As usual, I will not give away the story. Basically, Cage plays a regular guy from Brooklyn who has a fascination with profit-making. He finds that there's money to be made in selling guns to the highest bidder.

Guns? Yes indeed. So expect lots of gunfire and some excellent action scenes. Expect sleazy fellows who buy the guns.

But expect most of all a story that is laden with ethical shading: do people kill or do guns kill? Is our protagonist justified in being an equal-opportunity gun supplier? Is there any morality in serving mankind's violent nature? Does the U.S. arm nations with any real discrimination?

There is more to this story than meets the eye. Great sibling relationship. Great portraits of bullies. Great tale of cop chasing bad guy. Great film stuff.

I would assign a grade of A-. The minus is for some required editing that was not done. The A is for a top-notch film worth seeing.

Grind (1997)

Gotta leave the big blockbusters every now and then to discover little known, little publicized film delights. The GRIND, made back in '97 (not to be confused with a made-for-TV film in '95) is such a flick.

No spoiler from this reviewer, as usual, but I can safely describe the general setting. Younger brother Eddie has just gotten out of prison for a non-violent crime conviction. He ends up on his brother's doorstep. The two reunite and enjoy the warmth and closeness of two siblings who love each other. Soon family life gets murky: both live on the edge of the law and deep down they are competitive and mean to each other.

Nice plotline!

Now add to that taut story some great acting. Billy Crudup, who has amazed audiences with his shaded performances, plays Eddie, the long-haired, edgy, amoral ex-con who returns to the family fold. Adrienne Shelly plays the older brother's wife with exceptional deftness and sensitivity. Don't miss the introduction of a young actress in her first minor role...the one and only Amanda Peet!

The headline in the photo above, "a gritty gem," characterizes the film nicely. We viewers are caught up in a sibling mess, and we wonder throughout the movie if and when the brothers' lives will unravel and spiral into tragedy.

Although I would have preferred a better ending, this film gets a A. It's got guts and staying power.

Midnight in Paris

Everyone seems to adore the latest work from Woody Allen. Wish I could join the masses, but alas, independent thinker that I am, I must beg to differ. Midnight in Paris has some charm, but for me, it lacked a good story and depth.

Here are the positives: The shots of Paris are wonderful. The scenes of the streets, bars, monuments, and cafes take us to the grand city of Europe as only film can. The background music, light and frothy, charms. Two lovely women grace the screen, as seen above. In fact, Rachel McAdams and Marion Cotillard dazzle the male viewers! OK, overall, good aesthetics. Nice faces. Nice scenery.

Storywise? Nonsense, to be sure. The general setting of a mismatched, engaged couple staying in Paris and bickering is far from pleasant...and seems to have no redeeming plot value. The time travel element? Uh, hardly up to the standards of, say, The Time Traveler's Wife or Millenium. The meet-the-past-idols theme? Maybe acceptable for viewers who say, wow, there's that lady I think I've heard of, Gertrude Stein. For more learned viewers, the interactions with past famous people lacks any semblance of meaningful dialog.

Then there's Woody Allen's voice. I have avoided the past two decades of Allen-by-Allen films, that is, movies that reflect the neurotic, NY-ish, cloying, sickening ego of the filmmaker. Hoping to find an exception, I returned to this film. Allen was all over it. Misunderstood male, pseudo-liberalism, mock idealism....it's all there again.

So I would give the film a grade of C. Just hope my readers won't tar and feather me for being so divergent from the public that raves endlessly about this insipid piece of filmmaking.

Probably worth seeing just to decide if David is right or wrong!