Desert Son

Every so often an Indie film comes out that knocks your socks off. Desert Son fills the bill.

It's a tight little stage-play: three kids, the ones you see above on bicycles, just happen to live on the fringes of society in a dusty ghost-town. They're a hapless lot: two twenty somethings who have done something illegal in the past and a teen they find abandoned in the desert.

The wonder of the film is how the three interact. The savagery of human nature, as shown once in Lord of the Flies, is alive and well. A bully rules, a girlfriend tries to bolt, and a kid strives to be heroic. Sartre's No Exit comes to mind, where hell is other people.

You'll be glued to the story as the tension between the three mounts. Who will dominate? Can the three survive on their own? Will they resort to violence? How will they escape the human bondage they create?

Oh my, what a thriller! Hands down, one of the most unusual films in recent years. Can't be a spoiler, but you'll revel in this chilling piece. Just don't judge the film by its ending.

Perfect Host

See David Hyde Pierce above? He looks friendly enough. He's a host for a one-of-a-kind party! Care to join him?

Um....I'd suggest you don't. No spoiler here, but our smiling host is a rather bizarre fellow. He tends to treat his guests with the most extreme in-hospitality! And...not all his guests are the kind you can actually meet and greet!

The film is a twisty-turning thing: the guest is himself a rather down-on-his-luck type, and he just happens on the "party" at a home he is preparing to rob. But who is the real villain? The guest? The host? Will a crime take place? Or has it already?

Oh, there's more. We find out that our very strange host has a most interesting profession. What, you ask? Sorry, can't give more away! You'll have to dive into this topsy-turvy plot and figure out the real deal for yourself.

One promise: You won't be disappointed! Hitchcock may well still be alive and well!

Outsourced

Ayesha Dharkar is hardly a household name in the U.S. That's her above. She steals the show in a delightful "Bollywood" romp!

The premise of the film is not entirely comical: a young man who manages a call center in Chicago finds his entire unit has been outsourced to India. He must go to Mumbai to facilitate the company's cost-cutting move.

While there, he learns about Indian culture, and, in the process, just happens to find romance. A bit sugary? Yes indeed. A bit silly? Yes indeed. But somehow in the middle of the fluff lies a charming tale of friendship, courage, adaptation, and love.

Most interestingly, viewers are swept up in the acculturation process. At first, Mumbai seems like a sorry place to be. Later, it fascinates. Learn about the importance of the "bindi", or third eye, which helps the protagonists see more clearly in their search for job fulfillment...and core values.

Fulfillment? That's actually spelled "fulfilment"....as you'll soon learn in the this little jewel of a flick!

Back in 1995, or the Middle Ages as my kids call the era, an incredible made-for-TV whodunnit was released. Starring Andrew McCarthy and Paul Sorvino, the film is a winner.

The premise, with no spoiler of course, is as follows: A hotshot insurance executive has developed a novel area of expertise. He advocates that insurance companies get off the hook when they owe a big settlement by proving their clients negligent. Not a very popular point of view for those who expect payoffs! So someone decides it's payback time!

McCarthy, our insurance expert, finds himself embroiled in extortion, threats, and mayhem. When those close to him are found dead, he is the suspect. Now the issue is: WHO dunnit? Thank goodness there's a solid detective, played by Paul Sorvino, who believes in him.

The fun of this flick is to try to figure out which of the many suspects is the guilty party. Is it one of the insurance agent's friends? A potential lover? A past investigator? Or is it the insurance man himself? Can't give away the answer, but you will be guessing wildly until the last ten minutes of the movie.

Be patient: The film's first fifteen minutes won't impress much. But after that, hang on for a great ride!

Page One

See that page from the NYT? It's from 1861. Yeah, the famous newspaper has been around a long time. Will it last or go belly up like so many other papers?

This is the premise of a fantastic film.

My dear spouse and I wondered if an hour and a half on the inner workings of the Times would hold our interest...or, I should say, my interest. Unlike my spouse, who revels in all things psychological, social, or political, I tend toward more sentimental pieces: romance, action, sci-fi, and other fairly low-road themes. Was I wrong to doubt this extraordinary work of art: it grabbed my interest and kept me mesmerized!

The brilliance of the film is that it does so much while asking a very simple question: Will/Should the New York Times paper edition continue, as it has for more than a century?

The flick offers a wonderful history lesson on journalism: we are reminded of Watergate and other events where freedom of the press saved OUR freedoms. Page One covers all aspects of the First Amendment, including a thought-provoking look at Freedom of Information vs. Rights to Privacy/Threats to National Security.

Remember Judith Miller? Remember other journalists who have gotten the news wrong? Are you familiar with the foul-mouthed, ex-street bum David Carr, one of the top editors at The Times? Meet all the big shots in this inside look at a famous American institution.

Most importantly, consider if the web-fed news is better than the old-style news.

The local papers gave the film three stars. This reviewer would give it five.

One of the finest documentaries ever!

Taking Chance

If you have not already had this experience, and you want your heart to expand and deepen, and you wish to pay reverence and gratitude to those fallen heroes of ours this Memorial Day, find a quiet hour + and watch Taking Chance with Kevin Bacon. This stunning film will take you where no "war story" ever could. It will stay with you forever. HBO has been running it this weekend, and you can go online to also view.

The Joneses

The expression "keeping up with the Joneses" takes on new meaning in this delightful and thought-provoking film. With Demi Moore and David Duchovny at the helm, the flick soars.

Okay, the premise is a bit weird: Four hot superstar salesfolks pose as a family unit in a posh suburb. Hired by an Amway-style product marketing firm, the foursome at first appear like a normal set of parents and kids. Then, of course, we learn that they are living a sham, under the same roof, with each vying to up sales for the company.

Interestingly, we buy into the premise, because the concept is so darned creative. Whoever heard of putting together a phony family just to promote sales? Could the idea work? Are suburbanites so superficial that they'll do anything to buy the American Dream?

We suspend our disbelief even more because of the fine acting. Demi Moore, who has done her share of duds (need I mention GI Jane?), really shines as the "boss" of the clan. Duchovny, the X-files hero, does a great job of being the "husband" who wants to find his true self. And the kids are well defined: Amber Heard, pretty and sassy, provides a believable slutty daughter. Ben Hollingsworth, the rising Canadian star, is excellent as the closet gay son.

The originality of the story lies in the merger of a phony family into a potentially real one. Will the "parents" become more than business partners? Will the kids do more than sell? Will the gullible neighbors, who buy the Joneses' products, be able to keep up financially and socially?

There's so much more to this tale than first meets the eye. It's a profound look at America, at yuppy values and empty souls.

Outstanding and entertaining. Grade of A.