BABY AND I (2008)

Joon-su is a spoiled, arrogant high school student with wealthy parents; an only child who specializes in starting fights, mouthing off to teachers, and getting suspended from school.  More rebel than criminal, his aberrant behavior still comes home to roost one night in a grocery store, when he turns long enough to select a bottle of wine off a shelf - and turns back to find a baby has been left in his shopping cart, along with a note saying he's the father and the boy is his responsibility now.  Worse yet, Joon-su returns home to find his parents have run away (!) thanks to his rotten behavior, cutting off his credit card and all communication.  With the help of his buddies, and a new girl to school who is smitten with him, Joon-su first tries to find the mother ... then a way to ditch the baby ... before ultimately becoming determined to be the best dad he can be.  Sweet and funny, Baby and I (aka Baby and Me) is a wonderful film nowhere near as predictable as you'd think.  And I dare you not to fall in love with that kid. (not rated)  A-

BABY AND ME trailer

MARATHON (2005)

I have never, in my life, had an experience that moved me as much as watching Marathon.  Writing this, even just looking at the poster causes my heart to overflow all over again, thudding in my chest.  Based on a true story, Cho Seung-woo - in an Oscar-worthy performance you have to see to believe - stars as Cho-won, a young man born with autism who only seems to find his center of calm in running.  His mother, a force to be reckoned with who has always been there for Cho-won (even at the expense, at times, of her husband and Cho-won's younger brother), signs him up for a big marathon, and to prepare him for it harasses an ex-marathon winner, doing community service for a DUI, into being his coach.  Simple yet profound, heartbreaking and indescribably life-affirming, again I have never experienced anything as magical and one-of-a-kind as Marathon - in film, or in real life.  It's a movie that reaches into your heart and wraps it up like a gift from God. (not rated)  A++

MARATHON (full movie!)

SAD MOVIE (2005)

Don't let the title fool you; while it fits the film and may not make many rush to see it initially, for the first three-quarters of the film Sad Movie is funny, engaging, romantic, and introduces viewers to: the kindhearted slacker whose girlfriend of three years wants to break up ... the fireman who saves a young woman from a burning building only to fall in love with her older sister, who wants him to propose ... the rescued sister, whose job is to entertain kids dressed as Raggedy Ann (complete with over-sized headpiece), whose face is scarred so she won't even remove the head for the handsome street artist she's falling for ... and a mother, long-neglectful of her trouble-making young son, who finally receives a harsh wake up call.  A well-written collection of intertwining tales that will have you immediately caught up in these characters and their fates ... before, yes, the tears (many of them) start to flow.  A lovely, touching, must-see of a film that stresses the importance of loving and living to your fullest, always, while you still can. (not rated)  A

SAD MOVIE (full movie!)

FLY HIGH (2009)

Blown away by Kim Bum since the K-drama "Boys Over Flowers", I was anxious to see Fly High (aka Flight in South Korea).  Here he plays an aspiring actor who works at a gas station, in general leading a lonely life until one night in a club he finds a kindred spirit in a beautiful girl with whom he immediately falls in love.  When tragedy befalls her and she ends up in a care facility, mentally traumatized, all he wants to do is care for her ... and, sadly, must take work as a male host (read: gigolo) in a teahouse to support both himself and her care, telling her in his visits that his acting career is blossoming.  Kim is great here, but the film is somewhat a downer, with his character getting the snot beat out of him on more than a couple occasions ... and an ending that, literally within the last few minutes of the film, is nothing short of anger-inducing.  Nice performances, but with an ending that just blew it for me; watch Kim in The Gifted Hands (reviewed on this blog) instead. (not rated)  C-

FLY HIGH trailer (Korean only; could not find one w/English subs, sorry!)

SONG OF THE SEA (2014)

From the director of The Secret of Kells, this beautiful animated Oscar nominee is the story of a six-year-old girl named Saoirse and her slightly older brother Ben, who has never quite forgiven his sister since their mother died the night Saoirse was born.  They still live in the same lighthouse with their still-grieving father, but on the night both children are finally spirited away by a grandmother who's convinced her son his lighthouse is no life for children, the kids learn that Saoirse is the last of the selkies - the only creature alive who can free the magical creatures still trapped in this world, sending them home at last.  But time is against them, and making their way back to the sea to save both Saoirse (who grows weaker with every moment) and those like her, the kids find opposition in a crone named Macha who steals feelings from creatures' souls ... and has different plans for the tiny selkie.  Beautiful to look at, Song of the Sea is also a wonderful, mythical tale of heart, hope and the importance of family - no matter who you call "family." (rated PG)  A-

SONG OF THE SEA trailer

DACHIMAWA LEE (2008)

A crazy, frantic Airplane!-style spoof of Korean spy movies from the 1980's, Dachimawa Lee is a short, round-faced Korean James Bond who fights villains with his martial arts and various spy weapons, while at the same time also wooing the various women who fall under his spell, all of whom seem smitten by him.  Here he's out to get the Golden Buddha, a small, cheap statue sprayed gold whose real value lies in the list of Korean secret agents hidden inside; a list the Japanese are determined their hands on.  The film is funny, even laugh-out-loud in spots (the part with the airplane propeller is worthy of an "OMG" moment, alone), but even at 99 minutes it feels a bit long, thanks to a segment in the middle - when Lee gets amnesia - that drags things down a bit.  Nowhere near the frenetic lunacy of Airplane!, but still an enjoyable spoof that fans of the action-spy genre especially should enjoy. (not rated)  B-

DACHIMAWA LEE trailer

HIGHWAY STAR (2007)

Korea's version of country music, "trot" is more in style/appearance in the vein of lounge singers like Wayne Newton.  Hugely popular by those who embrace it, it's fairly scorned by those into more "serious" music ... and this wonderful, funny comedy-romance opens when a singer from the sticks, rock-and-roller Bong Dal-ho, is thrilled to finally be discovered by two music producers who come into the club where he's performing.  Elated, he heads to Seoul - only to learn, once there, that his new mentors only help shape and train trot singers!  Signed to an iron-clad contract, Dal-ho's forced to cut both his hair and on-stage style severely - though when he finally gets his TV debut, shame forces him at the last minute to don a mask and sing incognito!  The gimmick works, to Dal-ho's horror, making him an overnight sensation stuck performing the very music he loathes - now seemingly with no way out.  The comedy here is wonderful, the romance touching but light, and Cha Tae-hyun is lovable as Dal-ho.  A very funny "feel-good" film. (not rated)  A-

HIGHWAY STAR trailer

MADHOUSE (1974)

Vincent Price and Peter Cushing have been scaring me since childhood - especially Cushing in Hammer horror films, some of which also featured Christopher Lee keeping me up many a long and freaked-out night as Dracula.  In Madhouse, Price plays actor Paul Toombs, most famous for his creation of "Dr. Death" in a series of low-budget horror films, who years after going mad due to the murder of his young fiancee (it was assumed by many that he'd killed her), is now free and trying to resurrect his career with the help of his friend, writer Herbert Flay (Cushing), when a series of murders emulating killings in his old Dr. Death films begin to occur all over again.  A great premise, but sadly the film topples under the weight of a bad script, worse special effects, and irritating plot holes.  The ending is kind of cool, and it was great to watch Price be Price (Cushing's role is minor by comparison, and the film suffers from that, too), this one can be skipped except by the most ardent of Price/Cushing fans. (rated PG)  D+

MADHOUSE trailer

LOST RIVER (2014)

Ryan Gosling has always been a little ... left of center, let's say, though I have a feeling many who see Lost River (his writing/directorial debut) will feel the man's trolley has completely slipped its tracks.  The film was heavily derided (even laughed at) at Cannes, and to say it isn't easy to categorize is an understatement.  Gosling, quite obviously influenced by Nicolas Winding Refn (his Drive/Only God Forgives director) filmed this bizarre, surreal "dark fairy tale" in what looks like a war-ravaged Detroit, the city here playing Lost River - a town nearly all residents have long ago abandoned, since it was created via the opening of a dam whose reservoirs flooded out a bunch of smaller valley cities to form this one, and its lake.  Christina Hendricks ("Mad Men") stars as Billy, a single mom of two boys who's three months late on her mortgage, and to keep her home has to take a job at the creepiest club ever, where acts of carnage are committed onstage for those who get off on watching (indeed, the most disturbing scene in the film is when Billy seemingly - and painstakingly - slices off her own face).  Meanwhile, her son Bones (Iain De Caestecker of "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."), along with a girl named Rat (Saoirse Ronan) who lives in the next house over, works to release the curse they feel Lost River is under, after Bones finds the underwater cities beneath their man-made lake ... all while Bones continues trying to elude the insane Bully (Matt Smith), who is after Bones for stealing "his" copper from the town, and who has the tendency to use scissors to cut off the lips of those who cross him (swear to God).

This is the first (hopefully only) time you'll read a review on this blog that breaks my commandment-like constraint of length (normally I want anyone coming here to be able to zip through reviews in under a minute) - not just because this film is so hard to classify, but also because I wanted to make it clear how much I feel Lost River is worth seeing.  It's strange, violent, very surreal, even had me squirming in my seat a few times, and early on I had decided I didn't like it; all true.  But I stuck with it, and by the end had grown to appreciate Gosling's effort at trying to make an unconventional film that has power.  One that isn't mainstream or straightforward or even pleasant; often, while watching it, I found myself feeling bad - tainted - as grubby and violated as the town of Lost River looks here.  I cared about Bones and his mom and brother, about Rat and her grandmother, and Bully ... well, Bully just freaked me the hell out, period.  The bottom line is, the fact that a 95-minute film had this kind of hold, this kind of power - caused these kinds of sensations in me, repulsive as some of them were - says an incredible amount about the film itself.  About the power film can possess, in general.  And while no masterpiece, maybe not even a particularly great film, I can appreciate and even respect Gosling for what he set out to do.  Even more so because I found myself so caught up in all the weirdness, all the way. (rated R)  B-

LOST RIVER trailer

THE HOUSE AT THE END OF TIME (2013)

The first supernatural thriller to be made in Venezuela, The House at the End of Time is about a wife and mother of two sons, Dulce (Ruddy Rodriguez), who was arrested thirty years ago for the murders of her husband and 12-year-old son Leopoldo (though the boy's body was never found).  Too old and frail to remain in prison, Dulce has been released - guards included - back to the dilapidated, abandoned home where it all took place, to live her final years.  But the house has been waiting for her; not just the ghosts of the past, but also apparitions she begins seeing around her home - one of which carries a butcher knife.  The film is incredible, twisting and turning on itself until toward the end, when blatant confusion turns into a finale that will have you recommending this film to anyone who will listen.  For fans of The Others, The Orphanage, Pan's Labyrinth, or the Korean Hansel & Gretel - you have a wondrous experience waiting for you here. (not rated)  A-

THE HOUSE AT THE END OF TIME trailer

INTERSTELLAR (2014)

Clocking in at eleven minutes short of three hours, Christopher Nolan's Interstellar - co-written with his brother Jonathan - is a sci-fi epic set in the near future, on an earth clouded in dust and ravaged dry by drought, about an ex-pilot-turned-farmer named Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) who is given one last chance to fly when he becomes part of a team sent to explore a wormhole that's mysteriously appeared in space, which (what's left of) NASA believes might contain the answer to mankind's survival.  The film's cast is a who's who of fine actors (both to the film's credit and disservice), and while much of the plot may cause nerdgasms in sci-fi nuts, the brothers Nolan also bring it down nicely to a human level, via the relationship between Coop and his devoted, very similarly-minded daughter, Murph.  That said, while an amazing achievement and visually stunning, I found the film overlong and the ride more informational than engaging.  Beautifully made, but more for fans of the genre (most of whom, deservedly, seem to worship the film) than anyone. (rated PG-13)  B

INTERSTELLAR trailer  

REINCARNATION (2005)

Directed and co-written by Takashi Shimizu, the man behind the Ju-on/Grudge films, Reincarnation is a moody creepfest about a young, up-and-coming actress, Nagisa Sugiura, who lands her first big role in a horror film chronicling the real-life events of a local professor who suddenly went on a murderous rampage at an isolated hotel twenty years before, killing eleven people including his own kids.  The film opens with quick shots of various people we don't know seeing ghosts, and when the crew of her film takes to the real hotel for "atmosphere," the visions Nagisa has also been having escalate,  as do the deaths - the film part horror, part psychological suspense (except for maybe the creepiest doll in cinema history; let's not forget her!) as it builds toward a genuinely satisfying "reveal" at the end that may confuse you if you aren't paying attention.  Not Shimizu's best, but still better than most of the horror coming out of the States today, and an eerily fun time. (rated R)  B-

REINCARNATION trailer

KILL ME THREE TIMES (2014)

Contract hit-man Charlie Wolfe (Simon Pegg), a consummate professional who prides himself on quick, clean kills with no fuss or muss, quickly finds himself up to his armpits in weirdness when he's sent to take out the wife of a motel/bar owner in the Australian town of Eagles Nest, only to find this woman's husband isn't the only one who wants her dead.  This dark action comedy, feeling like the love-child of the films of Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez, twists and turns in its trio of tales, all coming together in the end all the loose ends are forced to confront each other.  Oddly, the most annoying thing about the film is Pegg himself, who overacts and seems very camera-conscious (the scene in the car, where he's drinking from a flask, is positively cringe-worthy), helping to give the film's B-movie vibe even more validity - but if you don't mind your comedies also somewhat dark and violent, the beautiful scenery of the area and all-in-all engaging story (and yes, it has its funny moments!) make me glad I saw it. (rated R)  C+

KILL ME THREE TIMES (Redband trailer - explicit language/violence)

THE WOMAN IN BLACK 2: ANGEL OF DEATH (2014)

Though not as good as its predecessor - missing Daniel Radcliffe, the wonderfully gothic Edwardian setting, and quite the same level of creepiness - this serviceable sequel from the iconic Hammer house of horror films (still a thrill, just seeing the logo at the beginning of the credits!) also doesn't deserve the heaps of abuse it's gotten.  Set over 40 years after the first, the basic plot concerns two female teachers during WWII London - one middle-aged and all business, the other younger and with her own dark past - who bring a group of children to Eel Marsh House, when London becomes unsafe due to the Nazi bombings.  One of the kids, Edward, has just lost both his parents, the traumatized boy reawakening and attracting the titular spirit, who seems to want him for her own.  Spookiness, death, secrets, and a surprisingly good number of real jump scares make this film B-movie fun that isn't wholly original, but is more than worth seeing! (rated PG-13)  B-

THE WOMAN IN BLACK 2: ANGEL OF DEATH trailer

COMMITMENT (2013)

No one does espionage thrillers like South Korea, and Commitment stars Choi Seung Hyun (better known as T.O.P in the uber-successful Korean boy band BigBang) as North Korean teenager Myung-hoon, who - when his father is killed after a failed job - is forced into training as a spy in order to save his younger sister.  Arriving in Seoul two years later, he goes undercover as a high school student, ordered to track down an assassin who is killing off North Korean members of the spy ring Section 8, but soon learns that even his own countrymen can't be trusted - and that no one gets home alive.  T.O.P is incredible here, so good I had to keep reminding myself that this was the guy from BigBang (and that's an achievement, as his branding as a pop star is so solid it borders on iconic), and while this isn't a rollercoaster of tension like The Suspect, Commitment combines action, drama, even a love story - about this amazing kid, who only wants to keep his sister safe - into a moving film that, yeah, had my eyes moist as the end credits rolled. (not rated)  A-

COMMITMENT trailer

LILTING (2014)

Junn (Cheng Pei-Pei) is a Cambodian Chinese widow living in an assisted living facility in London, mourning the recent death of her son Kai (Andrew Leung), her only child.  In another part of the city, the same pain fills Richard (Ben Whishaw, who anchors the film with full-on heart and soul), Kai's "roommate," whom Junn has never liked and feels is responsible for Kai's (even temporarily) placing her in her new home.  Both are grieving the loss of a man they loved deeply, a language barrier keeping them from communicating until Richard hires an interpreter, hoping to reach out to the mother of the man he loved, their shared memories and devotion to Kai their only bond.  Moving, gentle, and honest, Lilting is a melancholy (but not depressing) portrait of coping with grief, loss and acceptance; of coming to appreciate what we have in common, as people, instead of letting our differences keep us apart.  The performances, by all three leads (especially Whishaw), are understated and poetic. (not rated)  B

LILTING trailer

PADDINGTON (2014)

A young bear from the jungles of Peru, when his home becomes uninhabitable, is helped by his aunt onto a ship bound for London.  His aunt and uncle, visited long ago by a British explorer who became their friend and taught them English, told their nephew he'd always be welcomed there (as the explorer once promised), but he winds up instead all alone in the busy Paddington station.  That is, until found by the Brown family, in particular Mrs. Brown (Sally Hawkins), whose big heart reaches out to the young bear even as her uptight husband (Hugh Bonneville) wants none of it.  Along with their two kids, the Browns take Paddingtion - so named by Mrs. Brown - home for the night, beginning an adventure that finds Paddington (perfectly voiced by Ben Whishaw) learning that big city life is far different than he'd imagined ... and even dangerous, once he gets the attention of a wicked lady taxidermist (Nicole Kidman).  A wonderful, upbeat, chicken-soup-for-the-soul kind of film - and, as directed by Paul King as if via the eyes of an imaginative child, one of the year's best. (rated PG)  A

PADDINGTON trailer

PIRATES (2014)

Original, funny, romantic, touching, and exhilarating; all describe the one-of-a-kind joy that is Pirates.  Set in 1388, the film's main story begins when a group envoy, sailing to Korea to bring an emperor his royal State Seal, gets in the way of a giant gray whale that destroys their ship - and in the process swallows the seal, housed in an ornate red and gold box.  Embarrassed, those at fault tell the emperor pirates ambushed the ship and took the seal, causing him to offer a reward to anyone who finds it.  Newly-minted female pirate captain Jang Sa-jung and her crew are forced by a naval commander to go after the whale, while a group of mountain bandits (providing terrific comic relief), led by handsome former soldier Yeo-wol, also plot to steal a ship and seek the reward.  Mayhem, merriment, lots of swordfights and aerial stunts, and one of the best/funniest action movies put to film results, making Pirates the most boisterous, just plain fun experience I've had in a long time. (not rated)  A

PIRATES trailer

TABLOID TRUTH (2014)

When a promising young Korean actress, on the verge of making it big, is implicated in a sex scandal involving a married politician by an online "tipsheet", the woman's suicide sends her manager, Woo-gun (Kang-woo Kim), into a tailspin of despair.  Not only was she his only client, they'd worked together from her first days of trying to break in and had also become the best of friends.  Guilt and his conviction of her innocence drive Woo-gun to dig deeper into who started the false rumor and why, and as he strives to clear her name the hapless manager also uncovers an intricate, dangerous web of lies, political conspiracy, and story swapping that can destroy the innocent and hide the guilty - even as Woo-gun's efforts attract the attention of those out to silence him.  Though a bit slow in its first third, Tabloid Truth picks up steam fast and has a rousing, surprising finale that will have your pulse racing one minute and eyes glistening with a tear or two the next.  Again, no one does thrillers quite like South Korea. (not rated)  A-

TABLOID TRUTH trailer

FIFTY SHADES OF GREY (2015)

Is Fifty Shades Oscar-worthy?  NO.  Is it a great film?  Again, no.  But does it deserve the hate, from women's groups to critics to uptight conservatives, that it's gotten?  Most definitely, no.  Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson), an English Lit major, interviews handsome, enigmatic Seattle billionaire Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) as a favor for her roommate.  From jump their attraction is palpable, and as Ana finds herself falling under his spell she also learns that Christian's past has made him a man in need of total control over his life - even in bed - and that to enter into a relationship with him is to enter a world she'd never imagined.  The sex scenes aren't overdone (for the subject matter), and while the film tries hard to also tell the tale of this broken man and the woman who just may be able to heal him, the script, acting, and casting of Anastasia could all have been better.  Still, Ana is no "victim" here; if anything she has the ultimate control, all her decisions her own.  A mixed bag, but worth seeing. (rated R)  B-

FIFTY SHADES OF GREY trailer

FOXCATCHER (2014)

Sports-themed films aren't often my thing, but with this cast alone - though knowing little about the subject - I was eager to give the Oscar-nominated Foxcatcher a try.  The brothers Schultz - Dave (Mark Ruffalo) and Mark (Channing Tatum) - are Olympic gold-winning wrestling champions when Mark is "discovered" by millionaire John du Pont (an unrecognizable Steve Carell), who wants to move Mark to his estate and help him form a winning team for the upcoming 1988 Olympics.  Though du Pont wants both brothers, Dave is settled into life as husband and father, so this becomes Mark's chance to step out from under his older brother's shadow and prove himself.  Dazzled by the eccentric du Pont's wealth and seeming faith in him, Mark is determined to be the best, but as the trials get closer and du Pont's erratic behavior gets worse, the brothers find themselves on a dark path that leads to unexpected results.  Arguably Tatum's best work, with Ruffalo and especially Carell Oscar-worthy in this "based on a true story" drama the grabs you about thirty minutes in and doesn't let go. (rated R)  A-

FOXCATCHER trailer

WE'RE THE MILLERS (2013)

When David (Jason Sudeikis), a low-level pot dealer, loses a lot of cash he owed his boss to a robbery, he's forced to smuggle a "smidge" of weed over the border from Mexico, to the States, to repay his supplier.  Realizing families are least likely to be searched at the border, David gets his boss to supply a huge RV, and talks a dorky neglected teen (Will Poulter), a homeless goth girl (Emma Roberts), and his stripper neighbor (Jennifer Aniston) into traveling with him - hence The Millers, the squeaky-clean, all-American family just driving home from their Mexican vacay.  But the border proves to be the least of their worries when the "smidge" of weed ends up being two metric tons - and when they also learn they inadvertently stole their valuable cargo, thanks to David's boss, from the real drug kingpin!  We're the Millers is foul-mouthed, cynical, over-the-top nuts ... and also very funny and fairly terrific.  There's even a little heart, under all its sardonic sense of humor, and you can't ask for more than that. (rated R)  B+

WE'RE THE MILLERS Red Band trailer (adult language)

THE PYRAMID (2014)

While it's true The Pyramid doesn't break new ground in the horror genre (critics trounced it), for me it was still a solid B-movie I sat through much of with with my fingers covering my eyes, the suspense tight as a piano wire.  Father-daughter archaeologists Holden and Nora (Denis O'Hare, Ashley Hinshaw) are in the Egyptian desert, 250 miles south of Cairo, where they've discovered an anomaly: a three-sided pyramid, much of it still buried in the sand.  It is August 2013, Cairo in conflict over the coup/takeover, so when they and a documentary team recording the expedition are told to leave Egypt the next morning, that night they send a robotic scout down a tunnel leading to the apex of the pyramid ... which promptly disappears, forcing them inside to retrieve it (where more than a robot awaits).  The film relies only a bit on the "found footage" technique (thank God), and though compared to As Above, So Below (the better film), I felt The Pyramid had enough fun, scares, and B-movie awesomeness to engage my brain and jack up my fear factor. (rated R)  B

THE PYRAMID trailer

BLACKWOOD (2014)

I had big hopes for Blackwood.  Indeed, the first half of the film plays beautifully like one of the better, creepier Hammer house of horror films of the 1970's; college professor Ben Marshall (Ed Stoppard), after suffering a nervous breakdown, pulls his life and family together and relocates his wife and young son to an old country home, called Blackwood, where soon after moving in Ben starts to sense something very wrong in the house.  He begins seeing what appear to be ghosts, reflections of a mystery surrounding the home, and as Ben investigates the house, the town, even the local priest seem to be against his learning the truth.  Blackwood is a cool, dark, twisty tale of the mind, creepy and wonderfully done, but - for me - with an ending that delivered a twist I found just a little disappointing, as well as a couple of things (like the owls) I wish had been better unexplained. (not rated)  C+

BLACKWOOD trailer

PIZZA (2014)

I'd heard great things about Pizza, so had been trying to see it for awhile.  What I didn't realize is there are two "versions" of the film - one in Tamil, from 2012, and a remake in Hindi (both films made in India), released in 2014 - so when I sat down to watch this one, it was without knowing it was the remake.  The premise is awesome: hardworking pizza delivery man Kunal (the handsome, likable Akshay Oberoi), recently learning his wife (a horror writer) is pregnant, is trying to do well by his job so he can get promoted.  He dislikes what his wife does for a living, thinking it nonsense, but she tells him everybody has a horrific tale in their life to tell - which Kunal learns when he makes a delivery to the home of a woman who promptly disappears, leaving him trapped in the house ... not exactly alone.  Sadly, Pizza was just "okay"; it doesn't really play fair with the viewer, and the time Kunal's trapped in the house actually drags, with few real scares.  The touches of humor are welcomed, but even the "twist" that ends the film wasn't, sadly, all that inspired. (not rated)  C-

PIZZA trailer (click on "CC" for English subtitles)

JOHN WICK (2014)

Initially, all we know of John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is that he is deeply mourning the recent death of his wife from cancer.  Soon after her funeral, John receives delivery of a puppy his wife arranged to be sent to him after her death, so he'd still have something - someone - to love.  When a chance run-in with some Russian mob thugs results in Wick turning down their offer to buy his cherry 1969 Mustang, they show up at John's house and beat him, steal the car ... and kill his dog.  And that is when we learn John is a former mob assassin, The Boogeyman, who got out of the business when he fell in love five years before - but is now back, and after the leader of the thugs who took everything from him ... who also happens to be the son of his former mob boss.  Reeves' "block of wood" acting style is perfect here, and if you can handle that Wick kills about 5,000 people in this film there is a mindless, surreal fun about John Wick that somehow keeps things both deadly serious and darkly humorous.  Often at the same time. (rated R)  B

JOHN WICK trailer

DOUBLE HARNESS (1933)

William Powell, one of my favorite actors since childhood, stars in this RKO classic playing John Fletcher, a spoiled playboy who's inherited his father's shipping empire but has no interests in life other than pursuing polo, women, and anything that avoids work.  That is, until he starts dating Joan Colby (Ann Harding), a woman who used to regard marriage as a business proposition herself, but soon finds she's falling in love with John the cad.  So much in love, she tricks the confirmed bachelor into marrying her, hoping she can (in time) make him love her in return - and that's when the real mess begins.  The first half of this short film plays like a drama, the latter more comedic (and featuring a wonderful supporting role by Reginald Owen, playing a manservant), which comes off a bit disjointed though things meld together nicely in the end.  Quirky but worth a watch, with solid performances. (not rated)  B-  (Note: the link below is not a trailer but the entire film - featuring two minutes of restored footage!)

DOUBLE HARNESS (complete film)

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER (1971)

This was the last James Bond film starring Sean Connery (until he'd come back for Never Say Never Again twelve years later) - and, to me, by far the weakest of his part of the series.  Here Bond is first sent to Holland, when the trail of a major diamond smuggling operation points toward a more sinister purpose involving Bond's arch-enemy Ernst Blofeld (Charles Gray). Jill St. John and Lana Wood provide Bond babe moments, but the film comes off more like a parody than an actual Bond movie; the chase/fight/action scenes are weak, special effects cheap (sometimes outright laughable), and with this film Bond starts in with his little quips and puns - some of which, here, are surprisingly suggestive for the time, yet come off dated.  Even with the addition of two very colorful "Bond-like" sadistic killers, Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd (who are obviously a gay couple), sadly the best adjective I can think of to describe this entry in the series is - gasp! - "boring."  Shirley Bassey aside, even the opening theme is dull as dishwater. (not rated)  C

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER trailer

WHIPLASH (2014)

An intense dynamo of a film thanks to its two leads, Whiplash is the story of jazz drummer Andrew Niemann (an incredible Miles Teller), who's just gotten into the prestigious Shaffer School for Music.  Niemann's passion for being one of the great jazz drummers ever - up there with Buddy Rich or Charlie Parker - turns into obsession when he gains the attention of the most notorious, highly-regarded teacher in the school, Dr. Terence Fletcher (JK Simmons).  Fletcher, foul-mouthed and hot-tempered (to say the least) runs his studio band like a marine sergeant, belittling his players and breaking them down, and the ensuing relationship between Fletcher and Niemann seems destined to drive Andrew over the brink, into either genius or madness.  The performances, as said, are mesmerizing; Simmons, Oscar-nominated, is a barely-controlled maniac as Fletcher, in what (with a lesser actor) could have come off as caricature, but here is both horrifying and riveting.  A must-see film, with a tremendous jazz score background for a draining, emotional story. (rated R)  A

WHIPLASH trailer

PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR (2014)

Most know them by their regular names: Skipper, Kowalski, Rico, and the rookie Private.  But those in the know, know them as an elite team of penguin operatives who, despite all odds, get the job done to save lives and country.  But when all four of them are kidnapped by the evil Dr. Octavius Brine, the four penguin comrades - just prior to their escape - learn of his hideous, evil plan to rid the world of its cuteness, and are forced to team up with undercover spy organization North Wind (whose ace team is comprised of a polar bear, a white owl, an arctic seal, and their gray wolf leader, only known as "Classified") in order to thwart Brine's plans. Not having seen the Madagascar films, I found Penguins to be terrific from beginning to end; great animation, funny as heck, and with characters (especially the four penguins) I absolutely loved from jump.  A wonderful film for all ages; the kind that only gets better, even funnier, with repeat viewings.  Now to get my hands on a bag of Cheezy Dibbles ... (rated PG)  A

PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR trailer

HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE (2004)

Anime is often fascinating to watch - never more so than in the hands of the master, Hayao Miyazaki.  Spirited Away is one of the most brilliant, visually wondrous films ever made, and in Howl's Moving Castle Miyazaki's jaw-dropping style and strokes of color and imagination spring just as vividly to life.  The story - of a young girl named Sofi, cursed by a witch into the body of a 90-year-old woman to spite the demon Hauru (Howl), who'd previously helped Sofi out of trouble - is a great premise, as Sofi makes her way to the huge moving castle that Howl resides in, in the wilds, where she finds herself caught up in magic and in the beginning stages of a raging war, all while trying to break her curse as her fascination with the magical Howl grows.  Again, though beautiful and compelling in scope, the film's latter half gets bogged down in a convoluted storyline that proves frustrating to keep track of.  Try to see it in the original Japanese, if you can, as I did; the dubbed-English version, supposedly, doesn't do justice in matching the actors' voices to the characters. (rated PG)  C+

HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE trailer (dubbed-English version)

MR. IDOL (2011)

With K-Pop (Korean pop music) growing to manic popularity worldwide, Mr. Idol is the story of boy band Mr. Children, who fell from grace three years earlier when the lead singer committed suicide - on stage, no less - over a broken heart.  Now, the former female music executive who worked with the group originally goes against her old company to bring the remaining members back together; to right the wrongs she feels were originally done to three talented young men who still deserve their shot.  Finding a handsome new lead singer with an attitude, she puts the boys through some grueling training, trying to get them back on top even as new scandals await to potentially derail them.  A good drama depicting the hard work needed to reach for your dreams even after defeat, Mr. Idol also has touches of comedy and romance that - along with some great music - make for an entertaining behind-the-scenes look at the international phenomenon that is K-Pop. (not rated)  A-

MR. IDOL trailer

LOVE IS STRANGE (2014)

A bittersweet love story with outstanding performances all-around, Love is Strange is the story of Ben (John Lithgow) and George (Alfred Molina), together for nearly forty years, who finally decide to tie the knot thanks to the new laws in New York City that legalize gay marriage.  Soon after, however, George is fired from his job and the couple find themselves having to sell the lower Manhattan apartment they can no longer afford.  The housing market being what it is in New York, the two men are forced to split up, each staying with mutual friends while they try to find another place together, and while the strains put on them both never weaken their love for each other, their less-than-ideal living situations and struggles to find a new place give the film a melancholy tone that - even with a terrific cast - I found just too much of a downer (realistic as it is) to fully enjoy, despite a few lyrical, almost beautiful moments. (rated R)  B-

LOVE IS STRANGE trailer

ACE ATTORNEY (2012)

Based on the "second and fourth cases" of the popular videogame "Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney", this stylish, fun, lighthearted mystery is set in a futuristic Japan, where the justice system is so overloaded all court cases are now decided within three days.  Phoenix Wright is a young, inexperienced attorney going up against a former friend-turned-rival, prosecutor Miles Edgeworth (who has yet to lose a case), in defending the sister of his mentor, Mia Fey, when Mia is murdered.  After that case gets Phoenix some fame, his next garners national attention when Phoenix finds himself defending none other than Miles, now accused of murder, against the most revered prosecutor in the country - Manfred von Karma - who has yet to lose in his entire 40-year career.  The mystery is complex, the film much like a videogame come to life as Phoenix traces the case back to an old case of Mia's that may have gotten her killed.  Intriguing, fun - and I want Phoenix's hair! (not rated)  A-

ACE ATTORNEY trailer

THE VOICES (2014)

Jerry (Ryan Reynolds) is an upbeat, easygoing, likable guy in Michigan who works for a company that makes bathtubs sinks, and fixtures.  He's quirky, a bit of a loner who keeps to himself, and only his boss and shrink know anything about the darker side of his past.  Then there are his pets - dog Bosco and cat Mr. Whiskers.  They are Jerry's real friends, who spend quality time at home with him after work; Bosco a big, loving doofus who constantly reminds Jerry he's a good guy, while Mr. Whiskers derides and rides Jerry about everything from not getting laid to committing murder.  THIS is where the "dark comedy" of the film comes in, as Jerry's first date with the office hottie goes very bad, VERY fast, and before long Jerry is the nicest, most affable and friendly serial killer you'd ever be likely to know.  The film is ... odd, to say the least, very heavy on the "dark" of "dark comedy" - but honestly, Ryan Reynolds is so terrific in it, so endearing (even providing the voices of Jerry's pets), I found it a weird but worthy watch - as well as one of Reynolds' best performances ever. (rated R)  B+

THE VOICES trailer