The Impossible (2012)

7.5 Popcorn boxes

The historic tsunami that struck Southeast Asia on the day after Christmas in 2004 is chronicled in this film, which personalizes the event through the eyes of one family, the Bennetts (changed from the actual Spanish names, to give a more universal appeal).  Henry (Ewen McGregor), his wife Maria (Naomi Watts) and their three boys have travelled to Thailand for a Christmas holiday, staying at a resort on the Indian Ocean.  They have settled in, and are enjoying the start of their holiday when, at 10:25 am, a tsunami triggered by a massive earthquake inundated their resort and miles of the surrounding coastline.  The family is immediately broken apart, and scattered, although Maria and her son Lucas survive the devastation together, and are rescued by local Thais, and brought, eventually, to a hospital.  Maria is seriously hurt, but Lucas suffered only minor injuries.  The film focuses on the efforts of Maria and the rest of the family to survive and regroup amidst the terror and confusion of the horrific calamity.

 It's a compelling tale, and gives us an inside look at a disaster and the aftermath.  There is much doubt throughout the film as to the outcome of each character, and the film is sensitive and insightful regarding the logistics of getting aid to victims, the role of the local population in handling the difficulties of managing the fates not only of their own people, but the thousands of visitors who, in many cases, spoke not one word of Thai.

The film is effective and touching.  Most people seemed to be doing the best they could under the circumstances, and the rescue effort seemed remarkably free of the selfishness and price gouging that might be expected elsewhere (not that that didn't happen, but it's not seen here).

Special note must be made of the special effects duplicating the actual tsunami.  It wasn't an easy task to relate the effects of billions and billions of gallons of seawater had on the low-lying land, but they did a very good job here, on a fairly limited budget.

The film was directed by Antonio Bayona, and based on the esperience of Maria Belon.

The film is rated PG-13 for somewhat graphic scenes of disaster victims and brief nudity

Desert Hearts (1985)

6.5 Popcorn boxes

This film has been in my film collection for years; I finally got around to watching it.

It's billed as a ground-breaking film that seeks to show a lesbian relationship that doesn't end in suicide, madness, or a sudden conversion to heterosexuality.  Despite its legendary status among gays and lesbians, 'Desert Hearts' in an uneven film.

Vivian Bell (Helen Shaver) is a Columbia English professor who travels to Reno, Nevada, to establish the six week residency necessary in the 1950s to achieve a 'quickie' divorce.  She stays at a 'divorce dude ranch' to wait out her six weeks.  The ranch is run by Francis Parker, a lonely widow, who tries to support the ranch outside of Reno by taking in borders such as Bell.

Also living at the ranch is a change girl, Cay Rivvers (the very lovely Patricia Charbonneau).  Cay is introduced to Vivian in a stunning car scene, in which the car Cay is driving, goes in reverse at high speed to match Vivian and Francis' car.  Later, as Vivian settles in her temporary home, She encounters the unconventional Cay in more relaxed settings.  Cay is attracted to Vivian from the start, but Vivian doesn't reciprocate.  Later, Vivian begins to change her mind, and, tentatively responds to Cay's overtures.

First the good points: the film is lushly photographed.  High desert such as the area around Reno can be quite beautiful, and it's on high display here.  The period cars (the film is set in 1959) are fantastic.  The soundtrack is a high point, relating time-appropriate music.  The two leads are beautiful, well-costumed, and know their lines.

The bad points: the story is stilted, as is the acting.  The film is curiously emotionless. Shaver is only somewhat believable as she softens her tone to Cay Rivvers.  For herself, Charbonneu doesn't fully inhabit her role.  Audra Lindley is not very believable as Parker.  She's stiff and a bit wooden in her performance.  You never know if she's got a sexual desire for Cay, or just wants companionship.  Even the ending is unsatisfying.

Rated R for graphic sexual scenes.

Red (1994)

9.5 Popcorn boxes

The final installment of the Three Colors Trilogy (the other two, 'Blue' and 'White'), director Krzysztof Kieslowski gives us a strong installment of the series.

Valentine Dussaut (Irene Jacob) while driving destracted, hits and injures a dog.  She tracks down the dog's owner, Joseph Kern (Jean-Louis Trintignant) but he gives the pregnant dog to Valentine.  They begin a platonic relationship, with both learning much about each other, life, and relationships.

It's a complicated plot, but suffice it to say, everything is mainly tied up at the end, bringing to a conclusion all three films of the trilogy.

This was Kieslowski's final film, unfortunately.  He died during open-heart surgery just two years after the film.  We will never know what other masterpieces he had in him.

Rated R for sexual content

White (1994)

9.0 Popcorn boxes

This second in the series Three Colors directed by Krzysztof Kieslowski, White is the story of the oddly named Karol Karol (Zbigniew Zamachowski) who, having been divorced by his wife in France, travels back to Poland in a suitcase, of all things.  He plots revenge on his wife, but has no means to accomplish this task.

He falls in with Mikolaj (Janusz Gajos) who wants to hire him to kill a 'suicide'.  The intended victim is a surprise.  After much development, Karol is able to become wealthy, and finally is in a position to seek revenge on his unfaithful wife.

All of this reads poorly, and makes the film sound uninteresting, and, yes, weird, but believe me, it's rich and replete with great characters, interesting settings, and a sense of justice finally served.

A fine film, but probably the weakest in the trilogy.  Has many amusing scenes.  The one when the suitcase containing Karol ends up in Poland is a classic.

Rated R for some sexual content, language

Blue (1993)

10.0 Popcorn boxes

There are three colors in the French flag, blue, white, and red.  Famed Polish director Krzysztof Keislowski (The Decalogue) directed three films bases loosely on the three themes associated with the colors of the flag: liberty, equality and fraternity.  The first of these films is Blue.

The stunning Juliette Binoche stars as Julie de Courcy, who survives a terrible car wreck that takes the life of her composer husband and her daughter.  She disassociates from her former life, withdrawing into herself as she moves from her home to an apartment in Paris.  She slowly becomes re-engaged in life, with the help of a female friend, Lucille (Charlotte Very).  She has to deal with an old family friend who becomes intent on finishing her late husband's unfinished composition.

This is film making at its best.  Universally beloved the Three Colors trilogy starts with 'Blue', and it's an auspicious beginning indeed.  Binoche has never looked so radiant, so serious, and so fulling inhabiting a character.  The cinematography is excellent, and the French location is used to help convey a sense of place.

This is a great film.  It should be on any film buff's list of must see films.  It's routinely on the list of best films of all time.

Rated R for some sexual content

Alex & Emma (2003)

6.5 Popcorn boxes

This slight but humorous romantic comedy was directed by Rob Reiner and stars Luke Wilson as Alex Sheldon and Kate Hudson as Emma Dinsmore.

Alex is a writer with a hit book under his belt, and he's contracted to write his sophomore novel.  But he has a problem...actually two problems.  He owes money to the 'Cuban mafia' and he has a serious case of writer's block.  After a visit by two thugs, he's informed he has just 30 days to finish the book he can't get started.

He hires Emma as a stenographer to take down his spoken lines of the novel.  It's rough going at the beginning, because besides being a stenographer, Emma is a tough reviewer, telling Alex that certain of his passages just don't make sense.

Interwoven into the present day, is a film within a film, set in the 1920s of the novel Alex is writing.  Alex appears as Adam Shipley who is hired to tutor the two children of the beautiful, but broke, Polina Delacroix (the beautiful Sophie Marceau).  Shipley soon falls for the penniless Delacroiz, but is also tempted by her au pair, played by Kate Hudson.

The separate stories collide as Alex completes his novel, he and Emma confront the reality that was hinted at in the novel.

This is a by-the-numbers romcom, but it's light and airy, and isn't bogged down by needless subplots and twists.  The film's denouement doesn't come as a shock, but it's satisfying and sweet.

For a film of this nature, the leads must have chemistry, or the whole conceit falls apart.  Here, the is just enough to make the film work.

Rated PG-13 for mild sexual content and language

Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her (2000)

8.0 Popcorn boxes

I'll confess:  I thought that this film with the long title was a romantic comedy.  It's about as far from a romantic comedy as you can get, and not have explosions.

This is a loose collections of mildly interwoven stories centering around several women.  It's presented in a number of chapters, each featuring one or two female protagonists

The film begins with Kathy Farber (Amy Branneman), a lonely homicide detective, investigating the apparent suicide of a young woman.  We quickly change pace, and go to the home of Dr. Elaine Keener, a lonely doctor who is caring for an elderly woman who cannot manage on her own.  She's visited by a tarot card reader, Christine Taylor (Calista Flockhart).

The next story involves Rebecca Haynon (Holly Hunter) who is a lonely bank manager.  She encounters a homeless woman who unsettles her.  She has a married lover, but meets and beds a co-worker, Walter (Matt Craven).

Next we encounter Rose (Kathy Baker), a women on a second career as an author of children's books.  She's a lonely single mother whose a bit too close to her son. and is unduly interested in her new neighbor.

We learn more about Christine Taylor (Flockhart) in the next story.  Her partner Lily (Valerie Golino) is dying, probably of cancer.  Her sensitive nature is often tested by Lily, who has nothing emotionally to lose.

Police detective Kathy Farber, lives with her blind sister Carol (Cameron Diaz).  Kathy is highly protective of her sister, but Carol is more fearless.  Walter (Craven) re-enters the picture when he goes out with Carol. 

The film ends with Dr. Keener goes to a bar, and meets Walter,

The premise of the movie is fine; interwoven stories don't happen a lot in film, and this one ties together neatly.  It's written and directed by Rodrigo Garcia, who's a producer, writer, director, and cinematographer.  His background is mainly in television and in web series.

This is not a happy film.  As you can tell by my plot synopsis, this is a film about lonely, struggling women.  It's worth the time watching it.  The acting is uniformly good; in fact Holly Hunter (who has never looked better) was nominated for an Emmy (since it went directly to cable).

Rated PG-13 for mature themes and some sexual content.  

The Constant Gardener (2005)

8.5 Popcorn boxes

The excellent British film actor Ralph Fiennes plays the troubled Justin Quayle, who is married to the mercurial Tess (Rachel Weisz).  Tess is a strong, forthright doctor who is obsessed about social issues, from war to corporate greed.  At the beginning of the film, Tess is missing, and it's up to Justin, who loves his unconventional wife very much, to unravel the mysteries surrounding her death.

The film is non-linear, with frequent flashbacks, which took some getting used to.  So even though Tess is very much dead, she plays a large part in the film.  She's not an altogether sympathetic character, willing to trade on her looks and 'feminine wiles' to achieve her goals.  She's suspicious of a drug trial being conducted in Kenya.  Participants on the whole do well in a trial of a tuberculosis drug, dypraxa, but some end up very dead, due to side effects.  The company literally buries its failures, and Tess goes out looking for them.

The film is based on the book of the same name by John LeCarre.  LeCarre made his name writing Cold War thrillers such as 'The Spy Who Came in from the Cold', and 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy' (both superb books made into more than excellent films and miniseries).  He had a fallow period with the end of the East-West spy trade, and it took him a while to find new venues to explore.

LeCarre is a left-of-center writer, who has said that the corporate misdeeds in this film were just a 'holiday postcard' compared to what goes on in the pharmaceutical business.  What he doesn't explain, though, is how a bad drug like dypraxa would not be eventually found out.  I don't particularly share his paranoia, but I see where he's coming from.

Director Fernando Meirelles, a Brazilian by birth, turns in an excellent picture, capturing screenwriter Jeffrey Caine's vision of the LeCarrie novel.   Caine's screenplay was nominated for an Academy Award, as it should have been. 

The photography and location shots must be commented upon.  Africa, as portrayed in the film, is a sprawling, complex land of violence, extreme poverty, and natural beauty.

Rated R for violence and sexual content

Fearless (1993)

8.5 Popcorn boxes

Directed by famed director Peter Weir, 'Fearless' stars Jeff Bridges as Max Klein, who, as the film opens, is in a plane crash in an agricultural area.  He survives, but is haunted by the event, which changes his life.  He becomes obsessed with the idea of life and death, and how, and why, he survived the crash, while others didn't.  He meets with a fellow survivor, Carla (Rosie Perez), who lost her child in the crash.  Max's behavior becomes even more erratic, and his wife Laura (Isabella Rossellini) is afraid he's trying to commit suicide.

Bridges does an excellent job in the film.  Perez is effective as one of the other survivors.  Director Weir melds the increasingly reckless behavior with the world he doesn't quite seem to be in anymore.  The photography is very good, the plane crash convincing, and the difficulty conveying the thought process of someone not quite behaving normally, done very well indeed.

I enjoyed the film more than I thought I would.  Weir brings the viewer into a world where an examination of how one feels facing death is the central theme.  I'm as questioning as the next guy about what, if anything, happens after death.  This film is as concerned with that as the great film 'Resurrection'.

Rated R for language and disturbing imagery.

The Cold Lands (2013)

8.0 Popcorn boxes

This indie feature is an odd duck.  It's almost glacierly slow.  Long periods go by with just a babbling creek, or some ducks, or just the wind blowing through the forest.  When the film opened, I didn't know what to expect.  I was wondering if I'd be presented with random nature shot with sound.  But, be patient, there is actually a story here.

Atticus (Silas Yelich) is a 'sensitive' teenager, who lives in a very rural part of upper New York state.  He lives with his mother, Nicole (Lili Taylor).  They seem to have a good relationship, but Atticus is prone to just wander off into the forest, finding abandoned places, or empty spaces.  They're poor, but they manage, with some help from concerned friends.  Nicole works as an office cleaner.  They surprisingly have a nice car, and they stop for items placed by the side of the road.  They conserve electricity by having 'pioneer nights' and light candles.

Nicole is sick.  The film doesn't dwell on it at all, just let's us know.  Atticus doesn't know what to do about it, and wants to help, but can't.  Something happens, and Atticus retreats to the forest that he loves.

I'm ambivalent about the film.  It's a moody piece, and terrible things are always threatening.  The film is very low-keyed.  Most people raised on spectaculars won't like it, I'm betting, since it takes a long time to get started.  Some will really like it, and watch it again.

Tom Gilroy wrote and directed.  Gilroy's 'Touch Base' was included on my DVD.  It features an outstanding performance by Lili Taylor. Gilroy is more noted as an actor, but he did direct 'Spring Forward (1999).

Unrated, but probably a PG-13 film

Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

9.0 Popcorn Boxes

Zero Dark Thirty is a sprawling film set in Washington DC, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, and chronicles a fictionalized account of the US hunt for Osama bin Laden, the leader of the al-Qaeda terrorist network.  The film revolves around Maya (Jessica Chastain), who is obsessed with capturing or killing bin Laden.  She’s aided by Dan (Jason Clarke) and Jessica (Jennifer Ehle), who portray fellow CIA agents.  Kyle Chandler (Joseph Bradley), has a meaty role as the Islamabad CIA station chief.   The cast is rounded out with a number of rough-and-tumble macho-types who play Navy Seal team members

The movie really could be entitled ‘Maya’s Obsession’.  By 2011, al-Qaeda was a diminished agent of terror, and bin-Laden’s hand could not be found on many terrorist acts.  So his capture/killing took on more of a symbolic act than one that could, for example, prevent another September 11.  Maya’s spent her whole career hunting bin-Laden, and cannot change her focus, though her help is needed on other terrorism matters, such as the attempted bombing of New York’s Time Square.  In the film, Maya is obnoxious, abrasive, insultive, annoying and off-putting.  You’re surprised she could keep her job.  She not only doesn’t mind stepping on toes, she relishes it.  However, through dogged work, enhanced interrogation and some lucky breaks , she and other CIA agents finally track down bin-Laden’s most trusted courier, and follow him to bin Laden’s fortified compound.  Finally getting permission to raid the home, Navy Seals come under the cover of darkness and breach the compound’s substantial walls, and find and kill the terrorist.

Zero Dark Thirty is a very effective film.  It’s exciting and fascinating as it explores the culture of Pakistan and the world of intelligence gathering.  We get to see how  interrogation techniques can generate real information without going into forbidden areas of torture and violence, and how hard work and sacrifice can pay off.  The difficulties in assessing sometimes contradicting information is on excellent display here. 

The film was nominated for numerous awards, including five academy awards, (though it only won for sound editing) and four Golden Globe awards, wining one for Best Actress for Jessica Chastain. 

Rated R for disturbing imagery and violence

American Sniper (2014)

9.5 Popcorn boxes

Chris Kyle was a killing machine (to borrow the cliche).  He served four tours in Iraq, fighting in many of the most hellacious battles of the war.

Kyle's mission was simple.  He and his sniper rifle (apparently a Winchester 700 hunting rifle) would lie on a roof top, overlooking Marines who were searching for the enemy on the streets below.  He was brutally effective, and credited with about 160 confirmed kills (Kyle claimed it was far more).

Kyle (Bradley Cooper) was an efficient Navy Seal sniper, but in between his tours, he had difficulty re-adjusting to civilian life, according to the film.  His long-suffering wife (the film implies), Taya (Sienna Miller) doesn't want him to go back to Iraq time and time again, arguing that he needs to be more than a fighter, but a husband and father.  Taya is afraid that Kyle is more interested in war than home, but he explains that it's his need to protect 'his' Marines that draws him back.

The film displays many exiting battle scenes, that really give a flavor of the violence, bloodshed, and chaos of modern warfare.  Director Clint Eastwood has crafted a fine film, neatly balancing combat footage (most of the film) with Kyle trying to decompress after the rush of battle. 

Altogether, and great film, and one to add to the greatest war films of all time.

Rated R for violence and language

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)

4.5 Popcorn boxes

This is Woody Allen's film through and through.  He wrote it and directed it, and it shows.

Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) are best friends who decide to spend the summer in Barcelona at the home of expats Judy and Mark.  The decide to take in the sights, and end up at an art gallery where artist Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem) is showing some of his paintings.  Cristina is intrigued, but Vicky is cool to the artist.  At dinner, they meet Juan again, and he invites them both to Oviedo, and small town in Spain, telling them that he's attracted to both of them..  Vicky is quite dismissive, and even repulsed by Juan, but Cristina, ever game for a new love affair, agrees to fly with Juan to his father's home.  Juan eventually becomes involved with the two Americans.  His crazy ex-wife Maria Elena (Penelope Cruz) re-enters Antonio's life, and complications ensue.

Part of the problem I had with the film is that the dialog was so blatantly Allen's, that it was off-putting.  He didn't write to the characters, but as if he was one or more of the characters.  His tortured mindset is in full display here, but it's as if the last 30 years never happened.  It's an old-fashioned film, and I don't mean that in a complimentary sense.

Another thing: what's Allen trying to say here?  What I took away from the film is that (1) American women are loose, (2) they're suckers for an accent, (3) most American men are dull, boring, and parochial.  Marriage to dull men may be safe, Allen says, but it's unfulfilling, and leads to life-long regrets.  Not an original message, nor compelling in any sense.

Rated PG-13 for mild sexual themes. language

Fools Rush In (1997)

5.5 Popcorn boxes

Smack dab in the middle of TV's 'Friends', Matthew Perry found the time to film this lightweight romcom about an architect who flies in to Las Vegas, Nevada, to oversee the construction of a nightclub.  There, he meets Selma Hayek, who's single and attracted to Perry's character.  They spend the night together, and decide they don't want to continue the relationship.  He flies back to New York.  She contacts him much later to tell him he's about to become a father.

The film is just so-so.  Perry and Hayek are attractive and competent actors, but there's just not that much compatibility between them.  It's enjoyable enough to watch once, but again, not so much.

Rated PG-13 for sexual suggestiveness and language

Look at Me (2004)

8.0 Popcorn boxes

Look at Me (Comme une image) is a French film about a conceited writer and his put-upon daughter.  Elienne Cassard (Jean-Pierre Bacri) is a celebrated novelist, who gets special treatment at night clubs and restaurants.  He's married, and has a daughter, Lolita (Marilou Berry) who is just about had it with her father's celebrity.  People are constantly trying to meet Elienne, and not above using Lolita to get to him.  Elieene is very self-centered, and seemingly cares for little other than himself.  Lolita has a musical talent, but she can hardly interest her father in it, or her.  Lolita has two suitors, and has to choose between them.

Living in the shadow of a famous parent is probably difficult-the tabloids are full of troubled children of celebrities.  It's an interesting topic, and 'Look at Me' examines the plight of the ignored daughter of such a famous man.  It's a double-edged sword; you enjoy the perks of being related to Mr. Famous, but you're always in his shadow.   It's a French film, which means lots of dialog and personal insight, not as much action.  It's a subdued film, it's not going to hit you over the head with the message.

Rated PG-13 for language

In Bruges (2008)

 8.0 Popcorn boxes

Two hit men are sent from England to Bruges, Belgium, by their boss (Ralph Fiennes) after Ray (Colin Farrell) accidentally kills a child in a church, while shooting a priest.  Ken (Brendan Gleeson), the older and more experienced of the two, commiserates with Ray, but points out he didn't kill the child intentionally.  It was an accident, after all.

Ray hates Bruges, describing it in very unflattering, and obscene terms.  He hates being cooped up with Ken, so he goes out one night on a date with a woman he met on a film set.  Complications ensue.  Meanwhile, Harry Waters (Fiennes) heads to Bruges himself to rectify the mistaken killing Ray committed.

This is a very dark film, with some elements of comedy thrown it, but to describe it as a dramedy is carrying it a bit far.  None of the characters is a good guy, just some are worse than others.  Harry may be a murderer, but he does have his own sense of honor.

The cinematography is excellent; I doubt Bruges ever looked so good.  The acting is uniformly good, as you'd expect from a top-notch cast.  Farrell is especially good as the depressive, morose Ray, who wonders if he's really cut out to be a murder-for-hire man.

Rated R for violence, language, and some mild sexual content.

El rey de la Montana (aka King of the Hill, King of the Mountain) (2007)

6.0 Popcorn boxes

This taunt little thriller is about a man, Quim (Leonardo Sbaraglia) who is driving, apparently in Spain, to perhaps meet a former girlfriend, Sofia.  He stops at a gas station/convenience store, and while on the pay phone, spots a pretty woman, Bea (Maria Valverde) who is stuffing items into her jacket.  They exchange looks.  He goes into the women's bathroom, and encounters the woman again.  They have a sexual encounter, and she leaves.  Quim discovers she's stolen his wallet, and he resignedly continues on his way.

He then spots the woman driving up a side road, so he turns and follows her,  Then, his car is hit by rifle fire.  He stops, and gets out to inspect the damage, when he is shot in the leg.  He scrambles back to his car, and speeds off, up the mountain.  He stops when construction equipment blocks his way, and he tries to flee on foot.  He's targeted again, goes back to his car, turns around and speeds off down the hill.  He runs over the gunman, who has appeared with a black lab, killing the man.  He encounters Bea again, and they drive off in her car when his car has stopped running.  Soon, they are under attack again.

We're obviously supposed to identify with Quim, who's the target of an unseen sniper.  But (spoiler alert!) he uncharacteristically turns the table on Bea, leaving her to fend for herself against the murderers.  In other words, he's a coward.  This fact knocks the film down a couple of popcorn boxes.  (End spoiler alert) 

The film is well photographed.  For an independent film, the production values are very good.  The plot is suspenseful; we never know what's coming next, and the tension never lets up.  A man and a gun always seems to be there.  The reveal of who's behind the killing is a shock, and the ending is unexpected.

Rated R for violence and brief sexual content

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (1987)

8.5 Popcorn boxes

Ever try to get home for the holidays?  Steve Martin and John Candy do, and the results are hilarious.  Every thing that could go wrong, seems to.  Neal Page (Martin) and Del Griffith (Candy) meet up while both are trying to get out of New York, headed for Chicago.  It's an accidental meeting when they fight over a cab.  They meet again on the plane to Chicago, but the flight is diverted because of a snow storm.  Next, they try a train, but that breaks down.  Neal tries to rent a car, but is frustrated by an uncaring agent.  Del is able to rent a car, and the two drive together towards Chicago, but there's an auto fire and other complications.

Both Martin and Candy hit their stride in the film; both are perfect in their roles.  Martin is urbane and a type-A personality; Candy is a shower ring salesman who is much more relaxed and laid back.  They play off each other extremely well.

This is a buddy film in the best sense of the term.  They're on the trip from hell, and it shows.  John Hughes (Sixteen Candles, Ferris Bueller's Day Off) directed.

Rated R for language

The Interview (2014)

7.5 Popcorn boxes

North Korea reportedly was in a tizzy regarding the release of this movie, but they really shouldn't have worried (much).  Yes, the film points out that famines have occurred, food shortages are rampant, and the 'dear leader' is a strange guy.  But there's no new insult to Kim Jung-un.  Instead, he can speak flawless English, likes American television, and can dunk a basketball.

This comedy stars Seth Rogen and James Franco (who starred together in the late, lamented 'Freaks and Geeks' television show) play a television producer (Aaron Rapoport) and host (David Skylark), respectively.  Turns out Jung-un is a big fan of their program, and agrees to be interviewed, in North Korea, for 'The Skylark Tonight'.  Skylark is a pompous blowhard of limited intelligence, who has huge ratings by showing the seamier side of life.  Rapoport is his producer who comes to want to do more serious news stories.

The CIA learns of the interview, and recruits the pair to assassinate Jung-un while in Pyongyang.  Plans go awry, and they have to improvise to carry out their mission, and save themselves.

The North Korean controversy certainly put 'The Interview' in the headlines, especially when theaters around the country pulled the film in response to threats from that country.  It's not a particularly funny film, but it has the requisite Rogen humor, including male-to-male physical contact, occasional sex scenes, flatulence jokes, and frequent references to various body parts. 

It's funny enough to watch once, and the two leads are up to the task at hand.  Randall Park, who plays Kim Jung-un, does a good job as a man-child who has his finger on the nuclear button.  He's actually a pretty nice guy here, albeit with a heck of a temper.

Rated R for sexual content, language, and violence

Neighbors (2014)

8.5 Popcorn boxes

This is another Seth Rogen vehicle and as usual, he's raunchy and funny.  This time around, he plays Mac Redner, who with his wife Kelly (Rose Bryne) and baby girl Stella live in a nice, two story home in a nice part of Southern California.

Mac and Kelly's neighbors have moved out, and the home is sold.  They're shocked and dismayed to learn that a fraternity is moving in.  (This must be everyone's nightmare.)  But they have to deal with it, since no one is going to buy a house next door to a frat house.

Mac and Kelly decide to be cool and introduce themselves to the Greeks.  It goes pretty well, but soon, the noise level escalates to the point they can't sleep.  The fraternity president invites the 'old guys' to their party, and Mac and Kelly relive their youth by mixing it up with the younger college kids.

One thing leads to another, and bad blood between the two ensues, and a war breaks out between the old and new generation, until the final confrontation occurs one late spring night.

If you've seen a Seth Rogen film, you know what to expect.  There is a lot of course language and risque behavior.  There's simulated sex, topless women (and men), and a fair amount of bad behavior exhibited by all concerned.  I found it hilarious. 

Rated R for language, sexual content, and frequent drug use

Begin Again (2013)

 9.0 Popcorn boxes

Director John Carney, having hit gold with the wonderful 'Once', turns his scriptwriting talent to another modern musical, 'Begin Again'.  Set in New York instead of Once's Dublin, the film begins when a troubled record company executive Dan Mulligan (Mark Ruffalo) gets fired from the company he founded years ago, for not bringing in successful musical acts.  He spends the day drowning his sorrow with drink, at first accompanied by his teenaged daughter, then on his own.  Drunk, he wanders into a bar that is showcasing local talent.  Gretta James (Keira Knightley) is coxed on stage by her friend and fellow musician Steve (James Corden).  Dan is almost immediately entranced by Gretta, and offers her a record contract, though he's not actually working anymore.  Gretta dismisses her own talent, primarily because her boyfriend Dave Kohl (Adam Levine) is newly rich and famous for his music recently featured in a film (which Gretta contributed to).  Dan perseveres, and the embark on making an album by themselves, without a contract or a studio.

'Begin Again' isn't as good as 'Once', but that magical film would be hard to duplicate.  On its own, it's a solid rag-to-riches story with winning performances, especially Ruffalo's and Knightley's.  The music is very good, and Knightley adequately sings all of her own songs.  Glen Hansard, who wrote much of the music for 'Once', contributed to the music on this film.  I'd watch it again, it's that pleasant.

Rated R for language

Pipe Dream (2002)

6.5 Popcorn boxes

At its core, Pipe Dream has a funny premise; a plumber who has no luck with attractive, successful women because he's 'invisible', decides to fake being a film director so he can have attractive actresses audition for a movie that doesn't exist.  

Martin Donovan plays David Kulovic (and David Coppolberg, his nom de plume as the director), a plumber who just can't meet or hang on to the kind of women he's attracted to.  So he convinces a friend who's in the movie business to set up a fake casting call, seeking a young, attractive woman.  He needs a script for the women to audition with, so he purloins a script that one of his female friends has written (Toni Edelman, played with flair by Mary-Louise Parker).  Suddenly, there is 'buzz' about the film, and women are clamoring to get into the non-existent movie, and financiers are offering to underwrite it for millions of dollars.  He now needs a completed script;, so Toni agrees to have him film her unsold script.

As I've said, it's a funny premise, and the film does launches some barbs that hit home convincingly about the film business.  My problem with the film is Donovan, who plays the lead so laconically that there's little spark and humor.  If he possessed a bit more (or a lot more) joie de vivre, the film would have gone down better.  He performance just doesn't have the energy needed to make this a fun romp.

I'm giving it a positive rating, though, primarily on the dead-on skewering of the often pompous nature of the film-making business.

Rated R for simulated sex

What About Bob? (1991)

8.5 Popcorn Boxes

Bob Wiley (Bill Murray) has a problem.  Truth be told, he has a lot of problems.  He is a germaphobe, he fears elevators, he has trouble leaving his apartment, and he carries his pet goldfish Gill around with him.  He needs a new psychiatrist; his latest one retired just to get rid of him.  He's referred to Dr. Leo Marvin (Richard Dreyfuss), a self-aggrandizing shrink who agrees to take on Bob.  When they first meet, Marvin presses his new book 'Baby Steps' into Bob's hands, then bills him for it.  He informs Bob that he and his family are going on vacation for a month.

Bob feels a connection with Leo, but the feeling is hardly mutual.  After tracking down Leo in his vacation home, he shows up seeking a relationship with Leo and his family.  Although Leo tells Bob that it's inappropriate for a patient to have a personal relationship with his therapist, Bob ingratiates himself with Leo's family, who appreciate his friendliness and good nature.  He drives Leo up a wall, and he finally snaps.

'What About Bob?' is Murray's film.  He's allowed to indulge in his trademarked goofy, but good-willed nature.  He's very effective as that guy you just can't get rid off, in spite of your best efforts.  He gives a very good performance being, well, Bill Murray.  Richard Dreyfuss is good as well, ending up with just about what he deserves.  It's a funny film.  Frank Oz directs.

Rated PG

I Love You, Man (2009)

8.5 Popcorn boxes

Paul Rudd plays a straight-laced real estate agent (Peter Klaven) who is engaged to be married to Zooey Rice (Rashida Jones).  But there's one problem: Peter has no best man.  Loathe to ruin the perfect wedding, Peter sets out to find a best friend in time for the upcoming wedding.

He's not having much luck, but at an open house for an expensive home, in waltzes the rather coarse, uncouth Sydney Fife (Jason Segel) who's pretty much just looking for single women, and free food.  In spite of their difference, the two bond, especially when each discovers a love for the same rock band.

Meanwhile, Zooey is suspicious of Peter's new friend.  She thinks he's taking advantage of Peter, especially when she finds out Sydney has borrowed money from Peter.  It's not as bad as Zooey thinks, though, and the investment starts paying dividends.

It took a while, but I warmed up to this unusual premise.  Bromances can be awkward to say the least, but this one is warm, funny, and ultimately pays off with much gentle humor.  Rudd and Segel have starred in several other films together, 'Knocked Up' and 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' (both very fine films).  They're comfortable together, and that makes for good chemistry between the two.

Rated R for language

Taken 3 (2014)

8.0 Popcorn boxes

The third-and final-installment in the 'Taken' series, Taken 3 is as full of action and plot twists as you'd expect.

Liam Neeson reprises his role as Bryan Mills, a former operative.  In this installment, Mills is framed for the murder of his ex-wife Lenore (Famke Janssen) who's married to Stuart St. John (Dougray Scott).  The police nab him as the prime suspect, and arrest him.  He escapes, and fights (literally) to clear his name.  He's on the run not only from the police, but from a shadowy group headed by a former Russian commando.  His daughter Kim (Maggie Grace) mourns the loss of her mother, but knows that her father didn't commit the murder.  Mills must contend with a dogged police inspector, as well as the Russians and other foes as well.

As you'd expect with an action/thriller like Taken 3, you get fistfights, car chases, foot chases, more fistfights, explosions, shoot outs, even more fistfights, and a lot of violent deaths.  For what it is, Taken 3 delivers the goods, and provides a satisfying conclusion to the Taken franchise.  Liam Neeson retains his appeal amid all the carnage.

Rated PG-13 for violence, language

The Answer Man (2009)

7.5 Popcorn boxes

A best-selling author of a book entitled 'Me and God', Alan Farber (Jeff Daniels), is on the lam: 20 years after becoming world famous for the book, he is a recluse, trying to hide from all who have tough questions about God.  They're hoping for answers, thinking that Farber had a direct line to heaven.  Trouble is, Farber wrote a one-of book, and no longer feels any spiritual bond with the deity.  And he's awkward emotionally as well.

Enter Elizabeth (Lauren Graham), a chiropractor whom Faber consults when hurts his back.  He's attracted to her, and she seems interested, especially when she finds out who he is.  She's not in the especially in the market for spiritual advice, but she's interested in companionship, including having a a father figure for her son Alex (Max Antisell).  Also in the mix is an alcoholic and broke bookstore owner Kris Lucas (Lou Taylor Pucci).  Lucas is in clear need of help, and he hopes Farber is just the man for the job.

I'm of two minds about the film.  It's a funny premise to have a cultural religious icon who is sick (and profane) about his fame, and is cynical about the way he ever got there.  He's become a misanthrope, and genuinely dislikes people.  However, he is also capable of some very insightful, and even beautiful, statements about God and man.  The two personality types don't mix well.

In a stand out performance, Graham is appealing as a newly-minted chiropractor who helps Farber with his bad back.  Graham's face is alive with little smiles, narrowed eyes, aw-shucks moments.  She can get more out a scene with just her facial expressions than most actors can do with their whole bodies.  It's a great pleasure to watch.

Rated R for language

Swedish Auto (2006)

2.5 Popcorn boxes

Swedish Auto is an independent film that never saw much (if any) of a theatrical release.  It stars January Jones (Darla) and Lukas Haas as Carter.  Carter is an auto mechanic at a shop that only works on Volvos (hence the title).  Darla is a waitress at a diner the mechanic crew often goes to for lunch.  Carter likes Darla, but he's too shy and introverted that he doesn't say much at all to her, though it's obvious she likes him.

The film is so leisurely as to be almost catatonic.  The pace is glacierly slow, it's pretty boring for much of the film.  Apart from Jones and Haas, the acting is amateurish.  The script is spare to the point of being incomprehensible, the settings are not well dressed, and a number of inconsistencies arise, and the dialog stops making sense in spots. 

It's interesting to see the gorgeous January Jones here, pre-Mad Men.  She's a sympathetic character here (though only in the movies would a knockout like Jones have zero men attracted to her).  There's no chemistry between the two leads, and you really don't know what she sees in him.  An abusive step-father and an ill mother are thrown in for good measure.

The best thing about the film is the score.  It's really good.

This one goes back on the shelf, never to be seen again.  Why this film was even made is a puzzle.

Pulp Fiction (1994)

8.5 Popcorn boxes

I'm probably the last person on the planet to have not seen Pulp Fiction.  This film has legions of admirers, many websites (still) devoted to the film, and continued positive response from the critics.  I'm of two minds about the film; I enjoyed the inventiveness of the film, the acting (for the most part) and the non-linear play out of Pulp Fiction, but the violence and the fact there are few sympathetic characters. 

For the two or three monks who are unfamiliar with the plot, it goes something like this:  In a diner, a couple, Pumpkin and Bunny, decide to rob the restaurant that they're in.  Meanwhile, Vincent Vega (John Travolta) and the Bible-quoting Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) are on their way to retrieve a briefcase stolen by several young men.  Winnfield kills both men, leaving a third man.

In a parallel story arc, Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis) is a down-on-his-luck boxer who agrees to throw a fight for a large sum of money from Marcellus Wallace. 

As the story unfolds, Vega drives to Marcellus' house to 'babysit' his wife, Mia (Uma Thurman).  He tells himself to not get involved with her, but a situation arises that causes him to get in deeper than he intended.

Eventually, the stories intersect and a resolution occurs.

It seems there is a schism in the film-loving community over this film.  Some people are obsessed with the film (what WAS in that briefcase?) and those repelled by the violence and general structure of the film.  Me?  I have a mixed opinion.  While it is inventive, as I said, the violence and underlying malevolence of the film is off-putting to make it rough going at times.