Walk, Don't Run

"After 7:45, you can have the bathroom all day if you'd like."
"I wouldn't know what to do in the bathroom all day!"

Sir William Rutland (Grant) arrives in Tokyo, Japan a few days early for his business trip.  When he arrives, all the hotels are booked for the 1964 Olympics, and there are no options.  While waiting for the American Embassy to help, he finds an advertisement to share a room.  The owner of the apartment is a British transplant, Christine Easton (Eggar), who is not excited about sharing her home with a man: what will people say?

The next morning, after surviving a strict morning bathroom schedule, Sir William meets Olympian Steve Davis (Hutton), who also arrived in Tokyo early and also needs a place to stay.  He convinces Sir William to rent out a portion of his room.  With all three under one roof, Sir William starts match-making the pair.


Cary Grant hand-picked this film, shot on location, as his final film.  It is the first in his film career where he is not playing the romantic male lead.  He is still the best part of the film.  His reactions and physical comedy are hysterical and remind you why he had a long and prosperous career in comedy films.  Pay attention to the morning scene after all three leads are living in the apartment... Grant owns the film, and it is apparent by just watching that scene.

Samantha Eggar and Jim Hutton (father of Timothy Hutton) are well matched as the romantic leads.  They interact well / have good chemistry, and play off each other well.  The rest of the supporting characters work well in their respective roles.

It's a gem... is it the best film in Cary Grants repertoire?  No, but it is a good way to leave a stellar career.  A must see for any Cary Grant enthusiast... and let's face it, who doesn't love Cary Grant movies?

Walk, Don't Run (1966) 114 minutes
Director: Charles Walters
Starring: Cary Grant as Sir William Rutland
Samantha Eggar as Christine Easton
Jim Hutton as Steve Davis
John Standing as Julius D. Haversack
Miiko Taka as Aiko Kurawa
Ted Hartley as Yuri Andreyovitch

Persepolis

"Never forget who you are and where you're from."

While sitting at the airport, Marji Satrapi (Mastroianni) reflects on her life.  Her childhood is spent in Iran at the start of the Islamic Revolution.  Her outspoken, inquisitive nature often leads to trouble, and to keep her from meeting the same fate as her outlaw uncle, Anouche (Francois Jerosme), her parents (Abkarian & Deneuve) send her to Vienna, Austria.  She spends her teen years in Europe discovering herself.  She gets homesick and returns to Iran for college.


In 2000 Marjane Satrapi turned her story into a series of graphic novels titled "Persepolis."  In 2007, she collaborated with Vincent Paronnaud to turn her graphic novels into a feature film.  The graphic novels and film are slightly different.  This film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Film, but lost to Pixar's Ratatouille.

The story draws you in from the beginning.  The storytelling style (color animation in the present, black and white in the past) is interesting.  Marji has a strong voice and strong narrative.  You can't take your eyes off the screen, which is good since the film is in French with subtitles.

A good, intriguing film.  Worth watching!

Persepolis (2007) 96 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for mature thematic material including violent images, sexual references, language and brief drug content.
Director: Vincent Paronnaud & Marjane Satrapi
Starring: Chiara Mastroianni as Marji Satrapi
Catherine Deneuve as Mrs. Satrapi
Danielle Darrieux as Grandmother
Simon Abkarian as Mr. Satrapi

Tangled

"Something brought you here, Flynn Rider. Call it what you will... fate... destiny..."
"A horse."

Rapunzel (Moore) longs for adventure.  She lives in an isolated tower, with only her mother, Gothel (Murphy), and chameleon, Pascal, for company.  She dreams of leaving the tower and seeing the world, specifically to see the floating lanterns that are released on her birthday every year.  Gothel forbids her from leaving and explains the evils of the world.

Meanwhile, thief Flynn Rider (Levi) is on the run.  After the latest heist, he is trying to avoid his accomplices, the Stabbington Brothers (Ron Perlman), and the authorities.  While on the run, he encounters Rapunzel's tower, and agrees to be her guide to the lanterns.  Can they make the trip without getting into trouble.

Dear Disney,

I was excited to hear about the newest addition to your princess collection.  I read about your exciting new film about Rapunzel (then titled Rapunzel) and couldn't wait for 2010 to arrive.  And then you changed the title... and kept the trailers devoid of songs.  I like Disney movies.  I like Disney Princess movies.  And I like Disney movies (princess or not) to have characters randomly burst into song.  What gives?

I understand that your last princess flick, The Princess and the Frog, was not the commercial success you were hoping for... get over it!  It was a good, respectable film that fits nicely into the Disney collection, unlike other previous films that were complete flops and no one remembers.  Was that any reason to mark a Disney princess movie to boys?  Boys are going to see the movie whether they know its a princess movie or not!

That gripping aside, Tangled, is a cute, memorable, funny film that I watched twice in one evening (because my roommate walked in as the end credits started rolling and wanted to watch it).  Rapunzel is a quirky princess, full of spunk and not afraid to fight her own battles.  Yes, she was sheltered, but she can still kick butt.  She isn't looking for a prince to save her, she is looking for a guide.  Mandy Moore was a great choice!

Flynn, as voiced by Zachary Levi, is an interested character, funny and memorable, but completely overshadowed by the non-talking animal characters: Hercules the horse and Pascal the chameleon.  The thugs are funny and Gothel is creepy.  The songs by Alan Menken are fun, but not super memorable.

A decent entry into the Disney collection, but next time, just admit it's a singing princess movie: you're audience will respect it and as long as it's a good story with some awesome characters and great songs, you'll have success (like Pixar... side note, I'm excited to see what Pixar will do with this genre in their new film Brave).

Thank you,

A concerned fan

Tangled (2010) 100 minutes
Director: Nathan Greno and Byron Howard
Starring: Mandy Moore as Rapunzel
Zachary Levi as Flynn Rider
Donna Murphy as Mother Gothel

Horrible Bosses

"You wanna explain why you were speeding?"
"I was drag racing."
"In a Prius?"
"I don't win a lot."

Best friends Nick (Bateman), Dale (Day), and Kurt (Sudeikis) hate their bosses.  Nick works tirelessly in a financial office for Dave Harken (Spacey), a psychotic man who regularly berates his employees.  Dale, a registered sex offender, is a dental assistant for Dr. Julia Harris (Aniston), who continually makes Dale uncomfortable with her sexual advances.  Kurt love his job at the chemical waste company, until his boss (Donald Sutherland) dies and leaves the company to his evil, coke addicted son Bobby Pellitt (Farrell).  Bobby sees the company as a piggy bank that he can drain on a whim, and forces Kurt to start firing staff.

Over dinner they joke that their lives would be better if their bosses were dead.  The more they think about it, the better it sounds... They even hire a "murder consultant" (Foxx), who suggests that they kill each others bosses, to avoid motives.

 

Featuring stellar performances from three comedy MVPs, this film is a riot.  Jason Bateman is the voice of reason (like his performance of Michael Bluth on “Arrested Development), Charlie Day is the awkward guy with great reactions (a variation of his Charlie on “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” role), and Jason Sudeikis is charming and hysterical (think “30 Rock”).  These TV comedians face-off against seasoned actors, playing to the extreme: Kevin Spacey is truly evil, Colin Farrell disappears behind makeup and prosthetics and goes for broke, and Jennifer Aniston does a complete 180 from her usual “good girl” persona to practically steal the film.  And Jamie Foxx is great as the murder consultant, with the scandalous name.

The director, Seth Gordon, best known for documentaries (such as The King of Kong), manages to capture funny performances from each actor, while reining in their tendency to ad-lib.  Make sure to stick around for the credits for some examples of their ad-libs.

Like other summer comedies, this is rated R... a great comedy, but be prepared to witness significant swearing.

Horrible Bosses (2011) 100 minutes

Rating: R for crude and sexual content, pervasive language and some drug material

Director: Seth Gordon

Starring: Jason Bateman as Nick Hendricks

Charlie Day as Dale Arbus

Jason Sudeikis as Kurt Buckman

Kevin Spacey as Dave Harken

Jennifer Aniston as Dr. Julia Harris

Colin Farrell as Bobby Pellitt

Jamie Foxx as Dean Jones

Just Go With It

"I would create a fake family for that."

Plastic surgeon Dr. Danny Maccabee (Sandler) wears a wedding ring, despite not being married.  He wears the ring as a way to pickup women without any chance of a long term relationship / commitment.  And then meets and falls for Palmer (Decker), who doesn't react well to his ring.

Danny lies and makes up a story that he is getting a divorce, and when she wants to meet his wife, he convinces Katharine (Aniston), his assistant, to play the part.  She agrees, and soon they are spinning a web of lies.  Danny bribes her children, Maggie (Bailee Madison) and Michael (Griffin Gluck) and his cousin Eddie (Swardson), and soon the whole group is off to Hawaii for vacation.  Can they keep up the charade, or will Palmer figure out the truth?


A remake of the film Cactus Flower from 1969, which was a remake of a play.  This film is a raunchier romp, in the vein of other Adam Sandler comedies.  It is essentially the same story, with some minor variations (and all new name changes).

Some of the changes work, the inclusion of the kids, but too often the jokes don’t work as well.  The script is o.k., but defaults too often to base humor.  It’s hard to cheer for Sandler, but the rest of the characters have a glimmer of hope.  Jennifer Aniston anchors the story as the voice of reason.  Brooklyn Decker is just a hot bod (just look at any promotional pictures or the theatrical trailer: all feature her in a bikini).  Nick Swardson is funny, but goes to far.  There are too many side trails (the Nicole Kidman and Dave Matthews subplot goes way too long) and not enough focus on defining the main characters and jokes.  There was potential, but it was never fulfilled.

Ok, but Cactus Flower is better.

Just Go With It (2011) 117 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for frequent crude and sexual content, partial nudity, brief drug references and language.
Director: Dennis Dugan
Starring: Adam Sandler as Danny Maccabee
Jennifer Aniston as Katharine
Nick Swardson as Eddie
Brooklyn Decker as Palmer