Machine Gun Preacher

"Are you military?"
"Hell no. I just like my guns."

When Sam Childers (Butler) is released from prison, he expects to return to the status quo, but everything has changed.  His wife, Lynn (Monaghan), has become a Christian and quit her job as a stripper.  Despite her new life, he chooses to return to life as an addict / gang muscle.  After a traumatic experience, he begins going to church with the family, and becomes a Christian as well.

One day at church, a preacher in Africa asks for construction help, and Sam decides to make the trip.  While in Uganda, he befriends SPLA soldier Deng (Sy Savane), and convinces Deng to take him to Sudan.  In Sudan, he is moved by the orphaned children who trek everyday to find a safe place to sleep.  He returns to the USA with a mission.  Soon he, Deng, and other SPLA soldier construct an orphanage / safe haven for the children.  Armed with construction tools and a slew of weapons, he becomes known as The Machine Gun Preacher by the LRA.


The story is based on the life of Sam Childers, as recorded in his book "Another Man's World".  Childers used proceeds from the film to support his efforts in Sudan.  He also used the movie as a tool to get more churches involved in the ministry.  Stick around to watch the credits to see pictures and videos of the Childers family and their efforts in Sudan.

The filmmakers treat Childers faith with respect, without alienating the audience by trivializing or idolizing it.  Gerard Butler is convincing at all stages of Childers story.  The film focuses on Sam Childers, while jumping back and forth between his two homes.  None of the other characters stand out.  There is nothing wrong with any of the actors, but the film isn't about them.  The children in Sudan are adorable and capture your heart.

Not what I was expecting... but it works.

Machine Gun Preacher (2011) 129 minutes
Rated: R for violent content including disturbing images, language, some drug use and a scene of sexuality.
Director: Marc Forster
Starring: Gerard Butler as Sam Childers
Michelle Monaghan as Lynn Childers
Kathy Baker as Daisy
Michael Shannon as Donnie
Souleymane Sy Savane as Deng
Madeline Carroll as Paige

Flushed Away

"You find my pain funny?"
"I find everyone's pain funny but my own. I'm French."

Roddy St. James (Jackman) lives a posh life as a pet in Kensington, England.  When his humans go on vacation, a sewer rat, Sid (Richie), invades the house and flushes Roddy down the toilet.  Roddy discovers a world in the sewers and only one way to get back home: Rita (Winslet), the captain of the Jammy Dodger.

But getting home will be harder than he expects.  They steal from The Toad (McKellen) and are chased by his idiot henchmen, super calm Whitey (Nighy) and perpetually angry Spike (Serkis).  And they are persued by an army of French frogs, led by the Toad's cousin Le Frog (Reno).  With Rita's family and singing slugs, can they find a way above ground?


After successfully charming the world with claymation, Aardman Animations took a chance on computer animation for this film.  While the characters and scenes look like claymation, they were rendered through a computer... but it would be challenging and costly to produce this world using plasticine and stop-motion. Regardless, there is no doubt which studio made this film.  The characters and comedy fit into the Aardman family.

The cast is great.  Ian McKellen's smooth voice lends itself to the mustache twirling villain.  Jean Reno is the perfect foil, as the super laid-back Le Frog.  Le Frog, and his minions, have some of the funniest sequences.  Bill Nighy and Andy Serkis work well as a pair, and meld with their characters.  I actually didn't recognize their voices until I watched the credits.  Hugh Jackman can do anything, and holds his own as the star of the film.  Kate Winslet is an unexpected choice for Rita, but I can't imagine anyone else in the role.

A fun film that kids will love and parents will appreciate.

Flushed Away (2006) 85 minutes
Director: David Bowers & Sam Fell
Starring: Hugh Jackman as Roddy
Kate Winslet as Rita
Ian McKellen as The Toad
Jean Reno as Le Frog
Bill Nighy as Whitey
Andy Serkis as Spike
Shane Richie as Sid

Curse of the Pink Panther

"Where are you?"

"I am in agony."

The World's Greatest Detective, Jacques Clouseau, has been missing for over a year.  The President of France and Surete wants him found, and put Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus (Lom) in charge of the mission.  He is supposed to use a computer to select the world's second greatest detective to find him.  Dreyfus does not want Clouseau found, and sabotages the computer to give the exact opposite result.  The computer selects Sergeant Clifton Sleigh (Wass) from the NYPD.  Sleigh's superiors are more than happy to send him to France.

In France he manages to stumble onto Clouseau's trail, while putting Dreyfus in the hospital and making his eye twitch.  Along the way he stumbles onto a slew of people who want Clouseau to stay out of the way: his manservant Kato (Kwouk), his costumer Professor Balls (Korman), crime boss Bruno (Loggia) and his old nemeses the Litton family: Sir Charles (Niven), Lady Simone (Capucine), and George (Wagner).  Can Sleigh discover the truth?


The film picks up after the events of the Trail of the Pink Panther, and serves as the first film in the Pink Panther series that does not feature Peter Sellers.  Most people sight this as the worst in the series, but it is still an entertaining film.  Yes, it is definitely missing Sellers comedic timing, and Ted Wass is a pale imitation.  Love Roger Moore's scenes, very tongue-in-cheek (apparently he film these scenes while filming the James Bond movie Octopussy).

It was great to see old favorites from the Pink Panther films.  In other Pink Panther films the role of Professor Auguste Balls was played by Graham Stark, who performed various roles in the series.  In this film, comedian Harvey Korman (best known for his role on "The Carol Burnett Show"), takes on the part.  Korman takes the part and runs with it.  Stark still makes an appearance, as the waiter.

It isn't the best entry in the Pink Panther cannon, but it can still be enjoyable.

Curse of the Pink Panther (1983) 109 minutes
Director: Blake Edwards
Starring: David Niven as Sir Charles Litton
Robert Wagner as George Litton
Herbet Lom as Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus
Joanna Lumley as Countess Chandra
Capucine as Lady Simone Litton
Robert Loggia as Bruno Langois
Harvey Korman as Professor Auguste Balls
Burt Kwouk as Cato Fong
Ted Wass as Sergeant Clifton Sleigh

The Decoy Bride

"You are ruining my life!
"I've ruined plenty of lives. You're nothing special."

Katie Nic Aoidh (Macdonald) has returned to her home on Hegg Island, Scotland, in defeat.  Her relationship and career crashed and burned.  With no other options, she moves into her mother's, Iseabail (Beattie), inn, and begins writing a travel guide about the island.

Meanwhile, American actress Lara Tyler (Eve) and her fiance, British writer James Arber (Tennant) are trying to have a nice, quiet wedding, free of the press.  However, they are always interrupted by the paparazzi, specifically Marco Ballani (Castelluccio).

Lara's manager, Steve (Urie), sends the wedding to Hegg Island, the setting of James' book.  However, when the paparazzi get word of their destination, they swarm the island.  Lara panics and runs away, so the team seeks a stand-in to fool the paparazzi and give Lara her the chance to have her quiet wedding... so Katie stands in as the bride, and marries James.  Can they find a quiet way to find Lara, get a divorce, and have a new wedding?


I first discovered this film while writing an article for Examiner.com.  I loved the trailers, and the cast, and couldn't wait until the film was out on DVD.  The film does not disappoint.  It is funny, if a tad predictable.

The cast is great.  David Tennant is best known for "Dr. Who."  I am working my way through the show, but I have not seen Tennant as the Doctor, yet.  Kelly Macdonald is also a TV star, on "Boardwalk Empire".  They have a great give-and-take relationship.  Alice Eve is convincing and a bit abrasive in her role.    The real heart of the film is the quirky supporting cast, who don't have many lines, but make the most of the time they have.

What a fun film!

The Decoy Bride (2011) 89 minutes
Director: Sheree Folkson
Starring: Kelly Macdonald as Katie Nic Aoidh
David Tennant as James Arber
Alice Eve as Lara Tyler
Hamish Clark as Angus
James Fleet as William
Dylan Moran as Charley
Sally Phillips as Emma
Michael Urie as Steve Korbitz
Federico Castelluccio as Marco Ballani
Maureen Beattie as Iseabail Nic Aoidh

OSS 117: Rio ne répond plus

In 1967, OSS agent Hubert de La Bath (Dujardin), is sent to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to recover a list of French Nazi sympathizers.  He is supposed to pay a Professor Von Himmel (Vogler), a former Nazi, a blackmail price to retrieve the list.  He is given the cover identity of Noel Flantier, which he thinks is a horrible name, and told to trust no one.

In Rio, he is watched by associates of Mr. Lee, who try repeatedly try to kill him.  He is also tracked by foul-mouthed American CIA agent Bill Tremendous (Ken Samuels) and several Mossad agents.  To complete his mission, he joins forces with Mossad agent Dolores Koulechov (Monot) and Von Zimmel's hippie son Heinrich (Lutz).

The sequel to OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies, the film picks up about a decade later.  The times are changing ... feminism, the hippie movement etc... but OSS 117 has not.  He is still clueless, but capable, and still played, with charm by Jean Dujardin.

Once again director Michel Hazanavicius uses the Jean Bruce OSS 117 novels as a starting point, while lampooning / mimicking other films, like the James Bond films.  The film also features several Alfred Hitchcock references (the Vertigo references are the easiest to spot, but watch for others).

The film has a great opening sequence

I love the dance party over the credits, and the rest of the scene.  The rest of the film never quite lives up to the glory of the sequence, but it is entertaining.  There is more swearing (courtesy of the American character) and some scenes of nudity.  The swearing American character is used more as a joke, but the nudity takes away from the film.  There are some laugh out loud moments, like trying to cook the alligator.

The film is good, as far as sequels go... giving us the same character, but in a different situation.  It was enjoyable and reading the subtitles does not take you out of the film.  I was a little disappointed... but I still hope they make a third film (even thought Hazanavicius and Dujardin are serious Oscar winners now).  Hazanavicius is a great director, and has a captivating and charismatic leading man in Dujardin.  I would watch just about anything they do!

OSS 117: Lost in Rio [OSS 117: Rio ne repond plus] (2009) minutes
Director: Michel Hazanavicius
Starring: Jean Dujardin as Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath, alias OSS 117
Louise Monot as Dolores Koulechov
Rudiger Vogler as Professor Von Zimmel
Alex Lutz as Heinrich von Zimmel
Reem Kherici as Carlotta

Fanboys

 "What's your game plan?"
"We storm the ranch or we die trying."

"Yeah."

Linus (Marquette), Hutch (Fogler), Windows (Baruchel), and Eric (Huntington) have been best friends since childhood.  They are also major Star Wars fans.  Hutch and Windows work in a comicbook store, and they and Linus spend all their time playing video games and living the fanboy life: spending their free time discussing and arguing over ever detail of the series.  Eric has a real job, working in his father's car dealership.  When they learn that Linus only has a few months left to live, they decide to fulfill a childhood dream and steal the soon to be released Star Wars Episode I.

They load up Hutch's Star Wars inspired van and begin their roadtrip to George Lucas' Skywalker Ranch.  Soon they are joined by their friend and fangirl Zoe (Bell).  With some angry Star Trek fans on their heels, can their plan succeed?

The film is basically a love letter to diehard Star Wars fans.  Director Kyle Newman is a self-proclaimed fanboy, and used his knowledge to imbue the story with a authenticity.  Some diehard fans may find the film insulting... and it is a little stereotypical.  However, the film is fun and entertaining.

The film features an impressive array for cameos, some related to Star Wars (Carrie Fisher and Ray Park), and other science fiction legends.  Also, several big name comedians have minor roles (Seth Rogen).  The main reason I found the film was Kristen Bell (love her), but the more I read about it, the more I wanted to see it.  Bell stands her ground alongside her male costars, and gets some great laughs.  Sam Huntington (now on SyFy's "Being Human") takes the lead, as the level-headed character.  Dan Fogler is off the wall, as usual.  Jay Baruchel is the nerdiest of them all, as usual.  I am not familiar with Chris Marquette's body of work, but his character fades into the background a bit... yes, he is the impetus behind the road trip, but he doesn't stand out from the crowd.

This isn't the film for everyone, and the script isn't great... but it is enjoyable ride!  Worth checking out!

Fanboys (2009) 90 minutes
Rated: PG-13 for pervasive crude and sexual material, language and drug content
Director: Kyle Newman
Starring: Sam Huntington as Eric
Chris Marquette as Linus
Dan Fogler as Hutch
Jay Baruchel as Windows
Kristen Bell as Zoe

Sydney White

"Things are looking grim, brothers."

Sydney White (Bynes) plans to honor her mother's memory by pledging the same fraternity, at the same college.  The head of the Kappa sorority, Rachel (Paxton), sees Sydney as a threat, and drives her out of the sorority.  Without a place to live, Sydney plans to throw in the towel and go home... but she finds a home in the Vortex house.

The Vortex house is populated by misfits: Lenny (Carpenter) is allergic to everything, Terence (Howard) is a socially awkward genius who is always in the middle of an experiment, Jeremy (Hendershott) only talks through a puppet, Gurkin (Strong) writes an angry blog, Spanky (Levine) is a self-proclaimed ladies man, George (Pantoja) is child-like and wears a Junior Tiger Guide uniform, and Embele (Bonner) is an exchange student from Kenya who still hasn't adjusted to the time change.  With her seven dorks, Sydney takes on the greek system and queen bee Rachel, while falling for the king of Greek row Tyler (Long).


A modern retelling of the Snow White story.  Some parallels are obvious, like the names: Rachel Witchburn is the villain, Tyler Prince is the love interest, and the apple virus.  Other parallels take a little longer, but they are there.  The seven guys from Vortex each represent one of Snow White's dwarfs: Lenny is Sneezy, Terence is Doc, Jeremy is Bashful, Gurkin is Grumpy, Spanky is Happy, George is Dopey, and Embele is Sleepy.  The guys are pretty one-dimensional, but they get some great lines... and all work well together.  Strong is probably the most recognizable, for his supporting roles in various TV shows / movies.

The story is very similar to the college comedy The House Bunny... where a pretty girl takes in a group of outcasts, imbues them with confidence, and makes the world see their beauty.  But unlike that film, the supporting characters are more interesting than the main character.  Amanda Bynes is a decent actress, good comedian, but she is not the most interesting person in a lead role.  She is fine here, but the guys are more interesting.  Sara Paxton is great as the scheming Rachel.  The character is one-dimensional, but you enjoy your time on screen.  The rest of the cast is serviceable, but none really stand out, other than the seven guys.

It isn't the best Snow White adaptation, or rom com, but it isn't bad for Friday-night mindless entertainment / white noise.

Sydney White (2007) 108 minutes
Rated: PG-13 for some language, sexual humor and partying
Director: Joe Nussbaum
Starring: Amanda Bynes as Sydney White
Sara Paxton as Rachel Witchburn
Matt Long as Tyler Prince
Jack Carpenter as Lenny
Jeremy Howard as Terence
Adam Hendershott as Jeremy
Danny Strong as Gurkin
Samm Levine as Spanky
Arnie Pantoja as George
Donte Bonner as Embele

OSS 117: Le Caire, nid d'espions

In 1955, after the death of one of their agents, Jack Jefferson (Lefebvre), the French government sends agent OSS 117 (Dujardin), Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath, to take his place undercover in Egypt.  OSS 117 does not know the language or culture, but takes up a position as head of a poultry company.  With his assistant Larmina El Akmar Betouche (Bejo), can OSS 117 discover the truth and save the day, or will his actions lead to an international conflict?

In 1949, French author Jean Bruce created the OSS 117 series.  The series took off and became a film and TV series in the 1950s-1970s.  When director Michel Hazanavicius decided to make an OSS 117 film, he chose to take a different approach... loving lampooning the series and other spy series, like James Bond.

While I was waiting for The Artist to come to Netflix, I discovered that director Hazanavicius and stars Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo worked together in this film.  It looked interesting, so I decided to check it out.  I have to ask, is there anything Dujardin can't do?  The man was incredible as a silent star, and proves he can do action and comedy as well.

It is possible to come into the film without any knowledge of the series, and I am curious if the same is true for Hazanavicius' sequel OSS 117: Lost in Rio.  It might help to understand the OSS 117 series and regular players, etc... think of it like watching a James Bond film: you know he will ask for a martini in certain way, get gadgets from Q, etc.  The humor is broad enough that it works... and Dujardin seems game for whatever the writers throw at him (see the scene where he joins a band).  The rest of the cast is good, but Dujardin really shines here.  Looking forward to watching the sequel.

OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies [OSS 117: Le Caire, nid d'espions] (2006) 99 minutes
Director: Michel Hazanavicius
Starring: Jean Dujardin as Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath, alias OSS 117
Berenice Bejo as Larmina El Akmar Betouche
Aure Atika as Princess Al Tarouk
Philippe Lefebvre as Jack Jefferson

Chronicle (2012)

One night after a party, three teen boys, loner Andrew (Detmer), his cousin Matt (Russell), and popular Steve (Jordan), discover a hole in the middle of the film.  They venture into the hole and discover a mysterious device.  Later they begin to display extraordinary talents: telekinesis, flying, etc.

As their abilities grow stronger, the boys become closer.  The decide to fly around the world and leave their lives behind... and then something terrible happens.


At the beginning of the film the character of Andrew gets a new camera and decides to film every aspect of his life.  This sets the filming style in motion, with the audience learning everything via this camera, Casey's camera, and video surveillance.  It is an interesting filming choice, which only allows the audience to know what the characters know.  We don't know what they find at the beginning of the film, or the reasons they gain new abilities.

The cast is relatively unknown, which works for the film... it keeps you focused on the characters and not on the star power.  The effects are well-done and story is intriguing.  Also, unlike many other superhero-type films, focuses on what the boys do after they get powers: like messing with the people around them, not focusing on saving the world right away.

It is an interesting film that more people should see.  Check it out at Netflix.

Chronicle (2012) minutes
Rated: PG-13 for intense action and violence, thematic material, some language, sexual content and teen drinking
Director: Josh Trank
Starring: Dane DeHaan as Andrew Detmer
Alex Russell as Matt Garetty
Michael B. Jordan as Steve Montgomery
Michael Kelly as Richard Detmer
Ashely Hinshaw as Casey Letter
Bo Petersen as Karen Detmer