The Love Bug (1968)

"Herbie's all right."
  "Who's Herbie?"
"This little car. Named after my Uncle Herb. He used to box middleweight. Preliminary, mostly. Gradually, his nose got shaped more and more like to remind me of this little car."

Jim Douglas (Jones) is a race car driver that wrecked his last car.  While looking for a replacement, he comes across a VW Bug that follows him home.  He works out a deal with Peter Thorndyke (Tomlinson), the car dealership owner, to purchase the car.  Jim begins to work on the car, while his best friend Tennessee Steinmetz (Hackett) realizes the car is special, and names it Herbie.

Soon Jim and Herbie begin winning races.  Their success aggravates Peter, who makes a bet with Jim: the winner of the upcoming "El Dorado" race will be the ultimate owner of Herbie.  With Peter's new sales girl, Carole Bennett (Lee), in their corner, can Jim and Herbie win the race, or will Peter's tricks cause them to lose?


My father loves racing, and always has (he has even published several books on the subject).  I grew up watching Nascar, Indy car, etc races on TV, and know too much about these racing styles (and can identify current drivers on sight).  As a child, my father introduced us to Herbie (we actually have a VHS copy of Herbie Rides Again), and I have loved that VW bug.

The film featured Disney favorite Dean Jones, who appeared in The Ugly Dachshund, That Darn Cat, and others (and would eventually play the villain in the first Beethoven film).  Jones is a talented leading man, and does well in the role.  He is supported by Buddy Hackett, who steals the show in every scene.  David Tomlinson, another Disney favorite, is an excellent villain, and seems to take great joy in being evil.  Joe Flynn's Havershaw is the perfect side-kick for Tomlinson.  He doesn't have a large role, but works well when he is on screen.  Benson Fong is funny as Mr. Wu.  Michele Lee is a strong female lead, who sees the potential in Herbie early on.  All of the actors add to the success of the film... but the true star is Herbie, who manages to capture your heart early on.  I know Herbie isn't real, but they genuinely convey emotion through little tricks of the car.

A great film from my childhood, that still holds up today.  I look forward to watching all of the sequels (many for the first time).  They don't make movies like this anymore.

The Love Bug (1968) 108 minutes
Director: Robert Stevenson
Starring: Dean Jones as Jim Douglas
Michele Lee as Carole Bennett
David Tomlinson as Peter Thorndyke
Buddy Hackett as Tennessee Steinmetz
Joe Flynn as Havershaw
Benson Fong as Mr. Wu

TV: Leverage

"The rich and powerful, they take what they want. We steal it back for you. Sometimes bad guys make the best good guys. We provide... 'leverage'."

Former insurance investigator Nathan Ford (Hutton) is a broken man after the death of his son.  He is approached with a special job: retrieving stolen property.  He puts together a team of criminals, the best people he chased: grifter / con artist Sophie (Bellman), hacker Hardison (Hodge), thief Parker (Riesgraf), and hitter Eliot (Kane).  But when the team is set-up to take the blame, they band together to get justice, using their unique skills to gain the upper hand.

They decide to band together and continue to help the good guys as modern day Robin Hoods.


I discovered this show when it first premiered back in 2008.  I first watched after seeing the previews on TNT.  I was hooked by the pilot, and fell in love with the cast and everything about the show.  I loved the heists and their complicated names (like in the 2000s Ocean's 11, Ocean's 12, Ocean's 13 films).

I was unfamiliar with most of the cast before the show, but each was perfectly suited for their roles.  I have loved Christian Kane since his time on Angel.  I haven't seen any of his other work, but he is still a beautiful, powerful presence.  Gina Bellman has the difficult job of portraying many different types of people (and accents), and makes it look easy.  She is also great on Coupling.  All five work well together, and something feels off when one is missing (like the episodes where Sophie is replaced).

The show managed to create interesting heists season after season, and still allow time for character growth.  The characters change and grow over time, and we are treated to a look at their lives before working together.  Unfortunately, their season 5 finale (which aired on December 25, 2012) also was their series finale.  The finale was awesome and truly wraps up many of the story lines of the season.  I will miss the show, but the ending was perfect.  I can't wait to see where these actors will end up next (I would love to see Kane show up on Bones as an old friend of Booth, or on Joss Whedon's new TV show S.H.I.E.L.D).

Cancelled too early (I wanted to see where they would go after the shake up from the Season 5 finale).

Leverage (2008-2012)
Creator: John Rogers and Chris Downey
Starring: Timothy Hutton as Nathan Ford
Gina Bellman as Sophie Devereaux
Christian Kane as Eliot Spencer
Beth Riesgraf as Parker
Aldis Hodge as Alec Hardison
Mark Sheppard as Jim Sterling

Annie (500th post!)

Hard to believe, but this is 500!!

Another 100 bites the dust... last November I celebrated the big 400 mark.  To celebrate, let's keep with the tradition of reviewing a musical made before I was born... (100 & 200 & 300 & 400).

"Leaping Lizards!"

Annie (Quinn) is an orphan living a hard-knock life in an orphanage.  Miss Hannigan (Burnett), who runs the orphanage, is perpetually drunk and hates children, and makes their lives miserable.  Annie dreams of the day when her parents return, and the life she will have with them, which gives hope to the other girls.  They help Annie escape through the laundry.

While on her own, Annie rescues a scruffy dog she names Sandy.  They are quickly recaptured and returned to Miss Hannigan, where she is scooped up by Grace Farrell (Reinking), personal secretary to billionaire Oliver Warbucks (Finney). Warbucks is trying to revamp his image, by having the press document his holiday week with an orphan.  While Warbucks was expecting a boy, he and the staff fall for Annie.

Meanwhile, back at the orphanage, Miss Hannigan receives a surprise visit from her con man brother Rooster (Curry) and his new girlfriend, Lily St. Regis (Peters), concoct a plan, involving Annie, to make their way to "Easy Street."


Annie first came to life in the 1890s through Harold Gray's comic series "Little Orphan Annie."  The strip was popular and last until the late 1960s.  The character appeared in a radio show in 1930 and in two film adaptations in the 1930s.  In 1977 Annie became a Broadway musical.  The show was successful and iconic and was turned into a film, with several changes from the show.

The cast is incredible.  A large search went out to find the perfect Annie.  Many of the girls who were in the final round for the part were ultimately cast as her friends at the orphanage.  Aileen Quinn is endearing and adorable in the role.  Albert Finney is not the first actor you think of as the male lead in a musical, let alone this musical... however, he exceeds expectation.  Carol Burnett is an inspired choice for Miss Hannigan, and takes the character in a different direction than her Broadway portrayals.  She is a raging alcoholic and incredibly entertaining.  Ann Reinking is also a Broadway vet and dancer (she was Bob Fosse's protegee)... I don't love most of her work, but I like her in this role (even though Audra McDonald is my favorite in the 1999 film version).  Tim Curry and Bernadette Peters began their careers on stage.  They are a great pairing and get to sing one of my favorite songs from the film / show, "Easy Street."

A great musical.  The show is back on Broadway, and there are rumors that Will Smith is looking to make a new film version starring his daughter Willow Smith.  An interesting idea, and I will be intrigued to see the new version.

Annie (1982) 126 minutes
Director: John Huston
Starring: Albert Finney as Oliver Warbucks
Carol Burnett as Miss Hannigan
Ann Reinking as Grace Farrell
Tim Curry as Rooster Hannigan
Bernadette Peters as Lily St. Regis
Aileen Quinn as Annie
Geoffrey Holder as Punjab
Roger Minami as Asp

Muppet Christmas Carol

"Boy, that's scary stuff! Should we be worried about the kids in the audience?"
"Nah, it's all right. This is culture!"

Ebeneezer Scrooge (Caine) is a bitter and stingy man with few friends.  On Christmas Eve, he is visited by the ghosts of his former partners, Jacob and Robert Marley, who are paying for their actions.  They explain that Scrooge will be visited by 3 more ghosts that evening.

The Ghost of Christmas Past (Jessica Fox, voice) returns Scrooge to his childhood and early career at Fozziewig's (Fozzie).  The Ghost of Christmas Present (Nelson), a jolly man, takes Scrooge on a tour of Christmas Day in the city.  He sees the life of his clerk, Bob Crachit (Kermit), and his young, sickly son Tiny Tim (Robin).  As Scrooge evaluates his life and prepares for the final spirit, The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come, can his life really change, or is he doomed to the same fate as the Marleys?


There are countless theatrical and film versions of Charles Dickens classic, "A Christmas Carol," but this remains my favorite.  Mickey's version is also good, but Pete as the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come always freaked me out as a child, and I haven't seen it for years, so I can't compare.  Anyway, this is one of my favorite Christmas films.

The Muppets put a new spin on the tale, with Gonzo portraying Charles Dickens and serving as the story narrator.  He is paired with Rizzo, who often voices what the audience is thinking, like the quote at the beginning.  They make the story a little more "kid friendly" and funnier.  All the Muppet parts are perfectly cast, and add to the joy of the story.  Michael Caine is excellent as Scrooge, and eventually becomes sympathetic.  And he is not upstaged by the Muppet characters, he works with them.  Everyone does well with the original songs, which add to the story.

Check out the 20th Anniversary Edition, which features the song "When Love is Gone."  It is a beautiful, heartbreaking song, performed by Belle (Meredith Braun), which explains why Scrooge is alone.  This song is also available on the original VHS release, but not the 2002 DVD.


Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) 85 minutes
Director: Brian Henson
Starring: Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge
Dave Goelz as (Gonzo) Charles Dickens / Robert Marley / Dr. Bunsen Honeydew
Steve Whitmire as (Kermit) Bob Crachit / Rizzo the Rat
Jerry Nelson as (Robin) Tiny Tim / Jacob Marley / Ghost of Christmas Present
Frank Oz as (Miss Piggy) Emily Crachit / (Fozzie Bear) Fozziewig

Holiday in Handcuffs

"I hope you aren't expecting alot from Santa. A federal offense probably puts you on the naughty list this year."

Gertrudge "Trudie" Chandler (Hart) is having a bad day: she is stressed about spending Christmas with her family, is late for an interview and gets dumped.  At the end of the day she has a nervous breakdown and panics by kidnapping a customer from the diner where she works, David Martin (Lopez).  On the trip to her parents remote cabin, she gives David the details about the weekend: he is her perfect boyfriend, Nick.
The cabin is in the middle of no-where and her mother has a "no phone" policy, so David is stuck.  Trudie is tired of disappointing her career driven father (Bottoms) and high-strung mother (Post), and hopes the presence of a boyfriend will keep them off her back.  David eventually decides to play along and her parents, grandma (Lockhart) and siblings (Howard and Evigan) adore him.  But with his spoiled girlfriend, Jessica (Gabrielle Miller), pestering the police, how long can Trudie keep up the charade?


Ok, so there's a story here... several years ago, after having dinner with some friends, we discovered this film playing on ABC Family.  We grew up watching Mario Lopez on "Saved by the Bell" and Melissa Joan Hart on "Clarissa Explains it All" and "Sabrina the Teenaged Witch."  So when we saw that this was playing, we decided to give a chance...  And it has been our tradition and favorite Christmas film since then.  We love it.

Don't get me wrong, it isn't a great film, but there is something about it (and other ABC Family original films), that is just campy fun.  You can see the ending coming a mile away, but it is an enjoyable ride.  Check out this Christmas when it is playing on ABC Family.

Holiday in Handcuffs (2007) 86 minutes
Director: Ron Underwood
Starring: Melissa Joan Hart as Gertrude "Trudie" Chandler
Mario Lopez as David Martin
Tim Bottoms as Richard Chandler
Markie Post as Mom
June Lockhart as Grandma
Kyle Howard as Jake Chandler
Vanessa Evigan as Katie Chandler
Gabrielle Miller as Jessica

Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

"You know, extraordinary things happen to extraordinary people."

A year after their last adventure in Narnia, Edmund (Keynes) and Lucy (Henley) Pevensie are living with relatives, while their parents and siblings get settled in America.  Their cousin, Eustace (Poulter) is horrible and they are miserable.  While arguing with Eustace, they notice a painting of a ship on the ocean, and the waves come to life, spilling water into the room.  Soon the room is filled with water, and as they swim for the surface, they are in Narnia with a great ship heading towards them.

The ship is called The Dawn Treader, and is captained by Caspian (Barnes), now King of Narnia.  Caspian and his crew, including Reepicheep (Pegg), are seeking 7 Lords of Telmar who have been missing for many years.  The Lords were loyal to Caspian's father, and fled when his uncle tried to kill them.  The Lords were last seen sailing toward the Lone Islands.  Many adventures await, but can the crew withstand the evil permeating from their destination?


Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is the 5th of 7 novels in C.S. Lewis' series... it is also my 2nd favorite novel in the series (finishing behind Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe).  For that reason, I was excited to see this film (although I was unable to see it in theaters).

The film was heavy on the CGI, as most of the events of the book would be difficult to adequately replicate.  Thankfully the CGI in the film is better than the previous 2 films.  The series also acquired a new director, Michael Apted.  While previous director, Andrew Adamson, did well... Apted brings a new energy to the film / series.

Simon Pegg is a good Reepicheep.  I liked Eddie Izzard in Prince Caspian, but I don't mind the change.  This is the first film to only feature 2 of the 4 Pevensie children.  All 4 make an appearance, but the story focuses on Lucy and Edmund.  Eustace is not a likeable character, but Will Poulter transforms the character and eventually brings you to his side.  A good film... hopefully good enough for Waldner to secure funding to make the rest of the Narnia films (not sure which will be next).

Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010) 113 minutes
Director: Michael Apted
Starring: Georgie Henley as Lucy Pevensie
Skandar Keynes as Edmund Pevensie
Ben Barnes as King Caspian
Will Poulter as Eustace Clarence Scrubb
Simon Pegg as Reepicheep

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

"He's not a tame lion."

"No... but he is good."

During WWII, the Pevensie children are evacated to live in the country with Professor Kirke (Broadbent).  The Professor is not used to having children around, and the children miss home.  One day while playing hide-and-seek, Lucy (Henley) finds a wardrobe that transports her to the land of Narnia.  In Narnia, Lucy befriends a fawn, Mr. Tumnus (McAvoy), and spends hours with him... but when she returns only moments have passed and the wardrobe is just a wardrobe.

Later, Edmund (Keynes) follows Lucy into Narnia and meets the White Witch (Swinton), who asks him to bring his siblings to Narnia. A few days later, Edmund, Susan (Popplewell), Peter (Moseley), and Lucy hide in the wardrobe to avoid the wrath of the housekeeper Mrs. Macready (Elizabeth Hawthorne).  They all end up in Narnia, and are shocked to find that they are very important to Narnia.  With the Witch and her cronies closing in, can they find the great Aslan (Neeson) in time to save Narnia?


In the 1940s, author C.S. Lewis conceived a series of children's fantasy novels called "The Chronicles of Narnia."  The seven books tell the story of the land of Narnia, from it's formation to it's ultimate destruction.  The books were written out of chronological order, beginning with "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" (LWW) (the story officially begins with "The Magician's Nephew").

LWW is the best known book / story in the Narnia series, and is the best introduction to the series.  In 2000, negotiations with C.S. Lewis' estate for the rights to the story by Walden Media.  Walden Media and director Andrew Adamson (in his first live-action film) wanted to be faithful to the books, while making minor alterations to the book (which leaves a great deal to the reader's imagination).

I saw the film in theaters, and was captivated by the world of Narnia, which exceeded by expectations.  They cast unknowns in the lead roles, to focus on the characters and not the actors.  They do a decent job, although Susan is not particularly likeable.  Liam Neeson provides the voice of Aslan, conveying much without actually appearing on screen.  The faun and centaur characters are well-done (the film one the Academy Award for Best Makeup in 2006).  The CGI is ok, but could be better... and Tilda Swinton is intense and imposing as The White Witch.

The film was successful enough for Walden to greenlight further Narnia films... and chose to make the films in the order they were written (making the second film Prince Caspian).  I look forward to seeing Walden's vision for the remaining 6 books.

There have been numerous adaptations, a few TV and animated films and some theater productions.  This is the first big movie based on C.S. Lewis' timeless classic.  A great family film, enjoyable for all Narnia fans.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (2005) 143 minutes
Director: Andrew Adamson
Starring: Georige Henley as Lucy Pevensie
Skandar Keynes as Edmund Pevensie
William Moseley as Peter Pevensie
Anna Popplewell as Susan Pevensie
Tilda Swinton as The White Witch
James McAvoy as Mr. Tumnus
Jim Broadbent as Professor Kirke

Wreck-It Ralph

"I'm bad, and that's good. I will never be good, and that's not bad. There's no one I'd rather be then me."

Wreck-It Ralph (Reilly) is the villain in the arcade game "Fix-It Felix, Jr."  For 30 years he has destroyed everything in his game, but is tired of playing the villain.  The people in the game treat him like a villain, and force him to live in the dump.  On the anniversary of the game, the people vow that if he gets a medal, they will accept him.

That night he encounters a player in the new "Hero's Duty" video game and game jumps for a chance to win a medal.  When things go wrong, he ends up in the candy themed racing game "Sugar Rush" with an unwelcome side-kick: glitch Vanellope (Silverman).  Meanwhile, with Ralph gone, the future of "Fix-It Felix, Jr." is in jeopardy.  Felix (McBrayer) sets out to find Ralph and return to normal.  He is joined by Sergeant Calhoun (Lynch), the leader of the "Hero's Duty" game, who needs to find the predator that escaped with Ralph.  Can Ralph be the hero, or will his actions destroy the arcade?


Thank you Disney for again making an excellent film that appeals to all ages.  Wreck-It Ralph is a fun and entertaining story with heart.  The underlying story of Ralph's quest to become something more than he seems, is universal.  The story is strong, with a stellar voice cast.  John C. Reilly can do anything, as he has proved with his wide repertoire, and this film is no exception.  His Ralph has a huge heart, but can also seem intimidating.  Jack McBrayer is always the naive but happy character, which suits Felix, and makes him more interesting than he initially appears.  Alan Tudyk is almost indistinguishable as King Candy, mimicking the speech of character actor Ed Wynn.  I usually find Sarah Silverman abrasive, but that worked for the character of Vanellope.

I loved the villain therapy group sessions.  The scenes feature many well-known video game villains, including the Ghosts from Pac Man and Bowser from Mario, etc.  The heroes from these films also appeared at other times.  And the 3 main games are based on actual video games: Fix-It Felix is Donkey Kong, Hero's Duty is any first player killing games, and Sugar Rush is Candy Lane / racing games.  I'm sure there are more things I missed, that regular arcade gamers would pick-up.

Overall, a great film... not what I was expecting, and not nearly as predictable as I assumed.

Wreck-It Ralph (2012) 101 minutes
Rated: PG for some rude humor and mild action / violence
Director: Rich Moore
Starring: John C. Reilly as Wreck-It Ralph
Sarah Silverman as Vanellope
Jack McBrayer as Fix-It Felix
Jane Lynch as Calhoun
Alan Tudyk as King Candy
Mindy Kaling as Taffyta Muttonfudge

Megamind

"How do I look, Minion? Do I look bad?"
"Disgustingly horrifying, sir!"
"You ALWAYS know what to say!"

Metro City is plaqued by the battle between hero Metro Man (Pitt) and villain Megamind (Ferrell).  Both were sent to Earth as babies, and have incredible skills, and have battled since infancy.  When Megamind accidentally kills Metro Man, the city surrenders.  At first Megamind enjoys his new position in the town, but quickly gets bored.

He decides to fix the problem by creating a new hero to defeat.  With the help of Minion (Cross), he uses Metro Man's DNA to create the perfect superhero and turns cameraman Hal Stewart (Hill) into Lighten.  But when Lighten prefers the life of crime, and kidnaps Roxanne Ritchie (Fey), who will save the city?


Another solid animated film from DreamWorks.  Will Ferrell films are often hit-or-miss... he is funny (watch his 3 "Best of" DVDs from SNL or search his top SNL performances), but it doesn't always translate to a 2 hour film.  But that is the joy of animation; it has the ability to capture the best of his performance.  The character is funny, with a mispronunciation of normal words: "hello", "Metro City", "school", etc, but also sympathetic.

It helps that Ferrell is surrounded by comedians who elevate his performance.  Tina Fey is great as the only sane person in the cast.  She is smart and level-headed, and still gets some great sarcastic comments.  David Cross is always great.  I have loved him since "Arrested Development", and he is perfect as Ferrell's under-appreciated cohort.  Jonah Hill is interesting as Hal / Lighten.  Brad Pitt is the only actor I couldn't identify while watching the film, but knowing he is behind the voice makes the character funnier.

It's an absurd film, but very funny.  They should use Ferrell in more animated films.

Megamind (2010) 95 minutes
Director: Tom McGrath
Starring: Will Ferrell as Megamind
Tina Fey as Roxanne Ritchie
Jonah Hill as Hal Stewart / Lighten
David Cross as Minion
Brad Pitt as Metro Man

Shrek Forever After

"There's a stack of freshly made waffles in the middle of the forest! Don't you find that a wee bit suspicious?"

Shrek (Myers) is frustrated with the monotony of his life.  Now that he and Fiona (Diaz) have a family, he no longer feels like an ogre.  People want his autograph and / or want him to roar for their children.  He longs for the days when he was feared by all.  After exploding at his triplets birthday party, he makes a deal with Rumplestiltskin (Dohrn) to get his old life back for a day.

When he wakes up, people run away in fear.  But there is a catch, no one, but Rumplestiltskin, remembers him.  Rumplestiltskin has changed history, and is now the ruler of Far Far Away, with an army of witches.  Ogres are outlaws, led by Fiona and her fat pet Puss in Boots (Banderas).  Donkey (Murphy), Gingy (Conrad Vernon), Wolf (Aron Warner), Pinocchio (Cody Cameron), and the three pigs (Cody Cameron) are forced to work for Rumplestiltskin.  Shrek has one day to make Fiona fall in love with him, or his life is lost forever.

After feeling disappointed by Shrek the Third, I had no intention to see the 4th film.  However, on Thanksgiving day, there was an all-day marathon, so I decided to give it a try.  The writers / director made the wise choice to abandon most of the stupidity of the 3rd film: boring King Arthur, the princess (both of which should have been a grand slam, but never reached their potential), etc.  They returned to the things that made the other films work: Shrek and his relationships, proving that he is more than just a scary ogre.

And using Rumplestiltskin to change everything we know about the characters was brilliant.  After 3 films and several holiday specials and a Broadway musical, audiences know the characters.  They know everything about the characters and are used to seeing them in certain ways... it was a smart decision to change the way you see the characters.  It was a risk, but it pays off in a big way.

As usual, the voice talents are incredible.  The usual cast is in top form, breathing new life into these beloved characters.  The new characters are also entertaining.  Rumplestiltskin is voiced by Walt Dohrn, who was the Head of the Story.  Dohrn was responsible for voicing all the characters during the storyboard phases.  No actor could match Dohrn's voice for Rumplestiltskin, so they cast him.  Rumplestiltskin appeared briefly in the 3rd film, working for Charming:

"And you Frumpy Pig Skin"

"It's Rumplestiltskin"

but is completely different here

A fitting end for Shrek and company.

Shrek Forever After (2010) 93 minutes
Director: Mike Mitchell
Starring: Mike Myers as Shrek
Eddie Murphy as Donkey
Cameron Diaz as Fiona
Antonio Banderas as Puss in Boots
Julie Andrews as Queen
Jon Hamm as Brogan
John Cleese as King Harold
Craig Robinson as Cookie
Walt Dohrn as Rumplestiltskin

Safety Not Guaranteed

"What kind of lasers?"
"I don't know, I'm not a freakin' storm trooper."

Writer Jeff Schwensen (Johnson) is intrigued by a classified ad:

Wanted: Somebody to go back in time with me. This is not a joke. P.O. Box 91 Ocean View, WA 99393. You'll get paid after we get back. Must bring your own weapons. Safety not guaranteed. I have only done this once before.

And wants to interview the individual who wrote it.  His boss, Bridget (Mary Lynn Rajskub), agrees to the story and allows two interns, Arnau (Soni) and Darius (Plaza) to help.  Darius is going nowhere in life and is perpetually sad, while Arnau is using the internship to diversify his resume.

They find the man who wrote the ad, Kenneth Calloway (Duplass), working at a grocery store and extremely paranoid.  Darius approaches him and begins training to be his traveling companion.  Meanwhile, Jeff looks his first love, Liz (Bergere), while teaching Arnau about life.  Is Kenneth crazy, dangerous, or a genius?


This movie really was not what I was expecting.  Based on the premise, it could be overly scientific and boring, or it could treat the entire time travel plot as a joke...  But the writers / director keep you guessing.  Like Darius, you don't know what to believe, and every time you form an opinion, something changes.  It's rare to find a film that keeps you on your toes, without subtle hints about the ending or major upcoming twists.

The cast is great, without falling into stereotypes.  The three main characters are portrayed by TV stars.  Aubrey Plaza, of "Parks and Rec," is Darius... a much less intense character than her TV character.  She is an interesting female lead, and plays off her male co-stars well.  Mark Duplass, of "The League," often appears in indie comedies, so I wasn't sure how he would do.  I was pleasantly surprised by his performance, and hope that Hollywood takes notice and uses him more.  Jake Johnson is one of my favorite characters on "New Girl," and continues to shine here.  He works as the straight man, although I do love his eccentricities.

Great film, wish it had more good press so a wider audience could experience it's awesomeness.

Safety Not Guaranteed (2012) 86 minutes
Rated: R for language including some sexual references
Director: Colin Trevorrow
Starring: Aubrey Plaza as Darius Britt
Mark Duplass as Kenneth Calloway
Jake Johnson as Jeff Schwensen
Karan Soni as Arnau
Jenica Bergere as Liz

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

"I want you to help me catch a killer of women."

Journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Craig) published a story without adequate sources and lost all credibility.  He is approached by Henrik Vanger (Plummer) to solve a decades old crime: the murder of his favorite niece, Harriet.  Mikael agrees, and also agrees to the facade that he is writing Henrik's biography.

The Vanger family live on an island, with only one way on or off.  The day Harriet disappeared the entire family was on the island, and the bridge was blocked, making the entire Vanger family suspect.  Mikael moves to the island to conduct his research.  As the information builds up, he requests a research assistant and is directed to Lisbeth Salander (Mara).  Lisbeth is a talented hacker and is intrigued by the case.  Can they find the truth, and fix Mikael's reputation?


When I heard there was going to be an American version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo novel by Stieg Larsson, I was apprehensive... I devoured all three novels in the "Millenium" series, and watched the Swedish version of the film (Män som hatar kvinnor).  Actress Noomi Rapace embodied the character of Lisbeth, and I couldn't imagine any other actress doing the role justice... also, I was nervous about a Hollywood version of the story.  After watching the film, I'm not sure how to feel about it...

The film maintains the violence and graphic rape / nudity of the story.  It seems to glorify in the violence and nudity, taking it to a sickening level.  The film was uncomfortable to watch.  I know it isn't about a cheery subject, but it was an unsettling film.  I don't know much about director David Fincher's style, as I have only seen 2 of his other films: Se7en and Fight Club... but this film didn't enhance my desire to dive into more (unless he directs the 2 other films in the series).

Daniel Craig, who is the current James Bond, is fine as Mikael.  He is a strong leading man, and works well here, even if he isn't the first person you picture in the part.  Rooney Mara is good as Lisbeth, taking the character to a different place than Rapace.  This Lisbeth feels more like an outsider, which is truer to the books.  The story also managed to stay very close to the novel, only removing a few plotlines.  I thought the Swedish version was pretty accurate, but this one is much closer to the novel.

I'm intrigued to see where the series goes from here... I can't recommend the film, but if you are interested in it, I would suggest reading the novel first, so you know exactly what you are getting into.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) 158 minutes
Rated: R for brutal violent content including rape and torture, strong sexuality, graphic nudity, and language
Director: David Fincher
Starring: Daniel Craig as Mikael Blomkvist
Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander
Christopher Plummer as Henrik Vanger
Stellan Skarsgard as Martin Vanger
Steven Berkoff as Dirch Frode
Robin Wright as Erika Berger
Yorick van Wageningen as Nils Bjurman
Joely Richardson as Anita Vanger
Geraldine James as Cecilia Vanger
Goran Visnjic as Dragan Armansky