Frankenweenie

"I think the confusion here is that you are all very ignorant. Is that right word, ignorant? I mean stupid, primitive, unenlightened."

Victor Frankenstein (Tahan) has only one friend, his beloved dog Sparky.  He loves science and adores his science teacher Mr. Rzykruski (Landau) who encourages the students to ask questions and learn.  Victor's parents (Short and O'Hara) are concerned and make a bargain with Victor: he can enter the science fair, but he has to join the baseball team.  During their first game, Sparky chases the ball into the street and is struck and killed.

Victor is devastated, but is inspired to try to bring Sparky back to life.  After his experiment is successful, can he keep it a secret from his parents and classmates?


In 1984, director Tim Burton made a live action short film Frankenweenie.  The film was seen as a failure and resulted in Disney firing Tim Burton.  But after years of success, he decided to return to the film and make a full length film in stop-motion capture (like The Nightmare Before Christmas and The Corpse Bride).

The story is an homage to Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein."  The character looks and names evoke her story and the way the legend has grown and changed over time.  The character of Nassor looks like the modern version of the Frankenstein creature.  Edgar or E Gore gets his name and mannerisms from the Victor's assistant in the films, Igor.  They also borrow the Van Helsing name from Dracula.  There are a few other horror movie references, but I won't spoil them here.

A nice little black and white film.

Frankenweenie (2012) 87 minutes
Director: Tim Burton
Starring: Catherine O'Hara as Mrs. Frankenstein / Weird Girl / Gym Teacher
Martin Short as Mr. Frankenstein / Mr. Burgemeister / Nassor
Martin Landau as Mr. Rzykruski
Charlie Tahan as Victor Frankenstein
Atticus Shaffer as Edgar "E" Gore
Winonna Ryder as Elsa Van Helsing
Robert Capron as Bob
James Hiroyuki Liao as Toshiaki

Silver Linings Playbook

"You have poor social skills. You have a problem."
"I have a problem? You say more inappropriate things than appropriate things."

After being released from a mental hospital in Baltimore, Pat Solitano (Cooper) returns home to fix his life.  He is released into the care of his parents, Dolores (Weaver) and Pat Sr. (De Niro), and moves into the attic of their home.  Despite a restraining order, he plans to win back his wife, Nikki (Brea Bee).  He attends regular therapy sessions with Dr. Cliff Patel (Kher) and runs daily to get in shape.

The only person who understands him is Tiffany (Lawrence), his best friend Ronnie's (Ortiz) sister-in-law.  They strike up a bargain, if she delivers a letter to Nikki, he will be her dance partner in a big competition.  Can Pat control his mood swings, repair his relationships, and live by his new motto "Excelsior," look for the silver lining?


What a film!  I just saw it today and was blown away.  It is a surprise hit!  The story and characters grab your attention from the beginning and never let go.  It is very funny, but doesn't shy away from sad or difficult moments.

The film is nominated for 8 Academy Awards: Director, Editing, Screenplay, Picture, and 4 acting nominations.  Bradley Cooper proves that he is more than a pretty face and just "that guy" from The Hangover films.  He is nominated for Best Actor, I doubt he will win, but this role and his performance in The Words proves that he can do anything.  Jennifer Lawrence is incredible.  It is a strong performance, and will probably win her the Oscar for Best Actress (she is the current frontrunner).  Robert De Niro is excellent, as always, and Jacki Weaver is good.  It is nice to see Chris Tucker again, and in a non-annoying role.

Definitely better than you expect, and the dance scene at the end is awesome (the entire theater was cracking up).

Silver Linings Playbook (2012) minutes
Rating: R for language and some sexual content/nudity
Director: David O. Russell
Starring: Bradley Cooper as Pat Solitano
Jennifer Lawrence as Tiffany Maxwell
Robert De Niro as Pat Solitano Sr.
Jacki Weaver as Dolores Solitano
Chris Tucker as Danny
Anupam Kher as Dr. Cliff Patel
John Ortiz as Ronnie
Shea Whigham as Jake Solitano
Julia Stiles as Veronica
Paul Herman as  Randy

Moonrise Kingdom

"Our daughter's been abducted by one of these beige lunatics!"

In 1965, the island of New Penzance prepares for a violent storm.  On one side of the island, Scout Master Ward (Norton), leader of the Khaki Scouts, discovers one of his scouts is missing.  Sam Shakusky (Gilman), a loner, escaped in the middle of the note, leaving behind a letter of resignation.  As the scouts prepare to search the island, Ward contacts Captain Sharp (Willis), the local law enforcement.

On the opposite side of the island, Walt (Murray) and Laura (McDormand) Bishop have a child missing.  Their troubled daughter, Suzy (Hayward), secretly left home with a suitcase, her cat, a pair of binoculars, and her brother's record player.  Sam and Suzy were secretly pen pals for a year, planning their escape.  With the storm threat looming, and a combined search party, will the young lovers succeed?


Everything about this film screams "Wes Anderson"... from the usual suspects in the cast, to the look of the film, to the quirky details on the screen.  That is one of the great things about watching an Anderson film... it is familiar, but unique.

The cast is great.  Jason Schwartzmann is funny in a small but memorable role.  Bill Murray and Frances McDormand have an interesting relationship as fighting couple... I love that McDormand uses a bullhorn to communicate with her family.  Edward Norton and Bruce Willis are entertaining, and make an interesting pair of investigators.  Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward  have strong chemistry.  The other children are also strong.  The Bishop boys don't say much, but are unique characters (I don't know any of their character names, they function as a whole).  The Khaki Scouts all known by identifying characteristics... and are an intriguing group.

Anderson fans will understand and appreciate the film... but if you aren't a fan of Anderson, you won't be impressed.  The film is nominated for the Academy Award for Best Screenplay.

Moonrise Kingdom (2012) 94 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for sexual content and smoking
Director: Wes Anderson
Starring: Bruce Willis as Captain Sharp
Edward Norton as Scout Master Ward
Bill Murray as Walt Bishop
Frances McDormand as Laura Bishop
Tilda Swinton as Social Services
Jared Gilman as Sam Shakusky
Kara Hayward as Suzy Bishop
Jason Schwartzmann as Cousin Ben
Bob Balaban as The Narrator

Treasure Planet

"Let me make this as... monosyllabic as possible. I... don't much care for this crew you hired. They're... how did I describe them, Arrow? I said something rather good this morning before coffee. "
"'A ludicrous parcel of driveling galoots,' ma'am. "
"There you go, poetry."

Jim Hawkins (Gordon-Levitt) loves stories about pirates and dreams of adventure, but he is stuck helping his mother (Laurie Metcalf) run their family inn.  One day an old pirate named Billy Bones (Patrick McGoohan) stumbles into their inn, dying, and gives Jim a golden sphere to protect.  Afterwards, the inn is attacked by pirates and burned to the ground.  Jim discovers the sphere is actually a map to the treasure of infamous pirate Captain Nathaniel Flint.  With the help of family friend Doctor Delbert Doppler (Hyde Pierce), Jim goes on an expedition into space.

Dr. Doppler funds an expedition aboard the RLS Legacy, under the command of witty Captain Amelia (Thompson) and her no-nonsense first mate Mr. Arrow (Lee Browne).  Jim becomes the ship's Cabin Boy and placed under of the command of ship's cook Long John Silver (Murray), a cyborg, and his pet, a cute pink amorphous blob named Morph (Dane A. Davis), who can change into any shape.  The crew are a shady group, led by the scheming spider Scroop (Wincott).  Will they reach their destination, or will unseen forces ruin the trip?


In the 2000s Disney was trying to get it's groove back.  After the prosperous 1990s, Disney branched out to try new techniques in their animated features.  For this film, they turned to Robert Louis Stevenson's novel "Treasure Island."  Directors Ron Clements and John Musker wanted to breathe life into the story for years (they pitched the idea in the late 1980s when they directed The Little Mermaid), but the studio wanted other projects.  In the end the delay was helpful in that it allowed them to utilize newer technology to make the film.

They took a chance rewriting the well-known story as science fiction... but I think it paid off.  The plot is still familiar, but it is able to feel new.  All the music in the film is written by Johnny Rzeznik (lead singer of The Goo Goo Dolls).  The best of the songs is "I'm Still Here" which marks a major moment in Jim's story (and is on my iPod).

The film won't work for everyone, but I enjoyed it.

Treasure Planet (2002) 95 minutes
Director: Ron Clements and John Musker
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Jim Hawkins
Brian Murray as Long John Silver
Martin Short as B.E.N.
David Hyde Pierce as Doctor Delbert Doppler
Emma Thompson as Captain Amelia
Michael Wincott as Scroop
Roscoe Lee Browne as Mr. Arrow

October Baby

"Every life is beautiful"

Hannah (Hendrix) collapses on stage during her theatrical debut.  Since childhood she has had several surgeries and a series of medical problems.  After undergoing several tests her doctor reveals the truth: she is adopted and was the product of a failed abortion.

Reeling from the news, Hannah goes on spring break with her best friend Jason (Burkey) and their friends, with plans to find the truth about her birth.  Back at home, her parents Jacob (Schneider) and Grace (Price), struggle with unveiling their story.


The plot is inspired by the true story of Gianna Jessen, who survived an abortion attempt.  The story is good, with a good amount of humor and emotional moments.  The most emotional moment comes during the credits when actress Shari Rigby shares her story.


The acting is decent... it will never win awards, but it's good for what it is.  The story won't change any opinions, but it is a decent / powerful film.

October Baby (2011) 107 minutes
Rated: PG-13 for mature thematic material
Director: Andrew Erwin and Jon Erwin
Starring: Rachel Hendrix as Hannah
Jason Burkey as Jason
John Schneider as Jacob
Jennifer Price as Grace
Colleen Trusler as Alanna
James Austin Johnson as Truman
Jasmine Guy as Nurse Mary
Shari Rigby as Cindy Hastings

The Words (2012)

"We all make our choices in life, the hard thing to do is live with them."

Renowned author Clay Hammond (Quaid) reads from his new book, "The Words," about an aspiring writer named Rory Jansen (Cooper).  Rory is having a hard time getting his novel published, so he takes a job as a literary agent.  Later, Rory marries his longtime girlfriend Dora (Saldana).  Dora gives him an old briefcase, which contains an old manuscript.

The manuscript changes his life.  It gets him fame and gives the opportunity for his other novels to be published.  But fame comes with a price when the real author (Irons) pays Rory a visit.


The trailer did not seem interesting, so I didn't have concrete plans to see this film.  But a friend recommended it, so I gave it a chance.  The story is hard to explain because it is a story within a story within a story.  Confused?  It is difficult to explain the film without sharing all the secrets of the plot.  There are 3 stories, each with a male writer leading the narrative: Dennis Quaid, Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Irons / Ben Barnes.  Quaid opens and closes the film as the narrator.  He sets the stage and justifies the actions of the other characters.  Olivia Wilde is Daniella, the college student asking questions about the novel.  They are the best kept secret in the film... I didn't even know they were in it.  Cooper carries the story and is the face of the film.  He is charming and has great chemistry with Zoe Saldana.  Irons is menacing and heartbreaking in his interactions with Cooper.  And he narrates the final story, which stars a mostly silent Ben Barnes.

The film is intricate and intriguing.  It is unexpected and won't appeal to everyone, but it is still worth a look.


The Words (2012) 97 minutes
Rated: PG-13 for brief strong language and smoking
Director: Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal
Starring: Bradley Cooper as Rory Jansen
 Dennis Quaid as Clay Hammond
Jeremy Irons as The Old Man
Zoe Saldana as Dora
Ben Barnes as The Young Man
Olivia Wilde as Daniella
Nora Arnezeder as Celia

Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo

"Dirty road hog! Why doesn't he learn how to drive?"
"He knows how to drive, that's the trouble!"

Racer Jim Douglas (Jones) and mechanic Wheely Applegate (Knotts) pull Volkswagen Beetle, Herbie, out of retirement for the Trans-France Race, which is a road course from Paris, France to Monte Carlo, Monaco.  But both car and driver are rusty, and unfamiliar with racing in Europe.  On the first day of qualifying, Herbie falls for a yellow Lancia, while Jim provokes her driver Diane Darcy (Sommars).

Meanwhile, jewel thieves Max (Fox) and Quincey (Kinnear) steal the famous Etoile de Joie.  To avoid capture, they hide the jewel in Herbie's fuel cap.  The jewel heist causes famed Parisian detective Inspector Bouchet (Marin) and his eager officer Detective Fontenoy (Saint-Macary) to follow the races and interview all the racers.  Can Herbie get the girl and the thieves?


Disney decided to return the Herbie franchise to it's original form: racing.  It also returned Dean Jones' Jim Douglas to the drivers seat.  Over 10 years have past since The Love Bug premiered... and the film and franchise have changed.  Herbie is more expressive in the film, and even gets a love interest, who also shows emotion.

The film makes no mention of the Steinmetz family, who featured prominently in the previous Herbie films.  Also, there is no explanation for Jim being single again, as he got married at the end of The Love Bug.  Don Knotts is a welcome addition to the cast, filling the void left by Buddy Hackett.  While the first two films are strong, this film begins the decline of the franchise.  The film is ok, but not great.  Stick to The Love Bug, don't watch this film.

Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (1977) 105 minutes
Director: Vincent McEveety
Starring: Dean Jones as Jim Douglas
Don Knotts as Wheely Applegate
Julie Sommars as Diane Darcy
Jacques Marin as Inspector Bouchet
Roy Kinnear as Quincey
Bernard Fox as Max
Eric Braeden as Bruno Von Stickle
Xavier Saint-Macary as Detective Fontenoy

Les Misérables (2012)

"I had a dream my life would be so different from this hell I'm living!"

In 1815, Jean Valjean (Jackman) is released from his 19 year imprisonment.  He is given a second chance at life when a Bishop (Colm Wilkinson) sees the good in him.  Vajean decides to create a new persona to atone for his life, while staying one step ahead of Inspector Javert (Crowe), who refuses to give up.

Years later Valjean is serving as the father to Cosette (Seyfried), after he failed to save her mother Fantine (Hathaway).  They are in Paris on the eve of the June Rebellion, led by students Enjolras (Tveit) and Marius (Redmayne).  Javert leads the police and plans to destroy the rebellion.  And Cosette's former guardians, the Thenardiers (Baron Cohen and Bonham Carter), are own hand to make trouble.  "Tomorrow we'll discover what our God in Heaven has in store! One more dawn, one more day, one day more!"

WOW!  I just saw the film in theaters and am still recovering.  It is a three hour emotional roller coaster... even if you know the story / show, it is an emotional journey.

Hugh Jackman is incredible as Jean Valjean.  Jackman is a strong actor / performer (he won a Tony in 2004 for starring in "The Boy From Oz") and does justice to the title role.  Apparently there are people who felt he was miscast, but I thought he was great!  Anne Hathaway is awesome, a memorable performance and the front-runner for the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.  Samantha Barks, who played Eponine in the 25th Anniversary Concert, is a revelation as Eponine.  And it was great to see Broadway vet Aaron Tveit as Enjolras, again awesome.  And the film features Colm Wilkinson, who originated Jean Valjean on West End and Broadway and in the 10th Anniversary Concert, as the Bishop.

I don't normally enjoy Helena Bonham carter or Sacha Baron Cohen, but they are perfectly cast as the Thenardier's.  They are everywhere, continually adding humor to the dark proceedings of the film.  But I didn't love all of the casting: Javert, Cosette, and Marius.  Amanda Seyfried proved in Mamma Mia! that she could sing, and she is ok here, but I would prefer to see a Broadway star in the role.  Apparently Eddie Redmayne played Marius before... but he didn't work in the role.  Yes, he is cute, but every time he had a solo I wasn't impressed.  And then we have Russell Crowe as Javert.  For someone I don't associate with singing, he was ok, but how did he win this role?  Where were all the Broadway / West End actors to steal the role?  Crowe is a good actor, but I wanted a stronger singer / performance.  Overall, the casting is incredible.  Many of the extras are West End stars or performed in Les Miserables at some point... which is awesome.

The film is based on the popular, award-winning musical (created in France in 1980, West End in 1985, and Broadway in 1987), which is based on the 1862 novel by Victor Hugo.  The show, which is mostly sung, overcame initial bad press to become one of the most popular and enduring musicals of our time.  Several of the songs are well-known: "I Dreamed a Dream," "On My Own," "Do You Hear the People Sing?," "Stars," "Master of the House," "One Day More," and "Bring Him Home."

I read the novel in middle school, and have never seen any version of the stage show (but I just added the 10th and 25th Anniversary Concerts to my Netflix queue), although I did have the Broadway soundtrack on my iPod (until my computer crashed and I lost all of my non-purchased music).  That being said, I knew the story and the music, but was still shocked and moved by each death.  From what I have read online, the film stays true to the stage show, with a few differences.  The songs remain in tact with a few exceptions: a new song "Suddenly" for Valjean, one missing song "Dog Eat Dog" performed by Thenardier, and a shortened version of "Turning."  Tom Hooper, who won the Oscar for The King's Speech, is not an obvious choice to direct this film, but he really knocked it out of the park!  I genuinely don't know how or why he isn't getting an Oscar nomination for the film, but he should be proud of the film and the performances he captured.

Like the show, the film is 95% sung, with a few lines of dialogue here and there.  It is a sweeping epic, with impressive sets and costumes.  The film will have a long life, but the stage version of the show will always win.  I predict an Oscar win for Anne Hathaway, but I don't think the film can steal Best Picture.  I suggest seeing this film, and if you can't survive 3 hours in a theater, wait until it is available to rent... you won't regret it!

Les Misérables (2012) 157 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for suggestive and sexual material, violence and thematic elements.
Director: Tom Hooper
Starring: Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean
Russell Crowe as Inspector Javert
Anne Hathaway as Fantine
Amanda Seyfried as Cosette
Sacha Baron Cohen as Thénardier
Helen Bonham Carter as Madame Thénardier
Eddie Redmayne as Marius
Aaron Tveit as Enjolras
Samantha Barks as Eponine
Daniel Huttlestone as Gavroche

ParaNorman

"I'd like to be alone."
"So do I! Let's do this together!"

Norman (Smit-McPhee) isn't like other kids: he sees and talks to ghosts.  Everyday he chats with the ghosts on his way to school... but no living person understands him.  The other kids don't talk to him and his family is ashamed.  One day at school he becomes friends with Neil (Albrizzi), who thinks Norman's ability is awesome.

After school he meets creepy hobo Mr. Pendergast (John Goodman), who shares Norman's abilities.  He predicts the dead will rise, and only Norman can stop it.  The next day he is visited by Mr. Pendergast's ghost, who explains that to stop an ancient curse placed on their town, Norman must go to the witches grave and read from a special book.  But Norman is grounded, and soon the dead rise.  Can Norman stop the zombies or will the town be destroyed.


ParaNorman is the latest film to jump on the zombie bandwagon, but still manages to take a unique look at them.  The film carries a PG rating, which means there is minimal to no blood or carnage. The film manages to be about zombies, while having loftier ambitions... looking at bullying and being different. 

It is filmed using stop-motion animation, but everything is so smooth that you can't believe it.  Laika studio even filmed from multiple perspectives to give the film a more inclusive look.  The story is funnier than you'd expect.  The opening scene is great, featuring retro horror.  Norman loves horror, and his room reflects that... he has a zombie tooth brush, his alarm clock has an arm that reaches out of the ground, his collection of posters, etc.

The story was ok.  It wasn't entirely predictable, but the premise was not entirely original.  The characters, excluding Norman, are not particularly interesting.  It's an intriguing film, but I only watched it because it was nominated for an Oscar (although I don't think it will win).

ParaNorman (2012) 92 minutes
Director: Chris Butler and Sam Fell
Starring: Kodi Smit-McPhee as Norman Babcock
Tucker Albrizzi as Neil
Anna Kendrick as Courtney Babcock
Casey Affleck as Mitch
Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Alvin
Leslie Mann as Sandra Babcock
Jeff Garlin as Perry Babcock
Elaine Stritch as Grandma
Bernard Hill as the Judge
Jodelle Ferland as Aggie

A Little Bit Zombie

"I'm a zombie... I'm a goddamn zombie.  Tina's gonna kill me"

HR Representative Steve (Turner) just wants a nice relaxing weekend at his family's cabin.  His bridezilla fiance Tina (Lowe) has other plans; she wants to spend time on their wedding preparations.  His sister, Sarah (Hager) is the reluctant matron of honor who hates the bride, and her husband, Craig (Roberts) is the best man who just wants to drink.  On their first evening, Steve is attacked by a zombie-infected mosquito.  The next morning he is unnaturally pale, can't keep down food, and drools at the word "brains."

Meanwhile, Steve is tracked by zombie hunters: Max (McHattie) who just wants to kill zomibes, and Penelope (Ullerup), who thinks there is something unique about the zombie they are tracking.  Can Steve curb his hunger for brains while staying ahead of the zombie hunters?

The other day I wanted to watch a movie, and browsed through the new Netflix instant streaming films.  This one immediately caught my attention: it sounded interesting, the trailer was a hoot, and the film wasn't too long (so I would still have time for a nap).  Anyway, the film is a comedy with zombies... not a comedy-horror (it isn't scary).

The film is bloody, without being too excessive (I watch "The Walking Dead" so I'm used to zombies and gore).  The acting is over the top, but not obnoxious.  It is an interesting film, but isn't for everyone.

A Little Bit Zombie (2012) 87 minutes
Rating: R for some bloody violence, language throughout and brief nudity
Director: Casey Walker
Starring: Kristopher Turner as Steve
Crystal Lowe as Tina
Shawn Roberts as Craig
Kristen Hager as Sarah
Stephen McHattie as Max
Emilie Ullerup as Penelope
George Buza as Captain Cletus

My Top Cancelled TV #3

Lost

"Why do you find it so hard to believe?"
"Why do you find it so easy?"
"It's never been easy!"

Oceanic flight 815 crashes into a remote island.  Before crashing, the plane veered off course and lost all radio contact.  The pilots are dead and technology does not work.  The survivors band together for protection, with surgeon Jack Shephard (Fox) leading the group.  They also want to find a way to get back home.

But the Island has other ideas.  There are polar bears and other strange occurrences.  And the inhabitants on the Island, called the Others, are causing problems.  Everyone has secrets and a hidden agenda.  Can they survive long enough to get off the island?


I admit it, I was a little late to the Lost phenomenon.  Before the 6th season premiered on ABC, I bought the other 5 seasons on DVD.  I figured I would check it out, and if I wasn't interested / impressed, I would resell the DVDs or donate them to my public library.  But I was captivated from the beginning.  I watched the first season within a matter of days.  The pilot is infectious.  It grabs your attention from the beginning and keeps you interested.

The show managed to juggle a large cast (only a portion of which is listed below), evolving Island mythology, and the character backstories (which appear in every episode of the first few seasons).  And just when you think you know what is happening, the writers would throw a new twist, mythology, character, etc your way.  The writing wasn't always consistent, but most shows have bad moments / seasons.

Love it or hate it, people were talking about this show... networks are still trying to duplicate it's success, but nothing is working.  Many people were disappointed with the final season and the series finale, but I felt they wrapped up the show in a satisfying way.  All 6 seasons are currently available for instant streaming on Netflix.  Check it out, but be prepared to be sucked in!

Lost (2004-2010)
Creators: J.J. Abrams, Jeffrey Lieber, Damon Lindlehof
Starring: Matthew Fox as Jack Shephard
Evangeline Lilly as Kate Austen
Josh Holloway as James "Sawyer" Ford
Jorge Garcia as Hugo "Hurley" Reyes
Terry O'Quinn as John Locke
Michael Emerson as Ben Linus 
Naveen Andrews as Sayid Jarrah 
Daniel Dae Kim as Jin Kwon
Yunjin Kim as Sun Kwon
Emilie de Ravin as Claire Littleton
Henry Ian Cusick as Desmond Hume
Dominic Monaghan as Charlie Pace
Elizabeth Mitchell as Juliet Burke

Beasts of the Southern Wild

"The whole universe depends on everything fitting together just right. If one piece busts, even the smallest piece... the whole universe will get busted."

Bathtub is located in the southern Louisiana bayou, cut off from the world by a levee.  They know one day the town will be washed away, but they celebrate each day.  Hushpuppy (Wallis), an imaginative little girl, who sees the magic in life.  She misses her mother and depends on her alcoholic father, Wink (Henry).  One day a storm approaches and most people flee the Bathtub, but Wink and Hushpuppy stay.  As the storm rages outside their home, Wink puts floatees on her arms and orders her to be brave.  He even races outside with a shotgun to "scare away the storm" and her fears.

The next morning, the town is flooded and only a handful of people survived.  As the survivors band together, Wink sets out to make Hushpuppy strong.  He teaches her to fish and fight, while she dreams of prehistoric creatures called Aurochs and calls for her mother.  When the levee breaks, will life every be the same?


I subscribe to Entertainment Weekly magazine, and check their website during my lunch breaks.  I tend to know what big movies are in the works and the little known films that are worth looking into.  I first heard about this film through EW, and over time began to hear about it more and more with awards buzz.  I also saw a trailer for the film and was intrigued.

The majority of characters in the film are not professional actors, they are locals that the filmmakers found.  Quvenzhane Wallis is a breath of fresh air.  A precious little girl with a strong presence.  She is a powerful lead and commands your attention.

The story is interesting, and makes you believe it is a child's version of her world.  The audience still sees and comprehends things that Hushpuppy does not.  The story is unique, it won't appeal to everyone, but it is worth checking out.

Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012) 93 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for thematic material including child imperilment, some disturbing images, language and brief sensuality.
Director: Benh Zeitlin
Starring: Quvenzhane Wallis as Hushpuppy
Dwight Henry as Wink
Levy Easterly as Jean Battiste
Lowell Landes as Walrus
Pamela Harper as Little Jo
Gina Montana as Miss Bathsheba

Herbie Rides Again

"A girl hit me in the face with a boiled lobster the moment I mentioned your name."

Alonzo Hawk (Wynn) looks at beautiful old buildings and sees skyscrapers.  His newest project is Hawk Plaza, a 130 story building in San Francisco, with only an old fire house standing in the way.  His team of lawyers have been unable to persuade the elderly owner, Mrs. Steinmetz (Hayes), to sell.  Hawk convinces his naive nephew, Willoughby Whitfield (Berry), to talk take on the job.  But Mrs. Steinmetz stands firm, and is reinforced by her feisty roommate Nicole (Powers) and protective car Herbie.

Willoughby doesn't believe their stories about his uncle and Herbie, but becomes a believer after Herbie takes him to a car chicken contest.  He quits Hawk Enterprises and joins forces with the ladies.  But Hawk isn't willing to stop and orders his lawyers to use any means necessary:

"We'll start on Number 1 - Harassment! And I wrote the book on harrassment - We'll shut up her phone, turn off her water; we'll sic the Health & Building inspectors on her...steal her dog."
"She doesn't have a dog."
"What do you mean she doesn't have a dog? A little old lady living in a place like that? Who does she look for? How does she get around?"
"She has a little car she goes everywhere in."
"Well then, you fellows go and pick it up!"

Can Herbie beat Hawk, or will the firehouse be demolished?


After the success of The Love Bug, Disney decided to release a sequel... but they changed up the formula.  Herbie's career as a famous race car is in the past... he's retired and his owner is racing overseas.  His current owner is Tennessee Steinmetz's aunt.  There is a brand new cast of characters with Herbie, but somehow it works.

The film starts slow, but give it time.  Keenan Wynn is an incredible character actor and satisfying villain.  Apparently he played the Alonzo Hawk character in Disney's The Nutty Professor and The Son of Flubber films, and the character was memorable enough to appear in this film.  Wynn is clearly having fun with the character and is a riot to watch.  Stefanie Powers (who I know best from McLintock!) is entertaining as the female lead.  She is tough and funny, even when delivering unfortunate lines.  Helen Hayes is entertaining as Mrs. Steinmetz, and Ken Berry grows on you.

This is the Herbie movie that I have seen the most... growing up we had it on VHS (actually I'm fairly certain my parents still have that VHS) and watched this film all the time.  We loved Wynn and his crazy dream sequences.  Age has not diminished my joy with this film.  I'm excited to see what happens in Herbie's story.

Herbie Rides Again (1974) 88 minutes
Director: Robert Stevenson
Starring: Helen Hayes as Mrs. Steinmetz
Ken Berry as Willoughby Whitfield
Stefanie Powers as Nicole Harris
John McIntire as Mr. Judson
Keenan Wynn as Alonzo Hawk
Huntz Hall as Judge
Ivor Barry as Maxwell the Chauffeur
Chuck McCann as Loostgarten
Don Pedro Colley as Barnstorff

Pitch Perfect

"Acca-scuse me?"
"Acca-believe it."

Beca (Kendrick) wants to go to Los Angeles to become a DJ and play her own music.  However, her dad (John Hickey) forces her to enroll at Barden University for at least a year.  And he forces her to join at least one club.  She joins the Barden Bellas, the all female A Capella group.

The Bellas are led by Aubrey (Camp) and Chloe (Snow), who are trying to redeem themselves after ruining their chances the previous year.  They add Beca, Fat Amy (Wilson), slutty Stacie (Knapp), Cynthia Rose (Dean), and whipsering Lilly (Lee).  As the Bellas learn the same dated songs / choreography that they have always used.

Meanwhile, Beca begins working at the college radio station with Jesse (Astin), the newest member of Barden's male A Capella group, the Treblemakers.  The Treblemakers, led by cocky jerks Bumper (DeVine) and Donald (Ambudkar), are the mortal enemies of the Bellas.  Can the girls put aside their differences long enough to win the National Collegiate A Capella Competition?


Disclaimer: I love A Capella music... in fact I have an entire Pandora station of it (I fell in love with Straight No Chaser a few years ago, and gave them a station).  Most large colleges have an A Capella group, who change members every year as people graduate.  So I was excited by the premise of this film, and impressed by the actors involved.  Rebel Wilson is a powerful comedienne and has appeared in numerous comedies recently.  Regardless the size of the part, she is the highlight of the film.  In this film, she gets the best lines and is incredibly quotable.

Anna Kendrick, who was great in Up in the Air, anchors the film in her first starring role.  You don't always like her, but you do eventually want her to succeed.  She is surrounded by talented comedy actresses.  This was the breakout role for Anna Camp, who is currently appearing on TV in "The Mindy Project," and should have a bright future.  The rest of the Bellas are an eclectic group.  They are quirky characters, without going too far over the top.

The male characters are equally entertaining.  Adam DeVine is a riot as Bumper; you don't like him, but you can't wait to see him on screen with Wilson.  The story is funnier than you expect... and the music is good.  The actors did their own singing, and the songs are great.  The best song / sequence is the Riff-Off, shown below (minus all the speaking portions), with all 4 Barden A Capella Groups: the Bellas, the Treblemakers, the stoner Highnotes, and the group that only does Madonna songs.

What a great film, totally worth looking into... and watch for the small but entertaining roles: Elizabeth Banks, who produced the film, and John Michael Higgins as the competition emcees, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse.  Check it out, and then listen to the soundtrack.

Pitch Perfect (2012) 112 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for sexual material, language and drug references
Director: Jason Moore
Starring: Anna Kendrick as Beca
Skylar Astin as Jesse
Ben Platt as Benji
Brittany Snow as Chloe
Anna Camp as Aubrey
Rebel Wilson as Fat Amy
Alexis Knapp as Stacie
Ester Dean as Cynthia Rose
Hana Mae Lee as Lilly
Adam DeVine as Bumper
Utkarsh Ambudkar as Donald

Mystery Men

"I don't need a compass to know which way the wind shines."

The citizens of Champion City have no worries because they are protected by Captain Amazing (Kinnear).  However, all of his adversaries are behind bars and no villains are left.  He arranges for supervillain Casanova Frankenstein (Rush) to be released from prison, so he can catch him again.  After Casanova is released, he captures Capt Amazing, and the fate of the town is left to a group of wannabe superheroes.

After witnessing the capture of Capt Amazing, three friends search for a team to take on Casanova and the Tonys (Eddie Izzard and Pras).  The Shoveler (Macy) is a family man, with dreams of shoveling away villains / crime.  The Blue Raja (Azaria) has a fake British accent, lives with his mother, and throws forks at adversaries.  Mr. Furious (Stiller) is perpetually angry and is strong enough to lift a car in anger.  They hold auditions to recruit more people.  They end up with the Invisible Boy (Mitchell) who can only be invisible when no one is looking; Spleen (Reubens) who can knock a person out with his flatulence; The Bowler (Garofalo) who keeps her father's skull in a bowling ball; and their mentor Sphinx (Studi) who speaks in riddles.  Can the heroes that no one wants save the city?


I discovered this film during my freshman year of college because a friend was always quoting it.  He finally made us sit down and watch it, and we were less than impressed.  However, we were quoting the movie in no time.

It has been years since then, but I decided to see the film again.  And I found that it was much funnier than I remembered.  It isn't a great film by any stretch of the imagination, but it is funny.  The cast is strong... William H. Macy is a talented, award-winning actor.  All the other actors are well-known / established comic actors.

The film was loosely based on the independent comic "Flaming Carrot Cartoons."  However, it received mixed reviews and never really hit it big.  It's worth a look, but don't expect it to be the conventional superhero film.

Mystery Men (1999) 121 minutes
Rated: PG-13 for comic action violence and crude humor
Director: Kinka Usher
Starring: Ben Stiller as Mr. Furious
Hank Azaria as The Blue Raja
William H. Macy as The Shoveler
Janeane Garofalo as The Bowler
Kel Mitchell as Invisible Boy
Paul Reubens as Spleen
Wes Studi as Sphinx
Greg Kinnear as Captain Amazing / Lance
Geoffrey Rush as Casanova Frankenstein