Poetic Justice

Starring: Janet Jackson, Tupac Shakur Directed by: John Singleton

I was enticed to watch the 1993 movie Poetic Justice after hearing the theme song "Again" on an 80s/90s R&B playlist Ryan put together.  I had been meaning to watch it for a while, but it was never a must-see.

The concept behind the movie seems pretty good – young Justice (Janet Jackson) who was devastated by the shooting death of her first boyfriend starts writing poetry to help her cope.  And she also learns to love and trust again after she meets Lucky (Tupac Shakur).

Overall, this movie was a real disappointment.  Having read a book of Tupac's poetry, The Rose That Grew From Concrete, I was hoping the movie would actually have Justice writing something deep and meaningful.  However, her scenes of 'poetry' are just her rambling in a notebook.

Also, Justice and Lucky pretty much hate each other through most of the movie.

Pretty much all of the characters except Justice and Lucky are very one-dimensional and seemed stereotypical.  Based only on this movie, it seems that everybody  in South Central LA has a short temper and a limited vocabulary of profanity, everybody knows somebody that's been killed by gang related violence, and there are a lot of people with alcohol or drug problems.

You actually get more information about Lucky than Justice – he's trying to be a standup guy – good job with the post office, trying to shield his daughter from her mama's messed up life and ensure she is raised with structure and love rather than chaos, he likes to hang out with his rapper cousin in Oakland. As Tupac is good looking and a good actor, this wasn't a problem.

There is minimal insight into Justice's life and background – outside the fact that she is a hairdresser, inexplicably owns a house, and is mourning her boyfriend – until midway through the movie she reveals a bunch of family history during a screaming match with her best friend.

I'm not saying the movie is all bad.  There is actually a really good scene where Justice, Lucky, Justice's friend Iesha (Regina King) and Lucky's co-worker Chicago (Joe Torry) crash a family reunion on their way to Oakland.  It is one of the least forced scenes in the movie and also includes an interesting cameo by a real poet.

If you:

• Like drama, drama and more drama
• Like the nostalgia of movies from the '90s
• Don't need to have a coherent storyline to enjoy a movie
• Are fascinated by movies where Janet Jackson REALLY shows a resemblance to her brother Micheal

Put it in the queue.

If you:

• Are irritated by characters that chew gum like it's their job throughout the entire movie
• Are offended by lots of profanity
• Like character development and an interesting plot

Don't put it in the queue.

Written by Jennifer Venson

King's Speech and Gatoroid

This week Drew and I watched Mega Python Vs. Gatoroid, then the King's Speech.  Then a second helping of Mega Python Vs. Gatoroid.  The way we figured it, you can never have too much Debbie Gibson AND Tiffany...yes, both 80s pop stars share top billing...sandwiched around a grandiose Academy Award nominated period piece. .

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Mmmmm.....Debbie Gibson/Tiffany sandwich......

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Speed Racer

Starring:Emile Hirsch,  Christina Ricci, Matthew Fox Directed by: Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski

How the %&!# is Speed Racer a movie about love? I am sure that is what you were asking yourself when you saw this title come up. And you would be right to question this choice. On the surface, Speed Racer was a rather poorly reviewed film that many thought was all flash, and no substance. Of course, if you remember, I told you that much of the time context is key when talking about an emotional connection to a film, and this is an example of just such a connection.

To be honest, Speed Racer isn’t a great film. I believe it is better than the 38% it received from RottenTomatoes.com, but I am not here to argue with critics. The plot is pretty standard; Speed Racer and his family must race cars in order to stick it to the man. The Racer family is assisted with the help of the mysterious Racer X.  The plot is…okay, and the visual effects of Speed Racer are absolutely beautiful if you are will to accept it as “cartoony”.

The reason why I have included this particular film in a list of movies about love is because of the family dynamic, specifically the idea of being a brother. It wasn’t until I became older that I fully began to appreciate that I have two brothers. And while I will often complain about being the middle child, the truth is I wouldn’t want it any other way. Believe it or not, Speed Racer, in very broad strokes, paints of nice picture of what I like about having two brothers. The way Speed (that is the main character’s name) looks up to his older brother Rex, as though he were the example by which he should model himself, reminds me of how much I admire my own brother.  At the same, Speed knows the importance of trying to be the best version of himself knowing that his little brother is looking to him as an example. Whether I was successful at it or not, I’d like to think I tried to do that with my little brother.

Maybe most of the people out there will not like Speed Racer, and I guess I can understand why, but that does not mean that the film has no merit. Regardless of my own perceptions of the film, the importance of family is a theme that is heavily represented in this film, and that’s got to be worth something. So maybe I look at Speed Racer through rose colored glasses. Maybe my own connections have made me blind to some obvious flaws in the narrative. Maybe the fact that the young Speed Racer at the beginning of the film reminds me of one of my nephews, who I don’t get to see as much as I would like, has made me sentimental when I should try and be objective. All I know is that as the hassles of life take my brothers and I in different directions, watching this movie makes me feel connected to them, and there is nothing wrong with that.

Written By Drew Martin

Away We Go

Starring: John Krasinski, Maya Rudolph Directed by: Sam Mendes

How does a romantic comedy begin? The soothing sounds of Louis Armstrong or John Mayer will be blasting as the camera moves through the streets of New York City until we meet one of our leads who, in spite of their good looks, high paying job, and 3,000 square foot apartment, just can’t seem to find someone to date. You know how these movies don’t start?  With John Krasinski performing oral sex on Maya Rudolph while talking about “vaginal flavors” to deduce that she might be pregnant. These are the first frames of Away We Go.

When this film was released in theaters, I remember several critics disliking the film because of the lack of conflict between our two leads.  This is almost entirely true.  Burt (Krasinski) and Verona (Rudolph) are completely in love with each other, and not the kind of gooey Valentine’s Day commercial kind of love, but a very honest, vulnerable, and strangely funny kind of love. It is refreshing to be able to observe the relationship for what it is, and not have to constantly be waiting for some contrived reason to put a strain on their love that you know will almost instantly be resolved.

Rather, the conflict in Away We Go comes from other couples the Burt and Verona visit as they are trying to figure out where they should live when their baby arrives. Each couple seems to represent different archetypes of what can happen in a marriage. The couple who has become cynical to the idea of marriage and families. The couple who doesn’t believe in strollers, but does believe in breast-feeding until the child is 5, and practices the “family bed” method of sleeping. The couple who seem to have the perfect family of adopted children, but are hiding their despair over five miscarriages. To the man whose wife has just left him, leaving him to raise a beautiful little girl all on his own.  Oh there is plenty of conflict in this movie, but we are always anchored to Burt and Verona, to be reminded of what love can be.

I will warn you, Away We Go is rated “R”. While this film is immensely sweet, it also quite sad, and our characters react to the situations much like you and I would, thus there is a fair amount of foul language. I just don’t want you to be surprised when dialogue doesn’t feel anything like Sleepless in Seattle. In spite of the language and harsher elements used in the film, there is still enough childlike naivety in Burt and Verona to make the movie very enjoyable to watch.  By the end you are reminded that many of our own journeys lead us home.

Written By Drew Martin

The Young Victoria

Starring: Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend Directed by: Julian Fellowes

I watched three movies touting themselves as love stories this weekend.  The Young Victoria was the one I liked best.  If you set aside scenes with courtly politics, grand parties and the palace, what the movie is really about is two intelligent people building a real relationship.  Which is a refreshing to watch.  (I watched about a season and a half of The Tudors and got a little tired of the King exercising his royal powers of seduction.)

What I really liked was that the movie portrayed the queen and prince as human – awkward and uncertain, petulant, passionate, curious, authoritative, vulnerable. They play chess, walk in the garden and write letters to each other.  Though Prince Albert (Rupert Friend) has been trained to court Victoria (Emily Blunt) with the aim of a politically-beneficial marriage, he chooses to court her with genuine interest and emotion.

There are still some points where Prince Albert comes to her rescue, but not in the traditional sense.  He treats her as a partner, not a pawn, and complements her strengths with his own.  The movie also illustrates Victoria growing into her power well – determined to do the right thing for her country and herself, but still having a lot to learn at first.

If you like:

• A more realistic depiction of romance and marriage than most movies (i.e. it takes effort and compromise, but the rewards are worth it)
• Historical dramas with elaborately gorgeous costumes
• English gardens
• Male characters sporting sideburns fashionable in the mid-1800s

Put it in the queue!

If you:

• Prefer your royalty decadent
• Think Prince Albert is only a type of tobacco or body piercing
• Don't watch movies with a PG or lower rating

Don't put it in the queue.

Written by Jennifer Venson

Serendipity

Starring:John Cusack, Kate Beckinsale Directed by:Peter Chelsom

Sometimes movies are like comfort food to me. If I am in a bad mood for any reason, I can throw in one of these movies and just forget about everything for a while. Serendipity definitely falls into the aforementioned category. There was a time when the second-run theater near my home town was playing Serendipity for what seemed like years. During that time I probably watched it a half-dozen times. There are worse ways I could have spent two dollars at the time.

Serendipity brings nothing new to the romantic comedy genre, but most people don’t watch movies like this to see something different. This movie plays on a hope that many people have; the idea that there is some great force drawing us to our true love. Many rom-coms use the idea of “the one” or “love at first sight”, but Serendipity is marginally different in that the characters are constantly discussing and trying to fight against these cliché notions.

The film begins with a chance meeting between Jonathan (Cusack) and Sara (Beckinsale). They spend one perfect evening enjoying all the charms of New York City. At the conclusion of the evening, Sara tries to give Jonathan her number, but fate steps in and the number is lost. Sara takes this accident as a “sign” and doesn’t give Jonathan the number again. Instead Sara devises a plan to let the universe bring them back together. She has Jonathan write his name and number on a five dollar bill then spends it, and she puts her information into a copy of Love in the Time of Cholera and sells it to a used bookstore. Sara does all this because she knows that eventually fate will lend a hand and bring the two back together.

The bulk of the film takes place a few years later, where both Sara and Jonathan, having never found each other,  are about to marry other people.  Let’s not pretend that we don’t know how this film ends. If for some reason you do not know how the formula for a romantic comedy works, please stop reading this now…

…

…

Eventually, after a number of wild goose chases and near misses, Jonathan and Sara do find each other, and from this comes the most annoying thing and my favorite thing about Serendipity. Both of our main characters are about to get married, and we the audience don’t want that to happen. It is genuinely sad when the relationship ends between Jonathan and his fiancée since she appears to be a wonderful person who just had the bad luck of falling in love with a man whose heart belonged to another. On the other hand, Sara’s potential husband is such a ridiculous tool, and it seems hard to imagine that she would have ever loved him in the first place. I don’t know why that always stuck in my craw, but it has.

My favorite thing is much simpler. When our film draws to its inevitable conclusion and Jonathan and Sara finally meet each other again after many years of searching and dreaming, at that moment when he sees her again…he has a tear running down his face. Just a simple moment of emotion that helps to bookend the film nicely.

Serendipity is not a great movie. However, it is great for what it is. This is a cotton candy genre, and Serendipity just stands out as being a little bit sweeter than the others. So just sit back, forget about the world for a while, cue the Nick Drake music, and enjoy Serendipty.

Once

Starring: Glen Hansard, Markéta Irglová Directed by: John Carney

So I decided that I would write several reviews revolving around love…you know…for Valentine’s Day. The problem is that there are about a million movies about love, and even more when you start blurring the lines a bit. Sure, we can all agree that Love Story is in fact a decent love story, but what about The Fugitive? A wrongly accused man looking for his wife’s one armed killer might not push your buttons, but my first date consisted of making out with a girl in the back row of a theater while The Fugitive was playing…I was 14. Why The Fugitive? It was an hour longer than the other movie playing.

This of course is the problem with writing about love in movies… context. Often our emotional connections to a film have less to do with the movie itself, and more to do with whom we share the experience. Not to mention that love exists in many forms; romantic, paternal, sibling, bromance, farm animals (thanks a lot Black Sheep). My plan is just to shoot scattershot at the whole thing. What you get will be entirely dependent upon how I feel at the moment I sit down to write. I will try to watch some movies I haven’t seen before, but for the most part these reviews are different ways I have enjoyed watching love presented in movies over the years.

I think starting things off simply is the best way to begin anything. The 2007 film Once may be one of the simplest, yet most beautiful little stories about love that I have ever seen. A boy, a girl, a song, and one week in Dublin. The love in this movie is simple as well. Gone are the cliché moments that every romantic movie share, but rather we witness two lonely people who find each other. Over the course of this one week, we remember what the characters remember, there is magic in the connection between two people.

Of course the real magic of this film comes from the music.  In case I didn’t mention it, Once is a musical. Now I know that some people have an aversion to musicals, but you can make an exception this time. Like most musicals, the songs have a way of moving the story forward while saying what our characters cannot. Unlike most musicals, the songs never feel out of place or break the flow of the narrative. It is the organic nature of each song that makes their message resonate on a level that few songs or movies can.

Not everything I write about will be this short or absent of criticism. I thought the first movie should be something that I would feel comfortable recommending to everyone. Once may not feel like most romantic movies you’ve seen before, but that doesn’t mean that it should be counted as anything less than one of the great love stories in recent years.

Written By Drew Martin

Groundhog Day

Starring:  Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell Directed by:  Harold Ramis

In just six days, we'll know if six more weeks of winter are in store for us, keeping the deep freeze and snow going well into March.  I have heard that Punxsutawney Phil, the famous season-predicting groundhog, is rudely woken from its hibernation just to be trotted out for those few moments in the sun (or not) to determine if it will see its shadow.  Which does not seem very nice.

Also not nice would be having to live the same day over and over again. Phil (Bill Murray), a local weatherman who delivers the forecast with style and has an extremely high opinion of his skills, has to deliver his morning report from Punxsutawney, PA during the Groundhog Day festival.  Traveling with producer Rita (Andie McDowell) and cameraman Larry (Chris Elliott), Phil continuously acts like a conceited ass.

After getting stuck in town due to road closings from a blizzard he predicted would miss the area entirely, Phil and his crew are stuck in Punxsutawney.  And the next morning, Phil discovers he's stuck re-living February 2^nd.  Over and over and over again.  The alarm clock clicks over to 6:00 am, the radio station starts playing "I Got You Babe," and Phil gets another shot at the day.

Bill Murray is perfectly expressive in this role – the sheer befuddledness of Phil the first few times he repeats the day, the glee he takes in pushing the limits of indulgence (cake for breakfast, ridiculous behavior), the doldrums where he engages in several suicide attempts to see if death would release him from this odd fate.  He is also charmingly crafty, collecting information during every repeat in order to seduce women.  One such target is Rita, who is not easily wooed (evidenced by a montage of their evening dates ending with Phil getting a resounding slap in the face.)

The inventive ways Phil uses his seemingly infinite time are hilarious and clever – making this a very enjoyable film.

If you:

• Prefer slapstick romantic comedies to cerebal yet silly ones
• Can't get past a leading lady that is not Hollywood cute (i.e. Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Aniston, etc.)
• Don't want to see a movie where snow is a major part of the landscape – at least not in the next six weeks

Don't put it in the queue.

If you:

• Like the 'choose your own adventure' style
• Liked Scrooged
• Appreciate the absurd

Put it in the queue!

Written By Jennifer Venson

True Grit and The Social Network

True Grit

On the surface, this week's show appears to be one of the most intelligent yet. Ryan and I watched Oscar contending films True Grit and The Social Network. We also talk about number of other films that we have watched over the last week or so. We watched films from France, Belgium, Australia, and Sweden. We play it straight almost the whole time, then the "Beer Fairy" makes a visit. I think it adds to the show.

Social Network

The Informant!

Starring:  Matt Damon, Scott Bakula Directed by: Steven Soderbergh

I began watching The Informant! with the wrong impressions.  I thought it was mostly comedy, with a goofy corporate drone spilling the beans on illegal activities perpetrated by his employer and getting a kick out of playing secret agent man.

That's sort of what plays out in the movie, but it only scratches the surface.  It's like a half-truth, told to get you to pick up the bait…er film.  The whole thing is based on a true story – though once again, once the plot starts to unravel, you could probably say the movie is based on a pack of lies.

Mark Whitacre (played exceptionally well by Matt Damon) seems to be the accidental businessman.  He wears crazy ties to work, his mind always seems to be wandering (to a tie sale at Bachrach during an important meeting, for example) or pondering some tangent. He mentions at some point that he was a biochemist and pretty much fell into management as a way to advance. He eats dinner at home with his three kids and his wholesome, upper class June Cleaver-esque wife Ginger (Melanie Lynskey).

When the FBI get involved in a possible extortion situation with an international contact (Whitacre is the 'messenger' as the extorted called him), Whitacre takes the opportunity to confide to Agent Shepard (Scott Bakula) that the company has been engaging in price fixing.  He's gone along with it to keep his job, but is an unwilling party.

After some  waffling about whether or not he really wants to participate (he tells the agents several times there's been no more price fixing, then admits it's still happening and he's ready to cooperate with them), Whitacre zealously accepts his role.

At several points in the movie, the naïve relish with which Whitacre believes he is the 'guy in the white hat' makes you pause and wonder how this guy with a PhD can be so stupid to think that after the dust clears from the price fixing case that he will still be an invaluable employee – perhaps even in line to be company president when the other top executives have been fired/jailed.

Price fixing is just the first layer though.  There is other funny business afoot, brought to light by the investigation.  And there the movie takes a completely different turn. Immediately after I watched The Informant! I did not like it.  Now it's had a little time to sink in, I believe it was ok. It does plot twist and reveal MUCH better than any of the trendy psychological thrillers (I'm looking at you, Black Swan).

If you don't like:

• Corporate America
• the Government
• not having a clear distinction between the 'good guys' and the 'bad guys'

Take this movie out of the queue.

If you like:

• Tales of greed and deceptions lighter than Wall Street but not as funny as Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
• seeing a garage full of European autos
• movies where you're not sure what's really happening/true/etc.

Put it in the queue!

Written by Jennifer Venson

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Starring:  Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck, Sam Rockwell Directed by:  Andrew Dominik

I commonly listen to music scores via Pandora radio while I analyze or QC data at work.  (Vangelis, John Williams, Danny Elfman and Ennio Morricone stations are favorites of mine).  On one of these stations I first heard some absolutely beautiful, melodic and slightly sad themes from the score of The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.  I had mentioned wanting to see this movie to Ryan, and his first comment was, "It's a long movie and I heard it's slow.  You won't like it."

Despite this, I was still interested. The film remained in our queue until it climbed to the top.  And then it sat around on the TV cabinet for about a month while we debated having enough time to sit down and watch it.  I really wish we had watched the movie earlier, as it is a good investment of 155 or so minutes.

First, I must disagree with the idea that it is a slow film.  True, there is only one action-packed train robbery sequence. Moments of comedy?  Not so much.  But it's a far cry from films where nothing actually happens.  Instead, it very deliberately moves toward the consummation identified in the title.

Perhaps it is because I already – in essence – knew what was supposed to happen, it made the pacing OK.  Like waiting for Christmas.  But I don't believe that's really it. All the scenes had some sort of meaning in the grand scheme of events.  Kind of like the mechanisms within a Rube Goldberg machine or dusty artifacts that shed light on a civilization's collapse.

The movie is totally character driven – their perceptions, conversations, motivations, fears, dreams and delusions are brought to life in an engaging enough way to make typical movie action unnecessary.   Jesse James (depicted with excellence by Brad Pitt) is so much more than a robber bandit – he is a driven, complex, and perhaps not completely sane man.  Robert Ford (played exceptionally well by Casey Affleck) grows in maturity throughout the movie, completely correct in his belief that his destiny is somehow tied to his childhood idol Jesse James.

If you prefer:

• action to contemplation
• cars to horseback
• the strong, silent hero to an awkward, outburst-y anti-hero

Don't add this to the queue.

If you like:

• Brad Pitt playing mentally unstable characters (a la 12 Monkeys, Fight Club)
• movies with a  historic flavor
• breathtaking landscapes

Put it in the queue!

Written by Jennifer Venson

Tron Legacy/Centurion

tron

Two films with a strangely similar stories to tell. Sure, one takes place in ye oldy times, while one exits inside a computer, but watch them both and you will see that it is true. Ryan watches a classic for the first time, I'll give you a hint...it isn't Garbage Pale Kids: The Movie...maybe next time. Also, how many trailers is the right amount before a movie? I can't be sure, but I think there were 83 trailers before Tron Legacy, and half of those were movies where Martin Lawrence was wearing a fat-suit. I may have to stop going to that theater. Anyway...enjoy the show.

This is Spinal Tap

Starring: Michael McKean, Christopher Guest Directed by: Rob Reiner

Most of the best rock shows I have seen over the years involved some element of theatrics. Iron Maiden, seen at Ozzfest in 2005 (where they headlined because Ozzy was unable to play that day), certainly tops the list with multiple backdrop changes, a giant animatronic goat-man rising up out of the set and the Eddie mascot staggering across the stage.

Though I love rock concerts, I've never been much for recordings of live shows. You're either there, or you aren't. The only concert-based film I ever bought was a used VHS copy of Led Zeppelin's The Song Remains the Same. Even when I bought CDs that had special concert footage features, I never watched them.

Perhaps that explains why I'd never seen This Is Spın̈al Tap. But probably it's because if you are familiar with the 'mythology' of rock culture and know what an amplifier looks like, you don't need to watch the movie to get the jokes.

That said, this movie is a very enjoyable nugget of pop culture and I'm a little sad I waited so long to see it. In addition to little digs at the history of rock such as silly-sweet 50s rock, fluffy folk rock of the 60s and the leather and glitter-encrusted glam metal era, tons of fun cameos are sprinkled throughout the film (like Ed Begley, Jr. as the band's first drummer and Billy Crystal as a mime).

If:

· you take your heavy metal band very seriously

· you've never been – or have no desire to go – to a rock show

· you are still angry with Yoko Ono for breaking up The Beatles

· heavy innuendo makes you uncomfortable

Don't put it in the queue.

But if:

· you like mockumentaries

· you like heavy metal for the sheer theatrics

· you like heavy metal for the same reasons you like pro wrestling (semi-shirtless men in costumes with tight spandex pants)

· you find humor in people taking themselves very seriously when they probably shouldn't

· you like to turn it up to eleven

Put it in the queue!

Written by Jennifer Venson

Black Swan

If you are like me, then I am sure that you are tired of all the movies that make up the "crazy ballerina" genre. In spite of that, we still decided to watch Black Swan. I will warn you now, Ryan and I do end up talking about this movie far more extensively than other movies. If you are wanting to see this movie, you might not want to listen to this show just yet. I don't think we really spoil anything, but we come awfully close to discussing the whole movie. Enjoy.

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Borat

Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen Directed by: Larry Charles

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen.  However, it's more of an "I can't believe that just happened" funny.

Under the guise of Borat Sagdiyev, foreign journalist filming a documentary about the great USA, Sacha Baron Cohen brings you a slice of American pie that isn't always palatable. Of course, Borat's hometown perspective isn't necessarily the portrait of virtue by American standards either.

When Borat arrives in America, he finds that most people rebuff his warm greetings (hugs, etc) with profanity, threats and even running away from him.  A meeting with a feminist group – of course, that's a recipe for disaster. A driving lesson – hilarious fun.  Borat sharing his support of the War on Terror with a rodeo crowd – even better. Dinner with a group of genteel people of a high social echelon – a total train wreck that ends with a threat to call the police.

It's kind of like watching one of those psychological experiments that measures how a people really react as they slip the mask of social propriety on when they know they have to and how their true selves react when they don't think (or perhaps don't care) they're being watched.  Also, it's interesting to see how people get caught up in Borat's crazy enthusiasm.  Seriously – how would you react if a stranger to whom you delivered a telegram said, "You mean to say that my wife – she is dead?  High five!"

These humorous litmus tests of Americans in addition to Borat falling in love with Pam Anderson while watching Baywatch reruns and finding a way to stretch his travel to California to find her make for a very entertaining movie.

However, this movie is not for everyone.

If you are offended by:

• Satire
• Foreigners
• Nudity
• Bathroom humor
• Chickens being carried around in a suitcase
• Homosexuals
• Pam Anderson
• Jokes about ethnicity, religion, America or the mentally handicapped

Please take this movie out of the queue.

However, if you have ever been offended by:

• Unfriendly New Yorkers
• Snobs
• Frat boys
• Feminists
• People who have no sense of humor
• Americans
• Humanity in general

Definitely put this movie in the queue!

Written by Jennifer Venson

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Starring: Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon, Catherine O'Hara Directed by: Henry Selick

What's this?  A review of The Nightmare Before Christmas?  Quick, gather the emo kiddies around the computer in their Jack Skellington hoodies and sock hats from Hot Topic.  (Yes, I know a lot of them weren't even born when it first ran in 1993.  That's irrelevant.)  Cue the pop-punk remix of the soundtrack.  And do be careful when you're opening those presents…could be shrunken exploding heads this year.

What's this?  I'm being a little unkind.  This is true.  It is difficult to not empathize with the Pumpkin King (voiced by ol' Fright Night vamp himself, Chris Sarandon), bored with years of the same old same old at Halloween.  To quote Trainspotting, "Variety 'ay the spice 'o life."  Then as his melancholy wanderings take him into Christmas Town, he livens up like a teenage girl (or perhaps a 30-something woman acting like a teenage girl) at a Fall Out Boy concert.

It is fun to watch the (literally) animated Jack, accompanied by his adorable ghostly pup Zero, get excited about snow, presents, decorations, "Sandy Claws" and all the trapping of Christmas and want to try his hand at it.

The rest of the movie is actually kind of…meh.  Sure, the Danny Elfman soundtrack is good and there's a nice little romance between Sally  – who is kind of like a cross between Raggedy Ann and Frankenstein – and Jack.  (Which is immortalized in Blink 182's "I Miss You").  There's also some side plot about three irritating monster kids and Oogie Boogie.  But honestly these parts aren't as fun to watch in my opinion, and sometimes make the movie drag.  The sheer magic is in Jack's delight in the idea of Christmas and attempting to deliver his twisted brand of joy to children worldwide on December 25^th.

Between the time I originally saw the movie and re-watching it in 2004, I believe I had pretty glorified memories of it.  Then I went to see the 3D re-release a few years after and was completely disappointed.  And a little more bored during the movie than I expected.

I visited Disney Land this year during the Halloween Celebration (which is pretty much from late September through Halloween). As one of the special holiday attractions, the Haunted Mansion was completely redone in a Nightmare Before Christmas theme.  Everything – from the pictures in the elevator to the trappings in the séance room to the ghouls that follow you home – was all Nightmare'd up.  It was ridiculously cool – and really captured the surprise and delight Jack felt at finding something new when he was a little jaded by the same old same old. Nearly every scene felt totally fresh and exciting – my favorite was them replacing the disembodied candelabra floating in the hallway with Zero waiting to greet all the mansion guests.  Actually, the very idea for this review was born while I was waiting in line as one guy behind me remarked,  "It's amazing how much they've been able to market a movie that wasn't all that good…"

I think he's only half right.  The movie in total, kind of boring.  But the ability to balance creepiness with innocence and despair with joy in just the right quantity that allows teens and adults to enjoy a Disney movie that isn't painted with the same saccharine brush as a 'happily ever after' princess flick…that is genius, and exactly why The Nightmare Before Christmas will be a cult classic for years to come.

(disclaimer:  the author of this blog once owned a pair of black and purple striped knee socks with Jack Skellington on them.  And yes, she bought them at Hot Topic). Written by Jennifer Venson

Christmas Story/Joulutarina

Starring: Hannu-Pekka Björkman, Otto Gustavsson, Jonas Rinne, Kari Väänänen Directed by: Juha Wuolijoki

In case you missed the visual that goes along with this post, the blog is NOT about A Christmas Story.  There is no Red Ryder BB Gun, there is no Little Orphan Annie decoder ring, there is no leg lamp.  This is  Christmas Story,  original title Joulutarina, a movie from Finland that has been dubbed in a very mediocre way.  Probably the only thing the two films have in common is a lot of snow.

Having gotten that out of the way, on to the review.

This tale comes from the land of the ice and snow (Lapland), hundreds of year ago.  On Christmas Eve, the youngster Nikolas (played by various characters as he grows up) is left alone in his family’s cabin as his father and mother take his baby sister Aada to the town doctor due to a high fever, planning to cut across the frozen lake.  Father reassures Nikolas that they will be back soon by giving the boy his pocket watch and promising to return before the little hand hit’s the six.  Of course, they do not return.  Other villagers come to the house long after the promised hour to tell Nikolas his parents’ footprints disappeared into the lake.

The small fishing village hold a meeting to see who will take in the boy.  No family will be able to permanently adopt the boy, so they decide for the next six years, he will spend a year at each family’s house.  Over the years, Nikolas is warmly welcomed into each home, and he shows his appreciation by carving wooden figures for the children of the village to thank them for their hospitality, distributing the toys on Christmas Eve. Over the years, the carvings become more detailed and sophisticated as his skills grow.

Of course, the village has an exceptional year of hardship, and the Nikolas’ future is once again up in the air, as he is an extra mouth to feed.  A visiting carpenter, Iisakki (Kari Väänänen) notices the woodcarving skill Nikolas has and offers to take him in as something of an apprentice.  Though the village knows Iisakki as grouchy and intimidating, they (of course) feel as though they have no choice but to send Nikolas with him.

Though predictable, the increasing respect and warmth master and apprentice develop toward each other is the stuff of typical feel-good holiday films, the movie begins to drag after the first hour.  The adult Nikolas is less heartwarming, more…not exactly creepy, but a little eccentric as he continues to craft toys for all the village children - even after his original peers began starting their own families.  As with the carpenter Iisakki, Nikolas is somewhat of a hermit, only visiting the village sporadically.   He seems to have an obsessive intent to expand his gift crafting and giving to other villages and eventually spread the cheer to children worldwide.

Basically this is a good movie for a while - especially the scenes of Nikolas trying to train reindeer to pull his sleigh)  but if you skip the last 20 minutes (which include a cryptically odd ending), you will probably like this film a lot more than if you watch the whole thing.

Written by Jennifer Venson

Tokyo Godfathers

Starring: Toru Emori, Aya Okamoto, Yoshiaki Umegaki Directed by: Satoshi Kon, Shôgo Furuya

For those who are a little burned out on the holiday classics – Frosty the Snowman, Charlie Brown Christmas, maybe even National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation or A Christmas Story – you might find Tokyo Godfathers an enticing choice.

The setting is Christmas Eve in Tokyo.  The main characters?  A trio of homeless people who survive as a loose family – Gin, the middle-aged drunk; Hana, the transsexual; Miyuki, the teenage runaway.  Already it sounds like the viewer should be expecting a punchline.

This anime feature opens with Gin and Hana attending a Christian Christmas Eve service, likely just to get out of the cold (as Gin keeps nodding off).  Later they meet up with Miyuki to scavenge at the dump when they hear a baby crying.  Hana, still awash with the story of the Virgin Birth and yearning to be a mother, is totally excited and ready to begin caring for the little lost lamb.  Gin tries to be rational and persuade her to take the baby to the police, but Hana begs for just one night of mothering.

Perhaps my American expectations have been spoiled by films like Three Men and a Baby, but with this setup it just seems like a comedy is brewing for the rest of the film.  Not so.

There's a key tucked in with the baby that leads the trio to a storage locker.  The locker in turn contains a few photographs and potential clues to the baby's short past.  As the try to locate the parents and understand why the baby was abandoned, their own past lives – and sometimes lies – unravel as well.

If you are looking for a fun, animated, (loosely) holiday-themed movie to watch with the family by the glow of the Christmas tree…this probably isn't it.  Check your local listings to see if Charlie Brown and his haggard tree are on.  Or better yet, check Game Show Network to see if they're having a Card Sharks marathon.

If you want the drama of people struggling with who they were (or who they might become), desperation and the power of love/forgiveness, this is a good choice.   However, it still might be a little too Christmas holiday-tastic for the truly jaded, as there is a nod to Sound of Music in it.

Written by: Jennifer Venson

Buried

A podcast we recorded a few weeks ago for the film " Buried," starring Ryan Reynolds, kind of got lost in the shuffle, but we dug it up just for you!  I guess you might say we unearthed this podcast so it might see the light of day!  Drew and I are like magical druids, exhuming the dead art of movie-podcasting and bringing it to life so we can wreak havoc on the public! Yeah, you might say a few of those things, you just might...

Buried_movie_poster

127 Hours

Danny Boyle has long been one of our favorite directors here at Coming Off The Reels, and 127 Hours doesn't disappoint in any way.  Beautifully shot, masterfully scripted and acted, it should be at the very least a shoe in for a number of Oscar nods if not wins. Oh, and I think maybe we also talk about Tron...