Sky Notes

The Baader Meinhof Complex
The Baader Meinhof Complex is the story of the rise and fall of Red Army Faction (RAF) members in post-Nazi Germany. The gripping, retelling is hypnotic and terrifying. The RAF’s ability to rally the youth and stir the emotions of the general public in their favor is still frightening today. Baader Meinhof covers an extensive period of time and can be a bit confusing, but this historical docudrama will send chills down your spine! Grade: B+

Capitalism: A Love Story
The movie’s title should be changed to Capitalism: Moore’s patronizing beliefs spewed to an audience of 10-year-olds. Viewers are cognizant that Moore will give a one-sided, slanted view, but the first third of this movie was Moore’s voice-over backed by old movie and television footage. Give me a break … with all of the technological advances and real-life footage available, Moore could have found a better way to tell this story. However, the last third of the film, offered some redeeming value as it managed to splice in some tragic real-life stories of blue-collar Americans workers and their economic misfortunes. Grade: C

Rewind of the Week: Rules of Attraction
The “Beek” definitely wanted off the Creek in this one! For those of you who were not Dawson's Creek fans … this means, Dawson’s Creek star James Van Der Beek went against casting, and played an angry, womanizing drug dealer. Jessica Biel also rebelled against her squeaky clean image (at the time) and played a popular college co-ed who sleeps with anyone and everyone. Two “good” actors playing “bad” is the formula for fun. This sexually charged romp from 2002, is wickedly entertaining, dark and boasts a killer New-Wave soundtrack. Grade: B

Posted 10/20/09

Soderbergh's Film Asks: Are the Facts Fiction?

Sir Isaac Newton once said, "To every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction.” Mark Whitacre’s life is in a state of chaos after working with the FBI to bring down his company for involvement in an international price-fixing scheme. Director Steven Soderbergh’s (Ocean’s 11) intelligent dark comedy, The Informant, profiles how one man’s web of lies, stories and accusations led to his firm’s undoing while simultaneously revealing that his own sense of reality is not exactly accurate.

Matt Damon’s performance as an IDM Vice President who works with FBI agents Brian Shepard (Scott Bakula, Quantum Leap) and Scott Herndon(Joel McHale, Community) to bring down high-ranking officials in his company is Oscar worthy. The film documents Whitacre’s key role as an informant and instigator in the explosive global investigation during the mid to late 90s. Soderbergh’s film is a brilliant portrait of one man’s undoing by his propensity to fabricate events and stories just to stay a hero on the front-page headlines.

The film’s most impressive element is its ingenious screenplay that has Damon’s character narrate his own storyline, revealing Whitacre’s disturbing neuroses as he justifies and validates his excuses for any wrong doing. The Informant has moments of lag time as the picture overemphasizes his downward spiral in wake of his exposure. This is an unorthodox and sometimes hilarious flick that will tickle your funny bone and make you rethink the premise behind telling just one harmless lie or making an omission of the truth.

Grade: B+

In select theaters. Rated R.

Posted 9/27

Big Fan Hype Meets Giant Expectations

Have you ever coveted attention from a celebrity figure or sports franchise? What drastic measures would you take if you became a focal point of how your sports team performed on the field. Paul Aufiero (Actor Patton Oswalt) is a die-hard Giants fan and his plot to garner attention from his beloved football team’s quarterback sends his life into a complete tailspin. Director/Screenwriter Robert Siegel’s (The Wrestler) Big Fan is a gritty psychological thriller about a man’s dark and disturbing obsession with the NFL Franchise.

Siegel creates a misanthropic character who’s numb to almost everything around him except for the New York Giants and their quest for a Super Bowl ring. This chilling drama’s lead character is filled with a psychological pathos similar to Arthur Miller’s Willy Loman or Taxi Driver’s Travis Bickle. Aufiero works a dead-end job and lives with his badgering mother in Staten Island, NY. Several of his humoristic calls to a local sports talk radio station enable the audience to eavesdrop into the man’s perverse obsession with the sports franchise and his feverish retorts to a the call-in heckler who denounce his hometown team.

During the film, Aufiero’s life hangs in the balance after a near fatal run-in with one of his celebrity idols. The protagonist’s series of choices made after his life-threatening debacle reveal how chemically imbalanced and convoluted his beliefs are as his life continues to revolve around the Giants.

Big Fan could benefit from tighter editing – several scenes are superfluous to the film’s plot. The movie’s detective subplot could have been shortened or cut altogether. Siegel’s picture is very a solid Indie that will leave you in stunned silenced all the way through the show’s shocking climactic ending.

Grade: B

In select theaters. Rated R.

Posted 9/16/09

Greatest Dad Flirts With Comedic Genius

Sometimes the simplest white lie can be detrimental to someone’s sanity. Lance Clayton (Robin Williams) is psychologically headed on a downward spiral when he becomes entangled in a web of lies, causing him to lose sense of what’s important….his own peace of mind. Director Bobcat Goldthwait’s (producer of several episodes of The Man Show) shocking and perverse dark comedy The World’s Greatest Dad traces how one person’s life comes full circle after a personal tragedy changes people’s perception of him.

Williams deserves best actor consideration for his performance of Clayton, a lonely unpublished author and unpopular high school teacher. His antisocial and spoiled son, Kyle (Daryl Sabara), wreaks havoc on both his professional life and his secret romantic relationship with another colleague (Actress Alexie Gilmore). But his life takes a 180-degree turn after a family tragedy. Clayton turns into a celebrity among the school’s faculty; he wins the girl of his dreams and becomes a national icon. Clayton goes from being persona non grata to achieving the crème de la crème of the literary world.

But William’s character also becomes deeply disturbed when a lie he shares with a close few causes him to become embroiled in a firestorm of public significance. While the film is filled with a myriad of outrageously funny moments, this film is a social commentary on how deception can spin out of control and threaten one’s well-being. Goldthwait’s picture is inundated with lewd subject matter and over-the-top sexual overtones, but this is probably one of the most cunning adult comedies of the year and should not be missed in the box office.
Grade: A




In Selected Theaters Now Rated: R

Posted 9/6/09

Three Rock n Roll Icons Fine Tune Their Riffs During Intimate Documentary

What would you do if you could have an intimate music session with three of the most prolific guitarists in rock n’ roll history? Director David Guggeheim’s fascinating documentary, It Might Get Loud, could be the next best thing to a front row seat to see Jack White (the Raconteurs, The White Stripes), The Edge (U2) and Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin, The Yardbirds).

All three modern rock icons helped redefine what it means to play the electric guitar. “I didn’t always want to play the guitar, now I look at it as the means to connecting everything together,” The Edge said in the film. This is a poignant statement since he is now widely considered mastermind behind the world’s most heralded “Super Band.”

Guggenheim succeeds in creatively splicing in footage of each musician’s successful singles, hidden gems, favorite rock icons and archived video from their upbringing. The film also provides rock aficionados an up-close look at the making of several U2 songs, including the recent single Get On Your Boots (from No Line On The Horizon).

During the later stages of the film, it becomes conspicuous that both Page and The Edge share a close rapport, while White is viewed as an avant-garde neophyte trying to enter an exclusive mens club. Some cutaways and archived footage should have been left on the cutting room floor, including Page’s lengthy tour through a now empty house where Zeppelin recorded the epic album When The Levee Breaks.

But this an exclusive look at the past (Page), the present (The Edge) and the future (White) of three music legends that have reshaped the guitarist’s role in a modern band. If fan’s stay for the closing credits, they will be rewarded when the trio performs an acoustic cover of The Band’s Weight.

Grade: A-


In Selected Theaters Now. Rated: PG
Posted 9/5/09

This Judge Should Be Thrown Out

Mike Judge brought you Office Space and King of the Hill. Imagine Judge writing a movie, but Extract the humor from this product. Try extracting the creativity. How about excavating the novelty? If you are open to sealing off your expectations and throwing your money away, then Extract is the perfect movie for you!

Extract stars Jason Bateman (Juno, Arrested Development) as Joel, the owner of a successful extract plant that may be bought out by a large corporation. When an accident occurs, the buyout is threatened by a conniving Cindy (Mila Kunis, That '70s Show) and other unforeseen events. Ben Affleck’s performance is flat as the bartender who offers Bateman ridiculous escape mechanisms to calm his nerves, ranging from horse tranquilizers to marijuana.

Many of the characters in Extract are bad knockoffs of characters from Office Space. The plotlines were a bit preposterous and most of the jokes fell flat. Although the movie boasts a cast with gifted actors, the translation to the big screen didn’t work. There were minimal laugh out loud moments and audience members became antsy during the droughts in humor. Dustin Milligan (90210) and J.K. Simmons, whom have supporting roles, (Closer) make a mediocre movie somewhat watchable.

This movie is barely rent-worthy.

Grade: C-

Available In Selected Theaters. Rated: R

Posted 9/5/09

"Basterds" Carve Up a Must-See, Delightfully Entertaining Action Thriller

Inglorious Basterds Rated: R

Quentin Tarantino has built an illustrious career as a filmmaker by brilliantly incorporating exhilarating choreographed action sequences, avant-garde music scores and sardonic humor into his successful hits Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown. Tarantino’s latest movie could be his finest cinematic achievement to date with the historical fiction WII drama, Inglorious Basterds.

Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) plays a military lieutenant who leads a brigade of Jewish soldiers, “The Basterds,” trained to brutally assassinate any Nazi soldier wearing a Swastika emblem on their military uniform. Raine’s plan to end the war by destroying the Nazi party receives an unexpected boost when he gets covert intelligence that Hitler and his brain trust are expected to attend the screening of a Nazi-inspired film.

Actress Mélanie Laurent dazzles onscreen as the beautiful, cunning Shosanna, a French Jew who escapes captivity in Nazi-occupied France to run her aunt’s movie theater. Her role becomes pivotal to the film’s explosive finale to eradicate the central core of the Nazi regime.

Christoph Waltz’s performance as Col. Hans Landa, the dim-witted yet ruthless intelligence officer, ranks among the film’s top highlights. But Tarantino’s remarkable screenplay is the unsung hero of the film by adding a splash of British-like comedic farce into the military drama.

The filmmakers depict these savage soldiers as superheroes who viciously torture the Nazi soldiers by carving a signature slogan for their brutality toward the Jewish people. While Inglorius Basterds has moments of extreme graphic violence, Tarantino and Co. provide the right touches of humor to make this worthwhile movie a spectacular experience for most moviegoers.

Grade: A-

Posted 8/26/09

In The Spotlight: Interview With Cast Members At Cannes Film Festival

Soulful Surrender

Cold Souls Rated: R

Baby, it’s cold outside. It’s even colder inside when you don’t have your soul. Imagine if you could separate yourself from the “weight” of your soul. Take away the core part of you that may be holding you back from making a decision or moving forward. This is the premise behind Sophie Barthes dark, thought-provoking film Cold Souls.

In this film, Paul Giamatti, playing himself, struggles with getting into character. He feels burdened by his soul. So he does what any logical person would do if the opportunity arose … he undergoes a surgical procedure to temporarily remove his soul. When he doesn’t like the way it feels, he experiments with having a Russian poet’s soul instead. Chaos ensues when he decides to have the procedure reversed and finds that his soul has been stolen and sold on the Russian black market.

Cold Souls is an insightful and creative film. Writer/Director Sophie Barthes has created a stunning and imaginative story and Giamatti’s performance equals that of Malkovich in Being John Malkovich. David Strathairn's (Good Night and Good Luck) portrayal of Dr. Flinstein as a blundering genius is Oscar worthy. His comedic satire is spot-on and he steals every scene he in the movie.

The film’s comedic beginning soon ventures into darker, chilling territory. Viewers will be surprised and challenged by the film’s direction. Barthes’ dark humor and satire will not sit well with everyone and viewer’s may be surprised by the film’s content. This soulful story packed with philosophical questions and great performances will fill your quota for an intellectual evening out.

Grade A-



Posted 8/27/09

Laughter is the best medicine

There is an old adage – If we didn’t laugh, we’d cry. Funny People, starring Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen will make you laugh so hard, you’ll cry.

Sandler is cast as George Simmons, a world-famous comedian and movie star, who is diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. He hires Ira Wright (Rogen) an up-and-coming comedian to be his assistant/writer. As Simmons coaches Wright on ways to improve his stand-up material, you can almost envision the changing of the guard from one comedic genius to another.

Sandler’s reign as the king of comedies is slowly coming to an end. His movies are no longer guaranteed hits and writer/director Judd Apatow has given him the opportunity to have a juicy dramatic role. The fact that Sandler plays a character so similar to himself only makes the movie more enjoyable. Apataow has also managed to pack the movie with his cohorts from previous films.

Jonah Hill (Superbad) and Jason Schwartzman (Rushmore) as Ira’s roomies and rivals are perfect foibles to Rogen. Schwartzman’s character has gained fame as a character on a terrible teen sitcom while Rogen and Hill are still struggling to find their footing. Leslie Mann (Knocked Up), plays Laura, Simmons' one true love, who got away.

In addition to casting great supporting actors, Apatow has also filled the movie with surprising and delightful comedians who have all at one point or other been comedians at the top of their field.

The first half of the movie is sheer genius! It’s fast paced and fluid. The second half of the movie loses its focus and footing. The storyline drags and meanders unnecessarily.

Even with its faults, the chemistry between the actors is flawless and Funny People will satisfy your laughter craving.

Grade: B

A Fresh Take On Summer Heartache

500 Days of Summer takes the trite, overdone romantic comedy and delightfully turns it on its head. Even thought the characters seem happy go lucky – the story contains love, laughter, heartbreak and deception. Right and wrong are irrelevant … when it comes to matters of the heart, our hero and heroine can only be true to themselves.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Brick, Stop-Loss) plays Tom, a would-be architect who has somehow ended up writing greeting cards. He falls head-over-heels for new employee and polar opposite, Summer (Zooey Deschanel, Gigantic, Elf). She’s a quirky free spirit. He’s a straight-laced romantic … opposites attract!

The movie begins with Tom relaying his devastation at their breakup and proceeds with a beautiful narration of the 500 days of their relationship – the good, the bad and the ugly. The writers have used an ingenious flashback and flash forward sequence to tell their story. Viewers jump with Tom and Summer from their first encounter to the ensuing relationship. We are able to get a glimpse of the two leads both as individuals and as a couple.

Director Marc Webb uses numerous cinematic tools – ranging from dance numbers, cartoon characters and visual drawings – that make the movie visually charming. The film also manages to appeal to both men and women. Anyone who has been in love and survived a breakup will appreciate the humor, and wisdom, in this story.

Even though the ending seems a bit too optimistic, riding this romantic roller coaster is a treat.

Grade: B+

Emotional Trauma Takes A Toll In The Hurt Locker

Sometimes the greatest risks posed to the soldiers abroad are those that are not easily decipherable to the human eye. What if an imminent threat exists within your own command unit? Hurt Locker is a compelling and frenetic-paced military drama about a maverick commander who risks both his life and his team members while trying to deactivate bombs and other explosives in war-torn Baghdad in 2004. This is an emotional and insightful character-study film that traces the lives of three soldiers struggling to work together for the last 40 days on tour in Iraq.

Jeremy Renner is superb as reckless-by-nature Staff Sergeant William James, who places personal objectives above his teammates. Sgt. William’s methods come under sharp scrutiny from bomb squad colleagues Sgt. JT Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Specialist Owen Eldridge (Brian Geraghty). William’s presence on the squad is off to an inauspicious start because he refuses to use radio-controlled equipment to relay information as he deactivates various plastic explosives.

This film is a cinematic achievement for Kathryn Bigelow who also drew global acclaim for her action drama Point Break. Bigelow’s impressive use of the shaky cam and close-up shots serve as a great tool in luring the viewer to become further engaged in the chaotic and dangerous backdrop of this region of the Middle East. There are a few distracting elements here. The film’s use of sound mixing includes too many dramatic instrumentals that drown out the dialogue and sometimes thwarts film’s authenticity. The film would have been better served using more natural sound to assist in plot development.
This film is not for the faint of heart as it includes graphic language and gory violence, including a bomb buried in a dead corpse. But Hurt Locker is a thoughtful and realistic story about the violence inside the trenches and its emotional impact on the men and women that serve in the armed forces.

Grade: B+

Brüno is anything but Boring

Sacha Baron Cohen is one of this generation’s most genius comedians. His work comes across as comedy, but is actually thinly veiled social commentary. Borat was a brilliant film that exposed people’s phobias and levels of intolerance. Cohen has, once again, made a comedic spectacle. But, this time, it not only fails to challenge perceptions, it also may perpetuate or create homophobic stereotypes. Brüno is no Borat!

Although there are a few laugh-out-loud moments, most of the movie is filled with close-ups of crotch shots and over-the-top homosexual sex scenes. Cohen plays Brüno, an Austrian model, who is trying to make it big in America. He orchestrates numerous bits to garner attention, including adopting an African American baby and going on talk shows. Pushing boundaries is part of Cohen’s shtick and a few schemes worked to comedic perfection. The most brilliant scene in the movie occurs when parents are trying to get their children cast in Brüno’s video. The parents are willing to subject their children to just about anything. The movie should have contained more revealing and insightful scenes like this. Sadly, Cohen depended too much on cheap humor instead of making a film of substance.

Cohen must be commended for his ability to take on the personas he creates. He is almost unrecognizable as Brüno and plays the part with gusto. The movie did not have the cohesiveness that allowed Borat to score at the box office. Many of the scenes were thrown together and had little transition between scenes.

Audience members will flock to the movie, and the closing scene will make the film worth its $10 price. But your time is better served saving Brüno for a matinee or rental!

Grade: C-

A Giant Step Forward for Filmkind

The exploration of time, space and identity are put under the microscope in Moon, a cinematic cross between a sci-fi and Hitchcockian thriller. Writer/Director Duncan Jones will have you questioning what is real and what is imagined up until the shocking ending.

Sam Rockwell gives an award-winning performance as Sam Bell, an astronaut finishing his three-year assignment on the moon. His only companion: a robot named Gerty (voiced by Kevin Spacey) who shows emotion through disturbing facial expressions on a yellow smiley face. While on an exploratory mission, Sam has an accident and wakes up in the infirmary to realize that something has inexplicably changed.

Once Sam awakens, the movie enters a Twilight Zone-like state. Sam is no longer alone on the moon and he doesn’t know if he can trust either himself or his newfound companion. He begins to question if he will ever return home and if things will ever be the same.

Director Jones makes full use of incredible background shots of the moon and the earth to enhance Sam’s sense of isolation. The images enable the viewer to toggle between the beautiful space station exterior and the chilling events that are occurring within the station. Rockwell’s tour-de-force performance is a must-see. With minimal casting, and maximum images, rush to your nearest theater for this limited release!

Grade: A-


In The Spotlight: Moon

My Sister’s Keeper Excels Despite Film's New Twist

What price would you pay to save the life of someone you love? What extraordinary lengths would you go to to protect a loved one’s right to die peacefully? The answers to these fundamental questions are explored in Director Nick Cassavetes’ gripping film adaptation of the novel My Sister’s Keeper. This is an eloquent and sobering portrait of a family ripped apart over the impending death of their cancer-stricken daughter.

Cameron Diaz is outstanding in her gritty performance of Sara Fitzgerald, a mother who is faced with two major battles – a fight to save her eldest daughter Anna’s (played by Sofia Vassilieva) life and a legal dispute with her youngest child Kate (Abigail Breslin) who refuses to donate her own kidney to help the family’s cause. From the onset, Kate is tormented by both a sibling’s secret and the notion that she is being used as a guinea pig to prolong her sister’s suffering. Cassavetes takes artistic liberty by altering the ending of film. (No Spoilers here!) But My Sister’s Keeper retains the poignant message of the film that it is the choices people make – not tragedy – that binds or severs kindred relationships.

Breslin is nothing short of sensational in her resonating performance as Kate who is at the epicenter of the family tragedy. Alec Baldwin, in his supporting role as Kate’s lawyer, is a charming yet tragic figure. He’s plagued by medical issues, which reveal his altruistic intentions for taking Kate’s case. But Diaz delivers her first Oscar-worthy performance as a determined mother unwilling to come to grips with Anna’s terminal prognosis.


In the movie, Breslin identifies giving birth as an act of chance and not “planned.” Moviegoers will empathize with both sisters’ plights. Each daughter makes fundamental choices that will alter their lives. Anna tries to “seize the day” before her battle with leukemia comes to a close. Meanwhile, Kate must accept the fact that her well-being has been largely dismissed by her parents and her actions have irrevocably changed their relationship forever. For the viewer, it's time to make the right choice: make My Sister’s Keeper your next priority!

Grade: A



In The Spotlight: A Preview of My Sister's Keeper

Away We Go

For college sweethearts, turned life partners, Burt (played by John Krasinski from the Office) and Verona (played by SNL’s Maya Rudolph), the journey to find the perfect place to raise their child is a heartwarming adventure. Along the way, they visit friends and family on a cross-country tour that brings them closer and helps them reach the ideal destination. This is a trip you definitely want a ticket for!

Although the leads are known for their comedic chops, both bring a level of drama and realism to their roles. Academy Award-winning director Sam Mendes is able to bring out endearing aspects of each character. This could have been a cheesy B movie. Instead, Mendez uses veteran actors to illustrate the different paths the leads could take in having and raising a child. Many of the parenting styles are taken to the extreme, but with Maggie Gyllenhaal, Allison Janney and Catherine O’Hara taking motherhood types to the extreme, the audience takes joy in going along for the ride.

Burt and Verona show the audience that there is no perfect model for parenting and that it’s okay to be in unfamiliar territory in your life. Sometimes the most unexpected journeys lead you to home.

Grade: A

In the Spotlight:

Gloves Off: Tyson’s Toughest Bout Yet Lies Beyond Boxing

When a prized fighter steps into the ring, the stakes are always high – and a heavyweight championship title could be on the line. But “Iron Mike” is paying dearly for a contest lost outside of the ring – his rage and his own sanity. In Director James Toback’s highly touted documentary, Tyson, moviegoers are given an intimate tour inside the tormented mind of the former heavyweight champion. The film will leave audiences awestruck by the insidious nature of Mike Tyson’s persona and how his untimely decisions led to his downward spiral.

Instead of utilizing an officious voiceover, Toback employs Mike Tyson himself to narrate his own pathos-filled story about a former gifted boxer who lost everything because of anger, paranoia and his treatment of women. The film introduces viewers to the softer side of the boxer as Tyson recollects his long-time trainer, Gus D’Amato who was very much a guardian and father-like figure to him. D’Amato taught Tyson discipline both inside and outside the sport of boxing, which he sorely lacked due to his upbringing in the poorest districts of Brooklyn, New York.

Under the direct tutelage of D’Amato, Tyson channeled his athleticism and anger in the ring, which helped him become the youngest boxer to win the WBF, WBA and IBF world Heavy Weight Titles to date. After D’Amato’s death, Tyson unraveled, feeling isolated and without someone to shield him from the pressures of achieving celebrity status. Toback poignantly incorporates footage from interviews with Tyson as a young adult that revealed immaturity and an inability handle the press.

There are some parts of the film that remain nothing short of gut-wrenching and disturbing as Tyson uses this documentary as a forum to publicly refute all assault-and-battery charges stemming from his marriage to Robin Givens. His seemingly half-hearted rebuttals reinforce a message that Tyson remains very demented as he attributes those professional and private setbacks to temporary insanity and immaturity. From his malicious attack on Holyfield (1997) to his rape conviction (1992), Tyson attempts to paint himself as a tragic figure that has been maligned in the press and cheated by those hoping to profit from his professional career. But it’s Tyson’s skewed perceptions of boxing and his life that leave us thinking he is owed a second chance to redeem himself.

Toback’s documentary is not without its flaws. The director utilizes too many artistic editing techniques (e.g., numerous jump cuts) that distract from the boxer’s sometimes-heartbreaking commentary on his life story. But most of the time, the filmmaker’s visual creativity helps assist in providing a portrait of the “Beast” outside of boxing. The film incorporates a number of split screens of Mike Tyson’s face and audio mixes of his voice to uncover the complex persona of one of the most feared and love-to-hate figures in all of sports. Tyson is a definitive knockout and will have audiences squirming in their seats as they watch the former boxer come to blows with his regrettable past.
Grade: A-

In The Spotlight: Tyson (Documentary 2009)

Crowley Must Find A New Bag of Tricks After Release of Is Anybody There

Director John Crowley is up to no good … literally. He is able to conjure up anecdotal scenes that include disappearing card tricks, a moving chair and even a magical guillotine. But there is no illusion, the dark comedy, Is Anybody There, is imprisoned by its banal acting performances and the slow-moving screenplay.

Crowley’s film takes place in a depressive retirement facility where the caretakers are just as deeply troubled as the elderly Brits. Edward (Actor Bill Milner) plays a gawky yet inquisitive ten-year-old English lad from a small town off the coast of Britain who is obsessed with paranormal communication from deceased people. Actor Michael Caine plays Clarence, an embittered retired magician with a tragic personal past who is coming to grips with his declining physical condition and coping with the mistakes of his past that still haunt him. Edward and Clarence strike up an unusual camaraderie through the art of magic and communication from another caring person.

Crowley’s film’s glaring misfire is the lackluster chemistry between the top two male leads. Caine’s performance is too contrived and rehearsed for viewers to truly empathize with his character’s plight. The movie’s lone highlight is the stellar performance of Milner, who is able to admirably demonstrate the character’s metamorphosis from a reclusive boy to a social, potential budding magician in the making. Unfortunately, the film is plagued by the story’s unimpressive subplots. Milner’s parents (played by David Morrissey and Anne-Marie Duff) marital discord is never fully developed enough for the viewer to become cognizant of how those conflicts resulted in the child’s obvious emotional trauma.

The limitations of Crowley and head writer Peter Harness contribute to both a subpar movie and disappointing cinematic viewing experience. It’s time to unveil a new trick from the filmmakers’ repertoire, hit the delete button and start from scratch!
Grade: C-
By Aaron Malofsky

The Soloist Falls Flat

The real-life story behind The Soloist is a touching and motivating story: Los Angeles Times reporter Steve Lopez (played by Robert Downey Jr.) is intrigued by the beautiful music he hears in the park. He follows the melodies and finds the musician, a homeless man, Nathanial Anthony Ayers (portrayed by Jaime Foxx), playing a violin with only two strings. Lopez is intrigued by Ayers and decides to write an article, which later becomes a series of articles, for the paper. During his research, Lopez discovers that Ayers is a talented musician who dropped out of Julliard many years earlier, due to schizophrenia. The true story is fabulous; the movie version spirals downward into the abyss of mediocrity.

The movie is true to the story – Lopez publishes a series of articles about Ayers that touch many of the readers, resulting in fan donations of a cello, housing and cello lessons. During the research and composition phases of the articles, Ayers and Lopez mature emotionally as individuals and develop an unlikely bond. The movie explores the friendship, as well as Ayer’s backstory and homelessness in Los Angeles.

This movie could have served as a rallying cry for action. Although the movie cast two award-winning actors for the lead roles, only one successfully embodied the character he portrayed.

Downey gave a nuanced performance as Lopez. His conflict with being placed in a position of worship from Ayers was evident. He loved the accolades he received from the city and his paper, but did not relish the responsibility he felt for Ayers well being.

Foxx was unable to become the character he played. From the moment we meet Ayers, it is evident that he has mental issues. Foxx’s opening sequence begins with a diatribe filled with names and historical references. Instead of being poignant and believable, he seemed to only be reciting memorized monologues. Oscar-winning Foxx overacted through a majority of the film and his performance seemed stiff.

Foxx is not the only one to be faulted for a disappointing movie. Director Joe Wright employed numerous visual storytelling techniques that made the movie muddled. Many of the minor characters were played as stereotypical caricatures (drug dealer, prostitute, thug, etc.) Wright also used colorful abstract collages during many of the musical scenes that left attendees a bit disoriented. There were numerous snickers heard from the audience during these interludes.

The Soloist is not well orchestrated. Wright attempted to cover too much ground in a limited time and Foxx simply doesn’t deliver as Ayers. This is a story worth telling, but it hit too many sour notes and the movie’s climax seemed contrived.

Grade: C-

Sugar Is Not So Sweet

Sugar follows the promising career of Dominican pitcher Miguel “Sugar” Santos (played by Algenis Perez Soto). The movie starts off on a humorous and upbeat note. The opening scene occurs in the Dominican baseball training camp at San Pedro de Macoris where the players are learning English expressions and baseball terms. The training camp provides an entertaining, yet tragic, backdrop where players are trained to have a successful Major League Baseball career in America. They are coached on baseball skills and taught only enough English to enable them to get by in a foreign country.

The audience knows immediately that Sugar has great potential and is shown that he is taking on the responsibility for his family’s financial future. He receives admiration from everyone in his hometown, and “family and friends” come out of the woodwork when he is recruited for training and tryouts for the minor league affiliate of the Kansas City Knights in the United States.

The movie’s inspirational tone continues as Sugar arrives in America. We see that although America may be the land of opportunity, it takes hard work and dedication to succeed. The movie takes a dramatic turn as Sugar struggles to maintain his momentum when he’s surrounded by fierce competition and an injury. Although Sugar advances, the obstacles he faces to reach his end goal increase as he tries to overcome racism, language barriers and the distance from his family and friends. The last third of the movie veers into darker territory, and audience members may be surprised by the turn of events.

Writers/Directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck took a risk by not making Sugar a one-note movie. They showed how difficult it is for Sugar at the U.S. training camp where he is struggling to attain a pitcher position. There are 75 players auditioning for less than 50 positions. In a phone call to his family, he states, “All the players here are really good.” I admire Boden and Fleck for their gritty and honest portrayals of the hardships players face. The last section of the film felt a bit long-winded and the directors could have shortened a few of the scenes and still successfully achieve the dramatic climax.

Sugar is a film is worth seeing, but does show the winner-take-all side of sports and competition. If you are expecting a feel-good, crowd pleaser, Sugar’s overall journey may leave a sour taste for in your mouth.

Grade: B

Don't be late! See Phoebe in Wonderland.

Nobody drinks shrinking potions or is late for a very important date, but this story is still full of magic and grandeur. The audience watches what happens when a bright little girl and her family are forced to face her inexplicable and troubling behavior.

Elle Fanning portrays nine-year-old Phoebe, who begins to exhibit behavior that is unacceptable in today’s society. Phoebe starts to isolate herself in school, spit at other children and say negative things under her breath. Phoebe’s mother (played by Felicity Huffman), who is writing her dissertation on Alice in Wonderland, initially denies that Phoebe is doing anything other than acting like a little girl. She won’t listen to the conservative school principal, her husband or the psychiatrist. She believes that children are no longer allowed to just be children.

She finds solace from Phoebe’s eccentric drama teacher Ms. Dodger (played by Patricia Clarkson) who finds Phoebe extraordinary. Fanning does an incredible job expressing her internal struggles. She knows that something is not quite right about her behavior, but explains to her parents that she “just can’t help herself.” Ms. Dodger enforces Phoebe’s growth and development in the drama class.

First -time writer/director Daniel Barnz does an exceptional job of incorporating the themes of real life through a child’s dreamlike reveries with the rabbit, the queen of hearts and other characters from the much beloved book.

Barnz could have created a hokey, pull at your heartstrings film. Instead, he shot a moving, creative masterpiece that explores both a child’s illness and how it affects those around her. Phoebe’s courage and honesty allows the people close to her to face a difficult situation and reach a higher level of understanding.

Grade: A