Movie with Abe: How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
Directed by Dean DeBlois
Released February 22, 2019

When a cinematic universe has been created and it’s clear the people like it, it’s almost inevitable that a sequel will follow. That’s doubly true when an animated world presents the opportunity for more excitement, and having it be friendly to both children and adults is indeed a plus. In 2010, “How to Train Your Dragon” reframed a mythical legend that usually inspires fear, and its follow-up in 2014, “How to Train Your Dragon 2,” delighted audiences just as much. A third film was all but guaranteed, the latest journey into a place where people ride friendly dragons that still manages to be fun even if it’s not nearly as fresh.

Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) has great success rescuing captured dragons with the help of the loyal Toothless, but his efforts attract the attention of the sinister dragon hunter Grimmel the Grisly (F. Murray Abraham). Determined to undermine Hiccup, Grimmel sends what Hiccup and Astrid (America Ferrera) come to call a Light Fury to bond with Toothless so that the two will be linked and drive him away. Threatened by Grimmel, Hiccup leaves with the Berkians on a quest to find the Hidden World, a legendary place he learned of from his father that might provide a new home and a place to keep all of the dragons safe.

Those eager for a return trip to see Toothless and all of his magical wonder will likely enjoy this film simply because it provides a pathway back in to a wondrously imagined concept. This third entry doesn’t have the same innovative feel as the first two films, launching into its plot assuming all of its viewers know what’s going on and what to expect next. There is a familiar nature to the structure of this arc, with Grimmel simply set on destruction while Hiccup and all of his friends merely want to help those they love survive rather than be captured. It should be pleasing enough to young audiences, reminiscent of many other animated and family-friendly films.

This film’s subtitle sets this entry up as an evolution, one that takes its characters and transplants them to a new place. While many future sequels seem likely, it appears that the television spinoffs and other franchise opportunities will suffice since there are no plans in the works for a fourth film. This reviewer is more than okay with that, with the second as the true standout of the series. This film is perfectly adequate and impressively animated as always, but it does serve as a harmless example of why it’s not always absolutely necessary to make another movie just because it’s worked well in the past.

B

Oscar-Nominated Documentaries: Burma VJ & The Cove

Burma VJ: Reporting from a Closed Country
Directed by Anders Ostergaard
Released May 20, 2009

The Cove
Directed by Louie Psihoyos
Released July 31, 2009

Two of the films nominated for this weekend’s Oscar for Best Documentary are no longer in theatres. While “The Cove” has been out on DVD since December, “Burma VJ,” which enjoyed an extremely brief theatrical run last May, won’t be available on DVD until around June. Luckily, the IFC Center in New York City brought the latter film back for one night as part of the Stranger than Fiction series last week. These two films actually have quite a bit in common, and it’s very interesting to look at these two posited beside each other.

With any hard-hitting documentary, exposing the facts requires a certain determination on the part of the researchers and often forces them to put their lives in serious danger. In the case of “Burma VJ,” the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) faces life imprisonment by the military government and the destruction of all of the video material its members have worked to assemble. In “The Cove,” former Flipper trainer Richard O’Barry and his team of dolphin rescuers also risk the daily possibility of being apprehended and held without anyone back home to come and save them. The stories of people being beaten and shot versus dolphins being murdered might not exactly carry the same weight, but through these two films, each presents an extraordinarily compelling tale.

In both “The Cove” and “Burma VJ,” a brave few try to expose some truth about which the rest of the world seems hopelessly unaware. In the effort to save the dolphins, the small crew seeks to film as much as they can so that they can use it to inspire others back in the United States and other countries to take part in the cause. In Burma, however, the most significant part of the work done by the DVB is the transmission of the footage taken to the rest of the world and even back into the closed country of Burma. Spreading information is paramount, and if a small number of people can inspire hundreds, thousands, or millions, then maybe the world can be changed one step at a time.

The two films take different tones in spotlighting their respective injustices. “Burma VJ” is an ultra-serious instance of true groundbreaking reporting from a closed country, as the subtitle suggests, and it operates under the premise that everyone is watching and therefore it’s simply unbelievable that nothing is changing. “The Cove” starts with the opening line “we tried to do this legally” while operating as a thriller of sorts, but there’s a fair amount of humor in the film, including O’Barry deliberately lying to police in interviews and answering the question “how many times have you been arrested” with “this year?” O’Barry also utters a distinctly trademark line that no other person in thee world could call their own: “if there’s a dolphin in trouble anywhere in the world, my phone rings.” The DVB similarly attempts to prevent any government misconduct in the country of Burma. These watchdogs are doing incredible work, and these films do their stories justice.

Burma VJ: B+
The Cove: B+

Movie with Abe: The End of Poverty?

The End of Poverty?
Directed by Philippe Diaz
Released November 13, 2009

Make sure to underline the question mark at the end of the title. This comprehensive documentary doesn’t purport to suggest that poverty is in fact nearing its end, but instead takes an extensive look back at the reasons it came about and has persisted. Sample solutions are suggested, and it’s the kind of film that, if it can explode with popularity, hopes to have a major impact on the world and change the way things work. If seen by enough people and implemented on a grand enough scale, this film could in fact signal the end of poverty. The good news to do with this otherwise unoptimistic film is that it’s already in re-release at the Cinema Village theatre in Manhattan.

What the film certainly succeeds in doing is tracing the staggeringly historic roots of poverty and in proving that it isn’t a small problem. It’s not merely one city, state, or country that is spotlighted and surveyed, and the film includes interviews in languages such as English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Swahili. Martin Sheen narrates the long history of how the present situation has arisen, and personal accounts of situations are presented to drive home the seriousness of their plight. It’s not something that’s taken lightly or brushed off, and this film fully intends to be hard-hitting in the breadth of its investigative reporting.

As far as documentaries go in terms of fine filmmaking, “The End of Poverty” does well. It’s not simply ideas that are being thrown at the viewer, but rather an attempt to craft a compelling and engaging argument. The extent of the research undertaken here is clearly visible and demonstrated through the timeline presented in the film. It’s a project that works both as a documentary story and a documentary film. Its collection of facts and figures is presented in a thoroughly intriguing and persuasive format. Furthermore, it’s an important investigation into a crisis that is hardly unique to any one period in time or any one place in the world, and therefore its universality is perhaps its most effective factor.

B+

Home Video: The Ugly Truth

The Ugly Truth
Directed by Robert Luketic
Released July 24, 2009

Sometimes it’s hard to believe how awful a film is. But with a title that has the word “ugly” plastered right out on its cover, it’s not that much of a surprise. Jokes are often made about a title standing in for the nature of a movie, and that’s never been truer here. The ugly truth, as it turns out, is that it’s possible to make a horribly unfunny, awkward, uninteresting, and altogether boring romantic comedy with two leads who have both demonstrated in the past that they have possess the abilities to act decently but seem to have lost any shred of talent in their loose preparation for their roles in this film. But perhaps that’s being too kind, and more severe judgment must be passed on this failure of a film.

Don’t be fooled by the clever teaser poster for “The Ugly Truth,” which showed twin silhouettes of a man and a woman with a heart displayed on the woman’s head and the man’s genital region. Because the truth about men and women and their nature is apparently so obvious, the film goes to extra lengths to prove that reality, creating pointless and inane situations to demonstrate just how true it is. What’s even more shameful is that it isn’t even hidden – the man (Gerard Butler) errs his viewpoints on a live television talk show, and the woman (Katherine Heigl) challenges his chauvinistic sentiments by shouting her doubts right in his face.

Where “The Ugly Truth” fails in the most astonishing way is its inability to conjure up a single funny line. The subject matter, however prickly and tread-over, is certainly ripe for some crude humor, but this film can’t find any of that. Worse still, it’s hopelessly subdued and seemingly censored for its first half, and once it finally takes the plunge into lewd territory, it doesn’t look back, but it also doesn’t get any funnier. Underneath the attempts at crafting a disdainfully inappropriate and unreserved R-rated comedy is a devastatingly familiar, dumbed-down romantic comedy that doesn’t contain anything remotely fresh or fun. The sheer amount of talent wasted in this project – Butler, Heigl, and supporting actors like Cheryl Hines, John Michael Higgins, and Bonnie Somerville – is especially regrettable, but hey, that’s the ugly truth. This movie certainly drives that adage home.

F

2009 Spillover: Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel
Directed by Betty Thomas
Released December 23, 2009

The title is pretty creative; there isn’t much debating that. Unfortunately, this film doesn’t have much more to offer than a fun name. Most of its cuteness was exerted in the first film, and this is very much more of the same. This film does adhere to one of the cardinal rules of sequels, however, which can be a good or bad thing depending upon the situation. If something works, get more of it. In this case, three singing chipmunks worked well for the $200 million grossing first film. What’s the next logical step? Singing female chipmunks, of course.

Adding a whole new slew of chipmunks to the party is probably the smartest thing this franchise could have done, because it enhances the adorability factor all around and gives the chipmunks something to do other than to cause trouble for their good buddy Dave. What’s even more entertaining and endearing is that the female chipmunks are huge admirers of Alvin, Simon, and Theodore. They do yearn to achieve the same celebrity status as them, but more importantly, they just want to meet the legends and get their autographs. That’s all fine, but there’s nothing in this story for adults – it’s still just for kids.

What’s interesting about this film, and the franchise as a whole, since the third squeak probably isn’t far off, is that it seems to be a haven for TV actors looking for a side job or a post-show gig, depending on their current status. The first film starred Jason Lee, who was then the star of “My Name is Earl,” a show which has since been cancelled, and David Cross, fresh off of the end of “Arrested Development.” In this second installment, not one but two stars of currently airing TV shows join the cast. Kathryn Joosten, also known as Mrs. McCluskey on “Desperate Housewives,” appears briefly as Dave’s wheelchair-bound aunt, though a clumsy mishap quickly dispels her from the plot. The story then turns over to an unexpected actor to portray the temporary guardian for the chipmunks: Zachary Levi. The star of NBC’s “Chuck” plays a loser, which is a shame because he’s proven he’s capable of getting his life together and being cool on the show. It’s as if he’s taken a step backwards in his career, and it’s a puzzle to determine what he’s doing here. The same is true for any adults who end up seeing this film.

C

Home Video: Sunshine Cleaning

Sunshine Cleaning
Directed by Christine Jeffs
Released March 27, 2009

“Sunshine Cleaning” is a movie both about finding hope in the most desperate of situations and also having fun in the midst of morbidity. It’s certainly an entertaining concept, and the film’s premise is just as shiny and hopeful as its clever title. Yet that’s as far as the sunshine goes, since this actually turns out to be a bleak film without the necessary wittiness or powerful undercurrent to justify its negativity. Even its impressive cast can’t do much to lift this film out of the unquestionable rut in which it for some reason sits, and that doesn’t lead to a terribly fulfilling experience.

Many compare “Sunshine Cleaning” to the 2006 Best Picture nominee “Little Miss Sunshine.” Sure, both may boast an occasionally grumpy, occasionally wise-beyond-his years Alan Arkin and a similar title, but there are few similarities beyond that. The newer film possesses the requisite acting talent in their typical roles for its two lead females, an eternally chipper Amy Adams and an alternative, purposefully disgruntled Emily Blunt. Both ladies have been much better before, and the writing here is nothing great, so it can’t be completely their fault. Yet Adams looks visibly pained when things aren’t going her way, and it’s not much of a stretch for viewers to sympathize with her since the movie is a tiresome bore.

“Sunshine Cleaning,” despite its title, is hardly optimistic, and it never seems to escape its particular funk. Bizarrely bad lighting really doesn’t help the film’s sour tone, and the film doesn’t utilize any other filmic devices to enhance its production. Its story is over-simplified, as events and major plot developments happen too quickly without reason, justification, or explanation. Despite the whirlwind of detours, it’s a highly predictable, familiar tale with nothing new or worthwhile to distinguish it from any of its predecessors. It’s almost as if the moral the film is trying to teach is lost on its characters, and that definitely detracts from its considerably lackluster effect. “Sunshine Cleaning” is hardly a glimmer of hope in the midst of tragedy but more accurately a disappointing and extremely missable film.

C

Home Video: Food, Inc.

Food, Inc.
Directed by Robert Kenner
Released June 12, 2009

Making a solid documentary film requires more than just a colorful, flashy PowerPoint presentation. Al Gore clicked his mouse excitedly and awed the world with his global warming movie, “An Inconvenient Truth,” but wasn’t able to construct a movie able to stand on its own as a movie. The facts might, but their assemblage wasn’t nearly as impressive. The latest Big Documentary of the Year doesn’t point cameras in people’s faces and have them turned away violently or ignored like a certain boisterous Flint, Michigan native does, but it still has a sense of being a timely, gravely important exposé.

“Food, Inc” begins its examination of the food industry with an ultra-serious look at just how bad things have become. There are obviously both purposefully and unintentionally funny moments in the documentary, but the theme is one of full and extensive probing, determined to get to the heart of the matter and uncover the truth. It’s a strong and important film because it charges its audience to get up and doing something with their newfound knowledge. In a society where the economy continues to spiral downwards and people keep getting fatter, it’s an utterly relevant and crucial film that doesn’t fail in any of its efforts to educate and motivate its viewers to action.

As a documentary film, “Food, Inc.” is very well assembled and impressively put together. The selection of interview subjects and sound bites is stellar, and the investigation doesn’t falter when it comes up against a brick wall. If someone declines an interview, the film declares it unabashedly and creates an even more biting critique of those who denied the filmmakers access to their operations. By far the most spectacular feature of the film is that it doesn’t fabricate scenarios and utilize cheesy or forced personal stories to muster its strength. Only the most hard-hitting stories that can stand for themselves are chosen, and that makes the film terrific. The haunting and foreboding musical score is also a huge asset for the film. This may not be an appealing film, but it’s certainly an important and impressive film.

B+

Movies with Abe Presents: The Best Films of 2009

I'm proud to announce that I've created my very first movie montage, featuring clips from 43 of the best films of this year. I enjoyed it so much I made a companion Winter 2010 TV Preview for TV with Abe.

Movie with Abe: The Last Station

The Last Station
Directed by Michael Hoffman
Released January 15, 2010

It’s a treat to find to have a number of fine actors assembled together in one film. In the best case, it works out that all of the talent involved delivers equally impressive performances, and not one of them gets overshadowed or downplayed by another. In the next best scenario, one or two performers steal the show and carry the film. And then there’s the possibility that the intense overdose of stardom results in no one turning in a fine performance, and the movie fizzles or outright flunks (like “All the King’s Men” in 2006). This late-opening 2009 awards contender falls under the first category, and it’s a wonderful breath of fresh air.

The diversity of the talent amassed in this film is quite refreshing. Christopher Plummer has been acting since before his signature role in “The Sound of Music,” and after over 150 films, he’s finally found a fantastic part that fits his subdued but booming demeanor as Count Leo Tolstoy. Playing off of him and his spectacular presence is Helen Mirren, a recent Oscar winner for “The Queen,” as the jealous Countess Tolstoy, and the two of them share a magnificent chemistry in the midst of the interference of so many interested parties looking out for the welfare of the estate, the theology, and their own best interests. Paul Giammati twirls an extravagant mustache which matches his manipulative and seedy attitude. James McAvoy sneezes nervously as Tolstoy’s young apprentice baffled by the meddling on all sides regarding the Tolstoy family. The real shining star of the film is the impressive Kerry Condon as a Tolstoyan follower who tangles with McAvoy’s character. The ensemble is uniformly terrific, and all blend in perfectly to the society they are trying to emulate and portray.

The film itself is perhaps a bit fleeting and flighty, but overall it’s a good story that continues to get better as it proceeds along. There’s humor throughout the film, but it doesn’t quite detract from the seriousness and impact of the story. The script is smart and the dialogue is very often fascinating, delivered expertly by the superb cast. It’s a compelling tale that often incorporates elements of Tolstoy and his writing in a fantastic way, and that enhances it from merely a simple biopic to a great movie. Overall, it’s made even better by the casting choices and its unique take on intriguing and inspirational source material.

B+

Summer Days Part Two: Adventureland

Adventureland
Directed by Greg Mottola
Released April 3, 2009

There’s just something about the summer. It’s a time when things are different, more relaxed, and when it’s possible to sit around and do nothing. For some, however, things aren’t that easy, and those in need of some extra cash often need to get out and find a summer job. In the summer of 1987, several unmotivated college graduates are given the unique opportunity of working at an amusement park known as Adventureland. They sure don’t enjoy the experience of working at the most bland and uninteresting job in the world, and therefore it’s not much of a surprise that the experience of watching is just as thoroughly boring.

The theme of “Adventureland” seems to be to paint some sort of “Freaks and Geeks”-like portrait of life as an outsider in the most inane and mundane of situations and to make nerdiness seem cool like in “Juno.” Unlike director Greg Mottola’s previous film, “Superbad,” this film isn’t terribly clever or terribly funny. Watching lazy, incompetent, unintelligent people interact with each other and dampen each others’ happiness is just as miserable for the audience as it is for the characters. For a while, it seems like there might be some hidden silver lining just waiting to be revealed, but that’s not the case.

The most regrettable thing about “Adventureland” is that its cast, which could otherwise have truly enhanced and possibly even rescued the film from being a dud, is woefully unable to fulfill the task. Skilled “Saturday Night Live” players Bill Hader and Kristin Wiig are relegated to playing the more mature, only slightly odd actual adults who own and operate Adventureland. Hader was used in an infinitely better way in “Superbad,” and both he and Wiig could have done so much more here. Kristen Stewart used to be able to act, but it appears that too much “Twilight” has robbed her of the ability to do anything but run her fingers continuously through her hair. Jesse Eisenberg, who’s proven his ability to carry a film time and time again with “Roger Dodger,” “The Emperor’s Club,” “The Squid and the Whale,” and “Zombieland,” is probably the best part of this film, but even he can’t overcome the lackluster material. “Adventureland” is no adventure, and it’s a pretty dull waste of time at that.

C-

Summer Days Part One: Summer Hours

Summer Hours
Directed by Olivier Assayas
Released May 15, 2009

There’s something indescribable about the feeling of a summer house. It’s a place to dislodge and unplug from the normalcy of daily life and the busy, stressful nature of work. For children of a young age, it can be a wonderful paradise that signifies vacation, relaxation, and perfection. But for the adults, it’s not always such a break from work. If lengthy travel is involved and the duration of the stay has to be cut short in order to return to normal life, some of the magic is lost. And when work is the only topic of conversation during the supposed vacation, there’s definitely something missing. That’s the underlying theme in the contemplative French Film “Summer Hours.”

There are slow, pensive conversations and moments like in the best of artful cinema, designed to convey some deeper truth or meaning about the events transpiring. It’s not very effective, however, since it’s all terribly realistic, and the conversation is just that – conversation. This is an intimate portrait of a family unit, though it’s hardly as interesting as it seems to think it is. Three grown siblings must decide what to do with their mother’s home, which is their beloved summer house, once she can no longer take care of it. The fact of the matter is that only one son actually lives in France, while the other two have permanent jobs abroad, and therefore the expensive upkeep for infrequent use hardly seems a viable solution. There’s not much unexpected in “Summer Hours,” since all the cards are pretty much on the table from the start.

“Summer Hours” is understandably a very French film. Unfortunately, it’s nothing nearly as compelling as any one of the films in the exciting trio of great French films from last year: “Tell No One,” “A Christmas Tale,” and “I’ve Loved You So Long.” This one is most like the more conventional latter, though not as moving or powerful. There are moments of depth and importance, but for the most part, everything is erred out on the surface. There isn’t much to be gleaned from further meditation on the subject, and that’s what “Summer Hours” is all about.

B-

Home Video: Public Enemies

Public Enemies
Directed by Michael Mann
Released July 1, 2009

Johnny Depp is just what the doctor ordered when it comes to extravagant, loud, showy, obnoxious characters. He’s the perfect fit for roles like Jack Sparrow or Willy Wonka, and there’s a certain oddity to him that works magnificently in those parts. But when Depp is charged with playing a far more conventional and normal kind of character, something is lost (see “Finding Neverland”). He’s considerably less accessible when he isn’t afforded the opportunity to wave his hands around wildly or put on a silly voice. Faced with the historical personality of famed bank robber and supposed menace to society John Dillinger, Depp conveys something of his eccentricity but doesn’t fully conquer the role. It’s a case of miscasting and missed opportunity, one which backfires for the film has a whole.

“Public Enemies” is clearly meant to be a crime caper with a cat-and-mouse relationship between the elusive and showy Dillinger and his dogged pursuer Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale). Director Michael Mann has made crime movies with an enticingly quick pulse recently, with 2006’s “Miami Vice” and 2004’s “Collateral.” This film feels like it’s eight hours long compared to those, and isn’t half as interesting as either of them. It seems designed to really probe and expose the characters and motivations of Dillinger and Purvis, but it fails to achieve any sort of dramatic height. That failure is especially disappointing considering Mann’s skill at building up and deconstructing nemeses, as in 1995’s “Heat,” and his potential to create a compelling thriller from an ordinary story, demonstrated in his Oscar-nominated “The Insider.”

“Public Enemies” might have done well to take its title to heart. The enemies in question aren’t “in public,” so they can’t possibly be referring to cop and robber Purvis and Dillinger. The plural enemies instead includes Dillinger’s crew, and the movie might have done better to dwell on its supporting characters. Why Jason Clarke, so excellent in his role on TV’s “Brotherhood,” is give only a few lines to utter throughout the entire film is a mystery, since he’s often seen as Dillinger’s right-hand man. This is yet another example of Christian Bale being unnecessary to the movies in which he stars, after his lackluster performances in “Terminator Salvation” and “The Dark Knight” recently. Cutting him out wouldn’t have detracted from this film in the slightest way.

Elliot Goldenthal’s slick score works with the idea that this is a much better movie than it actually is. Considering the talent involved, it should have been a far more fine-tuned and glossy adventure, but it falls terribly short. There’s no real intrigue since the character of John Dillinger is not extraordinarily defined, and his detachment from pretty much everyone in his life prevents him from being a great hero or even a sympathetic drifter. It seems like a story that could have been so much cooler and infinitely more exciting. It’s not just the two leads that don’t work, and it’s all the more regrettable because it chould have been a thrilling escapade.

C

Home Video: Terminator Salvation

Terminator Salvation
Directed by McG
Released May 21, 2009

The Terminator franchise holds the rare distinction of having a sequel that’s better than the original. In 1991, “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” took the excitement and thrill of 1984’s “The Terminator” and took it to a new level, creating a classic villain in the form of the liquid metal T-1000 and using Ah-nuld to awesome effect. The franchise took a decade off, and then was resurrected in 2003 by a new director, Jonathan Mostow, with “Terminator 3: The Rise of the Machines,” which proved to be a disappointing, unenthusiastic addition to the series. A TV show, “The Sarah Connor Chronicles,” aired on FOX for two years, coming to an end recently. Now, after all its predecessors, “Terminator Salvation” finally arrives, but the question is, who cares?

One of the things that made the Terminator films so successful and enjoyable was the presence of their leading star, Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was the villain in the first film and then the newfound hero in the next two movies. His presence, along with new Terminator Kristanna Loken, who brought an unexpected sex appeal to the killing machine, was part of the reason that T3 didn’t tank completely. Stars Nick Stahl and Claire Danes weren’t going to cut it, and with skilled director James Cameron out of the picture, there needed to be something dependable. The newest Terminator entry is lacking in both Schwarzenegger and Cameron, and the burden to carry the film then goes to two surprising heirs to the Terminator throne: McG and Christian Bale.

McG has an action background, guiding tough chicks in “Charlie’s Angels,” and also has a good connection to the younger demographic due to his work on shows like “The O.C.” Bale is able to bury himself in a role so deeply that he’s unrecognizable on the other side. Unfortunately, their qualifications aren’t right for this film. McG isn’t capable of directing a compelling story, and as a result this is a dull bore from start to finish. Without a finely written role, Bale bombs as he tries incredibly hard, physically straining his face in every scene, to put the utmost effort into a part that might best be underplayed by relaxing a bit. As a result, the real breakout stars of the film are Sam Worthington (“Avatar”) and Moon Bloodgood (“Burn Notice”) as resistance fighters with a slightly more optimistic outlook on trust than the famously cautious John Connor.

“Terminator Salvation” suffers mostly because it doesn’t have a coherent villain or an interesting story, and its attempts to examine the fusion of human and machine fall miles short of previous efforts to probe the idea. The need to incorporate token lines from previous films like “I’ll be back” and “Come with me if you want to live” are tiresome and inappropriate. To its credit, it’s the first Terminator project that doesn’t invoke time travel but rather seeks to protect time continuum in the present. Sadly, it’s not the least bit interesting. With the speedy cancellation of “The Sarah Connor Chronicles” and the failure of this film, perhaps it would be best to put this franchise to rest.

C

Home Video: Surveillance

Surveillance
Directed by Jennifer Lynch
Release June 26, 2009

It’s always interesting to see movies made by children of famous filmmakers. In 2008, Jenny Lumet, daughter of Sidney Lumet, penned a brilliant script for “Rachel Getting Married.” Sofia Coppola found enormous success just like her father Francis Ford Coppola with “Lost in Translation,” and even picked up her own Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Jennifer Lynch is the daughter of one of the most intriguing and eclectic directors out there, David Lynch, who was produced such films are “Mulholland Drive” and “Blue Velvet,” as well as the cult television series “Twin Peaks.” The younger Lynch’s latest film, “Surveillance,” fits into that oeuvre quite well.

In some ways, Jennifer Lynch doesn’t make movies like her father, but there are also incredible similarities between the two. “Surveillance” takes strange events and manipulates them to be both interesting and disturbing. Seemingly inappropriate comedy is used to make situations all the creepier, and deadly scenarios take place in broad daylight to create a lasting, permanent sense of foreboding danger. But, in the same vein as her father David, the film comes to a quickened, somewhat senseless resolution that should have a much greater impact. The journey there is far more interesting, and there’s only so much value to a film that keeps you on the edge of your seat for the whole time and never throws you off it completely.

“Surveillance,” to its credit, has a brilliant setup and a clever style of execution. Two FBI agents arrive in a small town brutalized by serial killers to interview four police officers and the two survivors, one young drug addict and one traumatized young girl. The interviews are set up and conducted in a run-down, darkened station while the suspects and witnesses regale their interviewers with tweaked and altogether fabricated takes on the events as they actually occurred. It’s a town where police officers watch people drive by and then shoot their tires out in order to pull them over, terrorize them, and take their wallets as punishment for speeding. It’s quite a messed-up town worthy of existence in a film from the Lynch family.

The film’s greatest asset is its cast, which works with the material perfectly and enhances the bizarre feel. Bill Pullman and Julia Ormond are fantastically sedated and intimidating as the FBI agents who swoop in to take over the case. Michael Ironside is an appropriately gruff, growling police captain. Pell James and 11-year-old Ryan Simpkins (also appearing in “A Single Man” this year) are frenetic and fitting as the two survivors of the killings. Most impressive among the cast are two comedy stars, Cheri Oteri (“Saturday Night Live”) and French Stewart (“3rd Rock from the Sun”), who do a stellar job of seeing serious and pull off their roles impeccably. Unfortunately, the film isn’t as polished as the performances. It plays its dramatic hand far too early, and once things start to devolve, the film goes along with it and breaks down, tearing apart the credibility of all of its previously developed characters.


B-

Home Video: Coraline

Coraline
Directed by Henry Selick
Released February 6, 2009

Animation provides almost limitless possibilities for expanding the imagination. One of the perks of being able to artificially create a scenario is that it doesn’t need to have any boundaries. Getting inside the mind of a child is especially interesting, because a child’s imagination knows no limits. “Coraline” takes that notion a step further, permitting its plucky heroine to escape from the confines of her boring, friendless life into a parallel universe that at first seems wondrous and ideal, but ultimately proves to be a dangerous alternate reality in which Coraline must ensure that she does not get trapped.

There’s certainly an inventiveness and uniqueness to the world Coraline visits, where people have buttons for eyes and tailor their actions to Coraline’s greatest desires. The excitement displayed on Coraline’s face, and its replacement later by horror and fear, is perhaps the most compelling part of the film. She lives a life where she interacts with precious few people, and her parents have no time for her and no interest in giving her something to do to occupy her time. There is much emphasis on gardening, and it becomes clear in the alternate world that all of the garden-themed writing her parents do is meant to beget a more relaxing lifestyle which can replace work with fulfilling activities like actual gardening itself.

Coraline is a child alone in her world who must seek out more fantastical companions than those in her everyday life. The film can be seen as a kind of children’s version of “Pan’s Labyrinth,” where at times it’s just as terrifying but hardly as violent or truly deadly. It’s also not nearly as complex, but the film uses its animated tools to its advantage. The other world visited by Coraline is a magical, visually dazzling place which really seems like a dreamland. It’s made appropriately creepy by Coraline’s mother’s continual references to herself as her “other mother.”

Coraline’s journey is intriguing, and her trips through the tiny door in her wall to a parallel universe are bizarre and fascinating. Yet the movie isn’t completely stellar. At times it’s a bit too weird for its own good, and doesn’t come to any sound of resounding conclusion. Once Coraline realizes the dangers of her situation, the movie becomes increasingly frightening and comes apart considerably, not just for Coraline but also in terms of its presentation. Even though it’s supposed to be malicious, most of the magic of the movie is lost when everything unfurls and shows its true colors.

Despite its flaws, “Coraline” is still a worthwhile film that demonstrates that not all animated movies have to be comedies or musicals. It’s a film that would certainly scare the pants off young kids who might decide to watch it, and one that still manages to enthrall adults despite its considerably tame PG rating. It’s still worth seeing, but it hardly has the resounding power of Pixar’s recent comedic entries or the dramatic impact of a landmark achievement in animation like “Waltz with Bashir.”

B

Movie with Abe: Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes
Directed by Guy Ritchie
Released December 25, 2009

Robert Downey, Jr. has charisma. There’s no debating that. He’s marvelously able to command movies with his sheer ability to talk and to dismiss the actions and words of those around him as insignificant and uninteresting. That personality serves him well here as he takes on the role of legendary detective Sherlock Holmes. His portrayal is very much half Downey, half Holmes, but in this case it works beautifully. His accent, costumes, and demeanor help complete the transformation from contemporary American actor to period British detective, and like with all of his other recent films, Downey owns the film and makes it his own.

“Sherlock Holmes” isn’t all about Holmes. He’s ably supported by the dutiful Dr. Watson, played by a mustached Jude Law, who displays just the temperament to deal with the often unsavory and obnoxious Holmes. He finds his gimmicks and games grating, but continues to be loyal to the man because he is his friend. It’s a magnificent friendship to behold, and the duo of Downey and Law, both clearly have a great time, is a delightful gift. They anchor the movie’s silliest scenes, and the bewildered yet slightly smug expressions on their faces during the greatest of their shenanigans make them infinitely more entertaining. Eddie Marsan (“Happy-Go-Lucky”) completes the dynamic perfectly as the bumbling Inspector Lestrade.

This adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famed hero does a good job casting its primary characters, but a tragically poor job picking the story. Villain Lord Blackwood seeks to reunite England and create a monarchy with him and his secret society at the top. It’s a plot that involves supernatural elements and world domination, and posits Holmes as a celebrity as its very beginning. This movie isn’t necessarily an origin story (like “Batman Begins”), but it might have been nice to have been provided with a smoother transition into the way that Holmes works and the majesty with which he solves cases.

Regardless of intention, the breadth and scope of this film isn’t very wide, spanning only one case, even if it is one that involves the fate of a whole nation. The clear intention of this film and its storyline is to create a lasting franchise. The good news on that front is that it should be successful because the main characters work, and it’s more a matter of the case here that doesn’t. Director Guy Ritchie (“RocknRolla”) seems a good choice to helm the franchise, using slow-motion and voiceover narration from Holmes to drive forward the story and flesh out Holmes’ most devious and impressive of tactics. The film does become obsessed with showcasing Holmes’ devilishly clever methods of trickery and deduction, rewinding and showing how Holmes was able to devise his conclusions. The device is hit or miss – sometimes it’s wholly extraneous and tiresome, and at others it’s necessary and helpful. Either way, it’s what Holmes is all about, and the characterization of Holmes and the entertainment he provides is the strongest element of this film.

B

Film Review: The White Ribbon

My review of the Michael Haneke's new film, "The White Ribbon," a Golden Globe nominee for Best Foreign Film is up on the Heeb Magazine website. Please head over to their site to read it. They use a star system and so the film gets four stars, which translates to a B+ for Movies with Abe.

Movie with Abe: Avatar

Avatar
Directed by James Cameron
Released December 18, 2009

James Cameron makes movies very sporadically. Usually he averages at most several movies a decade. His last non-documentary film was the enormously successful epic “Titanic” back in 1997. He’s been hard at work on his latest feature for what feels like ages, and reports of a bursting budget and ungodly runtime seemed to indicate that perhaps this might be a major flop. But this is James Cameron, whose filmography is remarkably impressive, and who hasn’t really gone wrong in his career, with the first two “Terminator” films (and only the first two), “Aliens,” and “True Lies” under his belt. It shouldn’t be a surprise therefore, that “Avatar” is simply astonishing and one of the most exciting science fiction films in recent years.

Cameron likes to explore new worlds. His previous film, “Aliens of the Deep,” examined underwater creatures unknown to most of the population. With “Avatar,” Cameron has taken a magnificent leap, both forward in time to the year 2154 and forward in thought to a whole new world full of extraordinary life. One of the reasons it took Cameron so long to make “Avatar” is that he wanted technology to be as complex as the ideas he had and the visuals he wanted to represent, and that’s clearly showcased in the film. Pandora, a moon with resources the ailing Earth could really use, is a wondrously magical and mesmerizing place. The amount of color and detail used to make it come gloriously alive is staggering and stunning.

It doesn’t just look pretty, though. “Avatar” is a surprisingly coherent and fascinating story of different cultures and the bond that can develop between them if members on both sides are willing to try to get to know them rather than simply assimilate them and bring them around to their way of thinking. The complex construction of the alien culture is just as impressive as the special effects. It’s sort of like a 21st-century, larger-scale update of “Bambi,” where it’s worth contemplating whether man is actually the enemy. It’s not merely a social critique, however, since it’s just as much a terrific action film as it is a science fiction explorative extravaganza.

Two elements of the film that aren’t crucial to its success are its script and its cast, but both are in equally fine form. The dialogue is interesting and meaningful, and the story is completely engaging for the whole of its more than 150 minutes. Sam Worthington is entertaining as the prickly marine who begins to connect with the alien Na’vi people, and he’s supported by a strong cast. Zoe Saldana as the Na’vi woman who takes Worthington’s Jake in, Sigourney Weaver as the dedicated scientist, and Michelle Rodriguez as the loyal pilot are all cast perfectly, but there’s no one more fitting for his role than the incredibly fearsome and humongous Stephen Lang as the colonel intent on seeing his mission through. The cast is but one of the many sterling elements of this film that help make it one of the best of the year, and one of the most exhilarating and visually extraordinary science fictions films to date.

A-

Home Video: The Hangover

The Hangover
Directed by Todd Phillips
Released June 5, 2009

2009 wasn’t a particularly good year for R-rated comedies. Some were far too raunchy (“Bruno”), some were raunchy but unfunny (“The Slammin’ Salmon”), some thought they were raunchy but weren’t (“I Love You, Man”), and some just plain weren’t raunchy at all (“Funny People”). But fortunately there’s one entry from the filmic libraries of 2009 where a comedy is just as crude as advertised, and ends up being much more hilarious than any other film this year. Summer smash “The Hangover” rights all the wrongs committed by the aforementioned films and comes out wondrously ahead.

What really makes “The Hangover” work is its cast of characters. Alan (Zach Galifianakis) has no filter and shares all of his perverted, bizarre thoughts with everyone around him. Phil (Bradley Cooper) doesn’t care what anyone else thinks. Stu (Ed Helms) cares way too much what everyone else thinks. And Doug (Justin Bartha)…well, there isn’t much information gleaned about Doug other than that he’s the groom. Setting the three of them out on a road trip to Las Vegas for a bachelor party the night before Doug’s wedding is an inspired setup, one where it’s clear within minutes of their departure and well before they even arrive at their hotel that it’s a bad idea. The title promises sinful activities that the boys will regret the following day, but the movie goes all out and doesn’t hold back and try to tame their wild extravaganza in any way.

The series of misadventures embarked upon and encountered by Alan, Phil, Stu, and Doug are altogether off-the-wall, and in some cases even plausible. Investigating their story with a magnifying glass might uncover several minor plot holes, but for the most part, the chain of events makes some sense. More importantly, their journey is one filled with outrageous humor that isn’t all related to bodily functions and the disgusting things they can do. A portion of the jokes are, including far too many shots of Galifianakis’ bare behind, but they’re played up for the utmost hilarity, and it all works, thanks in great part to the comedic skills of Galifianakis and his ability to say rather than just do funny things.

Comedies can be exceptionally funny if it seems like the characters are in on the joke and having a good time. In this case, because the story of what occurred during their fateful bachelor party night is unfurled as the events of the following day transpire, the characters are woefully unaware of what went on, and thus on edge and just as shocked and astounded by what they did as audiences. As they discover more of what happened, they begin to recall and comprehend what occurred, and at that point they get to be in on the joke, quietly applauding themselves for the fun they had even though the resulting state of affairs hardly seems worth it. “The Hangover” is a comedy about one really great night and one really bad day, and both parts are equally amusing, enthralling, revolting, and hilarious.

B+

Home Video: The Proposal

The Proposal
Directed by Anne Fletcher
Released June 19, 2009

It’s great to have a lead character you can really hate. The reason that stories like "A Christmas Carol," television shows like "All in the Family," and films like "The Devil Wears Prada" work is that you love to hate the main characters. They’re so detestable that it’s fun to root for their downfall, and equally enjoyable to see them crush someone’s spirits because they seem to get such elation out of doing it. A protagonist that doesn’t possess any of those impressive qualities and is simply not likeable is hardly going to be as appealing. You won’t love to hate her, you’ll just hate her, and therefore you can’t root for her and couldn’t possibly be interested in whether or not she finds happiness.

The Proposal suffers from these problems in an irrecoverable way. Sandra Bullock plays against type as a book publishing executive focused solely on her career and stomping on the dreams of others in order to get ahead and thrive. The charming and loveable Bullock isn’t playing her usual darling self, and this new role doesn’t suit her at all. She’s not really mean enough or funny at all in her cruelty, and the only reason to root for her is to see the old familiar Bullock shine through the guise of the character she’s clearly only temporarily adopting.

Her costar Ryan Reynolds isn’t exactly helpful. He’s not terribly strong in the acting abilities department, and in many ways, he’s even less sympathetic than Bullock. The two make a dismal romantic pair, and the attempts to convey their path towards bonding and coupling fall horrendously short of believable. The film has a good premise – a career-driven Canadian employee forces her subordinate to marry her so that she can stay in the country and he can continue to advance his career – but it executes it inadequately.

Instead of focusing on Bullock’s comedic strengths and letting Reynolds appear as anything but a wimp, the movie devolves into a series of unfunny, overdone, predictable plot twists. The fact that Reynolds’ character lives in Alaska and that the fake couple has to go there almost within hours of deciding to put on the charade seems insanely rushed, and things only get worse once they get there. All of the characters are hopelessly muted and not one of them seems to actually have a backbone. There are two dreadful exceptions, and one of them is Betty White, whose role as Reynolds’ grandmother could have included a few zingers but instead mostly features her chanting in the woods like a crazy person. She could have been used in a much smarter fashion. The other is Denis O’Hare as the investigator intent on proving that their marriage is a sham, and he’s simply cartoonish and annoying the whole time. There’s no one to sympathize with or root for because all of the characters are so dull and bland. This film wasn’t a bad idea, but everything is done so poorly that it’s a miserable experience from start to finish.

F