Oceans

OPENING: 04/22/2010

STUDIO: Disneynature

RUN TIME: 103 min

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
Explore the depths of our planet’s oceans. Explore the stories that connect their world to ours.

Opening Statement
Oceans is a visually stunning documentary that spotlights the vast bodies of water that make up 71% of our home planet. It may have taken four years to create, but Jacques Perrin and the Disneynature team did one heck of a job to make this infotainment picture captivating, educational, and well worth my time and money.

Facts of the Case
Narrated by Pierce Brosnan (Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief), Oceans is a dazzling documentary focusing on over 50 different oceanic locations. This movie not only shows a wide variety of different species of ocean life, but also how humans impact their survival and well-being in both positive and negative ways.

The Evidence
As has been the case with many of the films thus far in 2010, the visuals are once again a sight to see. I guess movie studios are realizing if their trailers are a pleasure on the patron’s eyes, they’ll head out to see their film once it’s released. Hey, it’s working, at least on me anyway. But in seriousness, this film is beautifully done. Sharper than the finest HDTV out there, the film really gets up close and personal with many different water animals, and the detail is so fine, you can even make out the convoluted patterns of their scales. Such a well shot picture.

The movie is an hour and forty-three minutes long. Depending on who you are, that may not be enough time to satisfy when it comes to an interesting documentary, but fear not! The movie shows a huge array of marine life; ranging from different kinds of fish, whales, sharks, crabs, and even gulls and other birds that hover above the ocean. Disneynature made sure that no animal relevant to the ocean was left out, and as a result the film was very intriguing when it jumped from one animal to the next.
Now by reading this, you probably think the entire film is a rated-G family friendly frenzy. Well, that’s not entirely so. There will be a handful of scenes in particular that demonstrates the ever-so-necessary “survival of the fittest” law, more commonly known as the “Circle of Life” to the Disney fanatics. These scenes have drawn some minor ire amongst parents that believe the scenes are a tad too graphic for their precious littluns to be witnessing, but I feel such is necessary. It’s a part of science, a part of life. These survival of the fittest moments are what keeps these marine animals alive, and the strongest survive. That’s the way of the world, and I don’t fault Disney one bit for showing these scenes in their film.

And finally, with the disgrace a situation off-shore drilling has provided the Gulf, it’s nice that Disney showed different ways humans can be a negative factor for the ocean. If people get anything out of this movie, they’ll see just how lovely ocean dwelling animals are, and that tampering with their habitat too much for our own selfish benefits will be detrimental in the long run.

Closing Statement
With its crystal clear visuals, and enlightening messages and factoids, Oceans is a seas-worth of both knowledge and beauty, and is a fine way to spend the evening at the cinema. Go check it out; you won’t be sorry.

The Verdict
9/10

The Ghost Writer

OPENING: 02/19/2010

STUDIO: Summit Entertainment

RUN TIME: 128 min

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
Reading between the lines can prove deadly.

Opening Statement
Straight from prison comes director Roman Polanski’s first thriller in more than a decade. Dramatically tense, atmospherically bleak, and knee deep in political intrigue; it’s obvious this much beleaguered filmmaker has not lost his ability to turn the screws on an audience.

Facts of the Case
Following a much needed changing of the guard at Downing Street, the pressure is on former British Prime Minister Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan, Tomorrow Never Dies) to publish his highly charged memoirs. The only problem is the manuscript is 600 pages of boring and its author has turned up dead. Under deadline to deliver the book, Rheinhart Publishing calls in a ghost writer (Ewan McGregor, Angels & Demons) to work his magic on the project… in less than four weeks. To further complicate matters, former British Foreign Secretary Richard Rycart (Robert Pugh, Master and Commander) unleashes a litany of allegations implicating Lang in authorizing unethical and immoral treatment of terrorist suspects under the direction of the CIA. Forced out of the UK and into seclusion on Martha’s Vineyard, Lang and his team embed this “Ghost” (as he calls himself) in their stronghold, to finish the book, spin the war crimes allegations, and hope the storm blows over. Wishful thinking. The deeper our Ghost gets into his interviews and rewrites, the darker the subject matter becomes; unraveling a tangled web of adultery, conspiracy, and murder.

The Evidence
Not being a Polanski scholar, I approached The Ghost Writer as I would any political thriller, with keen interest and an open mind. What I found was a Hitchockian game of cat and mouse. Much like North by Northwest and The Man Who Knew Too Much, our Ghost (who is never given a first or last name) is a unwitting pawn drawn into a situation not of his making or choosing. Whereas with Cary Grant it was a case of mistaken identity and with Jimmy Stewart a case of bearing witness to something he shouldn’t have, McGregor’s character takes a paycheck to lie down in the bear trap hoping to do his job and walk away before it snaps him in two. After all, in the publishing world, the ghost writer is a non-entity, neither heralded nor crucified for his/her work. Unfortunately, curiosity gets the better of him and a dangerous onset of investigative journalism pieces together a puzzle only his predecessor was aware of… and it cost that man his life.

There will be many an allusion to Tony Blair and his ties to the Bush Administration, but this is not a message picture. The Ghost Writer is art drawing inspiration from life and a period of time where the lines between duty and ethics blur with far too much frequency. Pierce Brosnan plays Lang as a waning world figure unable to escape his own unwanted legacy. Here was a man without a political bone is his body, a lothario actor who fell hard for a beautiful political activist and ultimately became one of the most powerful men on the planet. Olivia Williams (Dollhouse) plays Lang’s wife Ruth as she might portray Hillary Clinton, a highly intelligent and capable woman who stood behind her husband offering counsel and advice, even as his sexual appetite was satiated elsewhere. Together, Brosnan and Williams provide the film’s emotional core around which everyone else orbits.

Kim Cattrall escapes her Sex and the City persona to deliver an efficient Chief of Staff with several skeletons of her own. Timothy Hutton (Leverage) and Jim Belushi (According to Jim) appear in what amounts to cameo roles, with little or no impact on the story. However, even with limited screen time, both Tom Wilkinson (Michael Clayton) and 93 year old Eli Wallach (The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly) take command of the screen offering our ghost critical pieces to his investigation.

Ultimately, it’s the collaboration between Polanski and author Robert Harris that makes the film work. Thrillers are never sure things on film. Far too many collapse under the weight of their own complexity or fall flat on their face by spoon feeding an audience perceived as too stupid to make the connections themselves. With The Ghost Writer, Harris researched real life elements and locations to craft an effective page turner, which Polanski brings to life with a flair all his own. Set in the bleakness of a harsh New England winter (played effectively by the country of Germany), he isolates his protagonists in a cold and sterile home far from what many would call civilization, set upon by war protesters and a vulturous media looking to play judge, jury, and executioner for a high profile political figure exiled on foreign soil. Throw in a healthy dose of tension-breaking humor and a Bernard Hermann-esque score from composer Alexandre Desplat and you have the makings of a great potboiler. Unfortunately, the pacing drags at times during the second and third acts and a climax heading for what we expect to be a fever pitch ends up being more of a slow burn. Neither flaw ruins the experience, though comparisons to Marty Scorsese’s Shutter Island (sharing a surprising number of similarities) will show Polanksi falling short of the “exceptionally satisfying” mark.

Closing Statement
Audiences exhausted by the epileptic seizure-inducing world of Bourne-like political thrillers will find this throwback a welcome change of pace. Despite all of his off-camera problems, Polanksi the filmmaker can still charm and alarm audiences. Let’s hope The Ghost Writer isn’t his swan song.

The Verdict
8/10

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

OPENING: 02/12/2010

STUDIO: Fox

RUN TIME: 119 min

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
Some heroes are made and some are born of the Gods.

Opening Statement
The film version of Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, based on the popular children’s fantasy series, more or less accomplishes what it set out to. It’s your usual PG rated fantasy flick. Nothing horrible enough to call it unwatchable, but at the same time there’s also nothing in it to call it timeless

Facts of the Case
Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman, Gamer) doesn’t exactly have it all that great in life. Aside from having a loving mother (Catherine Keener, Where The Wild Things Are), he doesn’t have a lot of friends in school, he suffers from dyslexia, he’s never met his real father, and his obnoxious stepfather (Joe Pantoliano, Risky Business) is as detestable and unloving as they come. Oh, and on top of all that, he just found he’s actually a demigod being accused of stealing Zeus’ master lightning bolt, the greatest weapon in the entire universe. Now, with the Greek Olympians on the brink of a war that could bear major consequences to the planet Earth, Percy needs to somehow prove his innocence to the Gods; all the while trying to rescue his captured mother, who is being held hostage by the wicked god Hades.

The Evidence
With the Percy Jackson book series being predominantly aimed towards people of younger ages, this is also the age bracket who will find Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief most enjoyable. Lerman and Brandon Jackson (who plays Grover Underwood, a satyr who is both Percy’s protector and best friend) both deliver your typical "PG-rated comedy" performance, delivering one liners intended more for children to snicker at, rather than grownups. The only true adult like scene in the movie takes place at a place called the "Lotus Casino" where Percy and his friends get down to Lady Gaga and hang out with older women while under the control of evil influences. Even the battle scenes in this movie don’t bring out enough violence to please an older crowd. It’s very apparent the whole way through that this film was based on books aimed at kids, and the target audience for the movie remained exactly the same.

That’s in no way saying that older folk cannot "grow down" for a couple of hours and enjoy this film. Director Chris Columbus made sure that Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief had some very cool special effects working for it, especially scenes that included mythical monsters and CGI water (through the use of Percy’s special demigod powers). The film may not be as visually impressive as Columbus’ Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone or Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, but that’s to be expected (the Harry Potter brand is a league all to itself). Other notable effects include the Greek God home Mount Olympus, as well as Hades’ Underworld. The older audiences will also get a kick out of seeing veteran Pierce Brosnan (Mamma Mia!) gallop around as a shaggy-haired centaur, as well as Uma Thurman (The Producers) play Medusa, complete with CGI snakes protruding from her scalp.

However, if you are like me, and have read the Percy Jackson series from start to finish, well, prepare to be let down. BIG TIME! The movie adaptation of Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief despite having relatively the same plot, omits major characters and events, adds occurrences that don’t take place in the book, and makes characters look outstandingly different then the way they appear in the literature. For the diehard Percy Jackson booklovers out there, the minor, and especially the major, tweaks Columbus puts forth in his film are absolutely gut-wrenching and aggravating to no end. Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief can certainly please families looking to see a friendly movie on the weekend. For fans expecting to see the New York Times bestseller portrayed on the silver screen, this adaptation doesn’t even come close to resembling the real thing.

Will Percy Jackson be the franchise that will earn the distinguished title of "The Next Harry Potter"? The answer to that question is no. Absolutely not. I believe the imagination of Potter creator J.K. Rowling is one of a kind, and I personally doubt the world will ever see a series/movie franchise as magical and memorable as the one she has happily provided us with. Despite it’s unique blend of Greek mythology, fantasy elements, and present day lingo, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief just doesn’t have the magnificence that the Potter brand has thankfully shown the world. It’s average, maybe slightly above average, at best. Believe me, there are way better fantasy films out there that are more worthy of a viewing than the likes of Percy Jackson.

Closing Statement
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief is a nice film that everyone in the family can enjoy, but when sizing it up with other 21st century fantasies, it’s just not memorable enough. This movie is like Hermes while the Potter’s and the Narnia’s of the world are your Zeus and Ares. Translation: Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief can dream as much as it wants, but when all is said and done, this fight is hardly fair.

The Verdict
6/10

Mamma Mia!

Opening Date: 07/18/2008

STUDIO: Universal

TRAILER: Trailer

ACCOMPLICES: Official Site

The Charge
A mother. A daughter. Three possible fathers. A trip down the aisle you’ll never forget!

Opening Statement
This past weekend, movie-goers had the choice between two new movies: a comic book adventure featuring the Caped Crusader battling the Joker; or a sassy musical about an over-the-hill, former slut who prepares for her daughter’s wedding. For most, the decision was not a difficult one.

Facts of the Case
All Sophie (Amanda Seyfried, Mean Girls) wants is for her real father to escort her down the aisle at her forthcoming wedding. Trouble is, he could be one of three men: Sam (Pierce Brosnan, The Matador), Harry (Colin Firth, Then She Found Me), or Bill (Stellan Skarsgârd, Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World’s End). And the only way to find out is to invite them all to her mother’s (Meryl Streep, The Devil Wears Prada) Greek isle resort! What follows is a series of encounters, arguments, and blessings, all musically emphasized by a bunch of ABBA songs.

The Evidence
Rest assured, Mamma Mia! doesn’t have a chance to beat Batman’s butt at the box office. Nevertheless, it was given a huge head start in England, where it has already racked up almost $12 million, knocking Will Smith’s Hancock to second place. To U.S. audiences, that may be nothing to brag about, but there was plenty of singing at the theater I attended. The audience was going nuts for the musical numbers, enthusiastically crooning along with the actors on the screen, as they belted out the familiar tunes. And the scary part: I actually joined them… at times, anyway.

In truth, this was far from the wonderful musical extravaganza I was expecting. I have never seen the stage show; yet, since seeing the great 1994 film Muriel’s Wedding, I’ve been a fan of ABBA’s music. (Every time “Dancing Queen” starts playing, I seriously do feel the inclination to join in its joyous jubilee.) The smashing musical numbers were surely the highlight of Mamma Mia!, an overblown song-and-dance movie which almost collapses under its own weight due to an inexperienced director and a lot of curiously convoluted choreography.

Musicals have made an impressive comeback in the 21st century. It started with Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge, followed by the vastly overrated, Best Picture-winner Chicago. Since then, we’ve had other projects like Rent, Dreamgirls, and Hairspray, all of which have rejuvenated and rekindled the genre with surprising conviction. Despite the fact that Mamma Mia’s spirit is so high—and energy so invigorating—it disappoints in spite of its stage success, making it a mild musical which only partially succeeds.

Oddly enough, the weakest element is Phyllida Lloyd’s direction. She directed the original stage production and obviously has a lot of passion for the material. The problem is, she’s so inexperienced behind the camera it shows. Mamma Mia! boasts an idyllic setting and many talented actors, but she never takes full advantage of either. The Greek island location is too stagy and too restricted to enhance the cinematic scope. What’s worse, she’s so bent on moving around with the camera, she ends up losing focus on the principals as they break out. Her use of slow-mo shots are distracting to the point of annoying; even the fantastic “Dancing Queen” sequence is briefly compromised because of this ill-fated decision. Then there’s the choreography, which would make Jerome Robbins roll over in his grave. I didn’t expect the filmmakers to strive to perfection, but “sloppy” has been used in many reviews regarding this fundamental element. Many of the numbers feel awkward and cluttered, almost to the point where the supplementary singers are distracting. The energy is there, it just isn’t executed properly, making Mamma Mia! a jumbled mess.

Still, despite all its shortcomings, the film delights thanks to a willing cast, such as when Streep sings the title tune after discovering her ex-boyfriends, or when Baranski booms to “Does Your Mother Know?” while the background beach dancers add to the proceedings. At first, I was uneasy at the idea of Meryl Streep singing and dancing, but she is a triumph, proving once again she is one of the finest actresses the silver screen has ever been blessed with. She’s an absolute joy to watch, marvelously aided by Christine Baranski and Julie Walters, who are both very funny as her fellow dancing divas. Their closing numbers are knockouts, if a bit anticlimactic. Kudos also to Amanda Seyfried, an up-and-coming talent who is irresistible from the first frame to last, as the daughter determined to have her dream come true.

Unfortunately, the male actors don’t measure up. Pierce Brosnan, as charming as he is, looks so uncomfortable singing that he is almost straining trying to keep up with the music. Just watch him during “S.O.S.” and you will be shocked that no one from the crew sent out a distress signal. Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgârd are engaging, but deserve more screen time, as both virtually disappear in the second half. The real standout among the guys is Dominic Cooper as Sophie’s fiancé, whose voice soars during the “Lay All Your Love On Me” duet with Seyfried.

Closing Statement
Mamma Mia! needs no more criticism. Those who are fans of ABBA, the show, or musicals in general will likely get a kick out of it, while others will be rather embarrassed to be in the same theater with the dedicated. The cast and music are admittedly first-rate, and to those buying tickets, that’s all that really matters.

The Verdict
Oh, hell… Not Guilty.

6/10