Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny

(2006, 93 min) Stunningly unambitious and aggressively laid-back, this ramshackle comedy is so likable that it enters the stoner pantheon almost in spite of itself. But first, a little history. For over a decade now, the plugged-in-yet-acoustic duo of Kyle Gass and Jack Black have toed the line between cock-rock parody and actual cock-rockers. Their songs are anthemic and epic, usually concerning their own outsized egos, sexual conquests or battles with legendary figures from Sasquatch to Satan. Like many bands, their rise from cult heroes to cult-heroes-who-sell-out-arenas was spotty, including a failed HBO series and appearances in movies like Bio-Dome. So it makes sense, really, that they would decide to take their legend into their own hands and rewrite the history of Tenacious D... in movie form, of course.

The Pick of Destiny is that film: part stoner road movie, part rock opera, and perfectly in keeping with the rest of Tenacious D's ouevre. It chronicles the youth of both Gass and Black (the latter in a bat-out-of-hell music video, "Kickapoo," starring Meat Loaf as his dad), their tentative first steps together, and their rise to stardom with the help of a demonic guitar pick. The climactic showdown, a rock-off against Satan (longtime D drummer Dave Grohl, in hours worth of makeup), is perfectly fitting and satisfying for fans of the band; if the couplet "Yes you are fucked, shit out of luck / Now I'm complete and my cock you will suck!" does nothing for you, may we suggest you rent Hair instead.

Filled with throwaway gags, endless cameos, and flights of fancy courtesy the loopy director Liam Lynch, the overall effect was underwhelming in the empty movie theatres it played to. But on DVD, a rabid cult is brewing (and baking), one that we suggest you join.

– David Gorgos

© TLA Entertainment Group

Ghost Rider

(2007, 114 min) The Spirit of Vengeance makes the leap from the comic page to the big screen in this high-concept guilty pleasure of a superhero film. It's familiar ground for writer/director Mark Steven Johnson (Daredevil) and star Nicolas Cage, who proudly sports a tattoo of his character's demonic alter-ego in real life. However, the filmmakers don't seem to fully grasp the absurdity of a leather-clad, motorcycle riding skeleton, delivering an uneven film that is often boring, infrequently thrilling, but consistently bizarre.

Johnny Blaze (Cage) is a modern-day Evel Knievel, thrilling unbelievably large audiences with his impossible motorcycle stunts. You'd be hard-pressed to find stranger characterization: Blaze sips jellybeans from martini glasses, watches Lancelot Link-styled television programs and has an intense admiration for the music of the Carpenters. In a different film this would spell disaster, but Cage embraces these oddities with a degree of seriousness that is effectively compelling and perfectly complementary to the subject matter. Life would be fine for Blaze if only he hadn't sold his soul to the Devil (played with pizzazz by, of all people, Peter Fonda) during his formative years in order to save his ailing father's life. Since then, Blaze has been forced to live a Jekyll/Hyde (or, more appropriately, Banner/Hulk) existence as a literal Hell's Angel. Ghost Rider speaks in bad one-liners and isn't afraid to flip the bird at the authorities. Once introductions are out of the way, the film becomes an uneven mess. RPG-like villains who spout appropriately geeky lines like "Your Penance Stare doesn't work on me!" are introduced in the blink of an eye, coming across as mere script necessities. The same goes for Blaze's childhood beau, returning in the form of newscaster Eva Mendes, who seems to be vying for the title of worst actress in Hollywood...and by film's end, we may have a winner. Everything slows to a crawl during scenes involving the enigmatic Caretaker (Sam Elliott) who seems to know a bit too much about Blaze's inner demon. The character redeems itself though by surprisingly providing the film's greatest thrills during its third act as it transforms into an old-styled Western complete with a trek across the desert and a showdown at dawn. Great fun for genre fans, but serious filmgoers beware.

No complaints when it comes to the special effects used to create the title character. Ghost Rider appears in all of his flame-headed glory, his whip-like chains have a life of their own as he lassoes everything from bad guys to helicopters. The "Hellcycle" itself may be impressive to gear heads, but to the uninformed it looks more like an easily marketable wind-up toy. The villains, who range from slimy to dusty, are fun to look at, but are forgotten just as quickly as they appear, which is to be expected from such two dimensional characters.

Odd characters, inexplicable happenings, eye-popping visuals, bad script writing...these are the things a cult film is made of. It may just take a few years for Ghost Rider to be appreciated as such.

– Eric Bresler

© TLA Entertainment Group

The Oscar Winners: Surprises and Then Some

There were a number of surprises and upsets at the 79th Academy Awards ceremony, but the biggest news of the night is that Martin Scorsese, one of American cinema's greatest directors, was finally recognized by his peers. With a Best Director win for The Departed, he leaves behind the company of such masters as Alfred Hitchcock, Robert Altman and Stanley Kubrick, directors never honored with a statuette, and joins contemporaries and icons from the past, labeled as "the best." And the most satisfactory part of the win: it wasn't a sympathy or sentimental vote, he deserved it.

The Departed winning Best Picture, once the front-runner and the last few weeks looking to lose steam to Little Miss Sunshine, is icing on the cake and a sign that sometimes Academy voters can take their heads out of their asses and make the right choices.

As they did with quite a few categories.

It would have been easy to honor Peter O'Toole with a Best Actor win for Venus. Giving the legendary actor, nominated seven times before but never a winner, an award would have been a great sentimental choice and the presumed prolonged standing ovation he would have received would have been amazing TV. But they chose the deserving Forest Whitaker for his dynamic portrayal of ruthless dictator Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland. A tough choice, to be sure, but the right one.

As were some of the evening’s foregone conclusions. Helen Mirren winning Best Actress in The Queen; ex-"American Idol" contestant Jennifer Hudson winning Best Supporting Actress for Dreamgirls (take that Simon Cowell); Best Screenplay awards for The Departed and Little Miss Sunshine; and An Inconvenient Truth winning Best Documentary – come on, how could they pass up having Al Gore standing on stage winning an Oscar! They were all predictable and yet all deserving.

But the surprises were often jaw-dropping. The biggest upset of the evening was Eddie Murphy losing Best Supporting Actor for Dreamgirls. Talk had been circulating for weeks prior to the big night that Murphy wasn't particularly liked by many of Hollywood's voting block – his arrogance well beyond the usual Hollywood decimals – and with his current release Norbit receiving negative publicity for its poking fun of overweight black women, there appeared to be a Murphy backlash building. Whatever the reason, a great performance, the kind that the Academy usually likes to honor, has gone unrewarded. Personally, I thought that Djimon Hounsou in Blood Diamond and Jack Nicholson in The Departed (who wasn’t even nominated!) were stronger, but there would have been no complaints had this arrogant, yes; gifted, certainly; actor won the award.

It was gratifying to see the fantastic Mexican film Pan’s Labyrinth win three technical awards: Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction and Best Makeup. Many thought it winning Best Foreign-Language Film was another sure thing. Another jaw-dropper. Unlike most categories, Foreign-Language Film, like Documentary, isn't voted upon by the entire Academy, but rather by a committee who signed affidavits they had seen all the nominees. And these committees can always be relied upon to produce a surprise, such as the German film The Lives of Others beating out this popular box-office hit. The now-Oscar winner is a powerful, stunning story of complicity and oppression in East Germany just before the wall came down, but its win is still a sock in the jaw.

A few other minor surprises, such as recognizing Happy Feet winning over Cars for Best Animation and Best Song going to An Inconvenient Truth's "I Need to Wake Up" rather than "Listen" from Dreamgirls, kept the evening interesting. As did Ellen DeGeneres as host, who provided little controversy with safe but genuine laughs. And to see such diversity and international flavoring among the nominees and winners is a great step in building confidence and legitimacy in the Academy's voting.

But at the end of the day, it was Marty’s night, and that's the way it should have been.

– David Bleiler

© TLA Entertainment Group

Breaking and Entering

(2006, 120 min) Will (Jude Law) is a partner in an architectural firm, now in the middle of a project creating a unique urban environment. The company has just moved its headquarters to Kings Cross, a London neighborhood on the cusp of gentrification. But the old ways of the established residents are still in effect: a prostitute plies her trade on the other side of the parking lot, and the offices are burgled the night of the party celebrating the new digs. In fact, their state-of-the-art equipment merits repeated visits from the local gang of thieves.

Will’s 10-year relationship with Liv (Robin Wright Penn) has become strained and distant; Liv’s 13-year-old daughter Bea’s communication issues reflect Will and Liv’s troubles. Will’s nights at home are pierced by the eerie screeching of the fox in the back yard.

Will’s obsession in tracking down the marauding culprits and the lap top that contains his life leads him to Amira (Juliette Binoche), a Bosnian refuge trying to keep her 15-year-old son Miro from the clutches of his Fagin-esque uncle. She makes ends meet doing tailoring and repair work out of her apartment; she carries heavy memories of Sarajevo. Will and Amira find temporary respite together, but the outside world will not be denied.

Breaking and Entering is an adult treatment of universal, contemporary issues. Director Anthony Minghella’s intelligent script is well-served by the ensemble. Penn does well with a character that could easily have been one-note; Binoche imparts inner strength to Amira’s damaged fragility; and this is arguably Law’s most mature performance to date. The film speaks to wrenching changes, tragic loss, many kinds of theft and, when lucky, healing reconciliation.

– Ann Yarabinee

© TLA Entertainment Group

Night at the Museum

(2006, 108 min) Larry Daley (an enjoyable Ben Stiller) is a likable guy with big ideas that never pan out. His inability to keep a job or an apartment is playing havoc with his visitation rights for his son Nick (a nice performance by Jake Cherry). Even young Nick thinks it’s time for dad to shape up — he invites his mom’s stock broker fiancé to career day at school. To avoid eviction from his current digs, Larry takes a job as night watchman at the Museum of Natural History. He takes over from the three guards who have been there for decades (Mickey Rooney, Bill Cobbs and — hurray! — Dick Van Dyke), victims of the struggling institution’s attempts to economize. Things seem pretty quiet his first night. Until he notices the T-Rex is missing.

What follows answers the adolescent dreams of every geek and nerd who was pummeled in elementary school for a love of learning. The museum really does come alive at night: the ancient, the extinct, the stuffed wild animals and the assortments of fighters and foes from the beginning of history, animate when the sun goes down. The departing cadre of guards left written instructions for Larry on how to handle the inhabitants (it turns out the T-Rex just wants to play fetch), but the Capuchin monkey destroyed it. With fits and starts, Larry soldiers on, uncovering the secret of the Egyptian curse and discovering that his real problems lie with those he thought were on his side.

Robin Williams is a perfect Teddy Roosevelt, offering guidance and support to an overwhelmed Larry. Carla Gugino does nice work as a museum docent, and Stiller’s mom Anne Meara has a cameo. Ricky Gervais does his classic turn as a bureaucratic martinet, and an uncredited Owen Wilson also contributes.

Night at the Museum is model family viewing, equally accessible and fun for kids and adults. It captures the magic and fantasy experienced only in childhood, and offers a tale of a father who reaches beyond his limitations to redeem himself in his son’s eyes — and his own.

– Ann Yarabinee

© TLA Entertainment Group

300

(2007, 91 min) A thrilling jolt of adrenaline & testosterone, 300 strips the swords-and-sandals epic down to its most basic elements and, as a result, ranks with Ben-Hur as the best of its genre.

Based on the Greek legend of 300 Spartans holding off a horde of Persians numbering in the tens of thousands, the story is not meant to be realistic, and this is reflected in the filmmaking: a large portion of the movie is shot in slow motion, and the production was filmed in front of green screens with computer-designed backgrounds. Even with the artifice, the bloodletting is graphically realistic, illustrating just about every way a person could die by a wielded sword. With wave after wave of marauding enemies, the plot plays out like a zombie movie. And how appropriate, as director Zack Snyder cut his teeth with the 2004 version of Dawn of the Dead. In fact, 300 often feels like an extension of the exhilirating opening 10 minutes of that remake, and that is a very good thing indeed.

Gerard Butler (The Phantom of the Opera) is appropriately imposing as King Leonidas, and the brief scenes that lay out the plot give him room to build an epic character with very few words. Homoerotic subtext is seemingly unwritten but also unavoidable given all the buff, sweaty men with little to wear; Snyder compensates by including a steamy sexual relationship between Leonidas and Queen Gorgo (Lena Headey), a power struggle between Gorgo and slimy Theron (Dominic West), and the nude Oracle (Kelly Craig) who is so prominent in the trailers.

But with all that out of the way, the action can begin, and it rarely lets up. Waves of progressively more monstrous Persians induce goosebumps and spontaneous applause from audiences, and the copious bloodletting adds color to the sepia-toned palette. Try to find a single frame of this film that is less than breathtaking, or would feel out of place in a graphic novel. Like Sin City before it, 300 is true to Frank Miller's vision, and to quote the fan boy within, fucking kicks ass to boot.

– David Gorgos

© TLA Entertainment Group

Rocky Balboa

(2006, 102 min) Sylvester Stallone pulls triple duty in Rocky Balboa as writer, director and star — and acquits himself well in all three tasks. The retired champ runs a restaurant named after his beloved, departed wife Adrian. His son has become a stranger to him, and Rocky spends as much time in the past as the present. The reigning heavyweight champ is Mason ‘The Line’ Dixon, whose recent fights have been against creampuffs in the absence of any suitable opponents, resulting in one-round knock-outs and the loss of fans’ respect.

A computerized match-up between Balboa and Dixon, similar to the fantasy fight between Marciano and Ali, grabs the public’s attention and leads Dixon’s promoters and handlers to a grandiose publicity scheme aimed at rekindling their fighter’s image and popularity. Rocky, who expected a small-scale exhibition fight, accepts the bigger challenge.

The film’s predictability is more than compensated by the respect inherent in the characters’ treatment. Rocky Balboa is at its core a gentle tale of regular people dealing as best they can with what life throws at them. Footage from the original Rocky is sprinkled throughout, and protagonists both old and new are portrayed ably and with dignity; Rocky’s relationship with his son is thoughtfully explored, albeit briefly. The Vegas fight sequence references every boxing movie from The Champ to Diggstown to Raging Bull, and captures the savage beauty of the sweet science.

The film provides a fairy-tale ending without sugar shock or insulting one’s intelligence. In fact, it serves as the perfect coda to the first Rocky, and avoids the comic book treatment of the series’ middle entries. If Stallone intended to pay tribute to the film that made him a big-time Hollywood star, if he wanted to retire the character that made him a household name with respect and appreciation, he did it.

– Ann Yarabinee

© TLA Entertainment Group

Children of Men

(2006, 109 min) Children of Men is centered around Theo (Clive Owen), a former sociopolitical activist living amidst the chaos and mass hysteria of a world where humans, for some unexplained reason, have not been able to procreate for 18 years. The film opens in 2027, after the assassination of the youngest living person, and shows the discouraged reactions of a frenzied British public. Immediately, the violent apocalyptic setting plays with the same post-9/11 anxiety that revitalized the zombie genre. Though apprehensive, Theo finds purpose after Julian (Julianne Moore), his former lover, and her organization of fellow activists solicit his assistance. He is introduced to Kee (newcomer Claire-Hope Ashitey), a well-guarded young woman who, for another unexplained reason, has been able to conceive. The remainder of the film follows Theo as he attempts to safely transport Kee to a mysterious refuge known as The Human Project. Their odyssey takes them through a dangerous and often barbaric wasteland where very few can be trusted.

In addition to versatile filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón (Y Tu Mamá También, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban), four screenwriters/script-doctors are credited for having adapted author P.D. James’s novel (Timothy J. Sexton, David Arata, Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby). In many cases, an overabundance of credited writers suggests that a problematic first draft has been heavily manipulated by hired studio hacks – maybe even more so in the case of a financially-risky futuristic sci-fi thriller. Children of Men, however, proves an exception to this rule due to Cuarón’s masterful direction, and the work needed to turn one of P.D. James' least satisfying novels into something more resonant. Impressively, he offers a commercial spectacle with art-house sensibilities. Meticulously choreographed, intense and unpredictable action sequences are presented within the confines of several lengthy continuous shots. The result is a gripping and near-perfect contribution to the experimental canon that will not only be screened and studied in many a film class but should also have wide-ranging appeal among the masses.

Clive Owen, no stranger to the everyman-turned-action-hero role, is not given the opportunity to offer anything new in the way of characterization, but carries the film fittingly. More rousing performances are delivered by the eclectic supporting cast which includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, Pam Ferris, Danny Huston, Peter Mullan and Michael Caine. Also notable is the soundtrack, which features well-chosen tracks from Radiohead, Jarvis Cocker, Roots Manuva, King Crimson, Aphex Twin and John Lennon.

– Robert O'Neill

© TLA Entertainment Group

The Fountain

(2006, 96 min) Spanish explorer Tomas, present-day researcher Tommy, future intergalactic traveler Tom (Hugh Jackman) — he is dislocated temporally, but he searches for the same thing in each arena: immortality. He’s bound across time to his beloved Isabel (Rachel Weisz). For his queen, the Conquistador looks for the Fountain of Youth in the new world. Tommy searches for a cure before cancer claims his beloved wife. And Tom glides through the vast expanse of space in a glowing bubble that contains the Tree of Life, sometimes visited by yet another incarnation of his Isabel.

The film is a visual feast; even the research lab sustains an ethereal glow. Jackman and Weisz assay their roles with believability and charm, and just the right touch of mythic presence. The film travels along slipstreams of time as the three storylines fold over one another, exploring the eternal quest to conquer the impermanence of existence and the loss of love. Yet for all of the considerable enchantment and grace crafted by director Darren Aronofsky, there is something missing in the end: the film engenders more bemusement than arousal, more diversion than contemplation. It's almost as if the indulgent imagery distracts from the emotional core. It recalls in opposition the crisp, cerebral edginess of Pi and the visceral impact of Requiem for a Dream.

While not perfectly executed, The Fountain still provides much intellectual and pictorial stimulation. It grapples with metaphysical issues and asks questions that have plagued us since the dawn of self-awareness and the inception of individuality. The Fountain makes grand use of the medium to explore our ongoing inquiries into the fabric of reality; the chemistry between Jackman and Weisz make it all accessible.

– Ann Yarabinee

© TLA Entertainment Group

The U.S. vs. John Lennon

(2006, 96 min) Written and directed by two seasoned documentarians, this history of John Lennon's post-Beatles adventures with Yoko Ono will be most familiar to baby-boomers and the Gen-Xers while providing a succinct overview of the era and the man for everyone else. Moving from the psychedelic heyday of the late sixties, Lennon became increasingly influenced by the political feminism and conceptual artistic flair of Yoko. Well-produced with a solid mix of striking graphics, archival footage and talking head interviews with Noam Chomsky, Angela Davis, Bobby Seale and many others, this documentary never tries to frame Lennon in a revisionist mode. The facts are there and are presented in a refreshing, straightforward manner.

Jumping into the fray that was the movement against the Vietnam War, Lennon and Ono at first staged "bed-ins," living in their bed and giving interviews to interested journalists. This was followed by events such as "bagisms" (giving interviews encased in large cloth bags) and the penning of the penultimate antiwar song, "Give Peace a Chance." Growing more radical and militant in his stance, the turning point in his relationship with the United States was Lennon's financial support to underground groups such as the Black Panthers and his, for a time, avowed membership to the communist party. The government, headed by President Nixon, and the intelligence community, headed by J. Edgar Hoover, both powerful, paranoid and determined men, was intent on dogging Lennon and Ono, watching their every move and making life uncomfortable.

The culminating event was the attempted deportation to England of Lennon; it never occurred, but the legal battles were protracted and annoying. He emerged triumphant and as a testament to his spirit of peace, held no ill-will against his tormenters. Possessed by his vision and his muse, Lennon continues to inspire the young people of today.

– Max Brinck

© TLA Entertainment Group

Marie Antoinette

(2006, 123 min) Produced with a forty million dollar budget, Sofia Coppola writes and directs this powerful period piece based on Antonia Fraser's novel. Filmed entirely on location with an unprecedented access to the palace at Versailles, Coppola paints a vibrant picture of the Court of King Louis XV and Louis XVI. Sumptuous production design is smartly linked with a contemporary soundtrack peopled with the likes of Bow Wow Wow, the Cure, Siouxsie Sioux and New Order. On paper, this might appear pretentious and obtrusive, but in practice it works extremely well.

Kirsten Dunst plays Marie in what may be her best casting. Basically sold to the French court to marry the future king perfectly played by Jason Schwartzman, she is an Austrian princess meant to cement the bond between the two countries. Coppola wisely chooses to focus on the hermetic world of the privileged court, rather than the country and world at large. Marie is an innocent who simply follows where her senses lead and tries to enjoy life, even though her husband is a bit of a cold fish. Dunst glowingly projects a fragile hope, her delicate features and chiseled bone structure mating with her amazing costume designs.

Into this world enter sexual politics as she strives to give the king a son, but the broader palette of social and economic realities only enter the picture near its end. As the lower classes rebel to bring about the French Revolution, the viewer sees a resigned queen bowing to her subjects she has all but ignored as she dallied in her fantasy world. The hard reality she faces at the end of her short life is effortlessly portrayed by a mature Dunst in what may be her finest role.

– Max Brinck

© TLA Entertainment Group

The Departed

(2006, 152 min) Snapping back to what is arguably his finest genre, crime melodrama, Martin Scorsese gives us a hard-hitting retool of the Asian film, Infernal Affairs. Standing in line to work for Scorsese were Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin and Ray Winstone.

Set in Boston, the Massachusetts State Police go undercover for the most part to crack the crime ring of Frank Costello (Nicholson). Costello deals in microchips and cocaine, etc. and Colin Sullivan (Damon) and Billy Costigan (DiCaprio) are newly minted graduates of the police academy eager to start their jobs. Nicholson is in fine form, injecting sly humor into his character; his acting is comforting in that we know we will get at least a good performance and familiar mannerisms. Mr. French (Winstone) plays Costello's right-hand man, his supporting role is rock-solid.

The meatiest roles go to Damon and DiCaprio who are both undercover in opposite corners. Sullivan projects an even temperament as a veneer, hiding a secret loyalty to Costello. DiCaprio as Costigan perhaps gives the best and weightiest performance of the film and his career. He seems more mature and truly adult as a conflicted cop, who at the heart, has morals and the sense of being one of a dying breed, a good guy.

William Monahan (Kingdom of Heaven) rewrites the Infernal Affairs screenplay with gritty action and street-tough dialog, fitting perfectly into Scorsese's sense of the dramatic that we haven’t seen since Goodfellas and Mean Streets. The story is everything here, and he doesn't miss a beat as the viewer is propelled to a bloody and shocking ending, similar to the killing spree depicted in Taxi Driver. Scorsese excels when he utilizes this device as conflict resolution.

Martin Sheen and Alec Baldwin show up in small roles as top cops, but their appearance is also welcome as they round out a superb ensemble.

– Max Brinck

© TLA Entertainment Group

Hannibal Rising

(2007, 117 min) Imposing and impressive Lecter Castle is nestled in the lush Lithuanian countryside near a gently rolling river. Young Hannibal and his beloved sister Mischa bask in the pampering indulgence of their doting parents. But it's 1944, and they're caught between Nazi invaders and advancing Russian troops. When the armies move on, leaving behind death and destruction, scavengers both animal and human move in. Orphaned Hannibal and Mischa find themselves at the dubious mercy of a band of marauding miscreants, their own countrymen who lent themselves out to the Germans, and will just as easily attach themselves to the upcoming Communist regime. But right now, they're trapped with the children in a small country villa. It's the dead of winter, there is no food, they're pinned down... and they're hungry.

Hannibal Rising tracks the events that created the monster: his sister is taken from him in a most atrocious act; he is forced to live in his former castle home, now an orphanage replete with images of Stalin and the requisite bullies. After eight years of silent acquiescence, he leaves to search for his uncle in France; he finds his uncle’s widow and the discipline of Asian martial arts. His entry into medical school provides the final element of his new persona, an identity forged through loss and pain and unimaginable cruelty.

This looked like it might be a credible exploration of Hannibal Lecter's character formation. The script was the first one in the film series to be written by Thomas Harris, Hannibal's creator. The story provided the raw material for either a serious exploration of evil, or a terrific exploitation of horror. The locations are arresting and evocative, the performances are credible and competent (Dominic West and, of course, Gong Li stand out), the production values outstanding. It starts out with promise and then fizzles, going all De Laurentiis on itself ("Everbody cry when Mischa die," maybe?). For all its orchestrated gore, for all its myth-making intent, the film is curiously flat and remarkably empty; not quite campy enough, not quite scary enough, not quite incisive enough. Director Webber showed his facility for impressive presentation in Girl with a Pearl Earring. It seems he needs to allow his big screen craft to maturate, and to allow the protagonists to propel the story.

– Ann Yarabinee

© TLA Entertainment Group

The Prestige

(2006, 130 min) Unique in its flashback and flash-forward style, Christopher and Jonathan Nolan's The Prestige enlists the considerable talents of Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale and Michael Caine as the principals in this confounding and delightful cinematic tale. A story-driven drama, thriller and fantasy piece all rolled into a tight and cohesive script is greatly aided by the photography of Wally Pfister, who evokes the late 1800s with golden and sepia tones. Alfred Borden (Bale), and Robert Angier (Jackman) are aspiring magicians and friends in England, who as they are given chances to perform on their own, transform into bitter and paranoid rivals. The designer and construction expert, Cutter (Caine), is the older man who is a close friend to both men. Cutter must watch as these men endure an early tragedy in the loss of Angier's wife and assistant Julia (Piper Perabo), in an illusion gone awry. Borden meets and marries Sarah (Rebecca Hall), a loving wife who witnesses her husband slip into an obsession as he tries to better Angier.

The central theme and piece of the film are an act called "The Transported Man," in which one illusionist disappears and almost instantaneously reappears in a distant location from the stage. Each man stages a version of this illusion, and here is where the film unveils a crucial plot element with the introduction of the genius scientist, Nikola Tesla (David Bowie). In a version of the Tesla coil, huge electrical discharges are displayed in a controlled environment. This device captures the imagination of Angier, (and later Borden), who contracts Tesla to construct a similar device for his "Transported Man" scenario. Is this invention simply an awe-inspiring display or does it hold the secret of "The Prestige?" The third act of this marvelous film reveals many mysteries in stunningly beautiful ways.

– Max Brinck

© TLA Entertainment Group

Flags of Our Fathers

(2006, 132 min) Clint Eastwood tells the story of the six men who raised the flag on Iwo Jima in February of 1945, a turning point of World War II. The film centers on the three surviving flag raisers: Rene Gagnon (Jesse Bradford), John Bradley (Ryan Phillippe), and Ira Hayes (Adam Beach).

These men were canonized as true heroes on their return to the States, all because of a famous, iconic photograph. The guiding principal concept of the screenplay by William Broyles (Apollo 13, Jarhead) and Paul Haggis (Crash, Million Dollar Baby) seems to be the disconnect between the image of heroism and the reality of the moment (wartime or otherwise). Eastwood’s cinema paradoxically reinvents the same situation by positing the "real" depiction of war events leading up to and after the photograph was taken. Combat footage is frank, brutal and relentless, signaling the state of the art of the war film.

The return to the States is the pivotal theme at the heart of the screenplay. One soldier, Ira, being Native American, is singled out to illustrate the embedded racism of the era, probably supplied by Haggis, reminiscent of the hit-you-over-the head literalism of Crash. The script lets loose with a kind of skewed Capraesque like narrative viewed through a contemporary filter of cynicism.

As the flashbacks continue, the film descends into darker realms of the human spirit, providing a resonance lacking in the first half. The inner conflicts experienced by Ira identify him as a man at odds with his fellow countrymen and his own sense of self. In war, the mettle of a soldier is tested and forged. In peacetime, away from the battlefront, the forces of disassociation set upon man’s frail spirit, conjuring imaginary demons.

Eastwood and company successfully manage to convey these complexities throughout the second half of Flags of Our Fathers.

– Max Brinck

© TLA Entertainment Group

Venus

(2006, 95 min) Peter O'Toole plays Maurice, who rattles around London with his thespian cohorts, picking up small TV acting gigs to make ends meet even while approached by starry-eyed fans who remember his glory days. With his friends Ian (Leslie Phillips) and Donald (Richard Griffiths), they are the epitome of codger rapscallions. They trade their medications as they share caustic, witty banter in the local coffee shop; their advanced age does not prohibit heated exchanges and an occasional stab at fisticuffs.

Ian, something of a hypochondriac, has his grandniece Jessie (Jodie Whittaker) sent to care for him. She's unschooled and rude and not an ideal candidate for caretaker. Country-bred and rough-hewn, she wants to be a model. Ian finds her nerve-racking, but Maurice is enthralled. He initiates a Pygmalionesque connection: He takes her to the theater and she takes him to clubs. Her vibrant youth rekindles the pansexual libertine's sensuality. As the body ages and breaks down and the soul suffers increasing indignities, the pleasures of the flesh can still be recalled — enjoyed as memories evoked by the scent of a woman’s neck or the curve of her foot.

Maurice starts wrapping up loose ends and making amends. He visits wife Valerie (Vanessa Redgrave), whom he treated shabbily; and attempts to reconcile other, current rifts and to ameliorate extant wounds. He visits places that he loves, and meets the future without pretense or illusion.

Director Roger Michell (Notting Hill, Changing Lanes) gives the assembled luminaries their head, and has crafted an intelligent and unsentimental examination of a lion in winter. Whittaker holds her own in a pretty heavy-duty acting ensemble, allowing Jessie to grow and deepen as she experiences a life she couldn’t have imagined for herself. The troupers move through the story as one, with natural grace; and O'Toole commands the screen with the same authority he showed as Lawrence of Arabia or Jack, the 14th Earl of Guerney. If this should be O'Toole's last piece of work, it can hold the weight.

– Ann Yarabinee

© TLA Entertainment Group

Little Children

(2006, 130 min) In Little Children, Sarah (Kate Winslet) arouses mild controversy at a book club meeting by labeling Madame Bovary a feminist and describing the ill-fated adulterous as heroic. While aware of her faults, Sarah understands Emma Bovary's "hunger for an alternative" and "refusal to accept a life of unhappiness." It is the same universal hunger that drives Sarah and the action of this exceptional second feature from Todd Field (In the Bedroom), who serves as director, producer and cowriter with Tom Perrotta (Election), author of the original novel.

Using pitch-perfect narration (by Will Lyman of PBS's "Frontline") that is concise in structure, playful in delivery and wide-ranging in scope, several primary characters are introduced – each of whom is trapped in a quandary between instinctual desires and the apprehensive status quo of present-day American suburbia. The focus is on Sarah and Brad (Patrick Wilson), two unfulfilled stay-at-home parents who form a friendship, flirtation and dangerous affair. Running parallel is the more obviously socially-observant story of Ronald James McGorvey (Jackie Earle Haley), a convicted sex offender whose well-publicized release from prison causes panic in a community swarming with children and their understandably phobic parents. The film analyzes the objectives of the principal characters while allowing the fearful surrounding society to pass judgment. The result includes numerous different opinions and perspectives on relatable themes, none of which are entirely unjustified.

Field and Perrotta maintain a consistent unpredictability throughout, delivering frequent moments of nail-biting tension and even paying slight homage to Jaws in one particularly unforgettable scene. The entire cast is also in top form. Kate Winslet gives one of her best performances yet, delving deeply into the desperation of her ordinarily stable character. The role of Brad seems tailor-made for Patrick Wilson's almost oblivious charm. Following up his equally impressive performance in Hard Candy, Wilson continues to show an adroit knack for tackling challenging material. Also notable are Jennifer Connelly, Noah Emmerich, Phyllis Somerville, Gregg Edelman and Jane Adams, who channels her character from Happiness for a memorable cameo. It is is the ingenious casting of Jackie Earle Haley, however, that stands out above the rest. Known best in the 1970s for his roles in The Bad News Bears and Breaking Away, Haley resurfaces as a 21st century version of Boo Radley who is struggling with a psychosexual disorder. He gives a knockout performance that has enough power and range to break hearts and haunt dreams at the same time.

Though not nearly as unnerving as it would be in the hands of filmmakers like Gaspar Noé or Todd Solondz, the film does feature some shocking content and an unusually empathetic view of taboo issues that make it unsuitable for most mainstream audiences. This explains why, though arguably superior to some nominees, it was not included in the Best Picture category at the 2006 Academy Awards. The easily squeamish will do better to avoid it while open-minded, socially-conscious viewers will not likely be disappointed.

The only real complaint about the film comes from the fact that the ending (different than the novel) leaves much to be desired. This, however, is more of a testament to the engrossing qualities of the preceding two hours than a major flaw in craftsmanship. With a little more exposure and good recommendation, Little Children has the potential to become a classic.

– Robert O'Neill

© TLA Entertainment Group

The Queen

(2006, 97 min) Helen Mirren essentially morphs into Queen Elizabeth II in director Stephen Frears' superbly crafted film detailing the immediate impact of Princess Di's death on the House of Windsor.

Elizabeth is old school — stoic, regal, duty-bound, and most definitely drawing sharp demarcation between public and private affairs. She served as driver and mechanic during WWII, ascending to the throne at the age of 25 upon the death of her father in 1952. She is always unswerving and disciplined in the execution of her duties. She and the family are at Balmoral Castle when news of Diana's car accident first hits. The Windsors remain ensconced in the 50,000 acres of Balmoral, surrounded by servants and long-standing tradition, even after Diana dies. Elizabeth doesn't see the event as an issue for the crown or the government: Diana and Charles are divorced, and Di is no longer an HRH.

The isolation of Balmoral is perfect allegory for the Royal Family's disconnect from the temper of the times. Despite the growing mountains of flowers in front of all Royal residences, despite books of condolences filled with messages appearing at British embassies and consulates worldwide, despite increasingly strident headlines wondering why the Windsors are not with their subjects in their time of grief, Elizabeth's husband insists that people will come to their senses soon, and her mum doesn’t understand the fuss. Only Charles seems to have some comprehension of the situation (and that seems to be at least partially motivated by fears of reprisal). He reaches out to newly-elected Prime Minister Tony Blair, asking him to advise the recalcitrant Royals. No easy feat: Elizabeth's life has been guided by the dictum duty first, self second. Indeed, much of her private life is conducted as an office. The first glimmer of any awareness of her country's profound shift in values shows when she finally deigns to appear outside the walls of Buckingham Palace; many of the messages attached to the mounds of flowers are not kind to the Royals.

Frears seamlessly incorporates news footage to create an almost documentary feel, and in a brief sequence captures the frenetic, obsessive, unending stalking by the press and paparazzi which Diana endured. He also conveys the claustrophobic atmosphere of the Queen's daily life, insulated in splendor, always aware of responsibility, free to shed tears only alone on a stretch of countryside, feeling commiseration for a fallen stag as she was never able for her ex-daughter-in-law. Frears, Mirren and the ensemble have successfully delivered a believable re-creation of recent history, and evoked the surprising emotional intensity experienced by millions around the world.

– Ann Yarabinee

© TLA Entertainment Groupmicroid: b802c9765da1a9de754e40c56118e176cac6d962

Aqua Teen Satire Force

Wow, the media got punked, and bad. What started out as an innocuous campaign (that admittedly violates minor trespass/zoning laws) has become a big prank at the expense of the media.

By covering this story so seriously and thoroughly, the news outlets have demonstrated their antiquity and aloofness in regard to their basic jobs as journalists.

How on earth can any clear-thinking person believe that a low-resolution sign of an alien giving people the finger is an act of terrorism? Similar neon signs have been in bars for a while now. Are journalists afraid to call the police idiots for overreacting to an ad campaign?

And why does the media insist on covering arrests, instead of concentrating on the outcome? Suspects are advised by their counsel to not give statements about pending litigation, so stories are a series of “no comments” followed by speculation. That Peter Berdovsky and Sean Stevens were given an outlet to speak is pure folly.

And they’re smart enough to do more with their time than give simple no comments. Like the show / movie they’re advertising, at their Feb. 1 news conference they provided a series of comic non-sequiturs about hair that had the same effect as a no-comment, but with the bonus of angering the reporters. The reporters were assuming that Berdovsky and Stevens were treating the case like a joke, when the only thing they were making a joke out of was the news conference itself.

Fox News’ coverage ended with the anchor angrily saying, “None of this may play well with the judge when they’re back in court.” Conservatives are obviously a bit out of touch with how the judicial system works, but not even the most activist judges would allow a silly news conference to interfere with their rulings under the law.

No, blogs haven’t replaced the media. Nothing has. I believe there is a place for TV journalism and print journalism – responsible reporting, with incisive questions, and thorough fact checking. Blogs are incisive, but fail on the other two counts. But if regular journalists continue to keep their collective heads up their collective asses, it’s only a matter of time before they are embarrassed again like they have been the last 24 hours.

– David Gorgos

© TLA Entertainment Group

The Pursuit of Happyness

(2006, 117 min) A film about an everyman who loses his business and his wife but will not let go of his son, who becomes homeless but turns it around and founds a multimillion-dollar enterprise, can be expected to float in a sea of saccharine sentimentality and Pollyanna positivism. The Pursuit of Happyness is saved from maudlin excess for two reasons: It's based on a true story, and it's elevated by the acting chops of Mr. Smith. Both Mr. Smiths.

It's 1981, and the effects of Reaganomics are just hitting the country. Chris Gardner (Will Smith) has sunk his life's savings into bone density scanners, expensive and unnecessary medical equipment he's having trouble selling. His wife Linda (Thandie Newton) is working backbreaking double shifts at a dead-end job and the family is barely staying afloat. Chris didn't meet his own father until he was 28 years old, and he is determined to be the father he never had; his bonds to his 5-year-old son Christopher (Will Smith’s real-life son Jaden Smith) are forged in steel. Chris learns of an internship program at a stock brokerage and decides to go for it, fitting in sales meetings to unload his remaining bone scanners. Back rent is due, parking tickets are accumulating on the windshield, and Linda can no longer cope. She moves back East, leaving Christopher in her husband’s care.

Chris and Christopher scrape by and things seem to be looking up, when Dad is hit with garnishment for back taxes. With $21 and change in his pocket and no safety net in sight, Chris and Christopher spend nights in subway men’s rooms and shelters. The film successfully captures the desperate nature of tenuous circumstances in which missing a bus means no roof over your head that night. But through it all, Chris never loses sight of his goals and never falters in his determination. Smith, father and son, assay their roles with charm and grit and an appreciated absence of schmaltz.

Note: Many of the extras were actual homeless people. Also, the man walking past Chris and Christopher at the end of the movie is the real Chris Gardner.

– Ann Yarabinee

© TLA Entertainment Group