Film: Where the Wild Things Are

STARRING: Max Records (The Brothers Bloom); James Gandolfini (The Sopranos); Lauren Ambrose (Six Feet Under)
DIRECTOR: Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich, Adaptation)
WRITERS: Spike Jonze (Jackass) & David Eggers (Away We Go)
PLOT: A disobedient child travels to a world filled with wild creatures that crown him their ruler.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 Max Records deserves an Oscar nomination. He makes the movie. Without a great Max, the story doesn’t work. This newcomer brings heart to Where the Wild Things Are. He wears his emotions on his sleeve. The looks on his face speaks volumes to the audience. He never had to say a word. I was captivated.
4Spike Jonze deserves an Oscar nomination. Jonze is a friggin genius. Not only does he get everything he can out of Records, he has constructed a world that is mesmerizing. This is well-crafted art. I expect nothing less from Jonze.
4David Eggers deserves an Oscar nomination. Eggers and Jonze manage to take a minimal storyline and expand it to a fully fleshed out fairy tale. The dialogue is powerful and layered. So much is going on that is not being said. So many connections between the creatures and Max’s own psyche. Amazing work!
4 Casey Storm deserves an Oscar nomination. His costuming of the creatures is outstanding. I am so glad they didn’t resort to CG creatures. The costumes look so raw and real. Watching the fur get more matted and dirty as the film progresses adds to the texture of Where the Wild Things Are. Also, kudos to the actors who lent their voices for the creatures. Brilliant voice casting.
4 Karen O and the Kids deserve Oscar nominations. Their songs add to the richness of the film. I don’t recognize the lyrics but their energy helps sell the emotions behind key scenes in the film.

RECOMMENDATION
See it in the Theatres
(Oscar worthy stuff)

COMING SOON
A Serious Man, The Box

Film: Whip It

STARRING: Ellen Page (Juno, Hard Candy); Marcia Gay Harden (Pollock, Into the Wild); Kristen Wiig (SNL, Knocked Up); Alia Shawkat (Arrested Development)
DIRECTOR: Drew Barrymore (newcomer)
WRITER: Shauna Cross (newcomer)
PLOT: A quirky misfit flees the beauty pageant circuit for a roller derby league without her parents knowing.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 As a first time director, Drew Barrymore get a lot of out of her actresses. While you can tell that they are having a blast filming this story, they also deliver powerful, emotional moments throughout the movie. While many would make an Ellen Page comparison to Juno, I didn’t really connect them. Juno is a lot more sarcastic while Page’s role in Whip It is more vulnerable.
4Kristen Wiig steals the show. Wiig has been rocking hard on SNL lately and she has some very fun scenes in this film, but she also does some solid work as the motherly Maggie Mayhem. She’s a treat to watch.
4Some great acting aside, the story didn’t really grab me. Some great scenes here and there but overall a little cliché and predictable. I didn’t find any of it really surprising. Also the younger sister is in the opening scenes and then we don’t see or hear from her until the end. Little sloppy; and a missed opportunity to work on a sisterly bond or rivalry.
4 I was hoping for more creative cinematography. The roller derby scenes are well done but the rest is pretty standard. Maybe I was hoping for a more Garden State sensibility in the camera movement. Oh well.
4 One thing I really don’t find funny is a food fight. Never have. Never will. Nuff said.

RECOMMENDATION
Wait for DVD/TBS
(Girls=DVD, Boys=TBS)
COMING SOON
Where the Wild Things Are

Film: The Invention of Lying

STARRING: Ricky Gervais (Night at the Museum); Jennifer Garner (13 Going on 30); Rob Lowe (Thank You for Smoking)
DIRECTORS: Matthew Robinson & Ricky Gervais (newcomer)
WRITERS: Matthew Robinson & Ricky Gervais (The Office, Extras)
PLOT: In a world where only the truth is told, Mark Bellison is the first person to lie and uses it to his advantage.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 The first half of The Invention of Lying is genius. Everyone telling the truth is very funny. Coke’s truth in advertising, pre-sipped drinks and the real name of the old folks were stand-outs for me.
4 Unfortunately, the second half of the film falls short. The love story takes way too long to resolve. Things get a bit repetitious and even cliché. It’s too bad the story lost its way.
4What is interesting is not only does everyone speak the truth, they also speak everything that is going on in their mind; almost like an inner monologue. Does keeping things in your head constitute lying? The definition should have been made a bit more clear for the audience. There even seems to be a possible mistake where a waiter is attracted to Rob Lowe’s character but keeps his mouth shut. Double standard or mistake? Who knows?
4 I guess everyone wants to work with Ricky Gervais. There are some fun cameos by Edward Norton, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jason Bateman and Stephen Merchant. Hope I didn’t ruin it for you.
4 Love Gervais’ narration over the opening company credits. Great start to the film.

RECOMMENDATION
Wait for DVD
(At least the first half)

COMING SOON
Capitalism: A Love Story, Whip It

Film: Zombieland

STARRING: Jesse Eisenberg (Adventureland); Woody Harrelson (No Country for Old Men); Emma Stone (Superbad); Abigail Breslin (My Sister’s Keeper)
DIRECTOR: Ruben Fleischer (newcomer)
WRITER: Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick (Joe Schmo Show)
PLOT: Less than a handful of virus-survivors band together to take on the world that is overrun by zombies.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 Rule #6: Travel in a Group Talk a about a fun cast. This rag tag group of zombie killers make this film a treat to watch. Eisenberg is wonderfully awkward. Harrelson plays it cool. Stone and Breslin shine as sisterly con artists. Perfect comic timing on all counts; and great use of sarcasm.
4 Rule #32: Enjoy the Little Things Eisenberg’s character narrates the tale but also gives helpful zombie surviving tips with his list of rules. Just the way the titles appear on the screen add to the fun. It made this dark, dark comedy, kind of like Shaun of the Dead. Not bad company to be in.
4 Rule #19 Blend In I don’t want to spoil the cameo but it was fun to see this certain actor again. I love his apology. Some great scenes.
4 Rule #22: Plan Your Escape I don’t like that a couple of group members make a stupid mistake. They have survived this long, why would you want to attract the zombies’ attention to the pretty lights? Little too dumb at that point.
4 Rule #5: No Attachments The zombie are a little gross to look at. Not a big fan of watching that much spitting blood. It reminded me of the 28 Days Later zombies. Don’t know if that was the intention.

RECOMMENDATION
Wait for DVD
(Fun to watch with a group
of people making comments)

COMING SOON
Capitalism: A Love Story, Whip It