At The Movies

AVATAR - I have to admit, I didn't have any expectations for this film until AFTER all the hype began shortly after its release. Then I thought there's no way the film can match all the hype its getting. Well...I have to say all the hype is justified. This is a pretty remarkable film. In AVATAR, humans from Earth are excavating a precious mineral found on a distant Earth-like moon called Pandora. Pandora is also home to the Navi, a race of giant humanoids who are kind of like alien-aborigines. The military on Pandora are there to both protect the humans, and get rid of the Navi (who are trying to stop the humans from destroying their planet.) So the military devises a way to create spies by creating Avatars, which are Navi hybrids crossed with human DNA and are remotely controlled by a human host. Anyway, writer/director James Cameron wrote the script for this film about 10 years ago and basically sat on it until the technology caught up with what he saw in his head, and the technology is really what makes this movie. Usually I don't recommend a movie solely on the eye candy you see on screen, but in this case I have to make an exception. The story Cameron writes here is basically a modern take on STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND, but the world he creates visually is literally like nothing you've ever seen before. The first hour of the film is basically an introduction to the aliens and the world they live in, and it's the strongest part of the film. The last hour is mainly one long battle that's impressive but tedious at times. But overall I liked this film. I highly recommend this movie to anyone, and especially in 3D if they have the opportunity.

UP IN THE AIR - George Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, a successful businessman who travels all over the country firing people. His job keeps him on the move so much he seldom makes time to live a normal life or find someone to settle down with. To him his freedom is both a life-choice and a curse. He eventually meets Alex, played by Vera Farmiga, who is a successful businessperson of her own, and lives the same kind of lifestyle as Ryan. Together they form a connection that might either be solid or a fabrication...depending on who you ask. This is a well directed, well written, and well acted movie. It wouldn't surprise me at all if there were some Oscar nominations to come out of this one. I really enjoyed it, but I was left a little surprised by the ending. I won't give anything away, but it just wasn't what I was expecting. Still though this is a very good film.

THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG - I saw this one with the kids the other day, and I really enjoyed it. For those of you who don't know this is a re-telling of the classic story THE FROG PRINCE, only this time the story is set in old New Orleans. I guess that's obviously why I enjoyed it so much. There was a nice mix of New Orleans, jazz, southern dishes, and spooky swamps and cemeteries. I've heard some critics comment on the voodoo aspect in the movie, but I didn't think it was portrayed any differently than the magic in SNOW WHITE or LITTLE MERMAID. The characters here are fun, the music is fun, and the story is fun. Both Ben and Megan really liked it, and I did as well. Jenny saw this last week with Ben, and while she liked it as well she was hoping for something bigger and better like BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. But I went into it with lower expectations, and I came out of it really enjoying it. I'm sure this will be one we end up buying on DVD when it comes out in a couple of months.

STATE OF PLAY - Russell Crowe plays Cal McAffrey, a newspaper journalist trying to uncover the truth about the death of a congressional aide in Washington D.C. The police and the press all believe the death was a suicide, but Cal believes there's a greater conspiracy at foot that is hiding a murder. This was an entertaining film. It's a classic crime thriller, only this time the person trying to solve the case is not a police detective, but a reporter simply trying to sell a story. I thought that was kind of cool. At times the movie really felt like the classic film ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN, with the story building through the newspaper reporter as he writes the article. I heard that Brad Pitt was at one time going to play the lead in this movie, and when he pulled out of it Russell Crowe came into the picture. I actually think Crowe makes the film better. He can play a gritty style that's perfect for the down-and-out newspaper reporter persona. Anyway, this was a very good film. Nice surprise.

HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE - This is the latest installment in the highly successful Harry Potter franchise of movies. As you probably can guess the servants of Lord Voldemort are once again threatening the school of Hogwarts, and only Harry Potter and his friends can stop them. As the books go, HALF BLOOD PRINCE is the second to the last book, and sets up the last novel. However, there are two more movies after this one, as they are going to slice the last book in two. The last two books of the Potter franchise are my favorite of the series, so going into this one I was hoping for greatness. But the film, like most of the others, is simply good. Not bad, not great, but just plain ol' good. I guess what bothers me everytime is how the movies focus a lot on the love triangles, whereas in the books the love triangles are balanced with story developments and plot devices. I don't dislike the Potter movies at all...they're always good. I just like the books better. But isn't that usually the case?

FROST / NIXON - This is a biographical tale of the real life interviews between David Frost and Richard Nixon in 1977. Michael Sheen plays Frost, who at the time was a late night talk show host in Australia. He figures to get a ratings bonanza by paying for the rights to interview Nixon. Frank Langella plays Nixon, and gives perhaps one of the best Nixon impressions you'll ever see. As a matter of fact, have you ever seen Langella give a bad performance? Anyway, the writing and acting here are superb and not to be missed...definitely worth all the Oscar nominations it received last year. Great film!

FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS: SEASON 1 - I remember catching the first two episodes of this show when it first appeared on HBO back in 2007, and I remember scratching my head at it. However, I recently decided to give it a second try...and I'm glad I did. The show follows Bret and Jermaine, a funny folk-rock duo from New Zealand who are trying to make it big in New York. The stories follow their trials and tribulations in both love and music, and are occasionally interrupted by funny music videos. The highlight of the show for me however is their band manager Murray, who unsuccessfully balances the job of a band manager with his real gig working in the New Zealand consulate. I have to admit, it literally took me 6 episodes to warm up to this series, but I eventually grew to love it. Funny show.