Music From The Movies,
Saturday, October 3rd at 7pm
 TREASURE HUNT...Indiana Jones wasn't the first movie hero searching for lost artifacts! We take a musical look at two classic stories: King Solomon's Mines (1937) and Treasure Island (1950). Plus music from the 2006 cable movie The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines (pictured). In new reviews, Jared takes the 1-2-3 punch of Capitalism: A Love Story, Whip It, and Zombieland, and Regina reports from Toronto on Ricky Gervais and his directorial debut, The Invention of Lying.****NEW IN THEATERS (by Regina with Jared Counts)****  THE INVENTION OF LYING. (Warner Bros. 1 hour, 39 minutes. Rated PG-13 for language, including some sexual material and a drug reference. Directed by Ricky Gervais and Matthew Robinson.) Ricky Gervais (Mark Bellison), Jennifer Garner (Anna McDoogles), Rob Lowe (Brad Kessler), Jonah Hill (Frank), Louis C.K. (Greg), Jeffrey Tambor (Anthony), Tina Fey (Shelley). Music by Tim Atack. Narrated by Patrick Stewart. Gervais is an acquired taste; I haven't watched The Office but I liked him in Ghost Town. Here he tries for a Woody-Allen-three-fer (writer, director, actor) and succeeds only to a point. The high-concept story is based on a world where everyone always tells the truth. Gervais is a movie screenwriter (well, when there's no fiction, I guess you just write true stories) with a dying mother. The script wrings some laughs early on when schlub Gervais goes on a date with the stunning Garner (she's on the phone, in front of him, telling her mother he doesn't measure up).As the movie's title indicates, Gervais eventually figures out how to lie and uses it to his own advantage. It's a kind of flip of Jim Carrey's Liar, Liar (a better movie) with some of Bill Murray's Groundhog Day (better still) thrown in. The deck is stacked with a cast of comedians (and some good, unexpected cameos). But things take a turn, and become less funny, when avowed atheist Gervais begins to explore death and religion in the second half. The critics at the Toronto Film Festival screening I went to thought it was OK overall, but would probably work better as a 20-minute skit than a full-length feature. Good idea doesn't make it all the way to "The End." —Regina  WHIP IT. (Fox Searchlight. 1 hour, 51 minutes. Rated PG-13 for sexual content including crude dialogue, language and drug material. Directed by Drew Barrymore.) Ellen Page (Bliss Cavendar), Alia Shawkat (Pash), Marcia Gay Harden (Brooke Cavender), Daniel Stern (Earl Cavender), Kristen Wiig (Maggie Mayhem), Drew Barrymore (Smashley Simpson). Music by The Section Quartet. Bliss (Page), a girl in the small Texas town of Bodeen, finds an escape from her overbearing mother in the form of a roller derby flier. Clad in Barbie roller skates and lying about her age, she tries out for the Hurl Scouts, a team in nearby Austin, and begins her second life as Babe Ruthless.Though it does contain some of the old sports-movie clichés (underdog team rallies around talented rookie, outside problems threaten to sideline said rookie, etc.), Whip It's solid cast, good writing and strong performances buoy the film. Page is quite a talented actress, easily switching gears from her usually timid persona during the day to her "badass in training" nights. Wiig and Barrymore, along with stunt woman Zoe Bell (Death Proof), rapper Eve and Andrew Wilson (older brother to Luke and Owen), form a convincingly scrappy but supportive team. Harden is proud and driven as Bliss's mom, and Stern is great as Bliss's secretly supportive dad. The film deftly balances the two halves of its narrative, paralleling Bliss's maturation with the evolution of the Hurl Scouts as a team. The action in the rink is exhilarating, and makes me want to seek out the local league. It's empowering without being overbearing, funny without being too silly and emotional without being sappy. An invigorating sports film from rookie director Barrymore. —Jared  CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY. (Overture Films. 2 hours. Rated R for some language. Directed by and starring Michael Moore.) Music by Jeff Gibbs. In his latest film, documentarian and rabble-rouser Michael Moore tackles capitalism with the thesis that it is a corrupt system that benefits the few at the expense of the many. Given the director, it's better to approach this film as a cinematic editorial than unabashed truth. In deference to his previous movies, Capitalism seems very personal as Moore weaves his narrative through his life and the grim fate of his childhood home, Flint, Michigan. Moore's knack for showmanship is present but toned-down, providing some entertaining scenes without disrupting the flow. Whether trying to decipher the enigma of Wall Street's "derivatives," informing us about "dead peasant insurance" or showing some eerily topical found footage of an ailing FDR, Moore deftly mixes gallows humor and genuine outrage. It is by no means a perfect movie, as some of his arguments are a bit specious, some cheap shots are taken (several at former President Reagan) and a few punches are pulled (especially with regards to President Obama), but Moore accomplishes something good: he gets you thinking. Love him or hate him, he's laying the groundwork for a long-overdue discussion we all need to have. —Jared ZOMBIELAND. (Touchstone Pictures. 1 hour, 20 minutes. Rated R for horror violence/gore and language. Directed by Ruben Fleischer.) Jesse Eisenberg (Columbus), Woody Harrelson (Tallahassee), Emma Stone (Wichita), Abigail Breslin (Little Rock). Music by David Sardy. Columbus (Eisenberg) is a nerdy, gawky kid living in a zombie-infested wasteland using his wits, a double-barreled shotgun and an ever-expanding book of rules for survival. On his trip, he meets Tallahassee (Harrelson), a no-nonsense zombie killer in search of Twinkies, and the con-artist duo of Wichita and Little Rock (Stone and Breslin, respectively), who successfully bilk the other two out of their guns, car and dignity. What follows is a rip-roaring road trip through Post-Apocalyptia that will leave you in stitches.I'll lay this out now: Zombieland is hilarious. The plot is simple enough: the four aforementioned survivors (each taking the name of their original destination) band together to go to an amusement park in California, both for nostalgia and for the rumor that it's not infested with zombies. The real meat of the movie, however, is the way the different personalities bounce off of one another. Tallahassee is pure, unfettered id, taking a perverse glee in not only killing zombies, but destroying them. Columbus, a former paranoid shut-in and the least likely survivor of the bunch, adheres religiously to his set of rules, which appear onscreen from time to time to illustrate his points (such as "limber up," "always wear a seatbelt," and "two shots to the head makes sure it's dead"). Wichita and Little Rock are just looking out for number one. It's gory, it's fun, it's funny and it contains one of the most startlingly appropriate celebrity cameos ever (I don't want to spoil it, and you should avoid the film's IMDb page too). Pretty good job for your first time, Mr. Fleischer. —Jared  BRIGHT STAR. (Apparition. 1 hour, 59 minutes. Rated PG for thematic elements, some sensuality, brief language and incidental smoking. Directed by Jane Campion.) Abbie Cornish (Fanny Brawne), Ben Whishaw (John Keats), Thomas Sangster (Samuel Brawne), Paul Schneider (Charles Armitage Brown), Kerry Fox (Mrs. Brawne). Music by Marc Bradshaw. Unabashedly romantic, in the best sense. That word is mostly used by filmmakers these days in the phrase "romantic comedy," and those are usually neither romantic nor funny. This is less like Campion's In the Cut (remember that Meg Ryan/Mark Ruffalo fiasco from a few years ago?) and closer in tone to her best-known work, The Piano. Cornish is particularly impressive as the doomed poet John Keats' muse. Not a great deal happens here, but the actors and Campion do a lot with a little. And there's that gorgeous poetry. Listen also for the interesting use of music in the film: well-chosen, yet sparingly used. Stay through the credits to hear Whishaw recite "Ode to a Nightingale." Bright Star is a small, yet shiny gem. —Regina SURROGATES. (Touchstone Pictures. 1 hour, 28 minutes. Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence, disturbing images, language, sexuality and a drug-related scene. Directed by Jonathan Mostow.) Bruce Willis (Greer), Radha Mitchell (Peters), Rosamund Pike (Maggie), Boris Kodjoe (Stone), James Francis Ginty (Canter), James Cromwell (Older Canter), Ving Rhames (The Prophet). Music by Richard Marvin. In the near (and possibly prescient) future, mankind has taken to living vicariously through remote-controlled mechanical puppets called surrogates, machines designed by genius scientist Canter (Cromwell). In an unprecedented attack, two surrogates are destroyed, killing their hosts, and FBI agents Greer (Willis) and Peters (Mitchell) have to unravel a conspiracy that will rock the very foundations of the new world. Excellent visual effects, a fascinating story and a well-defined atmosphere create an entertaining and thought-provoking film.Anyone familiar with online gaming will find the setup very familiar, as the "surrogate" concept is essentially a physical manifestation of an online avatar. The surrogates, unlike many characters in World of Warcraft, are idealized humans, though the movie and the actors do a good job of subtly playing up the vague creepiness of these machines. They look like moving air-brushed photos and their usually blank faces react just a split-second too slowly, locating them well within the Uncanny Valley. When Willis appears in surrogate form, with his blond hair and heavy makeup, he looks to be about 30; away from his control chair, it's a tremendous relief to see him in the flesh, stubble and all. The anti-surrogate contingency, known as the Dreads and led by The Prophet (Rhames), sticks out mightily if only for their homeliness. The world of the film is well-constructed, but still leaves plenty to the imagination and never gets too wrapped up in the minutiae (as a geek, I was wondering what kind of network could support that much low-latency data, and how the surrogate hosts weren't all 500 pounds). The story is suspenseful, full of double-crosses and red herrings, and it plays a lot with the issues of identity and trust. The action sequences are well-executed and really help drive home the superhuman capabilities of the surrogates. A smart sci-fi thriller that will leave you guessing. —Jared  FAME. (MGM/UA. 1 hour, 47 minutes. Rated PG for thematic material including teen drinking, a sexual situation and language. Directed by Kevin Tancharoen.) Kherington Payne (Alice), Anna Maria Perez de Tagle (Joy), Paul McGill (Kevin), Asher Book (Marco), Kristy Flores (Rosie), Naturi Naughton (Denise), Kay Panabaker (Jenny), Collins Pennie (Malik), Walter Perez (Victor), Megan Mullally (Fran), Kelsey Grammer (Martin), Charles S. Dutton (James), Bebe Neuwirth (Lynn), Debbie Allen (Principal Simms). Music by Mark Isham. Slick, prepackaged remake of the 1980 original. Not from Disney, but might as well have been. The first version (rated R) was grittier and seemed more real. We now get a sanitized PG version with too many characters played by seasoned actors who are supposed to be high school freshmen, but are in their '20s. I can see the pitch meeting now: "We take High School Musical, add whatever elements from American Idol, America's Got Talent, etc. and most important to the teenage girls this is being made for, get a squeaky-clean Zac Efron clone (Asher Book)."Most of the "kids" do have talent: a standout is Naughton as a classical pianist who later transforms herself into a hip-hop singer. But Naughton's no greenhorn: she's a Broadway veteran and performs like one. Pennie's the "angry young black kid" who's 25 in real life. And so on. (Director Tancharoen is a former choreographer for Britney Spears.) Personally I was hoping for more scenes from teachers Kelsey Grammer and Bebe Neuwirth: maybe "Frasier" and "Lilith" could start squabbling and liven up the predictable proceedings, but they fight for screen time with this bloated cast. Sole 2009 release from the once-great MGM Studios, now controlled by creditors: maybe it's time to close the doors, guys, and make a graceful exit. Leo the Lion would thank you. —Regina  JENNIFER'S BODY. (20th Century Fox. 1 hour, 42 minutes. Rated R for sexuality, bloody violence, language and brief drug use. Directed by Karyn Kusama.) Megan Fox (Jennifer Check), Amanda Seyfried (Needy Lesnicky), Johnny Simmons (Chip), Adam Brody (Nikolai Wolf), J.K. Simmons (Mr. Wroblewski). Music by Stephen Barton and Theodore Shapiro. Jennifer (Fox), the head cheerleader, is the hottest girl in school (and she knows it) and unlikely best friend of the bookish Needy (Seyfried). After a fire ends the rock concert they're attending, Jennifer is kidnapped by the band and returns with a hunger for the flesh of unwitting boys. A great script, choice casting and a nice premise lead to a very fun, very funny movie.If there was ever a perfect role for Megan Fox, this has to be it. Snarky, bitchy, trashy and devious, Fox seems to take a certain relish in playing a high school succubus, using her looks to lure unsuspecting boys to their doom. Seyfried is great as the needy Needy, slowly turning from unassuming friend to horrified victim to Linda Hamilton circa Terminator 2. Adam Brody is deliciously seedy as a rock singer trying to get famous, and J.K. Simmons turns in a surprisingly low-key role as a hook-handed and soft-spoken teacher. None of this would matter but for Diablo Cody's sharp script, which gleefully skewers a lot of "small-town high school" clichés. The script does have a few "Come on, nobody talks like that" moments, but Cody definitely hits more than she misses. The filmmakers seem to have enjoyed themselves while making this, and it shows. It's no horror masterpiece, but it's a hell of a good time. —Jared ***WHAT'S NEW ON DVD!***  EASY VIRTUE. (Sony. 1 hour, 36 minutes. Rated PG-13 for sexual content, brief partial nudity, and smoking throughout. Directed by Stephan Elliott.) Jessica Biel (Larita Whittaker), Colin Firth (Mr. Whittaker), Kristin Scott Thomas (Mrs. Whittaker), Ben Barnes (John Whittaker), Kimberley Nixon (Hilda Whittaker), Katherine Parkinson (Marion Whittaker), Kris Marshall (Furber). Music by Marius de Vries. Sophisticated fun. Australian director Elliott is best known for The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. But that was 15 years ago, and except for a couple of projects that came and went, where has he been? Turns out in 2004 he had a serious skiing accident where he broke his back, pelvis and legs. Now recovered, he's marking his return by taking on that most ironic of British playwrights, Noël Coward, with his adaptation of the 1924 Easy Virtue. (There was a previous silent film adaptation in 1928, directed by a young Alfred Hitchcock.) It's not top-drawer Coward (Blithe Spirit, Design for Living, etc.) but this early effort still has the man's wit and sense of fun. The plot, which is fairly unimportant, involves John, a young man returning to his ancestral home in the English countryside with his new wife Larita, an American (gasp!) race-car driver (shocking!) and divorcée (ooohhhhh). Mother is offended, while Father is, well, intrigued. Adding to the fun are John's two sisters, Hilda and Marion, who have issues of their own.Like all of Coward, the meat is in the witty lines and zingers flung amongst the participants. Here, not too surprisingly, the veterans (Scott Thomas and Firth) have the upper hand. Biel gives a good try but isn't really of-the-period as Larita. (She does a nice job singing Coward's "Mad About the Boy.") Kris Marshall does nicely as Furber the long-suffering butler. The soundtrack is a mixed bag: period songs include a few classics by Coward himself ("Mad Dogs and Englishmen," "I'll See You Again") along with Cole Porter et.al.; original score by de Vries; and some adaptations of more-recent songs which don't really work (the credits have us hearing Billy Ocean's "When the Going Gets Tough"). Still, it's an enjoyable romp for those who appreciate good dialogue, performed by and for grownups. Those requiring CGI, quick cuts, jiggly cameras, or cars blowing up need not apply. The DVD includes deleted scenes, a blooper reel, and commentary with the director and screenwriter Sheridan Robbins. —Regina  A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT (BLU-RAY). (Sony. 1992/2009. Rated PG for momentary nudity and some language in a family drama. 2 hours, 3 minutes. Directed and narrated by Robert Redford.) Craig Sheffer (Norman Maclean), Brad Pitt (Paul Maclean), Tom Skerritt (Rev. Maclean), Brenda Blethyn (Mrs. Maclean), Emily Lloyd (Jessie Burns), Edie McClurg (Mrs. Burns), Stephen Shellen (Neal Burns), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Young Norman), Vann Gravage (Young Paul), Susan Traylor (Rawhide). Music by Mark Isham. Lovely, lyrical film version of the memoir by Norman Maclean, written when he was 70, about his growing-up years with his parents and brother in post-World-War-I Montana. The famous first line of the book is repeated by Redford's narrator: "In our family, there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing." I like this movie more every time I see it. At first glance, one could characterize older son Norman as the "good" one and Paul as the "bad" but that would be too facile. As every young man must do, both have to sort out their place in life, not so easy when your father is a strict Presbyterian Scot and the town's minister. Sheffer (the more experienced actor at this point, who got first billing) and the reliable Skerritt give solid performances. So does Pitt in his first significant early role, although I didn't really see the dark streak his character was supposed to have. But that didn't matter too much: even Skerritt's Reverend would call his younger son "beautiful."British actress Emily Lloyd is charming as Norman's love interest. Jessie too is searching for her place in the first defining period of change for women in the 20th century, the 1920's "flapper" era of bobbed hair, rolled stockings, and women smoking! Comedy is provided by Jessie's spoiled, blustering brother Neal when he makes the acquaintance of the local prostitute "Rawhide." Big themes are touched on here: war, religion, sex, music, race (Paul causes a stir with his Indian lover; even speakeasies have house rules). However, the screenplay, and Redford's direction, don't hit you over the head with anything; the movie allows you to come to it in a measured and thoughtful way. Beautiful Montana scenery by Philippe Rousselot (who won the movie's only Oscar); atmospheric, non-intrusive score by Mark Isham (hired after Redford rejected Elmer Bernstein's first pass at the music). Blu-ray edition includes a 32-page souvenir book, plus featurettes and deleted scenes. Definitely worth taking another trip on this river; don't forget your rod and reel. —Regina  TROUBLE THE WATER. (Focus Features. 2009. 1 hour, 36 minutes. Color. Widescreen. Unrated. Directed by Carl Deal and Tia Lessin.) Music by Davidge/Del Naja. A ground-level documentary of a catastrophic event, Trouble the Water follows aspiring rapper Kim and her husband Steve as they survive and try to escape the disaster that was Hurricane Katrina. I remember seeing the news coverage as the levees failed and watching in horror as the whole situation unfolded, but this documentary gives an intensely personal view of this tragedy. Much of the footage in the first half of the film was taken by Kim using a camcorder, capturing the storm and subsequent flood. It is fascinating to watch these people ride out the story and see how tragedy can bring people together. Deal and Lessin do a good job of letting Kim and Steve tell their story while seasoning it with excerpts from the local and national media. These snippets frame with the events onscreen and go a long way in demonstrating how the ball was dropped completely by every level of government involved, from the unprepared city leadership, to the overwhelmed state government and the sluggish response from FEMA ("You're doing a heckuva job, Brownie!"). Special features include deleted and extended scenes and featurettes chronicling the film's presence at the 2008 Democratic National Convention and conversations with the directors, subjects, film critic Richard Roeper and executive producer Danny Glover. A story of strength and perseverance that needs to be seen to be believed. —Jared> view printer-friendly version > return to previous page |