Movie Media: Cloverfield - Poster, Trailer

It's not exactly new news that JJ Abrams new production has a title, a poster, and a new trailer. Was anyone a little letdown when the title turned out to be Cloverfield? After all of the secrecy about the title and the tease of posters at Comic Con I figured it wouldn't turn out to be the codename the production had. Anyway, the poster is just the original teaser with the title on it. I have to say that it is a pretty cool poster. I like it anyway. The new trailer is pretty good too. I am really looking forward to seeing this hit the big screen.

CD Review: Opeth - The Roundhouse Tapes

Over my relatively few years of review writing, I have found it near impossible to listen (or watch) all that I want to, much less write about any of it to the degree of expertise that I would like to. To that end, I have more or less resigned myself to being one of those guys that tries to listen to a little of a lot of different stuff. Unfortunately, this choice does not lend me to being an expert on any one particular genre, style, band, etcetera. Rather than try to be an expert I have chosen to be content to bring my point of view, based on the breadth of experience I do have, to each of my columns. This brings me to the case of Opeth's latest release, the live two CD set of The Roundhouse Tapes. By now I am sure you are probably a little worried about the direction this is headed. I am too. It's okay to be worried, and maybe even a little afraid. It is even okay of you decide to use my lack of specific genre experience as an excuse to discount my opinion. No problem. My opinion can take it.

Opeth is one of those bands that I have seen mentioned time and time again on forum postings of favorite bands and best bands ever and the like. It took me a long time to actually get around to sampling them, and I have to say that, initially, I was not terribly impressed. The album was Blackwater Park. Over the intervening years, my opinion has greatly changed and I think the album is great. It also stands as the only album I own and the only Opeth I have listened to, despite actually wanting to pick up some more. This goes back to my lack of time and desire to listen to a variety of bands.

My lack of Opeth experience seems to make listening to a live album something of an odd choice. However, I took my ears and embarked on an excursion into Opeth's live realm and survived. The Roundhouse Tapes spans nine songs in about one hour and forty minutes. The experience is eye opening for the uninitiated. I can only imagine what actually seeing them live would be like.

Hearing the songs performed live was like hearing them for the first time, and in many cases it actually was the first time. There is something transcendent and hypnotic about their music. I found myself being lulled into a special place where I did not really focus on the music; rather I let the music in and just let the notes wash over me. The experience of just listening with no specific focus is amazing; I recommend that you try it. Put on some headphones, turn out the lights, press play, and just sit there. Just let Mikael Akerfeldt's voice enter, allow the guitars breach your ears and dig into your mind. Simply put, this is a performance of unmatched skill.

Now, neither Opeth nor this album have convinced me they are the greatest band in the world, or even at the moment, but there is absolutely no denying their skillful songwriting and instrument mastery. There is a beautiful balance between the soft and beautiful, and the guttural and brutal. In their song structures and lengthy excursions, one could favorably compare them to Pink Floyd.

The set spans their entire career from Orchid ("Under the Weeping Moon") through Ghost Reveries ("Ghosts of Perdition"), unlike their last live album, 2006's Lamentations, which focused primarily on their then latest studio release, Damnation. The set list has been criticized by some fans who disagree with their song choices. I cannot take any such line with them, for one thing most of the songs are new to me and secondly if the set were everyone's favorites it would not make for much excitement live when you are wondering what may be next. Besides, I always wondered if bands got tired of playing the same songs at every show, it is nice to hear the songs that are not often played live.

Bottomline. What else can be said? The Roundhouse Tapes is an exquisite live album capturing near perfect performances from all involved. Even for those who, like me, are not terribly familiar with their music, this is a good place to catch up with them, simultaneously experiencing a searing live performance and getting an overview of their career. There really is no way to go wrong with this, unless you have something against great music, that is.

Highly Recommended.

New Movies and Box Office Predictions: Awake and a Bunch of Holdovers

From last week's Thanksgiving feast to the post holiday famine, this final day of November brings us one new film entering wide release. That's right, just a single film will be added to the local cineplex. Last week brought five. Not to mention, this lonely new release seems to be of limited appeal, so I would not expect it to be much of a box office burner. That said, this week is likely to prove rather thin and will not help the trend of down weekends, compared to last year.

Awake. (2007, 84 minutes, R, thriller, trailer) This could be an intense thriller, or it could be a complete disaster. It is a thriller starring Hayden Christensen and Jessica Alba, neither terribly well known for being good actors. The duo star for writer/director Joby Harrold who is making his big screen writing and directing debut. Awake is the story of a man (Christensen) who suffers from "Anesthetic Awareness," a condition where the subject retains consciousness while being paralyzed. This happens during heart surgery. While he is unable to communicate the condition, his wife (Alba) is dealing with issues of her own. If nothing else, the idea of this condition is absolutely terrifying. I have seen two run times listed and am unsure which is accurate, some places say 84 minutes, while others list 78 minutes.

Now, if Awake is not your cup of tea, it is not your only option. It is only your new option. The December weeks leading up to Christmas are increasingly stacked with highly anticipated new releases with much higher expectations than Awake, making this thin weekend the perfect opportunity to catch up with missed movies from the past weeks.

For starters, need go back no further than last weekend. The holiday weekend delivered The Mist, a horror film the hits like a quick punch to the gut. Not exactly family friendly fare, but definitely worth checking out if you like creature features. If you want something that swings the other direction, you could choose the super-sentimental, and really good, August Rush. If neither of those float your boat, there is the top film from the weekend, Disney's Enchanted, which is downright enchanting.

Those aren't your only choices. The motion capture-animated Beowulf remains in theaters and is spectacular in 3D. Dustin Hoffman stars in the Willy Wonka-esque Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, a visual delight for kids of all ages. Jerry Seinfeld's Bee Movie is also still in a large number of theaters, I may not be a fan of the conformist message, but I cannot deny the enjoyment I had when I watched it.

For the Oscar handicapper, you could catch up with Ridley Scott's American Gangster. It is a film that did not impress me a great deal, but would not be surprised to see Oscar nods heaped upon it.

Now, there are a few that may take a little searching but if you have not seen them and you find them in the area, they are well worth the time. First and foremost among them is No Country for Old Men, a film that I don't believe has finished its roll out. Simply put, it is one of the best movies of the year. Others that are worth your eyeballs include Michael Clayton, Lars and the Real Girl, Gone Baby Gone, and to a lesser extent The Darjeeling Limited. Finally, the one I have not yet seen, I'm Not There, the Bob Dylan biopic, is playing on a few screens and is reportedly very good.

As you can see, there is no shortage of movies to check out despite the lack of new titles this weekend. Some are more worthy than others, but whatever you choose will be sure to give you something to talk about.

As for the upcoming weeks the cineplex will become increasingly crowded with titles such as The Golden Compass, I Am Legend, Sweeney Todd, Walk Hard, PS I Love You, and National Treasure: Book of Secrets. Not to mention smaller titles that I am looking forward to such as Juno, Grace is Gone, Atonement, and The Kite Runner. This doesn't even touch upon the movies arriving with your Christmas gifts.

Also opening this week, but not near me:

• Aaja Nachle
• Chronicle of an Escape
• The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
• The Protagonist
• The Rocket
• The Savages
• I'm Not There
• Nina's Heavenly Delights
• Starting Out in the Evening (on Friday)

Box Office Predictions
With the long holiday weekend out of the way, I am free to once again unleash my awful box office predictions upon the unsuspecting reader. I am pretty sure that the top ten will be very similar to last week, with Enchanted remaining in the top spot. The live action Disney flick is a lot of fun and will sail back to the top with its excellent word of mouth. The only shake-up will be Awake, it will do decently, but will not disturb the top films all that much.

Here is how I think the top ten field will play out:

Rank	Title	Box Office
1	Enchanted	$23 million
2	This Christmas	$9 million
3	Beowulf	$8.5 million
4	Awake	$7.5 million
5	Hitman	$6 million
6	Bee Movie	$5.5 million
7	Fred Claus	$5 million
8	No Country for Old Men	$4.5 million
9	August Rush	$4 million
10	The Mist	$3.5 million

Music DVD Review: The Unholy Alliance, Chapter II: Preaching to the Perverted

The summer of 2006 brought with it the Unholy Alliance tour. If there was one tour that I wanted to see last year, this was it. Did I see it? Nope. Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to catch the show, which makes this DVD all the more enjoyable. This disk captures seventeen performances from their stop in Vancouver, BC on July 13, 2006. Who was on the tour? Making up what was quite possibly the strongest metal line-up of the year were Thine Eyes Bleed, Children of Bodom, Mastodon, Lamb of God, and thrash metal legends Slayer. That's right, Slayer took to the road with a number of younger acts in tow with pure metal domination as their goal. Now, this disk only provides a small taste of the metallic chaos, but it is more than enough to make me sad over what I missed. That is also a problem as it is a small taste, so small as to leave me far from satisfied and a little more than wanting for more.

While the vast majority of music committed to the shiny disk is enough to get your head rocking, it feels like a rush job. I cannot help but wonder how well the recording was planned? The most glaring issue, the one you will see before even ripping open the package, is the song selection. With seventeen songs split between five bands there is not much room for the band to really open up and show what they have, it is more a tiny taste, a teaser if you will for their full length albums. To make matters worse, ten of those seventeen cuts belong to Slayer, leaving a mere seven to be split between four bands! Don't get me wrong, Slayer are great ten tracks of live Slayer is more than a good thing, but when it comes at the expense of the other bands on the tour, the problem is glaring. This tour sampler should have been released as a two disk set with many more songs included, perhaps even the full sets. Seriously, you can fit a good four hours on a dual layer DVD, which is probably pretty close to the full show.

Now for the other issues I had with the disk. Aside from the song selection/balance issues, the technical aspects are not all that impressive either. First off, the widescreen concert is not presented anamorphically. This means that if you watch on a widescreen TV you will have a black box completely surrounding the image, unless you zoom in (which is not an ideal situation). Then there is the problem with the audio, where is the 5.1 track? Concert disks almost demand this to help provide that concert environment, crowd in the back, music up front. I am not as concerned with this as the included stereo PCM track sounds excellent.

Finally, to wrap up my complaints, the image is not all that impressive. The editing and camera angles are fine, not epileptic inducing like Iron Maiden releases tend to be. The problem is with the image quality itself; it is pretty grainy and dark. It lacks in definition and has an overall grainy appearance. I know that shooting concerts is no easy task, but this just does not look all that good.

All of these things add up to a lackluster presentation that has to make one wonder how much planning went into the shoot and how much effort was put into creating the disk. It strokes me that this was a bit of a rush job to get the DVD to market as soon as possible.

I have complained a lot about the disk, and I feel that it deserves it, but it is not completely worthless. The performances are all quite good and will make you interested in seeing these bands live. Let's take a look at what is included:

First up is Thine Eyes Bleed, a band that I had heard of, but not heard before. They have one song, "Dark White." They are a death metal act with rough vocals, incessant double-bass and crunchy guitars. It is a good performance, although I think they are the weakest band of the set.
Second is Children of Bodom with two cuts: "Angels Don't Kill" and "In Your Face." This is a band that I had been wanting to check out for some time. They are heavy with a dose of European melody, especially with the addition of some keyboards. Their two songs are nothing more than a tease for a full set. They are definitely a band that I am going to further investigate.
Mastodon was up next with a trio: "Capillarian Crest," "Crystal Skull," and "Blood and Thunder." I was first introduced to these guys a couple of years back when I saw them open for Rob Zombie. They have quickly risen through the ranks to stand among the heavyweights of the current American metal scene, and their performance here is proof positive of that status. They were on fire, so much so that when the final track came up, I was saddened to see them go so quickly, even considering they are the best represented of the opening acts. That final song is their signature "Blood and Thunder," which also happened to be the last song of their set.

The final opening act of the tour is Lamb of God, represented with a paltry single song: "Vigil." I find it very strange that they only have one song here. I wonder if there were issues with song rights or perhaps something happened to the footage? With no specific information I can only guess. I am left to be consoled by the fact that it is a very good performance. Lamb of God is another band that stands at the forefront of American metal.

Finally, Slayer takes the stage and proceeds to destroy everything. The ten song sequence is strong, heavy, and brutal, all things that Slayer has come to symbolize since they arrived on the scene more than two decades ago. Highlights of their set are the opener "South of Heaven," "Cult," Grammy winner "Eyes of the Insane," "Dead Skin Mask," and "Angel of Death." This is the classic lineup with Dave Lombardo on the kit, and sounding fantastic.

There are two bonus featurettes. The first is "Behind the Scenes: The Parking Lot." I found this be pretty worthless outside of seeing the long line of people waiting to get inside. Most of the dialogue is limited to "F**kin' Slayer!" The other is a collection of interviews conducted by band members with band members. The highlight is when Mastodon's drummer interviews Dave Lombardo in Chris Farley mode. You remember, when he would interview people, and be all stammering and nervous, that was awesome.

Mildly Recommended.

Movie Media: Harold & Kumar 2 - Poster

This poster cracks me up. Harris has done a pretty good job reinventing himself in the post Doogie world, whether it be Starship Troopers, How I Met Your Mother, or the first Harold & Kumar. Now with a second Harold & Kumar on the horizon it makes sense to spotlight one of the funnier moments from the first film. You can't look at this at not laugh.

DVD Review: Waitress

This is a movie that is sure to put a smile on your face and a grumble in your tummy. Waitress is a sweet film that moves at a poetic pace through a dramatic comedy landscape. It successfully delivers a lead character to empathize with. It is nearly impossible not to enjoy this film; it has such a sweet heart, both literally and figuratively, that it is easy to forgive the areas that may be lacking. If you are looking for a movie that is upbeat and positive and bright without the cynicism that can creep into modern comedy, not to mention steering away from the popular improvised goofy slapstick comedy that can have a meaner edge, this is the movie for you.

Keri Russell stars as Jenna, a waitress and master pie maker who finds herself pregnant while trapped in a bad marriage. Trying to save up enough coin to leave her louse of a husband (Jeremy Sisto), she wants to enter a pie contest with a prize that will afford her the opportunity of leaving him for good. However, the unwanted and unexpected pregnancy has put a speed bump in her path to potential happiness. Then there is the matter of the new doctor who has taken a shine to her and her to him. This could be her last chance to be happy.

Waitress exists in a world that is not quite our own, but not so far removed as to not be recognizable. It is a fairy tale world where you know that things will work out in the end, you know that the heroine will make the right choices to be able to start her life over. There are no real surprises, but it does play out in such a way that you become involved in the lives of those on screen, at least I did. I found myself caring about Jenna, her friends, and her doctor, while I came to quickly despise Jenna's husband, someone who shouldn't be allowed to have contact with any human being.

We watch Jenna stuck in her loveless marriage, which has sucked out any desire for romantic affection, working long hours, and enduring a pregnancy that is anything but wanted. Sounds like it would be a downer of a movie right? Wrong. The production design is brightly colored and the fictional town is populated, for the most part, with nice people who would be good to spend time with. She works with Becky (Cheryl Hines), who has a romantic entanglement that she is keeping secret, and Dawn, a girl with low self-esteem who has attracted the attentions of a weasly suitor (Eddie Jemison). The three have formed a support group for each other to get through the tough times.

Once she finds herself pregnant, the doctor visits commence. This brings Dr. Pomatter (Nathan Fillion, with a character name formed from a fusion Jorge Posada, Don Mattingly, and Derek Jeter) into the story. He is a stuttering, slightly clumsy doctor who is new to town, and has a near immediate attraction to his new patient, and likewise. The relationship starts professionally, although you can tell there are sparks flying between the two, and before you know it, they are involved in an affair.

The movie is a light-hearted affair that deals with adultery, unhappiness, and pregnancy in its bright colored apron. All of the characters are great. Keri Russell brings an earthy sweetness to the role of Jenna. Nathan Fillion shows again just how good of an actor he is, stepping away from the smart alec captain of Serenity and into the awkward shoes of the new town doc. Andy Griffith has a supporting role as the owner of the pie shop where Jenna works; he appears as a surly old man, but Jenna knows better, that beneath the gruff exterior is a heart of gold.

What can I say? The movie was an absolute delight, and it didn't quite go the way I expected. While it was a definite crowd pleaser, it was far from your typical Hollywood-style pleaser. That isn't to say it was without its faults, it is just they were overshadowed by everything that was good. The biggest problem I had was the doctor's entering the affair. We do not get much of his background, his relationship with his wife, or his readiness to enter into an affair. But I guess that is a minor complaint, as the story was much more about and centered on Jenna.

Waitress was written and directed by Adrienne Shelley and is a confectionery treat; she brings a lot of life to the screen in what is one of the top feel good movies of the year. She also co-starred as the mousy Dawn. That also makes this a sad film to watch, as Shelley was murdered late last year. In November of 2006, Ms. Shelley was found murdered in her New York City apartment, days before she would receive the letter accepting the film at the Sundance Film Festival. I found that it cast a bit of a pall over what was otherwise a great experience at the movies.

Audio/Video. The copy I have is a burned pre-release copy. This being the case, I cannot speak to how well the technical quality of this disk compares to the production copy you will find on the shelves. It didn't look all that bad, but I do not wish to mislead.

Extras.

• Commentary. This track features producer Michael Roiff and actress Keri Russell. This is a good track as they comment directly on the on-screen action.
• This is How We Made Waitress Pie. Interviews with all the primaries about the film and how much they enjoyed working on it and all the different pieces they brought. Includes interviews with Adrienne Shelly. (10 minutes)
• Written and Directed by Adrienne Shelly: A Memorial. What happened was tragic. It was nice to see this tribute to Adrienne's likability and ability as a writer and director. (6.5 minutes)
• Hi! I'm Keri. I'll Be Your Waitress. Interview with Keri Russell on her experience coming to this role and working on the set. (5.5 minutes)
• The Pies Have It! This brief segment will be sure to make you just a tad bit hungry for some pie. (3 minutes)
• Fox Movie Channel Presents In Character With: Keri Russell, Cheryl Hines, Nathan Fillion. These are brief interview segments mixed with some clips from the film. They talk about how they relate to the characters and how they approached playing the roles. (11.5 minutes)
• A Message from Keri Russell about the Adrienne Shelly Foundation. This is a brief message from Keri relaying the passion and energy that Adrienne had for filmmaking and how much of an inspiration she was. For more information visit: http://www.theadrienneshellyfoundation.org/.

Bottomline. This is a fantastic film; it has a nice poetic pace as it weaves its way through Jenna's life. The performances are first rate, and the script is a lot of fun. In short, it is the kind of movie that you can just have a truly nice time with. Is it plausible? The story is, but the way it plays out is more of a fairy tale than an excursion into reality.

Highly Recommended.

Movie Media: Starting Out in the Evening - Poster, Trailer

Frank Langella stars in Starting Out in the Evening as a novelist who has been working on the same novel for a decade, all he wants to do is finish it. His process is caught off-guard when he meets Heather (Lauren Ambrose), a grad student who has taken a great interest in the aging scribe. She is working on her thesis and believes that her work can help inspire him. The other thread woven into the film's fabric is his relationship with his daughter (Lili Taylor) whose boyfriend he disapproves of. This looks like it could be interesting, hopefully I will get a chance to see it.

CD Review: Thrice - The Alchemy Index Vols. I * II: Fire & Water

I am virtually completely unfamiliar with Thrice. They are a band that I have heard of, of course, but the only exposure I have had with them was the 2006 edition of Taste of Chaos when they were the pre-headlining act just before Deftones. I saw them, witnessed their 40 minute set and cannot say that I was terribly impressed, but that was at the end of a long day of music which exposed me to a a number of bands that I did not care for, and on a day that was stolen by As I Lay Dying. Anyway, I was intrigued by the idea for this sequence of concept EPs that Thrice is releasing. For those who may not be familiar with what they are doing, Thrice is/has recorded an EP based around the four primary alchemy elements: fire, water, earth, and air. The first two were released bundled together in this release (Fire & Water), and the remaining two are slated for release in Spring of 2008. Perhaps this is not the best place to start listening to Thrice, but let me say that I am very impressed with what they have created on these two albums that I am interested in getting some more of their work.

The Alchemy Index Vols. I * II are an ambitious excursion into musical experimentation. These two separate albums have distinctly different sounds. They are so different as they sound as if two different bands could have made them. However, for as different as they sound and the ease of belief that two bands were involved, there is something about them that connects them together, and in doing so links them inextricably with their creator, Thrice. Now, despite that connection, I feel it would be a mistake to tackle them as a single entity. Yes, the two disks came packaged in the same case, but they are vastly different beasts that are connected by an overriding concept, yet are strong enough to be deservedly judged separately.

The first album of the set is Fire. This six song collection runs just north of 22 minutes and is comprised of fiery music. There are hardcore, metal, and screamo elements blended together that create a sound that is surprisingly fresh. I have to admit to not knowing what to expect when I pressed play, considering my lack of Thrice exposure.

Fire is an expansive journey through some sort of fiery(sic) post-hardcore world where music goes beyond what it is meant to be and searches for something a little more epic in scope. Heavy music with a variety of sampled and electronic elements blended with strong production values helping to propel the sound from the surface and into the epic realms normally found in other genres. This volume offers plenty of fist in the air rock moments, but the sound has a nicely layered sound that includes other elements than the standard fuzzed guitar, propulsive drums, and screamed vocals.

The opening track, "Firebreather," gets things off to a strong start with a crunchy riff that drew me in immediately, and then the first line, "Tell me are you free!," sold me on the project. “Backdraft” supported the feeling of being swept up in a potential epic with its creepy use of acoustic guitar.

The first element comes to a close with the concise, yet sprawling "The Flame Deluge." I was eager to see where the next volume would go following this strong outing into the epic landscape.

Now Water is a completely different beast than its predecessor. Gone are the screaming voices and fuzzed guitars. In their place are the sounds of a synth and booming electronic drum counds with a softer, more emotional sounding voice. The further I got into Water the more I kept thinking of Radiohead. No, this is not a copy of Radiohead, but a similar experimentation into the traditional rock format and the inventuve use of synth is in the same world.

It is hard to believe that the same band that turned out the expansive, epic-attempting sounds of Fire also created this considerably softer sounding entry. Not that one is weaker than the other, but they are vastly different in their styles. I swear, you could have someone listen to both and believe that it was two different acts.

The second volume steps away from the fiery sound of its predecessor and plays everything smooth, but no less epic. Neither one truly reaches that plateau, but taken together they have taken interesting steps towards doing just that.

Taken together this first pair of Alchemy Index recordings are a fascinating attempt by a band to move into something larger in scope than just an album, or a mere collection of songs. I have to say that I am intrigued by what they have done here and have intentions of seeing how the second half turns out and how it will complement this release. I also think I am going to have to track down some of their earlier work. This is a strong release that should appeal to fans and the uninitiated alike.

Highly Recommended.

DVD Review: Opus 'n Bill in A Wish for Wings That Work

Remember that comic strip Bloom County? Yes? I do too, although I have to admit that it wasn't one that I followed all that closely. I was always more of a Garfield kinda guy. However, while I cannot remember much in the way of specific jokes, I always got a kick out of Bill and his incessant hairballs. That brings me back to the year 1991. That year there was a holiday special that starred the featured characters of Bloom County, Opus the penguin and the aforementioned Bill the Cat. It was called A Wish for Wings That Work. It was a sweet natured story that was entertaining for the whole family. Unfortunately, I have not seen it since it's original broadcast. That is, had not seen it since then until today. To be honest, until the DVD arrived in my mailbox, I had completely forgotten about it. A fact I am glad has been rectified.

The story was written by Bloom County creator, Berkeley Breathed, who was adapting his own book. It centers on Opus and his absolute desire to fly. You see, Opus is a flightless black and white bird possessing a big nose, also known as a penguin. Well, I think the nose thing is specific to our dear, self-centered Opus.

Opus has one wish for Christmas, wings that work. He is not content with who he is, being a flightless bird has made him feel less of a bird, less of an individual, and more self centered. His sincere desire to fly has not allowed him to be grateful for what he has and what he is and what he can do. Opus is irritable, self-centered, and blind to virtually everything else around him.

When he reaches the end of his rope, he turns to Santa Claus to rectify his problem as he has reached his wits end. And then..... Well, if you've seen it, you know what happens. If you haven't seen it, treat yourself to something new, it is well worth the twenty-three minutes.

Let me just say that the story is heartwarming and reinforces the fact that you should be happy in your own skin. That you should keep your eyes open for the love that is around you. It is a great tale.

Now, it has been a long time coming to DVD, this is its first release. It is a pretty bare release, actually, it is a bare release. There are no extras, commercials, commentaries, or featurettes to be found. Also, the tech presentation is mediocre at best. I think they presume this is going to be a release of limited interest and did not put a lot of effort into it. Still, it is a delightful story with humor for kids and adults alike.

Bottomline. This should be an annual tradition, up there with the Garfield and Charlie Brown specials. There are some great lines, not to mention the scenes stolen by the mute Bill. Do yourself a favor and add this to your collection.

Highly Recommended.

DVD Pick of the Week: Hot Rod

This final week of November brings with it a number of decent releases, but as far as A-list material goes it's looking pretty thin. That isn't to say there isn't a title worthy of carrying the "DVD Pick of the Week" mantle, because there is. When you look down the list, there are definitely titles that are worthy of adding to your collection, just as there are titles that you will want to avoid like Kryptonite. Fortunately, I am here to wade through the list and bring to you the cream of the crop, and the occasional title to avoid.

This week's pick is none other than Hot Rod. Yes, you read that right. My choice for the number one pick of the week is a dumb comedy. It was ignored when it was in theaters and will likely be ignored to a large extent on DVD, but if you like weird goofy comedies, this is definitely one to check out.

As the promotional machine worked up the release of Hot Rod I was a big naysayer. I took a look at the trailer, the commercials, the stills, the poster, and a few other clips that made their way out onto the 'net and made up my mind. There was no way this movie was going to be good, there was a good chance that it wasn't even going to be funny. It just smacked of low-brow idiocy that wanted to be funny, and just wasn't. The bits just didn't seem to work, and none of the stuff I saw made me want to laugh. Now, after seeing Hot Rod, I am ready to retract my negativity.

Hot Rod is not a bad movie, as I had been so fully expecting it to be. The movie has a go for the gold gusto to it. It is sweetly innocent and wildly random in its execution. I found myself laughing through nearly the entire movie, sometimes in spite of myself. There is this infectious energy that envelopes the project, everyone involved fed off of this as they moved ahead. The actors threw themselves headlong into the story which actually treated its characters with respect. There is much foolishness to be had, but no one is treated as a fool; the script is not making fun of the characters so much as it is laughing along with them.

Saturday Night Live's Andy Samberg stars as Rod Kimble, a character that seems tailor made for a younger Will Ferrell. Kimble fancies himself a stuntman, complete with dreams of jumping the public pool, and following in the footsteps of his hero, his father. His father died when Kimble was young, his mother (Sissy Spacek) spun stories of his working with Evel Knievel, and the glory of a stuntman. This has set young Rod's life on a course where he will become famous, win the girl, and make his father proud. Also on his to do list is to win the respect of his stepfather (Ian McShane), which can only be won in hand to hand combat. This leads to numerous fights between the two, always resulting in Rod being beaten into submission.

There is never a day that goes by that Rod and his intrepid team don't try to jump over something, or break some sort of speed record. Of course, they are not all that good, no matter that they think they are brilliant. One day, Rod learns that his stepfather has a heart condition that is threatening his life. The idea that he will die without being beaten by Rod is unthinkable, so the stunt crew go to work to raise the money needed to get the heart transplant.

The story is really secondary to the characters and the laughs. It is the framework that allows us to have a reason to travel from point A to point B, but it is not what makes the movie work. What makes this movie work, first and foremost, is Andy Samberg. I am not terribly familiar with his SNL output, but her he delivers a sweet natured character that clings to his dreams and goes for the gusto. There is no pretense to him, not a mean bone in his body, and Samberg perfectly captures Rod Kimble, his never say die attitude. Then there is his interactions with the rest of the cast, including his would be girlfriend Denise, played by Isla Fisher, and his crew made up of half-brother Kevin (Jorma Taccone), Dave (Bill Hader), and Rico (Danny McBride).

Beyond that, there is the absolutely random nature of the comedy, and its reliance on '80s-era rock and roll. There are so many random moments of hilarity that I couldn't help but laugh at the sheer zaniness of the project. From Rod's actions in his "quiet place," to the pool jump, to Denise and Jonathan's incident towards the end, to the over the top fights, to Chris Parnell, to "cool beans," and the ever present Europe songs, this movie exceeded expectations (not that mine were high).

This is definitely a movie to see with a bunch of friends, you will laugh right through to the end and then laugh some more thinking about your favorite parts. While it is not a great movie, it is the right movie at the right time. Samberg has a bright future ahead of him. So, if you are a fan of random comedy, this is right up your alley.

There are plenty of extras on the disk: Commentary by Akiva Schaffer, Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, Ancestors Protect Me: Behind the Scenes of Hot Rod, 15 Deleted And Extended Scenes - With Optional Commentary by Akiva Schaffer, Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, Outtakes Reel, 10 of Kevin's Videos, Theatrical Trailer.

Also out this week:

• Futurama: Bender's Big Score. Very funny new DVD movie, the first of four to come. Plenty of extras including a complete episode of Everybody Loves Hypnotoad.
• Waitress. Fantastic comic drama featuring Keri Russell. This will definitely put a smile on your face.
• Mr. Bean's Holiday. Only see this if you are a Bean fan, otherwise you will be bored to tears at how unfunny this movie is. Bean is best when kept to small doses.
• The Namesake. Very good film featuring Kal Penn's first dramatic lead and agreat performance by Tabu.
• Paprika. Satoshi Lon's latest is a fascinating excursion into surrealism.
• WWE Shawn Michaels: Heartbreak and Triumph. Not much of a wrestling fan these days, but here is one of the all time greats.
• Hot Fuzz: Three Disk Edition. I hear this is what the UK release was. It is loaded with commentary tracks, deleted scenes, featurettes and more.
• I Know Who Killed Me. Lindasy Lohan attempts to bring the torture film mainstream in this lame flick. Avoid.
• Skinwalkers. Never did get to see this werewolf flick, but I cannot imagine it being very good.
• First Snow. I really wanted to see this on the big screen but never had the chance. Guy Pearce stars as a man who will die at the first snow of the season.
• Psychopathic: The Videos. ICP, Twizted, Blaze, and the rest of the Psychopathic family in a collection of their videos, complete with new footage.
• Dragon Tiger Gate. This was directed by the action director of SPL and stars Donnie Yen and Nicholas Tse.
• Metal Blade Records: 25th Anniversary Live. A collection of performances from their anniversary tour, featuring Unearth, Cannibal Corpse, The Black Dahlia Murder, The Red Chord, and others.
  

Box Office Update 11/21-11/25: Audiences are Enchanted by Enchanted

Disney's Enchanted easily won the holiday weekend with a five day take of more than $50 million, nearly double that of the number two film. It is a very good film that deserves the attention as it is much more than it appears. Enchanted is well on its way to becoming a big box office hit, and even at this early stage is garnering Oscar buzz surrounding Amy Adams performance in the lead role of Giselle, it will be interesting to see how far it goes. Regardless of the Oscar talk, the film has that something that brought families out to theaters. Those families will translate to strong word of mouth, which will translate to strong legs through the upcoming weeks leading to Christmas.

Four other movies made it to the top ten, contributing to the 50% turnover of the nation's top films. The first one, following Enchanted is This Christmas, a film I did not think would crack the top ten. I guess I was wrong! It surprised most analysts with its strong showing, decisively taking the second spot on the list with its gross of more than $27 million.

Next on the new movie hit list is the video game adaptation Hitman. I have a strong feeling this will disappear rather quickly. It is not a very good movie. It has some stylish action but the story is so paper thin as to nearly be non-existent. The Xavier Gens directed action flick placed fourth place with a solid $21 million.

Slipping down to seventh you will find the musical drama August Rush. Here is a movie that deserves to do better. It is a wonderful fairy tale brought to life that may be dripping with sentimentality, but has so much infectious heart that you cannot help but feel for the main characters and the journey they have taken.

Right behind that, in eigth place, is the latest Stephen King adaptation, The Mist. I had thought this would have performed better than it did. Perhaps if it had opened in mid-October, during the build up to Halloween, it would have started out stronger. It is a creepy, apocalyptic, and dreadfully bleak, yet classy horror film adapted and directed by Frank Darabont. If you like horror, this is well worth your time.

Most of the returning films fared well over the holiday span, in particular No Country for Old Men which expanded to 860 locations and took a bump upwards of 250%. The only returning film to have taken a real dip is Beowulf, and it was only 15% off from last week. Next week will be a little more telling when we go back into non-holiday time.

Next week will only see one new film enter the fray. That film is Awake starring Hayden Christensen, Jessica Alba, Terrence Howard, and Lena Olin. However, following that, December is pretty well stacked with high profile releases that will increase the level of competition the further into the month you go.

Five movies dropped off the top ten this week: Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (11), Dan in Real Life (12), Lions for Lambs (13), Love in the Time of Cholera (14), and Saw IV (20).

At the time of this writing actual figures were not available, these are the 5-day estimates:

This Week	Last Week	Title	Wknd Gross	Overall	Week in release
1	N	Enchanted	$50,048,000	$50,048,000	1
2	N	This Christmas	$27,100,000	$27,100,000	3
3	1	Beowulf	$23,315,000	$56,361,000	3
4	N	Hitman	$21,000,000	$21,000,000	2
5	2	Bee Movie	$15,988,000	$112,069,000	1
6	4	Fred Claus	$15,135,000	$53,070,000	4
7	N	August Rush	$13,330,000	$13,330,000	2
8	N	The Mist	$13,012,000	$13,012,000	2
9	3	American Gangster	$12,713,000	$115,774,000	4
10	7	No Country for Old Men	$11,012,000	$16,640,000	1

Box Office Predictions Recap
Well, no one took me up on the home game idea, so I have no prediction amounts but it wouldn't have mattered. I was able to get a couple of the positions correct, but wildly overestimated The Mist and The Game Plan, which I thought had one weekend left in it. On the other side of the coin, I wildly underrestimated This Christmas, which I did not think would crack the top ten, and ended up finishing number 2. There's always next week.

Anyway, here is how I picked the field:

Actual	Prediction	Title	Wknd Gross	Prediction
1	1	Enchanted	$50,048,000
3	2	Beowulf	$23,315,000
8	3	The Mist	$13,012,000
4	4	Hitman	$21,000,000
5	5	Bee Movie	$15,988,000
9	6	American Gangster	$12,713,000
7	7	August Rush	$13,330,000
6	8	Fred Claus	$15,135,000
10	9	No Country for Old Men	$11,012,000
23	10	The Game Plan	$351,000

Movie Media: Teeth - Poster, Trailer

How can one even begin to describe this? The poster boasts Teeth as "The most alarming cautionary tale for men since Fatal Attraction." Really? I guess they haven't seen Hard Candy. Anyway, here is the key quote from the synopsis: "A stranger to her own body, innocent Dawn discovers she has a toothed vagina when she becomes the object of violence." What can I say but "Wow." Looks like a freaky little film.

Movie Review: The Mist

Stephen King adaptations are spotty at best. For every successful conversion there are a handful that fail to live up to expectations. I am a fan of King's work, although I have not read any of his novels in years. The Stand is my favorite novel, one that I have read at least a dozen times. For every Carrie or Misery there is a The Mangler or Sleepwalkers. So, when it was announced that The Mist would be getting the big screen treatment, I greeted the news with trepidation. The story has all of the elements to make a super-creepy feature, but it could just as easily go down the road of camp crap. I have never been able to put my finger on it, but it strikes me that King's work is very difficult to adapt and seems to work much better on the page than on the screen. This thought has never struck the Hollywood minds that see King's name as synonymous with cash. Enter Frank Darabont. He has crafted two of the more successful King adaptations of recent memory, including the very highly regarded The Shawshank Redemption. So, with Darabont on board it would seem that there was a better than even chance the film would be halfway decent.

I've never read The Mist, which was originally published in an anthology called Dark Forces in 1980 and then as part of King's Skeleton Crew collection in 1985. My first experience came on CD in the early 1990's. The story was turned into an audio play and released in "3D Sound" that was meant to be listened to through headphones. It was a really creepy performance and showed that the story could work effectively when not confined to the page. The Frank Darabont scripted take on the tale remains true to the story, while it is expanded and changed slightly, including a new ending. The end result of the conversion is a film that brings new definition to the word bleak and provides the cinema going audience with one of the finest pure horror experiences of the year.

Many horror films are from a formula, and that is not always a bad thing. Sure, working from a pre-mapped out framework can hinder the development of your original work, but it does not have to. The Mist has a familiar setup. A group of strangers become trapped in a single location and must work together if they are to survive as they are beset by some unseen horror outside. It has proven successful ever since George Romero mined it for all it was worth in his pioneering horror film Night of the Living Dead. Now, while the setup is familiar, that is where similarities really end. It is not so much about the setup as it is about how the various characters deal with the encroaching evil and with each other. It is in this that The Mist is a smashing success.

The setting is a small, close-knit town in Maine. One night, a powerful storm rages through leaving a path of destruction in its wake. While David Drayton (Thomas Jane) and his family survey the damage, they notice a think mist resting ominously over a lake. David, his son Billy, and not-so-friendly neighbor Brent Norton (Andre Braugher) head into town to pick up some supplies. Once they arrive at the supermarket, the mist that was over the lake has seemingly followed them, blanketing the town in a fog that is impossible to see through. A man who runs into the store, bloodied and claiming that there is something in the mist also heralds this rolling in of the fog. This is where everything begins to go downhill.

It is at this point that the friendly facade of the small town is peeled back to reveal just what can happen in the face of the unknown and just how quickly society can regress allowing the more vocal doom-mongers a more readily agreeable flock to preach to. The locals and weekenders in the store split between the reasonable David and the religious zealot Ms. Carmody (Marcia Gay Harden).

What sparks this split? Think about it. You are trapped inside a store, completely enveloped by an impenetrable mist, and someone has just told you that there is something out there. How long before society begins to breakdown? This is before it really takes that next step.

While in the storage room, attempting fix the generator, the back door is opened only to have this tentacles reach in and violently snatch away one of your own. Evidence of what is in the mist is now had, and life as you know it will never be the same.

Okay, forget about the details, what is important is how everything is handled. Therein lies the magic if The Mist. The core of the story is apocalyptic horror, or survival horror, whichever you prefer is fine with me as they both fit the bill rather nicely along with its cynical view of man's inhumanity to man when faced with a crisis of epic proportions.

On one side is David and his sensible desire to figure out what is going on outside prior to making hasty judgment. On the other is Ms. Carmody who sees the mist as the end of days, preaching to the converted with more and more fervor as the outside attacks commence. What exactly, Darabont and King are attempting to say about man's reactions and cruelty or the place of religious beliefs (extreme or otherwise), I am not sure. The more I think about it the more I do not really care. What really holds attention is the atmosphere and tension that is built, not to mention the insane appearances and chaos caused by the seemingly Lovecraft inspired beasties.

Frank Darabont realy delivers a bleak and cynical outlook. Will anyone be able to escape? How widespread is this mist? What are those creatures and where did they come from? Is the nearby military research base involved? Will we get any answers? Not terribly satisfying ones, I'm afraid. However, the lack of solid answers all plays into the overall effect of the terror inspired.

Then there is the ending. I will not reveal it here, suffice to say that it differs from the novella, and if you search around you will be able to find its description easy enough. What I will say is that I loved it. It may seem out of line with what had come before, but I did not feel that way, nor did I believe it offered up any easy answers. It is what it is, and considering the lack of big picture information throughout the film, I do not believe this to be the end. No, not by a long shot.

Bottomline. Amazingly tense and creepy film. It does not pull any punches with the blood and guts, but it is not gratuitous. It is a bleak film that follows through and does not go for the Hollywood ending. The performances are very good all around and the lack of signigficant score through the bulk works to effectively heighten the tension.

Highly Recommended.

Movie Media: Look - Poster, Stills, Trailer

Ever wonder how often those surveillance cameras are grabbing video of you? Ever wonder just what they capturing on tape? Well, writer/director Adam Rifkin explores the daily invasion into out privacy with Look, a film made entirely through surveillance cameras. Could be fascinating, or could be stupid. It could go either way, I haven't yet made up my mind. I will say that I am interested in seeing it. There are five, yes five, differeent versions of the poster, I have only included one, the only difference is the image in the camera's eye. I have also included some promo stills and the trailer.

Movie Review: August Rush

August Rush is dripping with sentimentality. It is so thick with sentiment that it will likely make some in the audience sick from the heavy sweetness. Generally, sentiment that is layered this high will turn me off to the film. There is just something about overly sentimental films that feels manipulative and robs them of any real emotion as the reality is smothered by the deep blanket of sentiment. I suspected that high sentiment would be the case here, but the trailer won me over by the strength of the cast and the use of music. I sat in the theater hoping for the best and expecting the worst. Misplaced sentiment spells doom for any production. However, the further in that we got, the more involved I became. I was won over by the story and how it seemed to be operating on a whole other level, a level where sentiment is not a curse but a blessing. August Rush is a special film, it dug itself into my mind and my heart and I became completely invested in the lives of the characters. It is not perfect, but there is definitely something about this film that makes the entirety of its experience a journey well worth taking.

The film opens with tragedy, a sorrow so deep that there is no place to go but up. Despite the sadness that fills the opening, we know where this is going to go. This type of story is not so much about the destination as it is about the journey. We know that everyone is going to come together in the end. It is the individual journeys and experiences that matter most, and August Rush delivers.

Let's give a rough outline of the story. It is 2007; Evan Taylor (Freddie Highmore) is a young boy living in an orphanage in upstate New York. He is a special child, he hears all the sound around him and can hear the music in nature. Everything around him adds to the cacophony of sound, a natural orchestra. All he knows of his parents is that they are musicians, this fact convinces him that he can hear his parents in the sound around him and if he can learn to play the notes they will hear him too and come for him. This firmly held belief keeps him at the orphanage, for fear that if he is adopted his real family will not be able to find him. Evan's story is one of sadness with a backing of hope.

In between the bits of his story we learn of his parents brief romance through flashback.

It is 1995, Lyla Novacek (Keri Russell) is in New York with her father (William Sadler) so that Lyla may perform with the New York Philharmonic. You see, she is a cello prodigy with a bright future as a musical performer. However, despite he obvious talent, there is a bit of sadness to her. Later that night she goes to a party to celebrate with her friends, but she does not want to be in a crowd and goes up to the roof where she meets Louis Connelly (Jonathan Rhys Meyers). It is a meeting that will change the two of them forever.

Louis is the lead singer and guitarist for The Connelly Brothers (the other brother is Marshall, played by Moonlight's Alex O'Loughlin). They are in town to perform a concert at Irving Plaza where they have a shot at hitting it big. Louis, however, does not seem to be seeking fame, rather he is searching for something else. He may just have found what he was looking for in his chance rooftop meeting with Lyla.

The morning after their meeting, Lyla is forced off by her father to return home and work on her budding career. Despite her protests, she is not able to return to meet Louis again. Louis is devastated by losing her, it hurts him so badly that he leaves the band in order to pursue a more normal life, unable to perform with the same level of emotion that had come naturally prior.

The story picks back up with Evan in the present as he decides to leave the orphanage and search for his parents. It is his journey into the unknown that holds the film together and steps into a loose adaptation of the Oliver Twist story along the way.

I hesitate to give any details about Evan's journey, so I will avoid specifics. Suffice to say his journey is epic in scope as he finds himself lost in New York, then under the care of street performer Maxwell Wallace (Robin Williams in Bono trappings), better known as Wizard to the gaggle of homeless and runaway children he has befriended. It is here where his musical lessons begin and his natural ability to perform makes its first appearance. From there his travels carry him all the way to Julliard where he writes his masterpiece.

While Evan's journey is the glue, it is the renewed journeys of Lyla and Louis that add much flavor to the proceedings. Lyla begins her search for her long lost son, while Louis reunites with his brother, a meeting that opens the floodgates to his repressed memories of Lyla. Their journeys are connected and are fated to culminate with their reunion with their son.

August Rush does not take place in the real world, it is a fairy tale come to life. It is an alternate reality where happily ever after does exist. This film operates on a different plan of existence where the connections between people are more than what you say to each other, but how you feel. In the case of this story it is the emotions brought about through music that connects this scattered family. What begins with sorrow and tragedy is brought together through the strength of music.

The performances are all strong, in particular, the heartfelt work from Freddie Highmore. Sure, he is very similar to Freddie from his other films, but he brings a certain earnestness to the role. In short, he is the emotional center around which Lyla and Louis revolve.

If I have any complaint about the film, it would have to be with Robin William's Wizard character. There is something about him that seems off and some of the things that happen with him completely shift the tone of the film. I do not feel that we get enough of his story to truly warrant what happens.

Still, I find it very hard to speak ill of this movie. It is a live action fairy tale, a journey to hopes end where all will be good. It even ends on a beautiful note, and not the ending that I had been expecting. To top the whole thing off, there is some excellent music performed throughout.

Bottomline. See this movie. It is an uplifting story of hope and it works on a level that is much more than mere plot. The connection between the characters transcends the real world and works on a wavelength that only these three characters can sense. This is a very special film.

Highly Recommended.

Movie Media: The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything - Poster, Stills, Trailer

No, I cannot say that I have any plans to see the latest Veggietales movie, but if I had children my tune may have been sung a little differently. The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything is a story that stars a trie of vegetables and their desire to be heroes. The film follows them as they are sucked back in time and need to face their fears and become heroes of the real variety. I bet the kids will like it!

Movie Review: Enchanted

Enchanted is one of those movies that, upon first seeing the trailer; I felt the need to question its reason for being. What was the thought process at Disney? Was it an attempt to counteract the stream of animated fractured fairy tales (Shrek, Happily N'ever After) that have been sucking away their audience? Were they looking for a nice way to quietly subvert the image of their animated past? After a few viewings of said trailer, I was won over and looked forward to seeing how they managed the merger. Now, after seeing the movie, I am not sure if any of that was their intention, and if it was they failed miserably. On the other hand, what they did succeed at was creating a perfectly enchanting reinforcement of the Disney princess ideal while injecting a healthy dose of real world perspective. Yes, I said enchanting. Enchanted is a light-hearted fantasy that clings to its ideals and adapts them to the modern world. Giselle is a new princess to add to the pantheon of Disney heroines alongside Belle and Ariel, not to mention the more classic princess iterations.

Enchanted combines classic 2D animation with live action while never actually combining the two in tandem. In other words, this is no Cool World or Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, it is more akin to that Simpsons episode where Homer is transported from his version of Springfield into the world of 3D. It is a pairing that returns Disney to their hand-drawn roots, and not a moment too soon. Just when it appeared like all screen animation was going the computer generated 3D route (save the Simpsons Movie from earlier this year), Disney comes out with this. Sure, the animation may be relegated to opening and closing segments, but that makes no difference. It is a nice sight to see and a hope for future hand-drawn features from the House of Mouse.

I don't know about you, but it was a sad day when Disney announced the dissolution of the hand-drawn animation department some years back. It was the end of an era, a sad end that did not go out with the bang or the respect that it deserved. Fortunately, when John Lasseter took of creative development (I am not sure his specific title) following the Disney/Pixar merger/buyout, he brought the department back and announced the development of traditionally animated features would resume. I believe Enchanted is the first product of its return, even though it is not fully animated. The result is quite magical.

Enchanted begins in the animated world of Andalasia, where Prince Edward's (James Marsden) wicked stepmother, Narissa, is Queen. Narissa is afraid of losing her power and her crown should Edward find his one true love. Narissa knows who this young woman is and does all in her power to keep the two apart. The young woman is Giselle (Amy Adams), she lives a life of simplicity and song alongside her woodland critter friends in a cottage deep within the forest.

Despite all of Narissa's efforts, she is unable to keep the two apart forever. They meet with a song and fall in love immediately. The marriage is slated for the following day, but Narissa will have none of it. To separate the song-crossed lovers, Narissa banishes Giselle to the faraway land of New York City. This is where Giselle becomes flesh and blood and is left completely to her own devices in a strange and frightening land that she cannot begin to understand.

Enter Robert Philip (Patrick Dempsey), a successful divorce lawyer, and his daughter, 6-year-old Morgan (Rachel Covey), who has a chance meeting with Giselle as she attempts to make her way in the real world. What follows is the melding of the Disney animated ideal of true love, the magical first kiss, and the all-important happily ever after motif with the cold reality of a world where a successful marriage is one that merely avoids divorce and love is a commodity that cannot always be afforded, and indifference is more common than common kindness. While it may appear, at first to deliver a crushing blow to the world of romantic fantasy it takes a turn and shows the happy medium between fantasy and reality. The more the two are in contact with each other, the higher the probability of a fantasy emerging and successfully combating the cruelties of the real world.

Now let us not forget one of the biggest ingredients of those Disney animations, songs! That's right, there are a couple of big musical numbers in Enchanted. This is not the musical that the classics are, rather it is just a piece of the puzzle that, like the other pieces of the Princess puzzle, goes through change as the plot develops and Giselle is partially transformed by her exposure to the real world. Before the change takes place we are given big, entertaining productions of "Happy Working Song" as Giselle gets the creatures of the city to help clean Robert's apartment, and "That's How You Know" as Giselle tries to teach Robert how you know true love. Both songs play as homage to the songs of past films, but they also stand on their own as an integral part of this film.

This movie is charming, and that is due in large part to Amy Adams in a star-making turn as Giselle. The role of Giselle is one that could have easily gone the way of camp, it could have become a complete joke and a mockery of Disney's legacy, but not here. The screenplay, by Bill Kelly, does not deviate from its goal, but it is Amy Adams that keep it true to said goal. I daresay, without her performance this movie would have fallen flat on its face. I am sure that another actress could have done the role well, but the way Adams bought into the character and brought her to such vivid life is inimitable. There is not enough praise that can be heaped on her for what she accomplishes. Adams is the embodiment of those animated characters brought to life, leaping off of the page and into reality completely intact. Not only does she become this fantasy character, but she displays lovely development as the real world attempts to subvert all she has known and rather than allow this to happen, she fights to display a combination of the two. It is a wonderful performance and one upon which the weight of the film rests.

The rest of the performances are also quite good. In particular James Marsden as the clueless Prince Edward. His single-minded determinedness is unmatched. His interactions with the animated chipmunk, Pip, are very funny and deliver some of the bigger laughs of the film. Susan Sarandon is also very good in her role as the evil Narissa, a performance that she really sinks her teeth into. If there is one character complaint, it would be with Patrick Dempsey's Robert. He is not bad by any stretch, just a little bland, he could have done with a little spicing up, but that is a minor complaint within the bigger picture of the film.

Bottomline. Director Kevin Lima and screenwriter Bill Kelly do a wonderful job of drawing animated inspiration and crafting a new take on the romantic fantasy. Amy Adams shoulders the weight of the film in a performance that will assuredly guarantee her profile will continue to grow. Finally, let me say that I enjoyed this much more than I was expecting to, and upon reflecting upon it, my estimation has only grown. No, it is not perfect, but it does not have to be so long as you leave with a smile on your face.

Highly Recommended.

Movie Media: The Kite Runner - Poster, Trailer

This movie looks very good. I know, the point of any promotional material is to make the advertised film look good. Still, I think this looks very good. It is based off a novel by Khaled Hosseini, it was adapted by David Benioff (Stay, Troy) and the film is being directed by Marc Forster (Stranger Than Fiction). It is about two Afghani friends who are separated, one moves to California and years later is returning to his homeland to help his friend, whose son is in trouble. That sounds simple enough, but I am sure there is much more to it. The film's release had been pushed back so that the families of the two featured boys could be moved out of the country to avoid any backlash against their involvement with the feature.