CD Review: Farewell to Freeways - Definitions

If someone asked me what the next album I was reviewing was going to be and I answered: "The new one from Farewell to Freeways." I am sure I would probably receive more than a few puzzled expressions. For one, it is highly unlikely that they would have heard of them; and for second, the band name does not sound like something a metal guy like me would be listening to. Seriously, it sounds like another non-descript screamo/emo act that would be sure to boil my blood. Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against those genres, personally, I just find the style to grate on my tastes; although, there are exceptions to every rule and feeling. The thought of another screamo/emo act was what was in my head when I pressed play. With great trepidation I put on the headphones for what was surely going to be an uphill battle. To my surprise, it was not one "those" acts, but rather it is more in line with the metalcore genre.

The album is filled with muscular riffs, melodic harmonies, and is very catchy. This quintet from Ontario, Canada, plays the line between complete heaviness and accessible melody. In my opinion, it is a line that they play very well, complete with the tools that could push them in either direction. It is interesting to listen as the two sides of the same band compete with each other, always arriving at the finish neck and neck.

It really is strange listening to a band that plays everything towards the middle, yet still comes across as an intriguing band filled with talent. On one side you have Killswitch Engage-heavy riffs with a healthy dose of growled vocals. On the other side there are keyboard melodies, clean singing in harmony, and much lighter guitar lines. It would seem that for the band to truly succeed one of those two halves would have to give ground. At least that is how the surface seems.

A big fear that I would have when engaging in this combination of similar styles is the possibility of alienating two different audiences when the goal is actually to bring them together. When you listen to them you will hear what I mean. There is always going to be the risk of the heavy side not being heavy enough and the melodic side not being melodic enough for their respective audiences. We all know how fickly audiences can be; one small misstep and you'll be back to the small clubs on the weekends while working at a department store by day. This makes what Farewell to Freeways is accomplishing here all the more special.

Definitions is a very strong debut album that plays up multiple strengths from multiple angles. I was rather surprised by how strong a release it is, especially considering those initial misguided expectations. There is a lot to like here, whichever side your tastes tends toward. In particular, pay attention to tracks "Sound Minds" (the first track is an expectation buster!), "Lemmings," "Definitions," and "Convictions" (a nice, melodic instrumental).

Bottomline. Farewell to Freeways is going to be a band to watch. This album is very strong. They have revealed themselves to be a multifaceted force that is not to be pigeonholed in a single genre. They should play well to a broad spectrum of fans while retaining artistic integrity at each turn. Do yourself a favor and give this a spin.

Recommended.


Track Listing:
1. Sound Minds
2. Bat Wings
3. The Desperate Age
4. Lemmings
5. Speak Your Words
6. Definitions
7. The Glory Days
8. Convictions
9. Risk It All
10. The Awakening
11. What Happens In Viper City, Stays In Viper City

CD Review: With Blood Comes Cleansing - Horror

I have to say that I have not come across that many bands who say they are Christian yet are put under the banner of death-core; however, that is exactly how With Blood Comes Cleansing is labeled. Sounds like the two labels are essentially headed in opposite directions. I have heard a few Christian rock and metal bands, from Stryper and Petra to Tourniquet and Sacrament. Granted, I do not have great exposure to metal from the Christian perspective, as they do not tend to get a lot of mainstream press or promotion. Being Christian it is an area of music that I would like to explore a little more, if only there was more time to get to everything I wanted, right? As for With Blood Comes Cleansing, here is a band that has found a way to reconcile their faith with a style of music that has long been the haven of darker themes and bands, and always seems to be associated with Satan, even when that is the furthest thing from the truth. Perhaps bands like this will help show another use of extreme music.

With Blood Comes Cleansing hails from Atlanta, Georgia, and with Horror are set to make their Victory Records debut, a move that will definitely give them an exposure boost and help spread their message. Horror is their second full-length album, following Golgotha, released on Blood and Ink Records in 2006. I have not heard that previous album, but I hear it is along similar lines to this, almost to a fault as it would seem.

I was not quite sure what to expect with the music, I was half-expecting each song to be a sermon, which seems to be the case with some Christian music I have been exposed to (like Stryper, although I have to admit to liking them back in the say). Fortunately, the vocals are firmly in the demonic (sic) growl/high pitched scream school, thereby making the lyrics more or less unintelligible. To that end, I cannot truly say how sermony or preachy they are. Not that there is anything wrong with having an overt message, we all know how in your face secular music can be and no one generally complains about that.

The music is catchy and very easy to slip into. The riffs are initially very death metal in style and speed, with incessant drums to match, before slipping into some seriously heavy hardcore-style breakdowns that got my head rocking before I could even tell what was happening. The vocals are just as brutal as the instrumental performances, literally pummeling your head, driving ever deeper in and taking hold until you have no control in the face of their brutality.

All is not great with Horror. As catchy, heavy, and brutal as it is, the song structure is strikingly similar throughout. There is nothing to truly surprise musically. Each song opens with the standard death metal trappings before introducing the breakdown. Lather, rinse, repeat. None of the songs are all that long, but if you listen to the album straight through, you are not likely to be able to tell one song from another. This produces quite the conundrum.

I would be lying if I said I did not like the album. It felt like a well-worn glove. You press play and are greeted with something that is familiar and doesn't immediately suck like so many bands tend to do. You take it in with a warm embrace, letting the heaviness wash over you. However, after the initial honeymoon reaction, you take a step back and think about what is being played and you realize it is nothing that you haven't heard before and better. It is not particularly original, and seems to trade on said familiarity to gain entry.

To its credit, the guitars from Jeremy Sims and Scott Erickson produce some really heavy riffs that could crush cement while vocalist Dean Atkinson sounds like his near ripping his throat to complete shreds. There is no doubt they are putting their heart into the music, and from the sound of it, will likely have much more to share as they grow as a band.

Bottomline. In short, listen to this. It is fun, it is heavy, and you may gain something from the positive message buried in the lyrics. With Blood Comes Cleansing is a band with clear and definite talent. As they develop they are sure to produce something that is a stronger than what is displayed here. In the meantime, I will just let the heavy music take control for a while.

Recommended.

New Movies and Box Office Predictions: Horton Hears A Who, Doomsday, Never Back Down, Funny Games

Last week brought us, arguably, the most highly anticipated film since Cloverfield. That film was 10,000 BC and it pretty much delivered in its opening weekend, however, it turned out to be a rather poor film and will likely have a steep drop in week two. This week brings a highly anticipated family entry, as well as a potential cult film. It will be interesting to see how well they fare on the open market. More importantly than their respective potential for box office success, I eagerly look forward to the more important entertainment value.

Doomsday. (2008, 105 minutes, R, science fiction, trailer) I am looking forward to seeing this cinematic mash-up. The film does not look original at all, but the vibe I am getting from the trailer makes it look like a lot of fun, plus the director has built up considerable goodwill over his past couple of films. The director is Neil Marshall and his last film was the excellent The Descent, prior to that he delivered the underappreciated Dog Soldiers. His latest film looks like a high energy combination of Mad Max and 28 Weeks Later. A virus outbreak leads to the building of a wall to separate the infected. Some years later the virus returns and the answer is inside the wall. Stars include Rhona Mitra, Bob Hoskins, Alexander Siddig, and Malcolm McDowell.

Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who. (2008, 88 minutes, G, animated, trailer) Adapting Dr. Seuss to the big screen in a feature length movie is a questionable proposition. It requires padding and stretching of the source material. Sometimes this material does not work all that well. In recent years we have had a pair of such adaptations reach the screen. One was The Grinch, which worked quite well, while the other, Cat in the Hat, was simply awful. Will this animated feature work? I hope so. The combination of Jim Carrey and Steve Carell seem like a great pair for the material, add in Carol Burnett, Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Will Arnett, Amy Poehler, Dan Fogler, Isla Fisher, and Jaime Pressly and you have the making of a fine voice cast. Time will tell.

Never Back Down. (2008, 106 minutes, PG-13, action, trailer) It seems like every so often we get a film where the plot only serves to get us from one dance sequence to the next. What? Really? This isn't the next Step Up flick? Street fighting? Wow, could have fooled me. Okay, watched the trailer again, and you're right, no dancing. Man, this movie seems to follow that same underdog, underwritten, overcaffeinated tale used for those dance flicks, but flipped to target the male demographic. Can't say I'm excited, but hopefully the fighting will be good, at least hald as good as the dancing in Step Up 2.

Funny Games. (2008, 107 minutes, R, thriller, trailer) Director Michael Haneke is delivering an American remake of his own film, and fans are hoping he has the guts to follow through on what he did in the original. He is a filmmaker I have heard of, but am unfamiliar with. I will say that based on the trailer for this film, I eagerly await seeing it. It looks to be rather twisted and sadistic as it follows a family being terrorized by a couple of disturbed young men. The film stars Naomi Watts, Tim Roth, Brady Corbett, and Michael Pitt.

Also opening this week, but not near me:

• Flashpoint
• Sleepwalking

Box Office Predictions
The past couple of weeks have seen the number one film climb steadily, from the depths of Semi-Pro to the moderate success of 10,000 BC, will this week continue the trend? I have a feeling that it will as Horton will undoubtedly take the top spot by delivering what many have wanted, family friendly entertainment. There has been a lack of strong family entertainment of late, and Horton will likely fill the bill. The question is, how high will it fly?

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

Rank	Title	Box Office
1	Horton Hears a Who	$40 million
2	10,000 BC	$18 million
3	College Road Trip	$8 million
4	Doomsday	$7.5 million
5	Never Back Down	$7 million
6	Vantage Point	$5 million
7	The Bank Job	$4 million
8	The Spiderwick Chronicles	$3.5 million
9	Semi-Pro	$3 million
10	The Other Boleyn Girl	$2.5 million

Movie Media: Smart People - Poster

For as good as I hope this movie will be, the posters that have come out so far are decidedly underwhelming. This latest release features images of the primary players in this dramedy. Included are Dennis Quaid, Thomas Haden Church, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Ellen Page in her follow-up to her Oscar nominated performance in Juno.

CD Review: Bushwhack - Bushwhack

It has been awhile since I have listened to an all-instrumental album that wasn't a soundtrack. It has been even longer since I have listened to one that wasn't from an artist such as Steve Vai or Joe Satriani, or even a side-project like Liquid Tension Experiment. Now along comes Bushwhack, a Connecticut based quartet that has chosen to take on the challenge of instrumental progressive rock. It is an arena where there is no safety net and a long shot at gaining any type of mainstream popularity. This has to make you wonder why they chose this particular path when they were forming and deciding on what music they wanted to play. Those thoughts disappear the moment you start up the disk. This is impressive music, by the time you realize that no one is singing it won't matter.

The four piece is made up of Jamie van Dyck on guitars, Frank Sacramone on keyboards, Brandon Green on bass, and Ben Shanbrom, on drums. Together they have brought numerous influences to the table and forged a sound that is instantly familiar and welcoming and fiercely original. What makes their achievement even more surprising is that they are all between 18 and 19 years old! It is not that age should really have anything to do with it, I have heard amazing young musicians before, but it always seems to be more the exception than the rule. As for these teens, the music they are making sounds like the work of artists much older. It is clear that they are well on their way towards making a name for themselves and becoming a force to be reckoned with.

Frankly, when the album arrived in my mailbox I was unsure of what was going to greet me when I pressed play. The name Bushwhack conjures up a certain image, and for me it was certainly not prog metal. I had these audible images of something a bit more chaotic and out of control. It was an image that disappeared as soon as the opening notes of "In Solitude" made their way from my speakers. The more I listened, the more was revealed. The music did have a sort of controlled chaos to it, but it was very finely structured and arranged. It has a structure that i would like to call structured organics, meaning that even though you know each song was carefully planned out, there is a touch of the jam band sensibility at work. You really need to hear it to understand what I am saying.

One of the first things that struck me, after the fact that the songs are just really good, was the production. This is a debut album that the band is releasing independently, not generally the ideal arena for strong production values. One listen to Bushwhack's self titled debut will have you thinking this is a major label release. The sound is crisp, clear, and perfectly balanced. The sound that stands out the most is the guitar, it has a raw feel as it stands apart from the very clean sounds of the keyboards and bass. All of the elements fit together in such a way that the slick and the raw come together in a perfect harmony. Very impressive for an independent production.

The songs run from all out rockers, to Dream Theater style compositions, to quiet ballad types. Each of the four get their moments to shine, but it is not about getting noticed or being flashy. All of them are adept at playing their instruments and each one enters into each song with the mindset of what is bes for the song. This allows for a nice balance. I am sure you have all heard bands where the guitarist takes charge and overshadows the rest to the detriment of the song, you will see none of that here. They may be young, but the approach and resulting creations come across as being mature beyond their years.

Bottomline. If you are a fan of instrumental or progressive rock and metal, do yourself a favor and seek out this album, you will not be disappointed. Throughout the thirteen song collection, they never repeat themselves and each song has a distinct sound. This is one of those pleasant discoveries that will leave you beaming long after the last note has faded away.

Highly Recommended.

Movie Media: The Memory Thief - Poster, Trailer

This looks like it could be interesting. The Memory Thief certainly has an intriguing trailer and a striking poster. It is the soty of a young man who begins working for the Holocaus Foundation. He is given the job of transcribing testimony concerning the Holocaust, the more he views, the more he identifies with the victims to the point of believing he is a survivor.

DVD Review: 13: Game of Death

Hailing from Thailand, this pitch black thriller hits the ground running and is sure to please fans with a taste for the twisted. I wasn't sure what to expect, and that turned out to be the correct attitude to have when entering into a viewing contract with this little gem. It is tale of morality and social responsibility, as well as asking the question: just how far will you go? How much prodding would it take for you to move onto the next challenge, heck, complete the challenge given? 13: Game of Death (13: Beloved in its native language) takes a look inside what makes people tick when money is involved. While it does prove to be successful on its own terms, there was noticeable inspiration drawn from other films.

As I watched 13: Game of Death, I could not help but be reminded of films such as Chan Wook Park's Vengeance Trilogy, 13 Tzameti, Falling Down, and Saw. There were probably even a few others that I have already forgotten. Even with all of those influences informing my viewing, It was still a thrilling experience that had enough of its own twists and turns to keep me guessing until the conclusion.

The center of the action is Chit (Krissada Terrence), he is a sad sack, the proverbial nice guy who always finishes last. On this particular day, he loses out on a big sale to a co-worker, he is having money problems, he was recently dumped, his car is repossessed, and he has lost his job. You have to ask if anything goes right for this guy, but then fate, in the form of a phone call, intervenes. The caller says that it is his lucky day and he could be on his way to 100 million baht ($1 million on the dub track). All he has to do is accept thirteen challenges. The first two seem easy enough: 1. Kill a fly with a rolled up newspape and 2. Eat the dead fly. So, feeling the draw of the promised prize money and the seeming simplicity of the challenges, Chit accepts and is thrown into a game that spirals out of control and ends up challenging his moral code, even his very humanity. At the same time, the audience (us) is challenged; will our voyeuristic tendencies allow us to be entertained by the oncoming depravity?

This is a film that would be very easy to give away key plot points, so I am going to have to avoid giving much more of a plot description than I already have. This is a film best experienced, best discovered by viewing, not reading a careless or unavoidably detailed plot description. Suffice to say, recognizing other films will not give away where this is heading.

13: Game of Death is a fast paced thriller that plays many scenes broadly, which only works to enhance the effect. It is unlike what you get in Hollywood championed thrillers in that the film has a very palpable sense of reality while not feeling terribly real at the same time. It teeters on the edge of flying of the rails, yet manages to hold on and drag the audience along the pre-determined path of its existence.

While the movie has great pacing, it takes its time to reveal its depths to the audience, beginning as a drama, adding in touches of black comedy, veering into a bit of action, before settling into the disturbing. It is an accomplished film that will have you on the edge of your seat all the way through.

All the while Chit is being challenged; we are not allowed to forget that this is a game show. Of course, it is a very secret game show that Chit cannot tell anyone he is participating in, and what good is a game show that doesn't have an audience? That's right, there is an audience always watching, always being entertained by the challenges presented to Chit. We are that audience, how much are you willing to accept? In a way, it touches on a bit of what Series 7 touched upon in its look at the reality television phenomenon.

Is the movie perfect? Of course not, very few films are, but that takes nothing away from what it accomplishes. For one thing, there is an interesting sub-plot involving the police officer in charge of catching Chit (he is performing some criminal acts, no matter how much you want to root for him), but it is abandoned with no completion to his arc. There is also the small matter of the ending that did not completely work.

Director Chukiat Sakveerakul does a great job with the pacing, camera work, and general flow of the film. He displays a keen eye for what needs to eb done to keep an audience at attention and captivated by the film. I am interested to investigate his other work, and what he may do in the future. He also co-wrote the screenplay with Eakasit Thairatana, based on his comic. Also contributing to the film's success is cinematographer, Chitti Urnorakankij, who does a fine job of capturing the tone of each scene. The music also adds much to the film, it was composed by Kitti Kuramanee.

Beyond all of the pacing and the technical prowess on display, it is Krissada Terrence whose performance of Chit really draws you in. There is a desperation to the performance as he has been pushed to the edge, yet struggles to keep his humanity intact. He has a look similar to Michael Douglas in Falling Down, and is easy to view his businessman look as the look of someone who could snap at a moments notice. Still, he brings a lot of genuine emotion to the role and truly holds the film together.

The DVD is being released by The Weinstein Company's Genius Products through their Dimension Extreme imprint. It should be noted that not only did the Weinstein's purchase distribution rights for North America, but also remake rights. So, this could find its way in Americanized form to theaters at a moments notice. And to tell you the truth, if any amount of effort is put into the project, it could turn out to be very strong indeed. If only they could get someone like Johnny Depp, Guy Pearce, or Ethan Hawke (that's right), this could dare try for excellence.

Audio/Video. The technical side of the film is strong. The video transfer is 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen and is a fine transfer with accurate colors and no noticeable blemishes. The audio is presented in both its original Thai and English dub 5.1 tracks. Both are accurate and do a good job, even the dub is quite good.

Extras. The bonus materials are a bit limited, with only the original teaser and full trailers, and a seventeen minute making of featurette featuring interviews with the primary cast and crew accompanying finished, set, and rehearsal footage.

Bottomline. This is a very good film, one that works hard to hold your attention and play to a wide audience. It is definitely worth spending some time with as the depths of depravity are explored as the human condition is challenged by outside influences.

Highly Recommended.

Zombies Zombies Zombies! - Poster, Trailer

Nothing else need be said other than: "Crack whore zombies!"

Movie Media: Zombie Strippers - Poster, Trailer

I am pretty sure this one is self explanatory, but how can you go wrong with something like this? Well, probably pretty easy, but I still want to check this one out. It stars Robert Englund and Jenna Jameson in movie seemingly inspired by last year's Grindhouse release, just look at the poster design.

Movie Media: Shutter - Poster

I have a new poster for the upcoming flick Shutter to share with you. It is nothing terribly special, actually I find it to be downright boring. I hope it is not representative of the film that is representing. Shutter is the latest in the long line of Asian horror remake, and the thid of 2008, following One Missed Call and The Eye. It tells the tale of ghostly images of the dead appearing in still photographs. I wonder if it only works with standard film, or if digital works too? I mean Moonlight tells us that vampires can be captured in digitial photographs (something about silver nitrate). Anyway, this poster remains dull and uninspired. Also, what is up with "From the Executive Producers of The Grudge and The Ring"? You know what that tells us, right? Absolutely nothing. That's right, nothing.

Box Office Update for 3/7-3/9: 10,000 B.C. Proves a Modern Day Success

Without the lack of significant competition, what with the collapse of Semi-Pro last week, and with America's seeming desire to get out to the movies, 10,000 B.C. easily won the weekend, taking in $35 million, twice its nearest competitor. Or perhaps this was another case of marketing winning the weekend in spite of the mediocre quality of the film it represents (much like Vantage Point a couple of weeks back), considering the everywhere presence the commercials have had. Whatever the reality is, the film is not terribly good, but it does provide some big screen drama until the next best thing comes along.

Its nearest competitor is the latest Disney flick, College Road Trip. This is also the second Martin Lawrence film so far this year, and his last one, Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins, just recently exited the top ten after spending a few weeks on the chart. This one will likely spend a few weeks there as well. I cannot say that I have any interest in seeing it, but while I was at the multiplex on Friday I came across a young lady who was in the film, out with her family to catch it on opening night. I did not catch her name, but did not get the impression that she had a major role in it, likely it was one of her first screen roles. The all looked excited to be there, and I would be too if I had been in their shoes.

There was one other new release to reach the charts this week, The Bank Job, The Jason Statham starring heist picture finished in fourth place, a respectable open for a film that has seemingly modest aspirations. It is based on an actual bank robbery that took place in London in 1971 that has never been solved. The film is a solid entry in the genre and proved to be very entertaining, and surprisingly complex despite its straight forward nature.

Among returning films, Will Ferrell's Semi-Pro continued its subpar performance. It tumbled out of first place, where it opened with half of what was expected. It slipped more than 60%, thus falling to fifth place in its second weekend. This does not bode well for its immediate future. I suspect that the marketing is going to turn towards DVD in order to recoup some of its pride.

On the other side of the coin, Fool's Gold may be landing lower and lower on the charts, but its dropoff has been pretty decent. It slipped 36% from last week as its gross crosses the $60 million mark. The rest of the returning films did moderately well, with drops in the 40-50% range.

Next week will see the release of the Dr. Seuss adaptation Horton Hear's a Who, which will likely steal the top spot with the wide demographic net that it will cast. Also joining the fray will be Doomsday from director Neil Marshall (The Descent), a film likely to attract the cult audience. Finally, Never Back Down hits the screens looking like Step Up for guys with fighting replacing the dancer sequences.

Three movies dropped off the top ten this week: Penelope (12), Definitely, Maybe (14), and No Country for Old Men (15).

This Week	Last Week	Title	Wknd Gross	Overall	Week in release
1	N	10,000 B.C.	$35,867,488	$35,867,488	1
2	N	College Road Trip	$13,601,419	$13,601,419	1
3	2	Vantage Point	$7,356,236	$51,536,985	3
4	N	The Bank Job	$5,935,256	$5,935,256	1
5	1	Semi-Pro	$5,786,032	$24,721,340	2
6	3	The Spiderwick Chronicles	$4,712,945	$61,633,488	4
7	4	The Other Boleyn Girl	$4,048,026	$14,660,260	2
8	5	Jumper	$3,662,375	$72,446,523	4
9	6	Step Up 2: The Streets	$3,062,501	$53,016,888	4
10	7	Fool's Gold	$2,782,416	$62,802,900	5

Box Office Predictions Recap
Seven out of ten places correct. Not too shabby. I think what surprised me the most this week was the Semi-Pro drop off. I knew that it was likely to drop a bunch, but i did not think it would be north of 60%. I guess I should be happy that the word of how bad it is got out, allowing people to move onto something better sooner rather than later. I was also surprised how well 10,000 B.C. did , I thought it would be upwards of $20 million, but not $30 million. I wonder if word will contribute to a precipitous second week? The movie is not all that good.

Here is how the field matched up:

Actual	Prediction	Title	Wknd Gross	Prediction
1	1	10,000 B.C.	$35,867,488	$25 million
2	2	College Road Trip	$13,601,419	$17 million
5	3	Semi-Pro	$5,786,032	$8.5 million
4	4	The Bank Job	$5,935,256	$7 million
3	5	Vantage Point	$7,356,236	$6 million
6	6	The Spiderwick Chronicles	$4,712,945	$5 million
7	7	The Other Boleyn Girl	$4,048,026	$4 million
8	8	Jumper	$3,662,375	$3.5 million
9	9	Step Up 2: The Streets	$3,062,501	$3 million
11	10	Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day	$2,490,942	$2.5 million

DVD Pick of the Week: No Country for Old Men

Welcome back! Well, to some of you, anyway. To the rest of you, glad you decided to stop by and I hope that this humble column helps you navigate the stacks of new releases each week. My goal is to point you towards titles of interest and warn you away from those films that seek to do nothing but leech away your time and give you nothing in return. This week brings with it a selection of Oscar winners, nominees, and a variety of other, non-nominated flicks. Read on for the week's titles that are worthy of your consideration.

No Country for Old Men. The week's top choices are led by this four-time Oscar winner. It was number two on my top ten of 2007 list, and is well deserving all the praise and awards it has collected. The Coen Brothers directed this film from the script they wrote adapting Cormac McCarthy's novel. On the surface, the movie tells the story of a man who comes across a case filled with cash from a drug deal gone bad, takes it, and is pursued by a man intent on retrieving the lost cash. Yes, it is much more than that, but it needs to be discovered. Just watch as Josh Brolin tries to do good by his wife and Javier Bardem delivers one of the scariest villains to grace the screen in a long time.

Stargate SG-1: Ark of Truth. I remember enjoying the 1994 feature film, but when they decided to turn it into a television series, questions lingered. Well, I did not get to watch any of it until many years in, when the Sci Fi Channel picked it up from Showtime. I was immediately hooked. Well, it recently ended its ten year run, yet it left some ongoing threads. Here is the first (of at least a few, I hope), direct to DVD movies that will address some of those threads and wrap up the Ori storyline. I'm looking forward to checking this out!

August Rush. Here is a movie that was received with decidedly mixed reactions when it hit the big screen. I fell to the side of loving it. There was something magical about this fairy tale story and the way that it used music to transcend normal life. It is the story of two musicians from different walks of life and the child that resulted from their union. He was left behind and now sets out on an adventure to find his parents. The tone takes some strange shifts, but it does not dampen the magic that I got from this film.

Bee Movie. Here is a movie that you love or loathe based on how much you like the comedy of Jerry Seinfeld. I liked the film, there was plenty to laugh at, however I cannot fully recommend it. You see, despite enjoying the comedy and laughing at the jokes, the message is not one that I approve of. It essentially says that if you conform to society and do what they expect, everything will be Okay.

Tin Man. This mini-series from the Sci Fi Channel sought to give a new vision to the Wizard of Oz universe. It worked to an extent. There were moments of boredom and certain characters that did not entirely work, but overall it was an entertaining and ambitious project that is worth spending some time with.

Nancy Drew. Seeming like a cross between The Brady Bunch and Scooby Doo, this adaptation is endearing if not quite what it could have been. It is enjoyable enough for the tween set. It was like a film Noir for the kids, letting you play along with the mystery. Entertaining, if insubstantial.

Dan in Real Life. This is a sweet slice of cinema that has modest aspirations as it plays up the standards of the romantic comedy without pandering to the audience. Carell offers up a memorable performance and is the main reason to watch this. Well, him and Juliette Binoche. Peter Hedges directed and co-wrote the script. For the most part, he does a fine job of getting the players in the right place and keeping the heart firmly in place.

Hitman. It bothers me that there is very little growth and we are cheated by the trailers promising something that isn't there. Sure, trailers have been known to be misleading, but this takes the cake. There is a lot of potential here, but it is left unexplored. Some elements can be extracted from what you see, but there is nothing presented to truly support any findings. The end result is a mixture of Dark Angel, The Transporter, and James Bond that came out of the oven half-baked. Perhaps when a sequel is made we will get a little more depth, but I am not holding my breath. Perhaps the unrated cut will be an improvement, but somehow I doubt it.

Appleseed Ex Machina. I have not seen either of the prior Appleseed incarnations, but this looks promising. I cannot speak to the story, not really knowing what it is yet, but I like the bits I've seen. Should be worth at least a rental.

Sleuth. Did this ever make it to the big screen? I remember seeing the trailer for it a few times, and then it just vanished. Michael Caine and Jude Law face off under the directorial eye of Kenneth Branagh. This is a remake of a 1972 film, which also starred Caine but int he role held by Law now. Law stole away Caine's wife, and when he goes to get him to sign divorce papers, the mind games begin.

Gattaca: Special Edition. Underrated gem starring Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, and Jude Law. It is set in the future where children are genetically engineered and your traits will determine your lot in life. Hawke, who was a natural birth, sets out to prove that this is not the truth and assumes the identity of another man and uses a blood and urine to help hide his true identity. I was not even aware this was coming out, hopefully it will be an upgrade over the prior release.

Georges Méliès: First Wizard of Cinema. One of the first filmmakers was a master of special effects and experimental film. This box set contains many of his early works. The only one I can recall actually seeing is Man in the Moon, which also inspired the Smashing Pumpkins "1969" video. Hopefully I will be able to get my hands on this.

13: Game of Death. Here is a film that promises to be pretty dark and twisted. A man who is down on his luck gets a call asking him to be a contestant on a game show. The show promises $100 million to the winner, the problem is that each successive round gets more and more twisted and morally damaging. Sounds like fun, and vaguely reminiscent of 13 Tzameti.

Magic Blade. A classic Shaw Brothers martial arts flick. How can you go wrong? I have so many of these left to see it is not even funny. Hopefully I will find the time to squeeze some more in, including this one.

Ratner to take on Harbinger?

Here I was thinking that Valiant comics was dead. It is proving to still be showing life more than fifteen years from its origins. First there was the recent Turok animated movie that arrived on DVD, as well as the video game inspired by the dinosaur hunter. Now there is the possibility of a film project that is being eyed by director Brett Ratner and Paramount Pictures, and could fall under the MTV Films banner., as reported by Variety.

I remember, back in my comic collecting years of the early-mid 1990's, Valiant comics were highly regarded, even if they possessed smaller print runs. Of course, they also helped kick off the whole chromium cover phase with the debuts of Bloodshot and Turok. Now Bloodshot, there is a cool character that would be well served by a feature project.

Anyway, Harbinger is a book that I have vague memories of. I remember liking it, but cannot recall much in the way of details. Checking over the books Wikipedia page, some memories are returning. Harbinger was similar to the X-Men of the Valiant universe, although not quite as colorful. I'd recommend giving that page a once over, it offers a lot that could be film worthy.

Ratner seems to be interested in starting up his own comic franchise, after directing the disappointing X-Men: The Last Stand. This could be the project for him, although I am not nearly the biggest fan of his work, he is able enough, but not quite original enough. Of course, there is always time to develop vision.

Of course, this project will have to wait until he at least finishes Playboy, his biopic of Hugh Hefner. Hmm, I wonder how he will manage with that? I picture him as more of an action film kind of guy....

Shell Game Finds a Director in Len Wiseman

The man who brought us Underworld, Underworld: Evolution, and most recently Live Free or Die Hard has been tapped by Lakeshore Entertainment and Columbia Pictures to direct the science fiction thriller Shell Game, based on an original script by newcomers Justin Bondi and Andrew Ludington. This is being reported by Variety.

The film centers on a detective who is investigating the black market of immortality. Hmmm. Sounds like it could be interesting, or very, very bad. Of course, that is based off of this admittedly brief plot description.

Anyway, Wiseman is not a director I would call visionary or great, but good and solid would perfectly acceptable adjectives. Based on the three film sample from his filmography, he is a solid filmmaker who knows how to give his films a slick finish and is not averse to using some fancy photography to inject energy into the picture. It will be interesting to see if he can step up to the plate for this project, if it is indeed as big as he implies.

Wiseman is quoted as saying: "I've been wanting to make this film for the past five years, but it's a huge film and has always been too expensive to make at the level I've wanted to make it at. Now I'm finally getting a chance to do it at that level."

We shall see.

Terry Gilliam's Parnassus Resumes Production

When Heath Ledger passed away it left many question marks concerning the projects he was working on. Of course, they were secondary to tragedy, as they should, but they still remained. The first on everyone's lips was the status of The Dark Knight, set to open this June. The worries were unfounded, as the film had wrapped shooting and Ledger's part was completed. Next to that there was the much more in question shooting of Terry Gilliam's latest project, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus. The questions can now be lifted as Variety is reporting that the film has resumed shooting.

The film is a fantasy, and it is that fantasy which has allowed the project to continue. Now, this has already been widely reported, but for those of you who have missed it, allow me to recap. In the film, Ledger's character passes through magical mirrors into a fantasy world at three poitns through the film. All of the "real" world footage has been shot and will be used, they will not be altered. However, to do the fantasy segments, some clever re-writing was done to have the character's physical appearance change, allowing other actors to perform those parts. The three actors that have signed on to play the parts are none other than Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell. Not a bad trio to have fill in, if you ask me. Yes, I know you didn't.

Regarding the trio's involvement, Terry Gilliam is quoted as saying: “I am grateful to Johnny, Colin and Jude for coming onboard, and to everyone else who has made it possible for us to finish the film.”

I am very happy for this news, as while I do not know much of the story, a Terry Gilliam film is always welcome, even the bad ones are worthwhile. This was the second time Gilliam has collaborated with Ledge, they previously worked on The Brothers Grimm, which say Ledger co-star with Matt Damon.

There is no word on the complete schedule or when we can expect The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus to appear on the big screen, but it is coming!

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - Poster

Here it is, the final poster for the fast approaching fourth Indiana Jones adventure. I really liked the first one, but this one just oozes Indy. Doesn't it? It lloks to be right in line with the posters for the first three outings. I am very excited for this film, I hope it delivers.

Is a 5th Rambo on the Horizon?

Back before Rambo hit the big screen there was news over a title change. You see, it was originally slated to be called John Rambo. It was changed because Sly Stallone did not want it to be too closely associated with Rocky Balboa, meaning that he did not want people to believe it would be the last one as the Rocky film was the last go around for the boxing champ. However, when Rambo opened, word spread that this would indeed by the final battle for the Vietnam vet. If that did turn out to be the case, it did end on a high note. There is new word circulating, reported by Moviehole.net, that there may be another Rambo on the horizon.

Sylvestor Stallone said in an interview with Metro Magazine: "I would like to take Rambo to another genre,experiment a little with the character.It would definitely not be another warmovie, cuz I can't go any further with that than what I've already done. What it's going to be like I'm not going to reveal at this point. But I'm already halfway though writing the manuscript"

Could this be the long rumored "Rambo in the city" story? Perhaps. More likely, Sly is going to make a more personal story that shows another facet of the character and bring the journey to a classy close, much like was done with Rocky Balboa. Still, anything we say at this point is pure speculation. It will definitely be interesting to see if this project pans out.

DVD Review: The All New Super Friends Hour - Season One, Volume One

I have to be honest. I am not sure if I will ever be able to keep all of the different Super Friends series. Seriously, there have been so many different incarnations and combinations that I wouldn't even know where to begin sorting them out. Even when it comes to Warner Brothers releasing of the various series they are not exactly going in order. I generally went by the characters that made their appearance. You see, there were the ones with Wendy and Marvin, the ones with Zan and Jayna, and the ones that had a larger group of Friends that included the likes of Apache Chief and Hawkman. This doesn't even touch on the episodes that had one off villains versus the ones that had the Legion of Doom.

Back to the release at hand, The All New Super Friends Hour was the second in the long line of DC team up cartoons. It ran from 1977 to 1978 and replaced the teen duo of Wendy and Marvin with the super shape-shifting siblings (phew) Zan and Jayna, along with their space monkey named Gleek (replacing the Wonder Dog). The episodes ran for one hour and were broken down into four adventures. They were broken down into a couple of adventures featuring a couple of the Super Friends, one focusing on the siblings, and one that brought the whole gang together to battle some super-menace. There were even a variety of bumpers interspersed through the adventures that would teach kids magic tricks, safety tips, and engage their brain to figure out code words.

I am sure you are wondering how well they hold up after all these years. I have to say they do pretty darn well. Of course, they bring a high nostalgia factor, reminding me of those years gone by when I would waste away on Saturday mornings eating sugary cereal, when you couldn't turn n the television without escaping the animated goodies that were always on. Actually, it makes me long for those days. It seems like so long ago when Saturday mornings were wall to wall cartoons. It is rather hard to find them now, not to mention the weekday afternoon cartoons that I would run home for after school.

Watching the episodes now, the stories seem rather simplistic, the dialogue corny, and the safety tips and magic tricks obvious, but what do I know? I am way past the target audience now. However, I still derive a lot of fun out of watching these cartoons. They will also provide hours of entertainment for those kids out there. There is a certain timeless quality too them. It does not matter how old you are, superheroes and their adventures will always hold a fascination for us.

The superhero lineup for this series consisted of the primary heroes: Superman, Batman, Robin, Aquaman, and Wonder Woman, with the occasional guest appearance by the likes of Black Vulcan, Atom, and Hawkman. Each episode had them defending justice and all that is good while teaching a moral like believing in oneself or helping others. So, pop in a disk, press play, and enjoy!

One more thing, remember to laugh at the random animals and water based items that Zan and Jayna change into!

Audio/Video. The technical specs are quite good. Each episode has been restored. None of them have looked this good since their original broadcast. The colors are bright and sharp with little to no evidence of print damage. The audio is also crisp, clean, and clear. Another fine job from Warner Brothers.

Extras. There are a pair of featurettes on the second disk.

• One Dimensional Goodness: The Super Friends and the Good Old Days. This is an interesting look back at the superhero cartoons of the 1970's and their place in pop culture. There was the worry of showing too much violence as a reaction to the 1960's toons as well as what was going on in the real world (IE: the assassinations of JFK, RFK, and Martin Luther King). (15 minutes)
• Origins of the Guest Stars. This featurette takes a look at the non-core heroes that made appearances in each episode. Guests include Green Lantern, Hawkman and Hawkgirl, the Atom, Rema the Jungle Girl, and others. (7 minutes)

Bottomline. Definitely a ride down memory lane. This set is a lot of fun. I tell you, these never get old. Now I need to go get some of those other sets!

Recommended.

Warner Brothers has a Bone for You

I am sure you all remember Bone, right? Come on, there have to be a few comic fans out there that now about the Bone family and the long running independent comic? I admit that my experience the book is rather limited, but I have to say that whenever I saw any of them, I was always entertained. Now it looks like Bone is going to reach a much wider audience. Warner Brothers has picked it up to develop an animated feature/series (no decision has yet been made past the option), reported by CHUD. This could prove to be a classic in the making. Well, maybe, so long as they don't screw it up.

Jeff Smith's creation has been on the animated track before. It was once picked up by Nickelodeon, but they wanted to take it in an overly child-targeted direction, which Smith did not approve of. Rest assured, he still retains creative control in this new deal with Warner and will be serving as executive producer.

Whatever happens, there is nothing but potential with either direction they move in. Let's just hope they don't screw it up.

A Third Ice Age? Really?

Well, it appears to be a done deal. /film is reporting that a third Ice Age film will be heading to the big screen in 2009, July to be exact, complete with a picture of the official standee. It is carrying th subtitle of Dawn of the Dinosaurs. Makes one wonder just how they are going to manage this one, considering the dinosaurs were a already history by the time the Ice Age occurred. I guess it is time to start coming up with theories as to how Scrat and the rest of the Ice Age gang end up meeting the dinos.

Let's get some ideas snowballing (hehe, get it? do ya? ahh forget it):

• Doc Brown shows up with his time traveling train from the third Back to the Future film and takes them on a trip through time.
• Somehow, the end of the Age in the second film washes them to the Lost island, where the time distortion sends them back to the dinosaurs time.
• The guys from A Sound of Thunder try their experiment again, this time the butterfly sends a ripple into the Ice Age, allowing dinosaurs to survive.
• The Enterprise slingshots around the sun, builds a container in the shuttle bay and brings our Mammoth, Sabretooth tiger, and the rest even further back in time.
• Hmmm, any other ideas?

My other question would be: do we really need another Ice Age? I liked the first one, the second one wore thin, and I suspect a third will continue the trend of diminishing returns. Of course, both of the films made buckets of cash and Shrek the Third proved you don't need to make a good movie to earn enough cash to build a house with (actually build the house out of cash).

I am sure I'll end up seeing it, but at this point, more than a year from release, I am going to say it will kinda suck.

Heath Ledger's Will Revealed

Heath Ledger's tragic death has brought up an important point, update your will and insurance and what have you whenever you have a life changing event. It is impossible to foretell what will happen in the future, near or far, but the knowledge that anything could happen is of utmost importance. This point is made by the revelation of Ledger's will.

As reported at TVGuide.com, his will states that everything be left to his parents and three sisters. The will was last updated in 2003, two years prior to meeting Michelle Williams and, obviously, before the love of his life, his daughter Matilda, entered his life. The lack of Matilda in the will begged the question of whether or not any provisions would be made for her.

To answer the question of Matilda's care, Ledger's father, Kim, released a statement saying: "Matilda is an absolute priority and Michelle is an integral part of our family. They will be taken care of and that's how Heath would want it to be."

This paints the Ledger family as a class act. It is also indicative how I would expect any family to act when their blood is at stake. However, in the current state of Hollywood and the extended families of those related to Tinseltown, I would not be surprised to find someone with greed in their eyes want to strictly abide by the will and take everything. This is not what I want to see happen, or really expect to happen, but it would not surprise me.

Among the documents revealed, it was shown that Ledger had approximately $145,000 in New York based assets, including his car and the furniture in his apartment. It does not include anything that he may have in Australia, nor the townhouse he shared with Michelle Williams.

My thoughts still go out to the Ledger family in the aftermath of their loss.

Movie Review: The Bank Job

In 1971 there was a bank robbery in London. To this day the crime has never been solved. The reason that it has not been solved is tied to MI-5, the British government, and the Royal Family. That's right, it goes all the way to the top. For a scant few days after the heist, the robbery was front page news, but as quickly as it appeared it disappeared. The cause for the disappearance was a D-notice (or gag order) issued by MI-5. And so it went, the daring heist went largely uninvestigated with many of those involved kept silent, never to speak of the case again. Now, along come writers Dick Clement and Ian La Franais with their script that looks to fill in the gaps of what is known. Is it fact or fiction? Well, it is probably a little bit of both, although what is presented seems to be a logical representation of a likely series of events.

The film opens with a naked frolic along the beaches of Jamaica, followed by a three person frolic in a bedroom by the sea. It just so happens that there is someone outside the window, taking pictures of the compromising interactions. It is soon revealed that Princess Margaret was involved in said photographs, whose release would set off a firestorm of controversy, which the government did not want to have anything to do with. So, wanting to reclaim the scandalous photographs Martine Love (Saffron Burrows) is recruited, following a drug bust, for her criminal contacts.

At the top of Martine's list is her flame that never was, Terry Leather (Jason Statham). Terry is a dodgy fellow who runs a used car dealership, and is a loving husband and doting father. However, he is also in debt to a local loanshark, so the promise of an easy heist is too easy to pass up. Terry gets together some of his old associates and they plan the robbery, without even knowing what they are getting into. Martine is keeping the real goal of the robbery a secret.

And so it goes, the robbery is planned, executed, and then the fallout follows. That is what makes The Bank Job work so well. It takes its story and follows it through, while never getting too hung up on the plotting and allowing the characters to develop as the story is told. The Bank Job never gets bogged down in the mechanics of the heist, which is a big plus to the film. The characters are allowed to breathe and grow and not just play the role of props to the bigger picture of the heist.

As a whole, the film is much more complex than it seems on the surface. The creative team does a good job of hiding its complexity within a straight forward narrative. When you watch the film, everything seems to be pretty easy to follow, but when you stop and think about just how many players are involved it is revealed just how many moving pieces there were that in concert together brought about this particular sequence of events.

Even without the "based on a true story" tag, The Bank Job is a compelling story. There are a number of elements that come together making this particular job more than just your standard robbery. There are the photographs of high ranking officials in compromising situations, the crime lord/activist Michael X who holds some of the main pieces, the agents seeking to stop the blackmail with as little connection as possible, corrupt police officers, a porn king, a love triangle, and more. There really is a lot going on here, and it works even if the only thing you care about is the heist.

Jason Statham stars as Terry Leather, the de facto leader of the crew who also happens to be as in the dark to the underlying motives. Statham has made a career out of playing tough guys and hoods ever since his early appearances in Lock, Stock and Two Smocking Barrels and Snatch. Here, Statham turns in a strong performance that is devoid of the fighting prowess that has infected so many of his more recent outings. Here he is suitably dodgy, but he is also a family man and is looking out for them. He truly holds the center of the film, even if his involvement in the job makes him a bit morally questionable. He is surrounded by fine performances from a number of character actors, all help to sell the project.

Director Roger Donaldson does a great job of evoking the feel of 1970's London. The film has slick production values, but it also has that desaturated look that many films from that era have. You could almost be fooled into believing this was made in the 70's. The pace is snappy and always moving forward, leaving nary a dull moment to be found.

Bottomlome. So, is this what really happened? Could this be the way it went down? I have no idea. I do not know much about the actual incident, but it does feel like this could have been how it went down. There is a strong sense of reality imbued into the piece, the script covers its bases, giving all the pieces without laying everything out, giving just enough detail to fit the pieces together. Whatever the reality is, this is as solid and entertaining heist film as has been seen for some time.

Recommended.

Movie Media: Forgetting Sarah Marshall - Poster

Short, simple, to the point. I like it. I hope to like the movie. (and the actress playing Sarah Marshall certainly doesn't suck) Next to that is the official poster featuring star and writer Jason Segel (How I Met Your Mother) and a broken heart.

Movie Review: Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

When you see a film called Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, what do you think it is going to be? That is a question you are going to have to answer for yourself. However, I can tell you that thoughts of an entertaining movie did not enter my mind. Seriously, does that look like a good movie title? Whenever I mentioned it to friends, they generally responded with a quizzical look, as if I had two heads. Anyway, I gave the trailer a view and to my surprise it did not look half bad. It did have the advantage of an appealing cast, featuring a couple of stars on the rise, and the project looked like fun. I know, I was surprised too. So, off I went to the theater, which I shared with scant few. Judging by everyone's reactions, I was not the only one that enjoyed what was on the screen.

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day brings to mind the era of screwball comedies of the 1930's and 40's. You remember, films like Bringing Up Baby, The Lady Eve, and His Girl Friday. It was an era that saw the likes of Howard Hawks and Preston Sturges delivering memorable comedy to the screen, and influencing later films such as Some Like it Hot and Pillow Talk. The influence can even be felt in more recent years, even before Pettigrew, with the likes of Down with Love. Needless to say, it is a type of comedy whose heyday was long ago, but whose ripples are still felt today.


It may have been one of those ripples that inspired the creative team behind this film to take a look back to that era for inspiration in bringing this underserved genre back to the big screen. You see, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day is based on the novel of the same name, originally released in 1939 and written by Winifred Watson. It is interesting to note that Miss Watson did have trouble getting the book published at first. Her prior novels were dramas and there was less interest in a "fun" novel. However, once it was published, Universal bought the film rights and had intentions of making the adaptation with the lead played by Billie Burke (Glinda the Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz). Before the film could get made, WWII broke out, Pearl Harbor happened and many film projects were dumped. Interest in the project did not resurface until 2002; shortly before the death of Winifred Watson, she was 95 years old.


Back to the movie at hand.


This is a film filled with crackling dialogue. Yes, it is an odd phrase and no, I am not exactly sure what it means, but it seems fitting with the snappy patter that is peppered throughout. After getting through the slow opening minutes a manic energy steps in and takes control of much of the film. There is madcap action as people get juggled, manipulated, pushed, pulled, and moved around the cinematic chessboard. It is a blast to watch, never become overly complicated, even with the number of players in the mix.


As the film opens, Miss Pettigrew (Frances McDormand) has been let go by her latest employer. Her specialty is childcare, however, her strong willed nature does not interact will with the highbrow society within which she works. Due to this conflict the service that employs her tells her that there are no current assignments for her, nor will there be any in the future. Lingering a little long, she witnesses a business card belonging to a potential employer placed, unguarded, on the desk before her. Going against her strongly moral code, she takes the card and leaves. Before taking action on her stolen card, she must take care of herself. She has no money, no place to sleep, and the only prospect is the card in her pocket. So, after a lonely night on the streets the screwball comedy picks up and she finds herself in the foyer of the flat containing a manic Delyssia Lafosse (Enchanted's Amy Adams).


Their first meeting is a mixture of mistaken identity, double entendre, and quick, perfectly timed lines that build to a fever pitch. Miss Pettigrew has arrived at a crucial moment in Delyssia's day. You see, she is something of a golddigger, juggling three men for three different goals, and currently she has to get one out of the house before a second arrives. She enlists Miss Pettigrew as an accomplice in this malfeasance.


As it turns out, Miss Pettigrew could not have arrived at a better time, not for Delyssia, nor for herself. Both women are reaching crucial moments in their respective lives, a turning point where they need to move onto the next chapter of their lives. Each of them is fast approaching the point of no return, although neither of them ar quite prepared to deal with it.


Following their initial encounter, Delyssia hires her on to be her social secretary, a position that neither is quite sure of what it entails, but the two have bonded so quickly that they go along with the flow. The further into the day they go, the closer to a life changing moment they get.

Now, this sounds awfully serious, but it is anything but, even with shadow of the impending second World War. These women find themselves entangled in love triangles, each with their own comical complications. The Delyssia is juggling Nick (Mark Strong), the night club owner whose riches attract her and provides her with employment and an elegant lifestyle, Phil (Tom Payne), the young stage producer set to cast her as the lead in his latest production, and Michael (Lee Pace), a poor piano player. On Miss Pettigrew's side there is the cold, manipulative Edith (Shirley Henderson), and her on again/off again fiance Joe (Ciarin Hinds), a lingerie designer who is quite taken with the rather frumpy Miss Pettigrew. Together, Delyssia and Miss Pettigrew must find themselves and help each other to that end.

It is a blast watching it play out. The energy never really lets up. There are a few moments where it is toned down to allow some heartfelt moments through, but there are woven beautifully into the fine fabric that is the film.

The casting is perfect. Frances McDormand grounds the film, keeping it from completely flying off into fantasy land, yet does not get in the way of the heights that is soars to. It is a solid performance that does not disappoint. Now, while it may be McDormand's tale to be told, it is Amy Adams that holds the true center and around which everything else orbits. She has such an adorable and captivating screen presence that you will not be able to look away. Her star is definitely on the rise. Then there is Lee Pace, channeling a touch of Clive Owen suaveness, as the paino player. He has a great presence, continuing his success from his role on Pushing Daisies. Beyond these three, no part is too small and no part is miscast, together they gel wonderfully.

Director Bharat Nalluri (Killing Time, The Crow: Salvation) brings an active look to the film with plenty of camera movement that adds style yet remains unobtrusive. He also gets excellent performances from the cast. Of course, the screenplay from David Magee and Simon Beaufoy is not to be ignored, successfully translating the novel to the screen in very entertaining fashion. There is a lot of heart in the film as the women find themselves and the comic situations build up around them.

Bottomline. This is a wonderful film, one that completely caught me by surprise. The trailer looked good, but I did not expect to be drawn in or laugh as much as I did. It is a delightful experience and further proves that Amy Adams is going to be a big star. Do yourself a favor, even if you don't think you'd like it, give this a shot, you may well be surprised by what you find.

Highly Recommended.

Movie Review: 10,000 B.C.

Here is a movie that, for all intents and purposes, should have been fun. There is no reason why it should have delivered a fun time. All of this begs the question: What went wrong? At what point did this old time epic fly off the rails into the realm of the also-rans? Granted, I did not go in with terribly high expectations, but that doesn't change the fact that there is no reason why this could not have been an enjoyable entry into the world of pre-historic epics. In the end, it falls short. I will not deny that there were a few moments of sheer goofy entertainment, but not enough to make it a film worth seeing. 10,000 B.C. is like the wreckage left behind by Apocalypto and Pathfinder, with just a touch of One Million Years BC.

It opens with the a prophecy delivered by Old Mother, the elder of a small tribe of hunters and gatherers. The prophecy revolves around the arrival of a blue-eyed girl who will be claimed by the hunter who brings down a mammoth during the last hunt. Then, a great number of their people will be kidnapped by "four-legged demons" and that the two will step up and lead them all into the future.

Following the delivery of the prophecy everything begins to fall into place. The hunt comes and our hero D'leh (Steven Strait) is successful in his quest to take down a mammoth, although it is not the clean kill that was desired. Anyway, he still claims the white staff signifying him as the hunt leader, not to mention his beloved blue-eyed girl, Evolet (Camilla Belle). Shortly thereafter, he comes clean regarding his impropriety in taking down the mamoth, returns the white spear, and sulks for a while.

Meanwhile, the four-legged demons arrive, as expected. Much like the Mayans in Apocalypto, they arrive with no warning, and attack with no mercy. They claim their prisoners and leave as swiftly as they came.

This is where the adventure truly kicks in. D'leh, with a few of his fellow tribesman, heads off into uncharted territory to find his woman; his people, and exact his revenge upon the demons. Along the way they gather friends from other tribes, each hearing of his quest and wishing to help end the tyranny of the evil demons; although, the demons may not be demons, just truly evil humans. However, they are in the employ of someone who may be an alien or an Atlantean, if the film's mythos is to be trusted

Everything culminates in a massive battle on the pyramid construction site being run by the bad guys. Slavery, albino aides, pet mammoths, sacrifices, this has everything plus a large fighting force. Will D'leh be able to overcome the large odds with which he is faced?

When you look at the overall story, you might as well be describing Pathfinder. Still, it does not sound all that bad, cliched perhaps, but not necessarily bad. Like I said earlier, this should have been fun. The problems begin with a terrible script, dinosaur birds, and a tame sabretooth kitty. The film does not waste much time before heading into the ridiculous.

If nothing else, the final twenty minutes is kind of fun as the fight is taken to the bad guys on a gigantic scale. It spills throughout the building zone and is generally well staged. The problem is the ninety minutes you have to sit through in order to get to it. Well, I guess the narration made it better, giving it a faux epic feel, plus it is delivered by Omar Sharif (Lawrence of Arabia, Dr. Zhivago)

Roland Emmerich directed the film, and he is capable of better than this. Perhaps not much more, but he does have a proven track record for delivering entertaining event-type films. Just take a look at some his movies, The Day After Tomorrow, Independence Day, on back to Stargate, entertaining all to varying degrees.

Now, here is a way I found to at least attempt to inject some fun into the proceedings. It references one of Emmerich's earlier films, I am sure you know the one of which I speak. It is the only one that spawned a television series that lasted ten seasons, which in turn spawned a spin-off series that has lasted four seasons so far. Yes, that's right, Stargate. I am sure if you are a fan of that film and/or series the connection is already being made. For those of you who are not fans, or haven't seen the film, read on.

Now, it is not a perfect fit, but hear me out. In Stargate mythos, the Goa'uld were responsible for the pyramids and are the reason that humans are found on so many other planets across the universe. Now, this film features powerful bad guys enslaving large numbers of people to build their pyramid. The bad guys have these unearthly deep voices and they report to a leader referred to as a god, who also speaks very strangely and whose face is always obscured and has servants who cover their faces and live in great fear of their leader. It is my belief that these bad guys are Jaffa in training and their god is none other than Anubis in an earlier form. I also believe that some of these people are the ones that were taken to the other planets to do their bidding and that there is a Stargate hidden within one of the pyramids.

Sure, I could be wrong, but looking at 10,000 B.C. as a prequel to Stargate offers up some interesting ideas and helps make this slightly more entertaining.

Bottomline. Not a good movie. It is better than Pathfinder, but that doesn't mean much. It is a dumbed down Apocalypto (not that that was particularly intelligent, but you know what I mean). It has some awful dialogue, mediocre effects, and a cliche story. While you could do much worse, you can also do much better.

Not Recommended.