CD Review: Antagonist - Exist

When I received this release from Antagonist, their latest, the cover art and name inspired a different mental image of the music than what I got. I was picturing something heavy, brutal, and unrelenting. Essentially, I was expecting something more along the lines of Beneath the Massacre. You know, a bit more towards the extreme or grindcore side of the coin. What I got was surprisingly accessible metalcore. Yes, I know, it is just another faceless metalcore act in an ever-expanding ocean of releases in said style. Exist is nothing special, only rarely giving us a glimpse of something that could take it from the realm of the mediocre.

It feels like only yesterday that the metalcore style was getting underway, raging through clubs, tearing up the road, and helping excise the remains of the nu-metal movement. Now, aside from the biggest of the bunch (Killswitch Engage, Unearth, Shadows Fall), I cannot help but feel we are all waiting for the next big style to sweep the nation and send music off in another direction. There are a variety of extreme styles that have a good head of steam, but I cannot see them ever getting the mainstream attention that metalcore has gotten; not that it is fair, it is just how I see it.

All of this said, the metalcore genre has undergone a homogenization of sorts. The primary components of the genre have been extracted and reconstituted into a formula that has served many bands that have come since. There is not much to offer once the formula has been injected or otherwise consumed, the resulting music will have clean and screamed vocals, there will be melodic passages, post-hardcore breakdowns, and the occasional sing-along chorus. Antagonist has all of those elements.

However, even with the wave of uniformity that has come crashing down on the younger bands of the genre, it is still possible to stand out. Antagonist's material is primarily confined to the level of the mediocre, but they have an energy and passion that helps push it towards the worthy end of the scale. These guys throw themselves into the music, and it shows. While I cannot say I find any of the songs terribly memorable, their energy has made an impression on me. I can honestly say that I will revisit this album based on the energy.

Exist begins unassumingly with "Bomb Shelter." The track is catchy enough, but it is that middle of the road song that helps set the stage for the rest of the album by forcing expectations into check. That transitions to one of the stronger cuts, the title track, which comes complete with an opening reminiscent of Unearth. So goes the rest of the album, promising moments mixed with the forgettable.

This is a good example of what I love and what I hate about the genre. I love the blending of melody and brutality. Antagonist does a good job of transitioning between the two and I go right along for the ride. If I just have it on as background tunes, this is very easy to get into and just let the wave carry you along to its conclusion. The problem is when you stop for closer examination, there is no meat to really pick at.

Bottomline. You could do a lot worse than this. That makes it sound worse than it is. This is not a bad album, far from it, he problem is that all too often I am reminded of the better bands in he genre.

Mildly Recommended.

New Movies and Box Office Predictions: Monsters vs. Aliens, The Haunting in Connecticut, 12 Rounds

The second stage in the build towards blockbuster season begins now. A couple of weeks ago Watchmen signaled the trend towards the bigger films, striking early in an attempt to drive some life into theaters. Unfortunately, it did not work too well. Perhaps this weekend's premium animation will have a different effect. In any case, it looks to be a good weekend of fun with a goofy action picture, a hopefully creepy horror, and a family-friendly animation.

12 Rounds. (2009, 108 minutes, PG-13, action) This looks utterly ridiculous. However, it does look like it could be dumb fun, or I hope that it is dumb fun while secretly believing it will be terrible. WWE wrestler John Cena stars as a a New Orleans cop who thwarts a master thief's plan, which also causes said thief's girlfriend's death. Obsessed with revenge, the thief breaks out of jail, kidnaps the cop's fiancee and sets about a series of twelve rounds of tests. The trailer strikes me as a cross between Speed and Die Hard with a Vengeance. The movie is directed by Renny Harlin.



The Haunting in Connecticut. (2009, 110 minutes, PG-13, horror) I have hopes for this one. It is based on a supposedly true event of a haunting that took place in, you guessed it, Connecticut. A family moves into their new home in an unassuming neighborhood, only to come under attack from a previous tenant who had spoken with dark supernatural forces. The trailer looks really creepy, the poster gets under my skin, and don't get me started on the motion poster! I really hope that this delivers. Peter Cornwell directs, making his big screen debut.



Monsters vs. Aliens. (2009, 94 minutes, PG, animated) I am expecting this one to be huge. It is the latest from Dreamworks Animation and looks to be a real crowd pleaser. It begins with a woman who grows to enormous heights and is confined with a motley crew of assorted monsters, including a scientist with head of a cockroach, a gelatinous blob, and a half fish-half ape critter. They become a necessity to the government when an alien arrives with an ultimatum. I cannot see this living up to the likes of Kung Fu Panda, but it could approach something like Over the Hedge. It does have the added bonus of being presented in 3D, and I like this latest wave of 3D films. The voice cast is also impressive, including Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogen, Kiefer Sutherland, Rainn Wilson, Stephen Colbert, Jeffrey Tambor, Amy Poehler, Will Arnett, Hugh Laurie, Paul Rudd, Renee Zellweger, and John Krasinski.



Also opening this week, but not near me:

• American Swing
• Goodbye Solo
• Little Ashes
• Shall We Kiss
• Spinning Into Butter

Box Office Predictions
The top film for this weekend is easily going to be Monsters vs. Aliens. How can it not be? It has a massive amount of promotion, looks like fun, and would appear to be the antidote needed to bring families out together as one large happy unit. With the added 3D bonus, I hope it pays off as the reworking of the old school gimmick has been quite well done. As for the rest of the field? The other two new release should do decently, but will likely be closer to the rest of the pack.

Here is how I think it could play out.

Rank	Title	Box Office
1	Monsters vs. Aliens	$52 million
2	The Haunting in Connecticut	$16 million
3	Knowing	$14 million
4	I Love You, Man	$13 million
5	12 Rounds	$10 million
6	Duplicity	$9 million
7	Race to Witch Mountain	$6 million
8	Watchmen	$5 million
9	Taken	$3.5 million
10	The Last House on the Left	$3 million

Cat Shit One - Trailer

This series looks seriously goofy. What if the war in the Middle Easty was waged by animals?

Movie Review: Knowing

Do you have any idea how great it is to walk into a movie that you don't have great expectations for and be completely surprised how good and/or great it is? It does not happen often, but when it does, it is like getting punched in the face with a brick. Knowing is one of those movies. Despite having a rather terrible title and a lackluster collection of trailers, Knowing has proven to be one of the stronger entries through the first three months of 2009, not to mention a film that is capable of inspiring some deep thoughts (none of which I will be able to fully bring to the table here). Do not let the fact that Nicolas Cage is the lead sway you, he takes charge of the film, playing the skeptic in all of us and goes a long way to showing why he is an Oscar winner.

I must admit that when I saw the first trailer for Knowing and glimpsed the uninspired poster (which looks like it was lifted from Spielberg's War of the Worlds) I was left decidedly flat. When you look at Nicolas Cage's recent track record, you will find such winners as Next, Bangkok Dangerous, and Ghost Rider, nothing that you could consider to be all that intelligent (although, I do enjoy a couple of them). Could he carry an intelligent science fiction film? Then you can factor in director Alex Proyas, does he still have an artistic core to him? He delivered with early films such as The Crow and Dark City (the latter was named the best film of 1998 by Roger Ebert), but his last film was the Hollywood-infected take on classic Isaac Asimov source material, I, Robot.

As Knowing unfolded before me, I was drawn deeper and deeper into the tale. This is a movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat, just wondering what is going to happen next. There is a delicious slow burn quality permeating each frame. You are only given what you need to know, and even then it is barely enough. Knowing forces you to engage, to become involved, but it does so in such a way that you may not even be aware of it at first.

On the surface, the story would appear to be a typical one that you have seen many times before, and that is part of the brilliance. It is an original story that comes in the guise of the familiar. That is how you get hooked. It is an insidious plot to get in your head and win you over.

The story centers on a sheet covered in numbers that was written by a young girl fifty-years ago and placed in a time capsule. As the capsule is uncovered in the present day, John Koestler's (Cage) son, Caleb (Chandler Canterbury), gets said sheet and does not quite know what to make of it. John takes a look at it, and almost by accident discovers a pattern. It appears, hidden in the number strings, there are dates; dates that line up with real world tragedies. And next to the dates appear the accurate number of casualties. Of course, this freaks out John; and when he goes to his friends who teach with him at MIT (he is a professor of Astrophysics), they tell him he is seeing what he wants to see.

Problems continue when the next date on the list comes true. This cements the list as being real in John's mind. He becomes a man possessed trying to figure out the connection between the list and him. Why did he get it? Can something be done? What happens when the numbers end?

This is the type of movie that you do not want to read too much about. There is a lot going on. It brings up all manner of religious, scientific, and philosophical questions to the table. What is the price of knowing? If you knew the end was coming and could do nothing about it, would you really want to know? I'm not so sure I would.

The performances are solid all around, with Nicolas Cage giving one of his best in years. He is not my favorite by a long shot, but there is definitely something about him that leads him to good work in this sort of role. He has a face that is perfectly suited for carrying the weight of the world in it. Very few can show weary determination like he can, and he does it here perfectly.

Also of note are the performances of the two children, Chandler Canterbury as Caleb and Lara Robinson in a dual role as Lucinda Embry and Abby Wayland. Both of them do fine work for being so young. I was completely sold by them in these roles.

As for the direction? Alex Proyas is in top form, rebounding from his side trip to Hollywood-land. Reminiscent of Dark City, yet distinctly different, fresh, and original. It is an experience as much as it is a fascinating tale. He knows how to pull the strings just so, keeping the tight, but allowing a little bit of give so the audience can make the necessary leaps themselves.

About half way through the film, I began to wonder if they had what it took to go all the way with what they were implying. There is this build up to the final moments when questions are answered, more are raised, and you are expelled back into the night, unsure of what it is you just experienced. Well, that and thinking about the pair of visceral set pieces that hit hard and leave you shaken and stirred in the midst of the philosophical pursuits. Then you can start thinking about the lack of a romantic subplot (which is a good thing), just how tightly wound the exercise is even when things are moving slowly. This is what going to the movies is all about.

Bottomline. Wow. I know you are likely wanting me to tell you more about the story, but that would not be a good idea. I went in with low expectations, more or less expecting another Next, what I got was so much more than I could have imagined. This is a film made with minimal studio interference. It is firing on all creative cylinders, and the end result is fantastic.

Highly Recommended.

CD Review: Tombs - Winter Hours

"Hi! We are a band called Tombs, although we would just be happy if you think of us in the same breath as Neurosis. After all, we are trying to be like them and mimic their sound with just a few changes so we can be 'different.' Thanks for listening!"

No, that is not a quote from the band; nor is it me trying to put words in their mouths. It is the impression that I get as I glance through some of the reviews written about the band. Still, most seem to agree that they are not purely a Neurosis clone as they attempt to embark in different directions, incorporating more imagination and distinctive elements to move off in new directions.

You know, if I was more up on Neurosis I think I would be going down that road as well. Unfortunately, my sole experience with Neurosis came back in the late nineties when they were touring as the opening act (along with Hatebreed) for Soulfly. At this time, I liked music, but cannot say I was as well-versed then as I am now, so when Neurosis brought their post-metal sound to the stage, complete with freaky light show, I did not know what to think of them and have not really paid them any mind since. Perhaps I should try them again.

All of this simply means that when I hear Tombs I have some vague memories of Neurosis stirred up, but that is all. As for Tombs, I must say that I am awfully impressed. No, it is not the greatest music I have ever heard nor did it come across as any sort of earth shattering revelation. It arrived at my ears as something fresh, different and well worth my time.

This is post-metal that incorporates all manner of sounds into its tapestry of sound. I heard thrash, hardcore, ambient, death, all woven into something that was none of those things at all. Tombs' sound is akin to a reverse prism, taking all the colors of the rainbow and reintegrating them into white light, so Tombs takes the varying styles of metal and integrates them into one big post-metal wall of sound.

In a scant 37-minutes, Tombs takes us on a journey of dense, ambient compositions that stand alone as single songs as easily as they do an entire album, flowing like a tidal wave through the air before crashing just before your ears, allowing the open ambiance lick at your ears, hypnotic and inviting. Winter Hours has a sentience all of its own, knowing just how far the sound can take you, not pushing the limits and never becoming boring.

This trio, led by vocalist/guitarist Mike Hill, is something to behold. They do not allow themselves to be trapped by convention. From the moment "Gossamer" began to play, I knew I was not in for a typical ride. The driving drums, the incessant forward motion just carries you along through each track.

Bottomline. This is a fascinating album, one that has much to offer; whether you are looking to study nuance in the breakdown of metal conventions, or if you just want to float along on the heavy ambiance, you will be left satisfied. This is an album to spend some quality time with, just as this band is one to keep your eyes on. I do not feel they are anywhere near the best of musicians, but they are very strong songwriters using each note to great effect.

Recommended.

Box Office Update 3/20-3/22: Knowing Climbs to the Top

Color me surprised. There is no way I would have pegged the new Nicolas Cage thriller to be the top film of the weekend. This is especially surprising considering the terrible title and the fact that the trailers were, well, lame. Still, I put my money in the jar and went to see Knowing, and I must admit to being very happy to find my preconceptions to be wrong. The film is quite spectacular, intelligent, thrilling, and not at all what I expected. I am happy to see it open as well as it did.

Coming in second place, a little weaker than I was expecting/hoping, is I Love You, Man. It is the first ever bro-mance feature film, I believe. It actually makes that term a little easier to use (I never particularly cared for it). Paul Rudd and Jason Segel are the perfect comedic tandem to embark on such a journey of platonic man-love. There is so much to like in this film, from the slapstick, to the vulgar language, to the touching moments of heartfelt sincerity, plus televisions Incredible Hulk! What are you waiting for? Go see the funny.

Finishing in third place, with what has to be considered a disappointing take of less than $15 million is the star vehicle Duplicity. The Julia Roberts/Clive Owen romantic thriller did not open terribly strongly. Still, I suspect it will do all right in the long run and will have a good run on the rental market. I have not seen it, although by all accounts it appears to be a solid, fun film in the vein of the Ocean's series.

Race to Witch Mountain slipped to fourth place. It is not an unexpected fall, and one that seems to be in line with a typical second week drop. It still looks like it will do well in the long run, but it will be slow going. If only the film had just a little more substance.

Fifth place is the fast dropping Watchmen. With all of the hype and buzz that surrounded his feature you would have expected a faster rise. I do not think anyone counted on the divisive nature of the tales content creating a gap between those who love and those who hate. I loved it, but can see both sides of the coin. In the long run, the film will do well and turn a profit.

The Last House on the Left is going to fall fast. Horror films have a limited audience, and I suspect one as disconcerting as this has just about reached its limit. It is a fantastic film, but it does ask much of its audience.

Slipping to seventh is Liam Neeson's Taken. This movie has had a very impressive run. I still cannot believe its success. Do not get me wrong, I am happy, the film is fantastic and worthy of all the success it has had. It is currently sitting a $133 million and should be able t make it past $140 million.

Slumdog Millionaire holds onto eighth place and continues its post-Oscar success. The film is a delightful piece of cinema and helps bring back a little bit of uplifting magic that is missing in so many features.

The top ten is rounded out with Madea Goes to Jail, continuing its successful run as Tyler Perry's biggest hit, and Coraline, which has reclaimed many 3D screens from the slumping Jonas Brothers concert film. I would recommend seeing that in 3D as soon as you can if you haven't, as Monsters vs. Aliens will be taking them away come this weekend.

Next weekend will see new competition from the John Cena action vehicle 12 Rounds, the true-life horror of The Haunting in Connecticut, and the previously mentioned Monsters vs. Aliens.

Three movies dropped off the top ten this week: Paul Blart: Mall Cop (11), He's Just Not That Into You (12), and Miss March (17).

This Week	Last Week	Title	Wknd Gross	Overall	Week in release
1	N	Knowing	$24,604,751	$24,604,751	1
2	N	I Love You, Man	$17,810,270	$17,810,270	1
3	N	Duplicity	$13,965,110	$13,965,110	1
4	1	Race to Witch Mountain	$12,786,041	$44,496,593	2
5	2	Watchmen	$6,801,114	$98,140,886	3
6	3	The Last House on the Left (2009)	$5,776,160	$23,902,420	2
7	4	Taken (2009)	$4,057,695	$133,096,403	8
8	6	Slumdog Millionaire	$2,676,369	$137,178,177	19
9	5	Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail	$2,566,535	$87,264,219	5
10	9	Coraline	$2,130,746	$72,841,173	7

Box Office Predictions Recap
Interesting weekend. I never would have thought that the new Nic Cage flick would top the charts, hence my putting it down in third place. Well, I was proven wrong, again. Overall, I feel pretty good about my placings for the week. I was able to successfully place the core of the list, with minor mistakes at the top and bottom. As for my gross predictions, I was over on everything. I guess I should not have been quite so optimistic.

Here is how the field matched up:

Actual	Prediction	Title	Wknd Gross	Prediction
2	1	I Love You, Man	$17,810,270	$22 million
3	2	Duplicity	$13,965,110	$21 million
1	3	Knowing	$24,604,751	$19 million
4	4	Race to Witch Mountain	$12,786,041	$15 million
5	5	Watchmen	$6,801,114	$9.5 million
6	6	The Last House on the Left	$5,776,160	$7 million
7	7	Taken (2009)	$4,057,695	$5 million
8	8	Slumdog Millionaire	$2,676,369	$4 million
11	9	Paul Blart: Mall Cop	$1,842,984	$3.5 million
9	10	Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail	$2,566,535	$2.5 million

DVD Pick of the Week: Andy Richter Controls the Universe

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 toward 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.

Full disclosure: I have not seen many of these titles and what follows are not necessarily reviews. It is my opinion based upon what I know of the titles I pluck from the new release lists that I peruse. The opinions I give based on the new releases are my own, and my recommendations upon them are based on my personal interest. In any case, I hope you enjoy and perhaps find something you like or a title to point me towards.

Andy Richter Controls the Universe: The Complete Series. This series disappeared way too soon. Like so many series that done the same thing, allow me to say thank you, Fox. Andy Richter starred in this series (duh), playing an aspiring writer who works writing How-To manuals. All day he dreams about what things could be like had they taken a slightly different turn. It has been awhile since I have seen any of these episodes, it will be nice to see them again as the show is very funny.

Quantum of Solace (also Blu-ray). This is filled with wall to wall action and is likely the most action-packed of the series. There are few moments where one can catch one's breath. In less than an hour and fifty minutes you get car chases, shoot-outs, fist fights, boat chases, plane chases, plane shoot-outs, and more. It is quite jammed up. Better than it would appear at first glance, although not as strong as Casino Royale. This is a fine part 2 story that completes Bond's "origin" story.

Bolt. The Blu-ray was released this past Sunday and now the standard DVD is available. It is a wonderful journey as Bolt learns what the real world actually is and how he can use his real strengths to his advantage, that not having super powers is not a detriment at all. Likewise, Mittens is also on a personal journey, learning that the world does not have to be as tough as she is making it out to be, learning to get over her abandonment issues. Rhino, well, I think he is just along for the ride as he is perfectly happy within his own skin. Isn't that all that any of us want? Simply delightful.

Goldfinger (Blu-ray). One of the greatest Bond's ever made makes its debut in high definition. This was the third film of the Connery era and it contains one of the most memorable scenes of any film of the series. I look forward to seeing this in hi-def.

The World is Not Enough (Blu-ray). This Pierce Brosnan outing is not a high-water mark for the series, but is still sort of fun. Not one I will be rushing out to get, but there it is!

Moonraker (Blu-ray). This Roger Moore Bond is not terribly well regarded and seems to have been made as a reaction to the success of Star Wars more than anything. It also features the return of evil henchman Jaws, the only henchman to appear in more than one film in the series.

In Treatment. Gabriel Byrne stars in this 5 nights a week HBO series. I have not seen a single episode, but have heard that it is quite good. It is a series about a therapist with each night focusing on a different patient, then following them on a weekly basis.

Motley Crue: Crue Fest 2008. Like the Crue boys? If so, you may want to check this out. It chronicles their big festival tour last year and features other acts such as Trapt, Papa Roach, Sixx AM, and Buckcherry.

Never Say Never Again (Blu-ray). One of only a handful of Bond films that is not a part of the official series. Sean Connery returned to the role for this 1983 film, which is essentially a new take on Thunderball. It is not really all that good, but still fun and a must have for the completist.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars - A Galaxy Divided. Give this one a pass, it only has a handful of episodes from the series and it has already been announced that full season set with extras is coming in the not too distant future.

Lilo & Stitch: 2-Disk Big Wave Edition. Where's the Blu-ray? This film was surprisingly good. I did not have high expectations for it before I saw it. Looking forward to a high definition release.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service. George Lazenby's only outing as James Bond and is it a good one! I really like this film, it is a bit different, offers some nice character development and features a wedding for a main character. Too bad this isn't a Blu-ray release.

A Mighty Heart (Blu-ray). This a triumph of a film that gives us incredible human drama, a tense story that keeps you at attention, even knowing the ending, and is at its heart, a story of love between Mariane and Daniel. It is a movie that does not belittle what happened, nor does it aim to make Daniel or Mariane a hero, it does give us a story that is free of the politics that you would expect to see, and also aims to put focus on the continuing ongoing tragedies that are occurring in the Middle East.

Snakehead Terror. I remember watching this on Sci-Fi (or is it SyFy?). It is simply terrible. If you like bad movies, be my guest. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Dollhouse - Man on the Street

Best episode yet. This is the one where everything is beginning to click.

Movie Review: I Love You, Man

I hate the term "bro-mance." There is just something about it that irks me. It gets under my skin. It makes the stomach flop. How else to say it? I understand what the term means. I understand how and why it is used. It is just one of those "buzz" words that just aggravates me. I am sure my disgust is unfounded, and I may be overstating it a little, but I think you understand where I am coming from. What does that have to do with I Love You, Man? Well, it is my belief that this is the first "official" bro-mance movie. Accepting this to be true, I have found my stance towards the word softening, ever so slightly, due to the movie being so good.

I Love You, Man definitely comes from the Judd Apatow camp of comedy film making. Ever since The 40-Year Old Virgin hit the big screen in 2005 there has been something of a renaissance of the R-rated comedy. A formula does seem to be emerging in the wake of all of these films, but it is one that is working. The trick is to find that balance between raunch and heart, letting the humor come out, but leaving room for genuine emotion. On top of that, you need to find those who have the ability to pull it off with a certain level of nuance. Believability in the face of unbelievable situations is a must. Let's face it, despite the seeming reality of the presented situation, it is not all that realistic, the key is to make the filmed reality real to the viewer. This movie succeeds at doing just that.

As we begin, Pete (Paul Rudd) has just proposed to his girlfriend, Zooey (Rashida Jones). She immediately gets on the phone and begins calling all of her friends to let the in on the big news; however, when it comes to him calling his friends, he is a little reluctant. It turns out he does not have anyone in the way of guy friends to share with. What follows is Pete's attempt to locate those of a similar sex. It proves to be a difficult task. Just how do you go about making friends?

Pete goes on the man-dating scene (casual lunch or after work drinks) and finds that it is not really working for him. Then he meets Sidney (Jason Segel), pretty much by accident. They hit it off and become fast friends. They do all sorts of things together. They jam in Sidney's "man-cave," they meet up for fish tacos, they even walk the dog together. All is done in a platonic manner, best friends growing together. Then trouble kicks in.

Since this is a romantic comedy, there have to be some romantic sequences, and there has to be a big fight that leads to a break up for the eventual climactic reunion. This has all the obligatory scenes, but they have such great humor, a genuine reality, and plays out in a believable manner.

Take your traditional rom-com and put two straight guys in the leads and that is what you have. It will make you laugh, it will touch your heart, and it will win you over. It will even make it all right to occasionally use the "bro-mance" term.

Paul Rudd and Jason Segel are a fine pair. Paul Rudd is easy to identify with as he struggles to find friends and attempt to appear "cool." He is effortlessly oblivious to his situation and funny in the process. Jason Segel, on the other hand, is the epitome of self-confidence, affording himself a level of freedom many of us only dream of.

The supporting cast is peppered with recognizable faces, all offering a little something to the tapestry. Jaime Pressly and Jon Favreau play an unhappily married couple. JK Simmons and Jane Curtin fill the roles of Pete's parents. Not to be left out is Lou Ferrigno, who plays himself, as a client of Pete's trying to sell his Hollywood mansion.

Bottomline. I do not see a future for large numbers of "bro-mance" features, this one certainly fills the bill. It will make you laugh, it will touch your heart, and make you long for a freedom you cannot conceivably have. This is filled with enough silliness to win anyone over. Do yourself a favor, see it.

Highly Recommended.

Movie Review: Sunshine Cleaning

Sunshine Cleaning is based on an interesting idea. However, it is not a terribly original idea, having been explored in films like Curdled (1996) and Cleaner (2007), and playing an amusing part in Pulp Fiction. The film centers on those who clean up crime scenes. When a violent crime takes place, someone has to come in and clean the mess. Private companies step in to fill the need. They come in at time of often unexpected loss and tragedy, they come in and clean up the blood and other fluids making the space usable again, helping wipe away the memory of the tragedy and move forward. Well, it may not always be quite so dramatic, it can also be a good way to make some money and deal with your own past, if you can stomach the blood and brain matter.

The film comes from the producers of Little Miss Sunshine (I wonder how many films they can produce with "sunshine" in the title? Too bad they weren't involved with Danny Boyle's Sunshine), and seems to be cut from the same cloth. Both films are steeped in the independent spirit, working with a small budget and focusing on character above all else, they even have a similar look and color palette. Beyond that, both movies feature Alan Arkin in similar roles, the slightly eccentric family patriarch. These two movies are also both successful at achieving their goals and give you a reason to become invested in their lives.

Amy Adams stars as Rose, a single mother struggling to make ends meet working for a maid service. She is also is having an affair with Mac (Steve Zahn), a local police detective, and father to Rose's son, Oscar. Rose has a hard living sister, Norah (Emily Blunt), who lives with their father, Joe (Alan Arkin), who is always coming up with some get rich quick scheme.

Troubles begin for Rose as Oscar gets kicked out of school for being disruptive, which Rose sees as him just being a young boy. This brings up the idea of sending him to private school, but that will cost money she does not have. Then the idea of crime scene clean up is mentioned as a way to make some good money.

Rose opens up Sunshine Cleaning with Norah at her side and they head out to pick up after the police are long gone. They learn early on that it is not an easy job, but it is one that needs to be done and the sisters go about it the best they can.

Sunshine Cleaning is very much a slice-of-life type of film. It tells a story, but it is not so much about plot as it is about the characters and this stage of their lives. In this regard, the film never really "takes off" nor does it end. We follow them through a mutual transitory stage and as they hit the next stage of their lives we take our leave as they continue moving forward.

The film's approach is rather low-key. It has a blend of humor and drama that never goes too far over the top and feels genuine, despite some plot contrivances. I mean, it does seem like there are a lot of messy murders, deaths, and suicides in what appears to be a small town.

What helps bring the story its poignancy is the relationship the sisters have with each other and the memories of their deceased mother, who died when the girls were young. They never were able to get over losing her, and this job, cleaning up after the dead and interacting with those suffering loss, is forcing them to confront the feelings in a way they never did as children. This points to Rose's self-confidence issues and her desire to be a mother, for Norah it is simply finding herself, getting through her rebellious nature.

The story may have been a little too far to the low-key side if not for the lead performances. Amy Adams and Emily Blunt turn in fine performances that a quietly charismatic. I was drawn into their lives, I wanted to know more. It is more to the fine performances of the leads that it was the script that kept me deeply invested.

Amy Adams plays the former cheerleader as someone who thought she knew where she was going until life threw her a left-hook leaving her dazed and unsure of where to go, but still having enough wits about her to do all she can to stay together. Likewise, Emily Blunt plays this rebellious young woman who yearns for some meaning in life, some sort of closure, she finds it in this new work and the pictures of a young girl kept by a deceased woman. This leads to a friendship with the delightfully awkward Lynn, played by Mary Linn Rajskub (24).

There is also a nice sub-plot involving Rose and the proprietor of the cleaning supplies store, the one-armed Winston (Clifton Collins Jr.). It is a subtle thread that begins as strictly as a customer relationship, but there are signs of flirting, some glances that hint at something more. We never learn what happens, but it is interesting to see play out.

Bottomline. Not a brilliant movie, but a very satisfying one. The lead performances will keep you at attention and the easy, loose flow of the story threads will allow you to play fill in the blanks and expand on what is in the film. This is a movie that is certainly to be enjoyed.

Recommended.