This page contains Dave's reviews of films seen from July through September 2010.

“Lebanon”: is set in 1982 during the first day of the brutal first Lebanon war, and I should immediately caution any claustrophobic readers: with the exception of the relatively tranquil opening and closing scenes, the film takes place entirely inside a very cramped war tank. And etched inside that tank are the words, “Man is steel. The tank is only iron.” Oh, and war, apparently, is hell. And that’s your setting for “Lebanon,” the feature debut for Israeli filmmaker, Samuel Maoz, who based one of the lead characters, Shmulik (played by Yoav Donat), on his own experiences as a tank gunner in that same war. Also serving with Shmulik is the tank’s argumentative loader, Hertzel (Oshri Cohen); Yigal, the scared driver (Michael Moshonov), and Asi, the leader of the small crew (played by Itay Tiran). The four men – mostly strangers to each other – spend much of that first day waiting for orders from the front commander. It’s an interesting dynamic, further fueled by their isolated setting. It’s their mission to clear a small town that was just destroyed by their army. Simple, right? Not so much, especially when they have little idea where they are and at who or what they’re shooting. It’s a very tense situation in a film filled with plenty of those moments. “Lebanon” has been repeatedly compared to “Das Boot” as well as other great war films like “Platoon” and “Full Metal Jacket.” Yes, as with those films, there are plenty of intense scenes in an isolated location, but “Lebanon” is unique in its own way. Samuel Maoz deserves a lot of credit for not preaching his message or politicizing his movie, preferring to let the actions for itself, which worked exceedingly well. He filled his film with mostly unknown actors (and all new to this viewer), who were all effective in furthering the film’s mood. I also appreciated the cinematography (from Giora Bejach) and how Maoz minimized the use of music. War IS hell. *** ½ (out of) **** (In Hebrew and Arabic with English subtitles) (9/26/10)

“The Town”: Ben Affleck and an impressive cast head up the latest heist flick, “The Town,” though thankfully, Matt Dillon (“Armored;” “Takers”) decided to pass on a role. It involves the usual story about a tough gang trying to put together the perfect score, but to co-writer-director Affleck’s credit, he found a story (from Chuck Hogan’s novel, “Prince of Thieves”) with a slight twist: the bad guy falls for one of the bank employees. In this case, it’s Ben Affleck’s character, Doug McRay, who allows his personal feelings to interfere while trying to control a potential witness to a bank robbery (played by Rebecca Hall). “The Town” is set in Boston, where McRay and robbing crew (played by Jeremy Renner, Slaine, and Owen Burke) are committing robberies for a mobster named Fergie Colm (Pete Postlethwaite at his nasty best). Colm brings them the jobs and launders the ill-gotten gains through his flower shop front. FBI agent Adam Frawley (Jon Hamm) has been trying to nail the crew for a few years, but can’t seem to get close, at least until Hall comes into the picture. It then becomes a question of loyalty and right and wrong. What also distinguishes “The Town” from the rest of the stick-‘em-up flicks is its likeable and talented cast. Jeremy Renner (“The Hurt Locker”) is excellent as the loose cannon, while Hall and Affleck play convincingly off each other. It was also nice seeing “Mad Men” star Jon Hamm cutting loose as a determined FBI agent. And as mentioned, the great Pete Postlethwaite, who has made a career of playing these roles, does not disappointed here. Ben Affleck, who found some success with “Gone Baby Gone,” proves he’s not just a pretty good actor, but he’s also becoming a good director. Recommended. *** (out of) **** (9/18/10)

“The Lovely Bones”: I resisted watching this film when it played in theaters last year, and after 90 minutes on DVD, I had to pause it until the next night. The theme of watching a murdered young girl overlooking her family, as well as her killer, was beyond creepy, but my wife, who enjoyed Alice Sebold’s novel (upon which this movie is based), won out. “The Lovely Bones” stars Saoirse Ronan (“Atonement”) as Susie Salmon, a 14 year-old full of life, who, one day in 1973 in a small town in Pennsylvania, had that life taken from her. Her killer (played by an almost unrecognizable Stanley Tucci) was also her neighbor and she wasn’t his first victim. Her death nearly crumbles her family, consisting of dad (Mark Wahlberg), Mom (Rachel Weisz), Grandmother (Susan Sarandon) and Susie’s sister, Lindsey (Rose McIver) and little brother, Buckley (Christian Thomas Ashdale). But since healing is the primary aim of this film, Susie’s spirit, as well as the spirits of her killer’s other victims are ever-present reminders that it’s not okay to trust strangers who want to do you favors. “The Lovely Bones” was directed by Peter Jackson, who fared better with “Heavenly Creatures.” The film was generally well-made (despite some uneven performances), but its story was too bleak, and despite the pedigree of its director, a better film could’ve been made with a different filmmaker with a better approach to the sensitive subject. As for the performances, Mark Wahlberg and Susan Sarandon re-visit previously explored territories, and Rachel Weisz just seems out of place. The exceptions are Rose McIver as Susie’s grieving little sister, and Stanley Tucci, who shows a little new range. The film is 2 hours, 15 minutes long, but the last 15 (literally) were the end credits. Peter Jackson and his personal and professional partner, Fran Walsh, plus probably over one thousand crew members contributed to this film -- all for what amounted to an over-the-top Hallmark movie. Now that’s fiscal insanity. “The Lovely Bones” wanted to be a loving memory of a young girl’s life and how her family grew strength from her tragedy, but it was mostly a creep-fest, from the killer to the victim. Throw in a ton of mostly unnecessary special effects (Jackson and Walsh spending a chunk of their “Lord of the Rings” fortune) and it all adds up to a weird time at the movies. See it at your own risk. ** (out of) **** (On DVD) (9/16-9/17/10)

“It’s Kind of a Funny Story”: Husband and wife writer-director team, Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden have a modest, but impressive body of work in their young careers. Together, they made the outstanding film, “Half-Nelson” and the nice baseball movie, “Sugar.” And there are elements in both films, especially “Half-Nelson,” that can be found in their latest, “It’s Kind of a Funny Story.” Their film stars Keir Gilchrist as Craig, a bright 16 year-old kid who has been raised in a privileged environment and is attending one of the best high schools in New York City. Craig has a stable home life, but he’s always struggled under his own pressure and needs anti-depressant medication to balance things out. Three weeks after he made a secret decision to wean himself off the meds, Craig stops himself from doing the wrong thing and instead checks into a mental hospital. But instead of an overnight visit in the teen wing, he finds himself in the adult ward for a five-day minimum stay. One look around at his new “friends” and Craig realizes his problems may not be as large as he thinks. The hospital psychiatrist (played by Viola Davis) convinces him that he’s in the right place and that he could probably use a little different perspective. He’s quickly befriended by Bobby, the resident cut-up (Zach Galifianakis), who is coping with a bad marriage and life without his beloved eight year-old daughter. Emma Roberts plays Noelle, the ward’s other teenager. Noelle has cutting issues, but like Craig, she has a heart. Fleck and Boden take an awkward subject and turn it into a very nice film. They run a little too free with some of the situations (such as why a teenager is allowed to stay with mental patients, who should also be a lot more dangerous than they appear in this film). That aside, they do a wonderful job with their actors and always seemed to know when to pull back. Fleck and Boden are also fantastically creative, mixing is some appropriate animation, plus one very impressive musical number that seems to come out of nowhere, but plugs in just the right amount of juice to a film whose theme could be depressing, but thanks to a memorable cast and just the right mix of comedy and drama (mostly the latter), “Funny Story” actually becomes somewhat of an uplifting experience (well, considering its setting). One could say it’s a cross between “(500) Days of Summer” and “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” as each film also has flawed characters with enough redeeming qualities to make them likeable. In Craig’s case, he’s a great kid who’s crying out to himself and no one else. And his family is too self-absorbed to notice. The performances were uniformly excellent, with the lead, Keir Gilchrist showing a quiet confidence. And as Noelle, Emma Roberts was physically bare-bones and pretty damaged, but just like all the characters in this fantastic film, you were forced to look into her heart and not at the rest of her. The standout performance, however, belonged to Zach Galifianakis, who showed a dramatic side to his usual ultra-dry persona. Wow, what a turn. “It’s Kind of a Funny Story” surprised me in a good way. I caught an early preview and I’m looking forward to seeing it again during its general release. *** 1/2 (out of) **** (9/15/10)

“Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist, Rebel”: I was fourteen once. And like many men over the past 50+ years, I have memories of Playboy magazine. To many, Hugh Hefner was a bit of a hero. But what many probably didn’t know then was just how much Hugh Hefner impacted more than just the lives of curious young men. Documentary filmmaker Brigitte Berman explores that side of the magazine mogul’s life in “Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist, Rebel,“ a thoughtful and mostly flattering portrait of a man who probably deserves to be better known for how he opened a lot of otherwise closed doors for entertainers of color, and as well as how he was instrumental for furthering – not setting back – the women’s movement. Surprisingly, Berman‘s film wasn’t particularly titillating, but even if I watched this documentary as a teenager, I would’ve come away with an additional respect for the man. “Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist, Rebel“ is a very insightful look at the life of an exceptionally interesting man. See it. *** (out of) **** (9/11/10)

“Animal Kingdom”: Joshua “J” Cody is a quiet 17 year-old boy who just lost his mother to a drug overdose. With nowhere to go, he asks his maternal grandmother for a place to stay. J (James Frecheville) and his “Grandma Smurf” haven’t spent a lot of time together due to a family estrangement. That separation, plus his late mother’s drug use and grandma’s family crime business, were probably connected, but that’s never quite spelled out, which is one of the many great things about “Animal Kingdom,” writer-director David Michod’s impressive feature film debut. His movie trusts the intelligence of its audience, which is something so simple, yet so rare in our spoon-fed world. J becomes re-acquainted with his uncles’ Darren, Craig, and the bad egg, ‘Pope,’ who is on the run from the cops for doing something particularly naughty. The family’s criminal activities include drugs and robberies, but the film prefers to focus on the family dynamic, especially the creepy and domineering relationship between its matriarch (brilliantly portrayed by veteran Australian actress Jacki Weaver) and her “boys.” Things become especially complicated when a close family associate is murdered by the police -- the same police who have unsuccessfully tried for years to put the family behind bars. Their frustration had obviously become desperate and J is caught between his family and the cops, and isn’t sure which side to trust. As J, newcomer James Frecheville is an excellent piece of casting. His acting style is a little fish-out-of-water, but that’s also his character. As mentioned, Jacki Weaver is a revelation as head of the Cody clan, and of special note is Ben Mendelsohn as the downright scary Uncle Pope. Writer-director David Michod also co-wrote the clever and shocking short film, “Spider,” which can be found on the DVD for Nash Edgerton’s outstanding film, “The Square.” Michod and Edgerton are two of the more promising directors to come out of Australia, a region that has been producing some great entertainment in recent years, including the terrific “Underbelly” television series. Michod’s “Animal Kingdom” is a masterful film in nearly every respect. The acting and overall tone is pitch-perfect. The script is great, and the overall production is steeped in quality. “Animal Kingdom” is one of the best films of the year. **** (out of) **** (9/6/10)

“The American”: George Clooney stars as a mysterious American hit-man named Jack, though we’re never quite sure if that’s his character’s real name. “The American” begins innocently enough in Sweden, where Clooney is huddled in the cold with his lover. Three bodies later, “Jack” is on the run to Rome, Italy, but under the advice of his main contact (played here by Johan Leysen) he waits out his next assignment in the safety of a small nearby town. He’s warned to not make any more “friends,” but the serious Jack-with-needs can’t resist young Clara (Violante Placido), a local prostitute who may or may not have his best interests at heart. Jack (known to Clara as Edward) has trust issues, but that’s an occupational hazard. He finally receives his next task: deliver a special weapon to a female assassin (played by Thekla Reuten) for use in an unknown crime. But can Jack trust HER? “The American” is based on the late Martin Booth’s aptly-titled novel, “A Very Private Gentleman.” The screenplay was adapted by Rowan Joffe and the film was directed by Anton Corbijn (“Control”), whose stylish experience as a music video director is tastefully in evidence here as he’s able to reign in the excesses in favor of his film’s intriguing story. Clooney as Jack/Edward channels his inner Alain Delon, and completely turns off his usual charm in favor of a cold, moody persona. In fact, “The American” has a very European feel, and was clearly inspired by the low-budget foreign spy thrillers (think badly dubbed) from the late-60s, early 70s. Corbijn even finds time to slip an old Sergio Leone spaghetti western on a television in the background in a scene at an Italian diner. Nice touch in a film filled with them. Even the film’s poster pays tribute to the era. I also admired the judicious editing by Andrew Hulme and the way Corbijn managed the pacing of his film. Yes, “The American” is very deliberate and demands patience from its viewer, but it’s not too predictable and its payoff is pretty satisfying and non-traditional. George Clooney also turns in another nice performance and is supported nicely by his small cast of co-stars. Recommended. *** (out of) **** (9/4/10)

“Mesrine: Killer Instinct”: The first of two back-to-back films, “Mesrine: Killer Instinct” details the criminal life of notorious French gangster, Jacques Mesrine, who terrorized France (and other areas) from the late 50s to the late 70s. Mesrine, starring Vincent Cassel in the title role, was a directionless young adult when he decided to take the plunge into crime by working for a French mob figure (played by the excellent Gerard Depardieu), but it wasn’t long before the cocky Mesrine was striking out on his own. His M.O. was robbing banks – the more sensational, the better. He would often rob a second bank while running away from the first. That, and his propensity to escape from impossible situations (like maximum security prisons) earned him his notorious reputation, which is displayed repeatedly in example after example in “Killer Instinct,” as well as the film’s sequel, “Public Enemy #1,” which plays on the latter part of Mesrine’s life and career, and is nothing more than an “how to escape from the authorities” travelogue (that, and more than a few comparisons to the film title’s namesake, John Dillinger). “Killer Instinct” is laid out like a Cliff’s Notes version of Mesrine’s life. True, the first film had to pack in about 15 years in a little more than two hours, but it felt too forced and obligatory. For example, Mesrine’s second wife, Maria, gave birth to the couple’s first child, and in a matter of screen minutes later, they had a second, and a couple of minutes after that, a third. The two parts, filmed back-to-back, were co-written (with Abdel Raouf Dafri) and directed by Jean-Francois Richet, who had the difficult task of trying to condense this unpleasant man’s life into about four hours of finished film. We see Mesrine’s failed relationships with his wives, lovers and children, as well as his criminal partnerships, but it’s almost all for naught, as, for this viewer, it was difficult to admire the enormity of the project when I couldn’t get past its despicable subject. Having said all that, I liked the performances, especially Vincent Cassel’s, but I can’t recommend the films as more than a curious peek into the life of a notorious crime figure. “Mesrine: Killer Instinct”: ** 1/2 (out of) **** (viewed 8/29/10). “Mesrine: Public Enemy #1”: ** (out of) **** (9/5/10). (Both films are in French with English subtitles)

“The Square”: One of the nice things about the Netflix service is that if you miss a film when it briefly slips in and out of your area (like when you’re out of town that particular week), you can simply add it to your queue, wait four to six months, and, if managed properly, a copy of the DVD will magically appear in your mailbox very shortly after its home release. This is how I finally saw that “great Australian film I’d been hearing about” called “The Square.” If you’re like me, you enjoy a good crime thriller and the more irresponsible the behavior, the better. “The Square” is about two married neighbors who can’t wait to leave their partners. Raymond (David Roberts) is a stressed-out project manager for a construction firm, and Carla (Claire van der Boom) works at a local hair salon. The two frequent the neighborhood dog park, where a little bit at a time they realize they can resolve each other’s unhappiness. Throw in some illicit money and some messy mistakes -- the compounding kind that leave fingerprints everywhere -- and you have the makings of a juicy film. “The Square” was directed by Nash Edgerton and co-written by his brother Joel (with Matthew Dabner), who take a fairly common film theme and go all “Blood Simple”/Coen Brothers with it, only it’s a tasteful homage that the two ‘other’ film-making brothers would probably admire. One of the appeals of “The Square” is it’s just so well thought-out. There is a great scene near the middle of this film that turns out to be the perfect setup for what happens later. A dog in love does whatever it takes to get to his loved one, ultimately culminating in a tragic sequence that seems meaningless at first, but really isn’t. It’s a memorable moment that you won’t shake when you’re thinking about this film. It also made me want to re-watch “The Square” (the next morning), with the second viewing designed to pick holes in the film’s story, as well as answer a few nagging questions. The holes really weren’t there, and the answers to those questions only increased my respect for the filmmakers, especially for their near-flawless screenplay, which did a magnificent job of outthinking its audience. Throw in some very solid performances from its outstanding cast (especially the two leads, David Roberts and Claire van der Boom) and the result is a thoroughly satisfying film-viewing experience. See “The Square” and then tell everyone you know. **** (out of) **** (On DVD) (8/27/10)

“Scott Pilgrim vs. the World”: For the past thirty years or so, Hollywood has been making its living by producing movie sequels, remakes, adaptations of books, comics and even films based on amusement park rides. Heck, the latest watchword is ‘reboot,’ which is the new p.c. term for the remake, and Hollywood has ‘treated’ us to new versions of “The Incredible Hulk” and the “Friday the 13th” and “Nightmare on Elm Street” series, as if the younger generation had never seen or heard of the originals. But if I was forced to pick a favorite form, it would the adaptation of the graphic novel. “Sin City,” “Coraline,” “Persepolis” – and even “The Dark Knight,” are successful examples of the genre. Add “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” to the list. Based on a six-part series of graphic series by Bryan Lee O’Malley, “Scott Pilgrim” stars Michael Cera as the title character -- a 23 year-old slacker-type who is a well-meaning, likeable guy (perfect casting, eh?), but whose life is lacking direction. He’s dating a 17 year-old high school girl (Knives Chau -- played by Ellen Wong) who isn’t even allowing him onto the basepaths, let alone the field. Scott is also in a rock band (“Sex Bob-omb”) that’s entered into the local battle of the bands competition. He lives in Toronto in a studio apartment (if you could even call it that) with his gay roommate Wallace (Kieran Culkin), who, in one of the film’s many running jokes, is constantly bringing home his various conquests, despite their tiny place’s obvious lack of space. Scott’s life changes the day he meets Ramona (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), a delivery clerk who likes to changes her hair color every ten days. Ramona is well-meaning and is taken by the sweet young man, but she comes with a lot of baggage, specifically ‘seven evil exes,’ as in ex-boyfriends, well, including one girl (a fling from high school). If Scott is going to stay with Ramona, he’ll have to defeat her seven evil exes. Yes, defeat – as in reduce to a pulp of coins. One by one, the exes pop up, and one by one…well, you’ll just have to see the movie to find out what happens. “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” is wildly entertaining, absolutely full of life and has an aura of that it’s something you’ve never seen before. Yes, it is based on a series of graphic novels, but it’s also co-written and directed by Edgar Wright, whose impressive list of recent credits include “Hot Fuzz,” “Shaun of the Dead” and the popular BBC series, “Spaced.” In other words, Wright was probably the right person to handle this project and the end result suggests that yes, he was. His film, despite suggestions that it could be just another raunch fest, actually dials it down and maintains a certain level of sweetness and a comic book/video game level of violence (including Batman-style graphics) that contributes to an innocence that kept the film in the PG-13 category. “Scott Pilgrim” is also loaded with witty dialogue, likeable characters and, well, fun. Michael Cera doesn’t break any new ground as Pilgrim, but he’s still pretty darn good at that one dimension. Mary Elizabeth Winstead is charming as Ramona, as is Ellen Wong, who channels Charlyne Yi (Cera’s ex-girlfriend and co-star in “Paper Heart”) in her role of the peppy Knives Chau. Kieran Culkin is memorable as Scott’s roommate, and Anna Kendrick and Aubrey Plaza turn in nice performances in limited roles. In a year that is sorely lacking in good films, “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” is a blast. *** ½ (out of) **** (8/21/10)

“The Runaways”: As a kid growing up in Northern California, I have faint memories of the Runaways, who were an all-girl rock group that existed on the fringes of the burgeoning punk rock scene that sprouted up in the Los Angeles area in the late seventies. There were a ton of great bands that came out of that area, but it was really only the uniqueness of the Runaways personnel makeup that set them apart from the others. But ultimately, their success broke a glass ceiling and inspired countless other bands and musicians and that contribution deserves to be acknowledged. “The Runaways” was directed and written by underground artist and music video director, Floria Sigismondi, who adapted Runaways member Cherie Currie’s autobiography, “Neon Angel,” which detailed her rise and fall as a rock star. Dakota Fanning stars as Currie, who, as a 15 year-old in 1975, joined the band on a whim after she was discovered by music producer, Kim Fowley (Michael Shannon) who felt she had the perfect look, despite her complete lack of experience. Fowley was putting together a young girl band, to be led by Joan Jett (Kristen Stewart). Also in the band is future rocker Lita Ford (played by Scout Taylor-Compton), although she is barely highlighted. “The Runaways” is mostly plotless with almost no character development outside of Currie, who is unglamorously portrayed (complete with the usual rock star clichés) by Fanning, who has already proven she can act, but with “The Runaways,” takes a step backwards in her obvious quest to prove she can handle a more adult role. Kristen Stewart, who has never shown me anything beyond expressionless pouting, does her usual lifeless schtick as future rock star Joan Jett, who is highlighted at the beginning of this film and whose music is all over the end credits, but is mostly confined to the background during the film’s other 90 minutes. Michael Shannon as the slimy music producer (and failed glam-rocker) is the only actor who seems to be rise above the mediocre material. Buy the film’s excellent soundtrack and skip the movie. * ½ (out of) **** (On DVD) (8/18/10)

“Big Fan”: Patton Oswalt (“Ratatouille”) stars as Paul Aufiero, a thoroughly obsessed fan of the New York Giants football team. Aufiero is a single man in his mid-thirties who lives at home with his mother and works as an attendant in a parking garage. He spends most of his considerable downtime preparing for what to say that evening when he calls into a local sports radio program. His only friend in the world appears to be Sal (Kevin Corrigan), a fellow fan who admires Paul, but doesn’t recognize that his friend’s obsession is beginning to have serious consequences. The whole situation explodes when the pair encounter Paul’s favorite player at a popular nightspot. A disastrous confrontation ensues and Paul is forced to choose between helping his favorite team and doing the right thing. It’s a serious theme that’s played light-heartedly and supported by a terrific script from “The Wrestler” screenwriter, Robert Siegel, who is also making his directorial debut with this film. Popular standup comedian Patton Oswalt is excellent as Aufiero, as is Kevin Corrigan, but it’s Marcia Jean Kurtz as Paul’s mother, who steals this movie. “Big Fan” is a small film with a lot of heart. Recommended. *** (out of) **** (On DVD) (8/11/10)

“Winter’s Bone”: A moviegoer is, among other things, a glorified voyeur. We wouldn’t associate with a crazed Jim Carrey, but we would watch him in a movie theater. And as a fan of the television show, “The Wire,” I wouldn’t walk through the ‘Hamsterdam,’ neighborhood in Baltimore but I’d admire it from the safety of my living room. This is one of the charms of watching films. They help you understand the sometimes unpleasant aspects of the human condition, yet you can return to your normal life when the show is over. That’s glorified voyeurism. The stories are usually fictional, but often based on reality. In the film, “Winter’s Bone,” there is probably more than a kernel of truth to Ree Dolly. Ree (played by Jennifer Lawrence) is a 17 year-old high school student who, because of her desperate family situation, is forced to grow up a little faster than planned. Her mother is mentally incapable of raising Ree and her younger brother and sister, and her recently arrested father, Jessup is missing, which is bad news for the family, who put up their home to fund his bail. And now that he’s officially skipped, it’s up to Ree to locate Jessup or risk foreclosure on the only thing that’s keeping them afloat. Ree’s dad is mixed up in the local meth trade and there are a host of undesirables who aren’t interested in Ree’s quest. On the surface, the plot for “Winter’s Bone” seems pedestrian, but the film is anything but. Co-writer and director Debra Granik explores the hard underbelly of “Bone’s” Missouri mountains settings. She, along with her excellent cinematographer, Michael McDonough, provide “Bone’s” with the proper amount of grit. She also fills her film with a who’s who of great character actors including John Hawkes and Garret Dillahunt (both veterans from HBO’s great “Deadwood” series) and Dale Dickey (“Breaking Bad”). But it’s Jennifer Lawrence who runs away with the whole film. Her performance as Ree is beautifully managed. You can almost feel her heartbreak and that is not something that’s easily taught. Her previous credits are mostly television, including a recurring role in a TV sitcom, but her future seems limitless. “Winter’s Bone” is not an easy watch, but for voyeurs like myself, it’s very rewarding. *** ½ (out of) **** (7/31/10)

“The Kids Are All Right”: Veteran actresses Annette Bening and Julianne Moore co-star as Nic and Jules, a lesbian couple trying to raise two teenage children in modern day Los Angeles. 18 year-old Joni (Mia Wasikowska, “Alice in Wonderland”) and her 15 year-old half-brother, Laser (Josh Hutcherson), co-share the two “moms,” but have the same biological father, an unknown sperm donor. Now that she’s legal, Joni decides to look up dad (played by Mark Ruffalo), who turns out to be 38 year-old organic entrepreneur, who runs a local vegetable garden, which also supplies his trendy restaurant. The kids like that he’s laid-back and rides a motorcycle, but out of respect for their moms, are still mindful to keep him at a distance. But it isn’t long before dad is involved in all their lives – directly and indirectly. Its these relationships that define “The Kids Are All Right,” directed and co-written (with Stuart Blumberg) by Lisa Cholodenko (“Laurel Canyon”), who builds her film with love for the family unit. But it’s the strength of this film – character development – that is also its slight weakness. It introduces one major character and goes to great pains to convince us that he too is basically “all right,” but then unceremoniously pulls his plug. I suspect this was very, very deliberate, but I would’ve preferred a better resolution, even one that still played with the filmmaker’s message. Having said that, I will give Cholodenko the benefit of the doubt as there is way too much to like about this film to dismiss it simply because I didn’t agree with one single facet of *her* vision. Her other characters are all well-developed, even down to the childrens’ friends, who manage, in their minimal screen-time, to impact the lives of Joni and Laser. That’s great script-writing. And the performances were uniformly excellent, from Annette Bening’s familiar angry control-freak to Julianne Moore’s closet hippie. Mark Ruffalo was terrific as Paul, while Mia Wasikowska continues to show that she is destined to have a very successful career as an actress. As she did in “Alice in Wonderland,” Wasikowska lights up every scene she’s in. “The Kids Are All Right” does a very good job of capturing of the nuances and complications of raising a family in our modern world. *** ½ (out of) **** (7/24/10)

“The Girl Who Played with Fire”: I waited several months before finally watching “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” but it only took me a week to see its sequel, “The Girl Who Played with Fire.” The second of three films (“The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest” has been out since last November overseas but has yet to get a U.S. release date), “Fire” brings back co-stars Noomi Rapace as Lisbeth Salander and Michael Nyqvist as Mikael Blomkvist, but notably missing are “Dragon’s” director Niels Arden Oplev and writers Nikolaj Arcel and Rasmus Heisterberg, who, in the first film, memorably guided author Stieg Larsson’s original vision. “Fire” begins with the mysterious Lisbeth still trying to cover her tracks (must be a hacker thing) with a PO box and a secret apartment in Stockholm, but it isn’t long before she is the main suspect in three murders: a young couple who were investigating a sex trafficking ring, and Lisbeth’s sadistic guardian from the first film. She didn’t do it, of course, but, with the help of her old friend Mikael, she needs to prove her innocence and find the real killer or killers. It’s a nice premise, but doesn’t have the same bite as “Dragon,” though, once again, Noomi Rapace is terrific as Lisbeth Salander. She’s a moody puzzle, but you can’t take your eyes off her. “Fire” is a fine film, but it plays a little more like an extended television show – the second part of an exceptionally good episode, if you will. It also liberally borrows elements of James Bond (the villain Jaws, anyone?) and the Jason Bourne series, but that’s fine company and it works, as does the film overall. It also did a good job of setting up the next sequel. Recommended -- but only as a companion piece to the first film, otherwise you’ll be lost and not too impressed. *** (out of) **** (In Swedish with English subtitles) (7/18/10)

“Inception”: Allow me to cut to the chase: writer-director Christopher Nolan (“Memento,” “The Dark Knight”) is the best visionary filmmaker working today in Hollywood. Sorry, James Cameron, your visuals are pretty impressive, but Nolan smokes you in the imagination department and he knows how to write a thoroughly original script. Nolan’s latest film, “Inception,” is almost impossible to accurately describe without revealing too much, but I’ll try anyway, even if I could personally use another viewing to qualify myself to even attempt this film review. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Cobb, a man who infiltrates other people’s dreams in order to steal their secrets. Cobb was once married with children, but a tragedy changed him and the way he uses his gifts. He is now a glorified thief who is wanted by many for the wrong reasons. But he’s also smart enough to realize that if he is capable of stealing other people’s ideas while they’re asleep, he can also plant ideas. That’s the heart of “Inception,” which really takes the term ‘mind-blowing’ to an extreme level. Nolan’s script is genius, and bully to him for using the immense capital gained from his success with “The Dark Knight” to get this one-of-a-kind film made. Leonardo DiCaprio is beginning to make a career out of playing challenging characters, but it suits him well. He is excellent as Cobb, as is the film’s supporting cast, including Ellen Page, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Caine and Ken Watanabe. Nolan’s personal cinematographer, Wally Pfister provided the beautiful visuals and Hans Zimmer gave the film its memorable musical score. “Inception” is a hyper-intelligent film that caters to a different audience, which is something that simply does not exist in Hollywood. It demands discussion and thought, which is refreshing in the age of what passes for the typical mega-plex movie. When it’s all said and done – some 2 ½ hours later – “Inception” proved to be a film well worth watching, even if a second viewing will be needed for clarity. *** ½ (out of) **** (7/17/10)