A 'tomb' best left alone

This summer has had a surprisingly high quota of quality popcorn films from “Iron Man” to “The Dark Knight.” We were given blockbusters with a bit more brains and imagination than usual, “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor” lacks both.

Like its predecessors, the third movie in this modern “Mummy” franchise has more in common with “Indiana Jones” than Boris Karloff. This series was never high-brow entertainment, but the first time Brendan Fraser and crew suited up to battle the undead in 1999’s “The Mummy” there was a sense of fun and energy that carried the day. Few would confuse it with a good film, but it succeeded at being a mindless diversion.

The same could not be said for 2001’s “The Mummy Returns,” which replayed the first film but added more of everything including an annoying kid and proved that more is definitely less. At least this new film benefits from a new villain and a new setting: China.

The film opens promisingly with a prologue showing the rise to power of the Dragon Emperor (Jet Li) and how he and his army were cursed by an immortal witch (Michelle Yeoh, “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”). Following “The Forbidden Kingdom,” which also featured Li, and “Kung-Fu Panda” this is the third Hollywood film to borrow Eastern mythology and imagery this year. Where “Forbidden Kingdom” and “Kung-Fu Panda” was fun and loose, “Dragon Emperor” is dull and stiff.

After the prologue things jump to 1946 and start getting clunky. Rick and Evelyn O’Connell (Fraser and Maria Bello, replacing Rachel Weisz) have retired in England after a career of espionage during World War II. They are shaken out of their boring new lives by one last call to duty. They are to bring an artifact to China. They agree, because, after all, Evelyn’s brother (John Hannah) has a night club there they can visit.

Unbeknownst to them, their now-grown son (Luke Ford) has followed in the family business and has discovered the tomb of the dragon emperor. A family reunion is just as inevitable as the awakening of the now mummified dragon warrior. Yeoh’s immortal daughter (Isabella Leong) is thrown in as a love interest for Ford.

There are special effects galore, but there’s little excitement because it is all so familiar and there’s no vision or sweep behind the staging of these elaborate action set pieces. “Hellboy II” was equally light on its plot, but made up for it with astonishing and inventive visuals.

A subplot with a group of friendly yeti is the most entertaining aspect of the film simply because it is so completely out of left field. Sure the appearance of abominable snowmen is utterly laughable, but at this point in the movie you’re desperate for anything new.

The acting, let’s just be blunt about it, is bad. Movies like this don’t need Oscar-worthy performances, but there’s a certain tongue-in-cheek acting style that if done right can go a long way. Fraser, who is usually the go to guy for live-action-cartoon heroics, seems bored this time around.

Bello is a talented actress as her work in movies such “The Cooler” and “History of Violence” can prove, but you’d never know it based on her work here. Burdened with a terrible fake British accent, she seems uncomfortable and gives a completely flat performance. Good thing she’s an established talent because this does nothing to further her career. It may even be a step backward.

Ford looks dashing, and that’s about it. His love subplot with Leong is undernourished and completely hollow. There are way too many poorly written lovey-dovey scenes between the two couplings, and none of them have a single genuine moment. All these scenes do is drag the pacing down.

It is only Li and Yeoh who bring any sort of flavor to the proceedings. Li and Yeoh are both legends within the world of martial art films and they provide a touch of grace and class to the proceedings, unfortunately their screen time is limited to the beginning and end. The two share an all too brief sword fight that for martial arts fans may be worth checking, but give it some time and I’m sure it’ll show up on youtube.

A 'rich' night of theater

'Fiddler on the Roof' comes to North Conway, N.H.'s Eastern Slope Playhouse

Following on the heals of the provocative “Cabaret,” the Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company’s production of “Fiddler on the Roof,” which is running nightly at 8 p.m. — except Monday — through Aug. 16 at the Eastern Slope Playhouse in North Conway, may seem like much tamer fare. While this is true, the two shows have more in common than at first glance.

“Fiddler on the Roof” is the Mount Washington Valley Theatre Company’s second show in a row to deal with persecution of Jews. “Cabaret” and “Fiddler” follow a similar structure, with the first act of each show being light, frothy and fun, but with an underlining danger that becomes overt as act one transitions into act two.

“Fiddler’s” ending is not nearly as dark as “Cabaret’s,” but both effectively use the musical-theater tradition to showcase serious themes in a way that still entertains and doesn’t trivialize the issues at hand.

Set in the small Russian town of Anatevka in 1905, the show focuses on the milkman Tevye (George Piehl) and his daughters. Tevye is part of a resilient Jewish community that quietly and happily co-exists with the gentiles in town, at least at the start of the play. That conflict is really secondary to a struggle between tradition and change.

Three of Tevye’s five daughters will marry by the show’s end, and each marriage represents a bigger challenge to the longstanding traditions of the Jewish community. Tevye is willing to bend to see his daughters happy, but even he has a limit. The show presents an intriguing debate over the importance and dangers that come with both tradition and change.

This production, directed and choreographed by Andrew Giant Linden, features strong performances and lively song and dance numbers throughout. In terms of the production’s design, the only disappointment is a rather lackluster set design by Brad Archer, but this is a minor fault that is largely rectified by the lighting design by Sara Houston.

This is Piehl’s show. He ably steps into the role originated by Zero Mostel on Broadway and Topel in the 1971 film version. Piehl makes it all seem so easy in what
appears to be an effortlessly charming performance. His one-sided conversations with God are delivered close to perfection, as are Tevye’s internal monologues. Piehl’s is also effective in the interactions with Tevye’s daughters. There is an especially affecting scene with Tevye saying goodbye to his daughter Hodel (Liz Clark Golson) at a bus stop.

The rest of cast is also solid. Rachel Brown, Clark Golson and Amanda Philips as Tevye’s three daughters with marriage on the mind strike just the right notes. Each actress shows chemistry with their respective matches and possesses charming and sweet stage presences.

Craig Holden as Lazar Wolf, the butcher, Shannon Connelly as Yente, the matchmaker, and Brendon Stimson as the Rabbi and other characters are also standouts. Holden and Connelly in particular provide some good laughs.

The weakest link in the cast is Grant Golson, and that only becomes apparent if you saw his performance in “Cabaret.” Golson, who once again is romantically paired with his real life wife Clark Golson, gives the same performance he did in “Cabaret” and reveals a limited range as an actor. His inflection, tone and delivery are nearly identical. Clark Golson, on the other hand, is just as charming as she was in “Cabaret” and doesn’t repeat herself.

The show is populated with great songs and there are several highlights. The classic “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” is sung and danced with gusto and humor by Brown, Clark Golson and Philips. “If I Were a Rich Man,” another song that has slipped into our cultural lexicon, is sung with vigor by Piehl, although the staging could have been a bit more dynamic.

“The Dream” is both a musical and comedic high point of the show, with Tevye desperately trying to cook up a way out of a tight spot with his wife (Megan Thomas). “Do You Love Me?” features Tevye asking that question to his wife 25 years into their arranged marriage. The song is awfully sweet without giving the audience a toothache.
“To Life,” “Bottle Dance” and “Wedding Dances” feature some astonishing dancing that is truly impressive and full of infectious, joyous energy.

“Fiddler on the Roof” isn’t a flawless production, but, oy vey, what is? A little imperfection never hurt anybody, and at the end of the night this production will leave the audience entertained. What more can you ask for? Tickets are $27 and are available at the box office or by calling 356-5776.

'Step Brothers' is a couple steps below good

Will Ferrell is a love-him or hate-him comedic performer. If you love him, you may give “Step Brothers” a pass, but if you hate him you are really going to hate his third film with director and co-writer Adam McKay.

After showing he was capable of a genuine performance in 2006's "Stranger Than Fiction," Ferrell has been taking roles in movies like "Blades of Glory" and "Semi-Pro" that don't force him to stretch and allow him to tread water instead of truly diving into a juicy role.

In "Step Brothers," Ferrell and John C. Reilly, who were such a dynamic comedic duo together in “Talladega Nights,” star as two obnoxious 40-ish losers who still live at home and act like incredibly immature adolescents. When their sweet, intelligent parents played by Mary Steenburgen and Richard Jenkins (“The Visitor”) fall in love and get married, the two men are forced to live together.

A little of this premise goes a long way. In fact it would’ve worked wonders as a reoccurring “Saturday Night Live” sketch. But as a feature film it doesn’t sustain comedic energy. There are isolated scenes that are hilarious, as when Ferrell and Reilly realize they aren’t enemies, but best friends. This scene appears in the trailer; in fact, most of the best scenes do. This is a definitely a case of if you’ve seen the trailer you’ve seen the film.

I laughed out loud once every 10 minutes, which makes the film just good enough. Compared to “Anchorman” and “Talladega Nights,” Ferrell’s two previous collaborations with McKay, that laugh ratio is not nearly high enough.

The film is vulgar for the sake of being vulgar. There’s nothing wrong with being vulgar per se, and there are far more obscene films than this, but listening to a couple of adults belittle each other with obscenity-laced schoolyard insults becomes tired quick. It doesn’t help that every scene that works is repeated at least once.

If you actually care about characters or if they are at least somewhat recognizably human, it does help balance a film’s crude humor. Writer/director Kevin Smith knows this and laces his films with an underlining sweetness or at least attempts to say something about society. Similarly, “Bad Santa” is one of the most obscene films around, but it also works as a well-observed character study of a certain kind of person.

“Step Brother” doesn’t really have anything to say about adulthood or growing up, and not that it should, but the film is lacking that slight satiric edge that gave “Anchorman” and “Talladega Nights” a bit more mileage out of the more outrageous humor.

The set-up also could’ve been aided by a surreal or absurdist touch. These characters are more than immature adults, they seem borderline insane or mentally handicapped. Surprisingly, once the basic premise is established, it really isn’t taken anywhere that a bad sitcom wouldn’t have gone.

Ferrell and Reilly play these characters as teens in adult bodies. This can work as a comedic device — just look at Tom Hanks’ work in “Big,” for example, but that film gave a reason for Hanks' behavior.

Steenburgen, who previously brought a touch of class to Ferrell’s “Elf,” and Jenkins are wasted as the parents. They are both giving good performances, but they are not true characters; rather, they are just a mechanism of the plot. It is a shame because there is chemistry between the actors and they deserve better than this.

“Step Brothers” isn’t awful, it is just merely OK. Don’t waste your money seeing it in theaters, but if you’re looking to kill time it is decent renter. Of course, at that point you are better of renting some of Ferrell and Reilly’s better films. I recommend Ferrell’s aforementioned previous collaborations with McKay and Reilly’s under seen, but hilarious “Walk Hard.”

'The Dark Knight' is a great movie...period

“The Dark Knight,” the highly anticipated new “Batman” film that broke opening weekend box office records, is so much more than just a superhero movie. This is a dark, sweeping, epic movie powered by the late Heath Ledger’s brilliant portrayal of The Joker.

For those out of the loop, “The Dark Knight” is a sequel to “Batman Begins” which rebooted the series and brought it back to square one after the disastrous “Batman and Robin.” Thus we have the reappearance of The Joker, but this is a Joker like you’ve never seen before.

As entertaining as Jack Nicholson’s take on The Joker was in 1989’s “Batman,” Ledger ("Brokeback Mountain”) tops him in every way in quite simply one of the greatest acting achievements in recent years. Ledger, who died from an accidental prescription drug overdose in January, is mesmerizing. He is darkly comic and utterly terrifying. A “magic trick” with a pencil will make you laugh and cringe at the same time. Ledger’s performance will get under your skin and in your head and linger their days and weeks after seeing the film.

Ledger’s Joker is the driving force of the plot. Unlike Nicholson’s Joker, or other comic book villains, for that matter, this Joker has no back story and no motivation. He is simply an anarchist, a self-proclaimed “engine of chaos.” Or as Bruce Wayne’s loyal butler and confidant Alfred (Michael Caine) phrases it “some people just want to watch the world burn.”

Through The Joker, director Christopher Nolan (“Memento”), who co-wrote the script with his brother Jonathan, shows that the line between good and evil is a thin one. This theme has come up in previous “Batman” film, but never quite as substantially as it does here. Nolan asks complex morality questions as The Joker escalates his deadly games.

Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale, “American Psycho”) is looking for a way out of being Batman. He has cleaned up the streets of Gotham, but the dual life is taking its toll. Wayne thinks he sees hope in Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart, “Thank You For Smoking”), Gotham’s new district attorney, who appears to have an incorruptible soul and the drive to keep Gotham safe without having to wear a mask and cape.

Those familiar with “Batman” lore already know Dent’s destiny will follow a different path than Gotham’s savior. Eckhart is charming and earnest as Gotham’s knight in shining armor, and, when things take a sinister turn, Eckhart turns with it in a well-acted plot development. This development is somewhat rushed but fits completely within the tone and logic of the film. Even if Dent’s story is resolved too quickly, it is not likely to anger “Batman” aficionados.

Although it is in many ways Ledger’s show, all the acting is tops — and that’s one of the keys to the film’s success. Even small supporting roles are filled by some of the world’s best actors. Gary Oldman as Lt. Gordon; Caine as Alfred; Morgan Freeman as Wayne’s man behind those wonderful toys; Maggie Gyllenhaal as Wayne’s former love and Dent’s new one; and even Eric Roberts as a mob boss are all just about perfect. No one plays this for camp. It is played for real.

As with “Batman Begins,” Bale is excellent in the dual role of Bruce Wayne and Batman. If it wasn’t for Ledger’s performance, which is working on a completely different scale of acting quality, Bale would be getting more notice for his work here. Bale brings subtle layers to the performance. You can sense the weight and burden of being Batman weighing on Wayne. The struggle to stay good in the face of evil and to stay Batman in the face of losing his own life is played delicately.

This is easily the darkest, most thoughtful “Batman” film, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun. Caine’s Alfred helps provide a deadpan wit to the proceedings, as does Freeman’s Lucius Fox. And Ledger does provide twisted laughs.

The action sequences are well paced and directed. A huge grin popped across my face when the new Bat-motorcycle emerged from the downed Batmobile. The scene continues on to a thrilling battle of chicken between Batman and The Joker in a tractor trailer. The payoff of this scene is unexpected and one of the most exciting scenes in any movie this summer.

Here’s the bottom line: If you see only one movie this summer this is the one. Don’t let any bias about this being a superhero movie stop you. This is not just a great superhero movie. It is simply a great movie.

Life is a 'Cabaret' at the Eastern Slope Playhouse

The Eastern Slope Playhouse has been transformed into the seedy and oh-so-sensual Kit Kat Klub for The Mount Washington Theatre Company’s lively and entertaining rendition of “Cabaret,” which is running — except Monday — at 8 p.m. through Aug. 2.

Director/choreographer Clay James’ production of “Cabaret” is an immersive experience. Even before the show begins, actors have already been mingling with theater patrons and chatting them up in character.

In the opening number, “Willkommen,” the emcee (Jesse Luttrell) welcomes the audience to the club, and the musical itself and ventures into the audience as he introduces the men and women of the cabaret. It kicks the show off with a bang and is the sort of pull-out-all-the-stops number you expect much later in a show. The tone is set for a show that isn’t afraid to be flamboyant, a bit crass and very sexual.

“Cabaret” is set in Germany during the 1930s as the Nazis are coming to power and alternates between the stage shows at the Kit Kat Klub and the romance of its star performer Sally Bowles (Liz Clark Golson) and Clifford Bradshaw (Grant Golson), an American writer seeking inspiration.

At its core, “Cabaret” is a love story that turns tragic with the inevitable arrival of Nazism in Berlin. The first act is buoyant and lighthearted as Sally leaves the Kit Kat Klub to live with Cliff. Cliff and Sally allow their love to blind them to everything around them as they join in Berlin’s non-stop party.

There’s a sweet parallel love story involving Cliff’s landlady Fraulein Schneider (Megan Thomas) with one of her tenets Herr Shultz (Craig Holden). Although their love story is secondary, Thomas and Holden’s endearing performances make it the heart of the play.

Clark Golson and Golson, who got married this summer, have a playful chemistry, with Golson playing straight-man to Clark Golson’s impetuous and naïve Sally. Clark Golson has the big shoes of Lisa Minnelli to fill, and while she doesn’t match that high watermark — few could after all — her take on Sally is fun and, when it has to be, quite affecting.

Those familiar with the 1972 film adaptation of the original 1968 Broadway staging of “Cabaret” are in for a surprise, because James’ production is more in line with the 1998 revival of the show. That reworking of the show turned up the volume on the show’s innate sexuality and bisexuality.

The emcee of the Kit Kat Klub was originally played by Joel Grey in a Tony and Academy Award winning performance. The character was re-imagined by Alan Cumming in a Tony Award winning performance. Cumming’s take was more sexualized and boisterously over-the-top than Grey’s. Luttrell follows closely to Cumming’s interpretation, but that is not a criticism. Luttrell has a vibrant and mischievous presence that is a exhilarating whenever he comes on stage.

The cabaret song and dances such as “Don’t Tell Mama,” “Two Ladies” and “Money” are full of infectious energy and are inventively choreographed by James. The subversive natures of the lyrics are well matched by the provocative dance routines that feature numerous dancers often in elaborate synchronized routines. Everything is delivered with an impressive precision.

The songs that take place off the Kit Kat stage may seem dull in comparison, and in some cases, with more conventional ballads like “Maybe This Time,” it seems the production is dragging. But these quieter “real life” performances are in their own way just as irreverent as those of the Kit Kat Klub and are a nice balance to the musical’s more outrageous moments.

As the real life scenes turn bleak — the first appearance of a swastika arm band is a shocker — so do the scenes at the Kit Kat Klub. When the curtain rises on the second act, the tone has shifted and James’ production handles the change well and earns its emotional payoffs.

The Kit Kat Klub performances, which in the first act were frivolous, begin to reflect the growing atmosphere of fear and persecution. “I Don’t Care Much” and the title song, sung by Luttrell and Clark Golson, respectively, are delivered with heart-wrenching bravado, and their one-two punch will stir even the most stone-faced.

The production’s final scenes become progressively darker, as what was previously just an ominous feeling becomes a harsh reality. For a show that starts out so frothy, it may be a shock for some how profoundly and deeply affecting the show’s final moments are. There is a real sense of pain that gives the whole show an extra weight and makes “Cabaret” more than just light escapism.

For tickets call the box office at 356-5776 or visit www.mwvtheatre.org.

Del Toro's imagination makes 'Hellboy II' a helluva good time

In a market saturated with comic book adaptation, don’t count out “Hellboy II: The Golden Army” out. It is a film that is more in of a robust fantasy adventure than a slam-bam superhero movie.

“Hellboy II,” based on the comic books by Mike Mignola, is directed by Guillermo Del Toro. Del Toro also directed the first film, but in the interim made the visionary “Pan’s Labyrinth,” an astounding fantasy film for adults that played on fears both real and fantastic. The “Hellboy” films are more mainstream, but Del Toro brings visual panache and imagination to the films that raise them above run-of-the-mill Hollywood fare.

The first film was released by Sony, but that studio passed on the sequel. In came Universal Studios, which — banking on Del Toro’s talent — grabbed up what Sony tossed out. It would seem in the wake of the critical success of “Pan’s Labyrinth” that Universal gave complete creative freedom to Del Toro.

In the first film we learned that Hellboy (or Red, as he’s affectionately called throughout both films) was a baby demon sent through a portal from another dimension and then raised by a kindly professor (John Hurt) to battle evil instead of being a force of darkness.

Hellboy (Ron Perlman) is a cigar smoking, cat loving and Baby Ruth eating wise-guy with an attitude problem, but a good heart who works for the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense. His partners are Abe Sapien (Doug Jones), a fish-man with psychic abilities; his girlfriend Liz Sherman (Selma Blair), a woman with pyrokinetic powers; and Johann Krauss (voice of Seth MacFarlane of “Family Guy”), a gaseous spirit kept alive by a containment suit.

The plot of this new film involves a prince (Luke Goss, “Blade II”) of a parallel world of mythic creatures who have decided to end a long standing truce with humanity. He plans to bring back the indestructible golden army. The back story of the army is told by computer enhanced marionettes in a visually compelling opening sequence.

There is a sweet subplot involving Abe falling in love with the prince’s twin sister, who joins Hellboy and his team in an attempt to stop her brother. There’s a moment about midway through the film involving the lovelorn Hellboy and Abe that is unexpected and completely inspired. Many critics have ruined the surprise. I won’t, but needless to say beer and Barry Manilow don’t mix well.

The plot of “Hellboy II” is nothing special. It is mere set-up for Del Toro to create some wonderfully unique creatures. One such creation, an angel of death with eyes on his wings, will linger in your memory long after the credits roll.

A sequence set in a hidden black market run by mythic creatures is a rich setting full of things happening in every corner. It is that attention to rendering a fully realized world that gives Del Toro’s films an edge.

Those wanting action shouldn’t worry, there’s plenty, most memorably a sequence involving creatures called tooth fairies because they have a fondness for eating teeth, but they don’t mind devouring the rest of a victim either. Another scene involving Hellboy protecting a baby while he does battle with a large plant creature has imagination and humor to spare.

Like its predecessor, “Hellboy II” has a droll, off-beat sensibility that gels nicely with the dark visuals. Perlman, a quirky character actor who previous to his success as Hellboy was probably best known for the 1980s TV series “Beauty and the Beast,” is ideal for this sort of character.

Perlman is required to toss off a lot of quips, and he delivers them with a deadpan perfection that never feels forced. He as a dynamic and forceful screen presence, but can also be tender and vulnerable especially involving scenes with Blair’s Liz. As with the original, their love story is the heart of the film.

With “Iron Man,” “Hulk,” “and “The Dark Knight,” summer 2008 has definitely been the summer of superheroes. It is hard to say where “Hellboy” fits in that mix, but here’s hoping he doesn’t get lost.

M&D's 'Bash' packs a punch

Playwright and filmmaker Neil LaBute is a dark guy. There’s a good chance his work will leave an audience angry and on edge. He takes a look at the underbelly of humanity and addresses the terrible that lurks in the mundane and under the facade of normalcy. All this makes a LaBute play a perfect candidate for M&D Productions.

LaBute’s “Bash,” a collection of three one-acts, opened last night in M&D’s summer location, the old shoe factory next to Curves in Fryeburg, Maine, and is running July 18-19 and July 24-26.

“It is a show I liked on many levels,” said managing director Mark DeLancey. “It was very interestingly written. I thought it was a beautiful piece that was easy to orchestrate and easy to technically produce and still pack the punch and pack the wallop that M&D’s mission was known for.”

The three pieces focus on seemingly harmless people, who happen to be Mormon but are capable of terrible things. In “Medea Redux,” a woman tells of her complex and ultimately tragic relationship with her junior high school English teacher; in “Iphigenia in Orem,” a Utah businessperson makes a confession to a stranger in a Las Vegas hotel room; and in “A Gaggle of Saints,” a young couple separately recounts the violent events of an anniversary weekend in New York City.

Like LaBute’s other work, which includes the films “In The Company of Men,” “Your Friends and Neighbors” and “The Shape of Things,” “Bash” takes the everyday people that we as a society think we know and trust — co-workers, family, friends, and neighbors — and challenges our perception of them and ourselves.

“He [LaBute] makes you so angry at these people, and yet you know them,” said director Clayton Philips, the former artistic director of Barnstormers. “You feel like you know these people and you can’t understand why they do the things they do and they somehow justify it.”

For Philips, how people justify their actions, no matter how terrible, through faith, is the over-arching theme that links the three one-act plays.

“There’s a lot in this piece about people’s acceptance and people taking responsibility for the things they do,” said Philips. “Frequently in the world we can look to a higher power or fate or other things to justify our behaviors, and, in this particularly piece, quite frequently people find justification in things that are beyond them.”

“Bash” is not an easy play to watch because it does make its audience work. There are two different poles of theater and the middle ground where they bleed together. There is the light and fluffy show that is meant to purely entertain, and then there’s the show that sets out to challenge audience members and make them think. “Bash” is definitely in the latter category.

“It pushes your envelope and not just morality as a subject to talk about, but your own morality compared to other people’s moralities,” said Delancey. “He [LaBute] really sucks you in with the writing by making you feel these are common everyday people that you can relate to on whatever manner you want to relate to them on, and then he turns it around so you see something obviously immoral happen. But then your mind goes to the place, 'Well, wait a minute this person was fine a minute ago, but now there’s something wrong with them, how am I suppose to react to this?'"

It’s LaBute sharp ear for naturalistic dialogue that becomes the audience’s entry point for subject matters that if addressed in a less realistic approach would feel ham-fisted or contrived.

“Quite frequently I can sit here listening to it and I feel like they’re making up the words, that’s how well it is written,” said Philips. “It really is amazing.

Rarely can you find a writer that writes that naturally.”
The quality of the writing is something that has excited the actors in a way most productions they are involved in rarely do.

“I didn’t see or read the other two [acts] and then we met this week and I just watched it and I was like, ‘They’re all really good,’ ” said Brian Chamberlain, who appears in “Iphigenia in Orem.” “I e-mailed all my acting friends that I do other shows with in other places, and I usually don’t do that because a lot of shows I am in I don’t want them to see because they’re just crap, but they might pay.”
As an actor Chamberlain is thrilled to have the opportunity to explore a character that is richly written and with multiple facets.

“That’s why I love M&D, they do these shows that actors want to do,” said Chamberlain. “If I do my job right, they [audience members] are going to like me, then they are going to get mad at me, they are going to be scared by me, they are going to be sad for me. They are going to go through this whole gamut of emotions.”
Rae E. McCarey, who appears in “A Gaggle of Saints,” agrees with Chamberlain that being able to appear in “Bash” has been a wonderful experience that, as an actor, has forced her to discover and learn things she wouldn’t have otherwise.

“It is a privilege for me and I consider it an honor to be a part of this production,” said McCarey. “It is so different from anything I’ve ever done. It is the biggest challenge for me as an actor because it is dramatic and intense and so charged and it is difficult to separate yourself.”

But it is not only the actors who are excited about their work, but their director. Clayton has only high praise for their performances.

“These performances are amazing, and I don’t always say that but they really are,” said Clayton. “They just went to these wonderful places and all I’d say was, ‘That was really good, can you take it a step further?’ When you have actors that find these things and are wiling to really go into these dark places themselves and find these complex things going on, it makes my job real easy.”

Tickets are $15 adults and $10 students and seniors. All performances are at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. For more information or to make a reservation, call the box office at 662-7591.

'WALL-E' is complete magic

“WALL-E,” a robot love story with a social conscience, may be an animated feature, but adults would be wrong to dismiss it as merely kid fare. Like last year's “Ratatouille,” the Pixar Animation studio is working on another level and telling a simple story with a sophistication and eloquence that is so often lacking in both animated and live action films alike.

Pixar has the best the track record in Hollywood. Starting with 1995’s “Toy Story,” the studio hasn’t had a dud yet. It pioneered the computer-animated feature and is rarely matched in terms of visuals and storytelling.

The key to Pixar’s success is its refusal to condescend to its viewers, whether they are adult or child. Its films deal with universal stories and time-worn messages, but present them with imagination, intelligence and unforced sincerity.

With “WALL-E,” writer-director Andrew Stanton (“Finding Nemo”) has created something truly special and quite magical. The title character is the last of a team of robots left to clean up Earth after humanity left its trashed planet to float around in hover chairs in a giant ocean-linear-like spaceship called the Axiom.

During his 700 years of trash compacting, WALL-E has developed a personality. While going about his business he also picks up items he likes and brings them back to his pad, which he shares with a roommate of sorts: a cockroach. Believe it or not, you’ll grow fond of that cockroach.

WALL-E’s most prized possession is a video of “Holly Dolly” from which he has learned about love. He gets to experience love first-hand when a spaceship drops off EVE, a robot sent to see if plant life has returned to Earth. The love story that unfolds on Earth and eventually on the Axiom is engaging, sweet and even touching.

You wind up caring a lot about these two little robots, which is all the more amazing since their conversations almost exclusively consist of saying their names to each other. The emotional range attached to simply calling out someone’s name is larger than you might expect.

Large portions of the film play like a silent film, with WALL-E a stand in for Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton. This does mean there is a lot of slapstick comedy, but it has the same grace and beauty of those pre-sound comedies. Just as with Chaplin’s best work, Stanton has managed to add a lot of pathos to the comedy antics on screen.

While this isn’t a dark movie, the underlining message is a sobering one. After all, WALL-E is roaming around an Earth decimated by humanity. Humans are shown as blobs of fat lulled into that state by centuries of robot pampering. There are quiet commentaries about the dangers of the path humanity is currently on.

The film is not heavy handed or forceful with its message. It simply presents a cautionary view of one possible future. Although there is a happy ending, the film is certainly not recommending staying our course.

The film features very little voiceover work. The bleep and blops that make up WALL-E’s speech were created by Ben Burtt, who created the sound design for R2D2 in the “Star Wars” movies.

Fred Willard (“Best in Show,” “A Mighty Wind”) makes a funny live action appearance as the president of Buy N Large, the conglomerate that apparently not only monopolized all businesses but all governments, too. Jeff Garlin (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”) is also amusing as the captain of the Axiom, who upon meeting WALL-E and EVE is knocked out of his apathetic state.

The animation in “WALL-E” is at times absolutely stunning, as when WALL-E looks on in wonder at celestial bodies while hitching a ride to the Axiom. There is also a lovely sequence where WALL-E and EVE “dance” through space that is both visually and emotionally beautiful.

The joys to be had watching “WALL-E” can’t be overstated. If you have children and they have yet to drag you to see it, then drag them with you. If you don’t have children, go anyway. It is one of the best films of the year.

Five films for Independence Day

The colonists who formed the United States left England because they felt persecuted and sought a land where they could be free. To paraphrase Abraham Lincoln, 11 score and 12 years ago our fathers brought forth a new nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. As we honor Independence Day, I give you five films that aren’t about patriotism, but rather focus on equality. These are films that challenge us to embrace our differences and remind us that we’re all just people.

“The Day the Earth Stood Still” (1951)
The 1950s were full of campy films featuring alien invasions and men dressed in cheap monster suits, but “The Day the Earth Stood Still” was something more. A humanoid alien arrives in Washington D.C. with his loyal and powerful robot to present a simple message of peace, but decides to explore Earth life before delivering it. Though somewhat dated this still remains a surprisingly relevant and potent milestone in the science fiction genre.

“My Left Foot” (1989)
Based on the true story of Christy Brown, who was born with cerebral palsy but overcame his handicap to become a renowned painter, “My Left Foot” challenges our perception of those with disabilities as being defective. Daniel Day-Lewis won his first Academy Award for his brilliant portrayal of Brown, who is shown as vibrant individual who refuses to be victimized. He’ll even start a bar fight if he has to. It is a truly uplifting story that is honest and affecting where other supposedly heartwarming films are false and cloying.

“Orlando” (1992)
Tilda Swinton (“Michael Clayton”) stars as a lord who is told by Elizabeth I to never grow old — and remarkably he does remain forever young in feminist filmmaker Sally Potter’s adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s novel. Along his journey the lord gets a big lesson about society’s perception of gender roles and differences when he awakes one morning a woman. Not as pretentious or inaccessible as it may sound, this is an intelligent, funny and beautifully-shot meditation on gender.

“Remember the Titans” (2000)
The true story of the successful season of a racially integrated high school football team in the early 1970s is presented as a straightforward feel-good story by Disney. But even though audiences know every beat the story takes, the film works. A strong cast led by the always solid Denzel Washington delivers the message of equality with humor and a lot of heart. The film ultimately comes across as genuine when it easily could’ve become preachy and heavy-handed.

“Hedwig and the Angry Inch” (2001)
A rock musical in the tradition of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” but with bigger ideas, “Hedwig” is the story of a transsexual who escapes East Germany in hopes of becoming a punk rock goddess. The music is infectious and presented with the gusto of Broadway. The story and humor are subversive to say the least, but at its core the film is also sweet and rather touching as Hedwig tries to find his/her place in the world.

'Get Smart' gets it right

When Hollywood is bereft of ideas, one of the wells it lowers its bucket into is classic TV. Everything from “The Beverly Hillbillies” to “The Mod Squad” to “I Spy” to “Bewitched” have been given the big-budget, big-stars treatment. The results are usually dire. So it is with a sigh of relief that I can say the great 1960s spy spoof “Get Smart” will not be tossed into the same rubbish bin.

“Get Smart” then and now centers on the misadventures of Maxwell Smart, an inept field agent for the spy agency CONTROL who does battle with Russian adversaries at KAOS. Then Maxwell was played with deadpan perfection by Don Adams. Now, in a masterstroke of casting, he is played Steve Carell who is so good at deadpan deliver on NBC’s “The Office” that sometimes it is hard to see the line between serious and funny.

Maxwell’s partner who is usually left with the chore of getting him out of jams is Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway, “The Devil Wears Prada”). Hathaway may seem like an odd replacement for Barbara Feldon, but she proves an excellent choice. Previously, I hadn’t been won over by Hathaway, who always seemed pretty and perky, but little more. Here she showcases fine comedic timing. It could be that the Carell’s comic energy upped Hathaway’s game.

Carell and Hathaway earn their biggest laughs together in a dance sequence that brings their rivalry to a head. The duo projects a genuine chemistry that falls flat only when the script by Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember tries to force more serious or romantic moments. These moments are small and don’t drag film’s pacing to a halt.

This isn’t just Carell and Hathaway’s show, though. The whole cast is pitch-perfect. This is definitely a case of a cast making good material — at least at times — reach excellence. Alan Arkin (“Little Miss Sunshine”) as The Chief steals the movie in the final act and earns the film’s single biggest laugh with his reaction to a car accident.

Terence Stamp (“The Limey”) as the head of KAOS exudes menace with a knowing wink. Arkin and Stamp are such old pros that their mere presence elevates everything around them to another level.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson continues to show a knack for comedy as Agent 23, and Masi Oka (“Heroes”) earns laughs as one of CONTROL's gadget inventors. There are also funny cameos by Bill Murray and James Caan.
“Get Smart” doesn’t feel like a shameless cash in. There seems to be a real affection for the series from everyone involved, which is refreshing since most film adaptations of TV shows are in name only.

The few adaptations that have worked balanced paying tribute to the source material while finding their own voice. This held true for the first “Charlie’s Angels” film, “Starsky and Hutch” and “The Brady Bunch Movie,” all of which took a self-parody tone that was perhaps the only way to approach the kitsch factor associated with those series.

But “Get Smart” was already a parody of James Bond and Cold War politics, so a self-parody would’ve fallen painfully flat. Thankfully, this update finds the right tone of nostalgia for the original, while creating something new that will have appeal to those who wouldn’t know Maxwell Smart from Maxwell Edison.

The “Get Smart” film is more action-oriented than its television counterpart, but, although there are explosions and car chases, these set pieces are played for laughs not thrills. There is a great sequence with Agent 99 having to save Maxwell from a parachute-less free fall, and another involving Maxwell dangling from a plane.

Although there are catch phrases and in-jokes for fans of the show, this is a stand-alone piece. It has its own style, but doesn’t negate the spirit of it predecessor. You get the impression that show creators Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, who were consultant on the film, would’ve tried similar gags if they had the budget that director Peter Segal was afforded.

On a side note, film buffs will appreciate a nice homage to the classic War Room scenes from “Dr. Strangelove.” It is a nice above-and-beyond touch.

New 'Hulk' a smashing good time

The newly minted Marvel Studio is on a roll. After years of selling the rights to their titles to other production companies, Marvel comics made the bold move to produce its own films, and thus far the company is no joke. Following on the heels of their wildly entertaining “Iron Man,” Marvel delivers another surprisingly good film in “The Incredible Hulk.”

You may recall that it was just five years ago that audiences were already given the story of the mild mannered scientist Bruce Banner who after a freak accident is bestowed with the curse (or is it a gift?) of turning into a giant green behemoth whenever he gets angry.

That was Ang Lee’s “Hulk,” which received a lukewarm reception from critics and was largely reviled by fans of the comic book. Instead of doing a direct sequel, Marvel Studio decided to do a complete re-do, similar to the way “Batman Begins” and the forthcoming “Dark Knight” are a new series of “Batman” films.

Lee’s “Hulk” was sort of fascinating in the way it used the Hulk as a metaphor for suppressed childhood memories. The struggle between Banner and his alter ego can make for great, thoughtful drama, but Lee’s “Hulk” swung too far to the cerebral and forgot that one of the simple pleasures of the character was watching him smash things.

This new “Hulk” is directed by Louis Leterrier, who helmed the underrated “Unleashed.”
That film featured Jet Li as a man trained to act as an attack dog. Leterrier not only ratcheted up the brutal martial scenes in that film, but also featured tender moments and coaxed the best English-language performance out of Li. Leterrier brings that same well-calibrated balance between quiet drama and loud bash around action to his “Hulk.”

Leterrier, working from a script by Zak Penn with an un-credited re-write by star Edward Norton, gets the back story out of the way in the title sequence. He drops the audience in Rio de Janeiro, where Banner (Norton) is hiding out working at a bottling plant and searching for a cure.

His nemesis, General Thunderbolt Ross (William Hurt, “Vantage Point”) is desperately pursuing him to try to exploit his power for military applications. Ross employs the help of a mercenary named Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth, “Reservoir Dogs,” “Rob Roy”) to capture him. Blonsky is in awe of the Hulk’s power, and through a super-solider serum he begins to be able to match him in battle.

The script sets up a brilliant device of having Banner’s heart rate be the Hulk trigger. The key number is 200. Knowing this bit of information adds an extra layer of suspense to a foot chase through the streets and roof tops of Rio. The faster Banner runs, the quicker his heart beats.

This first chase is well paced and recalls the best scenes in the “Bourne” franchise. As with “Iron Man” the first half hour is presented with a certain degree of realism that helps keep the film grounded when it shifts fully into comic book mode.

The film basically plays like a chase movie from the moment Banner’s Rio location is compromised. Banner is forced to stop being a loner and get help. Aid comes in the form of his former girlfriend Betty Ross (Liv Tyler, “The Strangers”) and a slightly mad scientist wonderfully played by Tim Blake Nelson (“O Brother Where Art Thou”).

The film is elevated by having excellent actors who are giving the same caliber performance they would if they were in a more “serious” film. Norton, who has brilliantly played conflicted characters in such films as “Fight Club” and “American History X,” is ideally cast as Banner. Norton has a way of carrying the burden of the Hulk that is nuanced and believable.
Roth has been a go-to man for villainy for years, and he fleshes out Blonsky into an interesting character. He is not necessarily a bad guy, just one who desires power — and that hunger leads him to transform into a monster. He becomes a dynamic counter balance to Norton’s Banner. One man struggles to gain power, while the other tries to lose it.

Tyler and Norton have a low-key romantic chemistry and share some funny banter. A sex scene getting cut short out of fear of an appearance by the Hulk is particularly amusing. Tyler also admirably develops a believable relationship with the computer-generated Hulk. There is a nice beauty and the beast feel to the scenes they share. A scene in a cave even favorably evokes the same sort of warmth that appeared in Peter Jackson’s “King Kong.”

This Hulk is no softy though. In battle he is a rough-and-tumble rumbler who will rip a car in half and use it as a pair of boxing gloves. The final confrontation between Hulk and a souped-up Blonsky is an action packed clash that is exactly what fan boys are hoping for.

'The Visitor' is a warm, funny and important human drama

“The Visitor” may sound like the title for the latest big-budget alien-invasion film or psychological thriller, but it is neither of those things. Instead it is a powerful human drama that, in its own small way, is an important film.

The film focuses on Walter (Richard Jenkins), a Connecticut college professor who discovers that two immigrants, Tarek (Haaz Sleiman) and Zainab (Danai Gurira), are living in a New York apartment he owns, but hasn’t visited in years. Instead of kicking them out, he invites them to stay, and a friendship develops.

Tarek is from Syria and Zainab from Senegal and both are Muslim, but these characters' ethnicities or religious beliefs do not rigidly define them. They are not presented as racial stereotypes.

Walter becomes intrigued by Tarek’s drum playing, and Tarek begins offering lessons. They develop a quick bond, and Walter, a widow who disconnected from the world, starts to live again.

It turns out that Tarek and Zainab are illegal immigrants, and when Tarek is arrested for a nothing offense that he didn’t even commit,he is thrown into detention. Walter tries to help legalize Tarek but finds it isn’t that easy in a post 9/11 world.

The film isn’t a heavy-handed social lesson. Writer/director Thomas McCarthy is shrewder than that. There are scenes of anger and frustration at the system, but at the core the film is told on a personal level and doesn’t get involved with murky politics. The film is all the stronger for keeping its story on people and never succumbing to the urge to have a soapbox speech.

McCarthy’s previous film was the equally wonderful “Station Agent,” another story about a private man whose life is rejuvenated by making unlikely friends. The basic template behind both films is hardly new, but McCarthy has a way of presenting stories of broken or lost souls that seem fresh.

The key is that McCarthy doesn’t become stuck in plot. Too often characters get undermined when they are forced through the illogical hoops of screenwriting 101. McCarthy’s characters behave like real people, not movie people. His characters are warm, intelligent and dimensional.

Jenkins, a character actor, who has been popping up in small film and TV roles for over 20 years, will be a familiar face to audiences, but it isn’t likely they’ll know from where. As Walter, he is quiet and reserved, and walking through life on autopilot. Jenkins hints at the underlining pain to the character and paints Walter’s reawakening to humanity in small gestures instead of broad strokes. There is a joy in the drum scenes that is sure to make audiences’ smile broadly.

Jenkins is surrounded by uniformly strong performances. Sleiman as Tarek is instantly likable, and it is plain to see why just about anyone would be eager to befriend him. His relaxed screen presence makes it easy to care about his plight.

Hiam Abbass plays Tarek’s mother, who develops a parallel friendship with Walter as they both try to find a way to free Tarek from detention. There is unforced chemistry between Jenkins and Abbass that touches on romance, but never quite gives over to it.

But the film isn’t a non-stop love fest between different races. Zainab is uncertain of Walter and his intentions. It isn’t racism, but a protective guard — and Gurira plays this delicately. There is a truth to this character. Many people innately don’t trust what they don’t know and prefer to stay with their own people than to risk mixing with others. McCarthy was wise to keep this in as it shows an understanding of people and adds depth to his story.

“The Visitor” isn’t a hard film to watch, but its presentation of characters as individuals and not clichés, no matter what their ethnic background, is something rare in films. The film puts a face on the illegal immigration issue and shows characters from the Middle East who are something more than terrorists. Some may be quick to brand the film as left-wing propaganda, but this is not a liberal or conservative film, it is a human film.

Ben Hammond is honestly talented at least 'reasonably' so

Singer/songwriter showcases new album at Stone Mountain Arts Center

It can never be said that musician Ben Hammond isn’t loyal to where he grew up. No matter what adventures his life takes him on, the 2001 Fryeburg Academy graduate from Hiram, Maine always comes home to share his new life experiences.

This time he returns to the Mount Washington Valley with his first album, “[Reasonably] Honest,” for a performance at the Stone Mountain Art Center in Brownfield, Maine, on June 10 at 8 p.m.

“A lot of the bigger artists that go there talk about how nice it is to go back and play a small venue again, and for me it is like this huge venue,” said Hammond, who has been a staple of the valley bar scene on and off for the past few years.

The show is part of an album tour that has had Hammond bouncing back and forth across the Canadian border. Thus far he has had shows in London, Ontario, Toronto, Montreal, Burlington, Vt., Bangor, Maine, Norwood, Mass., and Boston. The tour will continue with another trip to Montreal and appearances in Portland, Maine, and New Jersey.

Hammond’s connection to Canada goes back to his years studying music technology at McGill University in Montreal. It is there that he developed his talent as a musician by performing in jazz, rock, hip hop and a cappella groups and where he established many of his musical contacts. When it came time to record his first album, it seemed natural to head back to the Great White North, and so this past November Hammond set off to Toronto.

The final product of his time in Toronto reveals an artist who is not your topical singer/songwriter. Many of the songs on “[Reasonably] Honest” start with a simple acoustic base and layer on elements of jazz, hip hop and reggae, sometimes within the same song.

“Having known Ben since he first picked up a bass guitar, I can say that he's always been both talented and ambitious,” said Kelly Muse who is performing with Hammond at the Stone Mountain show. “His jazz experience gives him the skills to write really intelligent songs, but Ben manages to do so in a way that isn’t forced. It’s a rare kind of organic smart rock that brings elements of folk, funk and jazz. His new album is a perfect example."

Dan Berglund, who has known Hammond since nursery school and will also be joining him Tuesday, agrees that Hammond’s diverse musical background makes him a fresh voice and performer.

“I think his new album is great,” said Berglund. “His voicings and harmonies are a clear indication of his musical intelligence, and the broad scope of the styles he writes in is a refreshing change from the commercial pop scene.”

“Let’s Get Alone,” the first track on “[Reasonably] Honest” perfectly encapsulates Hammond’s ability to blend genres. Starting out as a catchy, pop jazz song, it seamlessly segues into a rap interlude written and performed by Kweku, one of Hammond’s friends from his days at McGill. The track’s inventiveness is the ideal opener because it lets listeners know they are in the presence of an artist who is willing to take chances.

“We decided to put it up front almost like the way an emcee would introduce a show,” said Hammond. “[Kweku] is introducing a lot of the lyrical themes that happen on the album. I think it worked out really well in that way, and I think it gives a different texture.”

The songs on “[Reasonably] Honest” may seem like a straightforward collection of love songs, but there’s more going on. Hammond begins with the formula of a love ballad and gives it a twist. His songs feature conflict and struggle. They aren’t all sunshine and rainbows. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Hammond is willing to go beyond the superficial and brush up against darker themes.

“Instead of writing break-up songs, I tend to write almost-broken-up songs, and I think those are a lot more interesting than either straight ‘I love you’ or straight ‘I hate you’ because who really feels one way or the other?” said Hammond. “I think on the first listen a lot of my songs you don’t necessarily catch that there are other levels happening lyrically because they can come across as just love songs, which is fine, I don’t mind that.”

There is also a craft in the production of the songs themselves that some listeners may not catch on to, but indeed the recording process for “[Reasonably] Honest” was crucial to its success.

“We did this one a bit different than most pop and rock albums,” said Hammond of the recording process. “We did it in more of a jazz way, in that everything was recorded at the same time and we added to it afterwards, but the vocals, the drums, the bass, the guitar and the piano were all done live in the studio and that was sort of the vibe we were going for with the album — the organic, live, jazzy, improvisational feel where it is loose.”

Once the album was done, Hammond knew he’d want to tour with it, but more importantly he knew he wanted to have a big show in his hometown area.

“I thought about doing a venue in Portland, but then I’d lose a lot of the North Conway crowd and vice versa I’d lose all my Portland people if I did a North Conway show,” said Hammond. “Something right near Hiram would be the best, so Stone Mountain is a perfect venue, not too huge, but big enough to have a big party.”

Joining Hammond in the party is a special guest band put together specifically for the Stone Mountain show featuring Hammond on guitar, Muse on bass, Berglund on drums and Gabe Nespoli on piano.

“I’m really looking forward to this group,” said Hammond. “Everyone involved is just such a great musician and has their own voice to give to it. I tend to look for that; I really hate playing with these sort of robot players. There are some guys that are fantastic, but they only play exactly what you tell them to play. For me my music is a bit more dynamic and improvised than that.”

It is that willingness and openness to explore different genres and what other musicians have to offer that Nespoli — who is coming down from Toronto for the show — admires most about Hammond.

“I have always envied not only Ben's incredibly diverse musical interests, but also the way in which he lets them influence his music and playing, making him quite the musical chameleon,” said Nespoli, who played on “[Reasonably] Honest” and has been touring with Hammond. “He values the influences of other musicians with whom he is playing, and is eager to incorporate what they bring to the table. This creates a very comfortable, unique and unified sound that is hard to come by these days.”

Hammond is hoping to run through the whole album at the Stone Mountain show following a solo acoustic set of older material. He also promises a few unexpected musical surprises.

“Touring with Ben has been a really enjoyable experience for me since we're not playing the songs exactly as they are on the album,” said Nespoli. “For the live shows we've opened the songs up a little more, making them edgier and livelier.”

Tickets cost $15 and are available at www.stonemountainartscenter.com. “[Reasonably] Honest” is on sale in the valley at White Mountain Cider Company, Cafe Carleo, White Birch Books and Cigar Emporium as well at Bull Moose in Portland, Maine and online at iTunes and at http://cdbaby.com/cd/benhammond.

Top ten summer blockbusters

Every summer the studios wheel out their latest line of potential hits, praying they haven’t misjudged the market as they gamble with millions upon millions of dollars. Here are 10 of the best, and in some cases, the trailblazers, of summer blockbusters.

"Jaws" (1975)
Director Steven Spielberg is the king of escapism. This whole list could be full of his films, but this one makes it above all others because this is the original blockbuster. Before Spielberg unleashed “Jaws,” the idea of a summer blockbuster didn’t exist. What made the difference? “Jaws” was the first film to have a nationwide release. It was also more than just another dumb creature feature. It was a stellar mix of humor, horror, adventure and top-notch acting from Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss.

"Star Wars" (1977)
Spielberg opened the blockbuster door, but George Lucas ripped it off its hinges by presenting a special- effects-filled space adventure like no audience had ever seen before. Lucas used a simple story playing off of old themes and mythology to create a fully realized universe with rich characters and a sense of humor, fun and mysticism. It is a film that has become deeply rooted in our greater social consciousness, and not even the less-than-amazing new trilogy could stain that.

"Animal House" (1978)
You don’t need elaborate special effects to spawn a blockbuster, as the unexpected hit “Animal House” proved. Powered by an unrelentingly maniac comic performance by John Belushi, this collegiate comedy gave birth to the tradition of raunchy, vulgar summer comedies. There have been plenty of low-brow imitators, but what so many of them lack is an underlining intelligence to the crude humor. It takes brains to do dumb well, and that’s why 30 years later "Animal House" is still a wonderfully subversive classic.

"Ghostbusters" (1984)
“Saturday Night Live” and “SCTV” veterans Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis battle ghosts in a perfect marriage of outrageous comedy and tremendous visual effects. Too often visuals upstage the laughs or drama of a film, but here they sit next to each other, enhancing and driving the story forward. This is the obvious forerunner for other sci-fi comedies, most notably “Men in Black,” another summer sensation.

"Batman" (1989)
Superhero movies have become huge summer bread winners in the last decade. And “Batman” and 1978’s “Superman” were the ones that started it all. Alas, “Superman’s” December release disqualifies its inclusion on this list. But “Batman” is no slouch and set the standard for the current crop of superhero films. Director Tim Burton took the material serious, and although some comic book purists don’t like the liberties Burton took with the characters, it is hard to fault the film's visual style and its dark sense of humor.

"Terminator 2: Judgment Day" (1991)
Director James Cameron with George Lucas’ effects company Industrial Lights and Magic pioneered some extraordinary computer-generated visuals in 1989’s “Abyss.” Two years later they further perfected them with the creation of the liquid metal, shape-shifting villain Arnold Schwarzenegger battles in a sequel that out-does its predecessor not only in terms of thrills, but emotional resonance. Films laden with computer-generated effects are a dime a dozen now, but this is one of the first to do it well and boy, oh boy does it still hold up.

"Sixth Sense" (1999)
Summer movies don’t have to be about big action and big laughs. Sometimes a quiet thriller can sneak its way to the top. Audiences like to be scared, but too often filmmakers go for gore that disgusts, but doesn’t genuinely frighten. Writer/director M. Night Shyamalan reminded audiences that mood and atmosphere, story and acting are far more important than grisly visuals. Word spread quickly that his film delivered the chills. With his patented twists, Shyamalan has become a bit of a one-trick pony, but this first trick is still tops.

"Shrek" (2001)
Animated features have always been a big draw going back to 1939’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves,” but “Shrek” was different. It was tired of other animated films and lampooned them mercilessly and, somehow, at the same time showcased its own sweet story. Hilarious star voice work by Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz helped develop the animated roles into complete characters. The series would de-evolve into what it was initially mocking, but the first still remains hip and fresh.


"My Big Fat Greek Wedding" (2002)
The sleeper hit: a movie that no one expects to be a smash success, but that grows a steady and eventually massive following. Every once in a while a small “indie” film comes along and strikes a chord with audiences who are tired of the same old, same old. This small film about a non-Greek marrying into a huge Greek family did just that. Critics didn’t rave but its gentle, sweet sense of humor won people over. Costing only $5 million to make, it grossed over $368 million worldwide. Never underestimate the little movies.

"Pirates of Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" (2003)
A movie based on a theme park ride should’ve been a dire example of cross promotion gone wrong, but it is amazing what a single performance can do for a movie. Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow was such a unique character played with such zeal that many of the film’s shortcomings disappeared. Not that Depp was alone. He was ably matched by an equally gleeful performance by Geoffrey Rush, and Kiera Knightley and Orlando Bloom were pleasant supporting swashbucklers. But it was Depp’s show — and what a show.

What's all the brew-haha?

Coffee shops in Conway, N.H. not worried by the arrival of Starbucks

Who is afraid of the big bad Starbucks? Not the coffee shops of the North Conway and Conway villages.

The corporate coffee powerhouse opened for business in Settlers’ Crossing May 16, but the owners and managers of The Met Coffee House, Teeny Bean and Frontside Grind are not worried. In fact, depending on whom you ask, Starbucks has already been in the valley for the past two years.

“I think it is interesting how people would ask for two years, ‘I hear Starbucks is coming’ and I’d look around and say, ‘Coming? Its here,’” said Joe Quirk, the manager of the Conway Village’s Conway Café, which has been selling Starbucks coffee for the last couple years.

Quirk formed a business alliance with Starbucks that allows him to sell the Starbucks product, but keep the name Conway Café on the business.

“They [Starbucks] may not be able to carry a full-service store in a small village, where as I can complement my product with their product,” said Quirk. “I approached them with that and this is kind of an experimental basis because Starbucks owns all their own stores, so this is a very unique opportunity and a good opportunity to get to leave some of the money in town.”

Quirk believes the Starbucks shop, or the “second” Starbucks in Conway as he calls it, will complement the Conway Café similarly to the way the Dunkin Donuts throughout the valley complement each other. He is eager to work closely with the new location and to become “one happy family.”

But what about the coffee shops down in the North Conway Village? They aren’t too concerned, and nor should they be, at least according to an article in Slate by Taylor Clark. In the article, Clark contends a Starbucks moving into town can actually help independently-owned shops.

Clark cited several examples of owners of coffee shops having business boom thanks to the presence of a Starbucks. But Clark was also quick to say this was, of course, not the conglomerate’s intent. Starbucks would love to drive the competition out, Clark said, but when lines were too long at Starbucks customers would look elsewhere. The independent shops reaped the benefits.

This logic seems to hold true for North Conway, which was already competitive before the arrival of Starbucks’ shop on the strip. The Met, Frontside Grind and Teeny Bean are all within walking distance of each other in the North Conway Village, and yet all three carve out their own piece of the market.

“Competition is the key to thriving,” said Dianne Mello, the manager of The Met. “If you don’t have any competition you tend to lose focus, you tend to not grow, and Starbucks being in the valley is pushing us to be on top of everything.”

If anything, the three coffee shops seem to supplement each other and make sure a wider cross section of the community finds what they want.

“The Teeny Bean is great for outside seating and quick, on the go. They’ve got the little coffee handle kiosk,” said Mello. “Frontside Grind offers a different kind of climate, they offer more of a sporty atmosphere.”

Laura Denis, the co-owner of the Frontside Grind mirrors those sentiments, agreeing that The Met and Frontside Grind cater to completely different audiences.

“Our customers are kind of like the sports enthusiasts, the bikers, the climbers. They [The Met] cater to more of a metropolitan crowd,” said Denis.

Nestled at the end of the Norcross Shopping Center, and located between The Met and the Frontside Grind, the Teeny Bean manages to get by having a low overhead and small staff.

“We have no employees, we just work really hard and it is a small shop so the rent is not too high and we get by,” said Betsy Schurmas, the manager of the Teeny Bean. “We make enough in the summer to get through the winter.”

While this trifecta of coffee houses may be competitors, the rivalry is hardly cutthroat. Quite the contrary, it is downright friendly, according to Denis.

“It has always been great. When we run out of stuff we borrow it from them [The Met], and sometimes they borrow stuff from us,” said Denis. “It is a friendly, competitive atmosphere.”

Surely, if these shops can survive each other, they can weather the existence of Starbucks, the location of which is well down the road from the hustle and bustle of the North Conway Village.

“I think that particular store is going to get a lot of drive-through because that’s what we don’t offer here,” said Mello. “None of the coffee shops in this area have a drive-through capability. I think they’ll probably hurt Dunkin Donuts more than anything else because Dunkin Donuts is the only other drive-through coffee.”

Both Mello and Denis are willing to admit that Starbucks has a name recognition advantage for tourists driving through town who are just looking for something familiar.

“You go into an independently-owned coffee shop, you just don’t know what you’re going to get,” said Denis. “You don’t know if it's going to be good or bad. And that’s an advantage of a whole automatic system that they have. Push a button, a drink comes out and it is the same drink I got 50 miles away or 200 miles away.”

That isn’t pessimism, just an understanding of the market. Denis also believes that there is a strong mentality in the valley to support local businesses.

“People who work in town are going to keep coming here,” said Steven Cooney, a regular costumer of the Frontside Grind. “There’s a certain amount of resentment to places like Starbucks. So I’m sure they’ll continue to come to places like this.”

All three businesses hope to keep customers coming back to them by keeping the quality of their product high and by putting a focus on customer service. Mello and Denis agree that a friendly atmosphere and a sense of ambiance are what keep their respective clientele returning.

“I’ve gone into Starbucks before, but I don’t go in there because I enjoy going in there, I go in there because I need a cup of coffee,” said Mello. “People come here because they want to sit, they want to talk to our employees. They’ve gotten to know our employees. We know what they like to drink. It is like ‘Cheers,’ everyone knows your name.”

The other theme to come up from each of these conveyers of caffeine was art. Mello and Denis see themselves as artists with their canvas being a latte.

“It is not just making lattes and cappuccinos; we’re making art,” said Denis. “We pour latte art. We have people come in who’ve never seen it before and they drink lattes every day. They may be like, ‘Whoa, what is this?’ ‘It is a Rosetta, you’ve never seen one? Because you should be getting one.’”

Starbucks is fast-food coffee and there’s a place for that just as there is a place for what Mello, Denis and Schurmas offer. At the end of the day, Starbucks may just be another coffee shop, another competitor, albeit a corporately backed one. They're not necessarily the big bad wolf that will gobble up all the valley’s customers.

“All of us need to do better a job as far as the coffee industry,” said Quirk. “Realistically, we’re all in this together. We have to make sure we have satisfied customers.”

Indiana Jones and the just good enough sequel

I wish I could say that “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” was a excellent film-going experience, but I can’t do that in good conscience. I am recommending it, but with qualifiers.

It is great to see Harrison Ford back in the fedora and cracking the whip, if only for the nostalgic memories of the previous three adventures. Ford, at 65, still makes a viable hero and slips back into the Indy duds with great ease.

There’s a fabulous opening sequence set in a government warehouse, in which Indy and a former war buddy (Ray Winstone, “Beowulf”) are forced to help a group of Russians led by Cate Blanchett (“I’m Not There”) find an artifact. Since 19 years have passed since the last film, the same time has passed in Indy’s timeline, setting this new adventure in the 1950s and replacing the Nazis with Russians as the stock villains of choice.

This opening has the right tone of humor, action and smarts and gets the Indy character right. It is great fun and you hope it is the set up for more to come, but something goes off. As the film continues it feels less like an "Indiana Jones" movie and more like one of its imitators.

The muddled plot involves Indy teaming with a young greaser named Mutt (Shia LeBeouf, “Transformers”) to rescue their mutual acquaintance Professor Oxley (John Hurt) and Mutt’s mother and Indy’s former flame Marion (Karen Allen). Oxley and Marion are lost in the jungles of South America in search of a magical crystal skull that if returned to the mythic El Dorado will unleash a supreme power. Naturally the Russians are after this power too.

The plot is silly and corny, but so were the plots of the first three installments of the franchise. The “Indiana Jones” films were never about plot. The story was always just there to string together a succession of extraordinary action-set pieces. “Crystal Skull” follows in that tradition perfectly.

In addition to the opening, there are two other action sequences that are well worth the price of admission. The first involves Mutt and Indy on a motorcycle being pursued by Russian agents through the Yale campus. Like the opening sequence, this chase has the spirit right and is presented cleverly with a good dose of excitement.

The same goes for a more elaborate chase in the South American jungle. Among other things, it features LeBeouf and Blanchett dueling from separate vehicles speeding along parallel roads. This is some thrilling, smile-inducing stuff. Director Steven Spielberg is an old pro at escapist fun and few are better at delivering fun action with imagination and flare.

The series’ action was always spectacular, but what helped make the films special were the interpersonal relationships in between the exhilarating set pieces. There was a snap in the dialogue to match the snap of the whip. Whether it was Indy’s relationship with Marion in “Raiders of the Lost Ark” or Indy’s relationship with Sean Connery as his dad in “Last Crusade,” the Indy films always featured sharp dialogue and well drawn relationships.

And that’s where “Crystal Skull” fizzles. This shortcoming falls squarely on screenwriter David Koepp, who worked with Spielberg previously on “Jurassic Park.” At some point he loses the essence of the Indy character and relies on cheap one-liners instead of developing actual relationships.

A lot of the dialogue that is supposed to have zing feels stilted and forced. There are isolated one-liners that earn a chuckle, but much of the dialogue seems one degree removed. It is great to see Allen back in the series, but after a few barely barbed exchanges with Ford she isn’t asked to do much. LeBeouf is an able sidekick and a likable screen presence, but his chemistry with Ford is largely wasted with lame dialogue filled with old man jokes.

The rest of the cast fill their underwritten roles nicely and give their characters more color than on the page. Blanchett is given little to work with as the piece’s primary villain, but she does wonders just with her eyes. Her glares are almost as spectacular as some whole action sequences. Hurt is stuck in a role where he’s crazy for most of his screen time, but, being the consummate veteran that he is, he makes it work.

This latest incarnation of “Indiana Jones” does entertain, but it will also disappoint, simply because the standards were set so high by its predecessors. It is comparable to “Lost World,” Spielberg’s sequel to “Jurassic Park,” which entertained, but was no “Jurassic Park.” “Crystal Skull” is no “Raiders." It isn’t even a “Temple of Doom.”

'Li'l Abner' brings hillbilly hijinks to the Eastern Slope Playhouse

Hillbilly hijinks meet political satire in Arts In Motion’s lively, if flawed, production of “Li’l Abner,” which continues its run at the Eastern Slope Playhouse May 30-31 at 7:30 p.m.

First produced in 1956 and based on the classic Al Capp’s comic strip, “Li'l Abner” focuses on the small southern town of Dogpatch. The town is preparing for the annual Sadie Hawkins race, with the unmarried women chasing down their soon-to-be husbands. Daisy-Mae (Nora Cronin) has been pursuing Li’l Abner Yokum (Robert Crowson) for years to no avail.

Their world gets turned upside down when it is determined that Dogpatch is the most unnecessary town in the United States, and therefore a perfect candidate for nuclear testing. Everyone is to be evacuated unless the town can prove they are necessary.

The solution is Yokumberry Tonic, which has the ability to make any man strong and handsome. Li’l Abner wants to give it to the government, but the crooked General Bullmoose (Ralph Morse) and his cohorts, Evil-Eye Fleagle (Frank Smith) and Appassionata Von Climax (Emily Holden) want it for their own designs.

The show cleverly uses the guise of lowbrow, hillbilly humor to lampoon the government. Songs likes “The Country’s in the Very Best of Hands” and “Jubilation T. Cornpone,” which sings the praises of a cowardly, incompetent Confederate hero, are sharply written with lyrics that are still relevant over 50 years later.

The show loses some of its edge by adding references to Hillary Clinton, George W. Bush and others in an ill-advised attempt to make the production topical and more appealing to a modern audience. By clearly positioning the production as being set in 2008, the satire of the show is undermined.

When the play is set in the 1950s the nuclear testing premise is pointed satire, but the same premise doesn’t make sense when updated today. This production should’ve done a complete update or left the show in the 1950s. By only going half way you are left with an anachronistic mess.

That problem aside, there are still pleasures to be had in the production. The large cast is good even when the material lets them down. Cronin, a junior at Kennett High School, has a pleasantly sweet singing voice and a cheery disposition as Daisy-Mae. She is good on “Namely You,” a cute ballad with Crowson and even better in the cheeky “I’m Past My Prime,” a song about being over-the-hill at 17.

Crowson, a senior at Fryeburg Academy, is effective as the dim but earnest title character. For much of the musical, Crowson is required to be a straight man to the antics that surround him, and he fills that role ably, allowing the supporting cast to shine.

Beth Funicella and Rob Owen as Mammy and Pappy Yokum give fine, broad comedic performances, but it is Smith and Holden who are the real show stealers. Smith in his bright green zoot suit is a hoot as Evil-Eye Fleagle. Holden, a senior at Fryeburg Academy, blends nice comic timing with a powerhouse voice to make Appassionata a memorably sassy femme fatale.
The brightly colored and cartoonish-looking sets and equally bright costumes are appropriate for a show based on a comic strip.

The show doesn’t get much beyond the level of a high school production, and part of that could simply be that much of the cast members are high school and middle school students. It does work on that modest level, and if you go in expecting that caliber of work then a decent night of theater can be had.

'Caspian' is another worthy chronicling of Narnia

In the three years since the last “Chronicles of Narnia” film there have been a lot of fantasy films of varying quality to fill the void including “Stardust,” “Eragon,” “The Golden Compass,” “The Seeker” and “The Spiderwick Chronicles.” Luckily, “Prince Caspian,” though not as good as its predecessor, is still a cut above the rest of the genre.

“The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” the most famous of the Narnia books benefited from being the first in the series.
There was a sense of wonder as the Pevensie children, Peter (William Moseley), Susan (Anna Popplewell), Lucy (Georgie Henley) and Edmond (Skandar Keynes), were introduced to the magical world of Narnia. Some of that wonder is gone as this new film centers on political intrigue and elaborate battles.

Ben Barnes plays the titular prince, who is forced into exile by his evil uncle (Sergio Castellitto). His uncle intends to usurp the kingdom of the Telmarines, a Spanish-esque people who conquered Narnia and killed off (or so they thought) all its magical creatures.

With a special horn, Caspian calls upon the Pevensie kids to help and thus they are pulled way from London back into Narnia. Although only one year has passed for Peter, Susan, Lucy and Edmond, 1,300 years have passed in Narnia. The Pevensies join Caspian and the Narnian army to overthrow the Telmarinean reign.

For the uninitiated this probably makes little sense and indeed if you haven’t seen the first film or read the books you will be completely lost. Like the four lead characters, you are whisked away to Narnia and plopped into the middle of a new adventure.

Where the first film concluded with a grandiose battle scene, “Prince Caspian” has them throughout. The battles are well staged, with some well-thought-out strategic maneuvers that showed some imagination on the part of the filmmakers. There is no denying the effects in the film, especially the talking animals, have improved the second time around.

C.S. Lewis wrote the Narnia series as a Christian parable, and so the theme throughout the film is the importance of having faith in things you cannot see. The film doesn’t sledgehammer its message home, although it isn’t exactly subtle with it either. Even so, Christian or not, the message that it is essential to believe in things that aren’t necessarily tangible is a good one.
Peter has the story’s main crisis of faith. The film portrays Peter as an arrogant, self-righteous, know-it-all hothead, whose unwillingness to listen to others leads our heroes into tragedy. Mosley plays this well as he doesn’t come off as being very likable which is, of course, the point.

As was true with the first installment, the leads are good, but not quite excellent and the focus on action doesn’t give them much room to stretch. With Peter and Caspian taking center stage, the others are largely marginalized, which is a shame.
Popplewell is left floundering in an under-developed love subplot involving Barnes’ Caspian. She is unfortunately not asked to do much more than look beautiful (her make up is always perfect even in battle) while shooting arrows at baddies.

Once again, the sweet and awfully cute Henley is the heart of the film. Although central to the plot, her struggle to keep the faith is lost in the elaborate battle scenes. Keynes is left playing second fiddle to Mosley and Barnes, but he shows isolated flashes of dry wit that are underused.

The acting magic for the original didn’t come from the four leads anyway, but from Tilda Swinton (“Michael Clayton”), terrifically menacing as the White Witch and James McAvoy (“Atonement”), completely endearing as the faun Mr. Tumnus. There was also fine voice work by Liam Neeson as the Christ-like Aslan and Ray Winstone as Mr. Beaver. Aslan and the White Witch make appearances in the latest adventure, but in both cases it isn’t much more than a cameo and that leaves the spark to come from new characters.

Thankfully, “Caspian” has the wonderful Peter Dinklage (“The Station Agent”) as a surly dwarf who really has a big heart and Eddie Izzard (“Ocean’s 13”) as the voice of a courageous mouse warrior. Dinklage and Izzard make every scene they are in better, Dinklage adding a necessary weight to the proceedings and Izzard adding a nice bit of comic relief.

'Redbelt' more than just a fight movie

“Redbelt” is the kind of movie that in description doesn’t sound nearly as good as it really is. To say it is about jiujitsu teaching and fighting places the film into a box in which it doesn’t fit. This isn’t “The Karate Kid” or “Rocky.” But to elaborate much further would ruin the pleasures of a film that does something few films do: offer genuinely surprising moments that grow from the story and characters rather than a cheap gimmick.

Chiwetel Ejiofor stars as Mike Terry, the owner of a jiujitsu training business that is barely staying afloat. Mike doesn’t believe in competitive fighting, and, despite a dire need for money, avoids them out of principle. Chance encounters with an action star (Tim Allen playing against type and giving a solid dramatic performance) and a high strung lawyer (Emily Mortimer, “Match Point”) set off a series of events that force Mike to go against his beliefs and enter the ring in a fight for money.

That makes the film sound rather ordinary, but that is just the film boiled down to its barest plot points. The film isn’t about physical conflicts, but Mike’s conflict with the world around him. Mike is a firm believer of honor and is quick to trust others in a world that is corrupt and cruel. His attempts to do the right thing sometime backfire when others twist his actions for their own behalf.

The film is layered and complex with a web of characters, including Joe Mantegna as a film producer, Ricky Jay as a fight promoter, Alice Braga (“I Am Legend”) as Mike’s wife and Max Martini as a cop Mike trains. But complex doesn’t mean confusing. It is a film that is rich with dialogue and character, which isn’t surprising coming from writer/director David Mamet, a Pulitzer Prize winning playwright who has written such films as “The Untouchables,” “Wag the Dog” and “Ronin.”

Mamet has a way with dialogue that could be termed hyper-realistic. You know those moments where you think of a really smart response to a conversation you had earlier in the day? A Mamet script is written as if all those things we wish we had said in the moment actually got said. The dialogue is sharp, and intelligent, but never pretentious.

“Redbelt” covers the familiar territory of the code of the warrior and the etiquette of fighting, but there is freshness to how it is presented and freshness in the delivery by lead Ejiofor. Ejiofor, one of the best actors working today, is often in supporting roles in films such as “Children of Men,” “Inside Man” and “American Gangster.” He is the sort of actor who often gets referred to as “that guy.”

Ejiofor could be a household name, and probably would be if his name were easier to pronounce. He has a screen presence that is instantly commanding, and his work is nuanced and effective. He’s a performer so natural it never seems like he is acting.

The film is slow-paced, and those expecting a non-stop fight film will be let down. Mamet takes the time to create a well-rounded central character and to surround him with interesting supporting players, but he rewards the patient viewer. By the time there is a final confrontation, it matters. There are things at stake, and the film pays off in completely satisfying and unexpected ways.

No go on 'Speed Racer'

The live action adaptation of the 1960s anime cult classic “Speed Racer” quite literally gave me a headache. Not only that, the throbbing migraine still lingered the next morning. Seriously.

Written and directed by The Wachowski Brothers of “Matrix” fame, the movie is a bloated, over-stylized assault on the eyes and ears that somehow manages to be equal parts maddening and sleep-inducing.

The plot of the film should be simple enough, but the Wachowskis manage to make it awfully convoluted. Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch, “Into the Wild”) loves to race, it is all he knows. He is supported by his girlfriend Trixie (Christina Ricci) and a loving family including his parents (John Goodman and Susan Sarandon) and an annoying little brother (Paulie Litt). When Speed refuses to sell out he’s thrown into a world of cutthroat spies and is forced to join with rival Racer X (Matthew Fox, “Lost”) to survive.

Sound silly? Well, it is and that is OK. So was the show. But the film isn’t presented with a tongue-in-cheek sense of fun. If anything the film takes the material seriously. The film’s feeble attempts at humor involve the mischievous brother and his pet monkey. If a monkey throwing feces into a bad guy’s face is your idea of comic genius then “Speed Racer” will have you howling. The film is pitched to kids, but with humor like that it is pandering to them instead of engaging them.

The Wachowskis start with a color palate that nicely captures the feel of the cartoon, but the problem is they don’t stop there. They turn everything up to a nauseating neon that looks like a cotton candy machine exploded over the Vegas strip.

On top of that, the Wachowskis use a style meant to emulate the show in which close-ups of characters are placed in the foreground while action, often a flashback, happens in the background. It is an interesting effect the first few times but gets olds fast. Once the film establishes its look, it just keeps repeating itself and quickly becomes stale.

The races, which should be the highlight of the film, have no sense of tension since it is clear that everything is computer generated. Suspense builds when an audience believes a character is truly in danger. Even a film full of effects should create that feeling. The Wachowskis knew this in “The Matrix,” having the actors do much of their own stunt work, which was then seamlessly integrated with cutting edge special effects.

But with “Speed Racer,” The Wachowski Brothers make no attempt to hide the artifice of the cars, race tracks and surrounding settings. The races are also edited in such a frantic manner as to be completely incomprehensible. You’d need to eat a dozen chocolate-covered coffee beans and wash them down with a four-pack of Red Bull just to keep up with the action.

What makes this all the more frustrating is that buried under all the visual trickery there are hints of what could’ve been. There is a good message about the struggle between corporate and independent business and the importance of family. The performances are better than the material, and, when the film slows down for a second, Goodman and Sarandon are able to have nice, tender moments with Hirsch. But those moments only remind you that you could be watching a good movie, instead of the completely disposable mess that is "Speed Racer."

Downey is the 'man' in summer's first blockbuster

In 1983 Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert did a TV show on what made “Star Wars” special. They concluded one of the key factors was quality control. “Star Wars” was the first film to do a space adventure with first rate writing, directing, acting, special effects, sound, score and so on. It proved that even a seemingly silly or standard story could be raised to greatness if given the proper treatment.

This idea of quality control is also what makes “Iron Man” such a smashing success. Everything about it is top tier. It may be based on a comic book and be the story of a man who builds a suit of metal to battle evil, but “Iron Man” takes itself serious. There are plenty of laughs, but actor turned director Jon Favreau (“Elf”) and his team know that to make material like this work you can’t succumb to campiness.

Robert Downey Jr. stars as Tony Stark, a billionaire playboy, who made his fortune manufacturing weapons. The film opens in Afghanistan with Stark showcasing his latest weapon. He is kidnapped by a Taliban-esque group and told he now makes weapons for them. Instead Stark and his fellow captive (Shaun Toub) build a metal suit to escape. And all this in the first half hour.

The opening of the film has a roughness and bite that recalls 2005's little seen, but completely worthy “Lord of War.” That film featured Nicolas Cage as a snarky weapons dealer, but the difference here is that Stark grows a conscience and wants out of the business.

The film’s edge likely comes from Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby, the screenwriters behind the brilliant “Children of Men.” The writing team was brought into beef up a screenplay by Art Marcum and Matt Holloway. You can sense their presence in the early scenes, which have an immediacy and a base in reality that permeates forward and keeps the film grounded.

Above all else, this is Downey’s film. Not enough can be said about how good Downey is here. Like a master chef, he perfectly blends the cynicism that marks his character at the beginning of the film with a burgeoning heart and a sense of purpose as he fine tunes his suit. With sarcasm, wit and intellect, you never doubt him for a second. He even makes you believe lines like “I just finally know what I have to do.”

Downey has always been a great actor, but unfortunately he became a punch-line when his drug use landed him in jail for a year. But since getting out and getting clean he has been delivering one knock-out performance after another in films like “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang,” “Zodiac” and “A Scanner Darkly.” The problem was most of mainstream America wasn’t seeing his work. “Iron Man” will change all that. Just as “Pirates of the Caribbean” took Johnny Depp to a whole new level, “Iron Man” should do the same for Downey.

The film wouldn’t work nearly as well if Downey’s strong central performance wasn’t surrounded by a cast who equaled his work and luckily everyone here is stellar. Given the material, it would be easy for any of the cast to ham it up, but they don’t. They play the film straight and that’s key.

Gwyneth Paltrow as Stark’s loyal assistant is in good form. It may seem like a throwaway role, but the dialogue between Paltrow and Downey has a rat-a-tat-tat spark that recalls classic screwball comedy.

Jeff Bridges with a shaved head that makes him look like Lex Luthor plays Stark’s shady business partner. Again, what seems like a nothing role is more than what it first appears and Bridges enriches his character with a quiet menace. Terrance Howard (“The Brave One,” “Hustle and Flow”) gets the short straw in terms of characters as Stark’s closest thing to a friend, but he plays the role well.

“Iron Man” is more than just a comic book movie. The film is more about character and internal conflict than it is about big action scenes. There are large stretches between the elaborate special effects sequences. In fact the final confrontation between Iron Man and his first nemesis is not nearly as interesting as what preceded it, but teens should lap it up regardless.

So often comic book films end anti-climatically or tease for a sequel in a manner that frustrates or angers an audience. “Iron Man” has a final moment that is so unexpected and that gets a laugh so big that you are left wanting more in the best way possible.