Get 'Lost' with the Resort Players

Neil Simon, one of the most successful playwrights in the country, is skilled at blending laughs and pathos into recognizable characters, but with his 1991 play, “Lost In Yonkers,” he didn’t rely so heavily on the one-liners. The shift towards drama earned him a Pulitzer Prize.

Saying “Lost In Yonkers” is a drama, is not to say it isn’t funny, and the Resort Players of Mount Washington Valley’s production mines the show for all the laughs its worth.

Set in New York during World War II, a widowed father (Ken Martin) in debt to loan sharks leaves his two sons Jay (Jake Dunham) and Arty (David Fulton) with his cold mother (Stacy Sand) and kooky sister Bella (Molly Campbell), so he can go on the road to sell scrap metal. During the boys stay they also encounter their Uncle Louie (Dennis O’Neil), a henchman for a gangster and their Aunt Gert (Karen O'Neil), who has an odd speaking problem that is better left heard than described.

At its core, the play is about the effect not being loved by a parent has on a child. The self-proclaimed steel-like grandmother never shows warmth or affection to her children or grandchildren. Each of her children deals with her differently, but all fear her instead of love her. As Louie puts it, “I didn’t say I hate her, I just don’t like her.”

The tone of director Mary Bastoni-Rebmann’s production feels slightly off, leaning more toward the comic tendencies of the script than the dramatic ones. The show falls into a rhythm of delivering one-liners and punch-lines that unfortunately carries over to some of the more dramatic scenes. The audience I saw the show with continued laughing during a serious scene in which Louie tells Arty about his childhood.

The problem in tone is a minor quibble, because the show still works and entertains. We all need a little escape from our lives, so a refocus on the comic aspect of Simon’s play isn’t necessarily a bad thing, especially since, when it counts most, the production provides the required dramatic weight. A scene in which Bella desperately pleads for her mother’s approval is deeply affecting. The rejection she feels is palpable and heart-wrenching.

Neil Simon's dialogue has a flow all its own and the cast is up to the challenge of delivering it. Campbell has the show’s most challenging role as a woman with a childlike mind and adult emotions. In the show’s early scenes Campbell successfully and hilariously plays Bella's loopy personality, but as the show progresses Bella becomes more than just a comedic device and Campbell keeps Bella human and real.

As Uncle Louie, O’Neil is a scene stealer full of energy and, as his character would put it, moxie. O’Neil’s scenes with Dunham and Fulton are some of the best in the show and he has an excellent chemistry and rapport with the two young actors.

Of the production's youngest actors, Fulton, an eighth grader at Bartlett Middle School, fares best as the younger brother, but this is no fault of Dunham. Fulton’s Arty is the more rambunctious of the two brothers and has the better lines. Dunham, a sophomore at Fryeburg Academy, has to play it more straight than Fulton, but is good, especially in a startling moment when anger gives way to tears.

Sand as the grandmother in many respects is required to be the center of the show. Her quiet cruelty is the driving force of all the action in the play. Sand, stuck with the hurdle of delivering all her dialogue with a German accent, succeeds at being a detestable figure who at same time the audience is able to sympathize with in the final scenes.

The set, constructed and painted by Mark DeLancey, Matt Hashem, Danielle Davis, Ken Martin, Dennis O’Neil and Sharon Roberts, effectively evokes the 1940s, as well as capturing the feeling of a cramped apartment. The use of black and white period footage projected onto a screen on the back of the stage is also effective at creating a sense of place and mood for the production.

Jackie Chan and Jet Li match up is a charming adventure

Jackie Chan and Jet Li are two of biggest international stars to come out of China and certainly the two with the most crossover success in America, so it was inevitable that they would eventually be teamed together. That match up has finally arrived in “The Forbidden Kingdom,” a goofy, but charming fantasy adventure.

Martial artists fans may be disappointed to discover that neither Chan nor Li is “Forbidden Kingdom’s” lead protagonist. The story instead centers on Jason (Michael Angarano, “Lords of Dogtown,” “Ski High”), a kung fu obsessed teen from Boston who enjoys venturing into China Town to buy bootleg kung fu films, but isn’t much of a fighter himself.

Bullies rough up Jason, but just before things turn potentially deadly a magical staff found in a pawn shop run by a kindly old man (nicely played by Chan) whisks him away to a fantastical version of ancient China.

The staff must be returned to its owner, the mischievous Monkey King (Li) who has been frozen in stone by an evil immortal ruler (Collin Chou). Luckily, Jason meets Lu Yan (Chan in his “Drunken Master” mode), Golden Sparrow (Yifei Lie) and Silent Monk (Li again) who guide and train him on his journey.

Naturally, before Chan and Li join forces, they must face off in a showdown of fists and kicks, lest the filmmakers want to deal with the wrath that would come down upon them from the loyal fans of both performers. Though Chan, at 53, and Li, at 44, are passed their primes and both have appeared in more cleverly choreographed fights, the set piece is still a must see for martial artists fans. It is a well paced and directed fight with energy and a sense of fun and humor.

Energy, fun and humor are ultimately the keys to the film’s success because, really, it is nothing more than a hodge-podge of ideas borrowed from movies as diverse as “The Wizard of Oz,” “The Neverending Story,” “The Karate Kid” and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” It works though because it doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Every moment can be predicted, but style goes a long way to overcoming familiarity. Yes, we get the obligatory training scenes and it goes without saying that when Jason returns home he’ll face the bullies with success the second time around. The characters are two-dimensional and yet they are so well played that you don’t mind.

Angarano and Lie have a surprisingly sweet and low-key love story, which while lacking depth, doesn’t feel forced. Similarly, Chan and Angarano have a nice mentor/student chemistry. Chan is an effortlessly likable screen presence, but his natural charisma has been wasted in most of his English language films. His work here is among his best in English.

Li, in the role of Silent Monk, is basically a stoic sidekick to Chan’s lovable drunken warrior, but as the Monkey King, Li gets to showcase his lighter side. Li usually plays dramatic, serious figures, so it is nice to see him reveal a knack for comedy as he gleefully bounds about the screen. It is a pleasant and welcomed treat.

The film also features strong female roles. In addition to Lie, Bingbing Li makes a dynamic villainess with long, flowing white hair that becomes its own weapon. Bingbing has a commanding and menacing screen presence. Both women are strikingly beautiful, but beyond that they are talented actresses who both give good performances in a language not their own. Not an easy feat.

The movie is aware it is pure formula and that its story is completely silly, but it embraces both of these with a light tone, a lot of heart and a playful wit. There’s even a bit of grace and beauty in the film. There are isolated moments when director Rob Minkoff recalls the gorgeous imagery that director Ying Xiong brought to the martial arts movies “Hero” and “House of Flying Daggers.” Minkoff manages to make a movie that could’ve come off as hokey and bland, one that is entertaining and endearing.

'Sarah Marshall' is funny and just a bit more

Writer, director, producer Judd Apatow has become a branding name like Mel Brooks or Woody Allen in their heydays. That is an almost sure guarantee of high-quality comedy. “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” the latest comedy featuring Apatow’s name in the credits, is one of the most laugh-out-loud funny romantic comedies to come out in years.

Apatow, the writer and producer of the short lived but well-regarded TV shows “Freaks and Geeks” and “Undeclared” has been bouncing around Hollywood for years, but in the last three years he has carved out a niche that many will try to duplicate, but few are likely to capture.

Since 2005, Apatow has written and directed “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” and “Knocked Up,” co-written and produced “Walk Hard” and produced “Superbad,” “Drillbit Taylor,” “Talladega Nights” and now “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.” His name is attached to numerous forthcoming films from comedy super stars like Will Ferrell and Adam Sandler.

Of the above films, “Virgin,” “Knocked Up” and “Superbad” and “Sarah Marshall” are connected by a repertoire troupe of performers and writers that go back to Apatow’s TV days. Seth Rogen, who was a supporting player in “Virgin,” got upgraded to leading man status in “Knocked Up,” and Apatow helped Rogen’s screenplay for “Superbad” get made. Now it is Jason Segel's (a co-star of “Knocked Up”) turn to take center stage with “Sarah Marshall.” It is refreshing to see films with relative unknowns getting produced in the Hollywood system.

In “Sarah Marshall,” Segel stars as Peter, a composer of TV show theme music who is devastated when Sarah, his TV star girlfriend (Kristen Bell, “Heroes”) dumps him. In an attempt to get over Sarah he heads to Hawaii only to discover Sarah is there too with her new boyfriend, a lecherous rock star (British comic Russell Brand).

The staff of the Hawaiian resort takes pity on Peter and makes him a part of their extended family. A new possible love interest for Peter comes in the form of front desk manager Rachel (Milla Kunis, “That 70s Show.”)

On a level of plot there are few surprises here, but the approach and writing is fresh with unexpected moments. For example, there’s a surprisingly affective and honest scene where Sarah tells Peter exactly why she left him.

Be forewarned, this is definitely an R-rated comedy. The easily offended should stay away. At the same time, though, this isn’t a lowest-common-denominator type of film with non-stop bottom-of-the barrel humor. Too often films that employ sexual content for humor feel slimy and smarmy.

That is not the case with “Sarah Marshall.” As with “Virgin” and “Knocked Up,” there is a mix of vulgar humor with a sweetness you don’t normally expect from a raunchy comedy. This is what makes the Apatow brand special. These are films that appeal to both men and women for different reasons. It is “guy” humor with a heart that women can appreciate.

There are funny scenes aplenty, but to cite them would ruin the experience. That being said, the puppet rock opera Peter is writing on the side and some snarky parodies of crime shows such as "CSI" are a riot.

The cast is uniformly strong. There isn’t a weak link in the bunch. Segel, who wrote the screenplay, keeps Peter a likable, even lovable schmuck that the audience wants to root for. Kunis, who looked like she wasn't going to survive life after “That 70s Show,” is wonderful here with an assured mix of charm, beauty and comedic timing.

Bell also has a likable screen presence and makes Sarah a sympathetic character. Segel’s script deserves credit for not making Sarah into a one-dimensional heartless witch. Brand has a thankless role of playing the other guy, but clearly relishes playing the bad boy clichés.

Segel’s script takes the time to create funny characters out of bit roles that would normally be glossed over. Bill Hader (“Saturday Night Live,” “Superbad”) is a scene stealer as Peter’s stepbrother who is coaching him from afar via Web cam. Jonah Hill (“Superbad”), as a waiter who is obsessed with Brand’s rock star character, also earns some uncomfortable laughs, as does Jack McBrayer (“30 Rock”) as a newlywed uncomfortable with sex. Paul Rudd (“Knocked Up”) amuses as a very stoned surfing instructor.

In terms of pacing and tightness of story, “Sarah Marshall” may be the best of the Apatow bunch. Too often in the films Apatow directs, he lets scenes run too long with a group of characters clearly improvising their dialogue. “Sarah Marshall” director Nicholas Stoller keeps the film loose and fun. He lets the cast of well-written and well-played characters have space to play but keeps the film focused, and it is all the stronger for it.

Nine favorite baseball films

Temperatures are rising,the frozen tundra is all but gone, birds are chirping and the sultans of swing are back at it. Yes, spring, and perhaps more importantly, baseball, are here again. In honor of our national pastime, on deck are nine baseball film favorites to help fill the time between games.

“Fever Pitch” (2005)
Jimmy Fallon begins a relationship with Drew Barrymore, who struggles to compete with Fallon’s first love: the Red Sox. This remake of a little seen 1997 British comedy about an obsessive Arsenal soccer fan taps into a different sport and a different team, but proves to be no less observant about what it means to be a diehard sports fan. Directors the Farrelly Brothers had no idea when they started filming “Fever Pitch” that the Sox would reverse the curse that season, in fact the film was originally going to end with them losing, but destiny had a different plan and this is a fitting, hilarious tribute to a sport, a team and fandom.

“The Sandlot” (1993)
A sweet, good-natured movie about a group of kids playing ball in the 1950s that is equally enjoyable for kids and adults alike. The new kid on a backyard team doesn’t know much about baseball. He knows so little, in fact, that when the team needs a ball he swaps his step-dad’s ball signed by Babe Ruth. When the ball is hit over a fence the film becomes a riotous battle to get it back from a supposedly man-eating dog called The Beast. A fine young cast makes this an utterly charming piece of nostalgia.

“A League of Their Own” (1992)
A loving look at a brief, but important chapter in baseball history in which a women’s league was formed to fill the void left behind by the men who went to fight in World War II. Rich, well-written characters are ideally cast from top to bottom from the league’s star player Geena Davis to the league tramp Madonna to talent scout Jon Lovitz to coach Tom Hanks. The period detail feel authentic as does the baseball, but this earns a place in baseball and movie history if only for the classic line “There’s no crying in baseball.”

“Field of Dreams” (1989)
Kevin Costner seems his best when he’s in movies about baseball but if you have to pick just one Costner baseball movie to put in a time capsule it is “Field of Dreams.” This is a movie that transcends mere sports movie conventions to be about the mystic, the history and the very reason we watch baseball. James Earl Jones delivers a monologue about the timelessness and magic of baseball that is absolutely perfect. And even the toughest guy is likely to shed a tear when the "he" of “if you build it he will come,” finally comes.

“Eight Men Out” (1988)
John Sayles' dramatization of the infamous Black Sox scandal in which players took bribes to throw the 1919 World Series is a compelling piece of drama because it doesn’t paint the players, including Shoeless Joe Jackson, as being innately crooked. Instead Sayles shows how each player is slowly, and in some cases reluctantly, convinced to take the fall. The dream cast is packed with rising stars and veterans of the 1980s including Charlie Sheen, John Cusack, David Strathairn, Christopher Lloyd, John Mahoney, Michael Rooker and D.B. Sweeney.

“The Natural” (1984)
A film that deserves to be on this list for featuring the iconic, oft-parodied scene of a home run that rains down a cascade of sparks when it smashes into the stadium lights. That single scene is so tremendous it nearly overshadows the rest of the film, which has respect and reverence for the game, but also isn’t afraid to show the shady behind-the-scenes deals of owners and managers. Robert Redford’s 35-year-old Roy Hobbs just wants to play for the love of the game, and Redford brings a passion to his character that is the film’s heart.

“The Bad News Bear” (1976)
This is the original underdog kids' sports movie and still the best. Crotchety drunk Walter Matthau reluctantly becomes the coach of a team of misfit little leaguers. The team starts to win when he brings in daughter Tatum O’Neal as a ringer. These sort of movies would later become pure formula, but “Bad News Bears” played by its own rules. Too often kids' movies have a bad case of the cutes, but that’s not the case here. It is foul-mouthed, not political incorrect and wonderful for it.

“Naughty Nineties” (1945)
What is a movie set on a steamboat in the 1890s doing on a list of baseball movies? Well, it just so happens to feature Abbott and Costello’s classic comedy routine “Who’s On First?” Although the bit had appeared numerous times before on radio, television and partially in the film “One Night in the Tropics,” this is perhaps the best filmed version of the definitive baseball comedy routine. It is only six minutes out of a running time of 76 minutes, but it is one of the funniest six minutes you’ll ever see.

“Pride of the Yankees” (1943)
No matter what you think of the Yankees, it is hard not to be touched by the story of Lou Gehrig, the baseball hero whose life was cut short by the disease that to this day still bears his name. Made only two years after Gehrig’s death, he was already a legend in his own time, and in an era of war, was an example of strength and grace in the face of adversity. The recreation by Gary Cooper of Gehrig’s farewell speech is a guaranteed tearjerker, and there’s the added bonus of Babe Ruth playing himself.

'Leatherheads' is a winning throwback to '30s screwball

You have to admire George Clooney. As an actor, write and director, he does what he wants and he does it with style, wit and intellect. His clout gets important, challenging projects made that otherwise wouldn’t, and even when he does lighter fare he often goes against the mainstream grain.

Case in point, “Leatherheads” is a throwback to the screwball comedies of the 1930s and 1940s that is made with no sense of irony or cynicism. It so closely follows the screwball template in terms of pacing and tone that it could’ve been made 70 years ago and easily hold its own next to the films of Howard Hawks, Preston Sturges, George Cukor and Frank Capra. Is Clooney’s film as good as the works of those greats? No, but it is a loving homage to a forgotten style.

It is hard to imagine what modern audiences who last year swarmed to raunchy and vulgar comedies like “Knocked Up” and “Superbad” will make of “Leatherheads,” a film that uses a gentler blend of fast-paced dialogue mixed with broad slapstick comedy.

Clooney is clearly a nostalgic guy. His directorial debut “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind” was set in the seedy world of 1970s game shows like “The Dating Game.” His second directing job, “Good Night, and Good Luck” sent him back to the 1950s newsroom of Edward R. Murrow. Now he’s gone back to the 1920s and the early days of pro football.

Written by Sports Illustrated writers Rick Reilly and Duncan Brantley with an uncredited re-write by Clooney, “Leatherheads” will likely disappoint those going in expecting a sports film. Yes, there is some great on-field humor, especially involving a rather large high school recruit, but football is not the focal point of the film.

Clooney uses football as the backdrop for a love triangle involving himself as an aging football player, John Krasinski (“The Office”) as a war hero and college ball hot shot and Renee Zellweger as a reporter sent in to check the validity of Krasinski's war story.

We all know where the story is going, but that is sort of the point. The classic screwball comedies were the equivalent of comfort food and acted as escapism from the dire reality of the Depression. There was solace in watching a film with an undemanding story reach a happy conclusion. With screwball comedy, we watch for how we get to the end, not what happens in the end.

And the how in “Leatherheads” is quite enjoyable. Clooney in Cary Grant-mode is effortlessly charming, and, like Grant, handles the physical comedy and witty repartee with equal aplomb. Zellweger is a worthy adversary in verbal combat in a role that Katherine Hepburn, Claudette Colbert or Rosalind Russell might have played. Clooney and Zellweger’s scenes of combative dialogue are gems in precision timing and comedic acting.

Krasinski, the rookie of a cast of heavyweights, holds his own and plays his role of a reluctant war hero with a sweet, low-key charisma. As with Zellweger, he plays nicely off of Clooney, although their battles are a bit more physical. A fist fight in which neither one wants to get injured before a game is a comic highlight.

Stephen Root, who appeared with Clooney in the Coen Brothers’ “O’ Brother Where Art Thou,” also provides fine comedic support as a sports reporter.

This is pure, simple, easygoing entertainment that looks and sounds great, thanks to well rendered period details and a nice, jaunty score from Randy Newman. Comedy this good is harder than it looks, but Clooney and company make it look like a breezy stroll in the park.

Count on '21' for a decent time at the movies

“21,” the fact-based story of a group of M.I.T. students who took Vegas for all it was worth by putting their brilliant minds to use counting cards in blackjack, is a good movie that could’ve been great. Much like sin city itself, it has style and attitude to spare, but lacks substance.

Based on the book “Bringing Down the House,” “21” focuses on Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess, “Across the Universe”), the new guy on a team of M.I.T. students who under the tutelage of one of their professors (Kevin Spacey) have learned a system of counting cards, word associations and hand gestures that allows them to go under the radar while taking Vegas for big money.

Of course, there are complications. The team’s former hot shot (Jacob Pitts, “EuroTrip”) becomes jealous of Ben, and, in one of the movie’s best scenes, attempts to blow Ben’s cover in a manner that is oh-so-satisfyingly clever.

There is also a security officer (Laurence Fishburne, “The Matrix") who is onto their counting ways. Although counting cards isn’t illegal, the casinos certainly do frown upon it. You don’t want to be taken into a back room by Fishburne, that’s for sure.

It wouldn’t be fair to the rest of the cast to say this is Spacey’s film, but he does dominate in every scene he is in. Few working actors can do this kind of fast-talking, slimy intellectual character as well as Spacey. He is given the film’s the best dialogue and he delivers it with flavor and gusto that is a joy to behold. When Spacey enters the game toward the end, you can't help but grin.

Fishburne, the other veteran of the cast, also adds a necessary weight to the film. He brings a genuine sense of threat to the proceedings. Sturgess’ Ben is the main character and he carries the film nicely. In only his second lead role following “Across the Universe,” Sturgess is developing into a talent to watch. He has a low-key charm and an innate likeability.

Unfortunately, Ben's other team members are not developed into full characters. Kate Bosworth’s (“Superman Returns”) Jill gets the second most screen time of the younger cast members, but is only required to be a love interest. Aaron Yoo, who provided solid comic relief in last year’s “Disturbia,” is asked to do the same here but isn’t given enough of a chance to do so. Laughs are also supplied by Ben’s friends back at M.I.T., played by Jack Black look-alike Josh Gad and Sam Golzari (“American Dreamz”). Their antics play like a PG-13 version of “Superbad.”

The film fascinates when it focuses on the mechanisms of the system these kids use to run their scam. On that level the film works as a con movie with team members taking on different identities and playing their specific roles in the con. Director Robert Luketic (“Legally Blonde”) brings a flashy, CGI-enhanced look to the blackjack table that keeps things exciting.
Things are also fun when the film looks at the double life of the characters, who are brainy students during the week and Vegas big shots on the weekend. This aspect isn’t explored enough as the film goes into plot auto pilot.

Ben swears he’s only in it to get $300,000 for grad school and then he is out, but can he resist the temptations of Vegas? Of course he can’t, but will be redeem himself? Of course he will, and telling you this by no means spoils the film. The trajectory of Ben’s character is no surprise, and at times the film doesn’t even try to hide the fact that it is relying on a basic story template.

While the characters are counting cards, you in the audience can count clichés. By the time Ben tells Jill that “I’ve lost it all. I don’t want to lose you too,” the more cynical in the audience may just throw their hands up in the air.

Moments like that make “21” seem like a bad bet, but for every clumsily written scene there are two that are sharply put together with some real wit. Two-to-one odds aren’t too bad, so as you cash your chips in it has overall been a good day at the movies with “21.”

A 'job' well done

As the saying, goes never judge a book by its cover or, in this case, a movie by its name. The generically titled “The Bank Job” is indeed about a bank robbery, but those hoping for a light romp may get more than they bargained for.

Based on the true story of 1971’s unsolved walkie-talkie robbery in London, the film theorizes why coverage of the bank robbery disappeared from newspapers after only a few days. Did the government issue a D-Notice — a request to stop coverage — to the media? If so does that mean the government was somehow linked to the theft?

That’s what director Roger Dickerson (“No Way Out”) and screenwriters Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais (“Across the Universe”) would lead you to believe, and it is this angle of government conspiracy that adds a different spin to the heist film formula.

The scheme of the robbery has a motley crew of small-time con artists led by Terry (Jason Statham, “The Transporter”) digging a tunnel from a couple store fronts down the street to the bottom of a bank vault of safety deposit boxes. Thanks to a tip-off from Martine (Saffron Burrows, “Reign Over Me”) they know that the alarms will be off for a brief window of time.

Things get more complex from there with the robbery being a mere setup to get a hold of incrementing photos of a royal that are being used as black mail by the black power leader Michael X. This is where the truth of the “based on a true story” comes into question, but whether it holds water matters not as it compels within the context of the film.

Clement and La Frenais’ script drops the audience in the middle of things and doesn’t take long to set up the robbery. We are introduced to characters quickly, and the script is sly about how it slowly reveals information about its characters.

The cast is largely full of faces unfamiliar to American audiences, and most of the characters are just standard personas. Of the secondary robbers, Stephen Campbell Moore as Kevin and Daniel Mays as Dave stand out most. Statham is the star and he carries the film with his rugged charisma. He is a good — if limited actor — well suited for this sort of material.

Heist movies are usually about one of two things, the thrill of watching an elaborate plot executed or the aftermath of the robbery where things go wrong for various reasons. “The Bank Job” falls into the latter category with an assortment of government officials, crooked cops and seedy criminals coming after Terry and his gang.

Recent heist movies like “The Italian Job” and the “Ocean’s” movies have been breezy and relatively lighthearted. Audiences expecting more of the same with “The Bank Job” will be surprised at how hard-edged the film is.

“The Bank Job” is a throwback to gritty British crime films like 1971’s “Get Carter” and 1980’s “The Long Good Friday” and it looks and feels the part. It doesn’t pull away from violence or try to cover it up with tongue-in-cheek humor.

The presence of Statham will inevitably bring comparison to Guy Ritchie’s “Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” and “Snatch.” Ritchie brings an irony and self-awareness to his material that makes his films on British crime play more like comedies than straight thrillers. Although “The Bank Job” has moments of humor, as when one of the robbers orders takeout while digging the tunnel, the film is mostly a taut thriller.

Dickerson generates a good deal of suspense during the robbery with a plot development too delicious to reveal here. He keeps that suspense going once Terry has to try to find a way to keep ahead of all the various people after him.

As the film draws to it conclusion, the number of players involved is numerous, but the way the screenplay juggles it all is quite clever and satisfying. It is a dark, hard road to a happy ending, but stick with it because you will get one.

Hollywood's 'Horton' captures most of Dr. Seuss' magic

After the uneven “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and the disastrous “The Cat in the Hat,” the idea of Hollywood taking on another Dr. Seuss classic was hardly appealing, but with “Horton Hears a Who” the good doctor has finally been given the treatment he deserves.

Although “Horton” is a computer-animated film, the filmmakers wisely didn’t go for the motion capture realism that made “The Polar Express” and “Beowulf’ a bit creepy. Directors Jimmy Hayward (a veteran from Pixar) and Steve Martino get the look right. It helps that the film is animated instead of live action. Animation allows for all of Dr. Seuss’ wild imagination and all his Rube Goldberg-esque machines to be fully realized.

The innate problem with adapting Dr. Seuss to a feature length film is that you have to inevitably pad the story. There really is only about a half hour of material in a Dr. Seuss book, so it is no surprise that many of his books were successful animated into a 30-minute format in the 1960s through to the 1980s.

The previous two attempts at expanding his material to 90 minutes failed because they missed the essence of what continues to draw children to Dr. Seuss. It is his whimsy, invention and sweetness that has allowed him to endure. But the “Grinch” and especially “The Cat in the Hat” were mean-spirited, ugly films that were little more than vehicles for Jim Carrey and Mike Myers to do their comic shtick.

The additional material added to the story of Horton — a gentle elephant who vows to protect the world he rightly believes lives on a speck of dust — for the most part is in tone with the source material. Carrey is back for his second crack at Dr. Seuss as Horton, but thankfully he is relatively restrained. There are only isolated moments where Carrey goes off on random comedic tangents that break away from the spirit of Dr. Seuss.

Only one scene — a dream sequence parodying Japanese anime — is a completely unnecessary departure from the story. It is a mildly amusing bit, but has no business being in the final cut of the film. It would’ve been a fun deleted scene, but in the context of the film it is a head-scratcher.

Other scenes, though, are great fun and are perfectly worthy padding. A scene in which Horton has to cross a precarious bridge while the Mayor of Whoville (Steve Carell, “The Office”) is at the dentist is hilarious with every little bump for Horton causing an earthquake for Whoville.

There are also small moments of inspiration that would do Seuss proud. The malleability of Horton’s ears is a reoccurring bit throughout the film that is quite amusing. Horton uses them as a diving cap, a hat and a blanket.

Carrey and Carell as the main characters give solid vocal performances and are well supported by a cast of familiar voices. Seth Rogan as Morton, a hyperactive mouse who is the only animal in the jungle that stands by Horton, delivers another strong voice-over performance following his work in “The Spiderwick Chronicles.”

Carol Burnett is perfectly snooty as Kangaroo, who doesn’t like the free thinking Horton bringing disorder to the jungle. Will Arnett (“Arrested Development”) gives a great comedic performance as Vlad, a vulture for hire sent to destroy the flower on which Whoville is perched.

“Horton Hears a Who” has been taken up by some in political debate. You know it is an election year when even a Dr. Seuss story becomes a political talking point. Some are claiming the film is pro-life (or anti-abortion, if you prefer) because of its reoccurring theme “a person is a person no matter how small.”

Others have read into the story as a parable about the importance of faith with both Horton and Mayor of Whoville being persecuted for believing in something no one else can hear. One review by Gina Carbone from Seacoast Newspapers went as far as to say: “‘Horton Hears a Who’ could do for intelligent design what ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ did for global warming.”

Written in 1954, “Horton Hears a Who” was meant to have a political undercurrent as an attack on McCarthyism. Kangaroo, who riles the jungle up into an angry mob and insists Horton admit that Whoville doesn’t exist, is an obvious stand-in for McCarthy.

“Horton Hears a Who” is about standing up for the little guy and letting every voice be heard, even the ones you don’t necessarily agree with. It is a simple moral of tolerance, a good message for children and adults alike, and the film incarnation delivers that message with humor and surprising pathos. It took Hollywood three tries, but at least they finally got Dr. Seuss right.

'Miss Pettigrew' is an old fashioned screwball gem

“Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day,” a light and frothy throwback to the classic screwball comedies of the 1930s and 1940s is a wholly enjoyable experience that shouldn't be ignored as just a bit of trifle.

Set in London on the eve of World War II, the film stars Frances McDormand as Miss Pettigrew, a middle-aged governess who has been unfairly fired from her last position. When the employment agency refuses to help her, she swipes the address of Delysia Lafosse (Amy Adams), an American actress and singer looking for a new social director. Suddenly, Miss Pettigrew is taken up in the whirlwind lifestyle of the young starlet.

The film starts out frantic and madcap with Pettigrew helping Delysia juggle the three men she is currently involved with: Nick (Mark Strong, “Stardust”) a club owner, Phil (Tom Payne) the son of a theater producer and Michael (Lee Pace, “Pushing Daisies”) a piano player. The film eventually settles into a more leisured, but no less enjoyable, pace.

It is no surprise who Delysia will wind up with, but what is surprising is how affecting this love square is. Sometimes predictable is OK when the story is told and acted so well. In this case, even with the outcome known there’s still a sense of tension. Credit for this goes to the strong cast and a sharp script by Simon Beaufoy (“The Full Monty”) and David Magee (“Finding Neverland.”)

McDormand, who is still probably best known for her Academy Award winning performance in “Fargo,” is one of the most underused and best actresses in her generation. She is a versatile comic actor who grounds her performances in a certain degree of reality. She thrives in quirky, oddball or offbeat characters, but plays them with a sincerity that keeps them recognizably human.

All of this holds true in “Miss Pettigrew” with McDormand getting laughs from nothing more than facial expressions. There’s a great running gag in which Pettigrew always just misses getting to eat. But McDormand’s performance also hints at an underlining sadness. She has regrets and she wants to prevent Delysia from having the same sense of a life lost.

McDormand shines in her own romantic subplot involving a lingerie designer named Joe (Ciaran Hinds). This older pairing acts as juxtaposition to the youthful abandon of Delysia and her love interests. Joe and Pettigrew remember World War I and quietly dread the prospect of a new one. McDormand’s scenes with Hinds add a weight that you don’t necessarily expect in a piece this fluffy. It doesn’t kill the light tone of the film, but just adds a bit of depth to a film that could otherwise be called superficial.

Adams, who was so effervescent in last year’s “Enchanted” is equally bubbly here, so much so you almost expect her to float right off the screen. And yet, like McDormand, she adds an underlining pain to her performance.

In many respects, this is a film about the fronts we put on to survive life. Delysia smiles her way through life because she can’t afford not to. Adams plays this beautifully. She is a performer with such an open face that when she smiles it is hard not to feel her joy and when she frowns it is hard not to feel her sorrow. This holds especially true during a heart-wrenching duet with Pace on “If I Didn’t Care.”

Given the two female leads, many will probably be quick to dismiss this as just a chick flick, but it would be a shame to cut the audience of such a charming film in half. This is an old fashion, feel-good heart warmer that some would claim they don’t make anymore. Well, they do — and here it is. Savor it.

'The Spiderwick Chronicles' are a diverting journey

The last couple of months have been oddly lacking in family-friendly fare, so it is no surprise that “The Spiderwick Chronicles” has become a hit. When you’re starved for nourishment even the blandest dish can seem like a rare delicacy.

“The Spiderwick Chronicles” is the latest book-to-screen fantasy adaptation to fill the gap while audiences wait for the next “Harry Potter” or “Narnia” film, and it is a well produced but unremarkable film. It has all the elements in place, but is held back by a sense of déjà vu.

It may seem as if I detested “Spiderwick,” but I am more disappointed that this material isn’t more inventive. The film starts with an intriguing premise, but doesn't take it far enough. There is an invisible world of fantastical creatures that exists parallel to ours. Arthur Spiderwick (David Strathairn, “Good Night, and Good Luck”) has researched and extensively documented this world and placed it all in one book. This proves dangerous because if an ogre named Mulgarath gets a hold of the book he could rule both realms. Spiderwick seals the book and puts a protective spell on it and his home. Eighty years later one of his relatives breaks the spell and brings on the wrath of Mulgarath and his army of toad-like trolls.

The film’s protagonists, a trio of adolescent siblings, are archetypes given a couple traits to play rather than fully formed people. Jared (Freddie Highmore, “Finding Neverland,” “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”) is the sullen, rebellious one, who ultimately becomes the leader of the pack. His twin brother Simon (Highmore again) is a timid walking encyclopedia, and Mallory (Sarah Bolger) is the bossy older sister who likes to fence. The dynamic is established early on and never develops.

There are plot developments that any discerning film-goer will be able to see coming. Instead of eliciting surprise or creating a touching moment, all they do is induce groans. Younger viewers who don’t have a lifetime of movies under their belt won’t know the wiser, but for adults it may be frustrating that screenwriters David Berenbaum (“Elf”) and Karey Kirkpatrick (“Chicken Run”) relied on the obvious instead of putting a different spin on the tried and true. Berenbaum and Kirkpatrick have shown in the past that they know how to make formulas seem fresh, which makes "Spiderwick" all the more disappointing.

For all my complaining, there is a lot to like about “Spiderwick.” The movie has some good visuals and isolated moments of magic and wonderment, as when a flower bed transforms into a group of fairies. Director Mark Waters (“Mean Girls”) creates a nice atmosphere and keeps the film well paced. The final confrontation with the trolls, though rushed, recalls the dark tongue-in-cheek humor of “Gremlins.”

There is some nice comic relief supplied by a couple creatures named Timbletack (voiced by Martin Short) and Hogsequel (voiced by Seth Rogen of “Knocked Up” and “Superbad”). Timbletack is sweet and helpful unless he’s angered, and then he turns into a little green demon. Luckily, he’s easily appeased by honey. Hogsequel is a pig-like creature who wants to help but is easily distracted by his favorite food: birds.

These characters are well voice by Short and Rogen and are given dialogue that is funny and has some spark. It is with these characters that the film finds some life of its own and hints at a greater film that lies just below the surface.

The cast is strong and makes the material seem weightier than it is. Strathairn makes Arthur Spiderwick a dignified, good-hearted figure and, although, he has limited screen time he makes a lasting impression. Joan Plowright (“Dennis the Menace”), as the aunt of the film’s young heroes, also has little screen time but is a warm, welcomed figure late in the film. This is probably Highmore's last “cute-kid” part, but he plays his duel role well.

Nick Nolte gets one scene to play as Mulgarath, and he plays it for all it is worth. He is more frightening in a few minutes than all the film’s computer-generated ghoulies combined. Unfortunately, Mulgarath spends the rest of the film as just another special effect.

As far as family entertainment goes, you can do far worse than “Spiderwick.” There are some very solid laughs and the overall experience is a pleasant, if overly familiar, one. It makes for a distracting enough afternoon for adults and should keep kids at bay for 90 minutes.

Oscar turns 80 and no one notices

The Academy Awards turned 80 last Sunday, not that many took notice. According to the Associated Press the glitz ceremony was the lowest rated since 2003.

It is difficult to say why people didn't tune in, but the writer’s strike seems a likely culprit. The strike ended Feb. 12 and just 11 days later Hollywood threw its biggest gala of the year. Many believe putting on the Oscar ceremony was an impetus to concluding the strike, but perhaps Hollywood was too eager to get on with the show. Less than two weeks was clearly not enough time to get the word out about the 80th Academy Awards or — as host Jon Stewart referred to them — the make-up sex after the strike.

It is also quite probable that many potential viewers were turned off by the idea of a self-congratulatory award show following directly after the three months of stubborn bickering that shutdown the film and television industries. Three-plus hours of Hollywood patting itself on the back may have left a nasty taste in audience’s mouths. Instead of tuning in to watch the glorious return of Hollywood, it would seem instead many decided to give the proverbial finger to the film industry.

It probably didn’t help matters that many of the most nominated films of the year such as “There Will Be Blood,” “Michael Clayton” and Best Picture winner “No Country for Old Men,” were little seen by mainstream audiences. I commend the academy, though, for the films nominated because the Oscars shouldn’t be a popularity contest, but about showcasing the truly best films of the year.

In past years, the academy has had a tendency to lean more toward the mainstream. Take the 2000 Oscars, for example. That year “The Sixth Sense” and “The Green Mile” were both up for Best Picture. Both are fine films, but their spots were hardly earned when more challenging and adventurous films like “Fight Club,” “Three Kings” and “Being John Malkovich” were also viable options.

I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with the Academy Awards — I’m still bitter about “Titanic” winning Best Picture in 1998 — but in the last few years the academy has become more daring in what it nominates and who it awards. Given this year’s low ratings, hopefully the academy doesn’t regress back to old habits.

As for the award ceremony itself, it felt slightly rushed and at times forced. You could sense that the producers and writers behind the show only had a short time to put it together.

The producers got the show in at a spry 3 hours and 15 minutes, but, in their rush to keep things moving, were too quick to cut acceptance speeches short by playing the winners off the stage with music. This is hardly a new practice, but this year the music seemed to come in much too soon. In the worst case, Marketa Irglova, one of the winners for Best Song, was played off before she could even get a word out. Jon Stewart proved himself to be a gracious host when he rectified the mistake and brought Irglova back out.

The evening’s acceptance speeches were for the most part unremarkable. There were good moments for sure, but nothing nearly as memorable as Cuba Gooding Jr.’s exuberant antics in 1997 or Adrien Brody French kissing Halle Berry in 2003.
That being said, Best Original Screenplay winner Diablo Cody’s tearful and genuine acceptance speech was moving, and Best Supporting Actress winner Tilda Swinton was thoroughly cheeky in her acceptance speech stating she had an agent who looked exactly like the famous statuette she had just won, even down to the buttocks.

An Oscar ceremony wouldn’t be complete without numerous gratuitous clip shows, a trend that was well mocked with a couple brief parody clip shows, including “A Tribute to Binoculars and Telescopes in Films.” Unfortunately, there were plenty of real clip shows as well, this time chronicling the entire 80-years of the Academy Awards. One nice touch though was footage of previous winners explaining what it felt like winning. The best of these was Steven Spielberg comparing the warm sensation he felt upon winning to male menopause.

Ultimately, it was Stewart who kept things on track. His steady stream of one-liners often had real bite, and even moments that seemed as if he was playing too nice with the celebrities were quickly subverted. “The Daily Show” host couldn’t help himself from sneaking in a few political jabs, the best being: “Oscar is 80 tonight, which automatically makes him the Republican nominee.”

The evening’s single best moment, though, was also perhaps the most absurd. The ceremony came back after a commercial break to show Stewart playing Nintendo Wii tennis. It was a completely random moment and showcased exactly what was lacking from the rest of ceremony: a sense of the unexpected.

'Jumper' entertains despite itself

“Jumper” is a very silly movie. It is at times downright stupid in its complete abandonment of plausibility and logic. And yet, in spite of all of its problems, I liked it.

The film starts out with an entertaining conceit. A 15-year-old boy named David (Max Thieriot) discovers that he has the ability to teleport or “jump.” He uses this power to escape an alcoholic father, rob some banks and live a posh, globetrotting existence. By the time he is in his mid-20s and played by Hayden Christensen, he has mastered his ability and set himself up nicely.

After establishing its playful premise, the film becomes convoluted. David discovers he isn’t the only jumper when he meets Griffin (Jamie Bell, “Billy Elliot,” “The Chumscrubber”). Griffin explains that jumpers have arch-nemeses named Paladins who have vowed to kill all jumpers because “only God should have the power to be everywhere at once.” The Paladins, led by Samuel L. Jackson, use staffs that conduct high voltage electricity that prevent the jumpers from teleporting. Confused yet?

There is also a forced, utterly superfluous love story with Rachel Bilson of “The O.C.” Bilson is pretty, but has no screen presence. To be fair she isn’t given much to work with. Her character is given two things to do: sleep with David and be rescued by David.

The initial fun of the film’s setup is nearly completely undermined when it switches over to its tired good versus evil plot. There’s no depth to the struggle or any examination of why this centuries-old battle is being waged.

A movie like “The Matrix” took a science-fiction premise and explored it seriously and actually had ideas behind it. There’s none of that here. This is a movie that is pure surface. What you see is what you get.

That the film doesn’t implode can be credited to director Doug Liman (“Go,” “The Bourne Identity”). Liman keeps things moving at a quick pace that doesn’t allow the more cumbersome elements of the plot to sink in. When the story fails him, Liman, at the very least, brings some glee to the visuals. The action and effects have a stylish energy.

Christensen, who has been called everything from half man/half tree to a black hole by critics, is actually a decent lead. Yes, Christensen was awful in the “Star Wars” prequels, but let’s not hold that against him forever. He can act — see “Shattered Glass” as proof. As David, he has a mischievous grin in the film’s early scenes and possesses a likeability even when his character starts out slightly amoral.

But it doesn’t matter how well Christensen plays the role because he isn’t the problem. The character is. Although David is the lead character, Bell’s Griffin is a far more engaging, better written character.

Bell gets the film’s best lines and completely upstages Christensen. Whenever Bell is on screen the film comes alive. His energy, charisma and punkish attitude make you wish “Jumper” was about him. He makes the film work when it should be stalled on the side of the road.

“Jumper” is escapist entertainment, nothing more, but, for some, quite possibly less. It is a movie with the potential to be so much more, but that works well enough as is. No one will confuse “Jumper” for a good movie, but if you’re in the right frame of mind, a good time can be had.

Top ten favorite films of 2007

With the Academy Awards approaching now seems as good a time as any to list my favorite movies from last year. I choose the word favorite over best because I haven’t seen every film of 2007 and I am not presumptuous enough to assume I have seen the best. I have seen more than most people though, averaging about a movie a week theatrically. It was a tough call, but here are my ten favorite.

“No Country for Old Men”
The Coen Brothers are among the most, quirky, daring and skillful filmmakers working in America. After a few duds, they are back on form, with their best film since “Fargo.” The plot is simple: a man (Josh Brolin) finds a satchel of money and he’s pursued by a relentless killer (Javier Bardem). Bardem creates one of the best cinematic villains in recent memory and the acting by a cast that includes Tommy Lee Jones and Woody Harrelson is stellar cross the boards. The ending has frustrated some, but in its way it is absolutely perfect.

“Juno”
In this funny, fresh and endearing comedy, a smart, sardonic 16-year-old (Ellen Page) becomes pregnant and decides to give the baby up for a adoption to a seemingly perfect couple (Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman). Although highly praised, some have claimed the film’s dialogue is too clever for its own good and that no teen actually talks like Juno, but it is all about the deliver and the fantastic Page, nails the tone. The film inches up on the predictable and formulaic and then takes a sharp left into an ending that feels genuine and completely satisfying.

“Once”
An Irish busker (Glen Hansard) meets a Czech immigrant (Markéta Irglová) on the streets of Dublin and they connect through music. Over a week they play, write and eventually record music together. At times romantic, this is more than just a romance. It is one of those rare films to capture the allusive feeling of sharing a deep, if only brief, bond with someone. Hansard and Irglová are musicians in real life and wrote the songs featured in the film. The dialogue is sparse, but feels real and the music is beautiful and emotional. This is a movie to treasure.

“Sweeney Todd”
Tim Burton’s brooding, bloody adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s darkest musical is a wholly original blend of horror, tragedy, satire and the blackest comedy around. A barber (Johnny Depp) whose life was destroyed by a corrupt judge (Alan Rickman) decides to take his vengeance on all of humanity. That the whole film is set to song makes the proceeding all the more unsettling. Depp, who has a surprisingly good singing voice, is brilliant as the title character and Burton’s visuals are extraordinary. An acquired taste for sure, but this is a film to savor for those who take their film’s black.

“Ratatouille”
Coming out of the Pixar studio, this is a great movie. Not a great kids’ movie, not a great animated movie, simple a great movie. Too often animated features go for bright colors and slapstick humor and nothing more. Pixar’s films are colorful and have their share of slapstick, but their films are filled with a lot of heart and know that you don’t need to condescend to children. The story of a rat with natural cooking abilities that guides a hapless kitchen hand to culinary greatness is basic enough, but the film is full of wit, intellect and surprising emotion.

“Hot Fuzz”
Writer/director Edgar Wright, co-writer/star Simon Pegg and co-lead Nick Frost followed up their hilarious zombie comedy “Shaun of the Dead” with this equally assured parody of the buddy cop genre and British paranoia horror movies like “The Wicker Man.” Although not as slickly paced as its predecessor, the film pays off in a big way with a spectacularly over-the-top gun fight that perfectly satirizes overblown action films. The jokes are layered thick from subtle to outrageous, so it is a comedy that gets better with repeat viewings. Thoroughly English, but for those who like Brit comedy, it is hard to beat.

“Across the Universe”
A musical comprised entirely of Beatles songs is a dangerous endeavor to undertake, but luckily this isn’t a re-tread of 1978’s atrocious “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” Cynics have dismissed Julie Taymor’s film as pretentious, and although it is flawed, it is a movie with ambitions, stunning visuals and moments of brilliance. The plot weaves the songs into a Vietnam era drama that, while not entirely original, features characters we care about. Well sung by a largely unknown cast with a few surprise cameos, the film is a joy for Beatles fan, with re-interpretations of classic songs that are at times thrilling.

“Zodiac”
Critically acclaimed upon its release, this film has been ignored during the award season, which is a shame. Based on the true story of the Zodiac killer this is more than just another gory serial killer movie. This is less about the killer and more about the obsession to know his identity that grips a journalist (Robert Downey, Jr.), a cartoonist (Jake Gyllenhaal) and a detective (Mark Ruffalo). Director David Fincher adopts the tone of gritty 1970s films like “All the President’s Men” and “Serpico” and the film plays as well as the best films from that era.

“Gone Baby Gone”
This is the surprisingly effective directorial debut of Ben Affleck. Working from a novel by Dennis Lehane, the author of 2003’s “Mystic River,” Affleck creates a crime drama about the search for a missing girl in Boston that sounds and looks authentic. In a case of nepotism gone right, Affleck’s brother Casey gives his best performance to date as a private detective working with the police and the rest of the cast, which includes Morgan Freeman and Ed Harris, is uniformly good. The film takes the time to ask complex moral and ethical questions and doesn’t cheat the audience by giving easy answers.

“Atonement”
On the eve of World War II, two lovers (Kiera Knightley and James McAvoy) from different social classes are torn apart by a girl’s lie, but this is neither a love story or war movie, although it is effective as both. This is really about the lifetime of guilt the girl lives with. The girl is played brilliantly, and seamlessly, by Saoirse Ronan, Romola Garai and Vanessa Redgrave. Everything from the acting to the score to the cinematography is exquisite. There’s also a stunning unbroken shot at the solider filled beach at Dunkirk that is a masterpiece in itself.

Honorable mentions: “There Will Be Blood” for Daniel Day Lewis’ screen commanding performance, “Michael Clayton” for its intricately told and acted plot, “The Bourne Ultimatium” for being the best and most satisfying sequel in a year flooded with them, “Reign Over Me” for showcasing a fine dramatic performance by Adam Sandler, “1408” for being a horror movie with a heart, “Grindhouse” for being a gloriously over-the-top, intentionally trashy filmgoing experience, and “Disturbia” and “Transformers” for making Shia LaBeouf a star.

'Cloverfield' is all gimmick, no substance

Indifference is the word that comes to mind in describing my reaction to the creature feature “Cloverfield.” I laughed a few times, received a couple decent scares, but for the most part just sat in the audience unmoved.

“Cloverfield” had a big opening weekend thanks to an ad campaign that kept the film’s content a mystery. All we knew was that something knocked the head off the Statue of Liberty. It is a great scene, but if you’ve seen the trailer, you’ve already seen the film’s best moment.

As the movie opens, a group of uninteresting 20-somethings are having a going-away party for Rob (Michael Stahl-David), who is going to Japan for a new job. The festivities are cut short when a monster attacks New York.

We are excused exposition of the origin of the giant reptilian creature, but instead get stuck for 20 minutes at the party that opens the film. Our point of reference is Hud (T.J. Miller), who is given the duty of getting testimonials from the party guests. When the mayhem ensues Hud keeps shooting, even when common sense would say it was time to put the camera down.

Critics and audiences alike seem to be fond of the film that is basically “The Blair Witch Project” meets “Godzilla,” but I found that the shaky hand-held camerawork distracting. I am aware the film’s gimmick is supposed to make the proceedings feel more realistic, immediate and frightening, but all I can say is that it didn’t work for me.

The film at times evokes 9/11-like imagery, but it doesn’t seem worthy of evoking them. Some are claiming that the monster is meant to be a metaphor for the 9/11 attacks. If this truly is the case, it doesn’t make the film any weightier, and if it is meant to be catharsis then it is in poor taste.

This isn’t to say the film isn’t well made. The special effects are extremely well executed. The illusion that everything is being captured on a hand-held camera is never broken. When you finally get to see glimpses of the creature and the giant killer lice that fall off it, they are impressive.

I just didn’t care. With the exception of Lizzy Caplin’s Marlena, all the actors aren’t particularly memorable. Caplin (“Mean Girls”) has spunk, attitude and genuine presence, but her talent is wasted as she becomes nothing more than a tag-along during a mission to rescue Rob’s injured ex-girlfriend (Odette Yustman).

“Cloverfield” was written by Drew Goddard and directed by Matt Reeves, who both come to this from careers in TV. The dialogue is flat and rarely interesting and the characters mostly vapid. The film’s approach is to go for realism, but who wants that in a monster movie? Monster movies are meant to be fun and campy.

The film is actually structured more like the cheesy disaster films of the 1970s than a monster film. “Cloverfield,” like such films as “Earthquake” and “The Towering Inferno,” has cookie-cutter characters who are trying to get from point A to point B while trying to survive all sorts of peril. This simplistic plot can work if you have characters you care about. “The Poseidon Adventure” is a good example of how to do this right.

There is one sequence with our group of survivors walking through the New York subway system that does utilize the hand-held camera approach well and generates tension. The only light that they have is that of the camera, and, of course, that handy night vision feature. But even this bit was already done in “28 Weeks Later,” which wasn’t a very good film itself.

It is worth noting that George Romero, the director of the classic “Night of the Living Dead,” is taking the same hand-held approach in his latest zombie film “Diary of the Dead.” Due out in limited release on Feb. 15, “Diary” and “Cloverfield” will probably inevitably be compared to each other. Based on the trailer, Romero’s film seems to be a better executed endeavor than “Cloverfield,” but trailers can be deceptive.

'The Bucket List' is familiar, but gets the job done

If you read other reviews for “The Bucket List,” you are likely to see words like contrived, cliché, manipulative, sappy and schmaltzy. These reviews are not wrong. “The Bucket List” is indeed all of these things, but most viewers won’t care. In spite of its flaws, the film works at achieving its modest goals.

Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman star as a couple of cancer patients with a year to live. The two decide to go out with a bang and check off all the items on their mutual bucket list — a list of all things they want to do before kicking the bucket. It helps that Nicholson is the billionaire owner of the hospital treating both of them.

Director Rob Reiner and screenwriter Justin Zackham are not trying to push any boundaries here. This is pretty standard fluff, and that’s OK because that’s exactly what someone going in expects.

The reason the film succeeds as much as it does is due to the strength of the performances of Nicholson and Freeman. The two do what they do best. Freeman, who has narrated everything from Tim Robbins' redemption from Shawshank to marching penguins, once again provides narration and quiet wisdom. Nicholson does a variation on the wealthy cynic he played in “As Good as It Gets” and “Something’s Gotta Give.”

Both actors have done better work, but they are clearly having fun together and likewise it is fun to watch these two acting greats share the screen. Nicholson is the master at being over-the-top and Freeman the master at being low key, and the actors play off each other well. Standout bits include the duo sky diving and taking some vintage muscle cars for a spin on a race course.

There’s an ongoing theological conversation between the two characters that is pleasant enough, but sounds more profound than it truly is because of who is saying it. It is inevitable in a film dealing with death that discussions of the afterlife will be addressed, but what is on showcase here should’ve been either a more barbed witty exchange or a more thoughtful and introspective one. This is a minor quibble. The dialogue isn't awful, it just could have shined a bit brighter.

In the final third of the film, the plot shifts away from globetrotting adventure and focuses on Nicholson making amends with his estranged daughter and Freeman rekindling the spark that had gone from his marriage. When the film downshifts into this more sentimental mode, some may find the proceedings eye-rolling. I thought I’d be one of those people, but the film got to me. I was well aware I was being manipulated and didn’t care.

Although this is basically a two-man show, Sean Hayes has a nice supporting role as Nicholson’s put-upon assistant. Those familiar with Hayes' “Will and Grace” persona may be surprised with how effectively dialed down he is here. One of the film’s best laughs involves his character’s name. Although marginalized for most of the film, Beverly Todd as Freeman’s concerned wife makes her screen time work well. On the page she is a bit of a nag, but Todd keeps the character human.

“The Bucket List” is the sort of movie that you could nitpick and tear apart if you chose to, but why bother? No, we don’t really get any big answers about life’s questions or learn anything about being a cancer patient. A better, more serious film would attempt to explore these avenues, but that “The Bucket List” doesn’t do these things doesn’t make it bad. There are some big laughs and some big tears and you come out feeling good. Sometimes that’s all you want or need from a film.

Heather Masse's musical fairy tale

Most people don’t get their big break in a bathroom, but then again Heather Masse is not most people.
When Masse graduated from Fryeburg Academy in 2000 she seemed destined to be a successful singer. A major presence in the music department, Masse won the best female vocalist award at Berklee in 1997, 1999 and 2000 and won the best female vocalist award at the Maine State vocal jazz competition in 1998, 1999 and 2000.

Nearly eight years later Masse is making good on the promise she showcased in her years at the academy. Now not only is Masse the leader of her own band, Heather and the Barbarians, who are performing at One Longfellow Square in Portland at 8 p.m. Jan. 20, she is also part of the successful trio The Wailin’ Jennys.

Like most aspiring musicians Masse headed to New York, but before hand she spent a couple years in Boston working with Alzheimer’s patients. While she loved the work she felt she needed to really give her music career a chance.

Masse was working as a nanny and playing music in New York when she got a call about an opportunity with the Wailin’ Jennys from Aoife O’Donovan, a friend from her years at the New England Conservatory.

“I’ve known Aoife for a while through the self music, rich music circuit,” said Wailin’ Jennys member Ruth Moody. “She was one of the first people I called when we needed a new member because I thought she’d know great singers and she said, 'I have the perfect person in mind.' She said hands down she’s your gal.”

That gal was Masse, who caught up with band members in Pennsylvania to see one of their shows and see how she liked them.

“We only had about 10 minutes and we couldn’t find anywhere to do it except the handicapped women’s washroom, restroom, bathroom, whatever you call it,” said Moody. “We locked ourselves in there and sang a few tunes. We just knew right away she had such a rich alto voice and it was just perfect.”

After finishing that tour, The Wailin’ Jennys gave Masse a call and invited her up to Winnipeg, the home base of the group, to see how the collaboration worked. And it did indeed work.

“I could tell right away that she was a lovely person and a kindred spirit,” said Moody. “She just integrated immediately. It sounds like a fairy tale, and in a sense it feels that way. She was exactly what Nicky (Mehta) and I were looking for. She fit right in personality-wise and musically brought some new, interesting approaches and flavors to the sound.”

Her time with the Jennys has sent Masse all across the country and has afforded her the opportunity to perform on the NPR staple “Prairie Home Companion.”

“We did it in Wolf Trap, Virginia, and it is this awesome outdoor stadium,” said Masse. “There were about 5,000 people in the audience and then on top of that there are 5 million people listening at home and it is live broadcast so there is so much pressure. But just the vibe of the staff of ‘Prairie Home Companion,’ there are all just such good people.”


The Wailin’ Jennys were regulars on the program, and, while the two veteran Jennys knew the routine, Moody said Masse fit perfectly into the scene.

“When we did our first 'Prairie Home Companion' show with Heather, she fit right into that situation so perfectly and naturally that by the end of the show she was doing a duet with (host) Garrison (Keller) on 'You Are My Sunshine.'”

Masse spent much of 2007 touring with the Wailin’ Jennys across the states, Canada as well as Scotland and England. There was a small window of opportunity before their next tour, so Masse put together a mini-tour for Heather and the Barbarians.

“Since we (The Wailin' Jennys) played Stone Mountain a couple months ago and it got sold out, they said they could’ve done two shows, a bunch of people weren’t able to get to the show, so hopefully a bunch of that crowd can come out to Portland,” said Masse.

Masse is excited to hit the road with her own band, if only briefly.

“It’ll be fun to really get into it and really get a feel and rhythm playing every night with that band. I’m excited about it,” said Masse.

Heather and the Barbarians formed in Boston while Masse was at New England Conservatory.

“We started out playing more artsy/jazzy stuff,” said the Barbarians’ guitarist Ben MacDonald. “Due to everybody's busy schedules we have not been able to play or rehearse regularly. Our evolution has been gradual and I think organic one over the past few years.”

The band is more than just the typical guitar, bass and drum scenario and is enriched by two saxophone players who also double on the clarinet and bass clarinet. The sound is an eclectic, genre-jumping mix of jazz, blues, pop and rock.

“It is hard to say exactly how we work,” said MacDonald. “It is almost as though it doesn’t take much work at all. All the musicians are so versatile and competent, added to that is the fact that we have known and played with each other for almost five years. We have a good group sense of how things will work out and what needs to happen when.”

In addition to The Wailin’ Jennys and Heather and the Barbarians, Masse has played with numerous other groups over the years including the bluegrass band Kill Joy Sorrow. Masse did a Boston to Minnesota road tour with the Kill Joy Sorrow a couple summers ago. The July tour had the five band members (and Masse’s dog Jasper) crammed into a Subaru Legacy with a broken air conditioner.

“It was a really fun time,” said Masse. “It is sort of the other extreme of touring with the Jennys. We always get our own hotel room and we fly everywhere, but it was fun to have that other experience, too, because you actually get to see places and people more than you do with the Jennys. Like some days we have a day off in a city, but mostly we go somewhere and play the gig, go to sleep, wake up and then have to travel and have to go the next place.”

Even though the touring can be trying, Masse makes a point before every show of reminding herself why she is doing what she does and what she is trying to give to an audience. The answers to those questions give her the strength to go on with the show.

“I want to bring joy and peace and happiness and opening to people. Music has that kind of affect on people, especially with the Jennys, They write a lot of songs about peace,” said Masse. "That’s kind of nice for me because when I graduated Fryeburg I wasn’t sure I wanted to go into music because I really enjoy being with people and helping people and that’s why I really enjoyed working with Alzheimer’s patients. But with the Jennys it is sort of a nice balance where I am performing and singing to an audience, but it also feels like I am helping them in some way.”

Masse, who says the fact that she is part of the Jennys has given her opportunities she wouldn’t have had otherwise, is still adjusting to the idea that she is actually working as a musician.

“I’m still getting use to the fact that when I am home from a tour and have two weeks off that I don’t have to work a day job,” she said. “This has never happened before where I have two weeks off or three weeks off and I don’t have any other commitments other than to rest and practice.”

Masse will be hooking back up with the Jennys after her tour with the Barbarians to head back on the road. The group will be bouncing around the country from Alaska to Florida and everywhere in between until September. Beyond that, Masse isn’t sure what is in store for her.

“I sort of live by the moment," Masse said. "I’m not such a great planner, but things have been working out by living my life that way, by seeing what opportunities come up and taking them when I can.”

'Sweeney Todd': Dark, macabre and brilliant

There are films that are an acquired taste and then there’s “Sweeney Todd.” Tim Burton’s adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s audacious musical is a truly unique experience that blends song, horror, black comedy, satire and tragedy into a gothic tapestry that at times attains brilliance.

Johnny Depp plays Sweeney Todd, formerly Benjamin Barker, who returns to London after a 15-year banishment on false charges. He is seeking revenge against the crooked Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman, Snape in the “Harry Potter” series) who destroyed Todd’s life so many years earlier. With Todd’s wife dead and his daughter the ward of the Turpin, he sets up shop as a barber waiting for the opportunity to give Turpin an extra close shave.

Things get darker and more sordid from there. When Todd’s initial attempts at bloody retribution fail, he decides that all of humanity deserves to fall at the hand of his blade. His ally in his scheme is Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter, “Fight Club, “Big Fish”), who bakes Todd’s victims into her meat pies. Suddenly business is booming at the once failing shop.

Sondheim’s musical was more overtly comic with a targeted satire on consumerism paired with the tragic tale. Burton and screenwriter John Logan (“The Aviator”) have exorcised many of those elements, although not entirely, and instead focus on the tortured soul and fractured psyche of Todd.

Burton is perhaps the only filmmaker who could make this material work so well on the screen. The gothic expressionism that has been prevalent throughout Burton’s entire career is a perfect marriage with the grim cynicism of Sondheim’s darkest work. Burton has drained much of the color from the film, creating a drab-looking London that at times borders on black and white with its use of grays.

Within Burton’s canon this is closest in look and tone to “Sleepy Hollow.” Where that film was an exercise in style, here Burton now also has substance and dramatic weight to go with his striking visuals.

As one would expect, the film is very bloody. When Todd starts slicing throats Burton goes way over-the-top to the point of comedic levels. Some may say he over-does it, but a realistic approach would have been far too graphic and unbearable to watch. As is, it is unsettling, but for those with a dark sense of humor, oddly humorous.

Fans of the stage version may be disheartened to hear that some songs have been cut short or removed entirely. But Burton uses Sondheim’s music to good affect, especially “The Ballad of Sweeney Todd,” which, though missing lyrically, is a strong
presence on the score.

Broadway purists made a fuss over the casting of non-singers Depp, Carter and Rickman in the lead roles of a musical with some of the most melodically and lyrically complex songs in Broadway history. Everyone acclimates themselves nicely, and, while they may not have the most powerful voices, all three are decent to good singers.

The singing is more intimate than in the stage production but no less forceful. Depp in particular stands out by dynamically infusing his singing with his acting. On songs like “My Friends” and “Epiphany” Depp is spine-tinglingly good. Rickman, who does villainy like this better than just about anyone, shares an alternately sweet and creepy ballad with Depp.

Carter probably has the film’s weakest voice, but uses it well to capture the longing and sorrow hidden in Mrs. Lovett, Carter’s lovely “By the Sea” is one of the film’s few light moments.

There is much I haven’t even addressed, like the romantic subplot between Todd’s daughter Johanna (Jayne Wisener) and the sailor (Jamie Campbell Bower) who rescued Todd. Even this doesn’t play as one might expect. There’s also a brief but fine comedic turn by Sacha Baron Cohen (“Borat”) as a rival barber.

Given the subject matter, it is sort of extraordinary that this film even came out of the Hollywood machine at all. Kudos to DreamWorks and Warner Bros. for having the nerve to put money into a film miles away from the mainstream and then having the gumption to release it days before Christmas. Now that was some sort of stroke of macabre genius.

'I Am Legend' is more brains than brawn

“I Am Legend” is likely to surprise a lot of people. It is not your typical big-budget, big-bang Will Smith blockbuster. Things do certainly blow up really well, but this is by no means a wall-to-wall action film. Instead it is a surprisingly quiet, even moving film about the struggle of being the last man in New York, possibly the world.

Smith stars as military scientist Robert Neville, the survivor of a virus that turns those it infects into super strong, blood-thirsty night creatures with a deadly allergy to light.

In the Richard Matheson novel of the same name — which also inspired 1971’s “The Omega Man” — the virus turned humans into vampire-like creatures. Here the monsters most closely resemble the zombies of Danny Boyle’s “28 Days Later.” In fact, much of the film recalls Boyle’s 2003 low-budget gem, and that’s a good thing — especially considering the misfire of that film’s official big-budget sequel, “28 Weeks Later.”

“28 Days” opened with Cillian Murphy walking the eerily empty streets of London. “I Am Legend” capitalizes on that same sense of isolation, with Smith spending the majority of the film walking or driving the desolate streets of Manhattan with his dog Sam.

The visuals of the empty city, including images of blown out bridges and overgrown plants, are quite extraordinary and striking. These scenes feel authentic, and they are an impressive achievement in production design and visual effects. Director Francis Lawrence (“Constantine”) doesn’t pile on big action set pieces or go for cheap scares, but instead focuses on creating the lonely world in which Smith exists.

While the film does feature some genuinely frightening encounters with the monsters, the movie is much more interested in exploring Smith’s situation and the effects of his isolation from human contact. Smith’s Robert Neville isn’t your typical hero. He is fit and muscular, but is afraid of the world he lives in. He doesn’t attempt to battle his foes, but merely survive them. The search for a cure and his loyal dog are the only things keeping him going.

The script by Akiva Goldsman (“The Cinderella Man,” “A Beautiful Mind”) and Mark Protosevich (“The Cell”) allows Neville’s sanity to be thrown into question. Neville has posted mannequins throughout the city and has given them names and personalities. He talks to them as if they were real, but it is unclear whether Neville knows it is fantasy anymore.
Smith is basically doing a one-man show, and his performance recalls Tom Hanks’ similar struggle in “Cast Away.” His “conversations” with Sam the dog are full of light humor, yet at the same time Smith also manages to create a genuine relationship with the dog.

We know Smith can be funny, but there’s more to this performance than just a series of one-liners. Smith has some scenes that are quite affecting in ways you don’t necessarily expect in something marketed as a creature feature. The visual achievement of the emptied streets of New York is matched by Smith’s performance that shows a man barely keeping his sanity in a world of solitude.

There are some logistical questions that could be raised about Neville’s existence, but they don’t distract from the overall story. The film sets up its world and you accept it. But there is one hugely disappointing aspect of the film, which for some may be so distracting as to undermine the whole film.

The film’s super-human monsters are mediocre CGI creations that look out of place in a film of such high-quality visuals. The strength of Smith’s performance and the film’s creepy atmosphere may not be enough for special effects aficionados to let these cheap-looking monsters slide. Try to look past this flaw, though, for “I Am Legend” is far more than just a monster movie. It is a rich character study full of heart and humor.

The 'secret' is out: 'National Treasure' is just OK

Before turning your cell phone off as you enter “National Treasure: Book of Secrets” it would be a good idea to shut off your brain and check your cynicism at the door. Too much thinking will kill your chances of enjoying the sequel to 2004’s “National Treasure.”

Audiences seem to be enjoying the latest adventure of treasure hunter Benjamin Franklin Gates (Nicolas Cage). For the second week in a row “Book of Secrets” has been No. 1 at the box office, and it has brought in nearly $144 million thus far. Who am I to disagree with numbers like that? For my money, though, the new Goofy short that preceded the film was far more entertaining. Then again, I've always had a soft spot for Goofy.

“Book of Secrets” follows the formula that undermines many sequels. It attempts to recreate the previous film, but makes everything bigger and, in theory, better. This logic rarely works and if anything has the opposite effect on a film’s quality.

The original “National Treasure” had a silly charm and entertained with its audacious premise that the Declaration of Independence doubled as a treasure map. Like its predecessor, “Book of Secrets” plays like a lighter version of “The Da Vinci Code.” Fans of the first “National Treasure” probably won’t be let down, but the film doesn’t try to do anything new, except now the treasure hunt is a globe-trotting one.

The plot has Ben Gates searching for a city of gold to prove that one of his ancestors wasn’t involved in the assassination of Lincoln. It all has something to do with John Wilkes Booth’s diary, and the clues will send Gates and his colleagues from Washington to Paris to London and back again.

It is obvious that this material is ridiculous, but the film knows it is and that’s what salvages the film from being a complete bore. Cage’s Gates has an uncanny ability to figure out the most obscure meaning of any clue within minutes, sometimes seconds, and the film has some fun with that.

“Book of Secrets” has quite possibly the best cast of any film in 2007, and includes Jon Voight (returning as Gates’ father), Ed Harris, Helen Mirren (as Gates’ mother) and Harvey Keitel (returning as an FBI agent). Diane Kruger as Gates’ love interest and Justin Bartha as Gates’ sidekick also return. Sadly, a lot of the acting seems flat. This feels like a paycheck movie, as in the actors can’t wait to finish the scene and cash their checks.

The film sets up the Kruger-Cage and Mirren-Voight couplings in parallel bickering matches that aren’t particularly funny. Mirren and Voight fare marginally better of the two pairings, but in both cases it is more annoying than amusing.

One could contend that since this isn’t trying to be a great film that there is no point in knocking the acting. The problem isn’t that the acting isn’t Oscar worthy, but rather that there is lack of joy in the performances. Take for example Johnny Depp and Geoffrey Rush in the first “Pirates of the Caribbean.” There was an excitement when they were on the screen. They were clearly having fun and relishing creating vivid characters. That is sorely lacking in “Book of Secrets.” In Cage’s performance there are hints of that magic, but they are far too limited.

In spite of all the complaining, “Book of Secrets” isn’t a bad movie; it is just a rather ordinary one. It plugs along well enough but never raises hairs or tingles spines. It makes for a diverting two hours, but nothing more.

There is one cool sequence on a teetering platform, a couple laugh-out-loud moments and a few grin-inducing moments of cleverness. There is a very necessary place for mindless escapism, and “Book of Secret” fills that role. It just could fill it so much better than it does. Oh well, there’s always “National Treasure 3.”

Laughing 'hard' with John C. Reilly

“Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story” is a box office dud, just sneaking in at the bottom of the top 10 movies in its opening weekend. It is hard to say why since the film is a silly, but sly lampoon of the musician bio-pic.

The film’s co-writer Judd Apatow had a good year with two big summer hits, one as a writer/director (“Knocked Up”) and the other as a producer (“Superbad”). It looked like the Apatow branding was becoming a sure path to the top of the box office. So what went amiss with “Walk Hard,” because it certainly isn’t an issue of quality? Maybe this style of comedy just doesn’t play well this time of year.

Or perhaps audiences have grown weary of parody films given the slew of lame films like “Epic Movie,” “Date Movie” and “The Comebacks.” These films are made quick and with little thought. The formula is to reference several recent films and do a shot-by-shot remake of a scene with a slight twist. This can work, but more often than not it is just lazy and cheap filmmaking.

A genre parody shouldn’t merely reference films that fall within its target of satire, but mock the conventions and clichés of the genre. Mel Brooks’ best films did this better than any other, and thankfully “Walk Hard” is in that tradition rather than the new parody formula. “Walk Hard” also recalls “This is Spinal Tap” in a good way even if its comedy volume doesn't quite make it to 11.

“Walk Hard” stars John C. Reilly as Dewey Cox, a rock star who is most directly tailored after Johnny Cash in “Walk the Line” but who has an uncanny ability to play any style. This leads to amusing songs in the style of Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan and Brian Wilson.

Apatow and co-writer/director Jake Kasdan hit all the ups and down of the rock star lifestyle and do a fine job mocking the somber tones of “Ray” and “Walk the Line.” The childhood flashbacks of those films are sent up in a hilarious sequence in which Dewey accidental cuts his brother in half. As the doctor informs Dewey and his parents, “It is a particularly bad case of somebody being cut in half.”

Reilly, who has been a reliable supporting player for a decade in films as diverse as “Boogie Nights,” “The Aviator” and “Talladega Nights,” is on top form in his first lead role. He is adept at the physical comedy and can deliver a joke with the best, but Reilly, who is also a good dramatic actor, does more with the material. There’s an underlining sincerity in his performance that keeps the more raucous comedy grounded.

There are moments when the film seems to be trying too hard to make Reilly be Will Ferrell, especially during a scene when he is running around in his underwear, but Reilly has his own goofy charm and shines most in the musical numbers. The songs range from relatively straight homage to outrageous spoof. The best is a duet with Jenna Fisher (“The Office”) called “Let’s Duet.” Fisher as Dewey’s June Carter-esque second wife is a perfect comedic match for Reilly and has just the right tone for the material.

The whole cast, which includes “Saturday Night Live” cast members and veterans Tim Meadows, Chris Parnell and Kristin Wiig and cameos by Jack White, Harold Ramis, Frankie Muniz, Jewel, Lyle Lovett and others, is excellent. Cast members approach the material at just the right angle. There’s a wink and nudge, but there’s also an attention to detail provided by Kasdan.

The film gets the look and feel right. Kasdan as a director switches to grainy black and white for a great Bob Dylan parody and alters his palate again to take on the bright, tacky colors of 1970s variety shows. There’s a particularly humorous sequence featuring Jack Black, Jason Schwartzman, Paul Rudd and Justin Long as The Beatles that recalls the obscure mockumentary “The Rutles: All You Need is Cash.”

When reviewing comedy all you can do is say whether you laughed, and I did laugh, often heartily and louder than anyone in the theater. The film’s humor is at times vulgar, but never mean-spirited. The more familiar you are with music history, the funnier the film will be. Those who grew up in the era the film targets or those well versed in the time period will have the most fun.

The absurdity of politics: Five favorite political satires

When one is inundated by the political machine by all forms of the media — as we have been in the yearlong lead-up to the primaries — it is hard not to see the absurdity in the mechanism. Shining a light on that absurdity is the basis of one of the United States' great institutions: satire.

With the New Hampshire primary quickly approaching on Jan. 8, months of build-up to the primary will be replaced with the months of build-up to the election. If you find your cynicism bubbling up to a scalding boil, perhaps this is an apt time to rent a few political satires. What I provide here are five personal favorites to help you keep your sanity in the political circus.

“A Face in the Crowd”
This obscure 1957 film from director Elia Kazan features Andy Griffith brilliantly playing against his type as a charming country bumpkin, who becomes a cold, calculating megalomaniac following his overwhelming success as a TV star. The corrupting influence of power is hardly an original concept, but Kazan crafted an eerily prophetic film about the ever-blurring worlds of entertainment and politics. This is most evident in a powerful scene in which Griffith is shown coaching politicians on how to play to the camera and win audiences. Made in the early years of television, the film saw that this then-new medium was, for better or quite possibly worse, the future.

“Wag the Dog”
Barry Levinson’s “Wag the Dog” is a satire in the very best sense of the word because it pulls no punches and targets everyone: politicians, the media and even the electorate. Robert DeNiro stars as a political analyst who hires a Hollywood director (Dustin Hoffman) to produce a fake war to distract from a scandal during a president’s campaign for re-election. The premise sounds like farce, but the film is so sharply written and performed as to make the viewer pause to wonder just how much of what the media shows is merely manufactured.

“Bulworth”
Warren Beatty stars as a suicidal, disenchanted politician who decides to end it by hiring a hit man to off him. Knowing he will die in a few days, Beatty begins to speak bluntly with incendiary language about the corruption of the political system and even adopts a hip-hop look and vernacular. Beatty is a well-known liberal, but it would be foolish to dismiss his work here as writer, director and star as nothing more than liberal propaganda. The film goes beyond mere party stereotyping, and, like its lead character, reveals the flaws of the entire system, and because of that the film is sharp and on target.

“Primary Colors”
Director Mike Nichols chronicles the primary campaign trial of a Bill Clinton-esque politician played by John Travolta in a film that feels authentic when it could’ve been mere caricature. Anyone can do a spoof of Bill Clinton as a lech and get a laugh, but comedy is at its strongest when the humor is laced with weightier, thought-provoking ideas. Travolta’s thinly disguised version of Clinton is remarkably good, but his performance and the film itself are not one-dimensional mimicry. The film features a strong line of cynicism placed next to a hopeful heart and isn’t afraid to raise hard questions about what it means to be a politician in America.

“Election”
Don’t be fooled by the MTV Production’s logo as the film’s opening credits unfold. This not another dumb teen film, but rather a biting allegory for political corruption. Reese Witherspoon stars as an overachiever who will do anything to become student body president. Matthew Broderick playing against his former Ferris Bueller persona is the one teacher who attempts to oppose Witherspoon. Director/co-writer Alexander Payne's choice of setting for his lampoon of politics forces the audience to ask if national elections are any more sophisticated or meaningful than ones on a high school level. After all, high school presidential elections are popularity contests and student body presidents are figure heads who can never deliver on their promises.

'No Country for Old Men' is exceptional in every way

“No Country for Old Men” has already been named the best film of the year by the National Board of Review and the New York Film Critic Circle, but that’s likely only the beginning of accolades to be lauded on the Coen Brothers latest film. It is an exceptional piece of filmmaking.

This marks Joel and Ethan Coen’s first true adaptation, although "O Brother, Where Art Thou" borrowed themes from "The Odyssey." "No Country for Old Men" is an extremely faithful reworking of Cormac McCarthy’s novel about a man who stumbles upon a satchel of money from a drug deal gone wrong and the unrelenting killer that comes after him.

Whole sequences unfold exactly as they do on the page, and passages of McCarthy’s rich dialogue from the minute to the lengthy appear nearly verbatim. It is refreshing to see filmmakers be respectful to their source material, but the Coens aren’t blinded by their revere of McCarthy’s words.

In many ways they have improved upon McCarthy’s novel. They have distilled the best parts of the novel, removed scenes that didn’t work, clarified the unclear and tightened the pacing in the cat-and-mouse game that ensues between Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin, “American Gangster”) and his pursuer Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem, “The Sea Inside.”)

On the level of plot, “No Country for Old Men” is simple. Llewelyn takes the money and Chigurh comes after him. It is the execution that is so astounding. The Coens have always been fine filmmakers, but something about the darker side of humanity brings out the best in them. Like “Blood Simple” and “Fargo,” this is an atmospheric, moody piece of filmmaking that lingers in the mind.

The cinematography by Roger Deakin creates sequences of growing, quiet tension. There are small moments like a single lightning bolt cracking during a chase through a desert and a looming shadow in a doorway that stick with you.

The cast is uniformly excellent, but the performance that is sure to be talked about for years to come is Bardem’s Chigurh, one of the best screen villains in years. Bardem — a Spanish actor who is largely unknown by American audiences — is menacing, but never over-the-top. In fact, if anything he is subdued. There is glint of joy in is eye as he gambles with people's life at the flip of a coin that is more frightening than anything you’ll see in splatter films like “Saw” or “Hostel.”

Don’t be mistaken though. This is a violent, bloody movie, but this isn’t violence for violence’s sake. McCarthy and the Coens are attempting to say something about our society. There is a questioning of how things have gotten where they are in the world. There are no answers provided to these questions. Everything isn’t tied up neatly in the end. Audiences well trained to have a sense of closure in their films will surely be let down, but the ending is exactly what it needs to be.

The film’s questioning nature takes the form of Tommy Lee Jones’ Ed Tom Bell. Bell is a weary sheriff worn down by a society he no longer understands. This is hardly a new archetype in fiction, but Jones brings levels of nuance to the character that weren’t on the page. Jones has played law enforcement figures for decades, but there’s something different about his performance here. Simple put, he is great.

This isn’t to short Brolin, who after bouncing around Hollywood as a B-actor for 20 years final got some juicy roles this year. His work here and in “American Gangster” put him in a new league. Like with Jones, the word that comes to mind is nuanced.

There is no showboating in the cast, even when Woody Harrelson and Stephen Root pop up in the latter part of the film to provide a bit of comic relief. And the movie is funny. Pitch black, but funny. After all, when faced with the terrible, as Jones’ Bell suggests, you have to laugh because “there ain’t a whole lot else you can do.”