An Ad That Makes an Offer You Can't Refuse

When thinking of an indie movie, you might picture a story that takes a more honest approach to life, with maybe a little bit of lighthearted quirkiness added to make you feel like you're watching something unique.  They are not similar to the more mainstream films, where the "suspension of disbelief" is more fitting.  But, once in an enchanting while, an independent film will appear and trapeze on the line that separates the everyday from the miraculous.

Colin Trevorrow's time-travel comedy, Safety Not Guaranteed, stays perfectly balanced on that line.  It's a story about being given the opportunity for second chances when your life doesn't work out in your favor.  With its fantastical ideas grounded in reality, the film carries a whimsical uplift that shows that even an average, uneventful life can stumble upon something that was only possible in your imagination.

Darius Britt (Aubrey Plaza) is an unhappy intern at a Seattle magazine.  When the publication has the thought to do a story based on an ad by an anonymous person saying he can go back in time, Darius, fellow intern Arnau (Karan Soni) and Jeff (Jake M. Johnson), a writer at the magazine, decide to take the story.  Once they find the ad contributor, a loner named Kenneth Calloway (Mark Duplass), Darius volunteers to follow him so she can get information for the article.  Once he trusts her with his findings for time travel, Mark allows Darius to help him with his mission.  After they start spending some time together, she begins to suspect Mark might not be crazy after all.

Aubrey Plaza's character is introduced to us as a rather anti-social individual, admitting and showing to us that she was never an engaging person at high school parties, and stayed up all night studying in college while her roommate made out with her boyfriend in the background.  She even bombs a job interview because of her inability to be an extrovert.  But, she is a sympathetic character because of that, since many of us, at some point, might have had some trouble interacting with others, so we are able to connect with her on a certain level.  It's fascinating to watch her become Duplass' loyal confidante, since her interactions with him encourage her to become more of an open person, and this causes him to become more comfortable with himself.  They help each other in the long run.  She trades her mad-at-the-world expression for a willingness to share her secrets, and behind her sourpuss personality hides a painful childhood.  Through subtle character development, Darius goes from being a wallflower at parties, to practicing shooting and stealing equipment with Kenneth to help build his time travel machine.

Mark Duplass' character is one who can be described as the ultimate dreamer.  He's like that one neighbor of yours that is closed off from everyone, but is someone you can't resist to learn more about.  His powerful determination in what he is doing has us asking throughout the film, "Is he crazy, or not?"  We hope that he's not because he has such a passion, conviction and reason for what he does, that we want him to have his breakthrough. He almost has the mentality of a child who's holding onto an outlandish dream, even when others don't believe in him.  But, as it turns out, although he appears and acts like an eccentric scientist, he knows what he's talking about.  There are some clever touches to his character, such as having him and Darius meet at a high school football game to chat about their project goals.  This background helps to reinforce his yearning to go back to his high school years and win the heart of the girl he secretly loved.

Derek Connolly's screenplay lives on the need that all people possess of wanting to step into a machine to go back in time to fix something in order to improve their lives in the future and to get rid of regrets.  While we can't do anything of the sort in real life, what makes the two main characters so moving is that they actually do something to meet that need.  But, visiting the past by building a time machine is not a method used by all of the characters.  Jeff uses the trip to meet up with a girl from his teenage years who he longs to reconnect with, so he visits the past by simply showing up on her doorstep.  The story also embraces the universal theme of grabbing at the opportunities that come at the most thrilling times in your life, as in a subplot where Jeff teaches Arnau how to pick up women.

Director Colin Trevorrow keeps a consistent tone throughout the film, shifting comfortably between the cheerful moments, like the amusing first meeting between Darius and Kenneth, and the rather darker moments, such as a revelation for Kenneth's character in the second half of the movie.  Trevorrow gives the relationship between the two leads the time to expand, allowing their characters to mature and open up to each other, and it all leads to an astonishing conclusion.  This film is an original little treasure on celluloid that has emerged from the clutter of the summer movie releases.  See it, and it will resonate with you.  It's guaranteed.

Final grade: A

So, I Guess Visiting a Museum is Out of the Question?

When traveling through exotic locales, you want to absorb as much as you can of the sights and sounds of whatever place you're visiting.  You want to spend time trying out the cuisine, gazing at historical sites and getting lost for a day in the enchanting atmosphere of a foreign land.  It's difficult to think of tourists wanting to visit the site of a disaster, and yet, that's exactly what a group of young twenty-somethings decide to do.

In director Bradley Parker's Chernobyl Diaries, a new horror film that's severely lacking in horror, what should have been an eerie setting for a good fright is botched by empty-headed characters and a screenplay lacking in creativity.  Chernobyl spewed radiation, and this movie radiates a sense of cheating the audience out of the fun of rocketing out of your seat from a zing of terror.  This is an unfortunate misstep for Oren Peli, the scare-master behind the Paranormal Activity series, who was a producer and writer for this film.

While traveling through Europe, Chris (Jesse McCartney), decides to take his girlfriend, Natalie (Olivia Taylor Dudley) and their friend, Amanda (Devin Kelley), to visit his brother, Paul (Jonathan Sadowski), before heading to Moscow to propose to Natalie.  Once they get to Chris's home, he suggests that they do some "extreme tourism" (I never knew there was such a thing) in the abandoned town of Prypiat, which is next to the Chernobyl nuclear site.  The four of them meet their tour guide, Uri (Dimitri Diatchenko), and two other tourists named Zoe (Ingrid Bolso Berdal) and Michael (Nathan Phillips).  After sneaking into Prypiat and spending the day there, they return to their car, only to find that it won't start (of course).  Now, the group will have to stay in Chernobyl until they can get help, and will also realize that the town might not be deserted after all, but a home for mutants deformed by the radiation.

There isn't any point in talking about each character, since they are all daft to a full degree.  They foolishly go into the tour guide's van, which is so sketchy-looking that it's surprising he doesn't offer them any candy while wearing an evil smirk on his face.  All of the characters make so many irrational decisions that it's downright baffling, and it gets to the point where you can't help but think, "They deserve what they get for not having an ounce of common sense." What's worse about these characters is that you don't learn anything about them, so you end up not having any care for them.  All of them are completely interchangeable with other brainless teenagers you see in many horror films.  The most nagging question for this group is, "How does visiting Chernobyl constitute as a fun idea?"  These characters didn't think it all through, obviously.

Except for one good scare, which afterwards seems rather silly, there isn't anything to be frightened about.  We only get very brief glimpses of the monsters.  We only see them from a distance, as a blur or in a one-second close-up as the camera is frantically moving.  Of course, it's always what you don't see is what's scary.  But, the way how the filmmakers build it up, you still think they would give you some sort of payoff in the end.  Well, they don't.  It's all a big rip-off.  From what you do see, the mutants don't look that fearsome anyway.  They mostly look like the monsters from I Am Legend.

The only two things that deserve a little bit of praise are the cinematography, by Morten Soborg, and the atmospherics.  The camerawork uses many long takes to deliver a more realistic and unsettling approach to what we see on film.  There are some neat tricks with the camera and its flows of continuous motion, such as it following the characters while panning in and out of different points of focus, and rotating around the inside of the van as the group converses.  The dreariness of the setting, with its abandoned buildings and lifelessness of the surrounding nature, carry the tragic history of Chernobyl.

Despite the very few noteworthy aspects of the film, the screenplay by Oren Peli, Carey Van Dyke and Shane Van Dyke and direction by Bradley Parker don't do anything to make this a memorable horror story. We aren't given any reasons why we should like the characters, and they have as much depth as a kiddie pool.  They don't do anything but run, scream, cry and make brainless decisions, and without any scares worth talking about, Chernobyl Diaries is near worthless.  The tour group made the foolish choice of visiting Chernobyl.  But don't follow their example, and skip this European trip.

Final grade: D

Trying to Solve the Mystery of Life, and Encountering Extraterrestrial Life

The inventive and untamed imagination of Ridley Scott brought forth a landmark in science fiction, and cinema in general, with his 1979 deep-space creature feature Alien.  Such a simple concept of space travelers being stalked by a dreadfully disgusting monster had a certain complexity under the surface of its basic premise. Its bloody share of memory-searing imagery leaves viewers in a paralyzed state of fear, no matter how many times you watch the film.  We all know there isn't any coming back from the first time you watch the Chestburster scene.  Such is the power of the director's unwavering eye for the genre.

The first film in the Alien mythology was Scott's only one as a director.  Three decades later, he displays that his extended time away from the franchise has not tarnished his adventurous spirit for the sci-fi realm.  Just like in Alien, Scott's sort-of-prequel Prometheus has the director tapping back into the dangers and harsh consequences that the characters' new discoveries can bring to their futures, as well as diving into the enigma of life's beginnings.

In the late 21st century, a group of explorers, while searching through remains of ancient civilizations, discover a star map that has the potential to lead them to a distant moon that could tell them the secrets of humanity's creation.  Led by mission director Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron), archeologists Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green), and an android named David (Michael Fassbender), the team flies on the space vessel Prometheus to a distant moon to begin its scientific search.  After some time in their new environment, the group's findings begin to pose some deadly threats that could very well bring an end not only to them, but to Earth as well.

Much like the other Alien films, Ridley Scott calls in a female character with smarts and strength who shows the bravery and capability of going through with a perilous journey for the pursuit of near-unattainable facts of humanity's existence.  Noomi Rapace fills that role just as Sigourney Weaver did when she played Ellen Ripley in the previous installments.  She has a hunger for knowledge, but a sense of selflessness for her fellow crew members.  Being the more religious individual in her group, the character of Shaw is an interesting combination of faith and science. Shaw has quick decision-making skills when it comes to choosing what is best for her team and for herself.  Because of Rapace's petite appearance, however, she doesn't come off being as physically strong as Weaver was when she battled the aliens.  But, where Rapace is different from Weaver in physicality, they both match in scientific intelligence.

If Shaw is in this quest for the good of humanity, Charlize Theron's character is in it for her cooperate greed.  Theron has an aptitude for playing characters who looks as if they are cold to the touch.  She plays Vickers' character as a seemingly-emotionless ice queen with a her-way-or-the-highway attitude.  Right away, she is seen as a no-nonsense type of woman, staring into the camera with a hard, concentrated look as she does a series of push-ups after being in stasis for the duration of the ship's travel.  She is another tough female character, much like Shaw, but her plans for the voyage are highly questionable, and might not be in everyone's favor.

Michael Fassbender is an outstanding addition to the Alien franchise as the android, David.  He has an insatiable curiosity of the foreign moon and the humans that he surrounds himself with.  Much like Shaw, he has a want for learning new things, which is seen first towards the beginning when he's thoroughly studying the languages of lost civilizations.  Because he is an android and doesn't have any emotions, we have to listen to his speech, look at his facial expressions and pay attention to how he operates in order to understand why he does what he does.  His desire to learn about the world and those around him makes him almost like a human, driven by the want to discover more.

On most occasions, 3D doesn't do anything to enrich the viewing experience.  In the case of Prometheus, however, the extra dimension works in its favor.  The appearance of outer space, the moon the crew visits and the futuristic construction inside and outside the spaceship all have a justified use for 3D because there are a lot of visuals to absorb.  Since the film is science fiction and concerns space travel and visiting far-away places, it helped me recall the first time I saw Avatar and how this movie-making technology assisted in telling the story.  Instead of having random things reach out to the audience, the 3D adds more depth and life to what's on screen, using wonderful image quality to enhance the special effects.

With cinematography by Dariusz Wolski, the opening scene offers some sumptuous shots as the camera glides over landscapes of Earth from thousands of years ago.  Thanks to the 3D, the images are clear and look beautifully realistic, as if we’re seeing them as they are in the natural world.  Some of the best shots of when the crew is on the moon are the long shots, since we are able to see a small group of people positioned in a vast, unknown land.  The views we are given of space, the planets and stars have the usual grandness that we see in shots that are in the cosmos.  The cinematography, from the low angle shot of the Prometheus spaceship landing on the moon, to the long shot of the crew trying to outrun a sandstorm, have a splendor in scope that help make science fiction movies magical.

In the fun tradition of the previous Alien films, there are certain scenes in the film that make you squirm, including Shaw being driven to perform a harrowing surgery on herself in order to save her life, and two crew members having an unfortunate run-in with some unsavory creatures.

Jon Spaihts' and Damon Lindelof's screenplay has some fascinating philosophical and religious ideas infused into the action-packed suspense of the crew’s exploration.  The questions asked throughout the film, particularly why we are here, who created us and what happens after we die, are among the most important.  Those questions are the reason for this voyage in the first place.  With Noomi Rapace’s character being pious and Logan Marshall-Green’s character being a skeptic, the two share a thought-provoking conversation about the possibilities of the existence of gods and their motivations for creating humans.  While there are some questions that are answered, there are more that are not.  Those questions will more than likely be addressed again in the possible sequel, and the extra ending will have long-time fans, as well as newbies to the series, cheering and hoping for a continuation of the story.  You'll have to find out for yourself what's included in that ending.  The film doesn't require the viewer to have an extensive knowledge of the Alien mythology to follow Prometheus, but it does help to at least know the general idea of it.  

After many years of non-science fiction projects, Ridley Scott returns without having any of his flair for the genre missing.  Much like Alien, he has his latest film not be just about the famous creature, but about deeper issues as well.  He continues to offer visions of a bleak and uncertain future that is filled with advancements in both science and technology that could lead to greatness, or to our demise.  He can tell a story of a grand and hazardous adventure in his deep-space canvas and fill it with interesting ideas.  Prometheus begins a thrilling and scary new chapter for the Alien universe, with a lot more that has yet to be revealed to us.  Until then, like the characters speculate where they came from, we will speculate where they are going next.

Final grade: A-

Through Time and Space

When thinking about secret agents, we tend to connect them with the likes of the FBI or CIA, combating terrorism and defending our country.  When we think of them in the context of sci-fi and aliens, however, the Earthly defenders known as the Men in Black come to mind.  Unlike the fellows in Washington, this undercover group of alien-headhunters protect us from intergalactic threats, and clean up whatever gooey mess they might leave.  It may not be the most glamorous job, but their suits make them look good doing it.

In Men in Black 3, the latest in director Barry Sonnenfeld's sci-fi comedy franchise, a human-alien mixer, if you will, Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones pick up their neuralyzers and put on their shades to fight more otherworldly threats.  With a script that revives the fun of the first entry that was unreasonably missing in the second, this installment adds a new layer to the relationship between Smith's and Jones' characters, while retaining the eccentric, outer-space fun that is the energy source for the story and characters.

Agent J (Smith) and Agent K (Jones) have been working together for several years, hunting down harmful aliens while also working alongside the more benevolent ones.  Although J wants to know more about K afters years of being his partner, he just responds to J by telling him that there are secrets of the universe that J doesn't know about.  Meanwhile, an alien known as Boris the Animal (Jemaine Clement), who has a connection to K's past, escapes his prison on the moon, after having been placed there by K decades ago.  Boris soon uses a time manipulator to create an alternate universe where he killed K years ago, never ended up in prison and instigates an invasion on Earth by his people in the present day.  It is then J's task to journey back in time to 1969 so he can find K and prevent Boris from setting his plans in motion.

Will Smith brings back his wildcard temperament that has boosted his character's performance throughout this trilogy.  Whether he's fighting alien scum, adjusting to the attitudes of 1969 (particularly the racial issues) or casually annoying K, he looks like he's having great fun doing it, while also being his traditionally goofy self.  Ever since he first became a Man in Black, J's character has shown some maturity, especially by the film's end, as he finds out an important detail from his childhood that better defines his relationship with Agent K.  With this, there is an unexpected, but certainly welcomed, dose of drama in J's story-line that unveils a hidden part to his character.

Tommy Lee Jones only appears in a few scenes, and he drops hints that he's hiding some information that's of importance to J.  That's enough for us to transition to K's younger self (Josh Brolin), and learn more about his character and what it is he's withholding.  Brolin's impression of Jones is fantastically uncanny, and has the spirit of K's character throughout the film, despite Jones' extended absence.  Brolin masters the facial expressions and method of speech that brings us to a greater sense of traveling back in time with J and meeting a younger K and Tommy Lee Jones.

Jemaine Clement is splendidly evil as the film's sunglasses-wearing alien threat.  Even in his first scene, you can tell you're going to enjoy his character, even though you're rooting against him.  He is as fearsome as he is fun to watch with his deep, menacing voice and the way he displays his sharp teeth.  Michael Stuhlbarg plays the fascinating character, Griffin, an alien who has the burdening ability to predict events in multiple futures.  He is torn between both positive and negative occurrences, as he must experience pleasure and displeasure of having this clairvoyant power.  The use of his special strength offers the movie an ample amount of foreshadowing as we wait for the outcomes of the actions from J and K.  Bill Hader has a surprising scene as the 1960s icon and delightfully oddball artist, Andy Warhol, who turns out to be a Man in Black as well.

Etan Cohen's screenplay, which is based on Lowell Cunningham's The Men in Black comic books, makes a clever use of the older-cop-younger-cop archetype in the time-travel aspect of the film.  Part of what makes these films enjoyable is the contrasting personalities of J's hip and outgoing attitude and K's reserved and curmudgeonly attitude.  J, being young and cocky, thinks he knows it all; whereas K believes that there is still much for him to learn.  But once J goes back in time, however, the two agents' roles are reversed, with J technically being the older and more seasoned agent, and the younger K having just started out.  As the two team-up together, J's questions, as well as those of the audience, are answered as we learn why K is the way he is.

Several of the film's jokes hit their marks, such as those of Agent J experiencing what it's like to be an African-American in the 1960s.  Other jokes, however, fall flat.  In the scene where the two agents meet Andy Warhol, he begins to get on J's nerves, to which he tells the artist: "You know, I'd have no problem pimp-slapping the shiznit out of Andy Warhol."  It's an embarrassing joke that would have belonged better in either of the previous two films, since Smith's gangster-talk routine as run its course by now.  The visual effects are hit-and-miss, with a monocycle chase being a standout.  But others, however, look cartoonish.  As always, one of Hollywood's best makeup artists, Rick Baker, serves some wonderful alien appearances, especially those of Boris the Animal.

Barry Sonnenfeld repairs most of the damages done by the second film to the Men in Black series by placing some focus on the story's characters in the middle of this alien round-up.  Given how Men in Black 3 ends, the filmmakers should leave it how it is, since the relationship between J and K concludes on a satisfying note.  Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones have done what they can with these roles and have brought us some fun performances, but now, it's time to hang up the suits.  Don't worry, the universe will be just fine.

Final grade: B

A Heroically Different Kind of Team

Ever since Robert Downey, Jr. suited-up as Iron Man for the first time back in 2008, audiences were given a glimpse after each  Marvel Comics movie of a larger story that would eventually lead to several superheroes pooling their ultra-rare abilities to fight malevolent forces.  Think of their first mission as an exercise in team-building.  And what an exercise it is, one that's as physical as it is emotional for it's gifted characters.

In director Joss Whedon's superhero mash-up, The Avengers, he takes titans of the Marvel universe and elegantly places them together for the purpose of combating an power-obsessed, otherworldly villain.  Without forfeiting well-developed characters and a vivid story for overblown messes of explosions, Whedon constructs a film that succeeds in being both greater than and equal to the sum of its parts that came before.

At the story's beginning, the Avengers are involved in each of their own tasks: Tony Stark is busy with juggling Stark Industries and being Iron Man; Dr. Bruce Banner, a.k.a. the Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), has exiled himself to India so he can learn how to control his anger; Captain America is trying to adjust to the new millennium; Norse god of thunder, Thor (Chris Hemsworth), has returned to his realm of Asgard; Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) is fighting the Russians; and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) works for S.H.I.E.L.D., a peacekeeping organization  When Thor's half-brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), steals a powerful and mysterious object called the Tesseract from S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), puts the Avengers Initiative into action and recruits these heroes so they can defeat Loki before he enslaves humanity.

The wonder of this cast it that it manages to give depth to each character, despite the number involved and the action that's happening around them.  Each superhero has their own important scene, or scenes, that build their character in ways that are unfortunately uncommon in most action movies these days.  Downey, Jr. is as quick-witted as ever as the smart-alecky Tony Stark.  Being intelligent and sharply funny, each of his interactions with certain characters are terrifically unique from each other.  With Captain America now in a different time period than he's used to, there is a comical mix of him using references from his life in the 1940s and not understanding references from the 21st century.  Hemsworth and Hiddleston bring back the sibling rivalry that was put to great detail in Thor.  The dynamics in their relationship still has that trace of Shakespearean tragedy that Kenneth Branagh, who has done extensive work with the Bard's creations, brought to his film last year.

Compared to Eric Bana and Edward Norton, Mark Ruffalo has done the best job with the Hulk character yet.  Ruffalo's usual shy-guy attitude is a perfect opposite to his mean and green alter ego in the film.  He doesn't turn into the Hulk until about halfway through the film, so that allows the viewer to see him as a complex human character trying to deal with his burden.  Out of all the superheroes in the story, Bruce Banner seems like he's the only one whose power poses as a problem for him, rather than a gift.  His time as his regular self presents him as an isolated individual, and he feels as though he doesn't fit in the group.  His character has more to him other than, "Hulk smash!"

There is a better sense of Black Widow's history in The Avengers than when she first appeared in Iron Man 2.  Her guilt-ridden past makes up for what we didn't learn about her before, and makes her one of the most interesting characters in the film.  Hawkeye, unfortunately, is under the control of Loki throughout most of the movie, so we aren't able to go deep into his character, compared to the others.  Hopefully, the sequel will provide this Avenger with the chance to grow his story.  Samuel L. Jackson, as in other Marvel productions, is terrific as the one-eyed man with a plan.

The screenplay, by the director, not only uses the superheroes from the previous Marvel films to link their stories, but uses other elements from those films as well to form the plot, such as Loki from Thor, the Tesseract from Captain America and the significance of Stark Industries from the Iron Man movies.  By doing so, Whedon makes the story seem more unified for a greater purpose, other than just for the sake of bringing the superheroes together, and has these stories tied more tightly together.  Since Whedon takes pieces out of the handful of Marvel adventures that came before this, it would be to the viewer's benefit to watch those previous films before seeing The Avengers, just so they can have an easier time following the plot.

The film is a lively fusion of action and drama, with the uncommon feat of the two being well-balanced.  Before the climactic battle, there are a couple of superb action sequences, but they don't stand in the way of the importance of the characters' team-building and learning about each other.  There are some wonderful character-driven scenes, such as one-on-one discussions, including some between Loki and Black Widow, Loki and Thor, and Black Widow and Bruce Banner, as well as a part where the Avengers become divided on how to approach the problem with Loki and a revelation concerning S.H.I.E.L.D.  All of this culminates in an epic showdown where the Avengers fight Loki and his army, a clash that leaves New York City nothing short of ravaged.  The final fight does become a bit lengthy, but given that adequate time was set aside for the characters' relationships to develop, and the fact that audiences have been waiting several years for this team to form, an ambitious, city-destroying battle is a thrillingly entertaining payoff for moviegoers sticking alongside these heroes as they came closer and closer together with each movie.

With this film, Joss Whedon presents himself as the next great director of action films that are both fun and refreshingly smart, such as Brad Bird and J.J. Abrams.  His handling of the characters shows that he isn't just out to make a standard Summer blockbuster, but a film that treats its subjects and audience intelligently and with care.  With how long comic-book and movie fans were waiting for this adventure to happen, Whedon can easily win them over with his dynamic contribution to the superhero genre.  As is the grand tradition of many Marvel films, there is a scene during the credits that eagerly stages a sequel.  Hopefully, if Whedon chooses to direct a second installment, he finds a way to go further into his characters and also craft some dominating action scenes, as he successfully did both in this film.  For The Avengers, it's outstanding how Whedon put these characters together so well.  As the old cliche goes, "the more the merrier."

Final grade: A-

Coming to America

One of the greatest pleasures of comedy is that you never know how much an actor will do to make you laugh.  You might even require a map to see exactly how far he or she will go.  We sit in delicious anxiety as we wait to see what kinds of  fun shocks the comedian will use to surprise the audience.  Whether the bombshells are offensive or not, credit must be rewarded to these artists who aren't afraid to go in for the kill.

Sacha Baron Cohen has won distinction for being one of the bravest and most revealing (sometimes literally) comedic actors working in film today.  He's not known to shy away from sensitive topics in both the social, cultural and political arenas.  Rather, he attacks everything that is wrong in society today, including prejudices that pollute our lives. Baron Cohen is an actor who can make audience members recoil as they look on with wide-eyed astonishment at the hilariously uncouth activities he throws himself into, as we saw with his characters of Borat and Bruno.

In director Larry Charles' third collaboration with Baron Cohen, The Dictator, the team shifts away from the mockumentary style of film-making they used for Borat and Bruno, and instead use a more scripted approach. While their latest project doesn't have quite as much shock-value as their previous films where they interact with real people, there are still gasps of foul hilarity to be had.

Admiral General Hafez Aladeen (Baron Cohen) is the supreme dictator of the fictional North African Republic of Wadiya.  He is ruthless, greedy and anti-Semetic, among other unpleasant things.  Aladeen refuses to accept democracy into his homeland, executes people at will and is secretly building nuclear weapons.  After the United Nations Security Council threatens to intervene with Aladeen's dastardly deeds, he plans to make a trip to New York City to address the council.  He soon becomes lost in the city after he escapes a hitman (John C. Reilly), and his beard has been shaved off, rendering him nearly unrecognizable.  He is then hired by Zoey (Anna Farris) to work at her eco-friendly food store.  Soon, Aladeen must find a way into the UN conference to prevent his wrongly-appointed body-double from signing a peace treaty, which will bring an end the dictator's tyrannical rule.

Baron Cohen has the tendency to play foreigners who are placed in America whenever he's in a satirical comedy.  There is a certain genius to that, since he uses these characters to address today's issues in the United States, while also comparing our own traditions to that of the character's homeland.  The way he handles the fish-out-of-native-country roles makes the audience reflect on their own views of several issues, be they economic or social, and encourages them to look at these topics from different viewpoints.  Baron Cohen can fluently turn a simple comedy into a daring political statement.

As with his other characters, Aladeen lives a rather unique love life, as evidenced by his champion-level of philandering with countless celebrities.  Hundreds of photos of superstars adorn one of Aladeen's bedroom walls, including those of Lindsay Lohan (hardly a surprise), Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah Winfrey.  Megan Fox plays herself as Aladeen's latest bed-buddy, who leaves right after being paid so she can be with the Italian prime minister.  This is a sharp little jab at the political sex scandals we're all too familiar hearing about.

In the supporting cast, Anna Farris plays virtually the same character as in her other movies, except with black hair instead of her trademark blonde.  But she still manages to be a delightful, sprightly oddball as Aladeen's new friend.  Ben Kingsley plays the dictator's uncle who accompanies him to America.  Kingsley, sadly, doesn't become too involved in the film's most comedic moments.  Since he's usually a serious actor, it would have provided more laughs to see him cut loose on all of the craziness.

Contrary to Cohen's other nose-dives into courageous raunchiness, which have had viewers aghast within the first few minutes, The Dictator's screenplay, by Cohen, Alec Berg, David Mandel and Jeff Schaffer, takes some time to get to that point.  There are a few passable chuckles to be had in the beginning, but the film appears to be surprisingly tame at first for a Baron Cohen comedy, especially since he tends to come right out with the hard hits.  He does, however, amusingly and lovingly dedicate the film to a certain tyrant at the very start of the film, and once his character arrives in America, he returns to his old, shocking self.

Sacha Baron Cohen's over-the-top jovialities return just in time for the film to bathe in its sweet, offensive ridiculousness.  There is a scene where Aladeen assists a woman giving birth in Zoey's store, and it includes some imagery that I'm sure you have only seen in one of those "miracle of life" videos in your high school biology class.  Scenes like these are the ones that Cohen is known for, the ones that make you sink back in your seat because of discomfort, only to have you in hysterics seconds later.  Another uproarious sequence involves Aladeen and his friend, Nadal (Jason Mantzoukas), riding in a helicopter over NYC with two tourists.  Aladeen and Nadal engage in certain conversations in their native language, which soon leads the tourists to believe that the two friends are terrorists.  The whole time, Aladeen is decked-out in an American-flag jumpsuit, believing it will alleviate any feelings of suspicion that others might have.

Cohen is one of those I'm-going-to-do-something-totally-out-there-and-I-don't-care-what-others-think actors, and director Larry Charles can set the scenes wonderfully so he and Cohen can catch others off guard in whatever scenarios that the characters get themselves into.  However, the mockumentary approach works better for Cohen's political style of comedy, since he uses real people in real situations to make his voice heard.  But his work in The Dictator shows that no matter what method he uses to tell his witty stories, he is capable of placing film viewers and his fellow characters into their un-comfort zones.  Cohen isn't a dictator, but is instead a comedy king.

Final grade: B+

Will You Marry Me? In a Few Years?

Most love stories in the movies either deal with the couple's time spent dating, their marriage or the dating that segues right into matrimony at the film's end.  But what they don't normally show, however, is the time spent during the lovers' engagement.  This is the stressful period for the couple as they make sure that everything is in proper order for their special day.  But for every bit of stress, there is a problem paired with it.

For Tom Solomon (Jason Segel) and Violet Barnes (Emily Blunt), their engagement isn't what's typical in the view of a romantic comedy.  In director Nicholas Stoller's The Five-Year Engagement, he takes these two characters into a state of increasing, and sometimes funny, tension as their marriage keeps getting shoved back to a later date.  It's all about the strain that happens between the proposal and the "I dos."

Tom and Violet's prolonged path down the aisle began when they meet at a New's Year Eve party.  One year later, Tom pops the question, and Violet eagerly accepts.  Shortly after they set a date for their wedding, Violet gets admitted to a post-doctorate psychology program at the University of Michigan.  The two agree to postpone the wedding until Violet finishes with the program.  Later on, her work begins to open-up new opportunities for her, and the wedding keeps getting put on the back-burner.  Now, Tom and Violet have to figure out how to make their engagement work they so can, hopefully, make it to the alter.

Based on his previous comedic works, Jason Segel seems to have a natural connection with anyone he works with.  His pleasant and lovable nice-guy demeanor can win over anyone.  Segal might as well be labeled as a "ladies man" since he has the talent to click with any of his female co-stars, such as in television's How I Met Your Mother, to his films, such as Forgetting Sarah Marshall and The Muppets. He pulls Emily Blunt into the joyful ridiculousness of his personality, and Blunt gleefully follows.  She is as eager as Segel to revel in some doses of slapstick humor and awkward bedroom situations.  It's their effortless ability to work together that saves the movie.

Alison Brie borrows a fine English accent for her role as Violet's sister, Suzie.  They aren't on screen together for much of the film, but they share a hilarious scene in which Suzie tries to convince Violet to go through with their marriage, while both of them use Sesame Street voices to entertain Suzie's daughter.  Jacki Weaver is very entertaining as Violet's pushy mother.  Brian Posehn delivers several laughs as Tom's sometimes-inappropriate boss.

Besides the considerable chemistry between the characters, the screenplay by Nicholas Stoller and Jason Segel is curiously lacking in hilarity beyond that.  Compared with other comedies they have worked on together, such as Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him to the Greek, the scenarios displayed aren't as merrily outrageous as those in their other films, and there aren't many memorable one-liners that are worth quoting continuously.  The interaction of the characters is what prevents this film from being an almost rare miss by Stoller and Segel.  The Five-Year Engagement presents how actors can keep a film going, even if the story tends to fall a little flat, like champagne left out at a wedding.

Final grade: B-

A Future Where Entertainment is Brought to Deadly Extremes

Reality television, for some reason, has been one of the biggest viewer-grabbers in the history of the medium.  It seems like that for every creative television drama or comedy, there are 100 reality shows that make you embarrassed to be human.  TV series that expose some of the worst in its subjects have been bombarding our home entertainment for the past few years.  The characters are either inebriated, fighting, sleeping around or engaging in any other mischief in order to hog the camera.

In a post-apocalyptic North America, reality television is as in-demand as ever, but it's frightfully different.  Instead of the characters wallowing in alcohol, debauchery and mistakes that they will regret in the morning, they are pitted against each other in a cruel test of survival that's televised to a national audience.  In director Gary Ross' The Hunger Games, based on the first book in Suzanne Collins' marvelously addictive trilogy, the film provides an alarming atmosphere that has a very different feel from the text.  We are positioned in front of a screen, much like the viewers in the movie, and are forced to watch what happens.  It's a visceral view of the depravity that people are willing to sink down to in order to survive.

In the nation of Panem, the 12 districts that cater to the Capitol instigated a failed rebellion against their oppressors 74 years ago.  As penance for their defiance, the Capitol creates a yearly event where each district picks one boy and one girl, between the ages of 12 and18, out of a lottery, or "the Reaping."  The two teenagers are then taken to the Capitol, where they are trained to fight in a death-match where only one can emerge victorious.

Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) is a 16-year-old living in District 12, the poorest and coal-mining district of the Capitol.  She loves to hunt with her best friend Gale (Liam Hemsworth), and provides for her family with the game she finds.  When the 74th Hunger Games has its lottery, Katniss' younger sister, Prim (Willow Shields), gets picked as the female tribute.  Desperate to keep her safe, Katniss heroically volunteers to take her place.  Once Katniss and District 12's male tribute, Peeta (Josh Hutcherson), are selected, they are brought to the Capitol to train for the games.  Once they are put into the arena, Katniss will do everything she can in order to survive and get back to her family.

Jennifer Lawrence's performance utters a few echoes of her breakout role from the 2010 indie drama, Winter's Bone.  Both characters come from impoverished households and dangerous surroundings, and they both must provide for their families when there isn't anyone else who will.  Lawrence's physique and superlative acting abilities (she is an actress well beyond her years) build Katniss into a strong and independent female character for the screen, just as Suzanne Collins did with her heroine for the page.  Lawrence fluently translates Katniss' tough-girl survivalist personality that made her character so emulative when we were first introduced to her in the book.  She is prodigious with a bow and arrow to the point where she resembles a Robin Hood for her dystopian society.  Lawrence covers every emotion that Katniss should feel in her world.  Everything is there, from her sense of comfort when she's hunting with Gale, to her poignant sacrifice for her sister, to her dazed and confused expression when she begins her interview in front of the Capitol.  When she's about to go into the arena, she is visibly shaking, and our hearts beat with her's as she's brought onto the killing grounds.

Josh Hutcherson has gradually become a mature actor, especially ever since he had a role in the 2010 comedy, The Kids Are All Right.  With Jennifer Lawrence, the couple sticks very close to the relationship dynamics that the two share in the novel.  Before the games, Katniss and Peeta don't have any sort of past besides a brief act of kindness.  Afterwards, Lawrence and Hutcherson skillfully carry the heightened romantic tension once they're characters are in the games, with Katniss trying to play on their status as "star-crossed lovers," and with Peeta who has genuine feelings for his fellow tribute.

Similar to the Harry Potter films that are stacked with countless famous British actors, The Hunger Games comes with an array of experienced American actors.  There is Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket, the sprightly escort for the District 12 tributes.  Stanley Tucci plays Caesar Flickerman, the cheerful interviewer of the tributes who knows how to please his audience.  He has a personality as sparkly as the blue suit he dons.  Woody Harrelson is the film's comic center as Haymatch Abernathy, the boozy mentor of Katniss and Peeta.  Lenny Kravitz is splendid as Katniss' sympathetic and compassionate stylist whose clothes eventually make her into the Girl on Fire.  Donald Sutherlnad is shiver-inducing as the quietly ruthless President Snow, an apt name for his cold persona.

Another supporting cast in the film comes in the form of the four Career tributes, those who are trained from an early age to partake in the games.  They are led by the sadistic Cato (Alexander Ludwig).  These tributes take glee in their slaughter, and are a constant danger.  There is a scene where they are chasing Katniss through the arena, and they are laughing and acting playful with her.  This is a disturbing juxtaposition with their true intentions to kill her.  These contestants are unrestrained in their thrills of their kill.

The costuming and make-up are among the film's most memorable aspects, especially for that of the Capitol citizens.  They are dressed in colorful (and I mean colorful) clothing, with each outfit trying to outdo the other.  Their impressively bizarre make-up, along with their costumes, highlight how privileged they are in the never-ending good life that they all share.

The music, composed by James Newton Howard, is wonderful in the ways it's used and not used.  The main part of the opening music consists of a few strums of a guitar that reflects the simple, Southern atmosphere of District 12.   None of the music is used in one of the most important scenes: the Reaping.  This plays as a benefit to this sequence.  All we hear are the sounds of footsteps on gravel as the citizens attend the bleak event, distant voices and the piercing silence as the characters, and ourselves, wait for the names to be called.

Cinematographer Tom Stern's dominant filming technique for The Hunger Games is the handheld camera.  It works very well in the scenes depicting the games.  One of those sequences in particular is when the tributes enter the arena.  As they run to the Cornucopia, a pile of gifts consisting of survival essentials, there are quick cuts and unsettling camera movements that capture the overall sense of danger and emphasize the frantic actions that these teenagers take in order to survive the first blood-splattering moments of the games. However, the unsteady-camera approach is used a bit excessively.  It should have been used only for the scenes that the citizens of Panem get to view on television, such as the Reaping, the tribute interviews and the actual games, since these are the parts of the film that simulate the experience of watching a merciless reality show.  It wasn't needed for the scenes that happen outside of what appears on Panem's broadcasting.

The story cleverly adds some elements of reality television that we see today, such as the ostentatious costumes worn by the contestants in the tribute parade and the interviews, the romance between Katniss and Peeta that's staged in order to please the audience and the way how the games' control-center influences what goes on the arena, all to give the audience what it wants.

The screenplay, by Suzanne Collins, Gary Ross and Billy Ray, is one of the most faithful book-to-film adaptations to come out in a while.  Despite a few minor changes, the original story is nearly all there, most likely because of Collins' help with the script.  It's transparent that the screenwriters have the second installment in mind because they add a few scenes that are not in the first book, in order to provide a vision of what's to come in Catching Fire.  The character of President Snow comes to mind.  He appears more in the film than the book.  The extra scenes give us a greater perspective of Snow, and provide us with a taste of how big a threat he will pose to Katniss in the next movie.  There is also a glimpse of an uprising in District 11 that also helps to put future events in motion.

Before The Hunger Games, the last movie Ross directed was Seabiscuit, and that was nine years ago.  Besides that, the only other time her sat in the director's chair was when he made Pleasantville in 1998.  Because of his limited projects as a director, it was a challenge to predict the vision that he would bring to this futuristic, war-ravaged society.  Fortunately, he keeps the edginess of the source material and doesn't water-down the violence that provides a view into the extensiveness of the brutality that the Capitol pushes on the tributes.  With his working close with Suzanne Collins, the two retain the story's ideas that have kept readers obsessively flipping through the pages.  He competently handles his many actors and manages to have them give spot-on portrayals of how these characters conduct themselves in the novel.  The film's observations of reality television are handled just as adeptly.  That genre of TV doesn't make the viewer think, but the reality-television aspect in The Hunger Games does, and that's what makes the film a haunting social commentary.

Final grade: A-

Summer Movie Preview 2012

This is shaping up to be a VERY memorable Summer for Hollywood. The biggest season of the year for movies could dominate once again with its hotly-anticipated big-budget projects that will surely leave their marks on thousands of screens from May to August. But with the recent and massive success of director Gary Ross's film adaptation of The Hunger Games, one would easily think that the Summer movie season has already started. While that may not be the case, it's very close to its arrival.

Just like many Summer's before it, this one is gearing up to launch some films that audiences have been keenly waiting quite a long time to see, maybe for as long as a couple of years. Marvel Comics' Avengers squad will finally team up, the Batman will be unleashed for the conclusion to Christopher Nolan's blockbuster trilogy, Ridley Scott's mysterious prequel to his sci-fi classic Alien will bring viewers back to outer space, Spider-Man will go back to his origins, the Bourne Identity series will return with a new agent on the run and much more will be waiting for audiences at the multiplex.

The Avengers (May 4) The Summer begins with this superhero epic that has been in the making for the last few years. Every Marvel film from 2008's Iron Man to last Summer's Captain America: The First Avenger has contained a post-credits scene that brought the stories of each Avengers character closer together. In the film, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), director of S.H.I.E.L.D., brings the superhero team together, which includes Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.,), Captain America (Chris Evans), the Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johannson), to save the world from the army of Thor's half-brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston).

The Dictator (May 11) One of today's most outrageous comedic actors, Sasha Baron Cohen, returns for another film focusing on his latest character, Admiral General Aladeen (possibly a play on the name "Aladdin?") as a Middle Eastern dictator who travels to New York City and becomes subjected to quite the culture shock. Also starring John C. Reilly, Ben Kingsley, Anna Faris and Megan Fox.

Battleship (May 18) Based on the popular children's game, the story revolves around a vicious group of aliens called "The Regents" that travels to Earth to build a power source in the ocean, while a naval fleet stationed in the Hawaiian Islands tries to fend them off. Starring Taylor Kitsch, Alexander Skarsgard, Brooklyn Decker, Rihanna and Liam Neeson.

Men in Black 3 (May 25) After Agent J (Will Smith) learns that the fates of Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) and the world are at stake, he must time-travel to 1969 and team up with the young Agent K (Josh Brolin) to stop an alien named Boris (Jemaine Clement) from assassinating K and changing the course of history.

Snow White and the Huntsman (June 1) In this reimagining of the Snow White legend, the evil Queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron) learns that her stepdaughter, Snow White (Kristen Stewart), could surpass her as becoming the "Fairest One of All," as well as the kingdom's true ruler. The queen then recruits a huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) to kill her. After he becomes Snow White's protector instead, he teaches her how to fight. Then, with the help of her dwarves and Prince William (Sam Claflin), the troop sets out to conquer the unjust ruling of the queen.

Prometheus (June 8) Director Ridley Scott has been keeping this project tightly under-wraps for a while. Although some teaser footage from the film has been released, it's still difficult to tell exactly what audiences will be receiving in this brooding prequel to Scott's 1979 sci-fi classic. In the late 21st century, a star map that contains imagery of Aztec, Mesopotamian and Magdalenian societies is found. The crew of the spaceship Prometheus is soon sent to follow the map on a scientific exploration that could lead them to the origins of mankind. What they don't realize is that the advanced civilization they are exploring belongs to an alien race that could pose a threat to humanity. Starring Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Guy Pearce, Idris Elba and Charlize Theron.

Rock of Ages (June 15) In director Adam Shankman's film version of the popular rock 'n' roll musical, the story follows waitress Sherrie Christian (Julianne Hough) and busboy Drew Boley (Diego Boneta) as they eventually fall in love during the rock music era of the '80s. Also starring Tom Cruise, Russell Brand, Alec Baldwin, Bryan Cranston and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (June 22) Based on the 2010 novel, this story follows our nation's 16th president as he ventures to kill vampires to avenge his mother's death by the supernatural beings. Starring Benjamin Walker, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Rufus Sewell and Jimmi Simpson.

Brave (June 22) In Pixar's 13th film, Princess Merida of Scotland sets out to make her own path in life, and therefore, defies a custom that brings disorder to her kingdom. When she's granted one wish, Merida must use her courage and archery skills to reverse a terrible curse. Starring the voice talents of Kelly Macdonald, Julie Walters, Billy Connelly and Emma Thompson.

G.I. Joe: Retaliation (June 29) In this sequel to the 2009 action film, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, the team of Joes plan to fight back against the Cobra spy, Zartan, after he has many of the Joes killed, and must save the world as it comes under the threat of being destroyed by warheads, which are at the disposal of the Cobra Commander. Starring Channing Tatum, Dwayne Johnson, Bruce Willis and Adrianne Palicki.

The Amazing Spider-Man (July 3) In director Marc Webb's reboot of the Spider-Man franchise, Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) spends his days trying to unravel the secrecy of his past and get his high school crush, Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), to notice him. After Peter finds a briefcase belonging to his father, it leads him to his father's former work partner, Dr. Connors (Rhys Ifans). What Peter discovers will shape his fate into becoming Spider-Man and will bring him in a battle against Dr. Connors's villainous alter ego, the Lizard. Also starring Martin Sheen, Sally Field and Denis Leary.

The Dark Knight Rises (July 20) In Christopher Nolan's conclusion to his colossal Batman trilogy, the story begins with the Caped Crusader (Christian Bale) who is on the run after being accused of District Attorney Harvey Dent's death from the end of the previous film. Eight years later, he makes his return to Gotham City, where he must foil Selina Kyle's/Catwoman's (Anne Hathaway) and Bane's (Tom Hardy) plans to take down the city. Also starring Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Gary Oldman and Marion Cotillard.

The Bourne Legacy (August 3) As the Bourne Identity series resumes after 2007's The Bourne Ultimatum, this installment deals with a new group of characters that must deal with the consequences of Jason Bourne's actions. Starring Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton, Joan Allen, David Strathairn and Albert Finney.

Total Recall (August 3) In this remake of the 1990 sci-fi film, the nation states of Euroamerica and New Shanghai fight for supremacy. Meanwhile, ordinary factory worker, Doug Quaid (Colin Farrell), soon begins to suspect that he's a spy, but he is unaware of which side he is fighting for. Also starring Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel, Bill Nighy, Bryan Cranston and John Cho.

Don't let this list fool you. There are plenty of other films to see this Summer. This preview doesn't give any limitations. Far from it, actually. There will be big-screen journeys out there that will stimulate the interest of many moviegoing demographics. So when you have a day without anything on your to-do list, take a trip to a local theater, sit back and escape.

The Works of Director Jason Reitman

Jason Reitman has an appealing flair for making films that touch upon serious issues, but with a comical twist. He has accomplished this in 2007’s Juno, 2009’s Up in the Air and most recently in Young Adult. These films allow viewers to share a few laughs while also putting some serious thought in the overall message of the story. Think of him as a provider of “the best of both worlds.”

Juno could be placed in either comedy or drama category. The film’s comedic factors derive from the titular character’s smart alec, teenage mannerisms and hip, snappy dialogue, brought to us by the always reliably clever and funny Diablo Cody. The script’s highly memorable lines also come at us from Juno’s inappropriate best friend Leah (Olivia Thirlby) and her strict but loving parents, played by Allison Janney and J.K. Simmons.

The dramatic side of the film has to do with Juno’s pregnancy. Throughout the film, we are thinking if she will decide to keep her baby for herself and raise it with her boyfriend (Michael Cera), or give it up to adoptive parents (Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman) so she could live a normal life. Juno desperately wants to fit in at school, but can’t when her life takes a left turn that could make her a social pariah.

Compared to dreadful MTV reality shows, such as 16 and Pregnant, the characters and situations in Juno come closer to real life, especially since the filmmaker doesn’t try to sensationalize Juno’s predicament like MTV does with its teen-pregnancy show. Diablo Cody’s story is simple in its telling of a difficult subject.

Up in the Air could be labeled as Reitman’s film that is a true drama. It was released about a year after the beginning of the recession. The script was co-written by the director and Sheldon Turner, which was based on the 2001 novel of the same name. The two still manage to put a humorous twist on the matter at large, but it still keeps the story in a serious perspective.

The film stars George Clooney as Ryan Bingham, a corporate downsizer from the Career Transitions Corporation who flies around to different companies to fire people because their bosses are apprehensive to do so. He is told to mentor a new college graduate named Natalie Keener (played by a spunky Anna Kendrick), and bring her along on his travels to show her the ropes. Clooney and Kendrick carry much of the film’s lightheartedness with their witty interplay of how each of them thinks the job should be done, with old views versus new views. He also gets involved in a relationship with a fellow traveler named Alex (Vera Farmiga). Their time together is spent with late-night trysts in their hotel rooms, followed by whipping out their laptops to see when their flight paths will cross again.

The film’s most heartrending moments come at the beginning as Ryan fires a succession of people, with a few more firings placed throughout the rest of the movie. Except for a couple of fired individuals played by well-known actors, such as J.K. Simmons and Zach Galifianakis, most of them were extras who were fired from their jobs fairly recently prior to the film’s release. Reitman asked them to either respond to their firing as they did when they were fired in real life, or as they wished they had responded. Judging by what you see in the film, many of the extras responded in the way that truly expressed their feelings. Despite Up in the Air’s humorous undertone, this opening sequence grounds the film in a setting that’s very real to what we’re going through now.

Reitman’s latest film, Young Adult, is much like Juno in its more prominent blend of dramatic and comedic elements. The story follows Mavis Gary (Charlize Theron), who is a washed-up writer of young-adult novels. She gets invited back to her hometown to attend a party for her high school boyfriend’s (Patrick Wilson) and his wife’s (Elizabeth Reaser) newborn baby. While on her visit, Mavis intends to win back her old flame at all costs.

During the film, Mavis is seen as a cold, amusing portrait of someone who refuses to grow up. Although we laugh at her one-liners, we can’t help but have an unsympathetic view of her as she goes through pathetic attempts to win back her past boyfriend. She’s almost impossible to like or feel sorry for, which is fine, because that’s how screenwriter Diablo Cody wanted us to view her. It isn’t until the party that Mavis makes the reasons behind her behavior known, and our feelings for her immediately get switched to the other side of the coin as she makes this devastating confession. Her tirade is prompted by spilt red wine on her shirt, resembling a splotch of blood as she opens up this emotional wound.

Jason Reitman has recently become one of my favorite directors for his skill in mixing the funny and the serious. His depiction of real life issues has done an admirable job with strengthening the comedy-drama genre of film. Reitman’s films have come close to resembling what life is about, with all of its ups and downs, laughs and tears.

Backpacks, lunch bags, guns and badges

High school is a time that someone would either jump at the chance to live through once again or place aside without further contemplation. It's a society filled with boundless opportunities that will help shape the person you will become. It's a four-year period of living in the moment and embracing your youth. But every high school class has its own defining differences, and those distinctions become more eye-opening as years go by.

This is what Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) quickly realize in the high school comedy-cop comedy hybrid 21 Jump Street, which is based on the 1987 television series of the same name. Directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, it's a modernization of the show that satirically pairs the perspectives of how much high school has changed since the show's original airing and of how much it has changed from how the film's two inept heroes remember it.

In 2005, Schmidt was never the popular student in high school, and he can't seem to ask a girl out to the prom without stammering. Jenko was the thick-headed jock that didn't dismiss a chance to humiliate him. Now, they are both older and are enrolled in the same police academy, where they become friends as Jenko offers to make Schmidt more physically fit, and Schmidt offers to help Jenko pass his police exams. Once they graduate, the police life isn't at all what they had hoped. They are stuck riding police bikes as they patrol a park. When an attempted arrest goes wrong, the two are sent to a covert division on 21 Jump Street, which sends young cops who, because of their youthful appearances, are sent into high schools to take down crime. Schmidt and Jenko are sent back to their old high school with the orders to investigate a new synthetic drug that is being circulated. They are told to make friends with the dealers and identify the suppliers. But with high school being different since they experienced it, there are some challenges and dangers brewing.

The pairing of Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum is a confirmation that the opposites-attract dynamic of buddy movies is still very vivacious in this brains-and-brawn duo. When you first see the two together in high school, their places in the high school social order are so far apart from each other, that it's hilariously bewildering when you think that their characters will end up as a pair of crime-fighters. The opening scene shows the two as high school students. We see Jonah Hill walk through the hall as an Eminem-wannabe with bleached blonde hair and braces, while the rapper's "The Real Slim Shaddy" plays in the background. He fully encapsulates the spirit of an awkward teenager.

As for Hill's dimwitted, law-enforcing other half, Tatum brings one of the biggest surprises of the film as he establishes that he has a capability for comedic deliverance. Everything from his I-don't-get-it facial expressions and his quotable dialogue, such as the way he pronounces the "AP" in "AP Chemistry" as "app," bring huge laughs to his comically dense character.

Hill's and Tatum's roles aren't just limited to this. Before they infiltrate the school, they are given undercover names and class schedules. Schmidt is supposed to blend in with the nerds in his AP classes and Jenko is supposed to get in with the popular crowd. When Jenko accidentally mixes up their identities, they are forced to go into the opposite groups. This offers a role-reversal for the two of them, and they are able to go through what the other experienced in high school. This gives room for their characters to become more developed as their mission continues.

The film has its amusing squad of supporting characters that occupies the school and police department. It includes Chris Parnell as a peculiar drama teacher, Rob Riggle as an immature gym instructor, a dainty Ellie Kemper who can't seem to keep her hands or mind off of Channing Tatum, and Dave Franco as a drug-dealing and eco-friendly student. Ice Cube is a scene-stealer as the loud, in-your-face captain of the 21 Jump Street crew who has the attitude of a hard-nosed drill sergeant and hilariously advises his young cops to embrace their stereotypes. There are also a few surprising cameos from the television show's original cast.

Michael Bacall's screenplay and Phil Lord and Chris Miller's direction are an exuberant mix of the high school and action film subgenres. For the scenes in the school, one of the best is when Schmidt and Jenko are on the first day of their new assignment. They begin to walk across the parking lot and make several observations comparing the appearances of the students and how they present themselves. What they witness is so different from what they lived through that it's close to a culture shock for them. There is also a memorable drug-induced sequence where the two friends take the mysterious drug themselves and undergo its various effects. We see their weird hallucinations and the ruckus they cause to a band room and a track meet.

21 Jump Street has a blazingly fun dose of action, especially for a comedy. There is a car/motorcycle chase with a menacing biker gang, and there's a little bit of grand theft auto involved. Also, on a prom night unlike any other, there is a showdown in a hotel suite and a three-limo chase, both of which come out with bullets flying.

Underneath all of the excitement is a story about two individuals who use not only their common crime-fighting to take down illegal activity in the high school setting, but also use it as a second chance to accomplish what they never did back when they were in school together the first time around. It does get a tad sappy at times when Schmidt and Jenko begin to realize the friendship that is forming between them, but it doesn't become overbearing. The story regards how Schmidt and Jenko relive high school from two new perspectives: one from the aspect of the difference in the high school cultures between the two main characters and the other students, and another from Schmidt and Jenko being placed in different cliques than they were once used to. As a trip back to high school for the audience, 21 Jump Street is a wild homecoming.

Final grade: A-

Don't bother running out the front door, it's locked

The recent successes of 2011’s Insidious and the Paranormal Activity franchise (2009-2011) have proved that audiences still have the urge to embrace their fears and venture into a haunted house. When done right, a haunted-house film can make you tremor as you wait to see what’s around the corner, instead of having you laugh or groan at the clichés. In order to be frightened and impressed, we have to be given something that’s inventive.

Silent House, the new spook-fest from directors Chris Kentis and Laura Lau, which is based on the 2010 Uruguayan film La Casa Muda by Gustavo Hernandez, has the shocking events unravel in one continuous shot that lasts the duration of the film. Coming from someone who loves the technique of using long takes to tell a story, this film was an on-the-spot interest-grabber.

Sarah (Elizabeth Olsen) travels to her family’s lakeside house with her father (Adam Trese) and uncle (Eric Sheffer Stevens) to help them fix it up before selling it. As the afternoon goes into the evening, Sarah begins to be plagued by household horrors. With the windows boarded-up and the doors locked, escape is nearly impossible. As the danger grows in the time that’s quickly running out, Sarah must figure out why she’s being terrorized and find a way out of the house.

Elizabeth Olson doesn’t short-change the audience by giving a hackneyed performance that is all too common in most of today’s horror films. Because the camera follows her throughout the long take, in what is meant to appear as actual time, Olson takes us with her as she both extracts her inner scream queen and carries the film with much competence. We see every bit of her fear and vulnerability as she goes from a girl who simply goes to investigate a strange noise in an attic, to a victim who is as helpless as a rodent clutched in the talons of a hawk. Most of her dialogue is spoken when she’s with her father or uncle, and since she is alone for a majority of the film, Olson relies on her facial expressions, heavy breathing and shrieks to demonstrate her panicked terror and defenselessness. Her realistic performance makes it easy for the audience to sink into her dread as we navigate with her through every ominous hallway and room of the house.

Besides Olson’s commendable performance, Silent House’s foremost attraction is the use of a long take that goes on for the entire film. This is the work of cinematographer Igor Martinovic. This long take is all shot with the shaky-cam method, making it simple for the camera to move anywhere, and does a fine job in creating a disorienting feel as it chases Olson through the house. At one point in particular, the camera follows her as she runs in fright through a field. The camera seems to lose control of its movement as it tries to keep her in the frame, and this institutes a potent sense of alarm and urgency. Given how much the camera is always in motion and possesses a documentary quality, Silent House is almost like a found-footage film. Thankfully, the filmmakers didn’t take the easy way out to deliver their story on that tired approach that has been popping up too often in horror films.

Laura Lau’s screenplay is very much like her directing partner’s 2003 film Open Water, which Chris Kentis wrote and directed and Lau produced. The latter film and Silent House both use small casts but very different settings. While Silent House is confined to a piece of real estate, Open Water takes place in the vast ocean. Both films carry two striking similarities. One of which is that the main characters in both films are stuck in one place. Elizabeth Olson is caught in the grips of the house, and the two divers from Open Water are stranded in the middle of the ocean and float in one place with the fear of attracting sharks if they move too much. The second similarity is that both movies deal with the terror of isolation in life-threatening circumstances. After viewing both films, it's apparent that Kentis and Lau have a talent for making horror films that are limited in both setting and characters.

The film’s final twist is the one thing that almost damages the experience of Silent House. I won’t go into specifics, but odds are you have seen a twist like this before in other movies. Although the big reveal isn’t the ending that the film deserved, it does serve as a clever metaphor for the main character’s repressed memories. The result is that Olson’s performance and the technical ambitions outweigh the overall story. However, with the shortage of new horror films that truly deserves to be placed in the genre, just put the key in the lock and enter this haunted house. At least it’s trying to be something different.

Final grade: B

Celluloid of 1962 and Some Cinematic Touches of Today

Rider’s Spring 2012 Film Symposium was a wonderfully stimulating way to learn about film outside of the classroom. Since the theme was “1962 at the Movies,” it gave me the opportunity to discover some facts that I hadn’t known before about that era of film. The 1962 theme was a way to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the School of Liberal Arts.

But the symposium wasn’t just dedicated to 1962 cinema. Guest speakers participated to discuss matters such as film criticism, some students shared their academic work, and others screened their student films. There was a lot to witness at this semester’s symposium.

The first event I attended was one given by international film critic and scholar, Gerald Perry, who presented us with his experience with going from film viewer to filmmaker, when he showed audiences his film For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticism. The film delved deeper into the history of film criticism than I had expected, which was what made the viewing a lot of fun. I had originally anticipated that Mr. Perry’s film would just cover the last couple of decades in film criticism. But it was a treat to see the history of criticism from the very beginning and to see the changes that had occurred in this writing form over the years.

One of the most rewarding parts about the film was Perry’s use of interviews with various film critics. It provided the audience with a window into what these critics experience when they view films, attend festivals and write reviews. I liked the few minutes of the film where the narrator mentioned how when critics attended screenings, you weren’t able to decipher who in the audience was a critic. I found this to be an accurate and appropriate description of a critic, because yes, there are the professional critics in the audience, and then there are the regular viewers. But in a sense, everyone is a critic, because we all go into a movie, watch it, and then emerge from the theater and discuss it with our friends and family. So it’s rather appropriate that the critics blend in with the rest of the crowd.

Another event that I enjoyed was the one presided over by CUNY Professor Joe McElhaney, who gave the lecture “Purely Geographical: Politics as Space and Movement in Advise and Consent,” a film that I first watched in my Seminar in Cinema Studies class a few weeks ago. I’ll admit, it was a little slow for my taste, partly because I don’t get too excited for political films, except on a few occasions, like back in October when I saw The Ides of March, which I loved. Although Advise and Consent couldn’t grab my full attention on some parts, it did have other scenes that were punctuated with intrigue and mystery.

What I enjoyed the most about Mr. McElhaney’s presentation was when he talked about the camerawork for the film. He used one of the earlier scenes in the Senate to describe some of his points. I agreed with his view on the clever use of positioning of characters and the way how they would either appear or disappear out of the frame at unpredictable times. Although I had a hard time getting through most of Advise and Consent, watching some scenes again during the presentation with Mr. McElhaney’s commentary gave me the urge to give the film another chance, now that I have some new views on it.

Another event I attended was the Student Paper Panel on Film Form and Subjectivity. Being a Harry Potter fan, I listened to Sarah Sassone’s paper on the adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Having read the books and seen the movies, I agreed with much of what she was talking about, mostly with her information on how important it was for this film’s story to be told in a way that would properly set up the two-part finale. Having seen her present this paper in my Film Adaptation class last semester, this panel gave her a less time-sensitive opportunity to let her get more of her opinions and facts out to the audience than it did in the classroom.

I attended one event at the film symposium in my freshman year, which was dedicated to the horror genre, but didn’t have the chance to attend any events at last year’s symposium, which was dedicated to independent film. This year, I was fortunate enough to have a little more flexibility in my schedule to attend more events. Hopefully I have that time in my schedule next year to see what the following symposium has on screen.

Replacing tights and capes with jeans and hoodies

"If you could have any super power, what would it be?" That's a question we have all been asked at some point in our lives. With a host of possibilities, including invisibility, super strength and the ability to fly, it's difficult to limit yourself to just one or to keep your answer the same over the years. Nonetheless, having any kind of new power granted to you would feel like a dream finally fulfilled. We all remember what Uncle Ben told his nephew, Peter Parker: "With great power, comes great responsibility." While that couldn't be truer, there's another side to that: With great power, can come the thirst for more power.

We're used to watching movies about ordinary people acquiring super powers; but in director Josh Trank's superhero film, Chronicle, he brings a level of authenticity to this proverbial story. The enhanced sense of realism offered by using the found-footage technique allows the film to answer the question, "What would you do if you had a super power?" to a higher degree than the more traditional entries in the superhero genre.

Andrew (Dan DeHaan) is an outcast at his high school. He barely has any friends and is constantly picked-on. At home, it's not much better. Andrew's father is a violent drunk and his mother is dying from cancer. One night, while reluctantly attending a party with his cousin Matt (Alex Russell), the two of them and the school's popular quarterback Steve (Michael B. Jordan) discover a hole in the ground. As they travel down below to see where the path leads to, they find a giant, glowing, crystalline mass of mysterious origins, and are suddenly exposed to its energy. The next day, the trio realizes that after being in contact with the strange object, they have obtained superhuman abilities. The three agree to keep their powers under control; but after suffering for so long, Andrew has his own malevolent plans for how to use them.

Dane DeHaan already has experience from playing a troubled teen in the second season of HBO's drama In Treatment, so he has an impressive ability to channel adolescent anger. He is hauntingly malicious as a teenager who has been victimized for too long, but then makes a shift into villainy that he can't resist. He is constantly the focal point of the high school bullies, and is continuously being physically abused by his alcoholic father. What's compelling about DeHaan's character is that he's never able to stand up for himself; and now, when he finally has the power to do that, his friends tell him they have to keep their super abilities under control. You can sense the boiling-over of his craving to take vengeance on his tormenters. He eventually defines himself as the apex predator as he uses his powers to crush a car from a few yards behind him. It's hard to decide whether to root for Andrew as he gets back at his oppressors, or to worry about what he has become. He is a superhero gone awry.

Alex Russell, as Andrew's philosophical cousin Matt, is the one who tries to keep Andrew on an understandably short leash. Matt is one of Andrew's only friends, and always looks out for him, from the beginning of the film where he tries to help Andrew make friends, to when they have their powers and Matt has to control Andrew's increasing lust for power. Matt is careful in thinking what consequences an abuse of their powers might hold, whereas Andrew is more reckless, taking any chance he can to prove that he is the dominant of the three.

Michael B. Jordan, as Steve, is the outgoing and well-liked high school football player that reaches out to Andrew in his time of need in the first 15 minutes of the film. He's a bit of a loose cannon, but is still sensible with the use of his powers. Michael Kelly is fear-inducing as Andrew's vicious father.

Many superhero films tend to take place in crime-ridden cities. Although Chronicle is set in a suburb for most of the movie, there are details to suggest that troublesome activity happens in the area, such as graffiti on public property, trash strewn across lawns and a group of drug dealers. On top of that, the way Andrew's home is designed isn't entirely welcoming, hinting that his neighborhood could be in the lower-middle class. This suburb looks like it could benefit from a superhero guardian.

With the use of the found-footage style of filming, the camera is able to follow Andrew, Matt and Steve even when they rocket through the clouds. Since they all have the power to control objects, it makes this possible. One of the best scenes shows the trio as they take to the sky and toss around a football. What happens a moment later, you'll have to see for yourself.

The screenplay, by Max Landis, isn't so much a film about heroes vs. villains, but is more of a cautionary tale. It concerns the three teenagers as they learn how to come to terms with their extraordinary gifts. One of Chronicle's strengths is its darker-than-expected nature, with the shocking fates of some of the characters and the ways in which Andrew exacts his revenge on others. The storyline of Andrew, Matt and Steve receiving their powers is cleverly placed in a high school backdrop. There, it serves as an appropriate metaphor for them going through significant changes in their lives, in respect to them getting ready to graduate, while at the same time, becoming different as they go from humans to super-humans. The only part of the story that wasn't needed was the subplot involving Matt and his new girlfriend, Casey (Ashley Hinshaw). The subplot itself wasn't bad, but it wasn't necessary.

Director Josh Trank is a young up-and-comer, and Chronicle acts an exceptional project to springboard his talent. He builds the film around the emotions of Andrew, showing us the effects of his maliciousness as it consumes him. Trank steadily leads the film into higher stakes as Andrew becomes more violent and unpredictable, and the director carefully develops his character. It all ends in an intense, friend vs. friend smack-down through the city of Seattle that has the main characters crashing through high-rising buildings and crowded streets. Josh Trank stages all of this with soaring thrills. Chronicle takes a new approach to the superhero genre, and therefore, doesn't make the found-footage technique tiresome. Now that's super.

Final grade: A-

Predictions for the 84th Academy Awards

Very soon, it's going to be time to invite a man named Oscar into your house. With his presence comes the celebration of last year's achievements in motion pictures. It's the night in Hollywood that everyone in show business eagerly anticipates, and said anticipation gets amped up as those in attendance wait to hear what names will be called from the envelopes. This year, the night and excitement will be delivered by the master of ceremonies, Billy Crystal. This will be his ninth year hosting this event.

This year, the movies brought us a collection of stories that were very diverse in regards to their material. Among them, we had a return to silent film, a group of bridesmaids engaged in uproariously funny shenanigans, a young boy's adventures through a Parisian train station, an experimental look at the meaning of life and magical midnights in the City of Lights.

There are some big questions we're waiting to have answered: Can Viola Davis beat Meryl Streep for Best Actress? Will Christopher Plummer finally win an Oscar? Will French actor Jean Dujardin win Best Actor over George Clooney? And how many awards will be won by each of the two most nominated films of the year, which are Hugo with 11 nominations and The Artist with 10 nominations?

Here are my thoughts of who will win and who should win in the eight major categories.


Best Adapted Screenplay: The Descendants, Hugo, The Ides of March, Moneyball and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Will Win: Moneyball - This baseball drama is refreshingly barren of cliches that usually go with the sports genre. I normally find the game boring to watch, but this film easily drew me in. The film reveals that it's not always about what happens on the field, but what happens behind the scenes, concentrating on the process of scouting and the mathematical methods of picking players. Just like many screenplays by Aaron Sorkin and Steve Zaillian, Moneyball lives on intelligent and inspired dialogue to tell its story, and it's one of the film's several grand-slam aspects.

Should Win: Hugo - John Logan's screenplay is adapted from Brian Selznick's 2007 children's novel, The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Despite the intended audience for the book, the film has reached a wide range of filmgoers. The way it delves into the history of early filmmaking and mixes it with the story of an orphan boy's adventures through a Parisian train station made the film one of 2011's most cinematically magical journeys. Watching the unraveling of film history that I learned earlier in my Language of Film Analysis class was one of the highest delights I had at the movies this year. Hugo is an observance of the limitless wonder and power of movies.


Best Original Screenplay: The Artist, Bridesmaids, Margin Call, Midnight in Paris and A Separation

Will Win and Should Win: Midnight in Paris - The first few minutes of this film just consist of picturesque images of Paris. What followed was an unexpected Summer treat in the middle of big-budget blockbusters. Woody Allen's time-travel comedy follows an aspiring novelist, played by Owen Wilson, who longs to live in 1920s Paris, which he considers to be its Golden Age. That's exactly what he gets every night when the clock strikes 12. Every time Wilson's character meets one of his literary role models, we are just as excited as he is. It's a story about being influenced by past artistic achievements, while also learning to be inspired by and appreciate the beauty that your own era has to offer. The film is a festive and romantic view of a city that flourishes in its bountiful art. It also helps that Woody Allen has been nominated in this category 14 other times, and won twice. This year could be his third.


Best Supporting Actress: Berenice Bejo for The Artist, Jessica Chastain for The Help, Melissa McCarthy for Bridesmaids, Janet McTeer for Albert Nobbs and Octavia Spencer for The Help

Will Win and Should Win: Octavia Spencer for The Help - Spencer has been winning award after award for 2011's most-talked-about breakout performance. As a maid in 1960s Georgia who isn't afraid to speak her mind or cause some trouble to send society a message, Octavia Spencer hasn't lost any steam since she started picking up awards buzz during the film's release. After receiving wins at the Critics Choice Awards, Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards, I think we can count on Octavia being called on stage on Oscar night.


Best Supporting Actor: Kenneth Branagh for My Week with Marilyn, Jonah Hill for Moneyball, Nick Nolte for Warrior, Christopher Plummer for Beginners and Max von Sydow for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Will Win and Should Win: Christopher Plummer for Beginners - Plummer is one of today's most celebrated actors, having a marvelous talent that has resulted in a few Emmy Awards and Tony Awards. Surprisingly, this is only his second Oscar nomination in his highly impressive career. In Beginners, Plummer gives a bold performance as an elderly man who comes out as a homosexual, and Ewan McGregor is his son who tries to come to terms with this revelation. Plummer has fared very well on the awards circuit so far this Oscar season, so expect the Academy to finally give him the recognition he's long overdue for.


Best Actress: Glenn Close for Albert Nobbs, Viola Davis for The Help, Rooney Mara for The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady and Michelle Williams for My Week with Marilyn

Will Win and Should Win: Viola Davis for The Help - So far, this has been a tight race between Davis and Streep, with each winning their share of distinguished awards. It could be an honor, and yet intimidating, to be going up against one of the greatest actresses to ever work in film. But this could very well be Viola's year, who plays a courageous and strong-minded maid in The Help. She earned a Best Supporting Actress nomination back in 2009 for her work in Doubt, where she turned her 12 minutes of screen time into a knockout performance. If Davis could manage a nomination with showing up for only one scene in Doubt, then she has a genuine shot at coming out on top in one of this year's closest races.


Best Actor: Demian Bichir for A Better Life, George Clooney for The Descendants, Jean Dujardin for The Artist, Gary Oldman for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Brad Pitt for Moneyball

Will Win and Should Win: Jean Dujardin for The Artist - George Clooney tends to be a favorite amongst the voters at the Academy, and was the frontrunner at first. Now, Dujardin is starting to catch up, after recently winning Best Actor at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Clooney is superb in The Descendants, but there's the chance that the voters could be siding with the most surprising performance in this category. Dujardin plays a silent film actor in 1920s Hollywood, who then loses everything when he refuses to work in talkies. His performance is a dedication to the classic silent films stars, who all proved that expressions and gestures can be just as successfully communicative as talking. His performance absorbs the audience into a lost world of filmmaking that has the chance to live again after all of these decades.


Best Director: Woody Allen for Midnight in Paris, Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist, Terrence Malick for The Tree of Life, Alexander Payne for The Descendants and Martin Scorsese for Hugo

Will Win and Should Win: Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist - It's a great deal of work for a director to tell his cast and crew what to do, especially the cast members, since they are the ones who we're mainly watching. Since The Artist is a silent film, Hazanavicius has to make sure that every actor and actress has their gestures and expressions down pat, because they can't rely on dialogue to move the story forward. The director always needs his cast to follow his instructions for how to interpret what's happening on screen. Hazanavicius does such magnificent work with making that happen, and has made a silent film appeal to generations that have been without such films. That's a movie miracle.


Best Picture: The Artist, The Descendants, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, The Help, Hugo, Midnight in Paris, Moneyball, The Tree of Life and War Horse

Will Win and Should Win: The Artist - This film was a risky project from the start: a silent, black-and-white film with unfamiliar stars, except for a couple of recognizable faces in supporting roles. The most important question was, "will this find an audience?" As of now, it has earned close to $25 million domestically. While that's not enough to be considered a hit, it's still a respectable amount, given that it has only been released in around 900 theaters. It was the most nominated film at the Golden Globes, winning three of the six awards it was up for; and with 10 Oscar nominations, it's the movie to beat. It's a celebratory return to a classier time in Hollywood when the magical accomplishments in the movies were continuing to grow, and when this form of storytelling became the ultimate escapist dream. Seeing a silent film on the big screen offers an excitingly new experience for all viewers. The two leads are mesmeric and deserve the brightest of futures. The Artist is a golden example of being able to say so much with so little.


Although many of the major categories have predictable winners, there are still a few chances for a surprise here and there, like last year when The King's Speech won Best Picture over The Social Network. 2011 brought many fine films that deserve much recognition; but come Oscar night, the envelopes will reveal who are the favorites. So be sure to catch the 84th Academy Awards on Sunday February 26 at 7:00pm on ABC.