Chicken Little

In a Nutshell: Cute little movie, though it was a bit light on plot. Not nearly as bad as the critics lead me to believe. This is the first Disney movie I ever missed seeing in the theaters, and now I'm a bit sorry I did. Far from great, but also far from terrible.

Quick Plot: After an embarrassing incident claiming the sky was falling, Chicken Little is working to repair the damage to his reputation and his relationship with his father. Just as he begins to make headway winning respect and affection, history repeats itself as a piece of the sky falls into his life.

In Detail: I was looking for something very light to watch one evening last week, and this definitely fit the bill. In fact, it was almost too light. It was as though they stretched each scene by 10-20% to make a full length feature. Some song filler is fine, but it does not make a whole film. The stuff they had was good stuff! I just wish they had expanded on it a bit. There were also some great zingers in there just for the adults that will be lost on the kidos. The beginning of the film is the best part, especially for those folks readily familiar with the full body of Disney feature animation. Too funny! I bet it was amazing in 3-D! (My brother says it was.) Worth seeing or renting, especially for children.

Will I Buy It? Don't know. In our pre-child days, I don't think I would have bought it just for DH and me. I might let my son see it on TV to see if he likes it before deciding. Goodness knows, we could use some new films for him to watch over and over (and over and over and....).

Addendum: We did finally buy this movie, and at least for age 3-4, it is one of our son's favorite movies! It has grown on us a lot, too.

Casino Royale

In a Nutshell: I have issues with some Bond particulars, but on the whole, a quite acceptable addition to the franchise. And surprise, surprise: I see Mr. Craig's potential, that's for sure. Give him a "real" James Bond film (this was not it), and he will make a very good 007 indeed.

Quick Plot: Bond's first adventure as Bond. There is really nothing else of importance.

In Detail: Hmmm.... what to say here. I will say that it is a movie worth seeing. Whether or not on the big screen is up to you and your status as a Bond fan (though if you are a true Bond fan, you've already seen it, haven't you?). And it was not as bad as I expected it to be. On the contrary, it is quite a good spy/action film. What it is NOT is a James Bond film. I agree with whichever reviewer I read who said it feels more like The Bourne Identity than a James Bond. Don't get me wrong, I liked The Bourne Identity. But it is not James Bond. Casino Royale had its moments where it "felt right," but they were few and far between. I understand that there were to be differences, seeing as this was supposed to be his first case (don't get me started on how they made that work (or didn't, as the case may be)). It wasn't the gadgets or lack there of, it wasn't the girl (generally speaking, I liked her as a Bond girl), it wasn't anything specific. It just felt "off" somehow. The surprise in all of this was Daniel Craig. Much to my surprise, he has the potential to become an excellent James Bond. I just hope they give him a better film next time.

Will I Buy It? Yes, but only because I'm a lifetime Bond fan.

Cars

In a Nutshell: By general animation standards, it is a very good movie with some stunning visuals. By Pixar standards, it is a little bit of a disappointment.

Quick Plot: Lightening McQueen, hotshot rookie of the racing scene, gets lost on his way to the final race, meeting a group of misfit small town cars who challenge his perceptions.

In Detail: I think, had this been the first Pixar film, everyone would be completely raving about it. Following such a phenomenal string of Pixar films, though, it would have been exceedingly difficult for this one to live up, and it just doesn't quite manage. (I am also tainted because I think The Incredibles is one of the best movies ever made, so that was not in Cars' favor.) I think it has some pacing issues, definitely too long and slow for little children. I think the story is just too ordinary for a Pixar film. I mean, I know we in America like our predictable films, but that is one of the things that made Pixar great: fresh and original versions of the predictable. But my biggest disappointment: I didn't really laugh out loud. A few chuckles, sure, but not the belly laughs I am accustomed to. I will say that I think people who are into cars and racing will probably get more out of it than I did. I have no doubts there are some references that I missed. Still good, still worth seeing in the theaters. Just not quite up to their usual standards.

Will I Buy It? Yes. It is still some of the best film making out there today, and still great for kids.

Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen

In a Nutshell: Fun and quirky, and I liked the message. Great for tweens, despite what you might think of Miss Lohan and her behavior of late.

Quick Plot: A New York City teen is transplanted to Jersey, creating much real and imagined drama in her life. But if she can *just* get in to see her favorite band at their final concert, life will be complete.

In Detail: It was a lot of fun, and I liked it fine. With what little I've seen of both of them, I think between Hillary Duff and Lindsay Lohan, Lohan is the better actress. If she'll just grow up and get over herself (and stop taking after Paris Hilton), I think she'll make a remarkable actress. I also liked the message of the film. The Princess Diaries bothered me because they seemed to emphasize fitting in, most particularly with her appearance. Here, the message was "be yourself and don't worry so much about what others think." I was a little concerned about some of her behavior, particularly the lying, but it turned out fine. Not only did she lose friends and respect for lying, she also got grounded for various things she did that were against the rules. Be yourself, but obey the rules, and live up to your obligations. Sounds like a fabulous teen message to me!! I could have done without the musical interlude every 5 minutes or so (do we really need a different song chorus *every* time we change scenes?), but some of it was quite good. I don't think they integrated the concert storyline and the school musical storyline very well, but that's okay. It was a low-budget kids' film, there's only so much you can expect. I was most irked by the fact that the title song, performed at the end of the school musical, had absolutely *zero* to do with anything in the musical itself. It was simply tacked on because there was singing involved. It is clear, however, that it was meant as a vehicle for The Divine Miss L, and she clearly worked hard on it. The outfit was a little much, as were some of the others in the film, but if that's my only complaint, then it can't have been that bad. :-)

Will I Buy It? Hmm, I'm not sure. Since I have a boy, I'm not sure he'd appreciate it like he should, and besides, it may all be irrelevant 10+ years from now anyway. Cute, but not something I would watch again just for me.

Casanova

In a Nutshell: A fun and entertaining romp, not serious in the slightest, nor is it intended to be. A perfectly pleasant two hours.

Quick Plot: The "semi-true" tale of the legendary lothario and the love of his life.

In Detail: Honestly, there isn't much to say about this film. It is the perfect "cream puff" of a movie. Light, airy, and sweet, with no meat to it whatsoever. I smiled, I laughed, I enjoyed myself. The settings are lovely, the costumes stunning, and the situations are appropriately ridiculous, with a few witty lines for flavor. And one of my personal favorites, Oliver Platt, is his usual over the top self, even if he is virtually unrecognizable, both physically and vocally. Unless you're out of films to see, I wouldn't bother with this one in the theater. It will be just fine on DVD, or better yet, your movie channel of choice. I just wasn't up for anything heavy that night, and this was the perfect confection of a film to suit my tastes at the time.

Will I Buy It? Doubtful.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

In a Nutshell: Okay. Glorious attention to detail, beautiful to watch, but I ultimately found it a bit boring.

Quick Plot: Four siblings in war-torn England are sent to the country for safety. There, they find a magical realm within a wardrobe in the spare room, ruled by a white witch who is constantly on guard for the four humans who are foretold to end her reign.

In Detail: By now, I'm sure we *all* know that Disney was presenting this film on two fronts, and I am happy to say that it walked the fine line between the two camps very well with this production (probably helped by the fact that Disney is mainly a distributor in this case, not a major producer in anything but the money department). They did not downplay the obvious Christian overtones, nor did they downplay the magical aspects. They presented the story, both "faces" of it, just as it was portrayed in the book; you may read as much or as little into the parallels as you would like in this wonderfully fantastical world. But given that I have read the book (though it was several years ago), and given that it is a Christian allegory, it was way too predictable. I know, many films are now, and what can I expect from a book as old as this one; I also didn't expect it to stray from the book (that would truly have been sacrilege). It just felt plodding and boring, though I'm not sure how that could have been fixed. (Hey, we all knew the boat sank (Titanic) and Anakin became Vader (Sith), but we still went to see those.) Still, it is a good movie, fine for most children, though some of the witch's creatures might be a bit frightening for sensitive little ones at the "table scene" near the end. The make-up and effects were very well done indeed, and the attention to even the smallest detail is fabulous, but in the end, it just wasn't enough for me. I do look forward to future Narnia installments, though. Perhaps I shall enjoy the ones I have not read a bit more.

Will I Buy It? Not just yet. If I like future installments, then I'll go back and pick this one up.

Cellular

In a Nutshell: Your typical B-movie. (Might have been better if I hadn't *just* seen the much better B-movie Red Eye.) Not great, not bad. Semi-tense, had some humor to it, but other than that, it was just kind-of there.

Quick Plot: Jessica has been kidnapped. Her captors have locked her in a room with a smashed phone. After clicking the wires together, she is connected with Ryan's cell phone. She begs for help, and tries to enlist his help to protect her family. If the connection is lost, so is any chance of rescue.

In Detail: Like I said, it was okay. Not good, not bad; just existing. Kim Basinger gives a much better performance than the material calls for, and it did let me see some of the appeal of Jason Statham (I'm certainly more interested in seeing The Transporter after seeing this film). Chris Evans' performance, on the other hand, was rather goofy. I realize this may have been what the part called for, but interestingly enough, the other parts were played too seriously for his performance to fit in. Even William H. Macy, whose character was a little silly, took his part seriously. Evans treated it like a joy ride. Either everyone should have treated it like that, or Evans should have been a little more serious. I realize it was not an incredibly serious part or film, it was just glaringly out of sync. Might have been better with a different lead, and perhaps a slightly beefed up story line, including a somewhat slower reveal.

Will I Buy It? Nope.

The Core

In a Nutshell: Good brainless action/sci-fi flick. Better than I thought it would be.

Quick Plot: The Earth's core has stopped spinning, affecting the magnetic fields, causing problems ranging from watches stopping to GPS unit malfunctions (and worse). A group of scientists must now travel to the very center of the planet to detonate a series of nuclear bombs and set things right.

In Detail: It really was much better than I thought it would be. It had the potential to be a total B-movie (despite several A-list actors), but it pulled things off amazingly well. Even some of the science was accurate (note I said some, not all). The effects were impressive, though not groundbreaking IMO, and many of the concepts were quite cool. It was also both funnier and more dramatic than I expected. Stanly Tucci is annoying, and Rat is awesome! He provides one of the all-time funniest scenes I have ever seen in any movie. Techies will love it. Our particular screening was full of computer geeks, and we were all just dying laughing; we even missed part of the next scene because we were laughing so hard. And I would personally like to thank the filmmakers for NOT ending the movie in the "traditional" way. You'll see. I may have even liked The Core better than Armageddon. Not that Armageddon is one of my most favorite films, but I do like it. I think I need to see them both again and close to each other to decide.

Will I Buy It? I'd say it's on the yes side of maybe. I think I need to see it again. Definitely see it on the big screen if it interests you.

Chocolat

In a Nutshell: A very sweet film (no pun intended). Nothing heavy or deep, it was a wonderfully pleasant film to sit back, relax, and enjoy.

Quick Plot: Vianne (Juliette Binoche) and her daughter Anouk move to a very rigid little French town just at the start of Lent and open a chocolate shop. Not only does the shop tempt people during a time of abstinence from all pleasures, but it's open on Sunday! The mayor does his best to shut her down, including having the priest speak out against her (indirectly of course), but one by one, the townspeople open up and welcome her.

In Detail: I really liked this movie. It reminded me in many ways of Mary Poppins (one of my favorite films of all time). Instead of a nanny who fixes up a broken household, you have a sweets shop owner who fixes up a whole town with her special treats and special touch with people. In the process, she exorcises her own demons (figuratively, of course), and reconnects with her daughter. For those of you who are interested in the film only because of Johnny Depp (or for those avoiding the film because of Johnny Depp), he isn't really in the film very much; maybe 20 minutes total, and he plays a remarkably normal person. Plenty of other recognizable folks in the film give good to great performances. I can see where some religious fanatics would be upset with the film. I can hear it now, "that movie says that you don't need church because chocolate can cure all your problems." Um, no, did you even *watch* the film? These are the same people who think the Wizard of Oz promotes witchcraft (?!). If you are one of those people, then this is not the film for you. But for everyone else, it is a wonderfully light romantic film. Do see it if you can.

Will I Buy It? I'm seriously thinking about it. I can't say "yes, definitely," but I did like it a lot, and I can see that I would watch it more than once. We'll see.

Addendum: After seeing this movie a couple more times on television, I did decide to buy it. It really is a joy to watch.

Chicago

In a Nutshell: So much fun! Very very good, a definite must see.

Quick Plot: Velma Kelly, a vaudeville star, is arrested for double murder in jazz-era Chicago. Now notorious, it gives her what she needs to be an even bigger star, after she's acquitted of course. Roxie Hart, a vaudeville wannabe, shoots her lover, and starts giving Velma a run for her publicity. Who will make it out first, and win the spotlight both so desperately seek? Stay tuned. What about justice? Who cares!!

In Detail: DH and I both enjoyed this film immensely. It was dazzling, and so very much fun. The songs are catchy (I'm still humming "Cell Block Tango," must get the soundtrack), the singing is good to great (everyone is doing their own singing and dancing), the dancing is excellent (when it is edited such that you can see it well), and the acting is so over the top as to fit in perfectly with the outlandish story. I was also very happy to see that they kept some of the stage aspects in the film. For instance, when the women sing about why they’re on "murderess row," they use red handkerchiefs for the blood of the injuries. Obviously, being a film, they didn't have to, but they did, and I loved it. The movie is also very funny. Just fun, fun, fun! While not absolutely the best film I've ever seen, we both liked it a lot. But please let me say, despite the relatively "soft" rating of PG-13, this is NOT a film for children!! I wouldn't even want to see it with a 13-year-old, much less anyone younger. It is quite provocative and suggestive, in more ways than one. If you won't let your kids watch MTV, then you certainly don't want them watching this.

Will I Buy It? I really want to say yes, but I'll have to think about it a bit more. Maybe I need to see it again. I can't decide if I would watch it repeatedly, but it is certainly a must see, preferably on the big screen.

Addendum: Chicago upgraded to must buy! The more times I see it, the more I like it.

Catch Me If You Can

In a Nutshell: A terrifically fun two hours, totally worth seeing.

Quick Plot: In this offering from Steven Spielberg, Leonardo DiCaprio plays Frank Abignale, the consummate con artist who impersonates a doctor, a lawyer, a pilot, and various other professions, all while cashing millions of dollars in fake checks all across the US and Europe, and all before his 21st birthday. That puts the FBI on his trail, with Tom Hanks as the agent who's after him. Sound far-fetched? It's a true story!

In Detail: Please allow me to preface this review by saying that I was sick when I saw this. I had been feeling terrible for an hour or so, but we had already bought the tickets. And I still enjoyed the movie! Makes me wonder what I would have thought if I was well. I really did like this movie; it doesn't reach the heights of greatness, but it is very good. While I'm not a huge Leo DiCaprio fan, I thought he was well cast here. This is an unusual role for Tom Hanks, but he's great as always. Humor is the name of the game here, the most lighthearted Spielberg film in years. Laugh out loud funny in numerous places. You know I'm all about seeing films on the big screen, especially comedies (something about laughing with other people), but this one really wouldn't lose anything on the small screen if you really feel you need to wait for video. Regardless of what format, you really should see it.

Will I Buy It? Maybe. I know, I know, I sit here and talk about how good it was, but then I'm not sure if I'll buy it. Believe it or not, we're pretty picky about what we buy. I need to see this one again to decide if there is enough there for many repeated viewings. But it is absolutely worth seeing once.

The Cat's Meow

In a Nutshell: Great cast, fairly good movie. Definitely fun if you love the roarin' 20s.

Quick Plot: William Randolph Hurst throws a party for his friend Tom, a formerly in-demand film producer who's career has hit a rough patch. Assembling various famous figures from Hurst's real-life exploits (including his mistress Marion Davies and her rumored lover Charlie Chaplin), this film tells the story of that weekend, and a much-rumored murder that supposedly took place.

In Detail: Strangely, this film strikes me much like the American version of Gosford Park. Perhaps I connected more with "Cat" than "Gosford" simply due to culture. I know a bit about Hurst and Davies and Chaplin, and the lives they lead in the mid-1920's, so maybe that gave it more weight and relevance to me personally. The casting is exquisite, the direction and set-up quite good. I thought it was fun, but I know it won't be everyone's cup of tea (or glass of bathtub gin, as the case may be). Kirsten Dunst shines! She was perfect for this role. Edward Herrmann is great as Hurst (I've always thought they favored each other a bit). The other characters are quite good, though I personally could have done without Jennifer Tilly. A great study into the era, and a great theory about what really happened on that yachting trip.

Will I Buy It? I'm not sure. I liked it more than my husband, even enough to buy it, but again, I'm not sure I'd watch it enough to make it worthwhile. It's on my "thinking about" list.

Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles

In a Nutshell: Cute and very funny vignettes, absolutely no plot.

Quick Plot: Sue is offered a temporary assignment at the Los Angeles division of her father's newspaper. She and Mick decide it would be good to expose their son (age 8-ish) to more of the world, so they make the trip a family affair. Fish out of water funnies follow, along with jokes that only viewers of the first two films will get.

In Detail: Was this movie supposed to have a plot? I guess it had a little, 20 minutes worth perhaps. So I guess it's to their credit that they only spent about 20 minutes on the plot. The rest of the film is composed were "fish out of water" vignettes, starring Mick and Mikey. Now, don't misunderstand me; it was a funny movie! I love both of the previous Crocodile Dundee flicks. Many of the laughs in this one simply cannot be enjoyed unless you've seen the other two films, so if you're new to the franchise, this is not the film to start with. It is, however, a good way to remind yourself of how good the other two films really are. Probably worth the cost of a rental if you're seeing it in a group. Would be better to catch it if it comes on television one day. Notably absent is Wally; John Meillon died in 1989. Not sure if it would have helped the movie any to have him, but he was missed all the same.

Will I Buy It? Probably not. The other two movies so much better, I don't feel the need to have this one to complete the collection. It just doesn't add enough.