Public Enemies (R) — 4 stars — Opens July 1, 2009

Director Michael Mann gets the look and feel of the early 1930’s in “Public Enemies” when the Great Depression contributed to a historic crime wave led by celebrated criminals including John Dillinger, played by the intense Johnny Depp. Dillinger robbed banks and seemed like a hero for doing it because banks represented foreclosure and the rich against the poor.  Dillinger’s headlines prompt the formation of the FBI and gives a juicy role to Billy Crudip as FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover.  The plot line includes a romance with lovely Marian Cotillard and a face off with square jawed Christian Bale.  Dillinger hid in plain sight, particularly in Chicago where a few pay offs here and there allowed him to walk the streets in full view.  Public Enemies tells an even handed story and we know how this will end.  Michael Mann wants us to remember that changing times and love ended John Dillinger’s hold on the public imagination.

Continue reading Public Enemies (R) — 4 stars — Opens July 1, 2009…

My Sister’s Keeper — 3 stars — Opens June 26, 2009

A family deals with the slow death of their young teen daughter from cancer in “My Sister’s Keeper.”  The subject matter could easily cross the line into weepy sentimentality but the movie rises above that thanks to a good cast and even better storytelling.  Abagail Breslin puts the plot into motion when she sues her parents for “medical emancipation”—the right to stop going through painful surgeries to harvest organs such as one of her kidneys to save her sister.    Cameron Diaz and Jason Patric genetically conceived Abagail for this purpose—a plot point that raises multiple issues. Sofia Vassilieva plays the sick child and gives her situation the reality this story needs.  Sometimes the director (Nick Cassevetes—who directed “The Notebook”) goes overboard with montages and music.  We don’t need them.  Cameron Diaz makes a successful move to an adult role. She’s believeable as an anxious mother who wants her daughter to live. Continue reading My Sister’s Keeper — 3 stars — Opens June 26, 2009…

Cheri — 2 1/2 stars — Opens June 24, 2009

Michelle Pfeiffer plays an aging courtesan who takes young Rupert Friend under her wing as a favor to his mother Kathy Bates.  The couple gets much more serious than Bates likes, so she arranges a marriage and spoils the couple’s bliss.  Pfeiffer looks gorgeous and ages painfully as the plot progresses.  You may find it hard to believe she could pine for Rupert Friend.  Cheri looks beautiful but somehow lacks the spark that makes a period piece memorable. 

Continue reading Cheri — 2 1/2 stars — Opens June 24, 2009…

Transformers 2 — 2 stars — Opens June 22, 2009

Long, loud, and lousey—Transformers 2 finds Shia LeBeouf in college but not for long as the robot war rekindle this time over finding a “matrix” which will allso the bad guy decepticons to blot out the sun!  The good guy autobots come in more varied and interesting shapes and sizes this time.  Megan Fox provides the eye candy and not much else.  The story gets lost in all of the explosions and sometimes the audience actually laughed at the autobot dialog—which sounded at times like a bad Sunday morning sermon.  My big complaint is the running time—two and a half hours.   Way long for a movie full of sizzle without any steak.  Continue reading Transformers 2 — 2 stars — Opens June 22, 2009…

The Proposal — 3 stars — Opens June 19, 2009

Sandra Bullock gives her career a jump start in this easy to like romantic comedy.  She plays an executive book editor right out of “The Devil Wears Prada” who barely blinks as she pushes around her assistant Ryan Reynolds.  So much so that when Immigration officials decide to deport Bullock back to her native Canada, she demands that Reynolds marry her and make her a U.S. citizen.  IN a flash, she and Ryan fly to Alaka to inform his family—a wacky bunch including matriarch Betty White as well as Ryan’s parents Mary Steenbergen and Craig T. Nelson.  All benefit from good casting.  I even enjoyed seeing Malin Ackerman turn up as Ryan’s college sweetheart.  “The Proposal” dishes up nothing new or unexpected but Bullock and Reynolds have nice chemistry and the script turns out some good laughs.  Deep inside lies a nice message about family and generations. Don’t go looking for something great as much as for something easy and fun to watch.  One more thing, a nude scene between Bullock and Reynolds stays within PG-!3 territory and turns out wonderfully hilarious and completely unsexy. Continue reading The Proposal — 3 stars — Opens June 19, 2009…

Departures — 4 stars — Opens June 19, 2009

“Departures” opened the 2009 DC Film Festival a few weeks after winning the Academy Award as best foreign film.  Set in Japan, we meet a cello player who loses his job when his orchestra falls victim to the economy.  He and his wife return to his home town where he answers an ad he thinks for a travel agency.  Instead, he enters into the Japanese funeral profession.  His job includes the somber ceremony of preparing the body of recently departed loved ones for burial while the grieving family watches. The main character bonds with the older man who hires him and endures situations shocking, sad, and funny.  The film manages this story with a light touch and leads to a profound conclusion.  I watched “Departures” with an audience visibly moved by the experience, something I won’t forget for some time.  The Oscars got it right when they singled “Departures” out as the year’s best foreign film.  Continue reading Departures — 4 stars — Opens June 19, 2009…

Year One — 2 stars — Opens June 19, 2009

Jack Black and Michael Cera take a mildly amusing stroll through the first few chapters of the old Testament.  Old school comedy director Harold Ramis assembles this like a “Saturday Night Live” sketch, or Mel Brook’s “History of the World.”    Black and Cera start as cave men, discover the tree of knowledge, take a bite, go into the desert, watch Cain slay Able, visit Abraham, and wind up roaming the streets of Sodom and Gomorrah.  Sometimes I laughed but other times I wondered when they would get to the punchline. With comedies like “The Hangover” setting the standard this summer, “Year One” feels flat to me.  Continue reading Year One — 2 stars — Opens June 19, 2009…

The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 — 2 stars — Opens June 12, 2009

Remake of a classic 1970’s thriller, with John Travolta as a criminal mastermind who hijacks a New York City subway and holds the car and passangers hostage for ten million dollars.  Travolta makes contact with train dispatcher Denzel Washington.  Their negoiations bind this movie.  The original stayed with this simple plot.  The remake adds a few twists to the characters and throws in some outrageous chases and car crashes, almost as if director Tony Scott didn’t trust Denzel and Travolta to keep our attention.  In spite of a great cast, this remake feels generic and offers no surprises.  I liked seeing James Gandolfino aka Tony Soprano as the New York city Mayor.  Continue reading The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 — 2 stars — Opens June 12, 2009…

Imagine That — 2 stars — Opens June 12, 2009

Generic Eddie Murphy comedy about a workaholic financial planner who discovers his daughter’s imaginary friends can call stocks better than he can.   Murphy’s co star holds her own—a very cute and winning Yara Shahidi.  Occasionally “Imagine That” captures the fun of a child’s imagination, but most of the time it’s your standard issue Dad getting in touch with his child workplace comedy.   Continue reading Imagine That — 2 stars — Opens June 12, 2009…

Away We Go — 3 1/2 stars — Opens June 12, 2009

A charming movie about change and finding your place starring Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski as a couple anticipating their first child.  As Rudolph’s due date gets closer,  Krasinski’s parents announce a move to Europe.  With their family tie cut, the couple goes on the road, visiting a series of quirky friends in various cities. “Away We Go” offers a nice mix of comedy and drama and builds to an almost profound conclusion.  You may come away surprised at how much “Away we Go” has to offer.   Directed by award winning Sam Mendez.  Continue reading Away We Go — 3 1/2 stars — Opens June 12, 2009…