Recently Seen - 8SEP2013

Don't Stop Believin': Everyman's Journey

This documentary tells the story of Arnel Pineda, a small-time Manila singer who lands the job of frontman for arena-rock band Journey.  It's basically a feel-good movie about a good guy whose wildest dreams come true, but it doesn't hesitate to show that Pineda's success doesn't just happen: before being plucked from obscurity, he sang for decades in various tribute bands on the international circuit, honing his craft so he was ready when the big call came.  Vanessa and I both loved it, and it has motivated me to listen to Journey's recent releases with Pineda at lead vocals.  I'll tell you what - these records are good!  Particularly recommended for Journey fans and people who spend a lot of time in cover-band bars in Bahrain.
 
We Have a Pope

What if the cardinal who is elected Pope realizes, just a little too late, that he isn't the man for the job?  Nanni Moretti (of the utterly fantastic The Son's Room) worked this scenario with We Have a Pope a couple of years before Pope Benedict's retirement, and he came up with a story a little sad, a little funny, and altogether convincing.  While not as powerful as The Son's Room, We Have a Pope is a successful film.

Chronicle

Three teenaged boys get superpowers and deal with them like the irresponsible kids they are.  Except, that is, for the depressed victim of bullies both young and old.  He behaves in ways completely unpredictable, and of which Peter Parker would not approve.  This makes Chronicle a depressing, heart-rending story of a boy who has grown so used to being a victim that he makes one of himself.  While Chronicle competently tells the story it sets out to share, I don't think I need ever see it again.  The world can be depressing enough as it is.

Les Miserables

Russell Crowe is sub-community-theater bad in the role of Inspector Javert, like "Hit pause and let me sing this number just to wash out the bad taste" bad.  Jackman is uneven.  Eddie Redmayne and Samantha Barks, as Marius and Eponine, steal the show.  The aesthetic is, well, miserable.  I should've taken my wife's advice and passed on the whole thing.

Shaolin Soccer

An idealistic young monk harnesses the power of Shaolin Kung Fu to form a soccer team and defeat Team Evil.  If you aren't hooked by that description alone, there's something wrong with you.

Follow Me, Boys!

This Disney story, of which Mr. Holland's Opus is basically a remake, puts Fred MacMurray in the role of Boy Scout leader who puts off his dream of becoming a lawyer to focus his time on running a Scout troop and basically being a good guy.  Notable for a fun performance from Lillian Gish, the pleasure of watching MacMurray (who can play evil about as well as anyone - see Double Indemnity) go 100% wholesome, and a terrific performance from a very young Kurt Russell.  Yes, Follow Me, Boys! has some structural problems, but as a Scout troop committee chairman, I'm a sucker for the subject matter.

Death Proof

Kurt Russell, often the best thing about whichever movie he’s in, is easily the best thing about DEATH PROOF, Quentin Tarantino’s half of the GRINDHOUSE experiment. As the homicidal Stuntman Mike, he’s as charming, creepy, scary, pathetic, and just plain fun a villain as you could ask for. And he’s giving us this role in a film that defies narrative convention, dazzles with great practical stunts, and makes for a great time at the movies.

Here’s the deal: Stuntman Mike’s into vehicular homicide, using his superlative driving and technical skills to kill his female victims. When he targets a vehicle carrying stuntwomen, however, things don’t go his way.

And that’s pretty much it. The rest is a fun and creative misdirection gambit and an extraordinary sequence of stunts in, on, around, and with cars. It’s exciting, vibrant work, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Bring on more evil Kurt Russell!

Sky High

I enjoyed the heck out of SKY HIGH.

SKY HIGH's hero is one Will Stronghold, a young man born of superhero parents whose power, it seems, is his ability to look just like an adolescent Scott Bakula. It's Will's first day of superhero high school, and he hasn't yet manifested powers cool enough to elevate him above "sidekick." That's the least of his problems, however. He has to make friends; find his way; handle a new enemy; and choose between the unbelievably hot Gwen, a sexually aggressive girl with super-techno powers, and Layla, the reasonably attractive childhood friend who's good with plants. Hmm, tough call: do you go with the knockout who builds cool gadgets and wants to jump your bones, or the proto-hippie who can, uhh, grow fruit? My answer: I went to the wrong high school.

One of SKY HIGH's pleasures is its cast. From a perfectly cast Kurt Russell as Pa Stronghold/The Commander to Kelly Preston, Cloris Leachman, Bruce Campbell, Kevin Heffernan, and Lynda Carter, this movie can afford to coast by on goodwill alone. It doesn't, whoever, boasting instead a clever script, excellent effects, and a pleasing, consistent palette.

Did I love SKY HIGH? No, I can't say that I did. The heavier stuff tends to exercise a firmer hold on my imagination. Did the movie make for an enjoyable family evening gathered around the enormovision? Absolutely. SKY HIGH is worth the rental.