BLU-Ray REE-Vu: City Island

City Island. I guess more appropriate titles like Little Secrets or City Confidential had already been claimed. Either of the latter would have made a keenly descriptive title for a movie where seemingly everyone has something to hide.

City Island is a stretch in the Bronx, New York. Yeah, it's real and so are the Rizzo's, the flick's main characters. There's Vince, Sr...the dad; Joyce, the mom; Vince, Jr and Vivian round out the family of four. The common ground here, aside from the New Yawk accent is, very simply, everyone's hiding something. Vince, Sr is the most bottled up. Figures, right? We emotionally constipated, American males are all the same. Vince, Sr aspires to be an actor, a far cry from his job as a prison guard. He is secretly attending acting classes, but wait, there's more. Big Vince is also hiding a prison-ridden son from a previous relationship. Dad uses his influence in the pen to check his son out of that less-than-four-star environment and brings him home to temporarily live life as a Rizzo. His goal? Not sure. Maybe he's just trying to get to a point where he can play Papa with his oblivious offspring. Meanwhile, Vince, Jr has the hots for the BBW's of the world, taking an interest in his well-rounded neighbor. Vivian has dropped out of college unbeknownest to the clan and has found a dancing partner in the pole at a nearby topless joint. All the while, Mom is suspecting Vince, Sr of cheating and plots revenge with her new house guest, not knowing of course, that it's her step-son. And, yadayadayada, there you have it. A royal mess from the less than royal Rizzo's.

It's good...scoring 3.5 Stars on my scale. If you like interesting characters who have a penchant for mirroring the lackluster dishonesty that is the human condition, you'll like the Rizzo's. Then again, you might find it too real. After all, aside from some of the more outlandish sub-plots here, the Rizzo's are a pretty nice replica of just about any American family. They want to create the invincible air of having everything together...of being tough and in charge, but inside, each acts on their fear. That fear is simple: they are scared of the impact that their own realities will have on relationships with their loved ones. Family dynamics abound and, gee, it kinda reminds me of home.

The plot is entertaining enough. The characters are interesting enough. The acting is good. Andy Garcia plays Vince, Sr so well, I wanted to slug him myself and say, "Just tell her you want to act, goober!" Julianna Margulies and Dominik Garcia-Lorido play mother and daughter respectively; and Ezra Miller continues his positive momentum as Vince, Jr. Alan Arkin even plays a small role as the acting coach.

This one is not for everyone, but if you appreciate irony and interesting characters, you might want to add it to your queue.

That's it for me...thanks for reading!
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BLU-Ray REE-vu: Greenberg



Look up "discombobulated" in the dictionary and you'll see a snapshot of Roger Greenberg. He's the headline character of Ben Stiller's Indy-feel flick, Greenberg. If you like watching characters with a unique edge--not likeable, mind you, but uniquely real...if you like watching these characters slowly develop with a few moments of head-scratching madness...if you don't mind a story going essentially nowhere, but might enjoy going along for the ride...well, then you might want to rent Greenberg. Just be warned. It's a ride that is comparable to a drive through Iowa and Kansas.

Roger (Stiller) has come to LA from New York to house sit for his brother, Phillip (Chris Messina), while the latter's family jets off to Vietnam. Roger has had his problems, being recently released from a mental health facility. He's out-of-sorts. Roger's frustrated with life in-general mainly because it seems that he's frustrated with his own life specifically.

Roger makes is impact on the world through various letters of suggestion or complaint. Whether encouraging Mayor Bloomberg to take his advice on noise pollution or complaining to American Airlines or Pet Taxi, Roger has a lot to get off his chest. However, a bigger problem for Roger than an unsuitable ride in a pet taxi or car horns in NYC is his personal relationship with any animate creation. Past and present, Roger's connections with his fellow man are frustrating. They have frustrated him--you never really know what's going to trigger one of his explosions. They have frustrated his friends--because Roger is as reliable as a rubber with a hole in it. And, they have frustrated me--for watching this long journey around a bumpy circle. Don't get me wrong. Roger does make some headway as the film progresses. His self-centered bulls eye does expand somewhat by film's end, but not nearly enough to make you even like the guy. Actually, save Florence (Greta Gerwig) and Mahler (the German Shepherd), there are no remotely likeable characters in this flick at all.

I'll give it 2.5 stars--slightly on the negative side of so-so. Yes, we watch as Roger expands somewhat on his ego-centric circle of self-gratification. We watch Roger deal with having let down his band friends 20 years prior; and, we watch him take responsibility for Mahler and even possibly develop feelings for Florence. But, at the end of an hour and forty-seven minutes, I need more. A likeable character that didn't require Frontline every 30-days would be a start. Yeah, we're probably not supposed to like Roger. I get that. I was, however, hoping that Roger would grow into someone that I would like. Not so much. I wouldn't want him showing up at my door at the start of the flick nor as the credits rolled.

I've got to go watch the Colts beat the Broncos--remember, no mowing this weekend...it's time for a steak and some junk food. Enjoy your Sunday!

True...OUT!

Big Screen Blurb: Devil



It really depends on the objective. If Devil was supposed to do for riding in elevators what Jaws did for swimming in the ocean, well, objective not met. But then again, what do I know...I spent 30-minutes stuck on an escalator. (JUST KIDDING...it was only ten and the nice 9-1-1 operator talked me down very nicely...okay I WAS kidding) But seriously, Devil, from M. Night Shyamalan is not a bad flick. There is a decent mixture of suspense, plot and intensity that make it worth seeing--big or little screen is up to you.

Philadelphia is the scene. Apparently, the City of Brotherly Love has hit the sights of the evil fallen angel. (Irony duly noted--Shyamalan seems to love that kind of play, doesn't he?) At any rate, the Devil has set up shop in downtown Philly...in an elevator, no less. Enter five seemingly hapless patrons to a downtown building (333 'X' Street, no less--more irony, me thinks). Only these patrons aren't exactly hapless. They are sinners. Yeah, let me narrow that down a bit. Their failures have seemingly moved beyond the "saying 'Damn' to your momma...patting the ass of your girlfriend's best friend...or wearing white after Labor Day" variety of sins. Their shortcomings are a little more noteworthy in mankind's conventional sense. Dana Carvey's favorite line enters stage right...who could it be? "S-a-a-atan!" He's set-up shop in order collect the souls of those devilish patrons and bring along anyone that gets in his way. Yadayadayada...our oblivious elevator riders are picked off one by one and Philly's finest are on the scene trying to figure out how these peeps are dropping, all while trying to get the shrinking list of survivors out of the steel trap.

I'll go with 3.0 stars on this one--slightly on the upside of so-so. It was okay. A story that came together nicely, albeit a little predictably, with enough suspense and intensity to round out a pretty good plot twist here and there. Actually, much of the suspense is played out in Jaws mode--we were just missing the tuba used to make that scary music. You see, the devil does his work when the lights are off, so we, the audience are previed to the ole "be scared of what you can't see" or "I don't know what's happening, but it must be something horrible" element of fright. Neither of which has ever really been that frightening to me. I see a blank screen and want to yell at the projection guy or take a nap. I guess there are visual learners, so call me a visual-scaredy cat. With that in mind, it really wasn't that scary...just a little suspenseful and intense here and there.

Chris Messina, of Julie and Julia fame, headlines a cast that includes Matt Craven and Jenny O'Hara. Acting was good. Plot was fine and the story moved nicely over the course of 80-minutes. Overall, it's a step forward for M. Night after a string of disappointing original stories that included Lady in the Water, The Village and The Happening.

Well, happy weekend to all!

True...OUT!

Big Screen Blurb: The Town



Let me be perfectly clear. I'm a Yankees fan. This probably explains my lack of membership in the Ben Affleck fan club. Don't get me wrong. I think he's incredibly talented, dating back to his 1997 hit Good Will Hunting. However, with seemingly all of his flicks taking place in Boston (let's call it B*&#*N), and considering my baseball-driven prejudice, I've never really found myself in awe of this writer/director/actor. The Town? Well, it wasn't necessarily awe inspiring, but it's exceptionally good. Actually, it's one of the best flicks of the year and very worthy of a 4.0 star score.

Meet Doug (Affleck). He's your average, run-of-the-mill guy living in Charlestown--a 'burb of B*&#*N. He works in a rock quarry and oh yeah, he robs banks. With that said, Doug is not a bad guy. Well, he's not a great guy by conventional standards, but he does have heart. That heart is captured by Claire (Rebecca Hall). Claire had the misfortune of playing a large role in one of Doug's heists. She was a branch manager and was forced to open the safe went it all went down--then for good measure, Claire was taken hostage. Doug was put in charge of tailing Claire to ensure that she didn't know too much. Claire and Doug start falling for each other as she is oblivious to his bank-pinching hobby. Meanwhile, Doug's cohorts are missing that all important heart and more than willing to rub her out if she can whistle the feds. The FBI is in hot pursuit and enter a greedy mob boss looking for his next big score and you're perfectly set up for The Town. Yadayadayada the boys pull heist after heist, while Doug plays the dual role of robber/BF and the FBI is hot on their tails.

I liked it...a lot. Yes, I had to endure B*&#*N, but with a great story that contained numerous interesting sub-plots...a cast of fascinating characters that were not at all lacking in development...plenty of action...and, great acting that nicely intertwined hard-nosed and heart-felt, The Town was two-hours well spent. I'm talking about family dynamics, mob-boss crunches and best friends squaring off to boot. Plenty to keep you entertained for 122 minutes.

All in all, it's one of the best flicks of 2010 and another nice score for Affleck...did I say that? Oh well, see it and see it big.

No yard this week...even the household chores are limited. I'm just hitting Neyland Stadium for what should be a rare win for my Vols.

True...out!

BLU-Ray REE-Vu: Solitary Man



I'm not a player, sorry, I mean: "playa' ". Yeah, I'm a thirty-something that typically dates twenty-somethings. True to my non-playa' mode, however, I've always figured that I'd find someone with which to build something significant and have never looked for the quick hook-up. I suppose that maybe part of me had always wanted to be more of a playa', that is, until I watched Solitary Man.  It's a movie that delivers a solid message to current and would-be players alike: If you are at all capable of moving beyond greed and simultaneously driving your motivations north of your crotch, do it; otherwise, life just becomes sadly pathetic.

Michael Douglas plays Ben Kalmen, a New York City car dealership icon that is well rep'd as a "playa'". He'll talk his way into putting your butt in the seat of a new car and then talk you into the backseat. That's right. He's a player, in every sense of the word. However, at the ripe age of 60, it's catching up with him. His playin' led to some legal woes--dealerships gone. His playin' led to marital woes--relationship gone. His on-going playin' with the ladies has even screwed up his prospects of starting over. The movie unfolds as Kalmen battles family issues, friendship issues, professional issues. Yadayadayada, we eventually see the results of his life of playing people in sex and love, in business and life. Message received: It's not pretty.

Douglas was outstanding. His Ben Kalmen is a charmer, no doubt. Kalmen's issues are less about sex and more about nurturing his own ego-driven narcissistic world. Early in the flick, we see him engage in conversation with an 18-year old Pretty-Young-Thing. Their conversation leads to a proverbial one-night horizontal dance. This seems to be just a situationally charged hormonal explosion...until later. That reality emerges when the same lines are squashed by a sharper, more experienced PYT not willing to be played. Douglas played the role beautifully.You find yourself wanting to kick Kelman's ass, but feeling bad for him when he gets his ass kicked.

The rest of the group is solid, too; and it's a good one. Susan Sarandon, Danny DeVito, Jenna Fischer and Mary-Louise Parker spotlight a great cast with good performances all around. I'll give it 3.5 stars. Good story and solid performances abound. It's a sleeper, but one to rent when you're in the mood for a sharply delivered lesson. Whether you need it or not, well, that's your call!

True...out!

Big Screen Blurb: Takers



It was Wednesday, which meant a trip to The Pinnacle Theatre. Takers had been on the outskirts of my radar for a couple of weeks, but I didn't have high hopes. That seems to be my recipe for movie success in 2010. Low expectations were omnipresent for Remember Me and I was blown away. Takers isn't quite that good, but my low-ball hopes were treated with a very good flick.

It's the story of five very crafty bank robbers who know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk awa--oops...yeah, that one tripped them up. It's always that last heist, isn't it? Well, at any rate, this crew just finished a big job and, as presumably the smart ones do, they were planning a long break between pinches. That's when Ghost (T. I. Harris) shows up. Ghost got nabbed in the last job and was recently released from prison. True to form, he kept his mouth shut and is ready to join the group again; plus, he's got the insight to a lucrative thievery. The trouble is, Ghost has lost the confidence of the rest of the group. But--the money is enough to bait the big fishes and soon the crew is planning and executing the job. Meanwhile, Detective Jack (Matt Dillon) is hot on their trails. Yadayadayada...some things go as planned for the Vils, others...well, not so much.

Yeah, it's good: 3.0 Stars in my book. It's a good story that moves quickly with interesting characters and solid acting. Character development might be a small complain when it comes to Det. Jack, but other than that, it was a well-crafted story. The ending, which, don't worry, I won't give away, left me a little unsatisfied--not because I didn't like it or see it coming. Rather, the ending was like walking away from the last Krispy Kreme donut in the box when you're starving. My only really regret is that I didn't take a Dramamine, which might have given me stronger sea legs during some of those many chase scenes...yikes-ola!!! Takers is a sleeper for certain, but an entertaining experience whether you go Big or Rental.

Well, enjoy your week!
True...out!

Big Screen Blurb: Eat. Pray. Love.

Mood matters, doesn't it? Sometimes it's the difference between a smart-ass comment being greeted with a chuckle or fist. Mood matters with movies, too. For example, I loved the first Austin Powers movie. For whatever reason, I was in the mood to completely embrace that uniquely stupid brand of humor. On the other hand, I did not like the sequel. The humor had not changed, but I had...or at least I wasn't in the mood for it. Your mood is going to matter with Eat Pray Love as well. If you find yourself with a rather introspective mindset...if you find yourself in need of inspiration for this little thing called 'life'...if you're in need of a few little 'ah...ha' uplifters...well, then this flick might be one to see big. If not, wait. Rent it when the mood hits.

The mood hit me and I liked it. The story follows Liz (Julia Roberts) as she attempts to find herself. Where this native New Yorker initially finds herself is not where she ultimately wants to be: unhappily married to someone that she's just not in-sync with anymore. So, she jets off to Rome, the first of three stops on her way to self discovery. What she discovered in her nine months in Italy was an appetite. She learns a few valuable life lessons, makes some great friends and decides to pack up to connect with her spiritual self. That takes her to India. Yeah, suffering can truly be an invaluable resource in spiritual development, can't it? She spends several months in India before heading to Bali, where the ole ticker gets to pumpin' and yadayadayada the hips get to grindin'.

Roberts is good, not as annoying as in some roles. The cinescape is wonderful. The cultural exposure is interesting to say the least. The messages that accompany each venue prompt introspectively deep thoughts, which prove to be both insightful and invaluable. For all of that, I give it 3.0 stars.

On the down side, it's long. And by long, I mean LOOOOOONG! Eat Pray Love clocks in at 2:20 to be exact. Actually, I would have been content with Eat, Say a Hail Mary and have a Quick Crush if it would have chimed in around 90-100 minutes. But alas, it is what it is: a good flick to check out if and when the mood strikes you!

Best to all,
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Big Screen Blurb: The American

Looking a for a movie to match the high dollar fanfare of a typical Hollywood blockbuster? Looking for a flick that combines big dollar special effects with a can't miss star-studded cast? Keep looking. It's probably not The American. However, if you want an interesting plot that is well acted all around and anchored by a four-time Oscar nominee, give it a shot.

There is a reason this flick isn't getting a lot of pub from Hollywood's marketing circles. It's not at all mainstream. Don't get me wrong, this is a good flick, however, its tone and mood set the perfect stage for an artsy thriller. Well, maybe 'thriller' is a bit much, but The American has an interesting plot that grabs you and holds one's attention for the most part...presuming you're not to ADHD. That solid storyline and a good performance from George Clooney pushes this movie into the 3-Star column in my book.

It's the tale of a man named Jack (Clooney). Jack is cold, distant and calculating. He's not a bad guy, but he's probably not going to anchor your Christmas card list either. We don't really know what Jack does for a living, but we know he's not going to be found taking junior's scout troop to the woods to get their congeniality badges. No, he's a killer, who seems to be tired of the paranoia that comes with the job and that job has caught up with him. So, he shuttles from Sweden to Italy and settles in for yet another job. This one involves making a weapon for a presumed assassination. He gets his specs and sets to the task of making this rifle. In the meantime, Jack becomes quite acquainted with Clara, a hooker to whom he takes a distant liking. I say 'distant' because Jack seems to be more than just your typical emotionally constipated male. He's damned up a ton of feelings in the wake of doing whatever it is that he does. At any rate, the two grow closer as Jack works toward his goal and yadayadayada and a few deaths later, we have another solid Clooney flick.

It's an interesting story that moves slowly at times over the course of its 1:45 running time, but anchors the overall experience. The acting is good, but Clooney is the only face or name that is noteworthy; and its mood had me swearing that I was watching a foreign flick, which, for all intents and purposes, I was.

Big screen or Blu-Ray? Good question. I liked it, but I like a lot of foreign movies and can certainly deal with an artsy flick every now and again. If that is your schtick, catch it now. If not, wait for the rental or forget it altogether.

Well, no yard work this weekend...I'm soaking in football and tailgating while firing up the grill for the rest of the Holiday festivities. Enjoy your Labor Day!

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