Big Screen Blurb: Love and Other Drugs

You've seen those pictures, right? You know, the ones that if you look at the line structure a certain way, you see a baby; but if you stare at the lines a different way, it's a horse. That's kind of what you'll find in Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhaal's latest, Love and Other Drugs. It is what it is; rather, it is what you make it. It's more than your basic Romantic Comedy. Actually, this one touches on a quartet of genres: Romance, Comedy, Drama and Porn.

Hathaway and Gyllenhaal have teamed up before as a couple. Of course, the last time Gyllenhaal's character had more of proclivity to the fellas in Brokeback Mountain, leaving the twosome completely dysfunctional. This time around, at least the pair have an attraction to each other--make that an intense attraction to each other; however, they've still got plenty of issues. Jamie (Gyllenhaal) is big brother in a family of bigs, who never made it big. Actually, his main claims to fame involve moving from check to check and chick to chick. That is, until he discovers the uncanny abilitiy to peddle chemicals as a pharmaceutical sales rep. He begins selling Zoloft for drug giant Pfizer and meets Maggie (Hathaway). She's a rogue beauty battling Parkinsons and herself. The two meet and experience another type of chemical reaction: intense sexual attraction. It's kinda typical from today's cultural trend. Love at first sight is so 80's. Now, it's sex at first sight and if you happen to connect with the person during the thralls of the afterglow, well, so be it. Eventually, they connected. Yadayadayada Maggie and Jamie's relationship unfolds...funny at times, intensely dramatic at others and pretty hot throughout.

I'll go with 3.0 Stars on this one--the positive side of okay. Chances are you will find something in this movie to make it worth at least a rental. It is funny and exceptionally well acted. Hathaway and Gyllenhaal combine to make a couple worth watching. They create two characters that you may not necessarily find yourself 'rooting' for, but are definitely interested in watching. The story, itself, unfolds in a way that is both real and therefore, dangerously thought provoking. Is it entertaining? Hmm. There are more entertaining flicks to go spend $10 on, but this one has a lot to say and speak it does. It showcases the dire need of drug companies to continue to drug America. It highlights the importance of sacrifice and compassion in relationships. It tells of...well, I could go on and on--there's a lot going on here.

All in all, Love and Other Drugs is probably not one to see Big, not with a plethora choices out currently. It is, however, exceptionally well acted, funny at times, deep at others and very much worth saving to your cue for an April DVD release. Enjoy your holiday! For me, El Grande Thanksgiving Delecto (The Great Thanksgiving Delight!) continues...until Sunday anyway!

True...OUT!

Big Screen Blurb: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part I)

What more could you ask for? A midnight showing of the highly anticipated Harry Potter flick, plenty of popcorn and snacks and company that included the three lovely ladies known as the Pedigo Junction. The only thing missing around 12:49 on Thursday, November 18th--technically the 19th...was a great movie. Enter Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 1), the latest installment in an already glowing franchise. Okay, 'great' may be a strong word, but the latest addition is strong. Actually, it's very good. 

We pick up promptly where HP6 left off. Harry and the rest of the wizarding world is in a state of shock from Dumbledore's murder, presumably at the hands of Severus Snape. A new Minister of Magic is in charge, but it's all for naught as Voldemort's forces and influence is present at every turn. The world is, indeed, on its ear with muggles and half-bloods placed on full alert. Those two groups are being targeted in what can best be described as, well, a witch hunt. With that in mind, there's plenty happening and none of it's good.

Harry, Ron and Hermoine, however, are charged with another task: Finding and destroying Horcruxes. Years ago, Voldemort split his soul into seven pieces, transferring that energy into various objects, known as Horcruxes. There are seven total and Harry is privy to two that have already been destroyed (a Ring that Dumbledore had previously nailed and Tom Riddle's Diary, which Harry eliminated in HP2). Harry, who has meanwhile become Public Enemy Number One, knows of another, a locket. Securing that locket and destroying it becomes job one. Meanwhile, another story emerges: The Deathly Hallows, presumably a kids fable that may be an equally important key to it all. Yadayadayada, Harry and company hunt down the Horcrux while The Chosen One strives to live up to his name...all while trying to avoid capture.

It's good. Very good. In fact, it moved quickly into the Top Three Favs in the series for me, with its final position pending on another viewing or two. The story is coming together in Rowling fashion and is being lived nicely on-screen. Yeah, I'm a big fan of the books. The creativity stemming from Rowling's imaginative vision is simply unparalleled in modern literature. With that in mind, taking such a complex storyline to the big screen presents many challenges. This is true from both a Screenwriting and Direction standpoint. Sure, there are always going to be nuances gapingly left out in the transfer and we certainly see that in HP7 as we've seen it throughout the series. All in all, Screenwriter Steve Kloves and Director David Yates, got it done. They've held true to a great story and managed to weave the tale in a titillating and culpable fashion. Plus, the scenery created within the wizarding world is true to Rowling's form, which certainly enhances the credibility of Yates' vision and allows the story to play out to both book and movie fans alike.

The acting is solid here as well. In HP1, the kids got a free acting pass on being cute alone. That wasn't as true in HP2 thru HP4. Since HP5, they've really come into their own, especially Daniel Radcliffe (Harry). Rupert Grint (Ron) has always been solid as the sometimes stumbling, comedic side-kick best friend. The same is true with Emma Watson (Hermoine). Radcliffe's emergence has been more pronounced due to a role that is undoubtedly more demanding and transformative. He's certainly met the learning curve since HP4. Cute in HP1. Borderline adequate in HP2. Solid in HP3 and HP4. Since HP5, he's been very good. I'm already looking forward to next Summer's Part II--heck, I'm looking forward to a second viewing of this one.

If you're a Harry Potter fan, you've got to see this 4.5 Star flick and see it Big. If you're not a packin' a wand, you'll still enjoy it without getting too lost. As for My Order of Favs in the Harry Potter Franchise:

1-Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (HP5)
2-Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (HP3)
3-Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (HP6-Pt 1) *This one could move up a spot
4-Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (HP1)
5-Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (HP4)
6-Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (HP2)
7-Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (HP6)

As always, thanks for reading,
True...OUT!

Big Screen Blurb: Unstoppable

It's like the advertising slogan says, "You Can't Stop a Trane". Well, in this case, it's: "You Can't Stop a Train". Specifically, number 777 headed unmanned toward Southern Pennsylvania with plenty of highly toxic and explosive chemicals on-board. Unstoppable combines Academy Winner Denzel Washington and up-and-comer Chris Pine on the railways of the Keyston State trying to stave off certain disaster.

Unstoppable is based on a true story that took place in Ohio in 2001. It all started in alarmingly easy fashion thanks to a recipe that included one part incompetent and one part stupid. Railroad employee, Dewey,  left the train unmanned to correct a line just ahead of the engine, but wait, he incorrectly set the brake and was a little too slow to get back on-board. This left "a missile the size of the Chrysler Building" barrelling down the tracks just waiting to leave a nice pile of rubble at a final stopping point. That's when our heroes get involved. That would be the combo of veteran engineer, Frank (Washington) and rookie conductor, Will (Pine). Will is new to the railroad game and his cockiness hasn't quite caught up with his talent. Further, Will's mind is elsewhere, experiencing some marital woes while adjusting to a new job. Frank, meanwhile, is about to lose his job. Sure, he's a 26-year railroad vet, but Frank got a 90-day pink slip notice about...oh...72-days previously. However, the two become the company's last hope to save the day, including thousands of lives and millions upon millions of dollars. Yadayadayada...Denzel fights the train and the train...well, you'll see.

It's 4.0 Stars in my book. Not only do Washington and Pine make for a great combo, it's a healthy mix of interesting characters, a solid storyline with a strong element of truth and plenty of conversation starters. All that makes for quite the big screen gem. It showcases corporate greed and the desire to maintain a healthy bottom line in the wake of potential human loss (conversation starter number one). It spins a good tale revolving around the relationships of its main characters, while teaching that love is, indeed, able to overcome the squabbles generated in every day life (conversation starter number two). Overall, there's plenty to see here and much to talk about. Washington is, well...he's Denzel Washington, no further descriptive needed; and, Chris Pine is emerging as a top-notch Hollywood talent. Who says nothing good came from Chips!?! At least Sarge added a stallion to the fold on his own way to a lengthy acting run himself. Yeah, Unstoppable is worth a look and you might want to see it Big.

That's it for me...True...OUT!

Big Screen Blurb: Morning Glory

It's fun. It's Diane Keaton and Harrison Ford. What's not to love, right? Okay, okay...so it's more like Rachel McAdams and Harrison Ford, but Diane Keaton is floating in the background and it's still a fun ride and one worth a view.

Morning Glory is a movie about the collision of two worlds: Ego and the fast-paced world of morning television. Meet Becky (McAdams). She's a driven, focused Executive Producer for a New Jersey morning show who has put in plenty of time to justify a promotion to Senior EP. When the time comes: No promotion. Uh-uh--no, instead, she's greeted with a pink slip. She's rightfully devastated, but finds her way to IBS in New York. Sure, it's a bigger stage, but the IBS morning show is dead last. It's cast of characters? Well, let's just say they need tweaking. Yadayadayada...tweak is exactly what Ms. Motivation does to the tune of a pretty funny and entertaining 95 minutes.

I worked in the media (radio) for five years (eight including college) and experienced some laughably large egos in that time. I knew Morning Glory would provide some laughs based on the trailers. At first, I was afraid that it was only going to be funny to me. Of course, this was based on those ego-centrics known as the "talent" and my previous experiences with these self-starved and over-inflated talkers. Wrong. This is a funny flick and the chuckles from the audience more than backed up that notion. Yes, Morning Glory is a series of ego-showdowns, therein lies the crux of its humor. There's Colleen Peck (Keaton) vs. Mike Pomroy (Ford). There's Peck versus the world and then there's Pomroy versus the universe. In the middle of it all is Becky...poor, driven Becky. She's just trying to put together some semblance of a competitive show that will help her make a mark in the news world. The big three (Keaton, Ford, McAdams) are great in this flick. Although I would have preferred to have seen a little more of Keaton, specifically the Peck versus Pomroy battle. It was fun stuff. Actually, I was expecting this movie to be more of a showcase for the potential Keaton and Ford dynamic. It wasn't, which is my only real disappointment. Sure Keaton is present throughout, but serves more of a background role than what I was anticipating. The story is more about Becky trying to get Pomroy to buy into her vision--something the hardliner news guy was not about to do on a fluffy morning show. I'll let you enjoy it from there.

It's 4.0 Stars in my book. I enjoyed it from start to finish. Maybe that's because it pokes fun at media ego types hyped beyond belief--which speaks volumes to my early career days and one reason I eventually wanted nothing to do with the production side of the business. If you're a fan of Keaton or Ford or need to see more of McAdams than Sherlock Holmes or The Notebook could deliver, then see it Big. If not, add it to your queue and enjoy some laughs around April when it hits Blockbuster.

True...OUT!

Big Screen Blurb: Due Date



Due Date. It's Planes, Trains and Automobiles brought to the year 2010. That translates into a modernized version of the 1987 John Hughes hit, which of course, means more weed, masturbation and increased frequency of the ole 'f-word'. John Candy meet Zach Galifianakis. Steve Martin meet Robert Downey, Jr.

The plot is slightly different, but the premise is the same. Straight-laced dude meets loony dud, both forced to eek their way across country. In this case, it's the birth of the first born for people-challenged Peter (Downey, Jr.) that has prompted his no-holds barred trek from Atlanta to Los Angeles. Meanwhile, the aloof, ditsy, 'you're kidding me, right', actor-to-be, Ethan (Galifianakis) is just happy to have the company. Both get kicked off the plane thanks to a dual lack of people skills. Ethan's issue is that he seems oblivious that someone may not want his gregarious personality, not to mention his burly belly, in their space. Meanwhile, Peter is the ultimate smart-ass who is just pissed that the world is not a carbon copy of him. They end up nailed by a Federal Marshall before sharing a rental car and yadayadayada we watch their potential march toward being BFF's...kinda.

There is definitely some laugh-out-loud funny going on here. You've got two out-of-sorts characters wreaking all kinds of havoc and some of it is, indeed, hilarious. While there are many similarities between Due Date and Planes, Trains and Automobiles, there are differences. The 1987 classic certainly touched on moments of deep character issues, but was heavily slanted with a definite slap-stick, comedic focus. Due Date may be a little more concerned with developing these two oppo-world characters. For instance, Ethan is packing--no, not a gun. He's carrying his dead father's remains in a coffee jar, which leads to some deep thoughts. Meanwhile, Peter is just unlikeable. He's smart-ass through and through, not to mention throughout the flick. Keep in mind, this is coming from a smart ass, but Peter's version is quite often not relayed in a comedic way. Actually, he's just plain mean. As a result, we don't side with him for spouting off against the numerous challenges of every day life. You know, the kind that try the patience of us all. Instead, you find yourself feeling bad for the person who initiated the frustration. It didn't have to be that way, which brings me to my real issue with Due Date.

Aside from the 23-year old storyline, my main problem with Due Date is that it's characters are just not very likable. Yes, Ethan certainly has his moments, but he wouldn't grow on me if he was surgically implanted in my left butt cheek. Meanwhile, Peter is just a jerk. I love Robert Downey, Jr. so I typically tend to trust his vision for a character, assuming that it's his vision. With this, however, I would have prefered to have seen Peter played as a guy frustrated by the every day annoyances and fighting back with a little quippy, smart-ass flare that made a point and put the frustrator's in their place. It didn't happen. Peter was just mean. If words were weapons, he'd have blood on his hands. Instead, he fights back as a rude, arrogant jackal...and...well...my big issue with Peter: Who spits on a dog, anyway!?! Peter's character hocks one at Ehan's bulldog, Sunny out of frustration really aimed at Ethan himself. It was seemingly done as a shock factor and a completely unwarranted action toward the dog. Yeah, I'm sure the dog was not harmed in any way during the filming, but it was just unsettling. The dog was undoubtedly one of the more docile animal character in a film in recent memory. I mean, if Sunny had been a loud annoyance or remotely aggressive you could understand the hostility. Neither was the case. Rather, Sunny was a virtually non-existent and innocent accessory to the loopy Ethan's character.

I go back and forth on this one. I laughed enough to give it 3.5 Stars, but was at times pissed off to point of scaling it back to 2.5. We'll settle on 3.0 Stars with the warning issued...don't spit on a dog, dude.

True...OUT!

Big Screen Blurb: Life as We Know It



HELP WANTED:

PRODUCTION COMPANY SEEKS ACTRESS TO PLAY A SLIGHTLY ANAL RETENTIVE GIRL WHO IS ULTRA ORGANIZED, STRUCTURED AND MAYBE A LITTLE AFRAID TO LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST--SIMILAR TO LEAD ROLES IN KNOCKED UP...THE UGLY TRUTH...27 DRESSES...KILLERS...oh, wait, never mind, Katherine Heigl just called...we'll use her again.

I really like Katherine Heigl, but does she play any other type of character? Life as We Know It marks the fifth flick in the last three years where she has played Little Miss Structure to some disheveled bad boy. Admittedly, Josh Duhamel is easier on the eyes than Seth Rogan, and the two combine to tally a 3-Star (on the sunny side of 'okay') score with this one, but you get my point. Then again, I believe it was the legend Anthony Hopkins who said, "The best way to excel in a role is to take a role where you really don't have to act at all." With that in mind, I'm guessing Katherine's closets are all neatly organized.

Life as We Know It requires a major balancing act. The story centers around two peas who don't exactly belong in the same pod. There's Holly and Eric (Heigl and Duhamel, respectively). Their match-maker best friends saw something that they didn't three years prior and fixed them up. Bad idea...or so it seemed. The date didn't get out of the drive way. Regardless, the two shelve the dating idea and tolerate each others as psuedo friends in the presence of their mates. After years of finding Eric's immaturity annoying as hell, we fast forward to the present. Their best friends have been tragically killed in a car accident and to everyone's surprise they leave baby Sophie to the misfit pair. Yadayadayada opposites attract as we follow the ups and downs of the relationship that climaxes with the all too familiar rush through the airport scene.

It's okay...3-Stars as previously mentioned. At one point, you become a little concerned that they're trying to do too much here. Balance the shock of being left with the responsibility of a baby (makes me glad my nieces are past diapers), the pain of losing your closest friend and the comedy of being thrown into a tense situation with someone you despise. That Trifector makes for a difficult balancing act. Do they pull it off? Well, yeah--it's all plausible...maybe a little predictable, but that's how Heigl would want it anyway, right? It's a tad long. We know where the story is leading and they probably could have got there in less than 114 minutes, but it's certainly worth a family or date night rental.

This one will create a mini-emotional whirlwind for you, but it will put a smile on your face at times. Certainly enough to rent it. Pass on the Big screen and add it to your queue. That is, unless you're into that wind-blown look.

True...OUT!

Big Screen Blurb: Paranormal Activity 2



Did it freak my freak? No. Was it reasonably entertaining for a paranormal fan like, moi? At times, I suppose. Did it prompt my paranoia meter to spike a few degrees? Yes. "It" is none other than Paranormal Activity 2, a sequel that's probably as good as the original, but don't hold that against it.

This trip through the ghastly ghostly follows a family of four in San Diego. It's a blended family comprised of Dan (Brian Boland) and Kristi (Sprague Graydon) with their newborn babe, Hunter, and Dan's daughter, Ali (Molly Ephraim). Let's not forget Kristi's sister, Katie (Katie Featherston) and her boyfriend Micah, who float in and out as background characters. At any rate, strange things start happening--yeah, I know, odd twist for a paranormal flick. At any rate, cameras are set up house-wide after an odd break-in where the house was essentially turned upside down with nothing stolen. Next, we learn a tad bit about Katie and Kristi's youthful involvment with the demonic before weirdness intensifies and yadayadayada freaky takes center stage.

Paranormal Activity 2 has its moments and I actually liked it better than the original, which may not be a resounding endorsement. There are some pretty intense scenes here, which made me regret not packing along my defibrillator for my jumpy friend. Ultimately, however, I'm a stickler for plot--particularly as it enhances the flow of the movie. Plot is a major shortcoming here. The premise is there; it just could have been delivered much more effectively. With this flick, most of our time is spent watching, well...NADA. We spend probably 60 of the 91 minutes watching their security cams recording absolutely nothing of particular interest. That leaves about 20 minutes of potentially interesting dialogue, which half of that amount is delivered upon; and finally, ten minutes of seeing it all come together. And, no, I'm not even going to mention the documentary-feel with the first hand camera shots. That's a director's vision that is more distracting and nausea-inducing than anything. It's a shooting style, I get it. I just don't like it--personal preference on my end.

Ultimately, this one hovers between 2.5 and 3.0 Stars for me. The climax is over before you know--yeah, I know, that's what he/she said. The movie's pinnacle is all so muddled you're kind of left with a disappointing sense of being befuddled. I've heard of interpretative dance, but Paranormal Activity 2 is an interpretative flick. It unfolds in such a way where there is so much left open to guess-work, it's just unsatisfying. I guess maybe that was the point. After all, we're talking about the paranormal here--abstract city. Yeah, I'm a big fan of the paranormal and have even sat in on a ghost hunting group. It's a fascinating subject, but the things you look for in these kinds of movies are just not delivered. It leaves you with essentially the emptiness of a doing a dance with a ghost in the dark.

If you're really into the topic and enjoyed the first one, see this one Big. If you like the topic but didn't particularly like the original flick, just watch a particularly good episode of Ghost Hunters.  Then, rent Paranormal Activity 2 when you need a little jump start in the paranoia department...or just watch the eleven o'clock news for that matter.

True...OUT!