The Tooth Fairy

There is absolutely no reason any of my normal readers will see this movie, unless I've picked up a few soccer moms I did not know about (by the way mini vans don't break a deal, leave your number in the comments section). I still have an obligation to grade this movie fairly, and for what this movie is, a family flick, it's not too bad.

Dwayne Johnson stars as a brawny hockey player which gets the nickname tooth fairy by knocking out molars. After a shoulder injury he is dumped to the minor leagues where he is content enough to spend his days as an enforcer.

Johnson has seemed to have found his niche in family comedies. He has a winning smile, decent comedic timing, and is fine with making fun of himself. He was the same way in the WWF and the skills and fan interactions he learned there seemed to have helped in his development in family friendly films.

Billy Crystal, who takes an uncredited role, and Seth MacFarlane each have bit part supplying Johnson with the supplies he needs. I have always been a big fan of Billy Crystal and will continue to be till my dieing days. His comedic timing is still great and he more or less reprises one of his best cameos of all time with Miracle Max. MacFarlane obviously just went on a huge bender so needed a little extra pocket change, one days work not too bad and hes enjoyable.

Julie Andrews is truly a great talent and I don't think I have it in me to say anything mean about the woman. She is charming in the role.

But one of the best talents in the film is relatively unrecognized talents of Stephen Merchant. This tall, British talent is one of Ricky Gervais' best kept secrets. He has a very charming goofy attitude about him and some of his physical comedy stuff is the most laughable points in the movie. As Gervais gains momentum I think Merchant will too. If you've never seen the show 'Extras' check the it out, especially the one with Kate Winslet.

The film is sincere. It has a nice little message to it. But its best moments are when Johnson has one of the aforementioned names to bounce off of. The kids will like this one and that's who the movie is for. D+

Extraordinary Measures

The debut movie for CBS Films probably belonged on their network or even more likely on a sister network but this got the big screen bump instead. Brendan Fraser plays John Crowley a man who risks it all to bet on a brilliant but misunderstood scientist played by Harrison Ford. I even feel cheesy writing it. It has all the tools for an uplifting story but nothing seems to be executed right.

It could be the acting. There is no argument that Fraser's star has dwindled a bit since the beginning of the 2000's (by the way, what do we call last decade or this decade for that manner) so maybe he has to take what is given to him. Recently that's been softer scripts meant for family viewing but he is really not a correct fit in this role. He interacts well with the kids but he doesn't expresses grief or suffering well. When the film shifts themes midway through he does a much better job.

Rumor has it that right before every single take in the movie Ford was given a slight ball tap which explains why he seemed annoyed and angry during most of the movie. The character is given a softer side at some point showing that he is doing this for the right reasons but it all seems forced. For his efforts Harrison Ford got an EP credit for the film and for the first time since Return of the Jedi his name was not at the top of the credits.

Maybe its the writing. The story is there and we know the actors can be better. Keri Russel has certainly played characters in the past with a lot of emotional baggage that are forced to put on a brave face (read: Felicity) and certainly the two leads can be better. The writing buries itself in legal battles and shows the business behind the curing of disease instead of seeing parents on the edge. All the characters seem to be one dimensional and the interactions with others are the same throughout. The dialogues aren't poignant they're formulaic.

Maybe it's the music selection. They spent most of the time focusing on the choices of what Ford needed to listen to while he was pissing people off. And if you didn't buy this Lifetime movie of the week feel they include Clapton's "Change the World." While I like Clapton, could they pick a more cliche song? The more emotional points in the movie could have hit harder had the soundtrack of the movie played a little stronger. The best soundtracks seem to be the ones you don't know happened but can't get out of your head. With this movie it was noticeable that the soundtrack was lacking and after the movie I was still humming the soundtrack to "Next to Normal."

Even the editing was off. The cuts in the movie were jarring, and when the cut is noticeable you know something is wrong. While none of the words are cut off, it seems like they make their shot changes by cutting off the last exhale of the words which is usually done in newscasts when the rest of the shot is unusable.

But the blame needs to be put on the director Tom Vaughan. He was asked to pull it all together and instead came out with a movie where everything seemed a little off. The movie had all the potential to be something decent, but when it came down to crunch time the effort all around seemed kind of phoned in. D-/F+

Next to Normal

I have always considered myself a movie guy, but when the opportunity arrives I love to go see a story on the stage. And being a guy who also can't help but sing in the shower and loves bad catchy music my love of musicals is not really a stretch. So while this is even further away from an expert opinion than the movie reviews I dish out I'm gonna give this show a shot. Sorry to any Broadway divas or their hags that I offend in the process of this review.

Next to Normal is a TONY award winning show and there is little doubt why after seeing it. The story deals with mental disease, the treatments and the effects it has on the patient and those close to the patient. The mother Diana (played by Alice Ripley) suffers from bipolar disorder but as her psychologist says early on there are other symptoms as well they call it bipolar just to label the disease.

The family includes the supportive husband Dan (J. Robert Spencer), the perfect son Gabe (Aaron Tveit), and their hyper-intelligent daughter Natalie (Jennifer Damiano). The character all balance well with Diana each with their own behaviors and traits. Dan believes he can get back to better days with the treatment and shows unconditional love and devotion to his wife. Natalie can not seem to get the attention she wants from her parents as they try and deal with each other. And Gabe keeps his mother happy while causing stress to the rest of them. The show is rounded out by two more characters including the quirky stoner Henry (Adam Chandler-Berat) who plays Natalie's love interest and Alice's doctors (both played by Louis Hobson)

Alice Ripley is amazing in her portrayal of a woman trying to survive her own thoughts. The character seems to possess almost as many different feelings as there are songs in the show, which for those keeping count at home that's well over 40 different numbers, Ripley shifts almost too easily from each emotion leaving little doubt as to why she received the TONY for best actress in a musical.

With such a small cast it may be difficult to connect to any of the characters a problem that I had. But it is easy to see how touching the show can be as there was barely a dry eye in the theater especially if you know someone who suffers from a mental disease. My lack of connection may also be due to my seat in the balcony causing me to shift back and forth through much of the first act to catch a glimpse. The show is done on a three-tier stage and ever inch is used. Which is why it was so easy to make a better connection once I could sit back any enjoy the view from the mezzanine.

Make no mistake that this show is a modern day opera. With over 40 songs there has to be more lyrics than dialogue. Each character seems to be given songs based on their personality. While none of the singer's blew me away, the rock infused musical has powerful melodies and beautiful lyrics.

In an era where Broadway would rather take a movie script and develop it for the stage it is wonderful to see an original show which runs the gamete of emotion. The show has the ability to leave you speechless as the music is the only thing left running through your head. To those who have not seen or heard about the show here is a link to two of the most popular songs "You Don't Know" and "Superboy and the Invisible Girl"

Leap Year

In case you were wondering, you already know how this one ends.

Leap year is the story of a young woman going to Ireland to propose to her boyfriend on February 29th. Mayhem ensues.

Anna played by Amy Adams is an uptight real estate exhibitor. Her tour guide Declan, played by Matthew Goode, is a laid-back scruffy Irish bartender. The story itself has more or less been done before and it was handled much better in the hands of Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert in It Happened One Night - it just happens to be one of 3 movies that have won the Academy's five major awards.

Both actor's do a fine job. Adams is charming as usual. With all the cutesy roles one tends to forget how nice a body she has, nothing special, but nice. Matthew Goode, from recent Watchmen fame, fits quite nicely into his role. It is easy to tell why he was named one of the UK's rising stars. Individually they preform well in their roles, but there is little chemistry between the two as both characters seem to banter back and forth about the inevitability of the script.

Very little of this movie was shot in Ireland; but wait, how do you know? There is a very large distinction between the actors and the backgrounds in the shots with historic Irish landmark. This is truly surprising in an era of Avatar and the Lord of the Rings Series. You can create entire new worlds to feel natural but one Irish backdrop displaces you from the movie.

There is a new era of Rom-Coms featuring organized women in powerful positions, shown the light by grungy blue-collar men. Just because studios know their target audience will probably eat it up doesn't mean effort shouldn't be put in. Wait for a gloomy weekend, I'm sure USA will be showing an Amy Adams movie marathon soon enough. F

Sherlock Holmes

This is not your grandfather's Sherlock Holmes, but that's not what's going to put people in the seats. Guy Ritchie understands that as he attempts to revamp the series into an action blockbuster.

Holmes is a man of deductive reasoning, so it stands to reason that this may be a movie which blurs the line of suspense/mystery and action blockbuster. But in an age where Michael Bay is allowed to make movies the traits of the blockbuster will always win out.

Ritchie uses the same techniques he has always used in his movies, the quick cuts and intense fight scenes. But in a series like this where most of the audience already have an idea of what Sherlock Holmes is all about, it doesn't really work.

The plot isn't all that important to the enjoyment of the movie. It has secret societies, ritual sacrifices, and the use of black magic. Its all big picture stuff, the five writers who worked on the screenplay don't pay attention to any of the important details in order to keep the audience hooked. Rather they add some details to a couple of the scenes to make Holmes look like a genius later. But the whole movie is so overcrowded with objects to make it look like a period piece, many in the audience just won't be that invested. And this is all just little fluff pieces until they can get back to the ass kicking.

What makes this movie special in any kind of way is the cast. Robert Downey Jr. takes what is given to him and really makes it his own. It becomes enjoyable to watch Downey interact with the world around him. The subtle face tweaks and quirks he adds to a character which seems to have too much brawn is what helped to resurrect his career.

Jude Law is not what you would expect out of a Watson but who cares. Law does better when acting in period pieces anyway, so why not enjoy it. He proves equal to Downey's skill and the interaction between the two is a wonderful bromance with adorable flirtations throughout the movie. Holmes' jealousy of Watson's fiance adds to the tension between the two, as you know its these two that belong together.

Rachel McAdams is hot.

Eddie Marsan also does admirably as the chief investigator for Scotland Yard and also shares some great chemistry with Downey. Mark Strong looks more like an over-sized version of Andy Garcia but doesn't take anything away from the cast. It's too bad you couldn't put this cast into a project with a little more heart, that could really be something.

The franchise has been left open for a sequel as, similar to the Batman series, fans of Sherlock Holmes realize that the hero's greatest adversary, Professor Moriarty, was not the primary villain. But this movie lacks the substance for anyone seeing it opening weekend to suggest it to friends with so many other options during the holiday season. This franchise may just be left on the shelves right next to The Golden Compass. C+

Avatar

Want to see what a quarter-of-a-billion-dollars looks like? The King-of-the-World has created a new domain to rule.
One of the most successful director's of our time, he is responsible for blockbusters like Terminator, Titanic and Aquaman his newest conquest takes place years in the future with a group of natives in the way of a precious mineral. Many have declared that Cameron's new world seen in Avatar will revolutionize the way movies are made. And at first look the movie definitely has the qualities to revolutionize Hollywood.
This first half of this movie is made to be seen on IMAX with beautiful landscapes and wonderful colors, the screen lights up. Creating such a wonderfully vivid world with creative inhabitants is definitely what Cameron gets off to and what comes out is a beautiful explosion of florescent color or at least thats how i imagine it.
Cameron wants us to connect with the environment around him and has nothing but money to burn so he spends most of the first act exploring it. And while visually stunning it takes a while to progress to any kind of story.
The story is certainly nothing special with blatant references to recent American wars and environmental issues. The story is your typical cowboy and Indian plot line that takes place in the year 2154.
The characters are also rather simplistic, not that there is anything wrong with that. It allows the audience to easily connect to the lead character Jake Sully as he decides which side is really worth fighting for. Colonel Miles Quartich played by Stephen Lang is also rather simplistic and formulaic. But that doesn't make him any less fun to watch as his character doesn't have time to feel pain he has asses to kick and inhabitants to displace. Then there is Sigourney Weaver who more or less reprises her role as Dr. Ellen Ripley.
The end battle in the movie is epic with explosions everywhere. Its everything you were waiting for and its all done right.
Many of the theaters show the movie in 3D as well as 2D. And while normally I hate this type of production Cameron never breaks the fourth wall in a way to shock the audience as most movies which use this technique do. The use of 3D is there merely to enhance the scenery.
This movie is revolutionary and visually it has set the bar for generations to come. Hollywood will only benefit from its creation, but the story has been done better before and without quite the price tag. B

Up in the Air

There is no question that George Clooney's star is among one of the brightest in Hollywood, his new movie Up in the Air shows how bright it can be.

Jason Reitman began writing this script in 2002. It was supposed to be his directorial debut, but then the opportunity to direct Thank you for Smoking and Juno came along so he put the project on hold. Then you know how the story went: housing market tanked, banks became bankrupt, and joblessness flew higher than ever. All of a sudden this movie became topical and hit at the right moment.

BRIEF SPOILER (more like an introductory summary) ALERT
Clooney's character Ryan Bingham has what would seem like the unsavory job of firing people, he is brought in when the managers don't have the sack to do it themselves. His character may or may not enjoy his work but he is good at it and he loves the perks. The perks being frequent flier miles, and elite customer service by the hotel staff and car rentals he does business with. His life on the road is in jeopardy when a young upstart reduces the amount of travel by having the firings take place over the web (think skype with nothing but bad news).
FIN

Clooney turns on the charm as only he can, any other actor playing the lead character Ryan Bingham may have ruined the movie. He makes a ruthless terminator which has severed all human connections seem endearing. The character is slick and witty, everything the aspiring business executive would want to be.

There to challenge Bingham's lifestyle is love interest Alex Goran, played by Vera Farminga, and young upstart Natalie Keener, played by Anna Kendrick. Alex is more or less Bingham with a vagina. They are turned on by elite status and revel in their lifestyle on the road. Farminga goes toe to toe with Clooney and comes out a winner. Most actresses and actors alike may become intimidated, she responds to it. Farminga shows just as much class and wit as Clooney does. She has shown her ability to interact with top names before (such as DiCaprio and Damon, in the same movie) and i hope it is seen that she is not just a character actor, she's a movie star.

Natalie is a younger version of Ryan Bingham, while she may have qualms with the type of work she is doing she wants nothing more than please her boss, played by Jason Bateman. Bateman preforms outstandingly in an ensemble role as would be expected (Jason, please stay away from roles where you're asked to shoulder all the weight like the abysmal comedy Extract, thank you.) Kendrick can make you want to kick her in the face and comfort her all within 10 minutes. Truly showing powerful range, her performance steals the show away from Clooney at certain points in the movie.

The dialogue is quick and witty, only accentuated by the perfect casting of the movie. One of the most powerful bits of scripted dialogue comes when the three main characters share their views on life, love, and business. The other moments that prove gut-wrenching is when the people are actually being fired. Rather then cast actors, besides a few notables, Reitman decides instead to cast people in St. Louis and Detroit who have actually lost their jobs.

The movie takes a turn with the tone in the third act emotionally losing a bit of its biting satirical wit for something softer. This may lose some people in the audience but here is where I really connected with the character. The message of the movie may be laid on a little thick but it doesn't take away from its strength.

Up in the Air does everything right, from the writing, to the casting, to the music selection. This movie is going to hit close to home for a lot of people right now. If people in Hollywood could churn out more movies like this there would be a lot more job security in the studios. A-