Pop Culture Buzz

** STARS

In the action-thriller “Public Enemies”, acclaimed filmmaker Michael Mann directs Johnny Depp, Christian Bale and Best Actress Academy Award winner Marion Cotillard in the story of legendary Depression-era outlaw John Dillinger. Dillinger was the charismatic bank robber whose lightning raids made him the number one target of J. Edgar Hoover’s fledgling FBI and its top agent, Melvin Purvis (Bale), who ended up becoming a folk hero to much of the downtrodden public.

“Public Enemies” is not terrible or even unwatchable, it’s just too long and slow. I went into this film craving a change of pace from the regular high concept summer blockbusters like “Terminator Salvation”, “Wolverine” and “Transformers 2″ that have done little to make one use their brain while in the theater. Usually Michael Mann has a way of stretching out a story and making it seem seamless like he did in “Heat”, but with “Enemies” I found myself sighing with restlessness and boredom.

The acting by Depp, Christian Bale and Marion Cotillard are text book depression-era gangster cut out performances with not much real charm or passion added to them. The first half of this film had a lot of energy and excitement but somewhere in the middle, as the gangsters began to be executed by the FBI, the story began to plod along and lose steam. The two and a half hour running time was nowhere near as thrilling and cool as when it was done in “The Untouchables”, I found myself checking the time quite often.

In the end I had no compassion or sympathy for Dillinger, his love life or anyone in his band of outlaws. In much better gangster films such as “Bonnie & Clyde” we cheer for the Robin Hood mentality of the crooks. In Mann’s “Public Enemies” I ended up rooting for J. Edgar Hoover and his band of goons, and if history has taught us anything, that is not a good thing. This film may please hardcore Depp fans that think he can do no wrong, but I couldn’t help but wish the movie would just end about half way through.

*** STARS

“The Hangover” is the guilty pleasure comedy hit of the summer. It’s just funny, pretty much from start to finish. If you don’t see this film as soon as possible you’re likely to hear all about it as friends and co-workers endlessly quote lines or re-create scenes. One of the movie’s greatest strengths is the way in which the story is told; the audience is kept in suspense as the mystery unravels essentially in real-time. The movie has a great sense of pacing for the most part, and manages to keep upping the ante and increasing the energy level along the way.

“The Hangover” is, in essence, a creative twist on the “one crazy night” and “road trip” comedy genres. All you need to know about the plot is that a groom and his three groomsmen head out for a night of debauchery, and then wake up in the morning to find that their hotel room has been completely trashed and the groom has vanished. They have no recollection of what happened the night before, but as they try to retrace their steps, things get more and more out of hand.

“The Hangover” is the best comedy of the year and one that should improve on repeat viewings. Stars Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zack Galifinakis are in the best form of their respectivly fresh careers. There’s already talk of a sequel and there is no doubt this movie deserves one. Every summer needs at least one silly, dirty comedy, and “The Hangover” is this year’s hilarious sleeper hit. I highly recommend this movie if you enjoy R rated comedies that try to push the envelope and make you squirm a little.

*** 1/2 STARS

From Disney-Pixar comes “Up,” a comedy adventure about 78-year-old widowed balloon salesman Carl Fredricksen, who fulfills his lifelong dream of a great adventure when he ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away to “Paradise Falls” in South America. What he doesn’t know is that an overly optimistic eight-year-old Wilderness Explorer named Russell has accidently hitched a ride while hiding on his porch. The pair ends up going on the adventure of a lifetime encountering wild terrain, unexpected villains and jungle creatures.

Pixar’s 10th animated film is a near masterpiece, a beautiful film in every sense of the word. This whimsical and touching film is superb in setting up its characters with well timed physical comedy and sincere human emotions. At its core “Up” is a poignantly romantic film that lingers in your memory long after seeing it. The 3D presentation gives this movie a surprisingly real boost, but the real special effect is how Pixar is able to combine complex adult emotions with imaginative storytelling.

“Up” is a throwback to old-school Disney storytelling, which I think is great. It is that rare cartoon that makes audiences howl with laughter one minute and wipe away tears the next. Besides it’s emotional depth this movie has some of the best animated landscapes I have ever seen on the big screen. I’m going to go a little over the top and say that I think “Up” will get a nomination for Best Picture and also Best Screenplay. Yes, it will probably be nominated for Best Animated Feature, and like every other Pixar movie, it will win.

“Up” tells a story that is both funny and tender; conveying a sentiment that our connection with others is what makes life meaningful. As with many of the Pixar films, the story of “Up” can be interpreted on different levels. Little children will enjoy the talking animals and vibrant colors but most adults and slightly older kids will go through a wave of emotions. “Up” is a perfect family film that makes you feel like you are floating on helium with pure joy as you leave the theater. I have tremendous respect for what the makers of this movie have done in creating something so exciting to watch and something that also beats with a real heart. “Up” pulls you through practically every emotion available and it will leave you in sweet contentment long after you have seen it.

** STARS

The “Terminator” franchise has always been one of the most lucrative and entertaining series of science fiction films to ever be created, and one of my personal favorites. I don’t care what critics say, “T3: Rise of the Machines” was a fun action packed romp with stellar effects and chase scenes, it was a blast to see Schwarzenegger once again playing the role that made him huge. The anticipation level for “Terminator: Salvation” was high and it was my own fault for thinking that McG, the director of the “Charlie’s Angels” films and “We Are Marshall”, could pull off a richly developed installment in the “Terminator” film series. Even the always terrific Cristian Bale comes off as a caricature of his brooding “Batman” persona with his laughably raspy voice.

McG’s choppy editing and bleak direction gave this film a stale and rehashed feeling making this the first unoriginal installment in the franchise. No matter how many explosions or blood thirsty robots you put on the screen, there still needs to be a rich storyline to keep people interested and coming back for more. McG has no clear vision or style; even his actors go through each scene like mechanical drones with no real appeal to them. All of the fun, irony and wit from the original “Terminator” films has completely disappeared.

“Terminator: Salvation” is far from awful, but it is close to joyless and down right silly. The movie’s only pleasure is a too-brief fight scene between Connor and a naked combatant made up to look precisely like Arnold Schwarzenegger. This film relies too heavily on previous knowledge of the Terminator world, and constant explanations and references eventually become obvious and repetitive. At this point let’s just say the machines have won and put this tired franchise to bed. Everything that could be said has been said, and much better I might add!

1/2 STAR

“Angels & Demons” re-teams director Ron Howard and star Tom Hanks for the sequel to their international blockbuster adaptation of Dan Brown’s novel “The Da Vinci Code”. Hanks stars as professor Robert Langdon, a respected symbologist, who uses his knowledge to decode ancient hidden religious symbols that reveal a sinister plot within the Vatican. The clues eventually put him on the trail of a far fetched international conspiracy involving the Catholic Church that had my eyes rolling non-stop!

In “Angels & Demons”, the filmmakers spend a lot of screen time trying to explain the plot to the point you feel overwhelmed with the details. I would hesitate to call this movie suspenseful or even involving, I found myself laughing in disbelief quite a lot. The absurd climax pushes the film past the limits of an audiences ability to suspend disbelief, which is ultimately the films biggest weakness. I guess the one thing Howard has learned in his hacky career is that a film doesn’t need to have a lot of substance to make a ton of money.

Even though this movie is a glossy, high profile popcorn flick with an A-list cast, it doesn’t mean it’s any good. This clumsy msytery is loud, 20 minutes too long and super violent for no apparent reason (I don’t underdstand why this movie wasn’t rated R). “Angels & Demons” is the first official dud of the summer movie season, it should pray for forgiveness and quietly go away to make room for bigger and smarter looking pictures like “Up”, “Julie & Julia” and “Bruno”.

*** STARS

If you’re planning on seeing “Observe and Report”, hold on to your britches and get ready to be thoroughly shocked and offended. Seth Rogan fans expecting another sweet and sensitive physical comedy will instead be treated to a film with much darker humor. Rogan plays security guard Ronnie Barnhardt whose delusions of grandeur are put to the test when the mall he works at is struck by a flasher. Anyone who has ever shopped in a mall knows that mall cops just aren’t cool and Rogan plays the out of luck loser type with fine tuned timing.

“Observe and Report” has a harsh and bizarre tone that makes you unsure whether you can laugh, although the dysfunctional characters do eventually win you over. This is a movie about damaged, deranged people, who you wouldn’t want to be near if you met them in real life. Somehow Director Jody Hill is able to push his characters to the edge of horribleness while keeping them brutally funny.

I also have to give a lot of credit to Anna Faris who proves that she is not afraid of going to extreme lengths to get laughs. Throughout the movie, she never tries to sweeten her character up like many actresses would have. Right now, she is proving to be one of cinema’s most valuable comic actresses with this and “The House Bunny”. Another inspired performance to be found in “Observe and Report” is from Celia Weston, and she plays Ronnie’s alcoholic mother. This could have been a cruel and clichéd character but Celia makes it a lot more than that.

Ultimately this film works because it is so true to life and at times uncomfortably all too real. Sure some of the humor is violent, perverted, drug related, and just disgusting, but it’s hysterical nonetheless. I appreciated the shock and awe of it all. “Observe and Report” is funny and uncompromising, offering laughs without denial or shame. This might not be a movie for everyone, but it was gut busting funny for me.

** 1/2 STARS

The gruff, ripped Marvel superhero Wolverine strikes out on his own in the “X-Men” movie spin-off starring series regular Hugh Jackman. “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” tells the story of Wolverine’s epically violent and romantic past, his complex relationship with his brother Victor Creed (who will later become Sabretooth), and the ominous Weapon X program. Along the way, Wolverine encounters many mutants, with surprise appearances by several legends of the “X-Men” universe including “Gambit” and “Death Pool” (played by Ryan Reynolds below).

“Wolverine” is your basic summer blockbuster fare, the equivalent of cinematic junk food. The first 20 minutes of “Origins” had me pumped up, but somewhere in the middle you could hear the air escaping out of it like a deflating balloon. Even though the over-the-top action and fighting was top notch, this film failed to provide a strong plot to go along with all the incredibly intense action scenes.

I really liked the first half of this movie so much that I found it especially disappointing when the second half fell flat. It’s always a shame when fantastic actors and their characters don’t get their due. The biggest fault in “Origins” is that the script plays it too safe and it clings to the generic rules of the superhero movie universe. While not a disaster, “Wolverine” isn’t the claws-out, kick-ass summer adventure I had hoped it would be

“Wolverine” is nowhere near on the same level as “The Dark Knight” or “Iron Man”, but it does just enough things right to justify the price of a matinee ticket. Hugh Jackman is this film’s biggest redeemer; he is a truly likeable lead actor with screen presence and real menace.
“Wolverine” is not a bad film and it is an improvement on “X-Men: The Last Stand”, but it also feels like every other tired comic-book adaptation we’ve ever seen.

*** 1/2 STARS

In “I Love You, Man”, Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd) is a successful real estate agent who, upon getting engaged to the woman of his dreams, Zooey (played by Rashida Jones from “Parks & Recreation”), discovers that he has no male friend close enough to serve as his Best Man. Peter immediately sets out to fix the situation by embarking on a series of side splitting “man-dates”. Peter eventually meets a laid back single guy (played by Jason Segel) who shares his passion for the band Rush and they both fall head first into a serious friendship.

I have to say that romantic comedies are my least favorite genre of film. There are some exceptions of course but as a theory I will always avoid any film that stars Sandra Bullock, Kate Hudson or Matthew McConaughey. A newly recent trend in cinema has been the male romantic comedy or “bromance” film. This new perspective from the sensitive “every day” guy has not only been effective in comedies such as “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “Pineapple Express” but I think it adds a much needed mature side to funny testosterone driven films.

Paul Rudd has become the new hot male star of these modern day forward thinking comedies because he comes off as authentic and real. With “Role Models” he showed us his stubborn stereotypical male side without becoming grating or down right piggish. In “I Love You Man” you can’t help but fall in love with his awkward and clumsy character. In any other film Rudd’s character would have been portrayed as being gay or weak, but good writing and great performances show that male relationships can be sincere. The same can be said for the brilliant supporting acting by Jason Segel who steals every scene that he is in.

Sure one of the jokes in this film is two guys saying “I Love You Man”, but nowhere does the screenplay show any hints of homophobia, which has always been a problem in male buddy flicks. This film doesn’t talk down to the audience, it actually has a lot to say about how men share their emotions with eachother (so ladies make sure you see this movie!). I rarely use the term, but this may be one of the best “date movies” ever created. I laughed a lot in this movie and at times I was genuinely moved, and in a male romantic comedy what else can you ask for?

*** STARS

With references to “Attack of the 50 Foot Women”, “The Fly”, “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”, “The Blob” and “Creature from the Black Lagoon”, “Monsters vs. Aliens” makes it clear that the filmmakers are huge fans of early sci-fi/horror atomic age films from the early 50’s and late 60’s. This vibrant action packed new cartoon feature chooses to go the nostalgic route to entertain audiences instead of rehashing pop culture references and poop jokes, and it works.

The story centers on Susan (Reese Witherspoon), a bride whose wedding goes spectacularly wrong when she she’s hit by a meteor outside the church and proceeds to grow 50 feet tall. Immediately after her transformation, the military swoops in and whisks her away to a detention center for monsters. Witherspoon hasn’t sounded so youthful and refreshingly over the top in ages.

Among her fellow inmates are the gelatinous, blue B.O.B. (Seth Rogen at his side splitting best); the half-insect, half-mad-scientist Dr. Cockroach (voiced by the perfectly cast Hugh Laurie); and the part fish, part human Missing Link (the always funny Will Arnett). It is obvious the voice performers are having tons of fun in their roles but it is Stephen Colbert who steals every scene as the voice of the U.S. president.

This movie is visually awesome, action packed and eye-popping, particularly if you catch it in IMAX 3-D. The most spectacular part in the film was the brilliant staging of a monstrous battle scene at the Golden Gate Bridge. “Monsters vs. Aliens” effectively balances humor and action, as well as small character beats with big set-pieces. In the end I found this film to be a big, silly spoof of an animated film that was fast, hilarious and perfect for the kids and big children at heart!

* STAR

Many of you already know that I am a horror movie geek. Sometimes the genre can put out original pieces of work, including remakes. For example the “Dawn of the Dead” remake from 2004 is one of the most intense and unrelenting horror films of recent memory, and it was bloody great. Some people call this brand of slasher picture “horror porn” for its gratuitous images of carnage and gore, but if done right it can be terrifying. Unfortunately the latest reimagining of the popular “Friday the 13th” series relies solely on unimaginative death scenes to keep you in theater seats, and it doesn’t work at all.

This remake is clumsy and all over the map, at best. In the first portion of the film we get the first two original “”Friday the 13th” films combined to tell the origin story of Jason Voorhees. In the second half we just watch as Jason chases people through the woods. Most of this would be forgivable but the death scenes come off as uninspired and silly. It may sound horrible but I was hoping for more shocking images and over the top gore. Instead we get more pot smoking, naked girls and nasty sex talk then original chills and bloody spills.

I wasn’t expecting high art or even a masterpiece of modern horror cinema from this movie, but I was hoping for some old school reliable Camp Crystal Lake scary fun. The choppy editing and redundant feel make this one of the most terrible modern horror remakes ever filmed. After seeing pitch perfect remakes of “The Hills Have Eyes” (2006) and “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (2003) it made me sad to see one of my favorite villains of all time get such a crappy vehicle to reintroduce him to a whole new generation of horror fans. At this rate the only reason why a sequel to this film would be made is because of the huge opening weekend numbers it generated. If they do make another one of these I hope it is nothing like this train wreck was.

*** 1/2 STARS

By the mid-eighties masked vigilantes have been outlawed and rising Cold War tensions with the Soviet Union threaten a devastating nuclear war. Also, due to the American victory in the Vietnam War, Richard Nixon has been elected to his third term as President. This complex, multi-layered mystery adventure, is set in an alternate America in which costumed superheroes are part of the fabric of everyday society and are like normal people and have no super powers.

Based on the 1986-1987 comic book series “Watchmen” by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, the film adaptation stars Patrick Wilson (”Night Owl”), Jackie Earle Haley (”Rorschach”), Billy Crudup (”Dr. Manhattan”), Malin Akerman (”Silk Spectre”), Jeffrey Dean Morgan (”The Comedian”). The plot follows a group of former vigilantes (or “super heroes”) as tensions heighten between the United States and the Soviet Union while an investigation of an apparent conspiracy against them uncovers something even more grandiose and sinister.

For those that were afraid that Hollywood would screw with the brilliant storyline of the graphic novel, I am glad to report that this film faithfully grapples with the book’s multi-layered storyline and fascinatingly messed up characters. The most pleasant surprise in the movie adaptation of “Watchmen” is the pop-art fusion set off by placing human-like superheroes in a “real’ world that is vividly eye popping. Zack Snyder’s sprawling film stays faithful to Moore’s tale of flawed heroes, cleverly trimming and reshaping it to retain essential plots.

Forget what you know about superhero movies, this epic adaptation is something else entirely. “Watchmen” is a must-see art film that is visually rich, provocative and a blatant reminder that we live in a culture of fear, paranoia, and revenge. This is a landmark film for a genre that has always depended on family themes and cartoonish realities. This movie is by no means light entertainment or for children, but it will impress, amaze and keep you gripped to your seats. Against all odds, Snyder has directed a movie that should satisfy die hard fanboys while engaging adventurous newcomers.

*** STARS

“Doubt” is the film adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize winning John Patrick Shanley stage play “Doubt: A Parable”. The movie version was written and directed by Shanley and produced by Scott Rudin, the film stars 2008 Best Actress Oscar Nominee Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Best Supporting Actress Nominees Amy Adams & Viola Davis. The whole cast of “Doubt” gives emotionally charged performances that are just plain riveting to watch. The recognition this film has received from the Academy this year in the acting categories is much deserved.

“Doubt” takes place in 1964 at St. Nicholas Catholic School in the Bronx, New York. Seymour Hoffman plays Father Flynn a charismatic priest who is trying to upend the schools’ strict customs. Streep plays the cold and hard edged Sister Aloysius who sets off on a personal crusade to expunge Flynn from the school. Sister Aloysius grows suspicious when Father Flynn begins taking too much interest in the life of a new young black student. Is she being overly protective or not protective enough? This is the main catalyst of the film, and it keeps you conflicted up until the films final moments.

Even though “Doubt” takes place in the late 60’s it’s themes and controversial subject matter is more relevant than ever. Like the title suggests this film is constantly making the viewers doubt their own instincts and question their own faith in what they believe to be true. We never get a clear cut picture of who is telling the truth and who is really the “bad guy” in this story. When the film finishes we are left with more questions than answers.

In the end I found “Doubt” to be an impressively directed drama with a gripping script and a pair of powerhouse performances from Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman, though the ending did prove to be very frustrating. The film does not make the most of what ought to be rather frightening and ultimately moving material. “Doubt” could have been a better film but I have absolutely no qualms about saying that it could not possibly have been better performed.

“CORALINE”

*** 1/2 STARS

MOVIE SYNOPSIS:
Adapted from the Hugo Award-winning, internationally best-selling novel, “Coraline” is a spine-tingling tale about a curious girl who unlocks a mysterious door in her family’s new home and enters into an adventure in a parallel reality. On the surface, this “Other World” eerily mimics her own life - though it is much more fantastical. In it, Coraline encounters different versions of her own life, including off-kilter neighbors and an Other Mother who attempts to keep her forever. Ultimately, Coraline must rely on her resourcefulness, determination and bravery to get back home.

As a fan of stop motion animated films such as “The Nightmare Before Christmas”, “Chicken Run” and “James and the Giant Peach” I could hardly wait to see Henry Selick’s newest film treat on the big screen. I am glad that I went into this film not knowing a single thing about the plot or characters. “Coraline” is an instant family classic chock full of originality, clever story telling and eye popping imagery that surprised the socks off of me with it’s twisted tone and dark humor.

This is not your average kiddie film with cutesy talking animals and Disney sing-a-long songs; “Coraline” provides some truly creepy images and tense moments towards its climax. I couldn’t keep my eyes off of the screen, every moody scene and fanciful image in this film crackles with originality and complex details. You notice right away that all of the clothing is hand stitched and the backgrounds and props have been meticulously created. I can already tell that I will need to see this movie more than once to appreciate all of the work that went into creating this intensely dark bedtime story. This movie is a “must see” on the big screen, in fact I plan on seeing this kooky treat aain but this time in 3D!

“DEFIANCE”

* 1/2 STARS

MOVIE SYNOPSIS:
“Defiance” is set in the eastern regions of German Nazi-occupied Poland (now western Belarus) during World War II, the film is an adaptation of Nechama Tec’s “Defiance: The Bielski Partisans”, which is based on a true story. Tec’s book told how Polish Jews came together for common protection and to oppose the German occupation of their homeland. “Defiance” stars Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell, and George MacKay as four Jewish brothers from Poland who escaped the Nazi persecution and fought back to rescue fellow Jews.

“Defiance” wants to be as moving and important as “Schindler’s List” but it can’t get past it’s glitzy Hollywood direction and “paint by numbers” script. Daniel Craig does a fine job as a defiant Jewish rebel but the amounts of flaws that are in this film outweigh anything worth recommending. This lavish war film suffers from too much Hollywood storytelling and doesn’t show enough true human emotions.

What was really hard for me to do was get past the terrible Russian accents to truly enjoy the film even as an action thriller. There were too many cheesy plot devices and unrealistic characters for me to believe that this story was based on something that actually took place. About a quarter of the way through I was comparing this film to the cheesy 80’s classic “Red Dawn”, that’s how bad it was. I say skip this film altogether!

“MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D”

** STARS

THE PLOT: A long buried nightmare returns to haunt a small town when one of horror’s most terrifying tales comes to life in a way it has never been seen before. A reimagining of the 1981 film which Quentin Tarantino called ‘the best slasher movie of all time, “MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D” uses the latest dazzling stereographic technology to put audiences in the middle of an unprecedentedly chilling nightmare.

Have you ever wanted to see a buck-naked woman being pursued by a psycho killer in 3D? Or what about plenty of sharp objects flying straight into your face? These are just a few things you’ll experience in Patrick Lussier’s remake “My Bloody Valentine 3-D,” the first live-action, big-screen horror flick to open in Real 3D. The gimmick of this new 3D technology is quite fun for the first 1/2 hour but unfortunately it gets old fast.

All of the fun over the top gore from the first film is still the same but the chills and scares are lost in this “retelling”. In the end “My Bloody Valentine 3D” doesn’t even compare to the original classic. The bad over acting and cheesy dialogue are what really hamper this film from becoming a new bloody cult classic. It’s as if the director put all of his efforts into the special effects and forgot about authentic acting style.

The fun scares and tricky camera work are the only thing worth recommending in this film. I can only assume that the limited amount of fun I did have with this movie will not translate to the small screen. You may want to just skip this film altogether if you cannot see it in the theaters to get the full effect.

“THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON”

** 1/2 STARS

THE PLOT: “Benjamin Button,” was adapted from the classic 1920s story by F. Scott Fitzgerald about a man who is born in his eighties and ages backwards. We follow his story set in New Orleans from the end of World War I in 1918, into the twenty-first century. Directed by David Fincher and starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett with Tilda Swinton, “Benjamin Button,” is a time traveler’s tale of the people and places he bumps into along the way.

Even before I saw this film I couldn’t help but feel that there were some striking similarities between this sweeping romantic epic and “Forrest Gump”. Now that I have seen this film I am sorry to report that there wasn’t much about “Benjamin Button” that seemed authentic to me. The eye popping visuals and sleek direction by David Fincher are top notch and Oscar worthy for sure, but Pitt’s wooden acting style and the glaring comparisons to “Gump” made it hard for me to fall in love with this movie.

Don’t get me wrong, I can appreciate the groundbreaking cinematic scope of a film like “Button” but I cannot excuse a 3 hour running time in a movie unless it is filled to the brim with originality and has a new story to tell from a unique perspective. “Benjamin Button” is one of those popcorn flicks that is resonating with people because of its sweet nature and instantly charming cast. But when we look back at this movie years from now, will “Benjamin Button” hold up to become a “classic” like that of “Gump”? My guess is that it won’t.

“THE READER”

** 1/2 STARS

THE PLOT: The Reader” tells the story of Michael Berg, a German lawyer who as a teenager in the late 1950s had an affair with an older woman, Hanna Schmitz, who then disappeared only to resurface years later as one of the defendants in a war crimes trial stemming from her actions as a concentration camp guard late in the war. Michael alone realizes that Hanna is illiterate and may be concealing that at the expense of her freedom.

Kate Winslet should have herself and Oscar by now, we all know that. Before the Academy Award nominations were announced a few weeks ago I would have bet that Winslet receive a nomination for her electrifying performance in “Revolutionary Road”. When the nominations were announced and Winslet did not get one for that film, but instead received one for “The Reader”, I figured the Academy knew something I didn’t. So I went to go see “The Reader” right away to compare her performances against each other. Now that I have seen both films I can say that the Academy got it wrong, BIG TIME!

From the get go I couldn’t bring myself to empathize with any of the deplorable main characters in “The Reader”. Winslet’s cold portrayal of a Nazi camp guard doesn’t even compare to her mind blowing work in her previous films such as “Little Children” or “Heavenly Creatures”. I kept hoping that there was more to this story than just the love affair between an older woman and a teenage boy. When the film ended I felt empty and cheated that I had invested my emotions into two characters that were so completely out of touch with reality. What this film needed was more courtroom drama and less sex. I count this film as one of the most disappointing critical darlings of 2008.

*** STARS

“Revolutionary Road” is one of the most intense and traumatizing films I have seen in a long time. After leaving the theater I felt completely drained and emotionally wrecked. This film is so good it is devastating. The subject matter of this film is not only compelling but it is exhaustingly all too real. If you go into this film looking for the romantic chemistry of “Titanic”, then you will be in for quite a shock.

Set in 1955, the film focuses on the hopes and aspirations of Frank (Leonardo DiCaprio) and April Wheeler (Kate Winslet), self-assured Connecticut suburbanites who see themselves as very different from their neighbors in the Revolutionary Hill Estates. Seeking to break out of their suburban rut, April convinces Frank they should move to Paris. As they start to plan the move and share their ideas with friends, their marriage begins to crumble exposing the ugly side of their private lives.

Watching these two extremely talented actors square off in explosive fits of anger reminded me of Liz Taylor and Richard Burton’s electrifying abusive performances in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf?”. It was hard to tell how much of these scenes were improvised and how much of it was actually scripted, it felt so real. Just like the brilliant basic cable show “Mad Men” set in the late 50’s, this film makes you wonder about the ideals and morals that this time in our History has instilled into society and how it eventually conflicts with true happiness.

Viewers in the mood for a gut wrenching drama with two of the best actors around should go ahead and partake, but be prepared to leave the theatre in a state of profound depression. “Revolutionary Road” is a mesmerizing look at marriage, personal mistakes and spoiled dreams that hits hard right from the beginning and never lets up. Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio both deserve Best Acting Nominations at this years Academy Awards. This may even be the role that Kate Winslet needs to score her first ever gold statue; it would be rightfully deserved if so!