COUNTDOWN TO ZERO

Directed by Lucy Walker

“Somebody’s going to make a mistake some day and we’re all going to suffer for it.”

There are currently nine countries in the world with nuclear capacity.  Each of them claims to operate and maintain their nuclear warheads with the utmost care and only intends to use them if one of the other countries uses theirs on them first.  By that logic, nuclear arms are solely for the purpose of protection even though the damage they cause is nothing short of catastrophic.  And who is responsible for the day-to-day supervision of these real life weapons of mass destruction?  Just ordinary folk like you or me, that’s who.  And if humanity has taught us anything about ourselves over the years, it is that inevitably, we will make a simple but fatal error.  Only this error will wipe out millions of people within minutes.

Director, Lucy Walker wants us to wake up and smell the radioactive coffee.  In COUNTDOWN TO ZERO, she makes a sincere plea to the audience to stop pretending like nothing bad will ever come from the world’s nuclear research and development.  She does so by simply reminding us of the magnitude of their destructive properties and then by showing us a number of examples where control over these weapons has been very easily lost.  These weapons cannot exist without humanity clearly.  Human beings invented them and developed the technology that has now given every country in the world the potential capacity to obtain them with the right amount of funding.  Human beings also watch over them and what with our insatiable greed and desire for power, not to mention our great tendency toward stupidity, it seems ridiculous that we all walk around feeling safe from the very real threat they pose.

COUNTDOWN TO ZERO should be mandatory viewing in every household and every schoolroom across the planet.  The threat of nuclear annihilation is very real but currently very easily ignored. Despite this, Walker is firm in her conviction and makes her points plainly but effectively.  The simplicity with which she presents the imminence of nuclear war only furthers her argument about how equally simple it is for it to all come apart.  Within the next fifteen minutes, 2000 nuclear bombs could launch and kill over 100, 000, 000 people in just half an hour.  You won’t even have the time to see this movie after having finished reading this review.

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Toy Story (1995)

Genre: Animation/Drama/Adventure/Fantasy/Comedy

Starring (voice): Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, John Morris, Jim Varney

As kids, we all were fond of one toy that we adored and loved more than our lives.Woody (Hanks) was one such toy that Andy (Morris) just loved. Andy's life would get torn apart if anything happened to Woody, at least that was what everyone thought. Andy's birthday was the best day of Andy's life but the worst for his toys, who come alive when Andy is not around.The toys were always scared that they would get replaced by a new and more attractive toy and thrown in the dump. In comes Buzz Lightyear (Allen) an action figure of a spaceman, who thinks that he is the real Buzz Lightyear and can shoot down aliens with his 'laser' and can actually fly. Buzz becomes Andy's new favourite toy and Woody gets slowly pushed to the sidelines. Woody cannot digest the fact that he is no longer Andy's favourite toy and hatches a plot to push Buzz out the window. Things get messy when the other toys learn of Woody's foul play and rally against him. The movie has got brilliant animations for a movie of its era. Its the perfect plot that the doctor ordered and would make any 10-year-old jump with joy. Even though the movie doesn't have any serious humour, it still manages to pull off the plot very well. One of the finest animations ever.

Thumbs up: Entertaining and gripping throughout

Thumbs down: Maybe some more humour if it does any good

Rating: 8.3/10

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Collateral (2004)

Genre: Crime/Thriller/Drama/Action

Starring: Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx, Mark Ruffalo, Jada Pinkett Smith

Hit man Vincent (Cruise) hijacks a taxi and goes around Los Angeles executing his jobs. The innocent and harmless taxi driver, Max (Foxx) has no choice but to stick with him and do as he says. Vincent has been assigned the task to kill all the witnesses to a criminal charge against his client. A LAPD cop, Fanning (Ruffalo) senses the murder trail and follows the leads to get to Vincent and Max. Max encounters one of the most dramatic nights of his life, with a lot of firsts. First time seen a murder, first time used a gun and a lot more. The movie has a lot of philosophical fillers and conversations, which make the movie slightly slow. Perhaps some more action-packed sequences could have made the movie slightly less boring and more entertaining. The movie seems a little bland as if its missing out on something and it just doesn't seem to give a fulfilling experience. Jamie Foxx and Tom Cruise put on a good performance but they could have been used in a far better manner. A decent movie but don't be surprised if you find your mind wandering every now and then.

Thumbs up: Cruise and Foxx

Thumbs down: Gets slow in-between

Rating: 6.7/10

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Black Sheep previews: TIFF 2010

A couple of weeks ago, when I returned home after missing a flight to New York City (long story, very long), I opened my inbox to find an e-mail from an editor I have worked with before, responding to an inquiry I had put to her.  She informed me that she would indeed be interested in sending me to the Toronto International Film Festival to cover it for the magazine.  The only obstacle ahead of me, as I have already booked off a good chunk of the month of September to devote to this, is getting accredited.  I have been rejected the last two years but, according to my editor, this one should be a "slam dunk".  I am hesitant to start celebrating right this moment but it's a lot closer to a "Yes!" than I usually get.

Yesterday, TIFF announced it's first slate of films that will be presented in both Gala and Special Presentation at the 35th anniversary edition of the much-loved festival.  Altogether there were 15 Galas and 35 Special Presentations, 25 of which are world premieres.  Being accredited at TIFF will mean access to interviews with the 100's of filmmakers and celebrities who come through Toronto each year, as well as access to the dozens of films that will be presented.  It may even give me access to the parties!  Naturally, people have started asking if I can bring guests.  I must remind you, and myself apparently, that I still don't have accreditation but in the meantime, I can dream about seeing these films and experiencing them TIFF styles.

BIUTIFUL

Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu
North American Premiere
Starring Javier Bardem

After directing what is affectionately known as "The Death Trilogy" - AMORES PERROS, 21 GRAMS and BABEL - Alejandro González Iñárritu returns with BIUTIFUL and he isn't the least bit perkier.  Javier Bardem, who already won an acting award for this performance at Cannes, stars as a man in downfall, who can sense the danger of death looming and that must find redemption by going to darker places first.  What will certainly be a visual feast sounds as though it could be a philosophical one as well.

BLACK SWAN

Directed by Darren Aronofsky

North American Premiere

Starring Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis and Winona Ryder

This picture is already slated for a premiere in Venice just weeks before screening at TIFF but those of us who cannot afford the price of a gondola will be waiting patiently for it's North American premiere.  Natalie Portman as a ballerina with the NYC ballet, caught in a heated rival with a fellow dancer.  In any lesser hands, it could just be catty but this is Darren Aronofsky - the man who gave us REQUIEM FOR A DREAM and THE WRESTLER.  After the latter floored me for being such a departure, I cannot wait to see where he is going next.

BLUE VALENTINE

Directed by Derek Cianfrance

Canadian Premiere

Starring Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams

I can't say I've ever heard of Derek Cianfrance or seen anything he has done.  No disrespect meant.  That said, when the two leads in your film are the incredibly understated and ego-free actors, Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams, I cannot help but pay very close attention.  Told in past and present moments, BLUE VALENTINE looks at love lost and found as two lovers fight for their relationship one last time.

NEVER LET ME GO

Directed by Mark Romanek

World Premiere

Starring Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield and Keira Knightly

Who doesn't love a good boarding school love triangle?  Who doesn't love it even more when the girls on either side are two of Britain's most talented young ladies, Carey Mulligan and Keira Knightly?  Sure the new Spider-man (Andrew Garfield) is the guy they're fighting over but this one is all about the ladies.  Music video director, Mark Romanek, tries his novice hand at directing feature films again with NEVER LET ME GO and from the looks of the trailer, he has learned that story can serve you just as much as style, if not even more.

YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER

Directed by Woody Allen

North American Premiere

Starring Antonio Banderas, Josh Brolin and Naomi Watts

I don't know if Woody Allen plans on attending TIFF but if he does and if I can actually get an interview with the man, I may pee when I meet him.  He is one of my all time favorite directors.  ANNIE HALL is my all time favorite film.  I see everything he makes .. Ok, maybe not everything.  You can tell when Woody is a little bit off course and that's pretty much what people have been saying about YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER since it debuted at Cannes this spring.  I do not care though.  Any movie that makes it even remotely possible to meet this man is a great movie in my books.

Look for plenty more TIFF coverage to come in the weeks leading up to the festival, which runs from September 9 to 19.  For more information, visit TIFF.net.

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The Godfather: Part III (1990)

Genre: Crime/Drama/Action

Starring: Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Andy Garcia, Eli Wallach, Sofia Coppola, Donal Donnelly

Michael Corleone (Pacino) took over the family business after the death of his father and brother. He has since tried hard to legitimise the business and finally over years of effort has been able to do so. Vincent (Garcia) Sonny's illegitimate son, is introduced to Michael and Michael is impressed with the love and affection Vincent has for him. Vincent starts accompanying Michael on his business trips and becomes his close aide and confidante. In a bid to earn money for the family through legitimate ways, Michael strikes a deal with the corrupt Archibishap Gilday (Donnelly) who controls the Vatican Bank. The Vatican Bank is facing a $700,000,000 debt out of which Michael agrees to pay off $600,000,000 in return for the Vatican's 25% stake in the European real-estate holding company, Immobiliare. A lot of other minor plots adorn the main story including a budding relationship between Mary (Shire), Michael's daughter and Vincent, who ironically are first cousins. The movie gets automatically compared to the earlier movies and sadly, the third installment doesn't have any interesting developments or plot twists to highlight. It's a story which most Godfather fans had predicted would happen. Performances are right up to the mark, exactly where it should be and Al Pacino executes the role of a loving father and an aging man with absolute beauty. It does not have the mafia and crime aspect that the previous movies had but it tries to bring out the possibility of corruption and politics even with the holy Vatican. A fine watch, but not the Godfather that we were used to seeing.

Thumbs up: Al Pacino

Thumbs down: Not a great plot, feels dragged.

Rating: 7.8/10

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Blu-Review: UN PROPHETE

Written by Thomas Bidegain and Jacques Audiard

Directed by Jacques Audiard

Starring Tahar Rahim and Niels Arestrup

A prophet is either one chosen by God to spread his word or an individual capable of telling the future.  In UN PROPHETE, Malik El Djebena (relative newcomer, Tahar Rahim) has found himself in prison at the age of nineteen so it doesn’t appear that God has anything intended for him.  One day though, he is mistaken for a prophet when he predicts an accident with a deer after having seen the event take place in a dream.  Malik is not a prophet though because he doesn’t predict the future.  Malik makes the future.

At nineteen, he has no friends in prison or out.  Seeing this, a group of imprisoned Corsican mafia men, led by Cesar Luciani (the ferocious Niels Arestrup) approach Malik with an offer he cannot refuse.  It has only been hours since he has been in prison and the men who are clearly in charge are offering him protection.  All he has to do is kill another Arab inmate who is being housed in the prison until he testifies in court.  Malik has never killed anyone before but if he says no, then he will be killed.  The situation is inescapable and it shapes Malik into the man he is destined to become during his six-year sentence.  Director Jacques Audiard then follows Malik’s growth, balancing back and forth between the numerous different prison gangs with ease, while Malik learns the trades, meets the right people and plots to overthrow the kings that made him.

UN PROPHETE may have lost the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film this past year but anyone who watches it will know and feel that they are watching a contemporary crime classic while every unexpected turn unfolds before them.  It’s a good thing its so good too because the Blu-ray options, safe for a director/star French audio commentary complete with English subtitles, are scant and forgettable.  The film is anything but.

FILM RATING

BLU-RAY RATING

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License to Wed (2007)

Genre: Romance/Comedy/Drama

Starring: Robin Williams, John Krasinski, Mandy Moore, Josh Flitter

I came across this text message on my phone the other day: Define marriage - A bachelors blunder in his enthusiasm to taste the thunder. This movie seems to be tailor made on this joke. Ben (Krasinski) was having a good time with Sadie (Moore) and then decided to take the fateful step, to tie the knot. The moment he proposed to her, he realised he made the biggest mistake of his life. Sadie wanted to get married at the church where her entire family has been getting married and that too by the family priest, Reverend Frank (Williams). Rev. Frank has his own way of doing things and each couple must pass his test if they are to get married. That way, he thinks he can bring down the obscenely high divorce rate. Ben is left with no choice but to take the test, which instead of helping his relation with Sadie, only ends up souring it. There isn't much really to talk about in this movie; the normal couple getting married and then getting second thoughts later on. Performances are nothing to talk about and the humour is negligible. Robbin Williams tries hard, very hard to make you laugh but the lack of support from any other character makes his performance a complete waste. Good to watch with your newly wed partner (at your own risk of course), avoidable otherwise.

Thumbs up: Robbin Williams

Thumbs down: Bad humour, cliched plot

Rating: 5.9/10

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Miss March (2009)

Genre: Drama/Comedy/Adventure/Romance

Starring: Zach Cregger, Trevor Moore, Raquel Alessi, Molly Stanton, Craig Robinson

Two childhood friends, Eugene (Cregger) and Tucker (Moore) took on different paths in life although they grew up together. Tucker became a Playboy-loving sex-addict and Eugene, the exact opposite. He and his girlfriend Cindi (Alessi) abstained from sex and educated young children about the hazardous consequences of having sex. Cindi had enough of Eugene preaching a no-sex belief and gave the final ultimatum that if he doesn't do it on prom night, they are done forever. A few drinks too much, Eugene is already to lose it when he falls down the staircase and falls into a coma. Four years later when Tucker whacks him with a baseball bat on the head which finally does wake him up, he sees that his entire family has left him, including Cindi and Tucker is the only guy who was still around. So much so, Cindi went ahead to become a Playboy Playmate and went to get featured as Miss March. Euguene, confused as to why his girlfriend is doing this, goes on a road trip with Tucker across the entire country to attend the Playboy party and finally confront his girlfriend. A lot of movies try to be American Pie but most of them fail horribly. The movie is not an outright bore, but its not very entertaining either. Lack of any kind of serious humour, good twist and decent, just makes this another random sex-comedy that you would forget immediately after watching it. Watch, forget and go to bed.

Thumbs up: Nothing 'thumbs up' in this one, pretty plain and average.

Thumbs down: Bad humour, plot can be improvised.

Rating: 5.6/10

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Black Sheep @ The Box Office

There isn't much of excitement to report on at this week's box officer.  Friday essentially decided whether or not SALT and Angelina Jolie would have the muscle to take down Christopher Nolan's powerhouse, INCEPTION.  It did not.  Still, the start is a good $9 million more than THE BOURNE IDENTITY did in its first weekend.  Their averages were about the same as well and, seeing as SALT so clearly wants to be the female Bourne, the start is a good one.  Overseas dollars will make the decision but if they follow suit, a sequel will be made.  INCEPTION meanwhile had the second smallest second week dip all year.  (The record belongs to THE TOOTH FAIRY oddly enough).  At nearly $145 million in just two weeks, INCEPTION is poised to surpass BATMAN BEGINS as Nolan's second biggest hit behind THE DARK KNIGHT.  And finally, it could still change after final numbers are in Monday, but estimates have THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT bringing in almost $2.7 million on just 200 screens, placing it at number eleven.  Hopefully, the kids will be more than all right and find themselves in the Top 10 next week.  Oh, and RAMONA AND BEEZUS bombed in 8th place .. in case anyone cares.

NEXT WEEK: Pretty boy Zac Efron hopes to expand his acting chops and audience with CHARLIE ST. CLOUD on 2500 screens.  Also appearing on 2500 screens is the American remake of the French film, DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS with Steve Carrell.  And debuting on a whopping 3700 screens is the long awaited sequel, CATS AND DOGS 2: THE REVENGE OF KITTY GALORE.  How does this happen?

Source: Box Office Mojo

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Black Sheep presents The Director Series

CHRISTOPHER NOLAN

By now you’ve likely already seen it.  I’m sure you, like myself, rushed to catch Christopher Nolan’s much hyped summer thriller, INCEPTION when it was released.  And so by now I’m sure you’ve formed an opinion on the subject as it seems to be taking shape as rather polarized film.  Given that Nolan’s popularity only seems to be getting more and more impressive with each film he releases, I thought it best to take a look back at some of the work that has gotten him to this point.  Now, everyone already knows that Nolan is the man behind the successful revamp of the Batman franchise, BATMAN BEGINS, and that Nolan went on to make what some consider the greatest comic book movie ever made, THE DARK KNIGHT.  Considering the familiarity with these works, Black Sheep will be taking a look back at Nolan’s non-caped crusader films, beginning with the one that got everybody both talking and scratching their heads long before INCEPTION was even conceived.

MEMENTO 

(2000)

After his first feature, FOLLOWING, garnered some solid festival response, Nolan’s next script was optioned for production for an eventual platform release.  Based on the short story, “Memento Mori” by Nolan’s brother, Jonathan, a frequent collaborator, MEMENTO would debut to impressive critical praise and would go on to become a cult classic.  Guy Pearce stars as Leonard Shelby, a man obsessed with revenge – if only he could remember what for.  I’m exaggerating but essentially, Leonard is not able to form any new memories so he forgets what has happened shortly after it happens to him.  He has suffered from this rare affliction since he was struck from behind when he walked in on the rape and  murder of his wife.  Through the use of a strict system using Polaroids of people and crude tattoos of the facts, Leonard spends all his time tracking down the man that took his wife and life away.

“Just because there are things I don’t remember doesn’t mean my actions are meaningless.  
The world doesn’t just disappear when you close your eyes.”

There is nothing particularly new about memory loss stories or stories about widowers bent on revenge so how is it that MEMENTO is best known for its originality? The answer can be found in the screenplay and the editing, fittingly the two aspects of this film that were honoured with Academy Award nominations.  Nolan tells us the story backwards, more or less, that is.  When Leonard kills someone just after we’ve met him, we have no idea why or whether he was justified.  Scene by scene, the events that led Leonard to this moment are revealed to us but at no point does the viewer feel comfortable enough to trust anyone Leonard comes into contact with, from his fast-talking, weasel of a friend, Teddy (Joe Pantoliano) to the gorgeous but damaged bartender who is helping him, Natalie (Carrie-Anne Moss).  When your protagonist cannot remember anything, how can we trust anything he claims to know for a fact?  The approach results in Leonard trying to solve the mystery that is his own life while we are dragged down into the same madness that ensues from his attempts.

INSOMNIA 

(2002)

Naturally, Nolan had his pick of what his next project would be.  He decided to go the Hollywood route with the remake of the 1997 Norwegian film of the same name, INSOMNIA.  The cast was led by Al Pacino, Robin Williams and Hilary Swank.  Albeit not officially credited – that honour belongs to Hilary Seitz – Nolan is said to have penned the final draft of this murder mystery.  Without the credit though, INSOMNIA remains the only film Nolan has been involved with where he does not have any writing credit.  The detachment does the director good as he takes what is essentially a very straightforward crime thriller and gives it class and savvy.  Pacino, a decorated police hero, has been summoned up to Alaska to consult on a case that has the local police baffled.  Pacino puts them all to shame when he gets there but it isn’t long before the round the clock sunshine starts to mess with his sleep and subsequently his head.

“A good cop can’t sleep because he’s missing a piece of the puzzle.

A bad cop can't sleep because his conscience won’t let him.”

It isn’t actually the light that is keeping Pacino up, even though it makes for a convenient excuse.  No, Pacino has a messy internal affairs investigation waiting for him at home and, unbeknownst to his fellow officers, he was involved in the shooting of another officer tied to the investigation.  Now, I happen to be someone who has on occasion battled with insomnia and I can say that Nolan gets the effect just right.  Pens tapping on a desk or fans rotating back and forth are ordinarily background noise but when you haven’t slept, they become isolated and exaggerated.  You become disconnected from what is happening all around you, missing moments and having visions.  Most importantly, when you haven’t slept, whatever it is that is keeping you awake has a tendency of creeping to the surface and driving you somewhat mad.  Unfortunately, this generally leads to more sleeplessness.  Albeit not as trippy as Nolan’s other works, INSOMNIA showed that Nolan could take somewhat generic material and make it compelling and memorable.

THE PRESTIGE 

(2006)

In 2006, Nolan was paired with two gentlemen that he would go on to work with regularly.  THE PRESTIGE, a period piece about two magician’s struggles to impress the masses while out doing each other, pits Hugh Jackman against Christian Bale and places Michael Caine and Scarlett Johansson in between them.  I’m not sure if Nolan just didn’t get on with Jackman and Johansson (who oddly enough would go on to star in another movie involving what was supposed to be magic, Woody Allen’s SCOOP) but of course Bale would go on to be Batman with Caine as his Alfred.  It is another Nolan regular that would go on to earn his first of three cinematography Oscar nominations for THE PRESTIGE, Wally Pfister.  Pfister has lensed all of Nolan’s pictures (safe for FOLLOWING) and was also nominated for both of Nolan’s Batman features.  Something tells me we might be hearing his name tossed around again this year for INCEPTION too.

“Are you watching closely?”

When I first saw THE PRESTIGE, I enjoyed the tricks and twists but watching it again now, it seems an awful lot more like illusion instead of true magic.  As Caine explains early on in the film, there are three parts to every magic trick.  First, set up the trick; build the intrigue.  The next bit is called “The Turn”, in which case you pretty much turn your back to the audience and make something ordinary look extraordinary.  None of this matters without what the third part – The Prestige.  If you make something disappear, it only matters if you bring it back.  Nolan seems to be trying the entire way through to fit the film into these three sections but by the time his personal prestige is revealed, the steps he’s taken to get there have rendered it somewhat unimpressive.  It might have something to do with the completely unnecessary love triangle between Jackman, Johansson and Bale.  Then again, it might just be that Nolan isn’t as good a magician as he thought he was.

If you’ve read my review for INCEPTION, then you know I had mixed feelings about it.  Great or not though, there is no denying that Nolan is now a name and he has entered the ranks of contemporary auteur directors.  You don’t get on that list for being known though.  You get there for having a voice.  It may not have its full range yet but his voice is definitely distinct.

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Inception (2010)

Genre: Science-fiction/Action/Thriller/Mystery

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Marion Cotillard, Tom Hardy, Ken Watanabe, Dileep Rao, Cillian Murphy

Mind, one of the most complex objects ever known. So complex, that we ourselves don't know the full potential of this amazing creation. Subconsciously, many of us hide our deep, dark and secret memories away in one tiny corner of the brain, not expecting anyone to find it. Cobb (DiCaprio) is an extractor, who goes inside ones memory and digs out and steals that very information that you try to hide. His entire procedure involves the extensive use of dreams. Dreams are randomly created by the brain, a function that he takes over and artificially creates a well-structured dream. Through this dream, he carefully plans a crafty plot by which he gets access to any information he needs. Saito (Watanabe) a Japanese business tycoon wants to do the exact opposite of extraction, inception. If information can be stolen from a dream, he believes it is possible to also plant information via a dream. Robert Fischer (Murphy) is the heir apparent of Saito's rival company and Saito wants him to break off his fathers massive business empire so that he may then control the industry. If Cobb could plant an emotion in Fischer's mind which would make him want to do away with the empire, Cobb would be handsomely rewarded. Cobb has had a very shaky past with his wife, Mal (Cotillard) who died in an accident. Cobb was never able to forget Mal and she somehow keeps getting in-between his dreams and missions and almost ruins them. Inception is not child's play and Cobb understands that he is putting his and five others' lives in danger while trying to perform this. The movie definitely gains appraisal for putting together such a fantastic plot and not executing it in a cliched manner. The mix of fantasy and reality with the regular back and forth keeps the story alive and going. It does, however, get a little tedious and dragged towards the end when you feel you have had enough of dreaming and want a bit of sane reality. The movie is as heavy as a thousand elephants and don't be surprised if you have a wonderful headache with too much information brimming your brain. The movie would not appeal to everyone due to its intense nature but a sure-shot watch for the fanatic. Leonardo as always, ensures quality performance that remains consistent to his style throughout. Worth every little penny that you have in your pocket.

Thumbs up: Fabulous plot, plot execution and performances

Thumbs down: Gets a bit too heavy to tolerate towards the end.

Rating: 8.8/10

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SALT

Written by Kurt Wimmer

Directed by Philip Noyce

Starring Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber and Chiwetel Ejiofor

Evelyn Salt: I'm not who you think I am.

The tagline for SALT poses the question, “Who is Salt?” and after sitting through the incredibly fast-paced spy thriller, I can honestly say that I have no idea who this Salt chick is really.  I can say that the movie that is named for her is riddled with plot holes but when the heroine is as hot and adept at avoiding those holes as Angelina Jolie is, I don’t think it really matters.

When I see a Jolie action film, I’m not looking for anything particularly challenging in terms of depth.  This bodes well for SALT as what little depth director Philip Noyce tries to infuse into the film is shaky at best.  Jolie is Evelyn Salt, a CIA operative who has done incredible things for her country in her time with the agency.  As to what country’s interests she actually serves, well, her loyalties are a little gray there.  When a Russian defector walks into the CIA building and announces that a Russian operative named Evelyn Salt is going to kill the Russian president, her credibility is shot despite her achievements.  She couldn’t possibly be a Russian spy, right?  Wrong.  She could actually be part of a decades-old Russian project that trained spies as children and then implanted them into the United States to lie dormant until the time came years later for them to do what they were always programmed to do.  Like I said earlier, as long as Jolie is running around, being her bad-ass, awesome self and narrowly avoiding defeat while she jumps from one moving vehicle to the next, I can accept a plot as insipid as this one.

Jolie makes SALT.  She doesn’t make it into any sort of masterpiece but her commitment to the character, from the numerous stunts she is reported to carry out herself to her intoxicating Russian accent, elevates what would have certainly been a tired rehash of the Bourne films into a similar franchise for the ladies.

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Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)

Genre: Action/Science-fiction/Fantasy/Adventure

Starring: Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis, Julian McMohan, Laurence Fishburne (voice)

The four scientist who faced permanent genetic alteration due to exposure to cosmic rays, have become worldwide celebs. Richard Reeds aka Mr. Fantastic (Gruffudd) is all set to marry Susan Storm aka Invisible Woman (Alba) in what is termed as the wedding of the century. But all is not well when Johnny aka The Human Torch (Evans) and Ben aka The Thing (Chiklis) are upset about Richard's plans to break up the team so that Susan and he could lead a normal life. Disaster strikes when a mysterious Silver Surfer (Fishburne) from outer space creates large cavities inside the Earth's crust. They later learn that a cosmic super power lives on the energy of other other planets and must constantly devour them if it has to survive. Victor (McMohan) has been freed by the government in order to aide the Fantastic Four in saving planet Earth. Victor, however, has other plans. The movie is a definite improvement from part 1, but still has a long way to go before it can be fully appreciated. It's just another regular super-hero movie trying to save the world with the cliched sprinkling of technology and power-hungry villain. Nonetheless, its an entertaining and smooth watch and an easy way to pass some time. Comfortable but nothing extraordinary.

Thumbs up: Good special effects, entertaining

Thumbs down: Cliched outline

Rating: 6.8/10

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Cheaper by the Dozen (2003)

Genre: Drama/Comedy

Starring: Steve Martin, Bonni Hunt, Piper Perabo, Tom Welling, Hillary Duff, Ashton Kutcher, Kevin G. Schmidt, Alyson Stoner, Jacob Smith, Liliana Mumy, Morgan York, Forrest Landis, Blake Woodruff, Brent Kinsman, Shane Kinsman

What is the significance of the number 12? The number of children Tom (Martin) and Kate (Hunt) Baker have. That is an atrociously huge number even for a modern American family, but apart from being a pain like what most of us envision it to be, Tom and Kate love it and are doing just fine. The family lives in the small town of Midland where Tom is a football coach and Kate is a budding author. Tom gets the big break in his life when he gets an offer to coach his dream football team. The only compromise is that the family would have to move to Chicago. The children are not happy moving but are left with no choice. Their eldest daughter, (Perabo) is staying in Chicago with her boyfriend Hank (Kutcher) who is a budding actor. Tom's life starts getting busy and he cant spend time with the family the way he used to. Kate got an offer to get her book published and went on a national book tour. With no mom and dad too busy working, the house becomes one huge mess. The bottom line that the movie gets at is that rather than career and money, happiness and family should be ones goal and priority in life. The movie does well with some good performances and a decent garnishing of humour everywhere. The movie is not an outright comedy, but its a smooth, simple and enjoyable watch with the family. The typical family entertainer and does exactly what it is supposed to do.

Thumbs up: Great family entertainer

Thumbs down: Average plot, could have more humour

Rating: 7.3/10

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Taken (2008)

Genre: Crime/Thriller/Action/Drama

Starring: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Olivier Rabourdin

A former US spy is living the life of a retiree. Bryan Mills (Neeson) got divorced because his wife felt he gave too much time to work and none to family. He is still attached to his daughter Kim (Grace) who wishes to go to Paris with her friend on a vacation, much to his dislike. He does give her a sanction but with a lot of restrictions and with deep suspicion. His worst fear comes true when Kim and her friend get kidnapped from their apartment by a notorious gang of Albanians. Bryan digs up his old contacts and learns that the Albanians are known for kidnapping and trafficking women internationally who later end up as prostitutes. Bryan also learns that he has 96 hours before he loses Kim forever. Liam Neeson puts on a fabulous show and the movie is a must for adrenaline and action-junkies. The only sad part is that the movie doesn't have any big twist towards the end and the outcome of the movie is quite predictable from the start. A great entertainer and dont expect any fireworks.

Thumbs up: Liam Neeson, fabulous action

Thumbs down: Plot outline is quite plain

Rating: 7.5/10

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Black Sheep @ The Box Office

Box office experts were estimating a total weekend haul of somewhere between $50 and $60 million for Christopher Nolan's INCEPTION before the weekend started.  It came in at the high end of that estimate but I'm frankly surprised it didn't pull in more considering how everyone how everyone has seemingly been looking forward to this film all summer.  Good word of mouth, and it does have that, should ensure scant declines in the weeks to follow.  It may not have broken any records but Nolan will certainly see INCEPTION go on to become his biggest non-caped crusader earner.  And there is certainly credit due for proving that intelligent blockbusters can find a place in a season where we're all supposed to leave our brains at home.  Be sure to read the Black Sheep INCEPTION review now that you've certainly all seen it.

I know what none of you did see this weekend, THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE.  Thank goodness for Pixar's TOY STORY 3 picking up the weight this summer because, after coming up short last month with PRINCE OF PERSIA, Disney has done it again.  This Jerry Bruckheimer (read: supposedly easy summer sell) production is one of the lowest bows of his career.  It was pretty clear THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE was in trouble when Disney announced on the day of release that tickets would be 2 for 1 through opening weekend.  Anything to get them into the seats, I guess.  Imagine how low the figures would be if they didn't.

A few hot indie titles continued to claw at the Top 10, just barely missing out on the glory.  This week's big success in the touching, THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT.  The Lisa Cholodenko modern family crowd pleaser added 31 screens and saw its gross increase by 108%, pulling in a stellar $27K per screen average in its second week.  The hilarious indie comedy, CYRUS, is losing a little traction as it expands wider but still pulled in close to $1.1 million, dropping off just 16%.  And THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE slipped by 27% in its second week, after adding 38 screens.  I guess no matter how popular the books are in North America, it is still a stretch to get an audience to a Swedish film.

NEXT WEEK: What is apparently supposed to be the best family film of all time, or so the trailers playing on TV tell me incessantly, RAMONA AND BEEZUS hits 2700 screens.  Am I supposed to know who these people are?  No matter really because I don't have a family to bring to the movies.  I will be taking my weekend with a little SALT instead.  The Angelina Jolie action flick will debut on over 3400 screens.

Source: Box Office Mojo

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INCEPTION

Written and Directed by Christopher Nolan

Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Marion Cotillard and Michael Caine

Eames: If we’re going to perform inception, then we’re going to need imagination.

I knew there was a good reason I fought so hard every night to hold on to my conscious mind and not let my unconscious mind take over.  I’ve got to make sure no pesky extractors get in there to steal my highly sought after secret thoughts.  More importantly, I’ve got to make sure that nobody gets in there and plants an idea that I would go on to believe is entirely my own upon waking up.  This latter assault is called INCEPTION and the extremely dangerous process involved in making it happen is the premise for Christopher Nolan’s film of the same name.  Nolan’s skill as a director gives him the tools to delve deep into the viewer’s mind but after waking up from the dreamlike state INCEPTION creates so delicately, it doesn’t feel like he left anything in there to hold on to.

In order for Nolan to sell INCEPTION, he has a lot of ideas to implant in the audience from the very beginning.  Leonardo Dicaprio and Joseph Gordon-Levitt play professional dreamers, men who, when connected to a fancy box that puts you right to sleep at the push of a button (where can I get this box?!), enter other people’s subconscious minds.  It’s way more complicated than that and INCEPTION does its best to ensure the audience understands its complex ideas.  To begin with, Nolan starts the action with Dicaprio and Gordon-Levitt in the middle of a mission.  This way we get to see first hand what their alternate reality is and it conveniently allows for explanation between characters indirectly aimed to help the audience situate itself.  Comparisons to THE MATRIX are not shocking to me.  Like that film, INCEPTION is a visual marvel that requires a lot of contextualization to get lost in.  And again, like that film, explanatory scenes that stop the action cold are necessary to keep everyone following.  THE MATRIX does one thing differently though – it makes it all about us at the same time so once we do get lost, we have just as much to lose.

Once everyone is on the same page, which takes almost half the film to accomplish, the real mission begins.  Inception, the concept of that is, is thought to be purely theoretical but Dicaprio is determined to make it a reality.  Dicaprio’s team, also including Ellen Page, Ken Wantanabe and the deliciously smarmy Tom Hardy, has been contracted to go deep into the mind of Robert Fischer Jr. (Cillian Murphy), the heir to an internationally successful corporation.  Once they get deep enough, they must implant an idea that will trigger Fischer to want to dissolve the company when he wakes up.  As the leader of the team, and the dreamer who has been doing this the longest, Dicaprio’s personal issues, primarily the ones involving his secretive past with his wife, Mal (Marion Cotillard), keep creeping into the collectively shared dreams.  Here, dreams and memories get easily confused and threaten to bring everything toppling down.  The corporate espionage angle though keeps the audience at a safe distance when we should all be able to draw upon the shared experience of getting lost in dreams.

Visually, there is no question that INCEPTION will have you dreaming of the fantastical sets and effects long after you’ve seen it.  As Nolan takes us deeper into dreams within dreams, he has total control over all the layers he has designed so deliberately one on top of the other.  He wows us with everything going on around us and grips us by making the success of the mission dependent upon a multitude of factors that must align perfectly within a very small window of time.  Considering how much work is involved in getting this deep and keeping all these layers balanced though, it seems odd that Nolan doesn’t appear to have any grander a purpose to achieving this feat other than proving he could.  In order for inception to work, to ensure the idea really sticks, the subject has to believe that the idea came from himself, like true inspiration.  Nolan burrows into the extreme depths of his subjects but leaves little to nothing insightful behind in the viewer to inspire us when we all wake up.

It's still a good time, mind you ...

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Glengarry Glenn Ross (1992)

Genre: Crime/Mystery/Drama

Starring: Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin, Kevin Spacey, Jonathan Pryce

Four real-estate salesman working  for Mitch and Murray are constantly complaining about the bad leads that they get from the head office. Their boss, John Williamson (Spacey) expects them to perform even if the leads are weak, something which the salesman cannot seem to do. An arrogant officer from the head office comes down and shows them the premium leads aka the Glengarry Leads. If they are able to close the normal leads, its only then that they get the Glengarry leads. Veteran real-estate salesman Shelley Levene (Lemmon) tries to bribe John into giving him the leads and in return offers to share his commission. Meanwhile, Ricky Roma (Pacino) is closing a deal with a potential customer James Lingk (Pryce) at a bar and sees himself winning the Cadillac that the company is offering to the best salesman. Dave Ross (Harris) is trying to convince George (Arkin) that they should break into office and steal the leads and sell them to a rival company, although they both are not very serious about doing it. The theft did take place, but the question is, who did it and why? The movie doesn't really have the entire crime and mystery link. Most of the dialogues are small talk that don't add up to the movie story but add a lot of character. The movie focuses on the hardships that salesman face and how tough it gets for them to make ends meet. Performances are fabulous but a more over-whelming climax would have been preferable.

Thumbs up: Performances

Thumbs down: Could have a better climax

Rating: 7.5/10

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Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace (1999)

Genre: Action/Adventure/Science-fiction/Fantasy

Starring: Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd, Kenny Baker, Ahmed Best (voice)

After 16 years, the ever famous Star Wars series of movies is back. The story goes back in time and shows young Obi-Wan Kenobi (McGregor) and the very young Anakin Skywalker (Lloyd) undergoing their Jedi training. There is an intergalactic trade dispute and the Trade Federation has established a trade blockade on the peaceful planet of Naboo. Two Jedi's, Qui-Gon Jinn (Neeson) and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi are sent to resolve the dispute with the Trade Federation. Unkown to them, the evil Sith Lord Darth Sidious is controlling the Federation and launches an attack on Naboo. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan escape to Naboo and come across an outcast local Gungun named Jar Jar Binks (Best) who helps them get to Queen Amidala of Naboo. On learning about the Federations plans to attack Naboo, the Queen decides to make a trip to the Galactic Republic capital and seek help from the Senate. En-route they are attacked by Federation drones that damage their star ship and are forced to land on a remote and uncivilised planet of Tatooine. Qui-Gon comes across a talented young human slave boy, Anakin Skywalker and senses a strong presence of the Force within him. Qui-Gon believes that Anakin is 'The Chosen One' who would one day bring about balance in the universe and must be trained to become a Jedi. The movie has a lot of classic touches from the previous movie. Sadly, instead of working in its favour, it has given the movie a bad name since the audience who loved the original Star Wars is not the same 16 years later. The action has vastly improved but the basic plot outline is poor. The movie has some highly engaging moments and plays the role of a good entertainer, but fails to live up to the name of its predecessor. Not for the Star Wars fanatic but a decent entertainer nonetheless.

Thumbs up: Great entertainer, good actions bits
Thumbs down: Plot lacks twists

Rating: 7.4/10

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