MY WEEK WITH MARILYN (R)

MOVIESAL'S GRADE: B-

MY WEEK WITH MARILYN

Cast overview, first billed only: Michelle Willians - Marilyn Monroe Eddie Redmayne - Colin

Well, it's Oscar season again, which means we'll start being inundated with biopics and celebs putting on weight or false noses in hopes of bringing home that bald little statue. The difference between most of them and Michelle Williams is that Michelle Williams deserves it.

Don't get me wrong. This movie is not The King's Speech. It's not perfect and subtle and amazing. It is very well done, and Williams is great as Marilyn, but the plot is thin and doesn't reveal much more about the inner-life of Monroe than we would get from an A&E Biography. We all know she was insecure, neurotic, perpetually drugged up, and hell on a set. We all know about her and men and daddy issues and the downside of fame. But, Williams absolutely shines. Her performance, even in the quieter moments, is pure Marilyn. 

The biggest problem with this movie is the plot, which doesn't really seem to exist. It follows Colin, who is the third assistant director on the set of Marilyn's latest movie and, of course, falls desperately in love with her. Who wouldn't? They don't have a torrid affair, but she does cling to him and he almost convinces himself they might really have a future together, despite every person on earth telling him otherwise.

The ending shouldn't shock anyone.

Colin himself is a weak character and not very interesting. We are supposed to relate to him as the "normal" guy, but I for one never gave him a second thought. He was just a conduit to get a glimpse of Marilyn.

While the script is weak, most of the supporting performances are amazing. The most interesting part of this film to me was watching two aging stars of the time, Laurence Olivier and Vivian Leigh (Branaugh and Ormond), dealing with the inconsistent Marilyn. Watching them both come to terms with the fact that their days in the spotlight were over, that they were getting older and more irrelevant with each passing moment, was fascinating, sad, and very well done. The combination of love, hate, resentment, and absolute awe with Marilyn were so subtly done that you would almost miss it if you weren't looking for it.

If you love this era of cinema, if you love Marilyn Monroe, you will enjoy this movie. If not, I fear it is too slow and too thin a script for you to take much away from it.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

Entertaining? For movie fans, yes.

Enlightening? Only if you don't know anything about Marilyn Monroe.

Summary: A slow, dreamy film with great performances, particularly from Williams.

The Muppets (PG)

THE MUPPETS (PG)

MOVIESALS'S GRADE: A-

Jason Segel - Gary
Amy Adams - Mary

Calling something "cute" can go either way. It's either a sincere compliment expressing a true affection for something, or it's a patronizing way to dismiss something with a pat on the head and a "there, there."

In this case, it's a sincere compliment. The Muppets is cute, adorable, lovable, fluffy, and endearing. Jason Segel, who penned the script and is basically the driving force behind this movie even existing, is a true, passionate fan and it shows in each and every frame. He and everyone involved in this movie were clearly having a blast making it, and that translates well on the screen.

I would talk about the plot, but it is almost irrelevant. The Muppets have to get back together after splitting up years ago for one last concert. Blah blah. Who cares? No one goes to a muppet movie for the story. You go for the characters we know and love, and this film does not disappoint. It is a family movie in he true sense of the word. The kids will love the obvious gags and the physical comedy, while the adults will get a kick out of the nostalgia and the meta-humor. Segel's fingerprints are all over the script (you can see the How I Met Your Mother style humor throughout), and every bit and gag lands perfectly. This is especially true of Jack Black's cameo role, and of Chris Cooper's insane business villain. I will say it is disappointing to see all the Disney pandering with product placement and forced Disney channel star cameos, but what can you expect? Even if this movie pans big business, you don't get much bigger than Disney.

One additional note about the music. As I was listening, I swore it sounded like Flight of the Conchords, only to discover later on that Bret Mackenzie did, indeed, work on the music. The songs are just as insanely funny, witty, and charming as you'd expect knowing FOTC had their hand in it. Go for the soundtrack alone.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

Entertaining? Yes, for literally EVERYONE in your family.

Enlightening? I'm sure there's a lesson in there somewhere, but I missed it singing along and laughing my butt off.

Summary: The Muppets are back with a bang, and let's hope not for the last time.

X-MEN FIRST CLASS (PG-13)

X-MEN FIRST CLASS (PG-13)

MOVIESAL'S GRADE: A

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
	James McAvoy		Charles Xavier
	Michael Fassbender	...	Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto

Let's start with the obvious, here. This is not The Dark Knight. Nothing can ever be The Dark Knight. But, it's a darned good movie.

The plot  spans from WWII to the Cuban Missile Crisis. It is best if you go into it knowing as little as possible, so I won't even try to recreate it here. Needless to say, it involves mutants. And lots of explosions. And a revenge vendetta. And betrayal...or is it really betrayal? At the center of the story are Erik and Charles, two young men with very different paths who meet under explosive circumstances and are almost immediately bonded for life by some force neither of them really understand. They are friends and rivals, completely opposite in their approach to life. They respect each other and their powers, but as they continue to fight for the same goals, they begin to understand that their differences will soon outweigh their bond.

What I like most about this movie is that both the "good" guy and the "bad" are right and wrong. Charles is a little naive and far too forgiving and hopeful. Erik is cynical and cruel, but hey. The dude has some good points, as does the real villain of this film. (I don't want to tell you who he is in case you've been living in a cave and don't know who he's played by). The questions asked by this film are deep and complicated, and the answers are not given easily. I like that I left with questions and not many solutions. Very few movies can do that.

There have only been a few times when I have been in a full theater that was dead silent. One of those times was the last twenty minutes of this movie. The entire audience was completely riveted by the wrap-up. I admit I was surprised by the emotional resonance. I didn't go into it expecting the story to be so human, but it really was. It was tight and exciting, filled with enough twists to justify the run-time. I wasn't bored for a moment, and I didn't know the ending in the first ten minutes. It's not flawless by any stretch of the imagination. Lots of questions are still unanswered, and we need at least one more prequel to see how this ties into the first X-Men movie, but all of that was forgiven and forgotten by the time the credits rolled.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

Entertaining: Yes, very.
Enlightening: Yes. Human nature is on trial.

Summary: Engrossing, intelligent super hero movie. Definitely not your Fantastic Four or Green Lantern.

The Art of Getting By (PG-13)

THE ART OF GETTING BY

MOVIESAL'S GRADE: D

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
	Freddie Highmore	...	George Zinavoy
	Emma Roberts	...	Sally Howe
	Sasha Spielberg	...	Zoe Rubenstein
	Marcus Carl Franklin	...	Will Sharpe

See Freddie Highmore brood.

Brood, Freddie, brood.

If you like thoughtful dramas about teenage angst, this isn't the movie for you. If you think Twilight was really deep and Deathcab for Cutie speaks to your soul, you might like it. Only you can make that call, but let me try to help you along.

Freddie Highmore is George, a directionless high school senior with a home-life that's in shambles and a killer talent for art. We know he's talented because everyone in the movie tells him so. He's also a slacker who walks through life without doing a single lick of school work. You'd think this would have some kind of immediate consequence, but it garners nothing more than empty threats and clucking from indifferent teachers.  We also know he's deep because he frowns a lot and obsesses about death. Oh, yeah. Also his bangs hang in his eyes. Can we as a society just disabuse ourselves of the notion that brooding and whining equal character depth? And can we please stop accepting scripts in the Kevin Williamson school of teenagers who talk like particularly douche-baggy philosophy majors all the time? For Heaven's sake, they even text in full sentences. When's the last time that happened?

Anyway, the plot is pointless. There's the perfect girl (Emma Roberts), or maybe she isn't perfect. Or maybe she is. Or maybe we just don't give a crap because not a single character in this movie is engaging, authentic, or interesting in anyway. Somewhere along the way, there's a threat  that George's slacker ways will get him expelled from school. I don't want to give anything away, but the plot ends with a graduation ceremony wherein we're not sure whether or not our lead will actually be able to collect his diploma.

His last name is Zinavoy.

I kid you not.

Zinavoy.

Are we really supposed to buy this?

THE BOTTOM LINE:

Entertaining? Hell no.
Enlightening? Maybe if you're six and haven't read Catcher in the Rye or seen a single 80's comedy.

SUMMARY: Boring, dull, whiny, and douchey.

FROM PRADA TO NADA (PG-13)

From Prada to Nada (PG-13)

MOVIESAL'S GRADE:  F

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
	Camilla Belle	...	Nora Dominguez
	Alexa Vega	...	Mary Dominguez
	Pablo Cruz	...	Gabriel Dominguez Jr.
	April Bowlby	...	Olivia
	Nicholas D'Agosto	...	Edward Ferris

This movie proclaims to be based on the Jane Austen classic Sense and Sensibility. Now, I have read some Jane Austen in my time (not this one, alas), and let me tell you. Jane Austen was never this boring, stupid, vapid, and shallow.

It opens with two wealthy Beverly Hills sisters, Mary and Nora, losing their father. All that I understand. Everything after that makes no sense at all. Somehow, through circumstances the movie doesn't really both to explain, they lose everything to their long-lost brother they never knew existed because his fiancée is a conniving shrew. They end up in East LA living with their aunt. They reconnect with their Mexican heritage and find love, all within ninety minutes. Gotta love Hollywood.

Sadly, I won't be able to give you a point-by-point comparison of the book and the movie, which I know is what you're dying to see. This movie will have to stand or fall on its own merits. 

Spoiler alert: It falls. On every single level it falls.

I don't even know where to begin. It's a romantic comedy that is neither romantic nor a comedy. I honestly didn't laugh once, and I can't even identify a single moment where I was supposed to laugh. There weren't any jokes or gags or character development or anything even worth writing or thinking about. There aren't even real characters. Everyone in this movie is just a broadstroke characterization of a tired cliche. They say some lines and you fill in the blanks. Oh, hey. She's a snob who likes to shop. Think she'll learn a lesson about not being a selfish hobag? Oh, hey. She's a workaholic with relationship issues. Think she'll learn a lesson about that? It's the kind of movie where you know in literally the first five minutes everything that is going to happen. You know who each sister will end up with, you just don't have a damn idea why anyone would fall in love with anyone in this movie, or why you should bother caring when they do. There's no emotional investment from anyone involved. Everything that happens, happen only because the script says it should. The actors slink through their roles like they're ashamed to be involved. And they should be. Deeply ashamed.

The last thing I will mention is the directing and the camera work. Good Lord! I'm not normally someone who notices camera work in a romcom, and you shouldn't. There's no reason directing should stand out in a movie like this. But, this camera work was absolutely appallingly bad. Horrible cuts (probably more the fault of the editor than the director, to be fair), terrible tracking shots, and awful use of changing perspectives halfway through a scene. The entire movie shouted amateur hour, except that's an insult to amateurs. And hours. And this movie is an insult to the human race.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

Entertaining? Hell no.

Enlightening? Only inasmuch as it made me glad to be single.

SUMMARY: There is absolutely nothing to like about this movie. Even on a fun, escapist level it fails. I honestly don't even think teenagers will like it.

Barney's Version (R)

BARNEY'S VERSION (R)

MOVIESAL'S GRADE: B-

Cast:

	Paul Giamatti	...	Barney Panofsky
	Mark Addy	...	Detective O'Hearne
	Scott Speedman	...	Boogie
	Rosamund Pike	...	Miriam Grant-Panofsky

Barney Panofsky has lived a full, interesting life. There's no doubt about that. But, was it a  happy one? Did he mess it all up along the way? Can it ever be fixed?

Inter-cutting between the past and present, this film tells the life story of Barney (Paul Giamatti), a man who is allegedly so bad and corrupt he even has a vengeful police officer write a book about him and a murder he believes Barney got away with. This film is Barney's version of those events. It's impossible to discuss this movie without spoilers, so be forewarned here. Spoiler follow.

Barney is an interesting character, and Paul Giamatti does an effortless job making him age appropriately. Using him for the entire age range of Barney instead of getting a younger actor for the earlier years was brave, and Paul is amazing throughout. I'm not sure if they shot this in sequence or not (it seems like it would certainly have made it easier on Paul to keep everything straight), but the use of the skewed timeline really adds an element of tragic inevitability that sets a kind of pall over the whole film. It's intriguing, and very European in the slow, methodical way it all unfurls. It will move far too slowly for some movie-goers, and at just over two hours that is completely understandable. My biggest problem with this film wasn't the length, but with the characters. Almost all of them are fall-down drunk the vast majority of the time, and no one in here is particularly likable. They are all mean, selfish hedonists with very little in the way of souls. There's no hero to root for. You just have a fully-human, tragic character to watch spiral ever downward. It's interesting in the same way Jerry Springer is interesting.

The did-he-or-didn't-he murder subplot is interesting, and I would have liked to have seen more time spent on it. I was also slight disappointed with how they finally wrapped it up. The "solution" was a bit simplistic and neat, and also I think it was an episode of Mythbusters. 

The movie has a lot of humor amidst the dower plot. Dustin Hoffman is Barney's father, and he has a great time with the role. The acting is solid all the way around, and the story and style are very well-done. The introduction of Alzheimer's seemed gratuitous and unneeded. The story would have been much more solid without it. The entire last act would have been different, and I would have liked it more personally. I also would have liked having someone I liked and cared about to watch. Of course, that's not what the movie was going for, so you have to respect them for doing what they did. 

Taking this film as what it is and not what I want it to be, it's a well-acted, sad story of someone you ultimately don't like. But for the Grace of God...

THE BOTTOM LINE:

Entertaining? At times. It was long, but I wasn't bored.

Enlightening? On a certain level. 

Summary: Paul Giamatti delivers a great, Oscar-nominated performance, but go into this movie knowing what it is. It's not feel-good or happy in the least.

The Company Men (R)

THE COMPANY MEN (R)

MOVIESAL'S RATING: C

Cast:

Ben Affleck.....Bobby Walker

Tommy Lee Jones....Gene McClary

Chris Cooper...Phil Woodward

Hey, did you know we're in a recession? Did you know people are losing their jobs, from the bottom to the top? Did you know job hunting freaking sucks?

Of course you know all that. Everyone does. No one is this country hasn't either been effected personally or knows someone effected by the recession. You know what DOESN'T make it any better, however? This movie.

Briefly, Tommy Lee Jones, Ben Affleck, and Chris Cooper all play men fired by their big, heartless corporation. Being forced back into the job market hits them all hard. It doesn't hit the audience any easier.

Don't get me wrong. This movie is well-done, well-acted, and well-written. But what a depressing movie! I knew it would be struggles and hardships, but I kept waiting for the hope. Sadly, the hope never came. It just got worse and more depressing. Even at the end, the light at the end of the tunnel didn't really satisfy me and fill me with hope in the triumph of the human spirit. It made me want to step in front of a bus.

On the bright side, I am happy to report that Ben Affleck is continuing his streak of non-crap movies that is slowly rebuilding his tarnished reputation. His performance in this is solid and even-handed. It's not a particularly difficult role, but it shows he is capable of being on screen without being laughed at for being awful. I'm a little nervous. Without Ben Affleck, who will I mock mercilessly? At least there's always Lindsay Lohan...

The screenplay errs on the side of silted dialogue and blatant sentimentality a few more times than I would like, but over all it's solid. It moves at leisurely pace, which at times feels a little too leisurely. I wasn't sad to see it end.

My major complaint would be that not enough time is spent on the Tommy Lee Jones character and his complicated personal life. There are obvious tensions at home with his wife, he's having an affair...these things are briefly explored, but never to the point we ever really understand what's motivating him or why he's not a scumbag for cheating on his wife. Everything is merely hinted at, and not very well. I'm sure the original screenplay did this storyline more justice than the final cut of the movie, but as it stands it wasn't enough for me.

I went into this movie hoping the human spirit would triumph over everything. As I left the theater, all I felt was a desire for Ben and Jerry's.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

Entertaining? Not as such.

Enlightening? Somewhat, I suppose.

Summary: I suppose this is reality as we know it today. I was just hoping for something better than that.