Happy New Year!!

I would like to wish everyone a wonderful 2009!

Let us hope for love, health, peace and general happiness, as well as lots of cinematic delights. New York, I Love You; Terminator Salvation; Watchmen; Game... the list goes on and on. Whether you like action, drama, horror, romance, or all of the above, enjoy your viewing!

Cheers!

Weekly Review -- Question of empowerment

The Women (2008) -- One would expect that a 21st century look at a story about a woman regaining her life after her husband's affair might represent a healthy affirmation of female empowerment. However, if you are looking for good characterizations, well-explored relationships and sparkling charm peppering all of the above, you have to look elsewhere. Mary (Meg Ryan) has just discovered that her husband is having an affair with Saks sales associate Crystal (Eva Mendes). Through friendships with her girlfriends -- publishing powerhouse Sylvia (Annette Bening), writer Alex (Jada Pinkett Smith) and stay-at-home mother Edie (Debra Messing) -- Mary starts re-discovering herself and her passions, while tending to her daughter Molly's (India Ennenga) unrealistic and media-fed obsessions. The four leads do what they can with the material, but are mostly unable to elevate it to a higher ground. Benning fares the best, with her character going through a very realistic career upheaval, while pondering the sorts of questions many women still grapple with. However, the film gets sidetracked by its very mission to be a new kind of feminist narrative, created by women and for women. It tries so hard to be everything it feels the need to be, that it gets lost within and distracted by its many plotlines, only ever scratching the surface of each. Adding to that problem is the issue of the material being too flimsy to pack any real emotional punch to begin with -- it might be a pleasant viewing fantasy, but it is hazy and forgettable on the whole, not managing to redeem its request for audience's empathy. As far as the 2008 spin on the story goes, the film is too indifferent toward itself to make an impact in terms of being a potential examination of shifting societal norms; just when one thinks the screenplay is starting to delve into its themes in a deeper way, the writing goes back to jokes and surface aesthetics. In the end, The Women is a film that lacks depth and thoughtfulness, and one that the audience should watch solely as a distraction from everyday concerns.

5/10

Weekly Review -- Choose to watch or be watched

Watching the Detectives (2007) -- If you are looking for a rosy, clichéd lovefest, look elsewhere now. The thing is, I do not understand why you would be, when a film like Watching the Detectives is in existence. This Paul Soter film is a quirky, cheerful romantic comedy, with vibrant characters and playful timing. Neil (Cillian Murphy) owns a video store specializing in elusive, off-the-beaten-path gems. Content with his routine, he lives for and through cinema, something that irks his girlfriend Denise (Heather Burns), who soon becomes his ex. Quietly moving on, Neil keeps up his sedentary odyssey until the mysterious Violet (Lucy Liu) walks into the store and starts animating his life, one exciting moment after another... There is no doubt that the performances make the film. Murphy is a charming delight as Neil, who finds himself on the edge of his comfort zone and afraid to fall into uncharted territory. Unbeknownst to himself, he is quite ready to do so, and Murphy is at his most endearing when Neil is at his most confused. Liu has plenty of comedic talent, demonstrating true range. The restaurant scene shows some of the best acting I have ever seen the actor do and her Violet is a breath of fresh air in the history of female characters. Murphy and Liu have genuine, whimsical chemistry, their encounters being devilishly entertaining and unlike anything you have ever seen. Sure, there are a couple of over-the-top elements, such as the case of Violet's ex, but they fade in comparison to the points that the film makes, the fun that the screenplay is having and, most of all, how happy and inspired it will leave you afterward. For the simple reason that one could always use more joy in their life, you owe it to yourself to see Watching the Detectives.

8/10

Weekly Review -- Lights, camera... too much action!

Tropic Thunder (2008) -- There were numerous films satirizing the Hollywood fame machine in recent years, each one meaningful in its own way. We experienced the city's ruthless underbelly through the surreal beauty of David Lynch's Mulholland Dr.; we saw the obsessive side of celebrity in, well, Celebrity, Woody Allen's 1998 oeuvre; and we laughed at the phenomenon of hyped-up idolatry in Andrew Niccol's S1m0ne. One of the best pull-no-punches depictions in recent years, Ben Stiller's Tropic Thunder hits all the right notes in terms of hilarity, presenting irony under the guise of a knee-slapper comedy.

A group of actors is shooting what is being billed as the most expensive war film in history. Each of them is forced to deal with the others' temperament, work ethics or lack thereof and, most importantly, methods. The group is comprised of Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey Jr.), notorious for immersing himself in every role, who stays true to himself by undergoing a pigmentation surgery to play an African-American soldier; Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller), hired for star status and blockbuster charisma; Jeff Portnoy (Jack Black) who, after a string of moneymaker gag fests, intends to prove himself as a serious actor; hip-hop star Alpa Cino (Brandon T. Jackson), who hopes to expand his empire to cinema; and novice Kevin Sandusky (Jay Baruchel), who still plays by the rules and respects the work for work's sake. After the movie bleeds over budget, the director and producer concoct a money-saving, Oscar-guaranteeing scheme that takes the actors to a new location... into a real war zone. From then on, egos start clashing even more than before and secrets are revealed, while potential box office numbers are calculated and personal disasters covered up behind the scenes.

Stiller always does well when satirizing a media-hungry industry (note to readers: if you missed Zoolander, run out and rent it tonight). Along with Justin Theroux, i.e. Iron Man 2 scribe, and Etan Cohen, he crafts a screenplay that skewers many of today's big stars, as well as the ruthless producers and executives attempting to turn every single movie into a golden goose and every single individual into a business venture. Each one of the film's principal characters represents a well-known star; you will know what Stiller is talking about as soon as you see them. The acting is downright perfect. Downey Jr. proves that he can literally play anyone; Stiller is convincingly philosophical as an actor trying to find art to redeem the money he is swimming in; Black is hilarious as a pompous comedian with a secret; Jackson is very good as the egotistical rapper with an image problem; and Baruchel is endearing as the wide-eyed Sandusky. However, the Talent Surprise of the Year award goes to the much-lauded Tom Cruise, who deserves all the accolades he gets, mostly because he loses his too-cool-for-school megastar persona to become his character. Somebody please give this man a chance for another transformation!

The controversy surrounding one of the plot elements also needs to be addressed. Personally, I believe that the entire ruckus was needless, not to mention baseless. The movie makes fun of Hollywood's numerous stereotypical portrayals of the mentally disabled; it does not dehumanize, ridicule or otherwise disrespect these individuals. Finally, the groups that protested must have overlooked the fact that this kind of movie is even shown as a gigantic flop.

Tropic Thunder belongs to that rarest breed of intelligent summer blockbusters. It is a funny, sharp and often crude farce that has a lot to say and successfully makes its point. Imagine that. On second thought, better make Zoolander and Tropic Thunder a double bill.

8/10