“Real Steel”: Erector Set “Rocky”
Hugh Jackman is a huge talent but I'm afraid his character, Charlie, in "Real Steel" is saddled with such a flawed personality that it's hard to warm up to the family drama part of what is basically an action film for Transformer Fans. Charlie is a washed up boxer...
“50/50”: Odds Are You’ll Like It
I know what your thinking, a funny cancer story? But co-writer , co-star Seth Rogen pulls it off with his usual skill at playing brash but oddly believable buddies in R-rated comedies. This time his buddy is Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a Public Radio producer...
Moneyball: it’s ‘Money’
You Don't have to know, or love, baseball to love "Moneyball", the new Brad Pitt vehicle. It's basically an underdog film based on the story of how Oakland A's General Manager Billy Beane helped change the way Major League baseball teams evaluate talent. The movie...
Dolphin Tale: Family Friendly
From Warner Brothers and the folks who brought you "Blindside", "Dolphin Tale" is sure to please a broad base of family friendly film-goers. It's the true story of Winter, a dolphin trapped by a rope resulting in injuries that require the amputation of it's tail, the...
Mozart’s Sister: Who Knew?
"Mozart's Sister" is a wonderful French film by director-writer René Féret about the Traveling Mozart family and more importantly, a great film about the condition of women during the mid 18th Century reign of Louis XV. Maria Anna "Nannerl" Mozart (a captivating Marie...
“Senna”: Must see for Documentary Fans
A great documentary should hold your attention in spite of your lack of knowledge about the subject. I have not paid much attention to the world of international Formula 1 racing but this was not an impediment to thoroughly enjoying "Senna" a portrait of World...
“Glee, the 3D Concert Film”: Amazing Talent Singing Live (Mostly)
Let me say I've been a fan of the musical performances on the hit Fox TV series "Glee", although I think the series plot lines "jumped the shark" along time ago. The TV version is all lip-synch so I was looking forward to the Concert Film to see the full range of...
“The Help”: Help Yourself To a Great Film
"The Help", the insanely popular book by author Kathryn Stockett, is now in theaters and not a minute too soon for it's legion of fans. First-time director Tate Taylor is a friend of the author and optioned the book before Hollywood came knocking, and I'm glad to say...
“Crazy, Stupid, Love”: Crazy Good!
Steve Carrell has fashioned the perfect combination of his actual personality and his "The Office" character Michael Scott, to give us Cal Weaver, his character in "Crazy, Stupid, Love", the new romantic-comedy-drama from writer Dan Fogelman ("Cars"). Cal is faced...
“Super 8”: Super Good!
J. J. Abrams has captured the year 1979 in the much anticipated “Super 8” in exactly the same way that Rob Reiner did for members of his generation in “Stand By Me”. This buddy film featuring a largely unknown cast of young teens has everything a Summer Movie would...
“Submarine”: Exploring Teen Depths
Submarine starts off with a dryly-funny note from the fictitious filmmaker and subject of this coming of age film, Oliver Tate. He points out the charms of Wales as being more than home to the likes of singer Tom Jones, and thanks the US film-goers for watching his...
“Water For Elephants”: The Circus comes to town
"Water For Elephants" is a throwback to the big studio productions of the 50's, no surprises, but a well crafted circus film with fine acting, terrific photography, and a drama well told, based a a popular novel by Sara Gruen. I did not read the book but I'm guessing...
“The Princess of Montpensier”: CGI Free and Loving It
Try not to get too confused by the politics of this Mid 16th century drama of Court Intrigue and simply enjoy the acting, costumes, and cinematography of this French film by noted director Bertrand Tavernier. The battle scenes are intense as religious wars ravage...
“Source Code”: Jake finally gets a Break
Jake Gyllenhaal can wash the taste of "Love and Other Drugs" out of his mouth with "Source Code", a finely crafted Techno-thriller from director Duncan Jones. It's a combination of "Groundhog Day" and "Momento", where Gyllenhall's character, Captain Colter Stevens,...
“Paul”:The Potty-mouthed ET
Simon Pegg and Nick Frost ("Hot Fuzz" and "Shaun of the Dead") team up again in "Paul" as a couple of Brit comic book creators on a dream trip to the Mecca of UFO adoration, the annual Comic-Con convention, followed by a fish out of water RV road trip to the American...
“Limitless”: Good, But Within Limits
How about that Bradley Cooper? He can do comic timing ("The Hangover") and he can do drama, as evidenced in "limitless", but entertaining, somewhat incredulous, film about Eddie Morra (Cooper), a victim of writer's block, who discovers the power of NZT, a mysterious...
“Rango”: Johnny Depp Has Vocal Chops
I wasn't sure how Johnny Depp would handle the vocal gymnastics of an animated gecko but he is more than up to the task in "Rango", directed by Gore Verbinski, Depp's "Pirates of the Caribbean" collaborator. In fact, hats off to all the actors lending their voices to...
“Unknown”: Several Plot Explanations
Unknown puts star Liam Neeson back into "Taken" action mode as Dr. Martin Harris, who leaves his wife ( a dreary January Jones) as they check into a Berlin Hotel for a Bio-Food conference, to return to the airport to find his missing briefcase. He is involved in a...
“Cedar Rapids”: Heart, Soul and Funnybone in the Heartland
I met my wife in Dubuque Iowa 38 years ago so I know the potential for shenanigans and personal growth in that state's River Towns. "Cedar Rapids" provides all that and more for Tim Lippe, brilliantly played by the "Office" and "Hangover" star Ed Helms . Helms knows...
City Pages:Prairie Home Companion vets set for ‘Voice Match’
By Ed Huyck, Thu., Feb. 10 2011 @ 12:10PM Prolific local playwright Jeffrey Hatcher's latest work gets a one-night-only production this weekend and features a pair of familiar voices for listeners of A Prairie Home Companion. In Voice Match, two voice-over...
Thoughts on the 2011 Oscar Nominations
I was pleasantly surprised with the 83rd Academy Award Nominations this morning. 1. Best Picture: "Black Swan," ''The Fighter," ''Inception," ''The Kids Are All Right," ''The King's Speech," ''127 Hours," ''The Social Network," ''Toy Story 3," ''True Grit," ''Winter's...
No Strings Attached
My biggest fear about what this Rom Com would do to Natalie Portman's chances for an Oscar nomination, or win, has been waylaid, she can do comedy with the same skills she displays in drama. In "No Strings Attached" she's teamed with Ashton Kutcher, (or, as Ricky...
The Dilemma
Ron Howard directs comedy again with Vince Vaughn, Kevin James, Jennifer Connelly and Winona Ryder in "The Dilemma". Ronnie (Vaughn) and Nick (James) are paired as business partners and best friends. Ronnie sees Nick's wife (Ryder) cheating with another guy ( a...
Tim Russell Hits the Stage in “Voicematch”
Sunday, February 13th at 7:00 p.m. As part of the ongoing Centennial Season at the Fitzgerald Theater, Minnesota Public Radio presents Voice Match with Sue Scott and Tim Russell on Sunday, February 13th at 7:00 p.m. Nationally known Playwright Jeffrey Hatcher has...
Top 10 Films of 2010
This is always a difficult task but it comes with the territory. There are lots of small films that deserve attention but unless you live in "selected cities" you may not get a chance to see them in theaters. In Minneapolis/St. Paul we are blessed with a number of...
Holiday Films: Firth Things Firth
THE KING'S SPEECH Here's your first choice for a great Holiday (Oscar Nominations under the tree) film. Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush are sure Oscar nominees for Best and Supporting Actor respectively, and the film will get a Best Picture nod as well. It's the story...
“Black Swan”:Yikes!
I thought Darren Aronofsky gave us a gritty picture of the athlete in pain with "The Wrestler", the comeback vehicle for Oscar winner Mickey Rourke, but he really brings on the pain, physically and psychically, with the balletic struggles of Nina Sayers (Natalie...
“The Tourist”
Florian Henckel Von Donnersmarck ( you do and you'll have to clean it up), the Oscar winning director ( the brilliant " The Lives of Others", 2007 Best Foreign Film winner) is given a pot full of Hollywood money to remake the 2005 French film "Anthony Zimmer"( the...
The Chronicles of Narnia: The voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Chronicles of Narnia (my favorite books as a child) continue with "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader", the third in the film series, the fifth chronologically, of the of C.S. Lewis Narnia books. This time Micheal Apted directs and I found it to be my favorite of the...
“Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, Part 1”
The highly anticipated final chapter of this Harry Potter series, part one, opens this weekend and director David Yates gives us a dark, character driven, adventure, with the usual special effects skill. This time the acting takes center stage, with fine performances...