Whatever Works

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Plot: Boris Yellnickoff (Larry David) is a retired professor living in New York City, who is exceptionally bitter, suicidal, and caught in existential angst. He meets and takes in run-away, homeless, high school girl, Melodie Celestine (Evan Rachel Wood), whom he belittles and insults. Gradually, Melodie gives Boris a purpose to live, and Boris gives Melodie a bigger vocabulary and a cosmopolitan, atheist world-view. Boris and Melodie marry and then Melodie's Mom (Patricia Clarkson) enters the movie, meets Boris, [MINOR SPOILER] changes her life-style, and decides to stay in New York.

Review: Whatever Works is philosophical statement where the characters are archetypes playing out a morality play. The writer/director, Woody Allen, uses this to give an apologetic for his life and lifestyle that included marrying his step daughter, Soon-Yi Priven. Allen is saying "Whatever Works" for me is good enough, in this bitter, meaningless world we live in.

There are very few movies of this kind, and it is hard to compare to other movies. It is like Bruno in that way. This type of material might be better treated in experimental theater. This film from a young director might be widely hailed, but the auto-biographical aspect is unmistakable.

The acting in the movie is excellent. As in other recent Allan movies, this cast gives a fine performance, and there is wonderful chemistry between the characters.

The movie is "over-written" which means the writing is so clever and interesting that I was continually reminded the real people don't talk this way. The dialog (and monologs) in this movie is (are) the best and most enjoyable part -- really good word selection. Little happens in this movie visually, it is entirely people talking.

Should you see this movie? Like Bruno, you would need a thick skin. Allen thinks the American people are "inch-worms" and "morons." However, some may find the movie's frank discussion of the post-modern issues cathartic. Hedonists and narcissists and Ayn Ryan enthusiasts may find "Whatever Works" heart-warming.


Cast: Larry David, Evan Rachel Wood, Patricia Clarkson
Written and directed by Woody Alan

Rating: 2.5 flasks; I liked seeing it because it was so different. Since it is so different, it is hard to rate. It gets 1/2 flask bonus for taking on hard issues.

More:This was the oldest audience that I have ever seen a movie with. Woody's fans are aging.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

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Plot: Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) and Harry continue to track down Voldemort, and they enlist the help of Horace Slughorn (Jim Broadbent), who has a clouded past. Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) hatches a plan to kill Dumbledore, while Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny flirt. This movie pushes the relationships forward and foreshawdows the climatic attack of the "Death Eaters" at the end of the movie.

Review: Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and Hermione (Emma Watson) have developed into solid young actors that are able to carry subtle emotions that make the flirty product lines possible. Director Yates stresses these story lines and slights the action and backstory plotlines -- which gives this film more of a romantic comedy flavor.

The viewer needs to be familar with the story-line as the story is not free-standing, but you don't need to be a dedicated fan to follow the story. They do a good job of setting up how Draco is going about his plot.

This movie was fun and worthwhile, but it did not have the sense of wonder of the first two movies. The art direction has gone on vacation. The biggest talent was writing a screenplay that caught the whole plot while fitting it into 300 minutes.

This movie resists genre classification. A little rom-com, a little dramatic mystery, and a bit of gothic horror. The darkness makes these movies more adult and dramatic, and the emotions are more thoughtful -- the wonder and the funness of the first movies is gone.


Cast and crew: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rubert Grint; directed by David Yates; based on the book by JK Rowling.


Rating: 3.0 flasks



More:
I'm a fan, and I liked it. It is not my favorite Harry Potter movie, but it was solid and enjoyable. I would not have missed it.

Even More [MAJOR SPOILER]: Seriously you should not read this yet, if you have not seen the movie. The movie goes out of its way to preserve the question of whether Dumbledore's death is an assisted suicide or a murder. That is, is Snape good, or is Snape bad? In the movie, Dumbledore seems to know he is about to be attacked, and even asks for Snape to be brought to him. He also says "Please Severius," which could mean please kill me or please don't. Earlier in the movie Dumbledore and Snape are discussing some sort of agreement that Snape wants to back out of. This could be an agreement to work as a spy, or it could be an assisted suicide. On the murder side, Snape makes a vow to kill Dumbledore at the beginning of the movie, and seems to be acting it out. Snape is shown without any emotion regarding the murder.

Secondly, Dumbledore's death is for no purpose -- unlike a Christ-figure or Obi-Wan Kenobi -- the death does not save someone else or advance a larger purpose. Even in the final book, there is little reason for Dumbledore to die.

Brüno

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This movie is really offensive. In fact I can't even talk about this movie without being more explicit than usual. If you have trouble with that, then this movie is certainly not for you.
Plot: There is barely a plot in Bruno, but briefly a gay Austrian talk show host comes to America to become famous. When he is in the US, he takes up schemes to gain fame. He tries [SPOILERS] a talk show, adopting an African child, solving the Middle-East crisis, and becoming straight. There are endless gay sex jokes and simulated sex. There is, unforgettably, a dancing & talking penis; as well as pantomimed sex with an invisible ghost.
Review: This movie is impossible to review. Only people that LOVED Borat should even consider this movie, because it has double the gross-out sex humor and half the political satire. It is just as funny, and farther out on the frontier between tasteless and hilarious. Some of the funnier parts are the reactions of the bystanders to Bruno, for example in the talk show with his adopted baby. It is impossible to know which of the scenes are staged and which are real, and guessing is part of the fun.

Like Austin Power's, Bruno breaks out of its storyline to satirize American life generally like celebrity adoptions and stage Moms.

Cast and crew: Sasha Baron Cohen, Gustof Hamerstein; directed by Larry Charles.
Rating: 2.0 flasks; It is three flasks of funny, but loses 1 flask because it is extremely tasteless.

My wife, who loved Borat, thought the Swinger's party was too much, and did not like the movie.
More: Unreviewable. It is outrageous, but it is also a parity of outrageous movies. It is quite piece of work, but it hard to know what to make of it.

Public Enemies

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Plot: John Dillinger (Johnny Depp) is a bank robber in the 1930's, and FBI agent Melvin Pervis's (Christian Bale) G-Men try to hunt him down. John meets girlfriend Billie Frechette (Marion Cotillard), and their lovestory becomes a weakness which Pervis exploits.

Review: Johnny Depp's John Dillinger is a dynamic and lively character whose populist appeal of stealing from the banks and not the bank's customers made him popular among the masses in Chicago. There are some knowing parallels between robbing banks in the 1930's and the financial crisis today --the same anti-plutocrat populism.

The art direction and photography is excellent and captures the mood. There is excellent non-verbal, story-telling, especially during the arrest sequence in the middle of the movie. The soundtrack is strong too.

One of the best movies of the year. Oscar quality work for Johnny Depp. I originally rated this higher, but the next morning I realized that the character development was not that strong, and that only Johnny Depp's performance was outstanding.

Cast and crew: Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cottillard, Directed by Michael Mann

Rating: 3 flasks

More: At right is a picture of the real John Dillinger, who looks much older than his 31 years. The real Dillinger did embrace the criminal lifestyle during prison time early in his life, and learned bankrobbing from older convicts he met there.

[SPOILERS] There was an FBI siege of a Wisconsin hunting lodge, and he was finally killed after being turned over by a Romanian madam who had immigation issues, ... and a red dress.

His real wife was Beryl Hovious, not Billie Frechette.

The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3

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Plot: Ryder (John Travolta) and his gang hijack a train, strand it in a subway tunnel, and demand a ransom from dispatcher Walter Garber (Denzel Washington.) The police swoop in, as Garber continues his dialogue with Ryder. The clock ticks down, and hostage payoff action takes the movie to its conclusion.

Review: There is a surprising amount of action in this movie that generally plays out in a subway car. Travolta is the strongest element, and Ryder's dialogue with Garber always seems believable. Travolta plays Ryder as a larger than life character who is smart enough to be a worthy adversary. Washington underplays Garber, but he seems genuine from the opening few lines. He does not seem to recognizable to be a regular guy. The Mayor (James Gandolfini) provides some smiles too.

This is a solid thriller and an enjoyable night at the movies. For this style of film, it is well done. The special effects are limited in number but well done when they are needed. The grittiness of the subway was a suitable setting for the mood of the picture. Pretty well directed and always fast moving.

Cast and crew: Denzel Washington, John Travolta; directed by Tony Scott, based on the novel by John Godey

Rating: 2.5+ flasks

More: And he remembered to bring the milk home.

Even more: In the 1974 movie Walter Mathau played Garber, and he was the police Lieutenant. James Broderick was the bad guy. Comedian Jerry Stiller was also in the film.

The Proposal

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Plot: Powerhouse publisher Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) gets into immigration trouble and blackmails her secretary Andrew (Ryan Reynolds) into marrying her so she can stay in the country. To make the lie believable she goes to Alaska to visit his family, where comic situations follow that lead to a happy ending.

Review: This is a funny, enjoyable movie with alert directing and good facial acting. The chemistry between the Bollack's Margaret and Reynold's Andrew is fun to watch as they worm their way through the predictable consequences of there scam. There are several good scenes including the dress fitting, Ramone the exotic dancer, and the eagle stealing the cell phone.

This is just a rom-com, but it is a good rom-com, and most people would enjoy it. 

Cast and crew: Sandra Bollack, Ryan Reynolds, Mary Steenburgen, Betty White; Directed by Anne Fletcher, written by Pete Chiarelli

Rating: 3.0 flasks

More:
They showed the best jokes during the preview.

The Hangover

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Plot: The movie starts with three friends in Los  Vegas who are late for their friend's wedding, and they can't find the groom who went missing at the bachelor party. The movie is the friends chasing around trying to find the groom, and get him to the wedding. On the way, they visit a marriage chapel, a hospital, the police station and Mike Tyson's house. You wonder the whole time, "How could they have gotten is so much trouble in one night?"

Review: This movie is a guy-flick, and it is very funny -- albeit crude, profane, gross, and not politically correct. It is funny though. 

The characters are also surprisingly well developed, and some of the gags - like the Taser scene or the tiger in the bathroom are creative. Zach Galifianakis is a good actor playing some ridiculous scenes. I loved the chinese guy in the trunk. 

The funniest movie of 2009 so far.

Cast and crew: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha; directed by Todd Phillips.

Rating: 2.5 flasks



More: So why isn't this 3.0 flasks? Well, it is one big mindless joke, but it is very entertaining. It also a somewhat offensive, so it loses 1/2 for that.

Even More: How did they do Ed Helms' missing tooth? Answer: He was born without a tooth there. He had an implant put in when he was young, and had a dentist remove it for the film.