Becoming Jane (2007)

Brief: A young Jane Austen (Anne Hathaway) rebuffs the romantic advances of the young men (Laurence Fox, Leo Bill) in her neck of the woods to the delight of her father (James Cromwell) and the chagrin of her mother (Julie Walters). Her bother Henry (Joe Anderson) returns to the family’s home with his friend Tom Lefroy (James McAvoy) in tow, and Jane takes an immediate interest in this new specimen.

I wasn’t expecting this movie to be very good. When asked, I’ve described it as not very good. While I’ve heard the theory that Jane’s central romances were based on one of her own, there is little evidence to support it. The only evidence, in fact, suggests that the real Miss Austen lead a dull life. So I took this movie not as biography but as a supposal: suppose Jane had had a romance with a young Irishman destined to become the Lord Chief Justice of Ireland.

The thing is, though, if you are going to take idea for which there is precious little substantiation and suppose a good deal about it, don’t you think that you would suppose something far more interesting than that which co-writers Kevin Hood and Sarah Williams and director Julian Jarrold have come up?

They spend a good deal of time attempting to establish Jane as headstrong and independent and end up making her a selfish brat instead. Am I supposed to find it cheeky when she awakens her family at 6:15 on a Sunday morning playing the piano forte? Should I sympathize with her when she turns down a perfectly acceptable proposal from a kind young man who genuinely cares for her, knowing full well that doing so could condemn her family to a life of penury? When she criticizes her widowed cousin (Helen McCroy) for daring to find comfort in the arms of a younger man, where should my loyalty fall? With the far more delightful cousin, as it turns out.

It’s not that I don’t like Hathaway. I’ve always liked her. I thought it unfortunate that she got the short end of the stick when it came to the Brokeback Mountain praise, as she did excellent work, particularly in her last scene when she non-verbally conveys the heartbreak of discovering everything she always suspected about her husband to be true. It’s not that she’s bad here, but her attempts at an English accent make her voice sound mousier than ever, and she’s frequently lit and shot in such a way that her eyes look lopsided and her nose like a potato.

Emily noted afterward, and I agree, that cinematographer Eigil Bryld often shot his leads in the worst way possible. Anna Maxell Martin, as Jane’s sister Cassandra, consistently looked radiant, so why doesn’t he extend his leads the same courtesy?

In addition to initially making it difficult for Jane to capture the audience’s compassion, the appearance of Tom Lefroy on the scene does not seem to mark the beginning of a great, ill-fated romance. Instead, through Jarrold’s lens and through McAvoy’s performance, it seems that Tom intends to seduce a woman of good standing for sport. In such moments, Lefroy comes across not as a basis for Mr. Darcy, as the movie is so desperate to suggest, but as the inspiration behind rakes like Mr. Wickam or Mr. Willoughby. Jane’s instant and mildly unbelievable crush on him makes her more Lydia than Elizabeth Bennett.

Still, when the romance begins in earnest, when it comes to candlelit confessions of love and adoration, Hathaway and McAvoy pack a surprising punch, making Jane and Tom’s relationship as tender, tragic, and sexy as it ought to be. For that reason, it makes the inevitable end of their relationship all the more ridiculous (as if these two intelligent creatures cannot find a way out of their present difficulties) and the film’s coda even more difficult to swallow. I’m wary of giving it away, but suffice it to say that I expended most of my energies in trying not to blow a big, fat raspberry at the screen. B –

The Invasion (2007)

Plot: Carol Bennell (Nicole Kidman), a Washington psychiatrist, slowly discovers that something very strange is happening around her but finds herself distracted by the sudden return of her ex-husband, Tucker (Jeremy Northam), and the attentions of her best friend, Ben (Daniel Craig). By the time Carol, Ben, and Ben's colleague Stephen (Jeffrey Wright) figure out what is going on, Carol has begun a frantic search for her son, Oliver (Jackson Bond), who has gone missing in his father's care.

Oh, forget it. It took me forever to come up with that, and there's no point in trying to be coy. It's the fourth film version of Jack Finney's novel, for Pete's sake. Fine -- you win. Alien virus takes over human race, turning them into mindless automatons. Oliver may be the cure.

I want you to know that I went into this with my eyes wide open. I fully expected it to suck. And, to be honest, it didn't suck quite as much as I thought it would. Mind you, now I am wondering which scenes were original director Oliver Hirschbiegel and original screenwriter Dave Kajganich's and which to credit to the Wachowski Brothers and James McTeigue. Knowing such things makes it a little tricky to know where to lay blame or praise. Let's just go ahead and call the whole thing not very good, shall we?

Now, it should be pointed out that I've never read the book or seen any of the other versions, so it's quite possible that I may complain about or praise an element that didn't originate here. Well, that's the way it's going to be. I can only comment on what I've seen.

Considering the fact that the plot is so basic (mother desires to protect child against all odds), it's pretty impressive the way the editors wring tension out of a lot of the encounters by moving backward and forward through time near simultaneously. The tension is greatly increased by showing us the beginning of some scary moment, cutting quickly to the aftermath, cutting back into the moment, then further to the end, and so on and so on. It's a clever device that keeps us interested in the 'how' long after we know the 'what.'

The tension is also surprisingly well drawn out by showing the change slowly affecting the city through repetitive shots. We watch Carol walk to work day after day, and the streets slowly morph from lively, jostling place to eerily quiet shadow lands.

Of course, the movie also tries to raises our sympathies in ways that fail spectacularly. Ooo, dogs can sense it! Well, then it must be bad! Aliens always are neglecting their pets! Oh, look -- that kid isn't with his mommy. Heartbreak. Except that part doesn't ring true: everything we've seen before that moment has suggested that pretty much any passerby would instantly turn that kid. So, not so much with the sympathies for that crying kid. In all fairness, I felt sorriest for the elderly woman who was injected* on the train, quietly remarking that she doesn't want a shot. Poor old lady! Who is going to protect her?

*With the alien virus, stupid "Goofs." And the helicopter landed in Baltimore. The movie sucked, but at least some of us managed to stay awake. Oh, look, I can update that page. That's more exciting than the entire movie. Damn thing only wants to listen to me about the helicopter. Oh, I'm a little off track, aren't I?

Shortly after I saw this movie, Em and I agreed that Craig is a stone fox. In fact, I submit that if stone fox finds its way into the dictionary, Craig's picture should appear next the entry. It was great to watch Craig and Wright in all their chameleon glory. This time around they are both reserved science types, although Craig gets to be twinkly and sexy, too.

Their combined talent made Kidman all the more difficult to take. I've long thought of her as good little actress, as adept with comedy as with drama, but this Botoxing her face right out of existence has got to stop. The voice provides plenty of emotion, and she can still squirt some tears out, but I need more. I know she's capable of more. Why won't she just let us see her? Sigh. At least her hair's a bit darker.

There's so much of this movie that doesn't work (spoilers!). The promotional material focused on the last third of the movie, robbing the picture of what should have been its moments of greatest tension. They make Carol's ex Patient Zero, but then they turn his attempts to infect Carol in a creepy pseudo-rape scenario that left me feeling cold. Why not just offer her a beverage like he did with the others? It only makes sense if virus maintains not only Tucker's memories and knowledge but also his feelings of inadequacy and desire to control Carol that he later discusses. Which also didn't ring true. You make a whole big deal about how emotionless the virus makes everyone, how it robs them of their free will, and then you have people turn around and do something that would have had the desire to do before they were infected? WTF? Having a character claim that the virus circumvents humanity's violent impulses and then threaten to murder a child in the same scene? Sort of confusing.

Oh, movie. You try to be political commentary about Iraq; you end up ham-fisted and annoying. You try to draw an ambiguous line about free will; you end up bludgeoning your audience with anvils. If I wanted to see that point made, I'd probably just watch the Jasmine arc from season four of Angel again. I'd be better off. C

Ed. Note: 500th post! Yay me, yay you, yay for everyone!

Superbad (2007)

Premise: With two weeks left of high school and the prospect of heading off to different colleges looming over them, Seth (Jonah Hill) convinces Evan (Michael Cera) that they only way they are going to get with their respective crushes, Jules (Emma Stone) and Becca (Martha MacIssac), is to use Fogell's (Christopher Mintz-Plassse) fake ID to buy the alcohol for Jules' party.

In true into-the-night teen sex comedy style (ah, the films of my youth!), procuring said alcohol and arriving at said party are activities fraught with hilarious difficulty.

I'm a little concerned that I am going to start gushing about this movie any second now, so maybe I should say a few things to temper myself. Occasionally, Hill is more yell-y than funny. Also, I doubt this movie would work if you were in the wrong mood. The best comedies can generally turn any mood into a happy one (I was certainly in need of one when I saw this pic), but I can see how someone might be in a nasty mood and turn against Seth and Evan.

Okay, saying I could see "how" was a little generous. I can see it happening, but I'm not entirely sure I am capable of understanding why someone wouldn't start giggling during the funktastic 70s-style opening credits and keep on giggling right through to the end. I know I did. In fact, there were moments when it was really obvious that I found the movie far more funny than pretty much everyone else in the theatre, and those moments were slightly uncomfortable but mostly sad. To be honest, it kind of reminded me of the roommates I once had that thought it was strange to laugh out loud if no one else was laughing (e.g. if you were reading a book by yourself in your room).

If you're going to watch this movie (and you should), you've got to go ahead and get in a place beforehand where you've accepted what movie you are going to see. You've got to remember that these are the guys who made The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up. As funny and sweet as those movies were (and they were, let's be honest), they weren't exactly what one might call "highbrow." Then you have to remember that they've moved the age group back from 40 to 20-ish to high school. Have you got all that in mind? Good. Now go see the movie. Stop sitting there and go out. We'll talk when you get back.

Are you back? No, really, go.

And we're back. Michael Cera has the best delivery and comic timing of any person alive. I challenge you to find anyone else capable of selling absolutely every joke he's handed, especially when it involves singing the Guess Who's "These Eyes." Cera's Evan is as sweet as he is awkward, and it makes him a perfect match for Hill's outrageous Seth.

While Seth has a tendency to rage and push every situation to its illogical, extreme conclusion, Hill bases Seth's actions in his very real need to find a way to cement his friendship with Evan before he loses him. It's sad, and it leads to a lot of messed up stuff, but it's also real and hilarious for that very reason.

All of which adds up to . . . Seth Rogen rocks much harder than the rest of us. He pretty much has to, what with he and co-writer Evan Goldberg being two of the funniest people around today. He and Bill Hader, as the police officers that take Fogell on his very own into-the-night adventure, provide a fine balance to Seth and Evan's increasingly bizarre antics. After all, they have just as important a point to prove.

And director Greg Mottola, a veteran of both Undeclared and Arrested Development, has his work cut out for him in trying to put an individual stamp on the Apatow Productions powerhouse. Between those two shows, combining awkward with sweet and getting hilarious as a result must be his bread-and-butter. He certainly made it look like it here.

Admit it -- you're glad you got up from your computer and went to see this one, aren't you? I'm going to see you on the street tomorrow in your McLovin'* tee. I'd suggest quoting it, but it was so profane that it had different lines just for the ads. Let's just nod and giggle in that insider way that makes people want to know what we are on about. If we do it just right, we can revive the teen comedy and bin those [Blank] Movies that have been masquerading in their place. A-

*The best part is the apostrophe.

Pop Culture Round-Up

"He's gone completely awesome with power." If, for some crazy reason, you didn't want to see Superbad before, I don't know how you could resist after that interview.

This movie is so ridiculous, but I was still like, "Mmm, Colin Firth makes a dreamy general," by the end of the trailer. Don't get me started on how far off it is from any known history, though.

How 'bout the problem, Belinda, is the fact that no one's made a good romantic comedy in years? As in, one worth sitting through. So take you sexism and shove it.

Hmmm - "The link between real and pretend violence has been so completely severed that some of the ability of movies to offer a critical perspective — to elicit thought as well as gasps and chuckles — has been lost."

Noel Murry makes me feel a bit nostalgic for the 80s into-the-night movies.

Hot Fuzz (2007)

RE-view! How I do love to re-view, my friends.

Now, I know people who aren't particularly interested in watching a movie more than once. They've seen it, so they know what's going to happen, and that somehow means that they won't enjoy it as much as the second time 'round. To be honest, I've never really understand that line of reasoning. By all means, don't watch it again the very next day, but, if months or years slip by, I'd wager that you may have forgotten a thing or two.

While I may not have forgotten the general plot, there were plenty of hilarious lines in this picture that hadn't stuck in my mind to tickle my fancy during this viewing, like "I'm not made of eyes!," "The little hand says it's time to rock and roll," and "You wanna be a big cop in a small town? Fuck off up the model village."

Oddly enough, the gore got to me when I watched Shaun of the Dead the second and third times, but the ridiculous gore only struck me as funny this time around. It was strange -- I felt like I laughed at completely different things when I saw the movie again. I found it especially funny to learn that many of Danny's (Nick Frost) lines were written for a love interest named Victoria only to cut her character out. Besides, the chemistry between Frost and Simon Pegg can't be beat.

I love the way that Edgar Wright uses quick cuts and sound effects to make mundane tasks, like fingerprinting or paper work, seem far more exciting than they ever would be. I love that they would get sent to capture a missing swan. I love the way the movie circles back around on itself, positioning the final showdown as a recreation of Nicholas' first jog through town. I'm definitely sticking with my original assessment: A

Rescue Dawn (2006)

Short: Dieter Dengler (Christian Bale) is shot down over Laos during his first mission in the early days of the Vietnam War. Taken into a POW camp, he meets Gene (Jeremy Davies), Duane (Steve Zahn), Phisit (Abhijati Jusakul), and Procet (Lek Chaiyan Chunsuttiwat). Insistent that they find out a way out, Dieter leads the prisoners in an ill-fated escape.

I was about to say something like, "It's all true, too," but I remembered that Slate article and hesitated. Instead I'll say that it's based on a true story.

While Bale's accent's a bit spotty (it really only sounded like a light German accent in one line near the end), every other element of his performance is spot on. Bale gives Dieter just enough charisma so that his overwhelming need to survive easily infects the rest of the prisoners who had obviously given up long before he arrived.

The finest point of their defeatism is drawn between Gene, who has convinced himself that they will be released, and Duane (an emaciated Zahn, face hidden under a shaggy beard and long hair), who has withdrawn from the rest of the prisoners. Duane finds his lost hope in Dieter, and Zahn heartbreakingly allows a light to slowly creep back into Duane's eyes only to have it snuffed out by the harsh conditions of the merciless jungle during the rainy season.

It is to writer-director Werner Herzog's credit that his decision to stay away from the prisoners' inner lives seems like both a blessing and a curse. A lesser film would have had an early scene between Dieter and his briefly mentioned fiancé or had him carry around a photo of her in order to provide suitable motivation enabling the audience to understand his astonishing desire to escape in the face of so many obstacles. Even so, Herzog goes too far in the other direction: he includes the story as to why little Dieter needed to fly in the first place, but he gives us no real indication of what keeps Dieter or the rest of the men going. He doesn't even tell us if Dieter's fiancé remained true in the closing credits. Instead, Herzog dedicates those moments to Dieter's career in aviation.

When Herzog listened but decided not to include the audio tape of the deaths of Timothy Treadwell and Amie Huguenard in Grizzly Man, it made him seem thoughtful and compassionate. I believe it is the same qualities that lead Herzog to pull away in this picture when another director would push in for the all-too-important close-up. Unfortunately, this decision also keeps the audience at arm's length.

The film is compelling and the performances gripping, but there's always something in the way to prevent the viewer from truly becoming involved with these men. Hey, at least we got another great score from Klaus Badelt. B+

The King of Cups expects a picnic. But this is not his birthday.

It is, however, my birthday. Like so many of you, I often wonder what I can get the birthday girl or boy that's easy to find, under $5, and has a little something for me, too. Well, kids, look no further. Elfin April has come up with the perfect way to celebrate her birthday. Here's the two easy steps:

1. Go to Dairy Queen

2. Buy a blizzard.

See how easy that was! You get an ice creamy treat, and a portion of the proceeds goes toward the Children's Miracle Network. How great is that?

Sunshine (2007)

Brief: A team of astronauts and scientists (Cliff Curtis, Cillian Murphy, Michelle Yeoh, Hiroyuki Sanada, Rose Byrne, Benedict Wong, Chris Evans, and Troy Garrity) are sent on a last hope mission to restart the dying sun.

No, really. There's not much more to the plot than that. I mean, I could run through what everyone does specifically, but I'm not sure about a couple of them.

To be honest, I didn't think I was going to bother with this movie, as the trailer I had repeatedly seen had nothing else in mind than making a crappy movie seem better than it was. That's hardly a ringing endorsement. Then the reviews came in, and they were mostly positive. Then someone said, "Might as well," and I thought, "Why not?" After all, I liked what Murphy, screenwriter Alex Garland, and director Danny Boyle did with zombies. And I don't even like horror movies.

While I did catch a few references to 2001, I was more tuned in to the refs to the Heroes eclipse/eye and the Flight of the Conchord's "Bowie's in Space." I'm not sure either one of those were intentional, and I especially doubt that Boyle, who wanted the golden spacesuits to be memorable, wanted me to start singing.

More than anything, though, this movie put me in mind of another deeply personal (partial) space epic: The Fountain. Rather than test the bounds of love and subsequent devotion as did Aronofsky, Boyle and Garland instead test the individual's fidelity to a cause. They set up a contrast between the crews of the Icarus I and II, pitting at first the desires of the individual against the salvation of humanity and slowly pared it down to an one-on-one showdown.

While Aronofsky used his triptych to bind together a bewitching, if befuddling, love story that spanned the ages, Boyle and Garland tell their story straight, giving ample time to their supporting characters (particularly to a well tuned performance by Evans). Even so, Murphy's Capa is the only character whose motivations, dreams, and personal life get any real attention. It's on the strength of his performance and character development that this movie succeeds.

You know, I felt like I knew what I was getting myself into when I walked into the theatre. For the most part, I was right. But even with the easy to read plot, this movie still had a few surprises. Good for it. B

Pop Culture Round Up

I see you, and I raise you Caché, an opening sequence so initially banal that the static cam slowly induces the squirming uncomfortable feeling that lays oppressively over the rest of the film.


I haven't seen many, but the first three put a smile on my face.


I'm not sure what to make of this. It could end up being great.


I mostly agree, although I take slight umbrage with No. 5. It's a good thing that this looks so delightful, though.


I ♥ Bret.


I know this isn't the first nor will it be the last, but I really like what Noel Murray has to say after the deaths of Antonioni and Bergman on Monday.

A History of Violence (2005)

Short: Small town diner owner Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) defends his diner in a robbery and ends up a minor celebrity, to the equal delight and chagrin of his family (wife Maria Bello, son Ashton Holmes, daughter Heidi Hayes). His act attracts the attention of a mob family, who send in Carl Fogarty (Ed Harris), convinced that Tom is one of their own.

Can I tell you that when this movie first came out, I didn't get the title at all? Even though I now realize that it means a history of violence in the sense that a person has been violent in his or her past, at the time I got all A Brief History of Time on it, thinking that the movie was going to cleverly show me how violence develops in a person's life over time. That's not what happens here, but I still think that would be an interesting watch.

As with all of director David Cronenberg's work, the movie concentrates on the nexus of sex and violence, bookended by two very different sex scenes between Mortensen and Bello. I appreciate the way the sex was not only integrated into but also integral to understanding the character development.* Unlike, say, Cronenberg's Crash, a movie both senseless and plot-less, which seemed to be a collection of sex scenes and car crashes strung together with no rhyme or reason.**

*Actually, come to think of it, I feel like it's been a long time since I saw a movie with a completely gratuitous sex scene. Either I've just stopped watching that kind of movie (erm, action movies of the 80s and 90s?), or they've finally gone the way of the dodo. Oh! 300! Wait, that was more gratuitously nude and graphic than it was plain gratuitous. Aw, crap. Um, Planet Terror? Okay, now I feel like I am going to miss the completely gratuitous sex scene.

**No, no, I know that's what the movie was about. I'm asking, "Why?"

I've done Crash, I've done Cronenberg's Oedipal Spider, and now I've done Violence. I've picked up bits and pieces of eXistenZ, and I am still working my way up to Dead Ringers. And here's the thing: I don't get Cronenberg. Either that or I just don't like him. On a personal level, I don't particularly care about the relationship between sex and violence, but I'd like to think that if his films were more relatable, then I would care for at least as long as the running time. I hear that I would like him or at least understand his movies better if I saw some of Cronenberg's earlier works, like Videodrone or Scanners, but nothing in what I have seen makes me want to put in the effort.

I did like Mortensen, as well as Bello, and particularly Mortensen and Bello together. They create a lived-in intimacy that actually feels intimate, unlike the sniping that so often passes for intimacy in movies and on television today. Bello makes everything Edie goes through as she comes to terms with who her husband really is (spoiler!) painful and believable, and it can be shattering to watch.

But I already knew that Tom would turn out to be Joey, and, watching the movie, there was never a real possibility that it would turn out any other way. Josh Olson, who adapted the graphic novel for the screen, did a great job of pacing the way Joey managed to creep back into Tom's life after he had worked so hard to keep Joey down, but somehow it didn't lend the movie the dramatic tension it needed. If anything, it was the final scene at the dinner table that contained the movie's most tense moment.

If you can't manage to wring a little tension out of a secret identity and fratricide, what does that say? B

Hairspray (2007)

Brief: Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) dreams of landing a spot on The Corny Collins (James Marsden) Show, a sort of local American Bandstand, despite her plus-sized frame and her mother's (John Travolta) objections. Hair height lands her in detention with Seaweed (Elijah Kelley), who teaches Tracy some new moves that help her get the attention of Corny and her crush, Link Larkin (Zac Efron). Seaweed's help catches the attention of Tracy's best friend, Penny (Amanda Bynes). With the help of Seaweed's mom, Motormouth Maybelle (Queen Latifah), the host of the show's monthly "Negro Day," Tracy begins pushing the show toward integration against the wishes of studio manager Velma Von Tussle (Michelle Pfeiffer) and her daughter Amber (Brittany Snow).

Confession: I read reviews before going to see this. I wasn't entirely sure about the movie to Broadway to movie transition. Didn't work so well for The Producers, after all. I've also seen it on stage and liked it on stage, which made me wonder if this version would fill me with rage, à la Rent. Yet by the time Blonsky had finished belting out "Good Morning, Baltimore," John Waters had shown up to grant his blessing, and I was smitten. Newcomer Blonsky is a treat in this candy-coloured world, perfectly showcasing Tracy's bubbly enthusiasm.

I must say that I didn't have a problem with Travolta playing it straight in a fat suit, and I don't think you should either. I have no real connection to the role as a gay icon, but I can tell you Travlota gets fussy and maternal with the best of them. The way he finds a new centre of gravity for each role is something to be relished. His graceful waltz with Christopher Walken* as Wilbur is delightful and reminds us what they both can do. By the time Travolta busts out the Grease moves in the finale, they feel earned.

*Is there a reason Walken's head appears to be getting bigger while his body mass is shrinking? Did anyone else notice this, particularly when he was on The Daily Show last week?

For a musical packed to the brims with showstoppers, none compare to the finale on stage, a number which manages to fill the entire theatre regardless of where you see it. So it's strange that the finale on film feels airless at times and seems to showcase everything that went wrong with this adaptation: Queen Latifah's oddly quiet performance; lack of redemption for Penny's mother (the always fantastic Allison Janney), Velma, and Amber; the de-sexualized relationships between Tracy and Link, and Penny and Seaweed; Penny's marginalized character; director and choreographer Adam Shankman's occasionally bizarre camera choices.

Still there's a lot to love, from Kelley's astounding performance (I am so with Dana on this one) to Pfeiffer's ice cold one to the sugar rush that follows pretty much every musical number. Besides, the movie did correct what I consider to be the musical's biggest mistake: Link dumps Amber this time around, making Tracy his first choice. As it should be. B+

P.S. I would be remiss if I didn't mention my favourite number, both on stage and in this version: "Welcome to the 60s," in which Tracy convinces her housebound mother to go outside for the first time in over a decade. This time around it features Jerry Stiller (famous original Wilbur) as Mr. Pinky.

Eagle vs Shark (2007)

Outline: Lily (Loren Horsley) uses the rejected invitation of a co-worker to get into the costume party thrown by her crush, Jarrod (Jemaine Clement). Pretty soon, Lily and her brother Damien (Joel Tobeck) are driving Jarrod back to his home town, so he can fight the bully who beat him up in high school.

Writer-director Taika Waititi (sometimes Cohen)'s awkward central romance is hard to categorize. There are ways in which is feels too horribly, awkwardly realistic and others in which it doesn't come together quite right. He invests a lot of energy into Jarrod's exceptionally bizarre back story, but he lets Lily's life come together more naturally. By Jarrod's abrupt about face at the end, Lily and Jarrod's relationship has stopped making sense (particularly Lily's continued interested in him).

It's fairly obvious that Waititi and Clement have worked together before. A lot of Clement's character elements borrow heavily from his stage/HBO sitcom persona, although he doesn't look nearly as good here as he does there. The film benefits far more from the winsome Horsley's performance. As ridiculously awkward as Lily can be, there's also something sweet and fresh about her that makes her irresistible. It's no wonder that Jarrod's family find themselves charmed even when Jarrod fails to be.

For my money, the stop motion animation bits that serve to underscore the movie's core relationship are, in a lot of ways, better than the movie itself. I never questioned the apples interest in one another, and it's sweet when they finally find themselves together. Actually, despite the unbelivable quality to Jarrod and Lily's courtship, it's quite sweet when they finally get together as well. What can I say? B

Pop Culture Round Up

Rescue Dawn means Christian Bale interviews for one and all.

Sara Vilkomerson wonders, "Wither the male celebrity?"

See how Smart Movie Marketing Ploys have helped a few of this summer's releases.

Check out the Emmy nods, if only to feel annoyed at the injustice of it all yet again.

Aaron Sorkin makes a small mea culpa and wins me back again.

I couldn't agree more.

Donnie Darko (2001)

I'm not going to bother re-reviewing this movie, even though I only wrote about it in the vaguest of terms three years. I recently sat down with the director's cut, and it got me thinking about this coming of age tale that has been lodged in my brain since I first saw it in 2002.

I have sort of a love/hate thing going on with director's cuts. Part of me grooves on the insider feel - getting the story behind the story, so to speak. If it's the movie as the director would have wanted it, then it's the movie as it should exist, full stop, right? I can certainly see the value behind the idea, particularly when a director has had the genuine article chopped up by a nervous studio. I don't think, however, that anyone should be directing any picture with it in mind to make two different versions: one for the studio and one for her/himself.

Other times, there are directors who benefit from having someone else rein them in. Some directors need someone else to make the movie accessible and understandable. I'm not saying we should dumb everything down; I'm saying that sometimes ideas that work in our minds don't always work on the screen, but we can't see it for ourselves. A good producer should be able to step in and smooth that sort of thing out. So should a good editor. But I've seen enough incomprehensible things to know that this doesn't always happen.

Truth be told, the only kind of movie for which I would seek out a director's cut would be a movie I already enjoyed. I want to know how it could be improved. The director's cut in this case is about 20 minutes longer the original release, and, at first, it's difficult to see the differences (musical changes, more time spent with Donnie's parents) as improvements.

Perhaps because the reason that everything that happens to Donnie from the jet engine on is unclear is what makes the film so enjoyable in its original version. You get to talk about it, debate it, substitute your own philosophy and morals where the movie leaves its events open-ended. Normally I don't like that in a movie. Memento, for example, is a movie only made clear in its final moments, but those moments leave no room for debate as to what is really going on. Even though the plot's all sown up, there is still plenty of room to look inside the characters and their motivations, to look at the way it all comes together outside that tattoo parlour. Conversely, the ambiguity works in Darko's favour because the events in the movie are based in a reality outside our own.

The director's cut, however, seeks to move the film away from indefinite to definite. There are a few additional scenes, but most of the new understanding to be gained comes from the addition of pages from Roberta Sparrow's The Philosophy of Time Travel into the transitions. It goes further into who Donnie is and why these things are happening to him, although the outcome (and the reasons for it, in my opinion) remain the same.

I thought that having everything spelled out for me would turn me off the movie (or at least the director's cut), but it didn't. There's a few gimmicky transitions I could have done without, and I don't think that viewing this version negates the beauty of the original. The melancholy that permeates the original is deepened in the director's cut in a way that allows it to resonate more clearly. If you liked the movie to begin with, the director's cut can only serve to deepen your appreciation. A-

Paris, je t'aime (2006)

This anthology isn't one film but 18 short ones, so it's a little difficult to give you a plot synopsis. Each of the shorts is set in a different quartier, and a different director (or pair of directors) tackles each one to give their distinct take on the city of lights and love.

Some are more fanciful, such as Vincenzo Natali's vampire love story "Quartier de la Madeleine" or Christopher Doyle's cosmetic salesman fantasy in "Porte de Choisy." Others are disarmingly sad, working class stories, like Daniela Thomas' "Loin du 16ème" or Oliver Schmitz' "Place des Fêtes." All of them, it would seem, are sweet, romantic tales of love found and lost, of missed connections and opportunities found again. Gurinder Chadha's "Quais de Seine" is perhaps the most hopeful of these, while Frédérick Auburtin and Gérard Depardieu's "Quartier Latin" competes with Isabel Coixet's "Bastille" for the most bittersweet.

There are also a handful of shorts from directors you may be more familiar with, like Gus Van Sant's sly "Le Marais," Joel and Ethan Coen's strange but delightful "Tuileries," Wes Craven's surprisingly tender "Père-Lachaise," Alfonso Cuarón's single shot "Parc Monceau," and Alexander Payne's perfect coda, "14th arrondissement."

Each short does that wonderful city justice, and it makes me hopeful for the planned installments in the series, New York, I love you and Shanghai, I love you. A-

The Iron Giant (1999)

Premise: Hogarth (Eli Marienthal), the only son of single mother Annie Hughes (Jennifer Aniston) discovers a giant alien robot (Vin Diesel) living in the woods outside their small, 1950s town. As Hogarth teaches the robot to speak and about our world, he convinces local junk yard owner Dean (Harry Connick, Jr.) to take the robot in. Unfortunately, a government agent (Christopher McDonald), convinced of the robot's danger, descends on the town to gather enough evidence about the robot to have him exterminated.

Isn't that always the way in these movies? Lost little boy finds an otherworldly friend, only to have the government get in the way.

I was reading this list, and I started wondering how he could have omitted this gem. David Edelstein rarely misses a chance to sing the praises of one of wunderkind Brad Bird's early works, and Dana Stevens is ready to pick up the slack when he does. I finally screened this apparently largely ignored ready-made children's classic, and I couldn't agree more.

Effortlessly charming and built around the sort of message that seems to anchor all of director Bird's films, Tim McCanlies' screenplay, adapted from the book by Ted Hughes, sells its simple story honestly and winningly. There isn't a lot of fuss in this movie: the largest subplot revolves around Dean's artistic endeavours, and the Giant gets involved with those as well.

There's no mention of Hogarth's father (although it is implied that he may have died), and neither the Giant nor Dean are put into pat substitute father roles. Instead, Hogarth is allowed to form friendships, and his relationship with the sweet and childlike Giant (a surprisingly subtle performance by Diesel, if you can imagine a subtle Iron Giant) forms the tender and heartbreaking core of the movie.

Combined with the warm and lifting score by the late, great Michael Kamen, it's difficult to understand why this movie didn't do better, why it isn't the great children's classic it was meant to be. If you want to see an excellent movie about a robot from outer space and the boy who befriends him, look no further. A

Transformers (2007)

Story: Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf)'s father buys him an used Camaro, which turns out not to be a car at all. At the same time, an unknown entity is attempting to hack into the Pentagon's archives for files having to do with Sam's explorer grandfather. The same entity attacks a platoon stationed in the Middle East, and the survivors (among them Josh Duhamel and Tyrese Gibson) struggle to contact the Pentagon with what they know.

You know, if that didn't make a lot of sense, I'm not sure what I can do about. For a movie two and a half hours long, it's a little light on what insiders like you and I like to call "plot." It's also a little light on things like "internal logic" and "sense, making." That's okay, though, as director Michael Bay sure as hell knows his way around an action set piece. Together with some tight editing, he makes the lengthy running a lot easier on the viewer.

The movie is aided in no small part by LaBeouf's hyperactive performance as our erstwhile human hero, Spike. His energy and obvious fun in making the picture spills out to the other actors and into nearly each scene. Too bad it couldn't ignite love interest Megan Fox's dead eyed performance. Mind you, if I was saddled with that junior porn star wardrobe, I don't know how invested I'd be in giving the green screen my all either.

Now, you might be wondering, "Didn't I see John Turturro and/or Jon Voight in the previews? What's that about?" The answers are: Yes and yes. I have no idea and not much. Anthony Anderson is also around, and I think we all know how much he rocks (short answer: a lot), but he doesn't get nearly enough screen time to make any number of things add up.

All in all, it's a good thing Bay keeps it moving as well as he does, as I only paused to ask a handful of questions while it was rolling. Afterwards, dozens started to pop up. You're better off not asking questions at all. You're spoiling the fun, and what fun it is. Also, if I were into obnoxious novelty cell phone ring tones, I would totally get Hugo Weaving as Megatron intoning, "Prime." C+

SiCKO (2007)

Subject: Michael Moore takes a look at how insured Americans are buried under health care costs.

One of my fellow moviegoers was quick to point out how much more focused this movie was than some of Moore's other efforts, and I have to agree. The first one I saw, Bowling for Columbine, took school shootings and spiraled it out into a look at gun culture and violence in America as a societal ill. Now, three years after the incendiary Fahrenheit 9/11, Moore is back, but it isn't the same. It's quieter around here and decidedly more depressing.

I do like how Moore skipped over those who don't even have insurance to look at those who do and get screwed anyway. From a couple who have to move into their daughter's storage room to 79 year-old man who works as a janitor at a grocery store to 9/11 rescue workers who aren't covered because they volunteered, Moore certainly knows how to collect the right stories to tug at heartstrings and prick the tear ducts.

Yesterday, after I screened this doc, my only complaint would have been that it is a bit sluggish in spots and that one asshole move he pulls (you'll see what I mean). Today, as I reflect on the time he spent in my hometown of Sarnia, I find a lot more complaints springing to mind. He paints Canada, with our universal health care, as a socialist utopia. Sarnia has the greatest disparity between doctors and patients of any city in Ontario. You can have chemo in Sarnia, but you have to travel to London, at least an hour away, for radiation. AIDS tests are sent out to Toronto.

Even so, I know we are better off with what we've got, so I can't hold these flaws against him. Documentaries aren't like non-fiction books: they don't have the space or time to explore every issue or all the angles. What Moore's doing here is only meant to be an eye opener. With the time he's allotted, he's got to paint with broad strokes, and he does that exceedingly well. It's one light in a deep pit, but it burns brightly enough. Plus he introduced me to former parliamentarian Tony Benn, and I have a total intellectual crush on him now. B+

Pop Culture Round-Up

Enjoy Slate's Summer Movies issue.

Ponder the MPAA.

Check out the We Own the Night trailer.

Agree (or disagree) with the Guardian's reader-selected 100 unforgettable movie moments.

Watch the (possibly unintentionally) hilarious Nintendo DS commercial with Nicole Kidman.

Spend a little time with Flight of the Conchords.

1408 (2007)

Idea: Author Michael Enslin (John Cusack) specializes in debunking paranormal phenomena. He receives an anonymous postcard that prompts him to check into room 1408 at New York's Dolphin Hotel, despite heavy protestations from the general manager, Gerald Olin (Samuel L. Jackson).

I suspect it must be difficult to play Stephen King's stand-in. I know I wouldn't want to do it. Are you a prick because you sold-out or because you're bereaved? Why must you have such terrible highlights in your hair? What's with your clothes? Are you not yet folksy Uncle Steven, dispenser of pop culture wisdom and homespun truisms?

I also suspect it must be difficult to be the leading man in a situation that basically consists of you alone in a room for an hour, reacting to whatever the evil room throws at you, whether it's a little man in your mini-bar fridge or an alarm clock that only plays one song. There are quite a few times when poor Cusack is yelling things like, "What do you want from me?!" at his room, and you have to try really hard not to laugh.

I also suspect that it must feel kind of stupid to leave the reason as to why the room behaves as it does open-ended, considering the fact that CW shows like Supernatural come up with a reason 22 weeks a year.

Finally, I suspect that it must be tough to be John Cusack, who turns 41 tomorrow. He's old enough to play start playing the dad, which I guess is good news, considering that his bread-and-butter, romantic comedies, are a dying breed. But, let's try to stay away from this stuff, shall we? Doing Grisham is bad enough. Let's leave Stephen King alone.

Director Mikael Håfström delivers a few chills and genuinely scary moments, but it's enough to distract from how boring the movie often is. In addition, I had come to expect better of you, composer Gabriel Yared. I think judicious trimming and a shorter set-up could have done this movie some favours, but, as it is, it's not quite right. C

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)

Short: As Sue (Jessica Alba) and Reed's (Ioan Gruffudd) wedding day approaches, a series of unnatural phenomena and giant craters begin opening up around the world. The Silver Surfer (voiced by Laurence Fishburne) heralds the world's end, leaving Johnny (Chris Evans) and Ben (Michael Chiklis) contemplating the few moments they have left, while the Four attempt to stop the apocalypse.

Judging by the first, I didn't see this sequel coming. I've never even bothered watching it again. It was bad, it was seen, it was over with. But you gross over $300 million world wide and that means we mean more of you? Fine. And I'll probably go see a third movie if you crank one out.

Back when it was the main movie in the AV Club's cinema section, they called it the movie that everyone saw and no one liked. I don't know anyone other than Em and I who've admitted to seeing it, much less seeing it in the theatre.

For those of you who did see it (I know you're out there), if you can imagine a sequel exactly the same as the first movie, you can imagine what you see here. Alba maintains a lack of expression rivaled only the confusion in Gruffudd's performance. Chiklis again gives the only believable performance, and his relationship with Evans is the only subtle and nuance point the film has going for it. Evans will probably never be an actor known for his range, but, what can do, he does well.

I do appreciate the hammy elements that Julian McMahon brings to the screen. That's why we all watch nip/tuck anyway, right?

As with the freshman outing, Don Payne and Mark Frost's screenplay raises more questions than it could ever dream of answering, and Tim Story's non-direction and lack of personal style make this (dare I say it?) franchise as bargain basement as they come. D

To be honest, you're probably more likely to get a more honest and enjoyable Fantastic Four experience reading this Inventory than seeing the movie. I mean, Nixon tells off Reed Richards? Doesn't get better.

The Namesake (2006)

Brief: After surviving a train derailment, Ashoke Ganguli (Irfan Khan) moves to New York with his new wife Ashima (Tabu). Together in this new country, they raise Gogol (Kal Penn) and Sonia (Sahira Nair). Finding it easier to fit in in the new world rather than the old, Gogol struggles against his parents' traditional upbringing and his unusual name.

I'd like to like this movie more than I do. I love watching director Mira Nair's movies because of her wonderful senses of colour and place. She's the only director I can think of that could make a movie set in Calcutta and New York without going to far toward exotic or gritty. She strikes a balance that I think represents most people's experience, making it both personal and relatable.

Relatable, regrettably, is the problem. When you watch Ashima sprinkle curry powder and peanuts into her Rice Krispies on one of her first few days in wintery New York, the corners of your mouth tug into a sad smile for her home and the ways in which her life is about to change. But that's about all I did. I have no immigrant experience on which to draw, and her children's difficulties in finding a niche between the two worlds strikes me as more bratty than anything else. I spent a lot of the time after the film switched focus to Gogol's life wanting him to be less of an ass. Ashima deserved better.

For, despite what the trailer led me to believe, this story is more Ashima's than any one's. Her marriage, her children. 30 years of her life go by under Nair's lens, simply crafted and surprisingly touching. Tabu carries it off with an earthly grace.

Penn, not so much. It's not that he's bad: he just didn't bring a lot of complexity to the role either. It's good starter stuff, but it's too early to tell which way it will go. Of course, it doesn't help that a lot of the stuff that would help explain his character are glossed over (how did he get together with Jacinda Barrett's Maxine? What went on between the second date and subsequent marriage*?) There's too much emotional baggage and not enough story to make it compelling.

Even so, between Tabu and Nair, I think we might have something here. B

* I don't think I'll spoil the identity of the bride for you.

Black Book (2006)

Premise: A Jewish woman (Carice van Houten) joins the Dutch Resistance and ends up working undercover as the secretary (and lover) of the head of the Dutch Gestapo, Ludwig Müntze (Sebastian Koch).

Director and co-writer Paul Verhoeven hasn't had the best of luck with his recent movies on this side of the Atlantic. The notorious Showgirls, the maligned Starship Troopers, the horrible Hollow Man. The fact that it's been six years and the rumour that he and co-writer Gerard Soeteman have spent twenty years hammering out the script suggest that there is something different this time around. And there is. This movie is really good.

What a find van Houten is! Unknown to Feria Films prior to this screening, she is magnificent in this role. She strikes a wonderful balance between the oppression of Rachel's circumstances and her will to survive.

The chemistry between van Houten and Koch is as fun to watch as it is nerve-wracking. The instant bond between them is never explained or even spoken of, but that made it seem all the more natural, as though it came from some deep sadness that neither one could begin to express. Koch remains as dignified and sexy as he was in The Lives of Others but a little more dangerous. He also speaks English! Well, for a line.

I could have done without Anne Dudley's ridiculously over-wrought score or some of Verhoeven's desire to capture absolutely everything (Rachel dyes all her hair to go undercover). Aside from those, there's magic at work here. It's sad and it's plausible and it gets under your skin. A-

2:37 (2006)

Brief: The lives of seven high school students (Teresa Palmer, Joel Mackenzie, Frank Sweet, Clementine Mellor, Charles Baird, Sam Harris, and Marni Spillane) with secrets are put under the microscope the same day that one of them commits suicide.

What a stomach churning nightmare from first time director/writer/editor/producer Murali K. Thalluri. I can barely get the hellish images out of my head. But let's back up a bit.

No one is listed, so I really don't know who to thank, but the costuming in this movie was excellent. I learned so much about these characters by the way they dressed, and it was done with nuance and detail. I can't go into it here without giving too much away, but I assure you that if you pay attention, you will be rewarded.

Congratulations are in order to Thalluri for taking an inexperienced cast and directing them in such honest and vulnerable performances. Almost every beat is subtly underplayed and expressed in a way that feels fresh. The standout is the mesmerizing Palmer (pictured) as Melody. Melody, to my mind, is one of the two most difficult characters to play, and Palmer infuses her with such genuine emotion that your heart breaks for her.

For such a short running time (91 minutes here), Thalluri packs in an incredible amount of plot without it feeling rushed. Mind you, he cannily uses black and white interviews to prevent a lot of the exposition clunking. He also has the camera follow around the students from behind a fair bit, sneaking up on them around corners as their paths cross in the school, giving the viewer the sense that they are watching real events as they unfold. He manages to fit in blink-and-you-miss-'em clues as to who won't make it through the day in the midst of all this.

Despite the fact that I haven't a bad word to say against the movie, I can't help thinking that there is something wrong with it. Maybe it's the gut-wrenching images I can't shake free from my mind. Maybe it's the idea that all these sad, fucked-up lives could intersect on a regular basis. Maybe it's the fact that it should have a profound impact on me, alter my perspective, and give me insight, but all it really does is make me a little sad and really sick to my stomach. B

Ocean's Thirteen (2007)

Outline: Willy Banks (Al Pacino) double crosses his latest casino partner Reuben Tishkoff (Elliott Gould), landing Reuben in the hospital. When Will refuses a Billy Martin from Danny (George Clooney), the gang (Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Eddie Jemison, Don Cheadle, Shaobo in, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Bernie Mac, and Carl Reiner) plan to take down Banks' casino during the soft open as payback, with a little help from Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia) and Roman Nagel (Eddie Izzard).

Oh, how delightful. The series goes back to its roots: Las Vegas and fun. Yup, it's fun again, kids. Might as well enjoy it.

Director and cinematographer Steven Soderbergh has it back on the rails, and it rolls along quickly and smoothly. Writing team Brian Koppelman and David Levien keep the plot streamlined, allowing more room for the loving character bits that made the first installment such a thrill to watch. There are plenty of giggle-worthy in- and out of character jabs.

Also, much to my delectation, Affleck gets his own subplot, and it's both relevant and hilarious. As much as the big stars are important, and as much as convivial amusements as Cloons, Pitt, Damon, Garcia, etc. bring to the screen, these movies are only as good as their supporting players. If Caan and Affleck, despite looking nothing alike, weren't believable antagonistic sibs, the movie would grind to a halt when they hit the screen. If Qin, with his lovely head of hair, wasn't such a good sport, the rest wouldn't matter.

Pacino tones it down enough to let his enjoyment in this boys club show, and the crazy hot Ellen Barkin adds the needed estrogen boost.

So much of the first picture comes full circle this time around that it's easy to forget the failings of the second. In fact, why don't we? Let's just sit back and enjoy. B+

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)

Story: Will (Orlando Bloom), Elizabeth (Keira Knightley), Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), and crew team up with Tia Dalma (Naomie Harris) and Singapore pirate Captain Sao Feng (Chow-Yun Fat) to find the world's end and rescue Jack (Johnny Depp), so he can help put a stop to Lord Cutler Beckett (Tom Hollander) and Davy Jones' (Bill Nighy) reign of terror.

Even though the pre-credits sequence aimed at "political" and ended up hitting "reminiscent of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves*" and even though The Hater has proclaimed the movie/franchise unbearable, I am here to tell you that it is the opposite of unbearable. This third installment is downright . . . tolerable! It's occasionally enjoyable! Sometimes good!

What? If you may recall, the second one was awful. Anything better than insufferable is an marked improvement.

*Which rocks, so they've got that going for them.

Mind you, the movie's far from perfect. The movie's really Elizabeth heavy. Listen, writers Ted Elliott and Ted Rossio, you cannot convince me that absolutely everyone is hot for Knightley. She's got no shape to her. Her hair was slightly better this time around (bad dye job, better styling), but her unflattering lipstick remained in place. Also, still not much going on in the acting department for this one. Her big rousing speech? Had me rolling my eyes. Her credulity straining interest in Jack (still, again, some more)? Impossible. It's the same problem every time: Knightley over-reaches. The best way to approach most of her scenes would be with subtlety and nuance, and she blows them nearly every time. It's odd because her scenes with Bloomers work really well (they have a sweet, understated chemistry), and her desire for adventure comes across clearly. Putting the focus on her only emphasizes how under-prepared Knightley is to carry the bulk of the movie.

Will and Elizabeth are apparently not talking when the movies opens, although the first scene with both confirms their love for and fidelity to one another. Elizabeth is in some danger or vaguely sexually threatened? Cut to Will clenching. Elizabeth does something smart/clever/inspirational? Cut to Will looking all kinds of turned on. Hee. Bloomers gives a great reaction shot. Yes, young Bloomers remains one of the greatest enigmas Elfin April has ever faced. When he's silent, when it's simple, Bloomers hits the mark. Anything more complex, and he tends to veer off course. It makes him the perfect candidate for these sort of movies, actually, as they run straight. Maybe typecasting wouldn't be such a shame for him after all.

As for Depp, what's left to be said? He's fey, and we all love it. His hair was still more dready and less braidy, but I can live with that so long as I can watch that scene with Keith Richards as Captain Teague over and over again. Elliott and Rossio, however, need to cool it a bit with their love of Jack. You'll see what I mean.

Also: Cutler is totally hot for Jack (admit it, you saw it, too). Rush appears to be having a ball. Norrington got boring again after putting back on the powdered wig. The one-eyed man and his scraggly haired companion finally get names. Stellan Skarsgård steals every scene he's in, breaking hearts along the way. This FAQ makes the post-final-credits sequence confusing.

In all my writing on the subject, I have failed to mention Hans Zimmer's delightful score. It's catchy in a way that you don't mind having in your head for days, allowing you to recall the best parts of the high seas adventure and dump the rest.

Despite the fact that it's too long and way too heavy on elements and sub-plots best left to the fishes, it's still a far more palatable entry than the second. If it were to end here, I think it's something we could all look back on and smile. Not a bad way to lose an afternoon. B+

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)

I went to see PotC: At World's End yesterday, but I don't want to write about it until I get my thoughts about the middle child down. It's RE-view time.

The movie remains long and largely boring, but it works better if you break it up into chunks, like I did. A finger on the fast-forward button would also do the trick. Mostly, I'd skip a lot of the stuff on the island, a lot of stuff with Elizabeth, and some of the Cutler/Governor Swann stuff. I love Tom Hollander in the role, but so much of what he does is just set-up for the next movie. You'd do just as well to wait and catch up then.

As for the island stuff, it's kind of funny the first time around, but it loses it's charm on subsequent viewings, and it feels more like filler than genuine dramatic tension (will they save Jack? Gee, I don't know!)

Oh, Elizabeth. You know, when it came to the first movie, Bend it like Beckham, and Love Actually, I would I have said that I liked Knightley alright. She's not spectacular, but she's serviceable when she's not over-reaching. Plus, as I have long said, she's got a pretty face. But here? Why the focus on Elizabeth? She's childish a lot of the time, and her "attraction" to Jack is possibly the most unbelievable part of the entire movie (of the many I could choose). Her signature line, "Oh, Jack," with a little sigh at the end? Plays like he's her screw-up older brother. If it's supposed to be a more carnal interest, it doesn't show.

To be honest, I don't buy the attraction going either way. Depp can play anything at any time in any way and make me a believer, but the sub-plot groans under the weight of the tacked-on tension. It's upsetting but expected that Jack trade Will's life for his own. But try to steal his lady? Never. Jack knows he could never come back from that. Mind you, all of this speculating is possible because Depp plays the most fully fleshed character on the screen at any given point.

No matter which chunk I was watching, I was consistently impressed with Will's character development. No, seriously. Will is the central character, the tie that binds the mainland lives of Elizabeth, the Governor, and Norrington (Davenport is so foxy when he's a rogue) to the sea-faring world of the pirates, and the movies' moral centre. When he lights that sword on fire? I found myself thinking, "Will's ingenious." During that amazing, best set piece of the movie, water wheel fight? I hoped Will would come out on top. Bloomers bugs in a lot of ways a lot of the time, but here? He's quick on his feet, and I can get behind that.

It's still too long, too exposition-y, too reliant on call backs instead of new material, but it didn't turn me off of going to see the final (?) installment. That's saying something. Not a lot, but something. I'm sticking with my original grade. C+

Knocked Up (2007)

Premise: Alison Scott (Katherine Heigl) is promoted at E!, and she heads out for the night with her sister, Debbie (Leslie Mann), to celebrate. Alison meets cute with Ben Stone (Seth Rogen) while he is out with his stoner roomies (Jason Segel, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, and Martin Starr). Eight weeks later, Alison is preggers.

Hurrah! I have returned from my little hiatus refreshed and ready to review. Miss me no longer, gentle reader. I'm back.

Naturally, I'm back with some sweet Judd Apatow (writer/director here) action. Yes, people, naturally. I have a love for M. Apatow that knows no bounds. F&G rocked, I own Undeclared, and I spent weeks begging my friends to go see The 40-Year-Old Virgin with me. He's the main delivery service for an addiction known as Seth Rogen (Ken! Ron!).

First of all, he's cute. Secondly, and most importantly, he's funny. He's wonderfully sarcastic, and he obviously can see the humour in a lot of different things, like the first time you get sick away from home. All in all, Rogen made a great TV boyfriend, and it seems he is on his way to make a great movie boyfriend.

Oh, Heigl, they really made Izzie reprehensible this season, no? It's too bad 'cause Izzie was my favourite intern. Of course, no matter what ridiculous speech the writers throw at you, you carry it off with aplomb, as you are far, far more talented than they seem to realize. You are also a delight here with deft comedic timing and a winsome screen presence. You know, in addition to being really hot. Hope there's more big screen roles in your future, as I am about ready to abandon the show you currently call home.

Much like with the outlandish Virgin premise, Apatow succeeds in taking something that, by all
rights, is creepy and icky and turning it into something hilarious and sweet. Carrell's subtle performance did it for the first, and Rogen and Heigl's budding relationship, contrasted with Debbie and Pete (Paul Rudd)'s marital strife, does it for the second. It's too bad about the way that the abortion discussion gets the bum's rush, but, in a movie whose premise is so clearly stated in the title, what do you really expect?

Anyway, must be time to go read what Dana Stevens says they got wrong about women. I'm sure I'll be incensed when I am finished. Until then, I remain enraptured. A-