Movie Review: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street by ME

Title: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street
Starring: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Sacha Baron Cohen, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall
Directed By: Tim Burton
Produced By: Patrick McCormick, Laurie MacDonald, Walter F. Parkes
Genre: Drama, Musical/Performing Arts, Thriller and Adaptation
Running Time: 1 hr. 57 min.
Release Date: December 21st, 2007 (wide)
MPAA Rating: R for graphic bloody violence.
Distributors: DreamWorks SKG, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures International

My rating: 6/10

Sweeney Todd a.k.a Benjamin Barker (Johnny Depp) returns to London after being sent away by Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman) with the help of a sailor, Anthony Hope (Jamie Campbell Bower). He opens a barber shop above Mrs. Lovett's Meat Pie Shop were she sells "the worst pies in London." With the help of Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter), Todd tries to get rid of all the people who have ever done him wrong and hopes to be reunited with his daughter, Johanna (Jayne Wisener), who is now Judge Turpin's ward.

I really must insist on telling you a few details about myself before continuing on to the review. And yes, it is pertinent information so don't skip ahead. First, I do not really like musicals. There are a few that I can stand like The Wizard of Oz and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The only one that I have actually liked is Across The Universe and that was more for the music than anything else. The key is that those are all contemporary musicals with either rock and roll or at least modern song structures as in the case with The Wizard Of Oz. The second thing is that the only knowledge of Sweeney Todd that I had before seeing the film was what I had gleaned from Kevin Smith's Jersey Girl. Not the best place to learn about musicals, am I right?

That being said I am of two minds about Sweeney Todd. On one hand I loved the story, but there was too much music. I know, I know it's a musical, but it is my review. I can handle musicals if there is decent ratio of dialogue to musical numbers and unfortunately, there is much more of the latter. Not only is there a ton of music but for the most part it is almost overpowering and most definitely over the top. Many repeat themes and numbers make the musical portion of Sweeney Todd a chore to really get into at times.

On the other hand, the performances and production values almost make up for the amount of music in the film. Depp is at the top of his game and mesh's very well with Helena Bonham Carter's Mrs. Lovett. Both play their parts to the brink of being over the top without following the music over the edge. Alan Rickman and Timothy Spall are delightfully creepy as Judge Turpin and his assistant Beadle Bamford. Sascha Baron Cohen really stole the show during his short appearance in the film though. His Signor Adolfo Pirelli was absolutely the most fun performance. Burton really should have kept him around longer.

In a nutshell, Tim Burton is the master at creating dark films and when you team him with Johnny Depp you know that you will get your moneys worth. Thus far Sweeney Todd is Depp and Burton's sixth collaboration together and they seem to have found their stride. And yet while Sweeney Todd worked for me on a story-telling level, the over abundance of music turned me off. I would say that Sweeney Todd is not for casual movie fans, you really should be either a real big fan of musicals or Tim Burton's biggest fan to truly appreciate Sweeney Todd.

Until Johhny Depp and Tim Burton stop making films together,
keep reading

Mitch Emerson
mitchemerson@hotmail.com

Movie Review: National Treasure: Book of Secrets by ME

Title: National Treasure: Book of Secrets
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger, Ed Harris, Helen Mirren, Justin Bartha
Directed By: Jon Turteltaub
Produced By: Chad Oman, Mike Stenson, Oren Aviv
Genre: Action/Adventure and Sequel
Running Time: 2 hrs. 4 min.
Release Date: December 21st, 2007 (wide)
MPAA Rating: PG for some violence and action.
Distributors: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

My Rating: 6/10

2004's National Treasure is a film that really didn't need a sequel, but it was inevitable. Take a tried and true story, adventurer seeks fame and fortune, and you can't lose right? Indiana Jones did it, Allan Quartermain did it, Lara Croft did it and now we get to see Ben Gates do it again.



This time around Ben Gates (Nicolas Cage) is ostensibly seeking to clear Thomas Gates (his great-grandfather) name in the conspiracy to assassinate Abraham Lincoln, but it always boils down to the treasure. Mitch Wilkinson (Ed Harris) is the man who brought these accusations against Thomas Gates in order to manipulate Ben into doing all of the work for him. Of course Riley (Justin Bartha), Abigail (Diane Kruger) and Ben's father Patrick (Jon Voight) are along for the ride.

National Treasure: Book of Secrets doesn't live up to it's predecessor. The first film had a great sense of humor that worked well but BOS can't seem to get the wit down this time. Also, liberal rearranging of historical facts and an extremely convoluted plot with segments that don't really add to the story weighs BOS down.



Nicolas Cage reprises his role as Benjamin Gates just the same as before, no real growth for him and his character. The real let down though is Justin Bartha's Riley. In the first film he was a semi-clueless tech expert who delivered his sarcastic lines with a timing that made him second only to Cage. In BOS, he has matured a little which means some of the humor is gone. Diane Kruger returns as Abigail Chase and just like the first film, is dragged along for the ride. Jon Voight chews up the scenery with a performance that at time reminded me heavily of Sean Connery's Dr. Jones Sr. in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade while new addition Helen Mirren knocks what little screen time she has out of the park. Lastly is Ed Harris as Mitch Wilkerson. A great actor who has played heroic roles in The Abyss and Needful Things, and as a good/bad government agent in A Beautiful Mind brings elements of all of these to Mitch. He wants the Wilkerson family name to go down in history and is willing to do anything to do it.



National Treasure: Book of Secrets doesn't quite live up to it's potential but it is a fine family alternative to seeing whatever cutesy animated film that is releasing this week.

Until National Treasure: The Temple of Doom, oops, that's been done before,
keep reading

Mitch Emerson
mitchemerson@hotmail.com

Movie Review: Juno by ME

Title: Juno
Starring: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Olivia Thirlby, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman
Directed By: Jason Reitman
Produced By: Joe Drake, Nathan Kahane, Daniel Dubiecki (II)
Genre: Comedy, Drama and Teen
Release Date: Various
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for mature thematic material, sexual content and language.
Distributors: Fox Searchlight Pictures

Juno takes a serious situation and makes it extremely funny without crossing the line into absurdity, while also never letting you forget that teen pregnancy is not a joking matter. Sixteen year old Juno (Ellen Page) gets pregnant by best friend Paul Bleeker (Michael Cera) and decides to give the baby up for adoption to couple Vanessa and Mark Loring (Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman). While dealing with her pregnancy Juno must also contend with her rather cool parents and figure out her feelings towards Bleeker. Things go from bad to worse when problems between Mark and Vanessa cast a shadow over Juno's hopes. All of this adds up to be one of the best movies of the year.



Following up 2005's Thank You For Smoking, Jason Reitman, son of director Ivan Reitman, shows that he has inherited his father's talent for comedy. A rather quirky film that should appeal to todays audiences with it's wit, likeable if not lovable characters portrayed by a perfect cast, and way too many comedic verbal fusillades to count, Reitman and Cody surely have a hit with Juno.



Ellen Page will be a star in the near future. After the cult hit Hard Candy and her small role in the mainstream X-Men 3: The Last Stand. Page comes through once again as a talent to be reckoned with. Perfect comedic delivery and the ability to turn serious without being melodramatic is one of her key talents. Michael Cera still bugs me a bit, the kid seriously needs to man up a little. I have only seen him in Superbad and Juno but there is basically no difference in either character. Sure he's funny in these situations, but he's going to be pigeon holed if he doesn't show some variety soon. J.K. Simmons and Alison Janney almost steal a few scenes away from Page as her parents. The best way to describe them is the most realistic version of a teens fantasy parents. Simmons is great in every scene but watch for Janney's tirade against a snobbish ultrasound technician, it's one of the best scenes in the movie. Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner are great as the proposed adoptive parents. They don't seem to fit together perfectly, which may have been done on purpose, but Bateman plays the slightly whipped husband perfectly. I know a few guys whose stuff has been relegated to one room in the house and can feel for Bateman. Garner, having just had a child in real life with husband Ben Affleck, probably didn't need to dig too deep for motivation in this film, which makes her performance that much better. Last mention is a quick cameo by Rainn Wilson of The Office, who has one of the best lines in the film as a lowly convenience store clerk.



Even though I haven't given many reasons to see Juno, I can only say that it is a package deal. The closest thing I can even consider a flaw is the dialogue. I don't think that many teens actually speak the way these characters do, but if you can get around that, then Juno is for you. Aside from that, Juno is by far one of the best comedies I have seen in a long time that doesn't feature gross out humor. It has already become one of my favorite films and will be a welcome addition to my collection.

There are multiple release dates for Juno for different cities. Head here to see when Juno opens in your city.

Until Juno 2, Juno Junior,
keep reading

Mitch Emerson
mitchemerson@hotmail.com

Jason Reitman/Diablo Cody interview for Juno by ME

I feel that I need to explain why this interview ended up being so short. See, Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody turned out to be two of the nicest and coolest people I have met. When I first got there, Jason, who by the way was wearing a Ghostbusters t-shirt, commented on my tattoos. (For those that don't know, I have quite a few tattoos of comic book characters) and then Diablo walked in and literally screamed when she saw the tattoo of Rogue from the X-Men on my leg. So a good amount of the alloted time was spent chatting about tattoos, the IMDB and truck driving. For those interested, I will be posting the full interview with all the chit chat on www.velvetropereviews.com in the near future.



ME: In Juno. how hard was it to ride that line between being funny and being serious?

Diablo Cody: You know, that’s always really tough. Originally I didn’t really set out to write a comedy strictly. And then it was my first screenplay, so I was still kind of discovering myself as a writer. As I moved forward I realized it definitely had a comedic voice to it. It was difficult because I always wanted it to be a little dark, and I always wanted it to be a little emotional but not too much so, so it was challenging. But the great thing about having a director who really understand the material is that he is very good at establishing tone, and so that perfect balance that you speak of is achieved.

ME: I didn’t see a lot that was dark, there were some little things….

DC: Yeah, not much left. Put it this way, I never imagined a cheerful orange and white poster when I was writing this movie. But Jason really brightened it up, and I’m glad that he did.

ME: I understand that you wrote a book so this becoming not quite a celebrity but more and more popular is kinda new, right?

DC: Yeah

ME: How has that treated you, and are you happy or do you wish you could go back?

DC: I’m incredibly happy, but at the same time it is a double edged sword, because you are praised and criticized in equal measure when you become a somewhat public figure.

Chit chat about IMDB

ME to Jason Reitman: You did a survey for the site trashwire.com for Thank You For Smoking. I was intrigued by one of your answers. I’m not a big fan of documentaries but This Film Has Not Yet Been Rated is one of my favorites. You had mentioned that if you had a billion dollars you would buy the MPAA and change how they do things. Have you had some kind of negative dealings with them?

JR: No no no, the MPAA has been very good to me. I don’t like a nanny state in film. I don’t like being told what to do, I don’t think people should be told what to do, I think people should be left to make decisions for themselves. That is somewhat at the core of both of my films, that people should be left to their own decisions.

Chat about This Film Has Not Yet Been Rated (which Cody hadn't seen yet) and the MPAA, and JR and DC chatting about their schedule, and truck driving

ME: I gotta ask, what kind of cool shit is going to be on the DVD?

JR: All kinds of cool shit. Deleted scenes, the original screen tests for the actors, there’s a music video that we cut together, there’s a blooper reel with a fake fight between me and Rainn Wilson, there’s a whole documentary on Diablo going from an internet blogger to a screen writer, some behind the scenes things. There’s like a Mystery Science Theater 3000 thing, Diablo and I deconstructing a scene like over our shoulders inside a movie theater. There’s tons of cool shit.

ME: I’ve always been a fan of the special features. Nowadays that’s more than half the reason to buy a DVD.

JR: The cool thing is, also, when you pee on the DVD case it tells you if you’re pregnant.

(laughter)

ME: Is it harder to direct established actors such as Bateman and Garner or younger talent like Cera and Page who are starting to make names for themselves?

JR: You know, every case is different, but on this film everything was easy. It was a delight with Jen, who’s very professional and very warm. And Jason is like the funniest guy you could have on set, so they make it very easy. And then Ellen and Michael are so easy going but so good and just tuning in to the perfect tone that there’s not many adjustments. You asked earlier about tonal adjustments….frankly that’s what made this movie so easy to do is that the actors were always kind of right there on the line and the adjustments that I would make would be very minor.

ME: Since Hollywood seems to be very sequel happy these days, at the drop of a hat for movies that really don’t deserve them, what you would see happening in a sequel?

DC: It’s hard for me to say because I feel so protective of the characters and I love them so much that I really want to freeze them in time and I don’t want them to have to go forward and experience any more.

JR: You talked a little bit about it…you know how Mark becomes an astronaut.

DC: Oh yeah, Mark becomes an astronaut.

JR: And he actually is the first guy to walk on Mars.

DC: It’s called Mission to Mark.

(laughter)

JR: And Vanessa and the baby actually become a singing duo, and they take their act on the road and they go worldwide. But then it’s actually kind of heartbreaking because they get into a fight over like are they artists or do they create product, and it breaks them apart which is kind of sad. Juno becomes an ice cream inventor for Baskin Robbins and works as a scientist inventing flavors of ice cream.

ME: I missed the screening last night but I figured that seeing it twice in one month was enough. How many times have you guys seen it?

JR: I edited it so for a few months I constantly was watching it.

ME: Once you’re all done with this, all the promotions and the DVD is out, how long does it usually take before you go back and watch it. Like how long has it been since you watched Thank You For Smoking just for the hell of it?

JR: Start to finish? I have not watched it completely through. If it’s on TV I’ll watch a scene or two, but it’s a little hard to watch. I would watch it with an audience if they’re liking it. Like if they were going to put it in theaters for a night I would totally go.

And we chatted for a few minutes about Cody's upcoming project Jennifer's Body, but that is a story for another time.

Movie Review: Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story by ME

Title: Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Starring: John C. Reilly, Jenna Fischer, Kristen Wiig, Tim Meadows, Raymond J. Barry
Directed By: Jake Kasdan
Produced By: Lewis Morton, Judd Apatow, Jake Kasdan
Genre: Comedy, Musical/Performing Arts and Biopic
Running Time: 1 hr. 36 min.
Release Date: December 21st, 2007 (wide)
MPAA Rating: R for sexual content, graphic nudity, drug use and language.
Distributors: Sony Pictures Releasing

My Rating: 7 out of 10

Dewey Cox knows the blues. From a childhood accident that left his brother cut in half to two failed marriages, from a father who shuns him to an evil addiction to drugs, Dewey feels the blues. This is his story.

Sounds like a biopic like Walk The Line doesn't it? Well, if you have been hiding under a rock the last few weeks and haven't seen any of the ads for Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, then let me tell you, it isn't. Walk Hard parodies Walk The Line and many other biopics. With sight gags that go beyond the crowning scene in Knocked Up to witty phrasings in song, Walk Hard is a solid effort that falls just shy of the mark made by Team Apatow's earlier efforts. That's not to say that it isn't a funny film, but it lacks the heart of Superbad, Knocked Up and The 40 Year Old Virgin.



Maybe I am putting too much blame on Apatow. Jake Kasdan, the director, could still be considered a little wet behind the ears with only Walk Hard, The TV Set, Orange County and Zero Effect under his belt film wise. To give him credit where deserved, he also directed a few episodes of Freaks and Geeks, the cult classic TV show that was the launching point for many of Apatow's regulars.



John C. Reilly really doesn't seem to be the kind of actor that should be able to play the lead in any film, and he covers that fact well. Reilly also wrote and sang most of the music in the film, which is quite impressive on it's own. What really helps is the supporting cast, most of which are familiar. Jenna Fischer, Kristen Wiig, Tim Meadows, David Krumholtz, Harold Ramis, Martin Starr and a few more all add their little pieces that add up to help Reilly make Walk Hard a decent comedy. Some nice cameos as well. Look for Frankie Muniz as Buddy Holly and Jack White as Elvis. And the best, Jack Black, Jonathan Schwartzman, Paul Rudd and Justin Long as The Beatles.



Final thoughts – While not one I would buy for my collection, Walk Hard is, at it's core, a funny movie that delivers the laughs, but falls short in character development. And I must warn you, there are a few shots of male full frontal nudity along with very suggestive, but very funny, lyrics in a few of the songs.

Keep reading,

Mitch Emerson
mitchemerson@hotmail.com

DVD Review: Angel-A by JR

Angel-A

Directed by: Luc Besson

Starring: Jamel Dubbouze, Rie Rasmussen

MPAA Rating: R for language and sexual content

DVD Release Date: November 20, 2007

Luc Besson is one of the most exciting filmmakers around. He’s given us Leon the Professional, La Femme Nikita, The Fifth Element, District B13, and many others. When I gear up to watch a Luc Besson film, I know that there will be crazy camera shots, fun relatable characters, and great action. He’s becoming one of my favorites. So when I first saw the trailers for “Angel-A”, I was naturally excited. The negative reviews didn’t deter me one bit, I was determined to see this movie.

“Angel-A” is about Andre, a gambling ne’er-do-well who just can’t seem to catch a break from the many many people he owes money to. In a desperate attempt to end his life, and in a scene reminiscent of “It’s a Wonderful Life”, Andre attempts to leap off of a bridge to his impending death, only to be stopped when a beautiful leggy blonde jumps off right before he does. She says her name is Angela, and she’s a chain smoking “sexy bitch” who claims that since Andre has saved her life, she must save his.

The unlikely pair weave in and out of black and white bleak and deserted Parisian streets, knocking out Andre’s debt one by one. Angela appears to be either a smooth talker or a prostitute. Andre’s not quite sure which.

The acting in this movie had to work in order for the movie to work. Andre and Angela are on screen by themselves for most of the movie. Andre, played by “Amelie”’s Jamel Debbouze, is perfect in this part. Most of it has to do with how he looks. He just looks like a very clueless guy who would be down on his luck. He looks dirty and disheveled and naïve. Angela, played by relatively unknown Rie Rasmussen, is perfect as well. She’s beautiful, but very aloof. You never know exactly what she’s thinking. She’s very flirtatious with just about everyone, but clearly favors Andre. The two of them together make a very strange but sweet pair.

The film is shot entirely in black and white, for what reason I do not know, but it’s gorgeous. Paris never looked so sad and deserted than it does in this film. The shots are bleak but full. Not a detail is unnoticed. The signature Luc Besson filmmaking style is easily spotted as well with the jerky shots around the characters, and the spectacular filming of the climactic ending.

With all of the things this film has going for it, it should be better than it is. The script has it’s moments of charm and wit, but for the most part is pretty dull. It’s very unfortunate, especially with all of the potential that this film has going for it.

If you’re a Luc Besson like me, this one should be a no-brainer. If you missed it in theaters, go rent it now. If not, skip it and go for one of the better Luc Besson films. Even with this semi-flop, he’s a director to keep your eyes peeled for.

3 out of 5 stars
Jenny Rushing

beccajane67@yahoo.com

Movie Review: Enchanted by JR

Enchanted
Starring: Amy Adams, Julie Andrews, James Marsden, Susan Sarandon, Patrick Dempsey, Idina Menzel
Directed by: Kevin Lima
MPAA rating: PG for some scary scenes and mild innuendo
Release Date: November 21, 2007

Every Disney Princess movie is essentially the same, right? Princess to be lives in poverty, meets a prince, the next day they get married and live happily ever after. “Enchanted” begins like a typical Disney Princess movie, only there’s a hurdle to jump over to get to the “married” and the “happily ever after”. The Princess-to-be, Giselle, is hated by the Princely-Hubby-to-be’s wicked stepmother, and as she is tra-la-ing to her wedding, she is pushed down a wishing well and lands in New York City where she is no longer a cartoon and nothing is “happily ever after”.

There have been many attempts at a fractured fairy tale. Some have been hits, “The Princess Bride”, and some have been misses, “Happily N’Ever After” and “Hoodwinked”. This one is a hit out of the ballpark. The satire is pitch perfect, never dry or dated. The jokes are laugh out loud funny, not roll your eyes babyish. It makes fun of every Disney movie out there while still being the type of movie it makes fun of. It’s hysterical! My favorite cliché they make fun of is the woodland animals that help the Princess-to-be a la “Snow White” and “Cinderella”. In “Enchanted”, woodland creatures come to help Giselle whenever she calls for them by singing out the window. Only when she makes it to New York, other kinds of…animals…come to help her clean. I won’t give it away, but the audience loved it!

Most recently, Amy Adams has received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance as Giselle, and let me tell you, even though she’s going up against some heavy hitters like Marion Cottilard for “La Vie en Rose”, the nomination is well-deserved. She’s adorable as the wide-eyed, happy-go-lucky, spontaneous-song-singing Giselle. There is no doubt that she is a princess and she’s just lost. She’s a joy to watch, literally. I had a grin plastered to my face through the entire movie. Other notable cast members include James Marsden as the goofy yet charming Prince, Susan Sarandon as the wicked stepmother, Patrick Dempsey aka McDreamy as the single father who tries to help Giselle get back to wherever she’s from, Julie Andrews as the Narrator, and, my favorite, Idina Menzel (Wicked) as Patrick Dempsey’s girlfriend. What a cast! Everyone is on top of their game here and looking like they’re having the time of their lives in these roles.

The music is also excellent. For you musical lovers, there’s a great scene in which Giselle bursts into song in the middle of Central Park and gets everyone involved in a huge song and dance number. It’s so much fun! We were dancing in our seats along with them. The soundtrack is a must for every Disney fan.

If you’ve not seen “Enchanted” yet, the holidays are the perfect time to do so. Most of us are with family and that usually includes children. This movie is a great choice for children of all ages. We took my 13 year old cousin and she loved it just as much if not more than my five year old little girl. In fact, my dad liked it probably more than anyone. This movie is for everyone. I can’t wait to see it again.

4.5 out of 5 stars (because I’m biased towards musicals and Disney)
Jenny Rushing
beccajane67@yahoo.com

Movie Review: I Am Legend by ME

Title: I Am Legend
Starring: Will Smith, Alice Braga, Dash Mihok, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Charlie Tahan
Directed By: Francis Lawrence
Produced By: Erwin Stoff, Michael Tadross, Dana Goldberg
Genre: Action/Adventure, Science Fiction/Fantasy and Adaptation
Release Date: December 14th, 2007 (wide)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence.
Distributors: Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution

Disappointed. That is how I Am Legend left me feeling. Kind of like opening the greatest Christmas present ever and finding that the batteries didn't come with it and every single store is closed.

It's 2012, Robert Neville (Will Smith), is the last survivor living in New York after the “cure” for cancer mutated the rest of the population into bloodthirsty, light sensitive monsters. During the day he hunts and hits golf balls with his dog while waiting for other survivors to find him. But at night, he hides in fear of the mutated population that wants to kill him. Why? We don't know. And, Neville just happens to be a scientist trying to find a cure.

I Am Legend starts strong, with sweeping shots of a New York city gone to seed, slowly being reclaimed by nature. We learn what Neville does every day with little spots of Will Smith's trademark humor. Intermittently told through flashbacks and dreams is the story of what happened to the world and Neville's family in particular.

Will Smith does a great job of carrying the film pretty much on his own, being that he is the only actor onscreen during most of the film. By taking mannequins and posing them in a video store, he creates some semblance of the way life used to be. While this could be construed as crazy, you can plainly see that this is just a step in keeping his own sanity. He does have the required crying scene that seems to be in most of his recent films, but it is understandable in this film and I won't penalize Smith for it this time. Not much more can be said about the cast except for a neat little cameo by Emma Thompson as the Dr. who found the “cure”. Also, fans of the Sci-Fi Channel's Eureka may recognize Salli Blake. She plays Smith's wife in the flashbacks and is Allison Blake on Eureka.

Before I get to why the movie was disappointing, I want to say that the first three quarters were really good. It takes a combination of talents to keep a movie with mostly only one cast member interesting. Director Francis Lawrence coupled with Will Smith does this quite well. The effects are top notch. New York looks extremely creepy, reminiscent of the establishing shots of London in 28 Weeks Later but with the style of WETA's work on Peter Jacksons King Kong. The creatures are creepy without looking too dehumanized.

What doesn't work is the end. Feeling truncated and incomplete, I Am Legend could have easily added another twenty minutes to it's running time of an hour and forty minutes to provide a better sense of closure. I can't say any more without giving it away, sorry.

Notice that there was no mention of any of the other versions of this film. There have been two others, Omega Man starring Charleton Heston and The Last Man On Earth, starring Vincent Price. All three films were based on the novel by Richard Matheson, he who has penned What Dreams May Come and The Incredible Shrinking Man, among others. There was no mention because I haven't seen any of the others or read the book. Plan and simple.

All in all, I cared more for the dog than I did Robert Neville. What does that tell you?

Until Will Smith really is the last man on earth,
keep reading

Mitch Emerson
mitchemerson@hotmail.com

DVD Review: La Vie En Rose by JR

La Vie en Rose (La Môme)

Directed by: Oliver Dahan

Starring: Marion Cotillard, Gerard Depardieu, Sylvie Testud, Jean-Pierre Martins

MPAA Rating: PG-13, for substance abuse, sexual content, brief nudity, language and thematic elements

DVD Release Date: November 13, 2007

*Spoilers*

Edith Piaf has become an icon of France with her powerful voice that transcends language. Even if the name Edith Piaf doesn't ring a bell, her most famous song "La Vie En Rose" will most definitely be familiar. The song is synonymous with France and is heard in everything from trailers for "Ratatouille" and even "Hairspray". The song is THAT famous. "La Vie En Rose" = France; Edith Piaf = France. What most people don't know is the life behind the icon. The film gives a look into the tumultuous life of this famed French singer.

The film follows Edith Piaf's life from early childhood to her death in 1963. She was abandoned as a young child by her mother, and then again by her father, and had to live in a cabaret, raised by the women who worked there. She grew so attached to the women of the night that when her father comes to get her, years later, she doesn't want to leave them. As an older teen, she is singing on the streets of Paris with a friend, when she is discovered by nightclub owner Luplee (Gerard Depardieu). He dubs her "The Little Sparrow", "La Mome Piaf", and this is where she makes her big break. Later, she is a big star performing at huge theaters across France and the US. She eventually meets the love of her life, a married French boxer named Marcel Cerdan, with whom she has an affair for years. She becomes addicted to drugs and alchohol, which age her beyond her years, and she dies at the early age of 47 of liver cancer.

The story of Edith Piaf's life is told mostly through long flashbacks, sometimes making it difficult to follow the timeline. But this doesn't take away from the movie at all, in my opinion. I was totally engrossed in the film from beginning to end, even with the long two and a half hour run time.

It is hard to talk about this film at all without mentioning Marion Cotillard's performance. Every actor in this film is perfect in their role, but Marion Cotillard is heaven-sent. I've been a huge fan of hers since "Love Me If You Dare", but this film will put her on the map. Oscar buzz has been building since this film debuted at Cannes and for good reason. If Cotillard is overlooked for Best Actress, I'll be shocked. She doesn't sing in the film, the director Oliver Dahan didn't think Piaf's distinctive voice could be replicated, but she lip synchs like nobody's business. If you're like me and you chuckled a bit that lip synching could be noteable, watch the film. You'll see. She looks like she's singing. She looks like she's feeling the emotion that Piaf felt. Lip synching aside, Cotillard is immaculate in the range of emotion that is required to play a real-life character like Piaf. My favorite scene by far is the tragic scene in which her lover dies. I was sobbing along with her, heck, I might start sobbing again right now just thinking about it. It's one of the most powerfully acted scenes ever.

This film is powerful, and Edith Piaf's voice is infectious. Even without knowing a lick of French, I purchased the soundtrack for this film and am singing along phonetically in my car. The music is that good. Following in the footsteps of Will Smith in "Ali" and Jamie Foxx in "Ray", Marion Cotillard's performance as Edith Piaf is one that the Academy will surely not overlook. She is hypnotizing. She is mesmerizing. She IS Edith Piaf.

4 out of 5 stars

Jenny Rushing

beccajane67@yahoo.com

Movie Review: Awake by DN

Awake (2007)
Starring: Hayden Christensen, Jessica Alba, Lena Olin, & Terrence Howard
Directed by: Joby Harold
Genre: Drama/Thriller
MPAA Rating: R for language, an intense disturbing situation, and brief drug use.
Release Date: November 30, 2007

In "Awake," a psychological thriller that tells the story of a man (Christensen) undergoing heart surgery while experiencing a phenomenon called "anesthetic awareness," which leaves him awake but paralyzed throughout the operation. As various obstacles present themselves, his wife (Alba) must make life-altering decisions while wrestling with her own personal drama.

Going in to this film, I was skeptical of the acting prowess of both Alba and Christensen, knowing that they've both left me feeling less than satisfied in the past. What I found was right on, in that their acting is it's usual cut and dry, monotone, walk through. It feels that both Christensen and Alba are just going through the processes while filming this movie. On the offset, you have screen and stage veteran Lena Olin, who shines as the mother of Christensen's character, and Terrence Howard, who once again proves he is a dark horse of acting ability.

The story revolves around how Clayton Beresford (Christensen), remains awake while under anesthesia, hearing the plotting and planning of his corrupt and crooked surgeons, who are planning on killing him during open heart surgery. Before watching the film, I had a strong thought in my head for what the purpose of the murder would be, and at the time I was not only skeptical of it, I was disappointed it. Disappointed with my own idea... fortunately, I was shocked to find the real reason behind the homicide. This would be only the first of a couple shocking twists and turns, which would find myself and most of the other the theater-goers on the edge of our seats.

Once you get the past horrid acting of the two main characters, you'll find yourself immersed in a story of intrigue and suspicion, which in the end gives great pay off, and left me feeling quite satisfied. I give Awake 3.5 out of 5 stars.