Movie/TV Reviews

Susan Granger’s review of “Bee Season” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

While the psychological aspects of this dysfunctional “perfect family” saga may have played out well in Myla Goldberg’s critically acclaimed best-seller, they fizzle on the screen.
Set in Oakland, California, the complex story revolves around an 11 year-old spelling whiz, Eliza Naumann (Flora Cross), whose upper middle-class parents – a controlling father (Richard Gere) and a conflicted mother (Juliette Binoche) – at first are far too self-absorbed to realize that she’s not only won local spelling bees but qualifies for the state finals which, if she wins, will place her in a national competition. Only her older brother (Max Minghella) is supportive. But when it becomes obvious that Eliza is truly gifted, she becomes the pivotal player. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, elusive, unexpected family secrets are gradually, dramatically, revealed.
Naomi Fonel Gyllenhaal’s screenplay starts in one direction then, disconcertingly, veers off, dipping into obscure mysticism. Despite the dreamy, lyrical visual tone set by cinematographer Giles Nuttgens and designer Kelly McGehee, co-directors Scott McGhee and David Siegel neglect the emotional resonance and insight into spiritual fulfillment, concentrating instead on the concept’s cerebral aspects, particularly 13th century Kabbalistic rituals and “Tikkun Olam,” a Hebrew phrase which means “to repair the world.” As a Jewish biblical scholar who teaches at Berkeley, Richard Gere seems totally miscast while Juliette Binoche is simply cryptic, not even deeply mysterious. Flora Cross is charming, as is Max Minghella (director Anthony’s son) and, in a supporting role, Kate Bosworth. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Bee Season” is a confusing, frustrating 5. Do yourself a favor: read the book. I did – after seeing the movie.

Susan Granger’s review of “Pride & Prejudice” (Focus Features Release)

You may groan at another adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic novel but, actually, this is only the second movie version, the first dating back to 1940 with Laurence Olivier and Greer Garson. In class-conscious England in the late 18th century, Mrs. Bennet (Brenda Blethlyn) is determined to acquire rich, socially proper husbands for her five daughters: Jane (Rosamund Pike), Elizabeth (Keira Knightley), Lydia (Jena Malone), Mary (Talulah Riley) and Kitty (Carey Mulligan), much to the bemusement of her husband (Donald Sutherland). So when a wealthy bachelor, Mr. Bingley (Simon Woods), moves nearby and takes a fancy to beautiful Jane, his snobbish friend, Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen), seems like a match for feisty Elizabeth but he’s not impressed by her. Sparks fly – and soon a crisis of misunderstanding is precipitated by a thoroughly repugnant suitor (Tom Hollander) and Darcy’s wealthy, imperious aunt (Judi Dench).

Screenwriter Deborah Moggach has diluted Austen’s caustic social commentary into turgid melodrama, while director Joe Wright concentrates on the stunning costumes, sets and scenery, sumptuously photographed by Roman Osin. While Keira Knightley has a sly, coltish charm, stodgy, sullen Matthew Macfadyen stomps around; he’s supposed to be socially awkward but he’s also quite lacking in appeal – as is that scene involving a pig’s testicles. Donald Sutherland, Brenda Blethlyn and Judi Dench easily steal scenes from the novices around them. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Pride & Prejudice” is a stilted yet sentimental 6, leaving one feeling more depressed than elated. Instead, rent the 1995 BBC mini-series with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle or, for a bizarre Bollywood twist, Gurinder Chada’s “Bride & Prejudice” (2004).

Susan Granger’s review of “The Island” (DreamWorks)

As a critic, I feel it’s imperative to evaluate a movie by comparing the results to what the film-maker set out to do. An action/thriller should, for example, be thrilling and filled with action. That’s just what director Michael Bay delivers here – with an added fillip of provocative premise. Set in the not-too-distant future of July, 2019, the story begins in a self-contained bio-tech community where “agnates,” or clones, are harvested to provide spare parts for their elite human “sponsors.” Chemically balanced to insure good health, minus a sex drive, they’re implanted with memory chips, programmed and minimally educated to keep them polite, pleasant and peaceful as they await a lottery win to go to “The Island,” where they think they’ll live happily ever after. Except Lincoln Six-Echo (Ewan McGregor), a clone who’s curious about his environment, much to the consternation of the center’s unethical mastermind (Sean Bean). When Lincoln sneaks into the medical facility and, inadvertently, discovers the truth, he grabs his friend, Jordan Two-Delta (Scarlett Johansson), and escapes into the Arizona desert. With the humorous help of a facility worker (Steve Buscemi), they head to Los Angeles where both of their sponsors live. Following them in hot pursuit is a zealous Special Forces-trained mercenary (Djimon Hounsou). Working from a script by Caspian Tredwell-Owen, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci that evokes themes from “Logan’s Run” and “Minority Report,” among others, Michael Bay (“Pearl Harbor,” “Armageddon”) delivers cool stunts, chaotic car chases and noisy explosions, while the credible A-list actors elevate the derivative melodrama. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “The Island” kicks in with a high-octane 8 while ominously reflecting on genetic cloning.

Susan Granger’s review of “Wedding Crashers” (New Line Cinema)

Everyone seems to be looking for laughs these hot, sticky days, yet they’re few and far between. So if you found “Old School,” “Animal House,” “There’s Something About Mary” and “American Pie” funny, then this R-rated farce is for you. John Beckwith (Owen Wilson) and Jeremy Klein (Vince Vaughn) are divorce arbitrators who amuse themselves by crashing weddings, an event they’ve discovered that causes women to “throw their inhibitions to the wind.” Seduction is what’s on their minds as they win vulnerable feminine hearts by dancing with the flower girl and extolling the virtues of Oprah’s book club. This is chronicled in a cleverly-edited montage at Irish, Italian, Greek and Jewish nuptials. All’s well until the womanizers crash a Washington D.C. politico wedding in which they become romantically involved with the two bridesmaid daughters (Rachel McAdams, Isla Fisher) of U.S. Treasury Secretary William Cleary (Christopher Walken) and his sex-starved wife (Jane Seymour) and get invited for a weekend at the family home on the Chesapeake Bay. (Think of the naughty but legendary Kennedy mayhem and hi-jinks at the Hyannis compound.) Screenwriters Steve Faber and Bob Fisher, along with director David Dobkin (“Shanghai Knights”), relish the off-color raunchiness of this buddy comedy, obviously encouraging Wilson and Vaughn to ad-lib amusingly and indulge in riffs on masturbation, adultery, nudity, even gay bondage, all heavily peppered with political satire and profanity. And Will Ferrell makes a brief appearance. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “The Wedding Crashers” is a sophomoric 7. Yeah, it’s contrived and formulaic but – for those who enjoy this kind of humor – it’s also fun.

Susan Granger’s review of “March of the Penguins” (Warner Independent Pictures)

French filmmaker Luc Jacquet’s nature documentary, narrated by Morgan Freeman, delves into the reproductive lives of the emperor penguins of Antarctica, a barren expanse that explorer Ernest Shackleton described as “the coldest, windiest, driest and darkest continent on the planet.” Each year, emperor penguins who have reached the age of five leave the relative safety of the coastal sea to waddle purposefully 70 miles inland in a single-file procession to their traditional breeding ground where the ice is thick enough to make sure the newborns don’t drown. After mating, the female produces a single egg and transfers the nurturing process to the male. While the weary females trudge back to the sea to fill their empty bellies, the males huddle together, waiting for their mates to return. Often the females die, either from exhaustion or from predators like leopard seals, orcas and giant gull-like petrels. Then the hungry males trek back to the coast. Many chicks die or lose one parent or both during these arduous, repeated journeys back-and-forth in the 71 degrees below zero temperature with winds up to 150-mph. Once one accepts the appeal of Luc Jacquet’s choice to anthropomorphize the penguins’ nobility, there’s both comedy and drama in their odyssey, amplified by Alex Wurman’s upbeat score. These plump, black-and-white birds with a hint of orange on their faces are quite fascinating to watch so, after filming in 16mm for 13 months, the director, cinematographers, editor and writer knew they had a real survival story, a literal race against time. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “March of the Penguins” is an eye-popping, endearing 9. If you loved last year’s “Winged Migration,” you’ll enjoy this G-rated, family-friendly entertainment too.

Susan Granger’s review of “Bad News Bears” (Paramount Pictures)

Billy Bob Thornton somewhat cleans up his slovenly, cynical “Bad Santa” persona and trots it onto the baseball field in this remake. Somewhat because there’s still more vulgarity and profanity than most parents would prefer and more than enough to delight its PG-13 audience. Thornton plays Morris Buttermaker, a former player-turned-surly, slothful exterminator, who is bribed by a manipulative single mom (Marcia Gay Harden) to turn 12 athletically challenged youngsters into a viable team. The Bears roster includes fastball pitcher Amanda Whurlitzer (Sammi Kane Kraft); bad boy Kelly Leak (Jeff Davies); bratty Tanner Boyle (Timmy Deters); Garo Daragebrigadian (Jeffrey Tedmori) with his Armenian family; Mark McGwire-obsessed Ahman Abdul Rahim (Kenneth “K.C.” Harris); nerdy Prem Lahiri (Aman Johal), who keeps his stats on a laptop; pudgy catcher Mike Engelberg (Brandon Craggs); shy Timmy Lupus (Tyler Patrick Jones); Spanish-speaking brothers (Carlos and Emmanuel Estrada); the lawyer’s son (Ridge Canipe) and paraplegic Matthew Hooper (Troy Gentile) in his wheelchair. Their longtime rivals are the league-champion Yankees, coached by smug, smarmy Ray Bullock (Greg Kinnear). Addressing the issue of overscheduled children and parents, Glenn Ficarra & John Requa’s (“Bad Santa”) updated, expletive-laden version of the late Bill Lancaster’s subversive 1976 screenplay, helmed by Richard Linklater (“School of Rock”), cleverly maneuvers Thornton’s irascibility into the sardonic, Schlitz-chugging slob created by the late Walter Matthau – and the kids have distinctive, memorable personalities. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Bad News Bears” is an incongruously politically incorrect 8, a raunchy, laugh-out-loud funny movie.

Susan Granger’s review of “Must Love Dogs” (Warner Bros.)

Diane Lane is an accomplished actress who’s married – off-screen – to hunky Josh Brolin. But, on-screen, her haunting yet unassuming beauty epitomizes conflicted, often unrequited romance. Remember “Under the Tuscan Sun”? As the opening scene here unfolds to the musical strains of “When Will I Be Loved?” – it’s obvious that is yet another schmaltzy, angst-filled story of how family, friendship, compassion and love can come together, even in the most improbable way. Sarah Nolan (that’s Lane) is a nursery school teacher whose husband left her for a younger woman. It’s been eight months since the divorce and her family stages a dating intervention. Her sisters (Elizabeth Perkins, Ali Hillis) are pushing her back into the game, pointing out how their widowed father (Christopher Plummer) is reaping rewards via Internet dating and placing an ad for Sarah on perfectmatch.com. After some preliminary misfortunes, two eligible suitors surface.  There’s an intense, idealistic boat builder, Jake Anderson (John Cusack), who handcrafts wooden racing sculls and neurotically measures real-life romance against the devotion in “Dr. Zhivago,” and Bob Connor (Dermot Mulroney), the seemingly perfect, newly separated dad of one of her young students. And the “must love dogs” gimmick quickly disintegrates. Basing his screenplay on Claire Cook’s best-seller, writer/director Gary David Goldberg never succumbs to the utter predictability of the plot. Instead, he relishes the poignancy and comedic individuality of his quirky characters and the family dynamic. The closeknit ensemble enchants, particularly irresistible Stockard Channing in a supporting role. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Must Love Dogs” is a charming, sweet 7. It wraps a leash around your heart.

Susan Granger’s review of “Happy Endings” (Lions Gate Films)

Writer/director Don Roos (“The Opposite of Sex”) interweaves several stories about sex and its consequences and the search for the contentment that comes between two lonely souls who connect. And even though the film begins with a car crash, he assures us, “No one dies in this movie, not on screen. It’s a comedy, sort of.” I’d say it was more of a comedic drama, sort of. There’s Mamie (Lisa Kudrow), an abortion-clinic counselor who, as an unmarried teen, gave up her baby boy for adoption. Her Latino immigrant boyfriend, Javier (Bobby Cannavale), is living a double-life. And Nicky (Jesse Bradford), a sleazy documentary filmmaker, threatens to expose him and extort her if she refuses to allow him to film a reunion between her and her son. Meanwhile, Mamie’s British step-brother Charley (Steve Coogan) is involved with Gil (David Sutcliffe), who socks a lesbian mother Pam (Laura Dern) and her partner (Sarah Clarke) with a custody suit over Max, their two year-old. Then there’s the free-spirited aspiring pop singer, Jude (Maggie Gyllenhaal), who seduces young Otis (Jason Ritter), a closeted gay drummer, in order to meet his wealthy widower father Frank (Tom Arnold), as she manipulates one against the other. Curiously, all of these contrived characters are interconnected as their convoluted stories overlap. Complicated? Yes. Compelling? Somewhat – if you’re not annoyed by Roos’ persistent observations that serve as glib, yet intrusive commentaries. The ensemble cast meshes – with the most memorable performances delivered by Maggie Gyllenhaal and Lisa Kudrow, who once again successfully sheds her “Friends” image. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Happy Endings” is a wryly heart-tugging 7. To paraphrase Shakespeare, all’s well that ends well.

Susan Granger’s review of “Sky High” (Walt Disney Pictures)

If you thought Hogwarts was the only secret school for extraordinary kids, welcome to Sky High, where superheroes’ offspring face bullies, cliques and the inevitable pressure to fit in. Will Stronghold (Michael Angarano) is the son of red, white and blue-suited Commander Stronghold (Kurt Russell) and high-flying Josie Jetstream (Kelly Preston), a crimefighting duo who pose as suburban realtors as they work to uncover the “supervillain infiltration of the IRS.” As a gawky adolescent, Will is expected to display some superpowers of his own but, so far, none have appeared. So on the first day of school, when Coach Boomer (Bruce Campbell) conducts his demeaning power placement, Will doesn’t qualify for the “Hero” track; instead, he is shunted into the humiliating “Sidekick” division. “Maybe you’re a late bloomer,” consoles Nurse Spex (Cloris Leachman), who has X-ray vision. But Will and his misfit mates persevere, proving that they, too, have admirable abilities. Lesson learned: there is a “hero” in everyone. Screenwriters Paul Hernandez, Bob Schooley & Mark McCorkle and director Mike Mitchell cheerfully pilfer J.K. Rowling’s ideas, among others, to create a hybrid superhero/John Hughes coming-of-age, teen culture where the kids arrive at school in a flying bus. Producer Andrew Gunn aptly describes it as “‘The Breakfast Club’ with capes,” as Danielle Panabaker, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Dee-Jay Daniels, Nicholas Braun, Kelly Vitz and Steven Strait, as rebellious Warren Peace, take center stage. In a self-consciously clever cameo, Lynda Carter appears as the school principal, quipping, “I’m not Wonder Woman, y’know.” On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Sky High” is an amusing, yet cheesy 6, geared primarily to a pubescent audience.

Susan Granger’s review of “Stealth” (Columbia Tri-Star)

It’s hard to believe that, after winning the Oscar for “Ray,” Jamie Foxx plays a brainless jock in this kind of idiotic, bottom-of-the-barrel, explosive action flick that tackles global terrorism. As Henry Purcell, he’s part of an elite trio of Navy fliers that includes cocky Ben Gannon (Josh Lucas) and sexy Kara Wade (Jessica Biel). They’ve been chosen by their C.O., Captain George Cummings (Sam Shepard), to be part of an anti-terrorism pilot program and dispatched aboard the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln in the Philippine Sea. But then they’re joined by a fourth jet aircraft, an ultra-secret unmanned vehicle called EDI (Extreme Deep Invader) that’s controlled by an advanced artificial intelligence. “Meet your new wingman,” says Capt. Cummings. But when the EDI (pronounced “Eddie”), dubbed “Tin Man” by its cohorts, is struck by lightning after completing its first mission, the eavesdropping drone goes berserk, disobeying orders and following its prime directive – “to survive” – perhaps at the expense of the people of Tajikistan. “Leave me alone,” the rogue robot intones, risking a worldwide nuclear Armageddon. W.D. Richter’s predictable script takes off on the enigmatic computer HAL that went off-line in Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey,” so director Rob Cohen (“The Fast and the Furious”) spends his mega-$130-million budget on airborne special effects, primarily utilizing a technological advance called Tergen (terrain generator), developed by Digital Domain. As Talon Top Guns, the actors – all three of them – are expendable in the adrenaline rush but you’d think that a Pulitzer prize-winning playwright like Shepard would have better judgment. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Stealth” is a noisy, frenetic 3. It’s a bomb.