Movie/TV Reviews

Tying the Knot

Susan Granger’s review of “Tying the Knot” (Roadside Attractions)

Unlike Michael Moore’s highly politicized “Fahrenheit 9/11,” Jim De Seve’s documentary examines a hot-button issue that seemingly divides the American people – same-sex marriage – and draws on experts to set the contemporary debate within a cultural and historical context. Presenting the point-of-view that the deliberation over marriage equality is a civil rights issue, as opposed to a choice of lifestyle or values, it delves deeply into two personal stories. In Florida, the union of two police officers was obviously accepted; home movies from 1991 show a religious ceremony uniting the lesbians, dressed in matching tuxedos. Yet when one was killed in 2001, the other was afforded spousal burial honors but denied spousal pension benefits. In Oklahoma, when his partner of 22 years died, a gay man was denied the ranch they shared that was specifically bequeathed to him. The case rested on a technicality, a missing third signature, but an cousin was allowed to claim the property and sue the survivor for back rent. Historian EJ Graff shows how economics, not love, determined marriage for thousands of years. Only since the Industrial Revolution, in fact, has affection led to wedlock. In rebuttal, James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, condemns homosexual partnerships, along with Congressman Bob Barr, and President George Bush advocates a Constitutional Ammendment barring same-sex marriage. What’s most impressive are the many historical and legal parallels to the fight for interracial marriage in America. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Tying the Knot” is an ironic, powerful 8, delving beneath the bluster and bigotry to explore what the institution of marriage really means within the context of today’s society.

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Shark Tale

Movie/TV Reviews / Susan

Susan Granger’s review of “Shark Tale” (DreamWorks)

In the undersea city known as the Reef, jive-talking Oscar (Will Smith) is at the bottom of the food chain. Working at the Whale Wash, he’s finding it difficult to pay off the 5,000 clams he owes to Sykes (Martin Scorsese), a puffer fish in cahoots with the Mob that’s headed by the great white shark Don Lino (Robert DeNiro). This watery Godfather has two sons: vicious Frankie (Michael Imperioli) and sensitive, sweet-natured Lenny (Jack Black), who’s a closet vegetarian. When an anchor drops and accidentally kills Frankie, Oscar happens to be nearby. Grasping for glory, he claims to be the “shark slayer” and becomes the reef’s local hero, a lie that appalls sweet Angie (Renee Zellweger) who adores him but attracts luscious Lola (Angelina Jolie). Then there are the stinging Rastafarian jellyfish (Ziggy Marley, Doug E. Doug), an oily octopus (Vincent Pastore), a Mafia maven (Peter Falk) and the Reef’s top anchorfish (Katie Couric). Basically, this aquatic satire of gangster films transforms Manhattan’s Times Square into a deep-water reef. Visually, the animation is superb, particularly the way that the fish are cleverly humanized, capturing the individual idiosyncrasies of their well-known voices, even DeNiro’s prominent mole. There are in-jokes referencing “Jaws,” “Titanic,””Car Wash,”etc., and the music rocks with songs from Christina Aguilera, Missy Elliott, Mary J. Blige and Justin Timberlake. Yet, while “Shark Tale” is a cinematic frolic, it could be a bit too hip for its own good, exploring subtext themes that may be too cynical and sophisticated for some youngsters. Lola puts it best: “Deep down, you’re really superficial.” On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Shark Tale” is a flashy, “see-faring” 7, if you’re comfortable with its sharp, biting humor.

The Forgotten

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The Forgotten

Movie/TV Reviews / Susan

Susan Granger’s review of “The Forgotten” (Columbia TriStar)

So how do you explain a decidedly mediocre movie – part soap-opera, part sci-fi – that grosses $22 million on its opening weekend? A good – no, brilliant – marketing campaign. Superbly edited promos for Julianne Moore’s thriller intrigued audiences enough to propel the box-office and to generate curiosity – and that’s what was able to combat adverse word-of-mouth. Julianne Moore plays grief-stricken Telly Paretta who is still mourning the tragic death of her eight year-old son Sam in a plane crash more than a year previous to the beginning of the story. But then peculiar things begin to happen. Sam’s mementos mysteriously disappear. Her husband (Anthony Edwards) and psychiatrist (Gary Sinese) try to convince Telly that she never had a son, that she’s suffering from “paramesia,” brought on by post-traumatic stress. Is Telly delusional, along with Ash Correll (Dominic West), her alcoholic, ex-hockey star neighbor whose young daughter died in the same accident? Or is there some bizarre conspiracy? It’s a compelling psychological premise. Problem is: screenwriter Gerald Di Pego (“Angel Eyes”) and director Joseph Ruben (“Sleeping With the Enemy”) concentrate all their creative energy on the suspenseful set-up for what turns out to be a dreary, ultimately disappointing, “X-Files” inspired, supernatural whodunit. Somehow, aliens, spacecraft and suspicious-looking NSA agents get involved – all to prove the tenacity of a mother’s love. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “The Forgotten” is an illogical, murky 2. “I’m having a National Enquirer moment,” quips Ash when he hears Telly’s sinister abduction theory. We all were. Forget it.

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Ladder 49

Movie/TV Reviews / Susan

Susan Granger’s review of “Ladder 49” (Touchstone Pictures)

After 9/11, one of the most indelible images was the courageous firefighter. On that day, 343 firefighters lost their lives, and this film is a tribute to these humble, tenacious heroes. The story ignites with a spectacular nighttime blaze in a huge Baltimore warehouse. Without hesitation, the search-and-rescue team of Ladder 49 company brave the awesome flames, the stifling smoke and the excruciating heat to extricate victims who are trapped inside. Suddenly, the floor underneath one fireman, Jack Morrison (Joaquin Phoenix), collapses and he is trapped by falling debris. As he struggles to survive, his life is revealed in structured flashbacks. There’s his indoctrination as an enthusiastic rookie, his growing relationship with his seasoned mentor/captain (John Travolta) and the perpetual bantering and pranks with his sturdy, if stereotypical, cohorts (Bathazar Getty, Billy Burke, Robert Patrick, Morris Chestnut, Tim Guinee, Kevin Daniels). Morrison recalls facing the danger of his first fire and the first tragic loss of a comrade. Above all, there’s his family – his wife (Jacinda Barrett) and their children – and the many times he’s questioned his own integrity about risking his life on a daily basis. Respectfully scripted by Lewis Colick (“October Sky”), realistically photographed by cinematographer James L. Carter and directed with meticulous attention to detail by Jay Russell (“My Dog Skip”), it’s all plausible but plodding in tone, reminiscent of the solemn, simplistic melodrama of 1940s war movies. The authentic visual effects are top-notch, as are the stunts – and the performances are solid. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Ladder 49” is a sobering, serious 7, celebrating the continuing dedication of firefighters everywhere.

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The Motorcycle Diaries

Movie/TV Reviews / Susan

Susan Granger’s review of “The Motorcycle Diaries” (Focus Features)

Brazilian director Walter Salles’ inspiring adaptation of Ernesto “Che” Guevara’s memoirs chronicles the young Argentine doctor’s 1952 coming-of-age trip up the western coast of South America, through Chile, Peru and the Amazon to Venezuela, on a dilapidated Norton 500 motorbike with his buddy, Alberto Granado. It’s an eight-month, 8,000-mile journey of self-discovery that will change both of their lives forever. As the trip begins, sensitive, soulful Ernesto (Gael Garcia Bernal), an asthmatic 23 year-old, and Alberto (Rodrigo De La Serna), a chubby, carousing 29 year-old biochemist, seek adventure – and they find it. When Ernesto’s virginal girlfriend rebuffs him, he irresponsibly flirts with a married woman, necessitating a hasty departure from a small Chilean town. As they travel, along with the abundant, light-hearted frivolity, however, comes Ernesto’s growing frustration with social inequity, particularly towards the impoverished indigenous people, descendants of the once-great Inca civilization that dominated the Andes. “So much injustice,” he notes. With an elegant, stunning visuality, Salles and screenwriter Jose Rivera not only capture the drama and earnest idealism of a time and a place but also what inspired Ernesto’s revolutionary fervor, transforming his destiny. Leisurely episodic in nature, it relishes both the harshness and the romance of buddies on the open road while subtly planting Ernesto’s political roots. In Spanish with subtitles, the performances are strong enough to overcome the language barrier. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “The Motorcycle Diaries” is a tender, haunting 9, concluding with the indelible image of the now-82 year-old Dr. Alberto Granado.

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Taxi

Movie/TV Reviews / Susan

Susan Granger’s review of “Taxi” (20th Century-Fox)

Based on Luc Besson’s 1998 hit, this new buddy comedy features Jimmy Fallon of “Saturday Night Live” as Andy Washburn, a bumbling, inept New York City undercover detective who is pursuing a gang of clever bank robbers who turn out to be stunning Brazilian supermodels on a crime spree, led by leggy Vanessa (sexy model Gisele Bundchen, making her screen debut). Having lost his driver’s license and eager to impress his police sergeant and former girlfriend (Jennifer Esposito), Washburn hails a souped-up cab that’s driven by a strong, self-confident speed-demon named Belle (Queen Latifah), who has her own backstory with an ardent suitor (Henry Simmons), a construction worker who is eager to settle down. And then there’s Washburn’s tipsy, overprotective mother (Ann-Margret) Adapted by Robert Ben Garant, Thomas Lennon and Jim Kouf and directed by Tim Story (“Barbershop”), it’s all extended car chases through Midtown Manhattan, even to New Jersey, accompanied by off-beat, role-reversing repartee and an odd-couple camaraderie. In the original French film, the taxi driver character was played by a man, but the filmmakers astutely gauged that brassy Queen Latifah’s exuberant charisma could make up for Fallon’s comedic fallibility that rapidly becomes obvious here in his first major feature film role. And Belle’s customized Ford Crown Victoria, combining elements from the Ford Mustang, Formula One racing vehicles and James Bond’ish fantasy vehicles, becomes a worthy competitor for Vanessa’s paint-peeling V-12-powered BMW 760Li. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Taxi” is a silly, screeching 5 – with high-speed, non-stop action that clearly defines it as a Fall popcorn picture.

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What the #$*! Do We Know?

Movie/TV Reviews / Susan

Susan Granger’s review of “What the #$*! Do We Know?” (Samuel Goldwyn/Roadside)

Why do we go to the movies? For some, it’s escapist entertainment. For others, movies open a world of knowledge and ideas, stimulating thinking and conversation. That’s where this fits in. Following the story of Amanda (Marlee Matlin), an unhappy, depressed photographer living in Portland, Oregon, this film delves into spirituality. Namely, who are we and why are we here? As Amanda experiences multiple versions of her life, exploring situations in which a different decision or reaction could reshape her entire existence, she learns to change by altering the way she thinks about herself and the world. Talk about enlightenment – and infinite possibilities! Combining documentary-like interviews, inventive animation, even melodrama, film-makers William Arntz, Mark Vicente and Betsy Chase venture into New Age metaphysics, exploring how each individual creates his or her own reality and how our choices impact our lives – ideas touched on in “Sliding Doors,” “The Matrix,” “Vanilla Sky” and “Minority Report.” Whether you believe in this quantum physics concept or not, it’s so curiously provocative that one can perhaps forgive the repetition of the “talking heads” who are not identified until the final credits and a ridiculously farcical Polish wedding. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “What the #$*! Do We Know?” is a positive, uniquely perceptive 7 – although there’s no excuse for the stupidity of the title which denigrates and trivializes the inherent message of the movie. And if you enjoy cinema that makes you think, I suggest you rent the far-better “Mindwalk” (1991) in which Liv Ullman, Sam Waterson and John Heard meet at the Abbey of Mont St. Michel in France to discuss different approaches to life’s dilemmas.

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Forces of Nature

Movie/TV Reviews / Susan

Susan Granger’s review of “Forces of Nature” (IMAX)

With the unprecedented total of four hurricanes hitting Florida this season and the crater floor of Mount St. Helens steadily rising with no estimate on when the magma may reach the surface, there couldn’t be a better time for “Forces of Nature,” the new, educational IMAX film at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk. Narrated by Kevin Bacon, this documentary covers a triptych of natural disasters: volcanoes, earthquakes and tornadoes. As the introductory simulated imagery indicates, billions of years after its creation, the Earth retains its volatile atmosphere. Actually, more than 80% of the Earth’s surface is volcanic, with close to 500 active volcanoes on land and hundreds more under the sea. Back in 1995, a once-dormant volcano on the Caribbean island of Monserrat exploded, sending pyroclastic flows racing down the mountain. And as the sky turned black and hot ash spewed 10-miles high, intrepid aerial photographers were able to chronicle the violence on the 70 mm film needed for the giant-screen format. Now, Dr. Marie Edmonds, a volcanologist, keeps watch over Soufriere Hills, utilizing an arsenal of spectroscopic instruments to collect data that could predict future eruptions from the volcanic chamber – and save lives. Around the globe in Turkey, geologists are studying a series of earthquake fault lines that increasingly threaten the ancient city of Istanbul. Dr. Ross Stein, a geophysicist and earthquakes hazards expert with the U.S. Geological Survey, studies clues he discovers in the Byzantine Church of Hagia Sophia. He focuses on stress interactions, studying how a single quake, like the 1999 Izmit disaster on the North Anatolian Fault, may promote subsequent shocks at some sites while inhibiting them at others. Globally, there are nearly a half million earthquakes each year and they’re widespread in the United States. Only four states – Florida, Iowa, North Dakota and Wisconsin – have had no detectable quakes between 1975 and 1995. And along “Tornado Alley” in midwestern America, Dr. Joshua Wurman and his fellow “tornado chasers,” riding in trucks equipped with huge Dopplar radar dishes, are trying to discover exactly how these unpredictable yet extremely violent storms are “born.” The largest radar-documented tornado occurred in Oklahoma on May 4, 1999, and at one point measured more than a mile wide. And despite our improved storm warnings, tornadoes still kill an average of 60 people a year in the United States. In this National Geographic/Graphic Films collaboration, documentarian George Casey not only captures the excitement, danger and enormity of these catastrophic events in immense images but also profiles three scientists who are attempting to forecast or predict when and where the next natural disasters will occur. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Forces of Nature” is an intense, challenging 7. It’s a unique, in-your-face science lesson about Mother Nature.

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Friday Night Lights

Movie/TV Reviews / Susan

Susan Granger’s review of “Friday Night Lights” (Universal Pictures)

Based on what Sports Illustrated calls one of the top five sports stories, this true tale chronicles an American subcultural phenomenon: the obsession of local Friday Night football. In 1988 in Ratliff Stadium in the economically depressed town of Odessa in the West Texas desert, the perennial powerhouse, the Permian High School Panthers, are determined to win their fifth state championship. For these devoted young, multiracial athletes, their senior year is the pinnacle of their lives – and each has a backstory – as does their embattled head coach Gary Gaines (Billy Bob Thornton). There’s the great running back Boobie Miles (Derek Luke), troubled quarterback Mike Winchell (Lucas Black), Harvard-bound captain Brian Chavez (Jay Hernandez), motivating middle linebacker Ivory Christian (Lee Jackson), plucky third-stringer Chris Comer (Lee Thompson Young) and fumble-prone tailback Don Billingsley (Garrett Hedlund), the tortured, self-destructive son of a local legend (country singer Tim McGraw). As the rabid adults live vicariously through their kids, the mania for football can tear families apart or hold them together. Adapted by David Aaron Cohen and Peter Berg from H.G. Bissinger’s 1990 best-seller, and directed by Peter Berg, “Friday Night Lights” not only captures the exhilaration of the adrenaline-propelled gridiron action but also delineates how the intense pressures of these communal rites and rituals affect the pivotal characters – the obstacles to be overcome. Like “Hoosiers,” “Miracle” and “Remember the Titans.” Even the Coach’s compelling half-time speech, defining perfection, rises above clichŽs. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Friday Night Lights” is an impressive, inspirational 8 – focusing on honor and integrity.

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Raise Your Voice

Movie/TV Reviews / Susan

Susan Granger’s review of “Raise Your Voice” (New Line Cinema)

Sweet, wholesome Hilary Duff finds “Fame” amid this fluff, aimed specifically at ‘tweens, her loyal “Lizzie McGuire” fans. “Call me a dork, but I love choir practice,” the little waif trills. The story begins in Flagstaff, Arizona, where Terri (Duff), a perky music student, conspires with her mom (Rita Wilson) and hip, bohemian/artist aunt (Rebecca DeMornay) to pursue her dream. “There’s a light in me and it’s shining bright,” she sings in a reedy, whispery thin voice. Terri’s won a scholarship to a prestigious summer music program in Los Angeles, but her dour father (David Keith) is adamantly opposed, particularly after the accidental death of Terri’s big brother Paul (Jason Ritter, son of the late John Ritter to whom he bears a striking resemblance). Once Terri’s at the conservatory, she not only gets over her “survivor guilt” but also rediscovers her inner joy, along with a flirtation with a rakish Brit (Oliver James, who played much the same role opposite Amanda Bynes in “What a Girl Wants”). So much for plot. In the dated, goody-goody screenplay written by Sean Schreiber, based on Mitch Rotter’s story, and directed by Sean McNamara, the clichŽ’d characters Terri encounters are stereotypical and deliberately quirky. There’s her fiddler roommate (Dana Davis), bitchy rival (Lauren C. Mayhew) and scruffy teacher (John Corbett). There’s the keyboardist loner (Kat Dennings) and lovelorn eccentric (Johnny Lewis). And like Britney Spears in “Crossroads” and Mariah Carey in “Glittery,” the bland romantic duo compose a forgettable ballad together. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Raise Your Voice” is a tepid, tremulous 3. In an obviously deliberate marketing strategy, Hilary Duff’s new album was released to coincide with this film. Yawn!

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