Wow, can it really be 23 years since Billy Crystal was sitting across from Meg Ryan at the deli as she really, really enjoyed her lunch?! Yup and he’s playing a grandpa’ in the new family flick PARENTAL GUIDANCE. And guess who’s grandma’? THE ROSE herself, the still divine Bette Midler! The perennial Oscar host’s daughter is played by Oscar winner Marisa Tomei (MY COUSIN VINNY). These showbiz powerhouses have joined forces for this family friendly (just in time for the holidays) comedy all about..well…families. Here comes the incredibly cute kids and the big generational conflicts. Will they find a happy medium (and eventual ending)? Whatta’ you think?!

Artie Decker (Crystal) and his wife Diane (Midler) are getting ready to enjoy their golden years in sunny California. Life throws them a curve when Artie is fired from his long-standing job as the play-by-play man for a local minor league baseball team. Meanwhile in Atlanta, their only daughter Alice (Tomei) wants to travel with her hubby Phil (Tom Everett Scott) to an awards banquet at a distant resort. Phil’s parents are on a cruise, so she reluctantly calls her mom. Much to Artie’s chagrin she jumps at the chance to spend a few days with their three grandkids: thirteen year-old Harper who’s stressing out about a big music audition, picked upon eight year-old Turner (he’s studders), and wild free-spirited six year-old Barker. Alice isn’t sure if her folks will adhere to her modern parenting methods (she’s also holding on to some old grudges from childhood slights). Can she trust the care of the kids to them and get on the plane with Phil, for gosh sakes?!

The sitcom-like plot doesn’t give these usually talented performers a chance to play anything deeper than “types”. Crystal’s is wise-cracking, ingratiating host persona that we’ve seen so long on the talk shows and the big movie awards. I was wishing for a bit of the darkness he showed in MR. SATURDAY NIGHT. His Artie just wants everybody to like him and get along. He’s almost easing into the jovial “square” that Bob Hope repeated in his 1960′s films. A sequence of him in hip-hop drag as he auditions to be an ESPN X-Games host is particularly painful. Midler’s playing the nurturing, brassy “Auntie Mame” or “Mamma Rose” archetype. She’s gonna show those kids how to have real fun, by golly! There’s a hint of the acid-tongued Bette from RUTHLESS PEOPLE when she deals with a pushy violin teacher, but through most of the film she’s trying to reign in her hubby. Tomei’s regulated to being the repressive straight man to the Billy/Bette comedy duo (like Margaret DuMont and the Marxes). After interesting, edgy work in THE WRESTLER and BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOUR DEAD, this petulant, grown child/ hovering parent seems a couple of steps back career-wise. Good to see Scott back on the big screen, although his Dad role is shuttled off for most of the film. The kids are pretty good child actors with Bailee Madison building on the promise showed  couple years ago in DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK.

As I mentioned above, the script could’ve have been the first four episodes of a TV sitcom (shot on videotape with a loud, raucous soundtrack, it would be right at home on the Disney cable channel). The slapstick is sloppy and stilted while many of the actors must mug shamelessly in order to sell the predictable jokes. The sticky sentimentality is equally tough to endure. Listening to ancient radio recordings forges a bond and brings one of the kids out of their shell. Ooo-kay… The same can be said of an old street game that magically brings everyone together. And a kitchen-staged performance of a doo-whop classic tune is almost unbearable (almost as cringe-worthy as the “Low Rider” number in THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREEN earlier this year). Every pratfall and heart-tugging moment is hammered home by Marc Shaiman’s obvious score (sorry, but your SOUTH PARK score is still sublime). If you’ve got to entertain some older relatives in town for the holiday, then a trip to the multiplex for Billy and company may be just the ticket. But if you really enjoy the past work of these gifted stars, then you’ll want to wait and hope for more worthy material. As Artie Decker would say, “Swing and a miss!”

2 Out of 5

Well, it looks like Hollywood’s marketers are pulling a bit of a fast one this holiday season (not quite a lump of coal in your stocking). Many news pieces and commercials are touting this as a new work from James Cameron (with many references to AVATAR) with direction by Andrew Adamson (of SHREK and NARNIA film fame). The two men are involved (lots of Cameron interviews are used in publicity TV-ready sound bites), but this film is almost a glorified “infomercial”. CIRQUE DU SOLEIL WORLDS AWAY 3D is a “best of” the company’s Las Vegas house shows strung together with a fairly flimsy story/plot. As the film opens a wide-eyed young girl walks past the railroad tracks of her small town and enters a low-rent circus that’s setting up in a vacant field. She catches the eye of a handsome young man helping to set up the big top. Later a sad-faced clown gives the girl a flyer touting their main attraction, the Aerialist. In the main tent the girl recognizes him as the worker with whom she exchanged glances earlier. An accident occurs and both are plunged into a strange otherworldly dimension. The rest of the film concerns their efforts to re-unite while navigating through the odd settings and inhabitants.

And while they try to find each other they take time to watch all manner of gymnastics culled from all the Cirque shows. Skilled athletes perform gravity defying stunts on trampolines, intricate mechanical contraptions, and inclines. And in water. The first third includes lots of precision diving in pools and elevated glass tubs. All in unusual costuming that accents their straining, contorted muscles ( some of theses outfits veer almost into the fetish arena). Most of the music would be at home with a big sci-fi blockbuster while other tunes are from a top 40 jukebox. There’s a piece from the recently closed Elvis-themed show (with bouncing superheroes) and many classic Beatles songs from the Vegas ”Love” show. James Cameron’s crew are able to zoom in on the performers and slow down some of the action to better present the grace of the acrobats. Unfortunately much of the immediacy (and danger) of the live show is lost in a cinema adaptation. Everything’s very colorful and should delight the youngest viewers (the preK set), while some of the preteens may get a tad squirmy, unless they have a penchant for performance and gymnastics. The 3D works best in the film’s opening scenes, but it’s not close to the wonder of HUGO or LIFE OF PI. If you can’t afford to go to one of their permanent shows or the traveling troupe, then this film should satisfy your curiosity about Cirque. But as a film this is more of a tossed together buffet than a banquet. Speaking of meals, you may be better off saving your money in order to hit Sin City, have a great Dinner, and attend, say, “Mystere” as your dessert. Now there’s an evening that’s truly worlds away!

2.5 Out of 5

Had to believe that only six years ago the graphic novel film adaptation 300 burst on to movie screens featuring ground-breaking CGI effects and a bravado charismatic performance by a generally unknown actor as the fearless King Leonidas: Gerard Butler. Aside from a great vocal performance in the terrific animated feature HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, Hollywood has not known what to do with this handsome Scott. There’s been a few thrillers like LAW ABIDING CITIZEN, but generally he’s been consigned to “rom-com” Hell, sometimes paired with other denizens of that genre such as Katherine Heigl and Jennifer Aniston. Just a few weeks after the family flick CHASING MAVERICKS, Butler’s back in that pit once more with PLAYING FOR KEEPS. Hmm, this one’s got an Oscar-winning actress in the mix. Maybe this will be the one to show off his acting chops rather than just his scruffy good looks.

Butler plays George, a Scottish soccer superstar well past his prime. After squandering most of his sports earnings he moves to a rental guest house in Virginia. There he can re-connect with the ten-year old son Lewis (Noah Lomax) from his ex-wife Stacie (Jessica Biel), while he tries to become a TV sports analyst. George takes his son to soccer practice and is dismayed by his clueless, distracted coach. The former star steps in to give the team a few pointers. He’s soon lured by a “soccer dad”, the very rich Carl (Dennis Quaid), to take over as coach. Now George must end his son’s team’s losing streak while fending off the advances of Carl’s neglected wife Patti (Uma Thurman) and divorced “soccer moms” Denise (Catherine Zeta Jones) and Barb (Judy Greer). At least he’s finally bonding with his son, but now Stacie’s about to get re-married! Is there a chance that he can turn things around for the team and his family?

Really, is there any doubt where this fluff is heading? At least Butler doesn’t have to strain at another American accent (usually screaming out of one side of his mouth). He’s playing another variation of the man-child who becomes a responsible adult thanks to the love of an adorable tot and an extremely patient woman. At least the ladies are treated to a couple of sans shirt scenes. Speaking of ladies, the actresses here are ill-served by this weak script. The radiantly beautiful Biel is made to look frumpy for most of the flick (Butler’s tousled locks are given more attention than her glowing mane). She’s icy to her ex at first, but that dad-son bonding melts her heart, of course. On the other hand, the maternal temptresses always look like they were just touched up by their personal stylists. After picking up her CHICAGO Oscar, Jones has not had any film roles that have showcased her considerable talents. This  role is a bit of an improvement over the wild-eyed shrew in ROCK OF AGES. When Butler’s immune to her sultry smiles she offers herself to groom him for ESPN. Here’s hoping next year’s BROKEN CITY is more worthy of her time. Still, she fares better than Thurman as a desperate housewife on the prowl. At one point she’s bemoaning her hubby’s infidelity, then next moment she’s rolling around on George’s bed in skimpy black lingerie (perhaps to prove she’s got her pre-baby bod back). Maybe Quentin can get her back in the bright yellow track suit soon. The other steamy suburbanite is played by the delightful comic actress, Greer, who is the film’s only bright spot (I’ll add a star just for her way too short scenes). She’s deserving of her own screen showcase. After playing the third pompous movie jerk in a row (after THE WORDS and WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING), I’m happy that Quaid has scored a hit TV series (“Vegas”). If this is what the big screen is offering him, then the small screen can provide much better vehicles. I guess the same can be said for all those involved with this effort.

The actors are certainly not helped by the odd directorial choices from Gabriele Muccino. He overuses the steadycam to the point of nausea. It’s a dialogue scene in a kitchen! Lock that camera down! It’s not edgy, it’s distracting! Same shakiness for the scenes of the soccer team saying inappropriate lines, but it’s so adorably cute. At least we can be safe to say that PLAYING FOR KEEPS is the last dismal dreary rom-com of the year. I wonder if there are cinema penalty cards?

1.5 Out of 5

From the big top to the big screen, Academy Award®-nominated director Andrew Adamson and visionary filmmaker James Cameron invite audiences on an all-new 3D adventure – CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: WORLDS AWAY. Two young people journey through the astonishing and dreamlike worlds of Cirque du Soleil to find each other as audiences experience the immersive 3D technology that allows them to leap, soar, swim and dance with the performers.

For Cameron, CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: WORLDS AWAY “was a dream come true. I had been talking to them for some time about doing something in 3D because it’s never been done. How lucky to be working with the Cirque family, to have that talent create such an emotional performance for this film. Because their death-defying acts require such incredible skill and nerve, we felt it was so important to show the cabling, everything supporting that human ability.

“We were working with a different stage crew every four days. We did use the live shows and shot both during the live performances and on their dark days. It was cost effective to shoot during the live shows, but we did get the best stuff on dark days because we were able to come in from different angles. We dropped in with our 10 3D cameras and started shooting. But it’s a lot different than just standing back with a ring of cameras and shooting a live show. We were getting in there with the Steadicam, shooting close-ups — in their faces as close as possible — getting into the action because it’s much better for 3D. I lobbied for high camera positions so when you are shooting down you get that sense of vertigo. At times we were shooting from 50 to 100 feet in the air, and you feel the height of these amazing artists performing 90 feet above the floor. You also realize the jeopardy they are in all the time.

“The live experience of these shows is incredible. But in the movie theater, what we can give you is the experience of being right in the middle of a show where you will really get to see the detailed work that’s gone into the characters, the costumes and the choreography. There is pageantry to the live experience, but there is an intimacy to the 3D experience.”

One of the challenges for the filmmakers of Cirque du Soleil Worlds Away was that 3D involves more complicated cameras and technology and thus more time to set up the equipment. Prep also meant meeting strict safety parameters with underwater cameras (avoiding the lethal mix of electricity and water) and camera cranes (out of harm’s way of aerialists and flying objects.)

“There was a lot of hurry up and wait,” notes producer Martin Bolduc, “which is difficult for Cirque performers as their bodies are cooling off and they need a minimum of time to warm up their muscles after a certain period of inactivity.” Still, the shooting schedule was relatively short — 37 days over three time periods: October-November 2010 in Las Vegas, December 2011 in New Zealand and February 2011 again in Vegas. The only CGI used in the film are scenes in the desert when Mia and the Aerialist travel between the tents.

“Twice a day, five days a week the performers do their work,” says Cameron. “When we told them we would make a 3D film that would really capture their commitment to their art, I don’t think these artists really knew what to expect. They were a bit jaded because they do it day after day, year after year. But when it was over and they saw what they do through our eyes they were awestruck. It rejuvenated them.”

The drive to expand and constantly transform from the circus norm is what separates Cirque du Soleil from the pack. Always positioning itself as “nouveau cirque,” it remains theatrical, character-driven entertainment sans animals. From its humble roots on the streets in the early 1980s to an arty version of the big top to the showbiz behemoth it is today with 20 shows around the world, certain elements of the Cirque du Soleil experience will forever remain.

“You will always need your ‘wow,’ your tender moments, your humor,” says Cirque du Soleil owner and co-founder Guy Laliberté, much like the narrative of any great screenplay. But he reminds that Cirque’s conventions are all about hinting at the plot and teasing at the themes. It is there, he says, on the edge of imaginative interpretation that Cirque du Soleil invites audiences to suspend disbelief and step through the looking glass.

Composer Benoit Jutras wrote the score and transitional music between the Cirque shows used in the film. Barton had previously teamed with Adamson on the Shrek and Narnia films, but the director felt it important to have Jutras, who had written scores for some of the Cirque shows used, to adapt and refine some of that music specifically for Cirque du Soleil Worlds Away.

“The music was really the dialogue of this film,” says Jutras. “You see, Cirque du Soleil developed it as a language for its shows, to tell a story with the music and without words. It becomes the universal language.” It was an element that Cameron and Adamson wanted to retain for the film.

“When it came to inspiration for this film’s score,” Jutras continues, “it was about the passage through life and a young woman who falls in love, about how love makes you go through all of these emotions, the colors of love, so to speak. What I wanted to do with the opening act was to make it a very separate experience, to make it as little like Cirque as possible to show the contrast of the old circus and the worlds of Cirque du Soleil. In the final act, since it was part of KÀ, Stephen Barton used that show to inspire the music (of the final act).”

Unique in scope, this immersive experience melds acts from seven live Cirque du Soleil shows in Las Vegas — “O,” KÀ, Mystère, Viva ELVIS, CRISS ANGEL Believe, Zumanity and The Beatles LOVE —into a circus love story produced, written and directed by Academy Award® nominee Andrew Adamson (Shrek, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe). The film stars Cirque du Soleil strap aerialists Igor Zaripov (The Aerialist) and former artist Erica Kathleen Linz (Mia) as the young couple.

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: WORLDS AWAY will be in theaters December 21st. This Holiday Season, Cirque du Soleil brings their world to your city!

http://www.worldsaway3d.com/

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@Cirque

It’s such a great idea you wonder why someone didn’t think of it sooner! Well children’s’ book creator did think of it (sparked by a question posed by his young daughter) and put out a book last year, “The Guardians of Childhood”. The great idea was teaming up all the magical entities that surround kids. It would seem a natural movie since there have been team-ups of monsters (from FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLFMAN through DESTROY ALL MONSTERS with Godzilla and his destructive buddies) and, most recently, super-heroes with MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS. So, combining that book series with an animated short “The Man in the Moon”, Dreamworks has produced the full-length CGI 3D animated fantasy adventure RISE OF THE GUARDIANS. So in adapting these works for the big screen, have the film makers retained all the magic and wonder of these iconic kid idols?

The film begins with the first few moments of the origin of Jack Frost (Chris Pine), several hundred years ago. He learns how to use his powers and acquires a magic ice-producing staff. Jump to today in the Arctic. The Guardians-Sandman, The Tooth Fairy (Isla Fisher), and the Easter Bunny (Hugh Jackman) meet at the workshop home of North AKA Santa Claus (Alec Baldwin). It seems that Pitch AKA The Boogeyman (Jude Law) is threatening to darken the lives of the world’s kids. Via North’s special telescope The Man in the Moon tells them to enlist Jack Frost. Frost is reluctant to join the group at first, but after Pitch attacks and loots the Tooth Fairy’s castle, he joins them to prevent Pitch from destroying the children’s innocent belief in the existence of the Guardians.

The film makers have brought together a great group of actors who bring some inspired vocal interpretations of these classic characters. The most fun may be Baldwin’s spirited work as Santa (or North). This is not the cuddly, warm grandpa’ St. Nick harkening to Edmund Gwen in the original MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET. This Kringle is a gregarious Russian bear of a man ready to wield his twin swords when needed. Baldwin hits the correct deep bass tones and the accent sounds perfect (you can imagine that his breath smells of borscht). This Santa might enjoy his hot chocolate spiked with a bit of vodka. Speaking of accents, Jackman’s Australian expressions make that egg-delivering bunny a terrific action star (at times we can even hear a bit of a favorite mutant). Fisher’s fairy is a delightful flitty, flirty sprite as she admires everyone’s oral hygiene. Pine’s Frost has some of the cockiness of an extreme sports champ or a surfer dude. His bravado hides his desire to be appreciated by the world’s kids (“Hey, I make snow days!’). As Pitch, Law is a sneering gentleman villain similar to George Sanders, Basil Rathbone, or Vincent Price. He’s an educated eloquent fellow who delights in his wickedness. It’s quite an impressive talented roster.

The talents away from the microphones also impress. The character designs are wondrous. North’s look matches his booming voice. He’s a broad shouldered, bushy-eyebrowed hulk whose red coat always exposes his massive tattooed (one says ‘naught’, the other “nice’) forearms. The bunny’s large feet support his muscled torso. Tooth Fairy is hummingbird-like with bright, nearly fluorescent color (the same is true for her fleet of tiny helpers). Sandman is a sweet, bouncy elf with a constant golden glow. Jack, Pitch, and the human kids (led by Jamie, the last believer) have the right touch of exaggerated features. My only complaint is with Santa’s elves. The tiny triangles bumble, stumble, and try to emulate the much-funnier Minions of DESPICABLE ME. More inspired are the furry, gruff Yetis. They’re Santa’s back-up muscle and really make the toys (“Don’t tell the elves!”). The homes of the Guardians are spectacular (especially the Tooth Fairy’s banks). Some of the action scenes zip across the screen so quickly you may have some difficulty in taking everything in. This hinders the generally excellent 3D work somewhat (I think this film would work just as well flat). RISE is paced closer to the classic Disney fairy tales. It doesn’t have the manic zaniness of recent animated fare like WRECK-IT RALPH or the last MADAGASCAR. This is a soothing bedtime story that should entrance the little ones while the art and voice work should charm the adults. Sweet dreams, or as three of the Guardians say as they dash away, “Merry Christmas! Happy Easter! Don’t forget to floss!”.

4 Out of 5

The fine folks at Disney Animation are releasing a full-length computer animated cartoon that’s not from the gang at Emoryville, CA (that’s the Luxo lamps at Pixar!). This division has had a few modest hits (BOLT, MEET THE ROBINSONS), but nothing close to the box offices behemoths like UP and the TOY STORY trilogy. But that’s about to change with WRECK-IT RALPH, the new fantasy comedy that’s the feature directing debut of TV toon wiz (“The Simpsons’,”Futurama”) Rich Moore. The film makers have used state of the art tech to tell a familiar cinema story: the bad (or flawed) character that wants to change (think Jeff Bridges in CRAZY HEART). And strange as it may seem, the movie’s sweetly nostalgic! About video arcade games? Well, this year the landmark TRON is 30 years old! The studios have tried to turn these quarter gobblers into features with middling success (SUPER MARO BROTHERS, STREET FIGHTER), but take from a guy who’s given up bags of coins in order to stop a barrel-tossing simian (the title character’s main inspiration), you’ll be mighty entertained (and eager to play again) when this film fantasy ends (or “game over” is reached).

For the last three decades, the game “Fix-It Felix” has been a mainstay at old Mr. Litwak’s (Ed O’Neill) video arcade. On the screen a burly, re-headed hulk named “Wreck-It Ralph’ (John C Reilly) emerges from the junk yard and lumbers over to the nice apartment building to destroy the structure with his massive, pounding fists (after the word balloon stating “I’m gonna’ wreck it!!” appears above his noggin). But the renters need not fear! It’s “Fix-It Felix, Jr.” (Jack McBrayer) to the rescue with his magical repairing hammer. Soon the hero and the grateful residents toss Ralph off the roof and into a big mud puddle. As “game over” flashes in the sky, everyone rushes to reset before the next player drops in their coins. But when Litwak locks up for the night, everyone is free to travel to the power bar and mingle with the casts of other games. At a “bad guy” support group Ralph voices his discontent. The “Felix” crew doesn’t appreciate him. This is (literally) hammered home when Ralph sees them having a party without him. Ralph boasts that he can be a hero and vows to return with a gold medal proving it! He then sneaks into the first-person shooter game “Hero’s Duty” and grabs the gold medal from the final level. In leaving the game , Ralph accidentally brings one of the deadly insectoid villains (think of the bugs in STARSHIP TROOPERS) with him into the game “Sugar Rush”. There Ralph loses the medal and befriends a tough little outcast ( she’s a flickering “glitch”!) named Vanellope (Sarah Silverman). In order to get the medal back, Ralph’s got to help the smart-mouthed little tyke win the big go-kart race! Meanwhile Felix joins up with the beautiful, tough “Sgt. Calhoun” (Jane Lynch) to find and destroy that bug and return Ralph! If this were a real arcade game, we’d still have 2 or 3 levels to go!

Moore has some wonderful comedic actors voicing these terrific video denizens. Reilly brings his loveable lug sweetness to the title role. Ralph’s a tad fearsome when he raises those beefy fists, but he’s really an oversize misunderstood kid. Speaking of sweetness Silverman is equal parts sugar and sass as the mischievous moppet racer. After BRAVE, it’s great to see another really strong young girl on screen (I have a feeling she could spin-off to her own film or TV series). Speaking of strong (although older) females, Lynch is outstanding as the hard as nails (but still kinda’ hot) Calhoun. Kind of like Ripley or Sarah Conner, but really, really funny. And funny’s the word for McBrayer’s Felix, especially when he’s smitten with the sexy Sarge! There’s great vocal support from O’Neill, Mindy Kaling, and SERENITY’s Alan Tudyk as the sneaky “King Candy”. The film’s been compared to WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT? with the cameos from arcade icons (look, there’s Sonic the Hedgehog…and Pac-Man!!) and with a look at their lives out of the gameplay (like how everybody hangs out in ROGER’s Toontown). But I think it may owe more than a bit to TOY STORY with everyone coming to life once the humans leave and the arcade’s closed down. The design work is exquisite ( those candy colors really pop!) and the character design is expressive and simple. The film’s presented in 3D, but I think the images would be just as impressive in regular two dimensions. And there’s a delightful short, PAPERMAN, included with RALPH. It’s a sweet little  (mostly) black and white urban love story set in the late 40′s or so, that combines classic hand drawn animation with CGI effects. It’s a delight! But then, so is the main feature. Kudos to Moore and all involved for a witty, action-packed fun popcorn flick that’s truly for all ages! “Play Again?” If the same team wants to return with another tale of Ralph, Vanellope, and this colorful crew, then I’ll gladly hit the dollar changers! Game on!

4.5 Out of 5

In creating his entertainment empire, Walt Disney knew that his company needed to branch out beyond animation. Those hand-drawn classics took a long time to craft, so he first produced adventure flicks out of England before his take on Jules Verne, 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, which was a box office sensation in 1954. Establishing a live-action division, Walt released several family flicks over the next few decades ranging from adventures like SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON to the kids comedies featuring Herbie, the Love Bug and The Apple Dumpling Gang. Oops, almost forgot the tear-jerkers, those warm family flicks like FOLLOW ME BOYS and ( gulp! ) OLD YELLER ( I recall a stand-up comic saying that the flick was a test that parents could give their kids-if the kid cried at the end of YELLER, then he was normal ). Many of the movies would be chopped up and turned into multiple episodes of that Sunday night TV staple, ” Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color ” ( ah, TOBY TYLER ! ). In the last few decades Disney Studios have created brands such as Touchstone and Hollywood Pictures to release their more adult fare. But every once in a while a live action film while get the Walt Disney Pictures imprint ( like THE ROCKETEER ). Such is the case with the gentle family fantasy, THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREEN. I can imagine it playing over a couple of Sundays on ” The Wonderful World of Disney” ( its last prime-time broadcast network incarnation ). So instead of gathering around the set, will families gather at the multiplex for this timeless tale?

In the openiong scenes, Jim and Cindy Green ( Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Garner ) get some bad news from a fertility specialist. They drive back to their picture-perfect town of Stanleyville USA, ” the pencil capital of the world ” ( probably right down the road from Bedford Falls ). Jim works quality control at the pencil factory while Cindy’s a tour guide at the Stanley Pencil Museum. That night, after many tears ( and a bottle of wine ) the two exchange ideas about what would make a perfect child ( ” He rocks!”  “He has a good heart”, etc. ). Jim jots them down in a small notebook, tears out the sheets, stuffs them in a small wood box, and buries it in the backyard garden. Later that night an intense storm wakes the couple. What’s that noise? Something’s scurrying through the house. Jim and Cindy discover the source : a ten year-old boy, covered in mud. And, around his ankles and feet, he’s sprouting bright green leaves. Jim dashes to the garden to check his recent planting. The hole’s been dug up and the wooden box is shattered. Have their dreams been fulfilled? What will become of this lad that sprung up from the soil?

The rest of the film pretty much concerns Timothy ( CJ Adams ) brightening the lives of friends and family in the town. The script doesn’t tackle any intense questions from others about the boy’s arrival ( kind of like the Kents and their foundling in Smallville, Kansas ) or the miracle itself ( must be the same generous movie gods that turned Henry Limpet into a fish ). Most of the supporting characters are standard kid lit types. Dianne Wiest  has little to do as the up-tight, hard-nosed curator of the museum ( her Timothy encounter seems a bit forced ). Her nephew, Jim’s factory boss ( Ron Livingston ) is a bullying weasel ( weird to see Mr. OFFICE SPACE in management ). M. Emmet Walsh and Lois Smith are jolly, nurturing grandparent types ( actually the aunt and uncle that raised Cindy ). The true grandpa’ here is the distant, surly father of Jim, ” Big ” Jim ( David Morse ) who becomes Jim’s sounding board for his ‘ good parenting’ raps. Rosemarie Dewitt ( fabulous in HER SISTER’S SISTER ) is wasted as Cindy’s condescending, over-achieving sister.  Common clocks in as a stern soccer coach of the Erasers. He’s tough and unbelievably tolerant of the hovering Greens. Timothy’s main pal is Joni ( Odeya Rush ), a scowling pre-teen who warms to the new kid. There’s some confusion about their relationship. Are they buddies or steadies? It’s left hovering ( she towers over him, seeming a bit too mature for the hero ). As for the Greens themselves, I was thankful that Adams made Timothy an engaging, pleasant protagonist. With the wrong actor this could’ve been a very difficult slog ( several recent films had young actors at their center that, to put it delicately, wore out their welcome quickly ). Edgerton, so great in last year’s WARRIOR, makes for a nice, gentle, encouraging sitcom dad. Garner bounces back nicely from the harpy she played in the remake of ARTHUR. Like one of the notes in the box ( ” He should be funny, but not making fun of others funny. Or belch and fart funny” ), the movie has a gentle whimsical air. Most of the set pieces will elicit a couple chuckles ( a music scene is cringe-worthy though ). This film is the  happy flip side of last year’s WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN. Here parenting is a constant joy, even when things don’t quite work out as you hoped. An economic subplot about saving the factory is far too simplistic, but this is one flick that’s going for your heart instead of your brain. And some of the time it hits the target.

Overall Rating: 3 Out of 5 stars

Every so often a film will open the door to a childhood memory or an almost forgotten film. Or sometimes both. Settling in to watch I WISH, the film’s two young leads took my mind back several decades as I watched the big family TV on a Saturday morning that was nearing the afternoon (Mom was probably deciding what to whip up for lunch). Space Ghost, Spider-Man, and all the other animated heroes had bid adieu and a new live-action show was making its debut: “The CBS Children’s Film Festival.” Hosted by kid show pioneers Kukla, Fran, and Ollie (Fran was the human, the other two were hand puppets), this program presented family flicks from around the globe. The premiere offering was a tale of friendship from Japan, 1958′s SKINNY AND FATTY. These two little guys were about my age, but they lived in this almost alien land. Despite the clunky English dubbing (even then I could see that the sound didn’t match their mouths), I was fascinated and quite moved by this sweet little story. I WISH is set in 2011 and deals with a much more mature story, but I hoped to be wrapped up in another story of Japanese schoolboys.

That more mature theme of I WISH is divorce, or more accurately, a family separated. Koichi, a  serious twelve year-old boy, lives with his mother and her parents in a small village beneath an active volcano (part of his morning ritual is cleaning the ash off his bedroom floor and furniture). His younger brother, the carefree Ryue, lives with his father in a town many miles away. The two boys haven’t seen each other in several months but exchange frequent cell phone calls. Koichi’s village is a buzz with news that one of the super-fast bullet trains will  make one of its stops there. The boy also hears a rumor that when two of the trains pass each other so much energy is generated that anyone within close proximity will get their wishes granted. Koichi is so desperate to re-unite his family that he grabs some railway maps, makes some calculations, and hatches a plan. He and his brother will journey to this passing point and make this wish (that way they’ll double their chances). The boys confer over the phone, and with the assistance of some classmates (and a couple of adults), travel to a magical (they hope) rendezvous.

A pretty simple story, right? Unfortunately the film makers have clogged the film with too many unnecessary subplots. The boys’ Grandpa wants to open a bakery at the train station. One classmate wants to be an actress.  Another wants to marry his teacher crush. The father is making music at clubs again. These diversions help make I WISH at least 30 minutes too long. I really wanted it to stay focused on these brothers who share a special bond in those preteen years, although their personalities are quite different. Koichi is very determined and serious, while happy-go-lucky Ryue seems to always have a smile on his face and a bounce in his step (he grins so much I sometimes wondered if the young actor understood his dialogue in some of the more dramatic scenes). Also, their friends seem to be much more engaging than most of the adult characters. The cinematography is terrific especially the shots of that looming volcano. It’s also interesting to note the differences in the Japanese school systems, so it’s a fairly interesting, educational travelogue. But if only the film makers had taken a cue from those two best buddies I discovered on that long ago Saturday and focused on the film’s emotional core, then I WISH would have zipped along faster than any ole’ bullet train

Overall Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Last year it seemed that Hollywood was taking a short break from adaptations of toys, video games, comic books, and TV shows when two films were announced that would be live-action versions of classic fairy tales. Well, actually both would be based the same tale ” Snow White and the Seven Dwarves ” by the Brothers Grimm. The entertainment news magazines, blogs, and TV programs were all a flutter. Remember the dueling big asteroid and volcano movies from a decade ago! Would the movie-going public be interested in two versions of that raven-haired heroine? And more importantly, who would make it to the multiplex first?  Slowly photos and trailers hit the internet and it became clear that the films were quite different in tone. The darker, action-heavy SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN would fit better, perhaps, amid the big, blockbuster thrill-rides of the Summer. Spring was deemed a better time for a more lighter, irreverent, frothy retelling and so MIRROR, MIRROR is the first to hit the screens. Will this Snowy be the fairest flick of the two?

Most of us are pretty familiar with the basic story thanks to Disney’s ground-breaking first animated feature film. The MIRROR team has re-worked the plot and added bits and pieces from other fables and fairy stories. As it begins, the wicked stepmother queen herself ( Julia Roberts ) brings us up to speed with a prologue acted out by shiny porcelain puppets ( CGI, no doubt ). After the King disappeared into the dark forest many years ago, she’s ruled the kingdom ( plunging it into a constant dreary winter ) and kept lovely Snow White ( Lilly Collins ) locked away in the castle. The queen’s running out of funds and may have to marry the frumpy, older, much richer Baron ( Michael Lerner ). The villagers of the kingdom are almost taxed to starvation (shades of Robin Hood ). But then she meets the handsome Prince Alcott ( Armie Hammer ) after he and his valet are robbed by a pack of seven ( ! ) bandits in the nearby woods. Her plans go askew when he meets… guess who at the big animal-themed costume ball ( a bit of Cinderella there ). Banishment, deception, sorcery, reunions, and new friendships occur as the film hurtles towards several big reveals and the ( hopefully! ) happy ending.

This marks the fourth film of director Tarsem Singh ( he made THE IMMORTALS last year ). He gives us many of the same visual tricks ( slow and fast motion, extreme color palettes, wire-work acrobatics, rapid cutting ), but doesn’t have a light touch that this material demands. There’s no THE PRINCESS BRIDE subtlety on display here. There are opulent palace sets, outrageous over the top gowns ( hey Costume Design Oscar nominators! ), and an overly busy Allan Menkin score to capitalize every wink and grimace. And Singh seems to just be moving the cast like chess pieces ( as the queen does in an early scene ) toward the big action set-ups. Julia Robert’s drag-queen villainy and vanity, perhaps a riff on Tallulah Bankhead ( Google her kids! ), quickly becomes tedious. She’s also the mirror reflection/ witch who stares blankly, wears all white, delivers cryptic warnings, and sends killer marionettes ( huh? ) after the heroes. Collins’s Snow is a fairly vacant princess who looks lovely ( even with Peter Gallagher eyebrows ), but tends to be overshadowed in many scenes. She finally gets a bit more interesting after meeting the dwarves and gets a training montage ( surprised I didn’t hear ” Eye of the Tiger’! ) and a makeover ( ?! ) by the metro sexual member of the gang. Speaking of the seven, they’re played by actual diminutive actors ( as opposed to being “hobbit-ized” ) and are not the jewel-miners from the 37′ classic. After taking off their accordian-legs ( really !) we find that each has a name reflective of a trait or habit ( ” Grub ” loves to eat! ” Chuck” likes to laugh or chuckle! Sooo cuuute! And clever! ). One’s got a little crush on Snow and comes off a tad creepy. Hammer is pretty and prince-ly as Alcott ( should make the ladies’ hearts flutter ), but is too pompous and comes off as a teasing older brother in scenes with ” kid sister ” Snow. There’s very few sparks between the two. The very talented Nathan Lane is wasted as the queen’s put-upon aide who looks fearful as he scurries about ( literally after getting hexed! ) and peppers his royal compliments with a sarcastic snark. I was delighted to see a couple of great screen vets. Lerner get delightfully frustrated in his pursuit of the queen, while former ” brat packer” Mare Winningham as the head of castle cleaning and kitchens tries to nurture Snow while placating the queen. Most of the sets are imaginative except for the overused white-blanketed forest. Even in bare feet nobody seems cold there. The very small kiddies may find this amusing, but the pacing and tiresome attempts at wit should have the elders glancing at the time. For a wise cracking jab at story books I’ll take the first SHREK or PRINCESS BRIDE over this ( and I’ll take Jay Ward’s still fresh and hilarious ” Fractured Fairy Tales” from TV’s “The Bullwinkle Show” over all of them). I hope Charlize, Bella Swan, and Thor have a better flick with their take on this timeless tale in a few months.

Overall Rating : 1.5 Out of 5 Stars

You can bet that the major studios have been looking at the movie career of multimedia mogul Tyler Perry very closely. Particularly those big box office numbers. For the last few years Perry has become a major Hollywood power player with his low budget, big grossing  films. Most of these have been adaptations of his stage productions that tour the country playing for a couple of performances to very enthusiastic, mostly black audiences. Many are little morality dramas spiced up with comedy (often with Perry himself in drag as that force of nature Madea-very broad comedy) and religious lessons (with an occasional hymn or song). Now the big studios hope to tap into that market with a mix of Perry, and a dash of TV’s “American Idol” and “Glee” with a pinch or two of FOOTLOOSE. The end result is a cinematic stew called JOYFUL NOISE, which might tickle the taste buds of many moviegoers. Or not.

When the cameras dolly (wait for it!) down the streets of sleepy Pacashau, Georgia we see the results of the economic down turn with many of the main street stores boarded up and plastered with ” Going Out of Business ” signs. But things are hoppin’ at the Pacashau Divinity Church with the singin’ and testifyin’ rainbow-hued choir (no racial tensions in this peach-flavored Brigadoon) led by Bernard Sparrow (Kris Kristofferson). But before the hymn is finished (hey, before the last of the opening credits) Sparrow has taken wing. The solemn, sometimes stuffy pastor (Courtney B. Vance) passes over widow G.G. Sparrow ( Dolly Parton ) for the position of choir director and appoints Vi Rose (Queen Latifah), the first of several conflicts between the two earth mothers (kind of like Stallone and Snipes facing off in DEMOLITION MAN). Vi Rose is a hardworkin’ mom and nurse (Dad has re-upped at a military base far,far away) trying to raise two kids: her rebellious sixteen year old daughter Olivia (Keke Palmer), who’s the choir’s big voiced MVP, and her kid brother Walter (Dexter Darden), whose Asperger’s syndrome compels him to rattle off music history one-hit-wonder trivia. As if things weren’t complicated enough, G.G.’s teenage grandson Randy (Jeremy Jordan) arrives in town after his mom kicked him out of his NYC home. He’s gonna’ shake things up and make em’ kick off their Sunday shoes (Oops. Well, it does seem that he stumbled on to this set right from the FOOTLOOSE remake auditions). Randy takes an immediate interest in the choir especially Olivia (Conflict #2!) . And before you can say “Conflict #3,”  Randy (and G.G.) are pushing Vi Rose to move away from the “traditional” spirituals and get down with gospel versions of pop tunes. I mean that’s the only way they’re gonna’ make it past those pesky regionals (aren’t those “Glee” kids always worked up about them?) and head on to the national finals (cue another TV bit from “American Idol” – “Welcome to Hollywood!”). I mean the poor, out-of-work folks back in Pacashau are a countin’ on them!

The many diverse elements in this film seem to bump, and often crash, into each other making for a sloppy, disjointed wreck of a film. At times it did seem like the first season of a new musical “dramedy” TV show called “The Church Choir” all mashed up into two long hours.  Like episodic TV, besides the main leads we get the wacky choir second-stringers (one repeats everything, another believes her lovin’ is fatal- a literal killer “booty”, there’s a break-dancin’ good ole’ boy, and an Asian who talks like Jethro Bodine- it’s pure comedy gold!) The stars do their best, but are hampered by the cliche’ ridden script. It seems as though Latifah’s Vi Rose is delivering sermons to other characters rather than conversing with them. She’s constantly ’ speech-ifying’. Dolly’s still playing the sweet, feisty, down-home, trashy-dressin’ gal, but is saddled with lots of tired corn-pone idioms and adages. I couldn’t help, but be distracted and saddened by her appearance, which is referenced a few times in the dialogue (Dolly’s G.G. says, “God didn’t make plastic surgeons to starve!”). It’s a shame that actors (male and female) don’t allow themselves to age gracefully (and have a mobile face instead of a plastic kabuki-like mask). This film is the second to explore Asperger’s in the past few weeks (after EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE), but here it seems to be more of a plot device to bring the two young love birds together. Most of the time Walter wears shades (resembling Jamie Foxx in RAY) and is able to interact socially when the script needs him to do so. His confrontation with Vi Rose questioning God is, at the least,  awkward (He cries, “I don’t wanna’ be like this!” Really?). The scenes at the national finals are laughingly absurd. Sure the stage crew could completely improvise and fellow the performers! No sweat! The popularity of gospel music is deserving of a great fiction feature film since there’s been a number of great documentaries (like 1982′s SAY AMEN, SOMEBODY). Let’s hope Hollywood will produce one soon. In the meantime file this under films you can give to Grammy for her new DVD player.

Overall Rating: 1.5 out of 5 stars

This movie year we film fans are getting to see new works from directors who might not be referred to as prolific. They’re not giving us a new movie every year like Woody Allen ( who’s had a great 2011 with MIDNIGHT IN PARIS ). One is Terence Malick, who gave us THE TREE OF LIFE a few months ago. Another is Cameron Crowe. It’s been six years since Mr. Crowe took us on a cinema trip to ELIZABETHTOWN. Well, he’s back at the multiplex, but like Martin Scorsese with HUGO, he’s tackling what might be pegged as a family film, the based-on-a-true-story WE BOUGHT A ZOO.

The film’s focus is hotshot newspaper reporter Benjamin Mee ( Matt Damon ), whose life is at a turning point. Recently widowed, he’s doing his best to raise his two children on his own. Rosie’s ( Mary Elizabeth Jones )  a sweet little sprite still missing Mommy, but the main challenge is Ben’s acting-out teenage son Dylan ( Colin Ford ). After Dylan’s suspension from school, and big cutbacks at the paper ( he will not be a blogger! ), Ben thinks the family needs a new change of venue. A new home with a big yard away from the city should be just the ticket. Ben finds the perfect new house, with a small catch: it’s attached to a small, run-down zoo. Utilizing his family inheritance ( much to the chagrin of his big brother played by Thomas Haden Church ), Ben plunges into this new home and job. Dylan rebels against this change, despite the cute zoo staffer Lilly ( Elle Fanning ), who takes a shine to him. Ben must rally the zoo keepers, led by Kelly ( Scarlett Johansson ), and try to spruce up the place to pass a big inspection and re-open the place tot he public. He finds that the job of zoo owner and single dad may be much more than he can handle.

Contrary to what you may have gathered from the film’s marketing people, this is not a sequel to ZOOKEEPER. Crowe gives this family flick a harder edge than expected. The animals here are not cute, wise-cracking, slapsticky, CGI creatures we’ve seen in other comedies. There’s a real danger to them, and with one zoo veteran a sense of mortality. The humans are more complex also. Damon continues to impress this time as a very believable family man, who’s trying to hold tha family together while dealing with his own great loss. He also works very well with his fellow actors. Damon’s not upstaged by the cuteness onslaught of Ms. Jones ( Memories of Drew Barrymore as Gertie in E.T. ) and his scenes dealing with Ford really crackle. Filmgoers may be surprised by the real, raw drama in many of their altercations. Church is charming and very believable ( they look like they could be related ) as Damon’s cynical, funny big bro. The film’s main problem may be the forced whimsy from the wacky, eccentric zoo staff. They seem to be taking too much time away from the family dynamics. Johansson does what she can with the underwritten Kelly who predictably goes from tough to tender toward Ben. Damon has had some great chemistry with several actresses in his recent films ( Emily Blount in THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU and Bryce Dallas Howard in HEREAFTER ), but no real sparks are generated between these two. Like HUGO and WAR HORSE, WE BOUGHT A ZOO brings a tougher edge to the family movie genre, but coming from the very gifted Crowe it seems to be a better cast cable flick. It’s a well made film with a few entertaining moments that never really mesh together. But , let’s hope Crowe doesn’t wait some many years before bring us ( hopefully ) a much better film.

Overall Rating: Three Out of Five Stars

Ah, what Hollywood will do in the pursuit of family movie box office bucks. The studio executives love pre-sold properties, so for the past several years the rights to the Saturday morning superstars of yesteryear have been scooped up to attract not only the small set, but their parents who have nostalgic memories of wolfing down their sugar-blasted cereals in front of the old, glowing cathode tube babysitter. For most of these trips down memory lane, the classic characters are rendered in CGI alongside live actors, perhaps to set these new efforts apart from their limited cell animation roots. This may have begun with CASPER, who frolicked with Christina Ricci and Bill Paxton, and continued with SCOOBY DOO ( and a CGI Great Dane ), YOGI BEAR, this past Summer’s smash THE SMURFS, and now the third of the movie series, ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS : CHIPWRECKED. While they might be best remembered by most adults as TV stars, the Chipmunks were created for novelty records ( now that’s really going back ). After several audio experiments, music producer/ songwriter Ross Bagdasarian ( movie trivia : he’s the lonely piano player living across from Jimmy Stewart in REAR WINDOW ) created the trio for the recording ” The Chipmunk Song” AKA ” Christmas Don’t Be Late “. Not only did Bagdasarian provide the voices of Alvin, Simon, and Theodore, but he become the character David Seville, the human manager / father figure to the child-like rodents. This prompted several more best-selling record albums and eventually a CBS prime time animated series ( produced by Format Films ), ” The Alvin Show “. A few more albums followed until they drifted into pop culture limbo after the death of Bagdasarian in 1972. In the early eighties son Ross Bagdasarian, Jr. revived the group with new versions of pop tunes and returned them to Saturday mornings on NBC with a new series in 1983 ( this time produced by Ruby-Spears and later DIC ). The trio invaded home video with a series of original animated films and jumped to cinemas in 2007 with the live action/ CGI hybrid ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS. A follow-up in 2009, ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS : THE SQUEAKQUEL introduced moviegoers to the trio’s female counterparts : Brittany, Jeanette, and Eleanor. Both flicks were box office bonanzas, so here’s the film that hopes to pull off the old franchise hat trick.

Well. what did they come up with for this new movie adventure? Let’s send ‘em on vacation! On a high seas cruise to be exact. Dave Seville ( Jason Lee ) takes the chipmunks and chipettes on a nautical excursion before they perform on the International Music Awards show. This will be a perfect opportunity for ole’ Dave to sooth his jangled nerves. But with that hellion Alvin leading the group there’s little chance of any relaxation for Mr. S! Dave soon earns the ire of the ship’s captain and the intrusive ship mascot who turns out to be the villain from the previous films, Ian ( David Cross ) former music producer now reduced to wearing a cumbersome pelican costume. An incident with a kite sends the ‘munks flying off the boat. Dave and Ian grab a paraglider, but soon are adrift at sea. The six castaways land on an island that turns out not to be deserted. There’s a loopy delivery woman named Zoe ( Jenny Slate ) who helps them. The island provides more than just survival challenges for the title trio. The more immature Theodore is still traumatized by a monster flick he watched in their cabin on the ship. A spider bite turns the usually timid Simon into a reckless, French-accented daredevil who makes Jeanette swoon. And the usually irresponsible Alvin must take charge as a looming volcano threatens to erupt. Will they be re-united with Dave ( and Ian ) and return to civilization in time for the big award show. And what’s the secret behind the waterfall?

These little critters may just have overstayed their time at the multiplex with this uninspired ( well, with a bit of inspiration from CASTAWAY and TV’s ” Survivor “, ” Lost “, and ” Gilligan’s Island ” ) romp. The chipmunks are just not complex enough to warrant a third film. Theo’s the pudgy baby, Simon’s the timid brainiac, and Alvin’s the wild card. Their main gimmick ( squeaky, sped-up voices ) grows tiresome quickly. I could only understand have of the vocals on their takes on pop tunes ( luckily there’s only one ” chip-rap ” number ). Some name actors supply the voices, but sound nearly alike ( I can’t tell you which chipette is Christina Applegate, Anna Faris, or Amy Poehler ). The CGI animation of them is serviceable, but in most of the action scenes they bounce around like little furry rubber balls ( I’m so glad we were spared 3D on this one ). Their live human co-stars don’t fare much better. Lee and Cross have shown their impressive comedy skills on TV ( in ” My Name is Earl ” and ” Arrested Development ” ), but here the must struggle through some poorly scripted bits of clumsy slapstick. It was a surprise seeing the gifted SNL vet Slate involved, but she can’t turn this into comic gold. Even the biggest baby boomer and Gen X fans ( now parents ) will be checking their time pieces as this film plods along. With much superior family films still in theatres ( THE MUPPETS, ARTHUR CHRISTMAS, and the magical HUGO ), there’s no need to board this sinking ship. The old ” it’s just a kids’ movie” excuse should not give a free pass to mediocre movies.

Overall Rating: One Out of Five Stars

Countless movies over the years have dealt with the exploits of fictional characters that have brought things to life-from Doctors Frankenstein to Herbert West ( the Re-Animator flicks ). With the new documentary BEING ELMO we learn about a real-life re-animator named Kevin Clashwho,instead of body parts or mechanical men, gives life to stitched together bits of foam and felt. More importantly, he’s the guy behind the pre-K superstar of Sesame Street, Elmo.

Clash’s journey to that TV street began on a real, urban street in Baltimore in the early 1970′s. He was fascinated by puppets and marionettes and was encouraged by his family ( his father was not upset that he used the lining of his trench coat for one of his first puppet creations ). Entertaining the children in his mother’s day-care service in the back yard ( a blanket tossed over the clothes line was his stage ) to cheering up kids at hospitals and schools, Clash soon made a name for himself in the area. Word reached the local TV stations and soon he was an integralpart of a local kids’ show. They helped put him in touch with Robert Keeshan, who brought Clash on board his long-running ” Captain Kangaroo “. Of course the big superstar of puppetry those days was Muppet mastermind Jim Henson. After catching a TV showabout the making of his characters, Clash set about meeting the designer and engineer of the Muppets, Kermit Love. Thanks to his mother making many phone calls, Clash met the puppet wizard during a highschool NYC field trip. This lead to the syndicated TV kids’ show ” The Great Space Coaster” , and finally, once the Captainand the Coaster left the airwaves, to Henson’s staff. After working on the feature film LABYRITH, Clash became one of the main Muppet performers on ” Sesame Street “. After toiling away with a number of Street residents, one of the other muppeteerstossed him a red, furry, orange-nosed monster character ( who he had voiced as a caveman-type ) and said, ” See what you can do with this!”. Clash brainstormed and soon came up with a mischievous, affectionate, five-year-old charmer that captured the hearts of tykes everywhere. Clash had finally found his foam and felt perfect alter-ego, Elmo.

BEING ELMO is an engaging story that, not only tells of the joy of performing and being encouraged by a supportive family, but also gives many examples of the benfits ofpaying-it-forward. Clash gets lots of advice from the local Baltimore TV crew, then Kermit Love, and finally Henson andhis Muppet team. Soon, Clash is passing his wisdom and skills to performersof the foreign versions of Sesame and, finally, a wide-eyed, pre-teen puppeteer. The film is sparsely narrated by Whoopi Goldberg. Clash mostly tells his own story in interviews with the film makers, and extensive footage from past TV news stories about him ( some great scenes from the old TV show ” The Big, Blue Marble” ) and behind the scenes featurettes. surprisinglywe see some clips from Henson’s memorial service in 1990. And, the film does address the whole ” Tickle Me Elmo” mania that swept the country a few years back. Clash seems a bit stunned by this, but he’s truly touched by the impact that he’s made on children. We see him welcoming an ailing little girl and her family to the Street set in a touching sequence. Seems that a visit to their little furry friend is a popular request at the Make-A-Wish Foundation. There’s many interviews with other performers and family members, but some of his adult personal life is glossedover a bit. After seeing home video of his wife headed to the hospital to give birth, we don’t hear about her until a few moments later when she’s referred to as an ex-wife. There’s many scenes of Clash regretting being an absentee father to his daughter and then many clips from her big sweet sixteen party. These are many quibbles. BEING ELMO is a charming film that celebrates a determined, gifted man who, thanks to hard work and encouraging mentors, found an outlet to hare his love and joy, and made all his young dreams come true. It’s a story that should touch ( and tickle ) even the most cynical filmgoers.

Overall Rating : Four Out of Five Stars

Wow. It seems only yesterday that I was bemoaning having to don the big glasses and watch another film in 3D. It seemed that it was turning into a tired gimmick. It was an extra cost for films that needed an extra push. And then there’s the films converted to 3D after being shot with standard cameras. I couldn’t recall all the 3D movies I’d seen this past year. And then a master shows us how it’s done. Martin Scorsese’s HUGO (based on the children’s book ” The Invention of Hugo Chabret” by Brian Selznick ) truly utilizes the format to its full potential. With most films, I’ve told friends that the 3D wasn’t necessary. With this film I hope people will make the extra effort ( and spend a bit more ) in order to experience it’s eye-popping wonders. A friend was complaining that Scorsese was slumming by stooping to shoot in 3D. I remembered that Alfred Hitchcock shot DIAL M FOR MURDER at the height of the 3D movie craze of the 1950′s ( after the big box office of HOUSE OF WAX and B’WANA DEVIL ). If Hitch could work with the format, why shouldn’t Scorsese get a crack at it? I think movie goers will be glad he did. 

At the film’s start we’re high above Paris. The camera swoops into the train station. The year is 1930. We meet a pre-teen boy named Hugo ( Asa Butterfield ). It’s revealed that Hugo worked alongside his inventor father ( Jude Law ) who was the custodian of a large museum. They both attempt to activate a small robot called an automaton. It appears that it writes with pen and ink. Their work comes to a halt when the father is killed and Hugo must live with his lush of an uncle,Claude ( Ray Winstone ) who is the clock maintenance man at the station. When Claude goes missing after a bender, Hugo assumes his duties at the station. As he scrambles to survive while servicing the clocks, Hugo must keep two steps ahead of the determined station inspector ( Sasha Baron Cohen ) and his Doberman. The inspector believes that Hugo is a thieving child of the streets. In his adventures Hugo works with a sullen toy shop owner ( Ben Kingsley ) and befriends the man’s god-daughter Isabelle ( Chloe Grace Moretz ). As the two kids explore the city they soon discover the mystery surrounding her Papa Georges.

This barely scratches the surface of all the wonders of the film. The Paris of 1930 is almost another character in the film. HUGO makes a nice companion piece to Woody Allan’s film from earlier this year MIDNIGHT IN PARIS. Both films are meticulous in their recreation of the era and both feature real artists of the time, although there’s more historical cameos in the Allen film. HUGO has yet another cinema brother in the soon to be released THE ARTIST. In one scene Hugo sneaks Isabelle into a cinema where she is dazzled by an American silent film ( kudos to Scorsese for the excellent choice ), while THE ARTIST  is a silent film set around the same period in Hollywood. In this film Scorsese is really able to display and share his passion for the history of cinema. While dazzling us with the sumptuous visuals, Scorsese has not neglected the actors. The film rests on the very capable shoulders of young Butterfield, His Hugo is a smart, resourceful, daring young man. Moretz continues to build a great body of film work as Hugo’s sympathetic sidekick ( and perhaps love interest ). Cohen aptly displays his considerable comic skills ( almost a slapstick silent film clown ) as the comic villain . But the inspector’s not all bad. He pines for the train station flower seller ( Emily Mortimer ), but is embarrassed by the brace on his left leg ( a war injury ). Kingsley gives a very moving performance as the toy peddler who is more than he seems, although his interplay with Hugo makes for some great comedy. Bravo  to the producers for populating the station with some great veteran actors like Richard Griffiths and the great Christopher Lee as a kindly book seller. The film may be a tad too long for the very young ( some were getting a bit fidgety at the screening ), but older kids will be thrilled by Hugo’s daring escapes and adventures. With HUGO Scorsese has wrapped up a delightful cinema gift to us this holiday season and proves that any movie format can work when an artist with passion is behind the lens.

Overall Rating: Four and a Half Out of Five Stars

Anyone who had the misfortune of growing up without The Muppets has my unyielding sympathy. There’s never been anything like it, and there will never be anything like it again… that is, of course, for the revival film simply called THE MUPPETS, directed by James Bobin.

THE MUPPETS (2011) was written by, and co-stars Jason Segel as Gary, a happy go lucky guy who lives with his pal Walter, who happens to be a Muppet who thinks he’s a man. It is abundantly clear that Segel has a passionate love for The Muppets and fellow fans will catch this immediately. He gets it, and he nails what needed to be done for a successful revival of the beloved characters in a time when such projects often go terribly awry.

I say Jason Segel is the co-star because, really… we all know Kermit the Frog is the real star. But in all fairness, Amy Adams is a great addition to the film as Gary’s girlfriend Mary. Gary and Mary are madly in love, but she wishes for more, a married life. Unfortunately, Gary and Walter are inseparable. So, when Gary invites Walter along with him and Mary to Los Angeles to see the sights, Mary feels a bit like a third wheel.

But, enough of this romance stuff. Off we go, to Los Angeles where Walter dreams of touring the now closed Muppets Studio. Unfortunately, what they find upon their arrival is heartbreaking. An evil oil tycoon named Tex Richman, played by Chris Cooper, has bought up the Muppets Studio property and plans to tear it all down in favor of oil exploration. The nerve!

Walter and Gary must now try and save the Muppets Studio, and the only way to do that is to get the band back together and put on one last show… a show to save the Muppet Theatre. This will prove easier said than done. We first reunite with Kermit the Frog. This is the first of several Muppet encounters that feels as familiar as so many of us being laid off and out of work. Muppets should never be down on their luck, but as Tex Richman points out… it’s a new era, and The Muppets are now irrelevant. To hell with that!

“You simply can’t keep a good Muppet down,” is what I always say. The Muppets feel and fresh and alive as I remember them some 25 years ago. Wow. I’d feel old now, if not for my abundantly active inner child. Not only do The Muppets have to overcome impossible odds, renovating the dilapidated Muppet Theatre and putting on a telethon to save it with little time to prepare, they must also contend with Tex Richman’s more modern and off-putting Moopets, his replacement for the Muppet.

THE MUPPETS (2011) is quite possibly the best live-action family musical I’ve seen since the original Muppet movie, but I am a bit biased. There is an intelligent cuteness to the song and dance scenes. The jokes are hilarious, for kids of all ages. That includes you, mom and dad. Segel is charmingly oblivious. For a guy that stands 6 foot 5 inches, you wouldn’t think he’d be able to pull off this level of being adorably silly, but he does.

Amy Adams is a blast, as well, especially during her musical numbers. Adams clearly jumped in with both feet and embraced the quirky, over-the-top nature of The Muppets, milking her scenes for all their worth without overdoing it a bit. Chris Cooper takes the essence of a Muppets villain and runs with it, giving a cheeky self-aware evildoer performance that rivals the best… Maniacal laugh! Maniacal laugh!

THE MUPPETS (2011) is everything fans hope it will be. I dare you to walk out of the theater and not be wearing a smile from ear to ear. I dare you not to get goose bumps when Kermit and Miss Piggy perform their classic duet of  “Rainbow Connection” for the first time in years. It’s unavoidable. Prepare yourself to rekindle that long, lost connection with all of your favorite Muppet characters, along with a gleefully rich cast of supporting and cameo roles including Rashida Jones, Alan Arkin, Zach Galifianakis, Ken Jeong, and… many more. I don’t want to spoil all the surprises.

Overall Rating: 4 “Wocka, Wockas” out of 5

Well, Harold and Kumar have already taken their 3D shot at Christmas, so it’s time for another 3D flick that hopes to become a holiday viewing tradition. Unlike those two ‘buds’, this one is made for all ages. And it’s animated, but ARTHUR CHRISTMAS is a co-production between Sony Animation and those fine folks from across the pond, Aardman Studios ( the Wallace and Grommit folks ), so it’s got some of that dry British humor which will appeal to the grown-ups . This film follows in the tradition of many holiday flick in that it wants to give you the real low-down on how Saint Nick makes his rounds ( this what THE SANTA CLAUSE , SANTA CLAUS THE MOVIE, and FRED CLAUS all purported to reveal ).

The film opens up on the Claus family’s busiest night of the year. We get to see an entire village serviced by Santa and countless elves. They zip in on a spaceship ( the massive S-1 ) and, like a cross between super-secret agents and wily ninjas they enter homes, disable alarms, and distribute the presents, all without getting detected ( they collect the snacks left for Santa and his reindeer and turn them into bio-fuel for the S-1 ). The slighty befuddled Santa ( Jim Broadbent ) wouldn’t get the job done without the high-tech mission control back at the North Pole  run with precision by the next in line to be Santa, oldest son Steve ( Hugh Laurie ). Oh, and in his own tiny office ( decorated with all manner of Santa stuff ) is his younger brother Arthur ( James McAvoy ), who’s in charge of answering all the letters to Santa. The big man in the big spaceship finally returns ro home base : mission accomplished. Everyone is pleased except Arthur! It turns out that a present didn’t make it on to the ship. Santa and Steve shrug it off-they’ll just ship the gift to the little girl and she’ll get it in a few days. Arthur will not stand for this. There’s a few hours before dawn breaks on the girl’s Cornwall village, so Arthur, with the aid of the retired Grandsanta ( Bill Nighy ) and his old sled Evie ( and reindeer ) embarks on a race against the clock to insure that every child has a very merry Christmas.

The film begins with a bang with the history of the Santa line ( the current one is seventeen ) , then quickly cuts to the elves leaving the S-1 I ( in invisible stealth mode ) and zipping down ropes onto the homes. This sequence is like Bond or Mission: Impossible times a hundred! McAvoy is wonderfully innocent and ernest as the son that just wants to make sure that all the kids are happy. In this film Laurie sounds closer to one of his upper-class twits in ” Black Adder” than Dr. Gregory House. Steve is quite full of himself and has his own Santa suit already whipped up ( a great gag ). Broadbent is terrific as the slightly out of it Santa. It’s a good thing Mrs. Claus ( Imelda Staunton ) is there to keep him focused. The best present here is Nighy as the crotchety, surly Grandsanta he really dislikes all these new fangled gizmos.  Some of his lines are true politically incorrect gems. The character designs are very pleasant and creative ( all those elves! ) and the 3D works well with the bright designs and backgrounds. The film tends to sag a bit when Arhtur’s on his journey, but everything leads up to a rousing and sentimental finale.  A warning : the film is preceeded by a music video of Justin Biebers version of a classic holiday tune. Talk about your lump of coal! Ah, back to the main event-ARTHUR CHRISTMAS  is a tasty holiday treat that has a smart funny script that will keep parents amused while the tykes are enthralled.

Overall Rating : Three and a Half Out of Five Stars

A DOLPHIN TALE is an exhilarating drama of a boy and nature that is highly enjoyable with enormous family appeal. It’s fluff, and predictable fluff at that, that unabashedly pulls at the heart strings but it basically works. Swimming free, a young dolphin is caught in a crab trap off the coast of Florida, severely damaging her tail. She is rescued and transported to the Clearwater Marine Hospital, where she is named Winter. Her tail is amputated and no one expects her to live much longer since she can’t swim properly without it. How will they save poor Winter?

DOLPHIN TALE is just the sort of heart-tugging, uplifting movie promised in the trailer. It’s not based on a true story, but inspired by one. Yes, there is a Dolphin named Winter that was rescued by the good folks at Clearwater Marine Hospital (you can go see Winter live right now at www.seewinter.com). To give this story some dramatic heft, DOLPHIN TALE has t make up some characters and since so many of the most emotional family films have been about the bond between children and animals (FREE WILLY, THE BLACK STALLION, even ET), this story is told through the eyes of a fictional 11 year old boy named Sawyer played Nathan Gamble and the movie really becomes his story. Sawyer was there when Winter was rescued and of course it’s only he who the dolphin responds to. Sawyer, who has some abandonment issues of his own, is given quite a melodramatic back story. His father has disappeared. His favorite cousin, who dreams of being a swimming champ, gets deployed to fight in Iraq and (get this) comes back wounded with a serious leg injury! Talk about a parallel plot line! This gives the film the chance to introduce the grumpy doctor Dr. McCarthy, a specialist in creating prosthetic limbs for soldiers at the local VA hospital. He’s of course played by Morgan Freeman and Sawyer convinces him to help save the dolphin by developing a prosthetic new tail (Dr. McCarthy notes that he has some vacation days stored up so we don’t think he’s distracted from helping war vets). But then there’s a hurricane, the destruction from which puts the Marine hospital in such debt it’ll have to be sold soon to a rich hotel magnate so the clock is ticking on saving Winter!

Thankfully director Charles Martin Smith (who, with NEVER CRY WOLF and AIR BUD has experience directing animals), knows just what to do emotionally and technically to pull off this old-fashioned sentimental yarn. An extremely handsome production, A DOLPHIN TALE effectively manipulates audiences with its rhythms and drama and Mark Isham’s soaring score is perfectly in sync with the narrative. The problem with DOLPHIN TALE is that it goes exactly where you expect it to, has a very simple story to tell (one completely laid out in the trailer), and takes a long time telling it. At almost a full two hours, younger children are going to get restless. Kids ages 8 to about 13 will totally eat it up though but it’s way too square for older teens who’ll probably find the film as saccharine as most adults. The characters, who are unilaterally impossible to dislike, are so darned well-meaning and saintly they may as well be wearing halos around their heads. The dedicated Marine biologist, played by Harry Connick, is a perfect match for Sawyer’s single mom played by Ashley Judd and he just happens to be widowed (though curiously, the script does not follow through on this romance) and has a precocious 11 year-old daughter named Hazel for Sawyer to bond with. The plot is embarrassingly straightforward and obvious and the good will and pat happy endings are laid on awfully thick. Even the billionaire real estate developer turns out to have a heart of gold so there are no villains in this film.

The gooey feel-good sentiments expressed in A DOLPHIN TALE are a bit old-fashioned and the exposition a bit prolonged and overdone, but the movie still succeeds on its own terms. If people leave the theater with a fuzzy glow and wanting to go out and hug a Dolphin, then, honestly, we’re all the better for it. An astute, intelligent family picture, A DOLPHIN TALE is a potent reminder that you can have your heart in the right place and still produce a gripping, satisfying entertainment.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

As a film lover, one of the comments I’ve heard over the years that irks me every time is ” Well. it’s intended for kids”. This seems to be a blanket excuse for any sloppily made animated features aimed at the moppet set. I believe that now , thanks to the cinema gems from Pixar, Dreamworks, and Blue Sky, that hackneyed phrase can finally be put to rest. Certainly UP, RIO, and HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON have themes that interest youngsters, but they’re well executed stories that all ages can appreciate. The makers of HOOWINKED TOO! HOOD VS. EVIL seem to believe that by pairing up star voices with fairy tale satire that they can score a bullseye with that all ages audience. The end result  not only misses that bullseye, it comes nowhere near the target.

As the title suggests, this is a sequel to the original HOODWINKED from a few years ago. The Big Bad Wolf is now part of a secret spy group the Happily Ever After Agency run by a frog named Nick Flippers. When Granny Puckett is captured during a botched rescue if Hansel and Gretel, Red Riding Hood  stops her training with the Sister Hoods to prevent Verushka the witch from perfecting the recipe for a chocolate truffle that makes the consumer all powerful. Along the way they must get information from the Giant and enlist the aid of Kirk the Woodsman and his yodeling gang in infiltrating the witch’s towering apartment buiding and defeat her pig army.

This movie included many of my animation pet peeves. I knew I was in for a rough ride when the first credits seen in the first moments is not for the writers or artists but for all the celebrity voice actors. Over a black screen we got all,ALL. the actors listed along with their characters, not in a group or three or four,but individual title cards: Heidi Klum as Heidi! I don’t believe you need a recognizable voice in every role. It’s not a guarantee of quality. Even more than the Shrek films or SHARK TAILS, the script was choked with dated pop culture references. Oh, Granny’s wearing Uma’s yellow track suit from KILL BILL! The Giant’s doing Joe Pesci’s ” Do I amuse you ” monologue from GOODFELLAS! Oh, a Star Wars joke and a Star Trek gag-from the 60′s series! And the characters never shut up for more than a second! The Wolf is chattering away non-stop! One running gag involves a banjo playing goats who shows up just in time to be smashed by some falling object-almost every fifteen minutes!  Unfortunately not all the problems here are verbal. The character designs of the Wolf, Flippers and Red are very unappealing and flat. They bounce around the generic backgrounds and seem to have no weight or gravity to them. As I left the theatre my aggravation turned to sadness as I thought of all the artists that worked to produce this soon to be daytime cable TV time filler. A lot of talent is needed to produce any animation. Let’s hope that the HOODWINKED series ends with this installment and the artists move on to projects much more worthy of their time and talent.

Overall Rating: One Half out of 5 stars

Morgan Freeman, Harry Connick Jr. and Ashley Judd star in the trailer premiere for DOLPHIN TALE (via Yahoo! Movies). Inspired by the remarkable true story, the film is about a courageous dolphin named Winter and the compassionate people who banded together to save her life.

Synopsis:

Based on true events DOLPHIN TALE is a family film about Winter, a young dolphin who loses her tail in a crab trap and Sawyer, the introverted, 11-year old boy who befriends her. Sawyer meets the rescued dolphin at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, a marine rehabilitation center where she lives. Sawyer rallies friends and family alike to save Winter by convincing a pioneering doctor to create a unique prosthetic attachment to restore the dolphin’s ability to swim. Winter the dolphin will play herself in the movie.

From director Charles Martin Smith, the film stars Morgan Freeman, Harry Connick Jr., Ashley Judd, Kris Kristofferson and Nathan Gamble. DOLPHIN TALE hits theaters in 3D and 2D on September 23, 2011

Check out this first trailer for Jim Carrey’s family comedy MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS.

Awww…that looks so cute, doesn’t it?

Synopsis:

In this family comedy, Jim Carrey (@JimCarrey) is Mr. Popper, a driven businessman who is clueless when it comes to the important things in life – until he inherits six penguins. Popper’s penguins turn his swank New York apartment into a snowy winter wonderland – and the rest of his life upside-down. Filmed on a refrigerated soundstage with real Emperor Penguins, MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS is a contemporary adaptation of the classic book.

From 20th Century Fox, MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS will be in theaters this summer on June 17. Visit the film’s official site HERE, “like” it on Facebook HERE, and follow it on Twitter HERE. (@Popperspenguins)