Freedom Writers...reveals courage.

Freedom Writers, set in Long Beach, California is based on a true story of a first time high school teacher, Mrs. Gruwell, played by two-time Academy Award winner, Hilary Swank. Mrs. G had a Norman Rockwell vision of what teaching entailed: obedient students, eager colleagues, organized lesson plans, abundant school supplies, and supportive school administration. A vision quickly dashed on her first day, as her students were rebellious, underprivileged, with troubled & tattered backgrounds. Their primary goal was survival on a day-to-day basis, with little room for intellectual or educational pursuits; and previous teachers had all but given up on these students.

Mrs. Gruwell, although ill equipped, takes on the challenging task and through trial & error, creativity, and perseverance, both the students and Ms. G learn to meet halfway. Her most effective teaching methods involve journaling, as well as reading & discussing The Diary of Anne Frank. Freedom Writers starts out slow and feels similar to something we have all seen before, yet halfway through the film, you feel the personal stories of the students take hold; which finally transforms the film into a touching experience that reveals courage on the part of students and celebrates Mrs. Gruwell's dedication. GO SEE Freedom Writer. (123 minutes, PG-13)

Alpha Dog...in the doghouse

Alpha Dog is set in Los Angeles, the playground of a spoiled 19 year old hooligan named Johnny Truelove, played by Emile Hirsch. He is a young prominent drug dealer/loan shark, with the support & protection of his father, played by Bruce Willis. Johnny becomes overzealous when one of his clients, Jake, played by Ben Foster, is unable to pay his debts. As a result, he & his entourage, most notable, Justin Timberlake, impulsively kidnap Jake's 15 year old little brother, in a effort to pressure him to pay up. Things quickly unravel in the worst way. Somewhat interesting is that this docu-drama is loosely based on true events surrounding James Hollywood, who is currently awaiting trial; in addition, performances by Timberlake and Foster are an unexpected treat, yet not enough to carry the film. Alpha Dog gets a resounding NO GO; it is painfully overacted, the cast chemistry is far from compelling, and it simply has to many preposterous moments.
(122 minutes, R)

Night at the Museum...animated

Night at the Museum is fun, creative, and corny all rolled up into one. Set in New York City, it is a story of divorced man, Larry Daley, played by Ben Stiller, whose life seems to be falling apart. He is unemployed and on the verge of losing yet another apartment, as a result putting his joint custody status with his son, Nick, at risk. On top of everything, Larry is beginning to feel his son slowly slipping away, as he is bonding more & more with his geeky, yet successful stepfather. At the end of his rope, and desperate to regain his son's love & respect, Larry takes the only job immediately available.

He is to replace three mischievous old timers, (Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney & Billy Cobbs) as the graveyard shift security guard at a promient museum, similar to The Museum of Natural History. On his first night he is quickly overwhelmed by the chaos, as each exhibit inexplicably comes to life. Everything from dinosours, to Teddy Roosevelt, played by Robin Williams, to lions, elephants, miniture gladiators & cowboys, Attila the Hun, Sacajawea, and cavemen are alive, well and reeking havoc. It is up to Larry to keep things in order, and he has no other choice but to become a quick study in the ways of the museum. Not so surprising, Larry has a tough time convincing anyone of this phenomenon, including his son, until he brings Nick to work one night. It is an animated & imaginative spectical that will inspire most to want to visit their local history museum. GO SEE Night at the Museum, it has something for everyone, and is especially a welcomed treat for the young one. (108 minutes, PG)

Venus...humorous and touching

Venus is a witty film about long term friends, Maurice, (played by Peter O'Toole), and Ian, (played by Leslie Phillips), who are over the hill actors; struggling to come to terms with the emptiness of their geriatric years, and the concept of their impending expiration.

Ian has come to the point where he needs someone to look after him, as a result his great-niece, Jessie (played by Jodie Whittaker), comes to live with him. It soon becomes apparent that Ian finds the teenager vulgar, can’t bear to be in her presence and can’t get rid of her. Maurice, desperate for companionship and smitten with her youth, accepts the daily chore of getting Jessie out of the house and spending time with her. He comes to nickname her Venus, after the Roman goddess, and while they have their challenges, they essentially learn to take care of each other in a rather pecuilar way. GO SEE Venus it is humorous, with moments of melancholy; the epiphanies & regrets they experience as their life comes closer to the end is touching and frightening. The chemistry that Maurice has with Jessie, Ian, and his x-wife, Valerie, played by Vanessa Redgrave is brilliant. Bravo to Peter O’Toole, not to mention, the music by Corrine Bailey Rae is wonderful. (95 minutes, R)

Dreamgirls...surprisingly enjoyable.

Dreamgirls is based on the 1980's Broadway musical that loosely follows the rise of the Motown record label. Academy Award winner, Jamie Foxx , plays Curtis Taylor, a cunning and ambitious entrepreneur trying to build a label, & find the next big star, all the while promising the world to any artist eager enough to fall prey. Caught in the fray, Thunder, played by Eddie Murphy, as well as, a naive girl group, resembling the Supremes, starring Beyoncé Knowles, Jennifer Hudson, and Anika Noni Rose, billed as Dreamgirls.

It is Effie, played by Jennifer Hudson, with the luminous voice that is the foundation that sustains the group & moves the audiences. But Foxx after having his way with Effie, discards her for the more exotic looking Deena Jones, played by Beyoncé, appointing her the starlet and lead singer of the group. A move that results in turmoil, distrust and shattered dreams. GO SEE Dreamgirls, it is a wonderful silver screen musical, the cast is tremendous, with surprisingly moving moments from both Foxx and Beyoncé. Yet it is Jennifer Hudson who is the diamond in the rough and most certainly has the award winning performance. (131 minutes, PG-13)

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer...bizarre.

Set in 18th-century France, Perfume is a story of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille (played by Ben Whishaw), left for dead at birth. He manages to survive, residing in an orphanage where he is neglected and ostracized. His only gift in life, the gift of scent, a bizarre hype sensitive nasal passage able to detect & discern all odors and aromas for miles. Sold into servitude while still a boy, he labored in a remote tanning operation. After years of backbreaking work he is permitted to leave the factory and make the long trip into Paris to deliver the finished leather goods.

Upon entering the city limits, his senses explode and he is unwilling to control himself, he wants to possess everything he smells, even if it means murder. Fate would have it that one of his deliveries is to the laboratory of a perfume chemist, played by Dustin Hoffman. During this visit, he replicates the most famous perfume of the time, creates an exquisite new fragrance, and convinces Hoffman to secure him as his apprentice. Jean-Baptiste becomes morbidly obsessed with developing the perfect perfume, implementing methods that are creative, creepy & criminal. NO GO for Perfume, while it is a unique murder mystery, it is neither terrifying, nor suspenseful, just merely unpleasant, and the narration is distracting.
(147 minutes, R)

Children of Men...thought provoking & suspenseful.

Children of Men, set in England in 2027 when the future of human kind is at stake, and possibly a half century away from extinction. This film is gritty and eye opening. Depicting a world where women have mysteriously become infertile, and the youngest person on the planet, an 18 year-old kid, has just been killed. Its a story where hope no longer exist, and the day to day survival is the only thing that seems to matter. Hence, there is unrest, chaos, martial law and despair. Yet in the mist of this nightmare, a ray of light, one women, Kee, played by Claire-Hope Ashitey, has conceived a child & now weeks from giving birth. She is on the run, desperately in search of a safe place for her & her unborn baby.

Clive Owen, plays Theodore Faron, a former activist, now an alcoholic who has given up on fighting for anything. Reluctantly, he is ripped from his humdrum life and called upon by Julianne Moore, who plays Julian, a leader in a powerful activist organization, to fight for the people one last time. Together they take on the life-threatening task of delivering this miracle child & mother-to-be to a safe haven. On the journey they encounter betrayal, murder, terrorism & destruction; and when failure seems imminent, Michael Caine, plays an eccentric friend & activist, is there to lend a helping hand. Everyone from scientists, to the government, to fundamentalist groups & religious sects want the baby; and will destroy anyone or anything in the way. GO SEE Children of Men, it's suspenseful, touching, as well as thought provoking. It will have you thinking...what if? (109 minutes, R)