MARLEY AND ME
****1/2 out of 5 stars
Okay, here’s the deal. I love dogs. I’ve loved them all my life, and my family has been through the roller coaster of emotions that dogs bring to a family. It is for this reason that I dearly loved “Marley and Me.”
Owen Wilson plays a newspaper columnist who gets a new dog named Marley, only to find he’s the worst dog in the world. However, the pup becomes a loveable, functional and sometimes harrowing participant in the family.
“Marley and Me” is rather simple, but it does what a movie is supposed to do. It sucks you in with humor and warmth, and anyone who has had a dog of their own will identify with much of the film. The film has plenty to say about family, dreams and unconditional love without being preachy, and it should melt even the hardest of hearts in the theater.
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VALKYRIE
**1/2 out of 5 stars
Okay, here’s the deal. Nothing says Christmas like a failed Nazi assassination plot. Why else would United Artists drop “Valkyrie,” a movie about an attempt by German officers to kill Hitler, on Christmas Day.
“Valkyrie” is Tom Cruise’s second attempt to revive United Artists as a studio, and while the film has quite a few exciting moments, Cruise stands in the way of it being a good movie. Maybe he could pull off being a Nazi if he didn’t sound like he just walked off the streets of Syracuse.
A lot of noise has been made about the lack of German accents in this film, and there’s such a variety of accents – from British to American to actual German from German actors – that the audience is taken out of the setting completely.
If it were a made-for-TV movie, “Valkyrie” would be passable. But as a major Hollywood release, it just doesn’t make it.
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THE SPIRIT
*** out of 5 stars
Okay, here’s the deal. Let me start off by saying that Frank Miller is a creative genius. And if he gets a few more films under his belt, he’ll be as awesome of a filmmaker as he is a graphic novelist.
However, with his first solo outing as director, “The Spirit” shows his amateur style.
“The Spirit” is based on Will Eisner’s comic book hero from the 40s, a police man who cannot die, fighting crime in the city. The film is given the “Sin City” visual treatment but loaded with more camp than the old “Batman” TV show.
There are some really cool moments in the film, but others – especially featuring the villain, a weird dude named The Octopus, played by Samuel L. Jackson – are just downright silly. If you can get past the film’s own cleverness, it can be a nice diversion for the teenage crowd.
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BEDTIME STORIES
***1/2 out of 5 stars
Okay, here’s the deal. With a crowded Christmas movie season, there’s surprisingly few films for the family, so “Bedtime Stories” is going to be your best bet to entertain kids of all ages.
Adam Sandler plays a man who tells bedtime stories to his niece and nephew, only to find out they come true the next day. He tries to use this to help fix his life, but there are strings attached.
If you don’t like Adam Sandler, you might want to pass on this film. However, he does decent job being accessible to a more family-oriented crowd. “Bedtime Stories” is your basic Disney film for the holidays. It’s a bit corny at parts, but it’s a sweet movie that kids should adore.
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THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
*** out of 5 stars
Okay, here’s the deal. By now, you’ve heard all the buzz about “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” and while it’s a good film, it is suffering from a little too much buzz.
Brad Pitt stars as Benjamin Button, who was born an 80-year-old man and ages in reverse. He learns to deal with his backwards life in his relationships and also lives a full life well into infancy.
I’m not quite sure how a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald ballooned into a three-hour movie, but such is the case with Hollywood. The film is visually stunning and mostly well acted. However, for as much movie there is to see on the screen, not much happens.
The characters don’t always make the best decisions or do a whole lot, but given its hefty running time, it managed to keep my interest at least.
