Fantastic Mr. Fox

Film Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Wes Anderson Directs Animated Version of Roald Dahl Classic

When you think of Wes Anderson, what ordinarily comes to mind is a sublime sense of humor appealing to a sophisticated cinematic palate, as evidenced by movies like Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums and The Darjeeling Limited. Fantastic Mr. Fox, however, represents a substantial departure for the wry director from his trademark, understated fare for a foray into a readily-accessible, animated adventure ostensibly aimed at kids.
Based on Roald Dahl’s children’s novel of the same name, the film stars George Clooney in the title role with a supporting voice cast featuring Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Willem Dafoe and Jason Schwartzman. Superficially, the movie looks a lot like Chicken Run (2000), another stop-motion cartoon set on a farm. But that’s where any similarities end because Fantastic Mr. Fox proves to be not nearly as charming, coherent or comedic as that delightful crowd-pleaser.
The plot is only loosely based on the book, and revolves around a chicken thief (Clooney) who tries to go straight after being caught in a trap while burglarizing a hen house. But after settling down with his wife, Felicity (Streep), to raise their son, Ash (Schwartzman), and nephew, Kristofferson (Eric Chase Anderson), he soon becomes bored with his safer line of work as a journalist.
Missing both the taste of chicken and the excitement of staging daring raids, Fantastic Mr. Fox decides to pull off one last big job before finally retiring for good. So, with the help of Kylie (Wallace Wolodarsky), an opossum, he hatches an elaborate plan to steal poultry and cider from a trio of neighboring agribusinesses owned by a trio of mean, gun-toting fox-haters: Franklin Bean (Michael Gambon), Walter Boggis (Robin Hurlstone) and Nathan Bunce (Hugo Guinness).
In the wake of the heist, during which Mr. Fox suffers the indignity of having his tail shot off, the irate farmers resort to desperate measures to catch him. Unfortunately, neither side looks particularly sympathetic in the ensuing, escalating battle of wits. The owners destabilize the local eco-system, excavating fields and flooding foxholes, to flush out the wily predator, while the four-legged perp selfishly endeavors to devour rather than rescue the livestock caged by the corporate conglomerates.
The movie’s glaring absence of a moral compass might be forgivable if the tale at least elicited a few side-busting belly laughs along the way. Instead it tends to trade in a plethora of pithy comments like, “He’s just another dead rat in a pail behind a Chinese restaurant.”
In essence, what we have here is a creepy cartoon filled with inappropriate inside jokes that are mostly over the head of the desired tyke demographic, exactly what one would you expect of a claymation vehicle crafted by the cerebral Wes Anderson. Too bad adults aren’t apt to be any more engaged by this uninspired variation on the age-old, children’s fairy tale theme of farmers vs. foxes.
Been there, seen that!

Fair (1.5 stars)
Rated PG for action, smoking and slang.
Running time: 88 minutes
Studio: 20th Century Fox

Playing for Change DVD

DVD Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Street Musicians Collaborate Trans-Planet in the Name of Peace

The first time Mark Johnson heard Roger Ridley singing “Stand by Me,” he was so moved by the passion in the elderly black man’s voice, he wanted to share it with the world. However, that seemed like an improbable dream, because Roger was obscure even in their hometown of Santa Monica, California where he was just a street musician playing for tips in the public square.

But then Mark thought about the fact that there must many other equally-talented, yet unrecognized individuals performing outdoors, essentially for free, in cities all over the planet. So, he decided to create a mobile recording studio in order to give them a chance to collaborate with each other without meeting. Since music is the universal language, he hoped to deliver a powerful message about its power to unite the human race by weaving a unique tapestry of tunes with folks from a diversity of backgrounds.

Therefore, with the help of co-director Jonathan Walls, he proceeded to prove that the world is indeed a global village via a project which would take them from Brazil to South Africa to Russia to Holland to Italy to Spain to Ireland to France to Israel to Palestine to Nepal to India and back to the United States. The fruit of those labors is Playing for Change: Songs around the World, a soul-stirring DVD and CD which offers its audience one of the most satisfying listening experiences imaginable.

Despite the physical distance and considerable cultural differences among the contributors, they combined to create some beautiful music. For instance, it is nothing short of amazing to hear how Ridley’s lead vocals blend with that of the gravelly-throated Grandpa Elliot, as well as with one-man band Washboard Chaz, Native American drummers, a Russian cellist, a Zulu acappella group, plus numerous additional accompanists for an unforgettable version of “Stand by Me.”

Besides featuring novel renditions of such classic songs as “One Love,” “Talkin’ ‘Bout a Revolution,” and “A Change Is Gonna Come,” to name a few, the DVD captures the colorful essence of each port-of-call, given that each session was shot outdoors and up against a visually-captivating background.

Perhaps the picture’s most poignant moment arrives when Irishman Liam O’ Maonlai pauses from playing the didgeridoo on “Biko” to summarize his basic philosophy of life. “I believe in my brothers and sisters all over the world, and that we will see this Earth to be ours,” he says matter-of-factly. “We have an ability to look after one another, and an ability to share. It’s our place, our world, it’s our planet. It’s ours!”

Here, here! Or should I say, hear, hear!

Excellent (4 stars)
Unrated
Running time: DVD - 83 minutes, CD - 45 minutes.
Studio: Concord Music Group
DVD Extras: “The Filmmakers’ Journey,” a behind-the-scenes featurette, and “The Playing for Change Foundation,” a documentary focusing on the inspiring work of the project’s non-profit organization. .

A Christmas Tale DVD

(Un Conte de Noel)
DVD Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Dysfunctional Family Drama from France Due on DVD

Don’t be tricked by director Arnaud Desplechin’s deceptively benign title, this flick doesn’t spin a heartwarming yarn in the manner of such seasonal classics as It’s a Wonderful Life or A Christmas Story. No miracles lay in wait for any unfortunate orphans in this relatively sobering saga set in France.
If Jerry Springer ever decided to shoot his TV show in Paris, the protagonists of this picture, the Vuillards, would make excellent guests. For this dysfunctional family is filled with more drama than you can shake a stick of French bread at. At the point of departure we find the clan convening at the family manse in advance of the Christmas holidays for a reunion guaranteed to stir up trouble.
The ringmaster of the three-ring circus is matriarch Junon (Catherine Deneuve), a cancer patient suffering from the same strain of leukemia which took the life of one of her sons at the age of 7. Today, she and her husband, Abel (Jean-Paul Roussillon), have three adult children, Henri (Mathieu Amalric), Elizabeth (Ann Consigny) and Ivan (Melvil Poupard) who arrive burdened by considerable emotional baggage as well as unresolved sibling rivalry.
For example, playwright Elizabeth has little patience for ne’er-do-well Henri, because she once had to bail him out of a bad investment for which their father had cosigned. The two haven’t spoken to each other since, so this occasion offers an opportunity for long-simmering fireworks to explode. Ivan, on the other hand, has issues with Simon (Laurent Capuletto), an orphaned cousin raised under the same roof.
It seems that Simon has been hiding a secret crush on Ivan’s wife, Sylvia (Chiara Mastroianni) since they were teenagers, so what better time to let the cat out of the bag than Christmas. All of the above is just the tip of the iceberg, as Junon is urgently in need of a bone marrow transplant. Thus, the burning question which permeates the air at the gathering is whether any of her relatives might be a suitable match.
Despite its relentlessly-grim overarching theme, A Christmas Tale’s absorbing array of richly-developed characters invariably embroiled in incestuous folderol easily outweighs the unpleasant tone of this otherwise depressing escapade. All that’s missing is Jerry Springer refereeing the play-by-play.
How do you say, “Don’t even go there, girlfriend!” in French?

Excellent (3.5 stars)
Unrated
In French with subtitles.
Running time: 152 minutes
Studio: Criterion Collection
DVD Extras: Interview with the director and co-stars Catherine Deneuve and Mathieu Amalric, a documentary, 2 theatrical trailers and a booklet containing stills and production notes.

Terminator Salvation DVD

DVD Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Schwarzenegger Cameo Couldn’t Save Salvation Sequel

When you decide to shoot a Terminator sequel sans Schwarzenegger (sorry, a cameo of Arnold‘s head atop a body double doesn’t count), and with an entirely new cast, you might want to consider devoting some quality time to character development in order to give your audience a chance to become familiar with and, thus, reason to care about the protagonists. Otherwise you’ll probably end up with a superficial, sci-fi saga like Terminator Salvation (T-4), a special effects indulgence in fight sequences, chase scenes, pyrotechnics and techno wizardry at the expense of emotional depth.
This post-apocalyptic adventure is as soulless as the defoliated expanse of barren landscape on which it unfolds. What’s worse, the movie abandons the franchise’s carefully-cultivated trademarks in favor of a lot of nondescript CGI action sequences which feel interchangeable with similar flicks like Transformers and Doomsday.
T-4 takes place in a flattened California in 2018 where we find the few folks still alive cowering in caves and makeshift shelters. That’s because a swarm of invading terminators, Skynet’s T-600s, have practically decimated humanity. With less than four days until total annihilation, it falls to a chivalrous army vet named John Connor (Christian Bale) to organize a resistance movement. Its goal is to get close enough to the cyborgs to shut down their computers by jamming their radio frequency with the help of a top secret weapon provided by General Ashdown (Michael Ironside).
Of course, this is easier said than done, especially since the aliens have a decided military advantage and a “take no prisoners” policy. But Conner is both desperate and game and enlists the assistance of a motley crew in his heroic endeavor. His impromptu posse includes his pregnant wife, Kate (Bryce Dallas Howard), a downed fighter pilot (Moon Bloodgood), his right-hand man, Barnes (Common), a teenage soldier (Anton Yelchin), a mute toddler (Jadagrace) and Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), a very mysterious stranger whom Connor has good reason not to trust.
But keeping the motivations of the various players on the scorecard straight is never as important as simply sitting back and appreciating all the fireworks which ensue. What we have here, to quote the Bard of Avon, is essentially “A tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”
Mind under matter.

Fair (1 star)
Rated PG-13 for profanity and intense violence.
Running time: 115 minutes
Studio: Warner Home Video
DVD Extras: Digital copy of the film.

Fears of the Dark (FRENCH) DVD

(Peurs du Noir)
DVD Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Animated Feature Exploring Everyday Phobias Available on DVD

In 2007, a French film named Paris, je t’aime proved that 20 directors (including the Coen Brothers, Wes Craven, Gus Van Sant and Alfonso Cuaron) could successfully collaborate on one movie. That picture was comprised of 18 independently-produced, loosely-linked five minute-long shorts, each of which related a brief tale set somewhere in the City of Paris.
Here, 10 graphic artists have pooled their talents to make an animated feature highlighting a variety of everyday phobias ranging from a fear of spiders to dogs to an empty house to things that go bump in the night. Fears of the Dark, also coming courtesy of France, is not a cartoon aimed at kids, but rather a half-dozen relatively-sophisticated vignettes for grownups, as it includes a little nudity, sexuality, bestiality and other adult-oriented fare.
Shot in stark black & white, the movie makes effective use of shadows and angles to add to the overall impending sense of dread. The stories ostensibly reflect the worst nightmares of their creators (Charles Burns, Marie Caillou, Romain Slocombe, Richard McGuire, Michel Pirus, Blutch, Lorenzo Mattotti, Jerry Kramsky, Pierre di Sciullo and artistic director Etienne Robial), whose efforts add up to an innovative flick which figures to delight fans of the genre rather easily.
An arresting array of chilling images worth a watch for its scary visual effects alone.

Excellent (3.5 stars)
Unrated
In French with subtitles.
In black & white
Running time: 80 minutes
Studio: IFC Films
DVD Extras: U.S. trailer, French teaser, exhibition tour of Fears in the Dark, “From the Drawing to the Film,” a diaporama of working documents, and winners videos of the Fears in the Dark MySpace contest

Kam's Kapsules: Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun

by Kam Williams
For movies opening December 4, 2009

BIG BUDGET FILMS

Armored (PG-13 for intense violence, disturbing images and brief profanity) Action thriller about employees for an armored car company whose foolproof plan to steal $42 million from one of their own trucks goes horribly wrong when one of the conspirators (Columbus Short) has misgivings after a cop (Milo Ventimiglia) is shot during the heist. With Laurence Fishburne, Matt Dillon, Skeet Ulrich, Jean Reno, Fred Ward and John Cena.

Brothers (R for profanity and disturbing violence) Jim Sheridan directs this dysfunctional family drama about an ex-con (Jake Gyllenhaal) who gets involved with his big brother’s (Tobey Maguire) wife (Natalie Portman) after his sibling goes missing in Afghanistan, only to have a lot of explaining to do upon the decorated veteran’s rescue and return to the States. Cast includes Sam Shepard and Mare Winningham.


INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

Before Tomorrow (Unrated) Final chapter in The Fast Runner trilogy
based on Inuit oral history, with this installment opening in 1840 and chronicling the devastating impact of the arrival of the white man as witnessed by a young boy (Paul-Dylan Ivalu) living with his beloved grandmother (Madeline Piujug Ivalu) in the harsh Arctic wilderness. (In Inuktitut with subtitles)

Big River Man (Unrated) Endurance documentary highlights the exploits of Slovenian swimmer Martin Strel as he attempts to get into the Guinness Book of World Records by swimming the entire 3,375-mile length of the Amazon River.

Breaking Point (R for profanity, drug use, graphic violence and brief nudity) Tom Berenger stars in this crime saga about a defense attorney whose attempt to make a comeback after a struggle with drug addiction is complicated when he takes a murder case which has him wresting with his old demons. Cast includes Busta Rhymes, Sticky Fingaz Frankie Faison and Armand Assante.

Everybody’s Fine (PG-13 for mature themes and brief profanity) Robert De Niro stars in this remake of Stanno Tutti Bene (1990) the Italian drama about a still-grieving widower who embarks on an impromptu road trip against doctors orders in order to reconnect with his grown children (Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale and Sam Rockwell) after they decline his offer to host a family reunion.

Film ist a Movie and a Gun (Unrated) Thought-provoking documentary explores a variety of themes such as sexuality and war via snippets of silent films and talkies made between the 1890’s and the 1940’s, now augmented by a soundtrack exploring the philosophies of Plato, Sappho and other classical thinkers.

The Last Station (R for a scene with sexuality and nudity) Literary bio-pic about Leo Tolstoy’s (Christopher Plummer) later years, highlighting the hedonistic Russian author’s ambivalence about having taken vows of poverty and chastity. With Helen Mirren, Paul Giamatti and James McAvoy.

Loot (Unrated) Buried treasure reality flick about a couple of blind, World War II vets who enlist the assistance of a sighted guide to search for the priceless gems and other contraband they hid over 60 years earlier while stationed in Austria and the Philippines. (In English and German with subtitles)

Mystery Team (R for nudity, profanity, drug use and crude sexuality) Raunchy teensploit about a trio of 18 year-old amateur sleuths (Donald Glover, D.C. Pierson and Dominic Dierkes) who attempt to prove that they’re real detectives by solving a double homicide which has rattled their quiet New Hampshire community.

Serious Moonlight (R for profanity and threatening behavior) Battle-of-the-sexes comedy about a high-powered attorney (Meg Ryan) who duct tapes her adulterous husband (Timothy Hutton) to the toilet to prevent him from leaving her for a younger woman (Kristen Bell) only to have further complications ensue when their home is invaded by burglars. With Justin Long and Andy Ostroy.

The Strip (PG-13 for sexual references) Ensemble comedy, set in an electronics store at a strip mall, where the bored employees break up the monotony with a variety of sophomoric antics. Cast includes Dave Foley, Rodney Scott and Jenny Wade.

Until the Light Takes Us (Unrated) Rockumentary investigating the proponents of Norwegian black metal, an occult subculture associated not only with a bizarre brand of music but with murder and arson.

Up in the Air (R for profanity and sexuality) Jason Reitman directs this screen adaptation of Walter Kirn’s best seller about a peripatetic hatchet man (George Clooney) for a downsizing corporation who suddenly finds himself grounded just when he’s on the brink of accumulating ten million frequent flyer miles and right after he’s also fallen for a like-minded traveler (Vera Farmiga).

The Twilight Saga: New Moon

Film Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Fantasy Sequel Finds Bella Torn between Vampire and Werewolf

Despite the fact that all of the principal cast members have returned for the sequel, New Moon pales in comparison (pardon the expression) to the scintillating original which landed on this critic’s Annual Top Ten List a year ago. Since the new production retains the services of the same scriptwriter, the obvious explanation for the difference in quality is the replacement of Catherine Hardwicke with Chris Weitz as director.
After all, most of the movies on Mr. Weitz’s resume’ are comedies, including such hilarious hits as Down to Earth and American Pie. So, it makes sense that he would opt to infuse this flick with lots of lighthearted levity. But a big reason why Twilight 1 worked so well was that rather than break the tension with comic relief, Hardwicke wisely chose to let it to continue to build, thus ratcheting up the intensity in a manner that made for a bone-chilling experience.
By comparison, Twilight 2 arrives not only riddled with jokes but punctuated with distracting pop culture asides, as if desperate to sound contemporary. For instance, there’s the scene where Bella (Kristen Stewart) brushes off Jacob (Taylor Lautner) with, “I’m not into that ‘Cougar’ thing,” because she’s a couple of years older than her solicitous, 16 year-old suitor. Or how about when we hear another character refer to the H1N1 virus by saying, “He probably has that flu that’s going around.”
Equally annoying is when the potentially shocking revelation that Jacob is a werewolf is immediately undercut by the punny quip “Guess the wolf’s out of the bag.” On another occasion, potentially-menacing werewolves are merely dismissed as a harmless “pack of mutts.”
All of the above notwithstanding, Twilight 2 remains a review-proof adventure certain to keep its intended demographic enthralled for a couple of hours, specifically, those teens weaned on Stephenie Meyer’s popular quartet of otherworldly romance novels. This installment revolves around a love triangle in which Bella, a human, finds herself torn between Edward (Robert Pattinson), a vampire, and Jacob, the aforementioned werewolf.
Who am I to quibble with a patently-preposterous, escapist fantasy which never takes itself seriously, yet somehow still resonates perfectly with the overly-sentimental, puppy love inclinations of passionate, prepubescent females?

Good (2 stars)
Rated PG-13 for violence and some action.
Running time: 130 minutes
Studio: Summit Entertainment