Sydney Pollack--One of the better directors of the last 40 years dies from cancer at 73

I've seen a few films directed by Sydney Pollack and enjoyed most of them (not The Firm). I particularly love Tootsie, The Electric Horseman and Absence of Malice and one of the things I love about them, is that I never once think, who directed this? Unlike other directors, Pollack had a great ability of staying out of the way. Let the story and the actors boost it along. No clever camera tricks, no long pauses so we can meditate on the meaning of life. Just story, action, move on.

Which made him being a key character actor in one of the most annoying "look-at-me" directorial efforts of all time, Eyes Wide Shut, such an ironic note. I could never imagine Pollack making a total bullshit movie like Eyes and yet here he was playing a lawyer to lead actor Tom Cruise. What's even funnier is that Pollack is the one good thing about that film, he's the one human being I recognized, the rest were talking mannequins.

But Pollack played another lawyer last year and was so great, because for once he played a total scumbag and that was as George Clooney's boss in Michael Clayton. He must have stolen his character from the Donald Rumsfeld gift shop, because he doesn't just ooze corporate/capitalist arrogance, he delights in his maliciousness. All of that is amazing, because Pollack just strikes you as a real mensch. So much humanity in his films, so much real life humor. There is hardly one false note in Tootsie. When I saw Electric Horseman, I must have been about 13 and never gave horses a thought before that, but that movie and Robert Redford's performance made me fall in love with the animal for the rest of my life. And realize that they should be free to run this land.

Sydney Pollack will be missed.

The Freditor

Son of Rambow is a funny, realistic portrayal of childhood and not at all sappy

* * * 1/2 (out of 5)

With the price of everything going up these days, I've been more willing to wait for videos on several new movies that I would have seen in the theatre just last year. I could have waited for Son of Rambow, but really wanted to give it my money and help support this kind of film so more would be made like it.

A British entry from the people who brought you "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", Rambow is the story of Will Proudfoot, a young (undisclosed religious person but seems to be Mormon) growing up in England in the late 1980s. He goes to a Christian school that is not part of his faith and has to sit in the hallway while the rest of his class watches educational TV.

Played by a younger Freddie Highmore lookalike named Bill Milner, young Will is cut off from the world and the enjoyment of life, and falls under the spell of the school bully, Lee Carter. When they both get in trouble for a fight Carter causes, Carter works his conman charms on the gullible Will and a bond forms if not exactly a friendship. Carter (played with great tough charisma by Will Poulter) films and duplicates cinema films on VHS tapes and gives them to his obnoxious, older brother to sell. His most recent "acquisition" is the original First Blood. When Will overhears and eventually watches the ultra-violent classic he is immediately swept away. His repressed little soul soars as he imagines himself as a young Rambow (he doesn't know how to spell the real name) out to save the world.

With Carter's videocamera and considerable skills at moviemaking and Will's strong imagination they decide to film their own sequel to Rambow. The no-budget, guerilla filmmaking these two auteurs pull off would make any independent director proud. In one scene, Will, as Son of Rambow, jumps off a swinging rope into a lake for the camera, only to start flopping around and really scream that he can't swim. Lee, as both director and Colonel Trautman, has to jump in a save him. It makes for great footage even though it wasn't planned. Having done something like this myself in high school, it is amazing how much fun it is for you and your friends to create a movie. No matter how cool young men seem to be, they become playful children if the camera is on them. The land of make believe is a powerful place.

But beyond the movie within a movie, the relationship that forms between Will and Lee is very rough, very real and at times both very funny and very touching. At one point Lee is sitting on the school hallway floor bouncing a ball off the other wall like Steve McQueen in The Great Escape, meanwhile Will is hiding behind a desk hoping Lee won't bother him. When he finally peaks out the ball is coming straight for his head and bangs right off the noggin. It had to hurt but was still funny as hell.

What isn't funny is the portrayal of the strict religious sect that Will belongs to. Religion can be filmed in a wondrous way if it's about pomp and ceremony and finding your spiritual self. But when it's about repression and forcing people to turn away from their real selves, it paints a dark and ugly picture. In this kind of environment you root for Will to fight back and even lie about his whereabouts to his mother, because it is the only way he can live his life.

The introduction of French exchange student, Didier Revol, and his posse is a little Hollywoodish, but the idea of a kid with this kind of charisma taking over a school is based in reality. I loved the reaction to him by his fellow French classmates.

Bill Milner has a future based on his performance in this movie.

The Freditor

Fred predicts a huge hit for Disney's "Beverly Hills Chihuahua"

Saw the trailer last weekend and it is exciting, funny and cute and is the only trailer in recenbt months that had people buzzing in the audience. Looks great. Hope the movie is just as good if not better.
IMDb Video: Beverly Hills Chihuahua: Theatrical Trailer

The Freditor

Iron Man: Best Comic Book Movie Ever, Movie of the Year so far-Both Classy & Fun

* * * * * (out of 5)


Saw the first trailer for Iron Man back in January when I went to see Cloverfield and I said to my friend Bob, "that looks great." He said, "Yeah, but Robert Downey Jr.?" I shared his concerns. I know they keep hiring wimpy actors to play these superheroes, but Downey especially would fit in more as Felix Unger than someone named Iron Man. But I have to admit he pulls it off, BIG TIME.

Most everyone from my generation is a Downey fan. He was one of the most spirited actors of the mid-'80s, a big presence in lesser roles. As the purple-haired freak in Rodney Dangerfield's "Back to School", he was way more memorable as the best friend than Rodney's nerdy son. He's often called the best actor of his generation, but he can fight that out with Val Kilmer and Edward Norton. However, he is definitely the most exciting.

He brings so much energy to the screen and now that's even without the help of drugs. Clean and sober for reportedly 5 years now, his manic drive pulsates in a movie that already has a ton of horsepower. Right out of the gate as billionaire weapons maker, Tony Stark, he gets to drive in a Humvee around the Afghan desert with some soldiers and throws off several great one liners before the credits even roll. My favorite: Talking to one soldier, "You know, a minute ago I couldn't tell if you were a guy or a girl, but now that I know you're a girl I can't help but be turned on by your amazing bone structure. Is that weird?"

Not knowing the comic book, I didn't realize that Stark's character is a world-famous, drunken playboy, which fits Downey to a tee, who only gets a heart and strength through his superhero suit. Without the suit he's a little guy with a big mouth, but with the suit he's 600 pounds of streamlined strategic defense. Stark's film bodyguard and director Jon Favreau (Swingers, Made, Elf, Zathuria) adds layers of humanity and feisty fun to the proceedings. The private jet scene is a brilliant, funny moment that many guys could only dream about. Little touches have Forest Hills' Favreau all over them, like when Downey's partner brings pizza back to Malibu from New York as a sign of bad news. Nothing softens the taste of bad news like New York pizza.

The script might be the best part of the movie. It draws you in and never lets you leave. A rarity for any movie these days, but particularly a comic book film. It was originally written by Art Marcum and Matt Holloway, but given a script polish by Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby, the brilliant writers behind "Children of Men." I say let them polish EVERY script. When Stark tries out his flying suit for the first time, he's learning how to maneuver it and has flaming exhaust feet to deal with. Since he's in his fancy garage he starts to drift over his Lamborghinis and such and gets very nervous, "No, No, nononono, Not the cars, not the cars!!!"

Stark's partner in weapons making is Obadiah Stane, played by a fantastic Jeff Bridges. Bridges' molasses voice makes every character, good or bad, seem so inviting that he can't possibly mean you any harm. The beard and shaved head give him a look of old world capitalism. The big stogie makes him look like a railroad baron. In one scene, he leans on a small scientist for answers and the scientist is noticeably scared. Who is the scientist? Little Peter Billingsley from A Christmas Story--all growsed up.

Gwyneth Paltrow, who can look bad or great, depending on lighting, makeup and other factors (like Jerry's girlfriend on Seinfeld), looks beautiful here as Stark's Gal Friday, Pepper Potts. A radiant, strawberry blonde, Pepper is always three steps ahead of her boss on all matters, except his new alter ego. Her scene with him and his heart is squishy but great. The cast's entire starting four have had Oscar acknowledgment in the past, but all needed a major hit to revive their careers.

That includes the most charismatic pimp himself, Hustle and Flow's Terrence Howard as Stark's best friend and military advisor, Jim Rhodes. He brings so many good points to his part, but my favorite is when he becomes a whiny drunk. "I'm the best and nobody knows it." I know that guy.

Favreau has been a favorite since I saw the first movie he wrote, Swingers. I don't buy many movies anymore, but I will be adding Iron Man to my Favreau collection of Swingers, Made and Elf.

Iron Man is the best comic book movie ever made. (Sorry Superman II).


The Freditor

Evan Almighty is cute, fun, but Wanda Sykes steals the show--fred

* * * (out of 5)


I don't know if she's underrated, but for me Wanda Sykes is one of the funniest women out there. Unlike many comics she is equally adept at working clean or dirty and being just as funny. In Evan Almighty, a family comedy, Sykes steals the show as Congressman Evan Baxter's Washington aide. Baxter is again played by Steve Carrell, the gibberish-speaking anchorman from Jim Carrey's Bruce Almighty. Now elected to the federal government, he barely settles into his new job when God (Morgan Freeman) comes back to offer him a side job. Build an ark for a second flood. To help him, God gives Evan a Ark Building for Dummies book. Sometimes the jokes are that obvious.

Howvere, the movie is filled with some clever sight gags and wordplay, but has to fill out its 90 minute running time with 3 music montages. As for Sykes, when Evan inexplicably grows a beard that he can't shave and hair that he can't cut, Sykes is beside herself. When she finally gets him to almost admit why he needs the beard, he says, "I'm building something." Sykes answers, "Well, I hope it's a barbershop."

The building of the ark is very cool, and the special effects are really good, especially for a comedy. You can see where the $180 million was spent. The animal stunts alone must have taken a lot of time and effort. But the environmental message isn't going to convince anyone who doesn't care about the earth. One nice touch was what ARK can stand for "Acts of Random Kindness." Maybe they made this slogan up, maybe they didn't, it still works well.

As for Steve Carrell, he is one of those moderately funny people who works best bouncing off other funnier people. He gets credit for the success of 40 Year Old Virgin, but that was really an ensemble effort that made that movie so great. Asking Carrell to be the lone funny man will not work and I'm afraid this summer's Get Smart will reveal that in spades. He's not Eddie Murphy or Bill Murray, he's more Gene Wilder.


The Freditor

The Orphanage: A really good, scary Spanish horror film

* * * 1/2 (out of 5)


(From the makers of Pan's Labyrinth and The Devil's Backbone)

The old Universal horror films, like Frankenstein, Dracula and The Wolfman were all 90 minutes each. They set up the story, introduce the creature, have him cause mayhem and have a resolution. Tidy. I'm not crazy about these movies, but I love their brevity. More movies should strive to come in around 90 minutes. Comedies and horror films especially because it is hard to sustain laughter and suspense much longer than that. Comedies start to drag and scary movies lose people's interest.

The Orphanage suffers from this. Coming in at almost 2 hours, it has too much filler to distract you before it gets to the good stuff. A girl of about 10 is adopted from an orphanage leaving all her little friends behind. 25 years later she and her husband buy the old building to make a home for sick kids. Her own son is not aware that he is adopted and sick, and starts to form some good relationships with imaginary friends, or are they? A mysterious old lady shows up to become a nanny, but offends the woman when she reveals information about her son that hardly anyone knows.

This Spanish-language film works on your nerves from about the third minute in. This is the kind of movie that makes you edgy even when you are watching something totally normal, like kids playing red light, green light 1-2-3. A few scenes made me jump out of my chair, but then there are some listless passages which almost put me to sleep. In fact, a key scene got past my sleepy eyes and is useful toward figuring out the ending.

I would have made more use of Charlie Chaplin's daughter, Geraldine, as a medium much like the Zelda Rubinstein character in Poltergeist, only without the humor. Geraldine speaks perfect Spanish as she is hypnotized and returns to the building's past.

I hope that some American filmmaker remakes this in English, since more people should experience it. A couple of critics had a problem with the ending, but I didn't. In fact I'm not sure what their problem was. At least there was some resolution which so many films lack nowadays.

The Freditor