HORTON HEARS A WHO

Animated cartoon

PRINCIPAL CHARACTER VOICES
Jim Carrey: Horton the elephant
Seth Rogen: his pal Morton the mouse
Carol Burnett: the Kangaroo
Steve Carell: Mayor of Who-ville
Amy Poehler: his wife Sally O’Malley
Isla Fisher: Who-ville scientist Dr. Mary Lou LaRue
Will Arnett: Vlad the vulture
Narration by Charles Osgood

REVIEW
You could do a lot worst on a Saturday afternoon than going to see this one, especially if you have young ones along with you. But it lacks certain required elements both from the kid’s point-of-view and that of the adults. The result is somewhat disappointing despite the quality of the CGI and a good story line.

For starters, it has only a few amusing moments and just one really good laugh-out-loud joke. Kids all love the rude bodily sounds and giggle knowingly whenever they hear them but there are none. Nor are there any double entendres, clever dialog “for adults only” that make the kids ask, “what are you laughing at mommy?”

There is the requisite fast-talking sidekick but the little fellow has very limited screen time so really plays a minor part in the scheme of things. And there is hardly a happy tune to be heard the whole time which runs a tad too long.

CLASSIFICATION

THE BANK JOB

Crime thriller
Based on a true story

BACKGROUND
During the First World War British secret services were divided into numbered sections referred to as Military Intelligence, number X. For example section MI-1 was devoted to code breaking. Section MI-5 was made responsible for internal UK and overseas British territories intelligence. Section MI-6 was responsible for external intelligence. Both MI5 and MI6 operate abroad and at home, but in different ways: MI5 concentrates on protecting British citizens and British interests wherever they might be in the world, whereas MI6 concentrates on gathering intelligence which might be of use to the government.

In 1912 before the outbreak of the First World War, the British Admiralty and the War Office decided that they needed some means of preventing the press from publishing information that might be of value to a future enemy. Consequently the Defence Advisory Notice system was implemented. Each D-Notice was an official request to news editors not to publish or broadcast items on specified subjects, for reasons of national security.

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Saphron Burrows: former model Martine Love
Richard Lintern: her lover Tim Everett, a MI-5 agent
Jason Statham: Terry Leather, garage owner
Stephen Campbell Moore: his drinking buddy Kevin
Daniel Mays: their friend Dave
David Suchet: Lew Vogel, owner of a sex club
Peter De Jersey: Michael X, a Black Power revolutionary

REVIEW
Perhaps some liberties have been taken in the telling of this story but for the most part it rings true. Unlike most movies of this type, it evolves in a straightforward chronological manner without the usual flashbacks. Just as well because it is complicated enough with several sub-plots as the principals get involved in other people who have their own problems. And it is always a good idea to remember that government agencies sometimes resort to criminal methods, often having others do the dirty work. Watergate comes to mind.

CLASSIFICATION
for violence, profanity, nudity and sexual situations (they got that right!)

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY
 The leather goods shop named Le Sac has the Barclaycard/VISA decal stuck on the window. Although it was the first credit card introduced in the UK back in 1966, Barclaycard did not become part of the VISA network until 1977, some six years after these events took place.
 The date on the tombstone written in Roman numerals ends with XV not IX which means the year 15 not 9 as stated by one of the guys when he sees it.

MISS PETTIGREW LIVES FOR A DAY

Romantic comedy

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Frances McDormand: Guinevere Pettigrew, a middle-aged nanny
Amy Adams: American actress/nightclub singer Delysia Lafosse
Tom Payne: Phil, a producer of London musicals
Mark Strong: Delysia’s employer, nightclub owner Nick
Lee Pace: penniless piano player Michael
Shirley Henderson: Edythe, owner of a boutique clothing store
Ciaran Hinds: her fiancé Joe, a lingerie designer

REVIEW
Right from the get-go it is apparent this is not a serious film that will become a classic. Instead it comes across as a stage play with everyone emoting rather than simply acting. Once you accept that premise things work out fine since this modern-day fairy tale is a pleasant diversion. The high production standards and glorious costumes add to the theatrical-look of the whole thing.

CLASSIFICATION
for some partial nudity and innuendo.

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY
 Surveillance of public areas by Closed Circuit Television Cameras (CCTV) was developed in the United Kingdom partly in response to the IRA bombings in the ‘70’s. Consequently the camera high up on the wall to the right of the Savoy hotel main entrance would not have been there in 1939 when the movie takes place.
 The living room clock shows it to be 10:16 as Delysia starts to put on her fur coat which takes no time at all but when she is done the clock shows that 6 minutes have transpired.
 During the sustained bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany during World War II searchlights were used extensively in defence against these nighttime aerial bomber raids. Generally searchlights in pairs were used to ascertain the altitude of the enemy bombers so that the fuses on anti-aircraft flak shells could be set appropriately for maximum effect. However all this took place at least a year after the movie since the Blitz did not began until September 1940.

PARANOID PARK

Drama

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Gabe Nevins: 17-year-old Alex
Taylor Momsen: his girlfriend Jennifer
Jake Miller: Alex’s best friend Jared
Daniel Liu: police Detective Richard Lu
Lauren McKinney: Alex’s friend Macy

REVIEW
Including several very long takes in this instance serves only to extend the length of the movie unnecessarily. The fact that the Director and Film Editor is one and the same person might explain why some scenes are dragged out to the point they become boring.

But that criticism aside, the film has a lot going for it. For starters, no one seems to be acting. They all come across as just being themselves. How refreshing.

Making use of flashbacks we gradually get to figure things out for ourself about what happened at the park. But enough said.

CLASSIFICATION
for an extremely graphic, unflinchingly brutal image of a dying man.

P.S.
Never did figure out the connection between the hardly audible mumbling in French while we see the grainy 8mm shots of the skateboarders doing their thing.

THE BAND’S VISIT

Drama
Mostly in Hebrew and Arabic with English subtitles

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Sasson Gabai: the band’s leader Lt.-Col. Tawfiq Zacharya
Khalifa Natour: clarinetist and wannabe conductor Simon
Saleh Bakri: violinist and the band’s newest member Khaled
Ronit Elkabetz: Dina, proprietor of the town's only café
Rubi Moscovich: her friend Itzik
Shlomi Avraham: their friend Papi

REVIEW
A very low-key simple story about a group of people who spend one evening with strangers in a foreign country. This is not a big production number with casts of thousands and budgets of millions. Instead it is very laid back, slow paced film relying upon some really good acting and several unexpected humorous moments to propel it forward. Not that very much happens mind you but it is a pleasant experience to sit back and watch what’s going on.

CLASSIFICATION
for brief strong language (one solitary f-word: that’s it!)

P.S.
Petah Tikva (“Doorway to Hope” in Hebrew) is a city of 175,000 in the center district of Israel north-east of Tel Aviv. It sounds very much like Bet Hatikva (“House of Hope” in Hebrew).

WHITE TUFT THE LITTLE BEAVER

Animal adventure

REVIEW
Using voice-over rather than have the real-life beavers talking sets this movie apart from the more common animated version. But in so doing, it comes across like a National Geographic documentary and so would have little appeal to anyone under 6 or 7 because let’s face it, real beavers are not cute and cuddly. Although there were several members of the target audience (my guess, 6 to 12 years old) their lack of enthusiasm at the end of the film probably says it all. In a word, it’s a disappointing movie for several reasons:
 During the first half, the producers have tried to create some measure of suspense (including appropriate dooms-day type music) of the impending demise of the beavers by some of the animals in the area, all of whom have no such intention; this “cry wolf” scenario soon becomes boring
 Since it is a movie about beavers the paucity of information about their diet, their natural defence mechanism, even how their front teeth don’t get completely worn down from felling trees is a huge oversight
 The story is bereft of conventional expectations in the case of the reunion of the little beaver with his mother and how the older male beaver so easily integrates himself with the others
 The narrative is infantile and replete with well used clichés (“neither hide nor hare”, “patience personified” etc)

On the plus side it does have some things going for it, the first being “how do they do that?” because the camera is right there, all the time, so how come these wild animals didn’t turn and run?

In addition, the choice of music is bang on and there are some beautiful but gratuitous shots of the scenery that don’t relate that well to the story.

CLASSIFICATION

CITY OF MEN

Drama
In Portuguese with English subtitles

BACKGROUND
In a sense this is a continuation of the movie The City of God that was playing five years ago that told the story of poor Brazilian children struggling to survive in the gang-ruled slum-district of Rio de Janeiro known as Dead-End Hill.

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Douglas Silva: 17-year-old security guard Acerola known as Ace
Camila Monteiro: his wife Cris
Darlan Cunha: Ace’s best friend Laranjinha, a motorcycle taxi-driver known as Wallace
Naima Silva: his girlfriend Camila

REVIEW
Although the principal story line is about the two close friends, they get caught up in the turf wars of rival gangs. Without taking time to clearly identify and establish these gangs, when the fighting takes place it is impossible to figure out who is who much less on whose side the principals are associated with. Given that half the movie involves these people that is a major shortcoming.

Almost 2 hours long, repetitive scenes such as Ace and Wallace on a motorcycle scooting along a coastal road could have easily been edited out. The acting is so-so and the musical score practically non-existent.

CLASSIFICATION
for violent content, language and some sexuality.