GRAND CANYON ADVENTURE: RIVER AT RISK

Documentary

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Wade Davis, author, photographer and an outspoken conservationist
His 18-year-old daughter Tara
Environmental activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (son of Ethel and Robert Kennedy)
His 18-year-old daughter Kick (Kathleen)

REVIEW
Wanting to be more than just another travelogue film, the producers tacked on the subtitle “River at Risk” ostensibly to make us aware of the fact the Colorado River is in trouble. What’s really in trouble is the movie. It is terribly muddled and needs sorting out.

To start with the producers never do spell out what might befall the river; presumably it is at risk of one day disappearing but we should not be going around guessing. Furthermore instead of concentrating on the river, the subject of the film, we are shown examples of global warming including a huge map of Lake Chad in Africa. We know all about that; what we came to see was a movie about the Grand Canyon.

Eventually we get to meet the people who will be our guides, Wade Davis and his daughter. But soon Robert F. Kennedy’s story is interjected and then we flip flop between these two groups until you have no idea what the heck it’s all about.

Until the final credits roll; then we are told about the need to conserve water, to turn off the water while brushing our teeth (yeah right) and to install new low-volume flush toilets. Kohler, the manufacturer of high-end bathroom fixtures is one of the corporate sponsors. I wonder if they had anything to do with that suggestion?

One other thing: there are the requisite big-screen majestic views of the Grand Canyon and a lot of on-board rafting down the Colorado. But pretty pictures themselves are not enough to counterbalance the serious shortcomings in the telling of the story.

CLASSIFICATION


P.S.
The producers got carried away with their new 3D “toy” and consequently subject us to repetitive images of CGI water droplets encapsulating the opening credits streaming towards us. We know it’s a 3D movie; there’s no need to hammer the point home

THE WORLD ACCORDING TO MONSANTO

Documentary
Original title: Le Monde selon Monsanto
Some French and Spanish with English subtitles.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION
In 1901 John F. Queeny started up a small chemical company producing saccharine. Named after his wife, Olga Monsanto, today the Monsanto Company is a multinational agricultural biotechnology corporation. Strangely enough on their website they fail to mention having produced and promoted highly toxic chemicals such as Agent Orange (a defoliant used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War) and PCBs (banned in the 1970s due to its high toxicity). Monsanto has aggressively purchased conventional seed companies and is now the largest seed company in the world. And Monsanto is by far the leading producer of genetically engineered seed, holding an astounding 70%–100% market share for various crops.

GMO stands for genetically modified organism. This acronym applies to plants, animals or micro-organisms that have been genetically altered using molecular genetics techniques such as gene cloning and protein engineering. This process of genetic engineering was made possible through a series of scientific advances including the discovery of DNA and the creation of the first recombinant bacteria in 1973. The result is a genetically engineered organism (GEO).

BGH stands for bovine growth hormone; BST is the abbreviation for bovine somatotropin. These are two names for the same thing: a protein hormone produced in the pituitary gland of cattle.

This protein can be produced synthetically using recombinant DNA technology. The resulting product is called recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST). It is administered to the cow by injection and used to increase milk production.

The United States Food and Drug Administration granted marketing approval for rBST in November 1993 to Monsanto under the trade name Posilac. The FDA has stated that milk and meat from cows treated with rBST are safe for human consumption. Following nine years of comprehensive review of the effects of rBST on animal and human safety, and consideration of the findings by two independent external committees Health Canada in 1999 announced that it will not approve the sale of rBST in Canada. Subsequently the European Union, Japan, Australia and New Zealand have also banned it use. Concerns about rBST have escalated in the USA as evidenced by the food store Safeway and coffee chain Starbucks announcing in January 2007 that they would no longer sell or serve milk from cows treated with rBST.

REVIEW
Written and directed by French journalist and filmmaker Marie-Monique Robin her passion for the subject is probably the reason why it runs a little too long. More than a few interviews are shown in their entirety whereas some editing would have made the point more effectively. Also far too much time is devoted to watching her Google for information on her computer.

However the film is notable in that it brings to light the underhanded tactics used by Monsanto to stifle concerns about their products and how it has resorted to misleading advertising, concealing scientific information and offering bribes to influential government officials.

And the implication of any one company controlling the sale of all seeds in the world boggles the mind. Given their callous disregard for the well being of humanity in the past to think Monsanto could one day control much of the world’s food supply, well that’s downright scary!

CLASSIFICATION


P.S.
Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane is one of the best known synthetic pesticides. First synthesised in 1874, the insecticidal properties of DDT were not discovered until 1939. During World War II it was used for the first time with great effect to control mosquitoes that had been spreading malaria and typhus among both military and civilian populations. After the war it was used extensively throughout the world as an agricultural insecticide.

In 1962 Silent Spring by American biologist Rachel Carson was published. The book catalogued the environmental impact of the indiscriminate spraying of DDT and questioned the logic of releasing large amounts of chemicals into the environment without fully understanding their effects on ecology or human health. The book suggested that DDT and other pesticides might cause cancer and that their agricultural use was a threat to wildlife, particularly birds. The publication of the book resulted in a large public outcry that 10 years later led to DDT being banned for agricultural use, first in the US and subsequently worldwide under the Stockholm Convention. Let’s hope this film has the same impact.

INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM

Action/adventure

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Harrison Ford: Professor Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones
Cate Blanchett: paranormal research scientist Irina Spalko
Jim Broadbent: Dean Stanforth
Shia LaBoeuf: 20-year-old Mutt Williams
John Hurt: Indy's old colleague University of Chicago Professor Oxley
Ray Winstone: Indy’s sidekick Mac McHale
Marion Ravenwood: Karen Allen, Oxley’s associate

REVIEW
As with any sequel there are certain expectations. For the most part these are met in the latest reincarnation of the Indy series: lots of action, unbelievable escapes, witty one-liners, fights, big explosions, creepy-crawly things.

However two key elements are missing: at no point in time do we think Indy is in danger so there is little excitement generated and the music is a disappointing replay from previous episodes rather than anything original.

The acting for the most part is fine and the production values are high. But it is too long, by about half an hour, as several action sequences drag on to the point of being repetitive. As with most Spielberg’s movies it exceeds two hours. Some movies warrant the extended running time: this one does not.

CLASSIFICATION
for adventure violence and scary images.

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY
 I won’t even mention how inadequate would be the protection Indy hides in during the blast…we have to give him a little bit of slack.
 Mutt tells Indy that his mother Mary “was angry and really P.O.’d at such and such”. Although the somewhat vulgar expression peed off was used by Armed Forces personnel during World War II it was not until the early ‘70’s that it became shortened to P.O.’d, some 15 years after these events took place.
 While at the diner Mutt abruptly stands up to fight with someone at the next table and in so doing knocks over the ketchup and mustard bottles. The next shot looking over Mutt’s shoulder shows both bottles standing upright. When the camera reverts to Indy’s point of view the bottles are lying down like they are supposed to so he sets them upright.

P.S.
Some of Director Steven Spielberg’s movies:
Close Encounters of the Third Kind: 135 minutes
Jaws: 124 minutes
Raiders of the Lost Ark: 115 minutes
ET: 115 minutes
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom: 118 minutes
The Color Purple: 154 minutes
Empire of the Sun: 154 minutes
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: 127 minutes
Jurassic Park: 127 minutes
Schindler’s List: 195 minutes
The Lost World Jurassic Park: 129 minutes
Saving Private Ryan: 170 minutes
Artificial Intelligence: 146 minutes
Minority Report: 145 minutes
Catch Me if you Can: 141 minutes
The Terminal: 128 minutes
War of the Worlds: 116 minutes
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: 124 minutes
Average running time: 2 hours and 17 minutes.

THE AMERICAN TRAP

Crime thriller
In French with English subtitles
Original title: Le Piège américain

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Rémy Girard: Night club owner and businessman Lucien Rivard
Gérard Darmon: Paul Mondolini, an associate in the French Connection
Colm Feore: Maurice Bishop, hoodlum

REVIEW
Understanding the complexity of the underworld is never an easy chore. But it is made more difficult when the film purposely tries to hide the connections between these individuals. We are shown snippets of various criminal activities scattered though out the world (in Havana, New Orleans, Dallas, Marseilles and even the jungles of Indonesia) and get to see who is involved.

Then we are left to figure out “who dunnit”. But I wasn’t up to it and left after an hour.

CLASSIFICATION
for sexual content, brief nudity, language and drug use.

SON OF RAMBOW

Comedy

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Bill Milner: 11-year-old Will Proudfoot
Lee Carter: Will Poulter, troublemaker
Jessica Stevenson: Proudfoot's widowed mother Mary, staunch member of The Brethren
Neil Dudgeon: Brother Joshua
Jules Sitruk: Didier, a French exchange student

REVIEW
This is a little movie that tries hard to be funny. Sometimes it succeeds (even though most of slapstick is telegraphed and unimaginative) but at times it is downright annoying.

Case in point: the character Didier comes across as a crass know-it-all and is completely unbelievable. His antics are totally out of character with the rest of the film and a real source of irritation.

Another thing: making fun of Will’s elderly grandmother is going for the cheap laugh at someone’s expense. I don’t appreciate this type of humour at all.

CLASSIFICATION
for some violence (lots and lots of it) and reckless behavior.

P.S.
The boys have misspelled their hero’s name: it should be Rambo without the w at the end. And you have to wonder why both boys have the same first name; the screenwriter could have been a little more imaginative.

F.Y.I.
The Plymouth Brethren (more commonly known as The Brethren) is a strict ultra-religious group whose history can be traced back to Dublin in the late 1820s. This non-denominational Evangelical movement is named after the English seaside town of Plymouth, where a sizeable number of Christians gathered during the early years of the movement. This fundamentalist religious sect has strict rules about worldly activities: no TV, no movies (not even educational videos shown at school). It also forbids dancing and music (apart from the singing of hymns). The women cover their heads and dress modestly.

THEN SHE FOUND ME

Romantic comedy

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Helen Hunt: 39-year-old schoolteacher April Epner
Matthew Broderick: her husband Ben
Bette Midler: TV talk show host Bernice Graves
Colin Firth: Frank, a single dad

REVIEW
If 1 is > than 2 then R is < 3.

This cryptic mathematical formula (better known as Ralph's Rating Rule #1) can be translated as follows:
If any 1 person assumes more than 2 key production roles then the Rating of the film will be less than 3.

In this case the Rating is 1 because I walked out after a torturous 45 minutes hoping it would get better. But it didn’t.

Helen Hunt is the Producer, the Director, Writer and Female star. As such she has total control over all aspects of the film and it is a mess. In addition to the lousy acting evident right from the get go and the unrealistic situations that develop the story is boring.

Even the sex scenes are a disappointment: no one even bothers to take their clothes off.

CLASSIFICATION
for profanity and sexual situations.

S&M: SHORT AND MALE

Documentary
Some French and Chinese with subtitles in English.

THE PRODUCTION TEAM
Director/Editor: Howard Goldberg
Producer: Ina Fichman
Director of Photography: German Gutierrez
Original Music: Ned Bouhalassa

REVIEW
The applause began as the end credits first appeared. This spontaneous expression of approval is the most sincere praise any audience can bestow on a theatrical performance and in this case it is truly warranted.

Dealing with a subject matter not previously embraced by the movie industry this documentary brings to light the discrimination people have towards short statured males.

Replete with little known facts, including statistics that economists have known for a long time, as well as revealing names of those we might have suspected to be short it is both informative and often humorous. Some of the things are downright funny, others less so because discrimination is not something to laugh at. Crisp editing keeps things moving along.


CLASSIFICATION
for some language (couple of swear words).

P.S.
Following the screening I had a chance to speak with the Director. He told me that in addition to wanting the film to be entertaining and educational he also saw it as a springboard for short men to “come out of the closet”.

In parting he gave me a pass for two people for any show at the Montreal AMC theatre. If you’d like to go see the movie for free drop me a line…first come, first served of course.