Inside Out 2

This movie is kind of unfair. How can the viewer watch it with a critical eye when Riley is exactly the kind of girl whom the viewer wishes could be his own daughter? It says here the scale has a thumb on it. No matter—you watch the movie they show you, and in this case, as with its predecessor, you get a pretty good one. Anyone with an ounce of human spirit has to feel sympathy for a young person suffering the pangs of puberty—we’ve all been there—so we can all laugh, cry and cringe as our girl stumbles through one particularly fraught weekend. The Emotions are back and their usual selves, though now augmented by the addition of several newcomers—perhaps even one or two too many new characters, though the story is dominated by Anxiety, so the plot doesn’t really get too crowded. Again we have some very clever visual metaphors for the inside of the human mind, many of which are highlights of the film's mostly gentle humor,  plus at least one visual pun that is, in its place, laugh out loud funny. The only real flaw may be that the characters, who are personifications of Riley’s emotions, do not always stay true throughout to their essential selves (by the end Lewis Black's Anger is uncharacteristically happy and practically gushing). I guess it’s impossible to fully carry the metaphor all the way through, but that’s really just a quibble. You will be okay if you keep this one in the front of your mind; it just might help you build a better you—something a lot of us could work on.

Inside Out

Much as with the structure of this movie itself, you have to get behind the facade to see what’s really going on here, and to find where the thing is most effective. The overarching metaphor is so prominent, so flamboyantly at center stage in how the story is presented, that the viewer must make some major effort to form a connection with the main character—in this case, the girl Riley, not the representations of her emotions. That connection is always the core of what makes an effective film. Once you find that very human link, and allow the artifice to shift more into the background where it belongs, then this story begins to have its intended impact. In this viewer's case, the connection was more than just an abstraction. I, too, moved from a cold weather location to the San Francisco area, at right about the same age, and as a big hockey fan, no less; certain parallels really hit home for me. (Alas, I never was able to adjust. Then again, I never learned to skate, either.) It goes without saying that some story elements here—particularly the loss of early memories, and even parts of one’s earliest self--can be triggers for some deep ruminations about just how one's life has worked out (or not). While some aspects of this script may be too cloying or simplistic, there is just enough humor, wit and wisdom in these scenes to lift the overall rating into something positive, entertaining, and even touching in the end. We’re all big bundles of emotions, after all, so everyone can relate with this work, at least a little bit. I’ve got a feeling … that this one is worth a look.

Let Him Go

This is the sort of movie that a young person cannot watch, or at least cannot watch and really hope to understand. You need the perspective of passing years and advanced life stations in your personal background to really see the stakes in this story. The movie's strong side is its presentation, particularly in its early scenes; the film tells its story with clarity and economy, utilizing good visual and aural details and avoiding  clutter to create a sense of time, place, and sensibility. The leads represent another strength; Diane Lane is both the film's emotional core--showing both determination and vulnerability in equal and equally important measures--and driving force (and she remains quite attractive, even playing someone's grandmother), while Kevin Costner brings his longstanding status as a symbol of fundamental decency to a role that, ultimately, might make the viewer wonder a bit about the real worth of such a character trait. The weakness of this film is almost existential in nature, specifically: what exactly about this story is supposed to make it appealing (or at least appealing enough that moviegoers will want to watch it)? There is an individual--or at least a familial--tragedy in the through lines of this tale...but how much impact can it have on the larger picture of life? The inherent warning about the dangers of this society's redneck subculture remains pertinent--a little too pertinent, in fact--but that's not exactly the sort of thing that gets audiences engrossed, other than with a certain contempt or revulsion. Honestly, if not for the star power of the leads, I doubt very many viewers would wish to bother with what is, ultimately, a dreary and somewhat depressing story. It's not bad, but it's probably a bit too heavy for most to take. Give it a shot if you're really into deep drama, but just know going in that you're not likely to walk away feeling good about things.

Justice League

I've generally been more on board with the DC stuff than Marvel's overwhelming orgy of comic book movies; they've generally been more grown-up in feel and more realistic in presentation (realistic being a relative term). So I'm not one to jump on the bashing boat just for the sake of piling on. Then again, it's clear that this entry in the largely Batman-driven movieverse is not quite up to snuff. The villain seems to have come out of nowhere, and has little anti-appeal. The proceedings follow a template that's well-worn by now, particularly in "get them together" flicks, up to and including the over-the-top violent ending. What saves this movie is the presence of a large number of likeable actors; the female triumvirate of Gadot-Adams-Lane alone builds a lot of goodwill. Besides, it's an Entertainment with a capital 'E'--not really trying to be anything else, and thus you're seriously off-kilter if you don't enjoy this thing at least a little bit. Not great, but nothing to be ashamed of. Mellow out.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Again, I find myself liking a movie more than the general population, and more specifically the group--geeks--for whom it is mainly intended. I didn’t expect this film to hew so closely as a sequel to Man of Steel, which it very much is...and that turns out to be a good thing. Like its predecessor, this is darker, moodier, more thoughtful, more grown-up, than the rest of the superhero flick flock. That appeals to me, however much it turns off the adolescent brains who keep bemoaning this storyline. If this group wants to keep going, I’m in for more.

Man of Steel

A surprise, in that it was much better than I thought it would be. By this point the Superman story is so played out that it seems impossible to make a movie out of it that will actually have any ability to impact the viewer, yet this one does so. The film accomplishes this by tapping into the fundamentals of the story--Superman being clearly the most messianic of all the comic book stories--and laying bare the reason why these movies have become such a huge part of the zeitgeist: our growing desperation and ever-burgeoning desire for someone to come and save us. It’s almost heartbreaking, in that sense, since we don’t live in a movie and can’t expect such a person to truly arrive--but at least we have these few hours of film during which we can dream that dream.

Secretariat

This is standard issue, boilerplate Disney movie--little more than you would have seen on the "Wonderful World of Disney" TV program 40 years ago (right when Secretariat was about to go on his historic run). It veers wildly between charming and cartoonish, presents plenty of well-worn schmaltz and platitudes, and--one suspects--fudges not a little bit on the truth. That's not to say that there are no entertaining moments here; a very appealing cast elevates the proceedings by their presence, and insomuch as the film reminds you of the true glory of Big Red, it serves as a worthwhile memorial. But one suspects this could have been a great deal more than it is.

Under The Tuscan Sun

I suspect this movie did not get much love upon its release because it does not stick to comedy or drama but blends the two freely. (Most folks like their stories to color only within the lines these days.) That wasn't a problem for me. And there are other pluses: beautiful locations, good story (and sub-stories) and a real commitment to the heart. Top all that off with one of our favorite actresses, Diane Lane, and you've got a winner. (Lane being oh-so-easy on the eyes has been well documented, but she's really a fine actress; watch her here in the opening scenes, where she's conveying the pain of her character's break-up and divorce.) All in all, definitely worth a look.

Unfaithful

As we all know, Diane Lane is a freak--she's actually getting better looking as she gets older. That's not merely a lascivious observation; it's integral to making this movie work. You would hardly believe the story if Lane, despite her (and her character's) age, was not the hottie she is. As for the acting, the real props go to Richard Gere, who plays so skillfully against type, laying on the nebbishness, that you can actually get past his own handsomeness. Plus there's some handsome and artful direction from Adrian Lyne. Put it all together and...well, it's OK, not great. It's probably better than I'm willing to say, but it still felt unsatisfying to me. I'm all over the place on this flick; you may just have to judge it for yourself.

Hardball

Hmmm...a baseball movie wherein baseball is more of a background element. Interesting concept. It takes a while to find its stride; in fact, it's kind of a "stealth" movie all the way around, but the ultimate result is effective. I'm tempted to knock it down for a fairly cheap, tear-jerking ending, but given the overarching themes, I think I can let it slide.

My Dog Skip

A very charming movie. Frankie Muniz (before he was Malcolm) does good work, and a good supporting effort comes from Kevin Bacon as the dad. One of those rare "family" movies that's nice, but doesn't drown in treacly sentiment.