Movie Reviews

by Karin Leonard & Daniel Robin

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Casanova

With Heath Ledger, Sienna Miller, Jeremy Irons, Lena Olin, Oliver Platt

Entertainment: 3.5 Message: 2.5

What great swashbuckling fun! Even though the storyline is only loosly based on the journals of writer, adventurer, and legendary lover Giacomo Casanova, this charming tale makes for sumptous if not forgettable wide screen entertainment. Boisterous and sensual, with glorious 18th century Venice footage, this breezy romp follows Casanova’s passionate pursuit of endless pleasure – the Holy Inquisition always on his tail – to meeting his unlikely match in Francesca Bruni (Sienna Miller). With a stellar cast and excellent performances, this likable, lighthearted fare is sure to entertain (1 hr 48 min).

The Celestine Prophecy

With Sarah Wayne Callies, Matthew Settle, Hector Elizondo

Entertainment: 2.5 Message: 4

Corny and Campy rides again in this noble attempt at turning James Redfield’s popular 1993 novel into an onscreen adventure. They almost succeed… translating the rather abstract concepts from the book into a watchable fare is no small challenge! Although this is no thriller, if you loved the novel, go see it anyway. Thank you to Mr. Redfield for introducing spiritual insights into the mainstream. Let’s see more movies of this genre! (1 hr 39 min).

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

With Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore, David Kelly, Helena Bonham Carter

Entertainment: 4 Message: 4

The soul of this film is the family life of Charlie and the love that holds this bunch together, despite abject poverty and change. Juxtapose that with Depp’s brilliant, creepily delightful reinvention of the eccentric Willy Wonka as a strangely hollow freak, made more human through enlightening flashbacks to his disturbing childhood. With Depp, this film’s strange, over-the-top style improves on the 1971 version. Like the original, this weird children’s story brims with “feel good” confectionary, topped with just the right amount of powdered sugar. It is like a bizarre bon-bon perfectly wrapped (1 hr 46 min).

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

With Tilda Swinton, James McAvoy, James Cosmo, Jim Broadbent

Entertainment: 3.5 Message: 3.5

This sweeping story has all the elements of a classic, magical fairy tale – mythic creatures and engaging characters, universal archetypal elements, as well as beautiful visual effects. Adapted from the popular novel by C.S. Lewis (a colleague of J.R.R. Tolkien at Oxford), the tale is seen through the eyes of a delightful little girl, the youngest of four. Although Liam Neeson’s voice makes for an elegant lion hero, we did not hear the roar of greatness echo from this film. True to the book, the themes of good (the Christ-like lion) and evil (the White Witch) are a bit simplistic and don’t quite stir the soul as they might, lacking depth and lasting impact. However, there still is plenty to offer in this enchanting visual feast, both charming and at times fearsome. With six more chronicles on Narnia yet in store, for now, they will remain frozen in time until the box office story is fully told (2 hrs 12 min).

Collateral

With Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Mark Ruffalo, Peter Berg

Entertainment: 3.5 Message: 1.5

Tom Cruise is convincing as ice-cold psychopathic hit man for the mob, keeping Jamie Foxx captive as his taxi driver for a night of killing appointments. Both actors are superb; the film is cleverly crafted and highly effective. This crime thriller delivers gripping entertainment that is both suspenseful and fascinating. If you are looking for meaningful depth (other than the exploration of a psychopaths’ mind), you may need to look elsewhere (1 hr 56 min).

The Constant Gardener

With Ralph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz, Danny Huston, Archie Panjabi, Bill Nighy

Entertainment: 3.5 Message: 4.5

Big pharma takes an even bigger hit in this well made, plausible thriller. Even though not based on a true story, when doing research for the book, writer John Le Carre came to realize that, by comparison with the reality, his “story was as tame as a holiday postcard.” A hardly tame Rachel Weisz plays an attorney gone “Erin Brockovich,” improvising a dangerous investigation into a healthcare conspiracy in Africa. After her brutal death at Lake Turkana (the birthplace of mankind) in Kenya, her diplomat husband picks up the threads, tying together a story of love, corruption and courage. We loved the passion, rich complexity and intelligence of this film (2 hrs 9 min).

The Corporation

With Noam Chomsky, Ray Anderson, economist Milton Friedman, Michael Moore

Entertainment: 3 Message: 4.5

Be prepared to receive lots of mind-blowing facts in this complex and enlightening documentary about the corporation’s role and responsibilities in our society. What influence do corporations have on our ability to sustain quality of life? If a corporation can be legally considered a person, with all the rights therein, then what kind of “person” is it? A contributing member of society? An all-powerful, self-serving, god-like oracle that demands subservience and respect? Or simply a psychopath that requires “special” care and treatment? The Corporation examines the far-reaching implications of our policies and decisions, illustrating the tendencies of modern corporations to put money ahead of people and the planet. We hear from all sides of the debate, including a CEO (Ray Anderson of the world’s largest carpet manufacturer, Interface), who has been demonstrating that the mantra doesn’t have to be profit at the expense of all else. The film maintains an even-keeled yet revolutionary stance, at once powerful, frightening and inspiring. Our one criticism: it’s simply too long. Taking in this much detail challenges the senses (2 hrs 25 min).

Crash

With Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, Matt Dillon, Jennifer Esposito

Entertainment: 3 Message: 4

Interlocking stories of whites, blacks, Latinos, Koreans, Iranians, cops and criminals, the rich and the poor, the powerful and powerless, all colliding in LA, defined and viewed in various ways through racism. The result is a movie of intense exploration without pretending to have any real solutions … a fascinating narration that goes beyond the familiar surface themes and predictable results of racial tensions to swim in its deep undercurrents. Perhaps we gain compassion as we realize how much, despite surface appearances, we all have in common (1 hr 40 min).