Movie Review: “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas”

This movie is based on a John Boynes children’s novel. The story centers on the odd friendship between the son of a WWII German concentration camp, Bruno, and an eight year old Jewish inmate, Schmuel.

Bruno moves with his sister and parents from the hustle and bustle of wartime Berlin to an isolated house near a concentration camp. Boredom drives Bruno to the edge of the camp where he meets Schmuel. Despite the electrified wire separating them, the two strike up a close friendship. Ethnic and familial ties are tried throughout the story.

The author and director’s attempt to portray the story through the innocent eyes of a child is quite elegant. I was pleasantly surprised by the thoughtful development of the children’s relationship despite the stresses of war and family discord. The plot was somewhat predictable. We were spared the gore of yet another holocaust movie. The cinematography and score were above average.

Review: William Hogarth: Master of Satire

This exhibition features prints of the 17th Century Englishman, William Hogarth. Hogarth was a satirist and critic who pioneered sequential art. The main work displayed is “Rakes Progress.” This comic-strip like series of prints chronicles the moral decline and fall of Tom Rakewell. Rakewell is the fictitious heir of a rich London merchant who wastes his money on riotous living and ultimately lands in prison. These prints are on display at the Brooks Museum until 3/15/09

Review: The Baroque World of Fernando Botero

This exhibition features paintings, sketches and sculpture of Columbian Fernando Botero. The style of his works are based on his childhood exposure to Baroque architecture and art of Roman Catholic churches in Northern Columbia. Most of the featured paintings deal with the religion, politics and Latin American society in general. All animal and human subjects are malproportioned and fat. Some of the paintings were warped to the point of being gaudy. The most interesting objects were the sculptures featured in front of the entrance of the museum.

This exhibit is running at the Brooks Museum from 11/19/08- 1/11/09

Movie Review “Billy: The Early Years”

This film chronicles the early life of evangelist Billy Graham through the eyes of a dying Charles Templeton. Charles Templeton co-founded Youth for Christ with Billy Graham. Templeton later renounced Christianity and actually published an agnostic apologetic.

This movie has an odd cast and director. Robby Benson directs. Martin Landau is an elderly Charles Templeton. Jennifer O’Neill (Summer of ’42) plays Templeton’s television interviewer. Lindsay Wagner (Bionic Woman) is Billy Graham’s mother. Armand Hammer’s grandson portrays Graham. Ice skating great, Scott Hamilton, makes a cameo appearance as a university professor.

The quality of the script and budget are better than an average “B” movie, but not quite up to “A” movie standards. Graham is portrayed in a fairly benevolent light. I’m not sure who the intended audience is. The message is not the usually overt evangelical dialogue of a low budget “Christian” movie (Facing the Giants), but not quite up to the standards of a mainstream Hollywood film.

Dixon Museum Review: The Road to Impressionism: Barbizon Paintings from the Walters Art Museum

This fine exhibition features mid nineteenth century paintings from the Barbizon school, named after the French village of Barizon near Foutainbleau Forest. Instead of using nature as a backdrop for their paintings, this group used nature as both subject and inspiration. The style of painting is generally considered the forerunner of late nineteenth century Impressionism.

Also at the Dixon is a wonderful companion show The Road to Claude Monet: Four Paintings and Three Others. The exhibit includes four Monet’s and works of Camille Corot, Alfred Sisley and Camille Passaro. Featured paintings are from both the Dixon’s permanent collection and a private art collector in San Francisco.

Movie Review: "Eagle Eye"

This action thriller throws together Jerry Shaw, an intelligent young rebel who works at “Copy Cabana” and Rachel, a single young mother working as a paralegal. Their sad lives include the recent death of Jerry’s twin brother and Rachel’s young son’s departure for a band field trip. A female calls the duo with very explicit instructions- threatening to kill them and their loved ones. Their every move is tracked and controlled by everyday technology.

The action is so intense and rapid, that it is difficult to keep up with who and what is being threatened and destroyed. The plot is a little above average in sophistication. If you’re looking for an action flick without a lot of bad language and people doing the wild thing on screen - this is it.

Movie Review: "Babylon A. D."

This latest Vin Diesel Sci-Fi Action flick is set in the near future earth. Diesel plays the invisible American mercenary Toorop who is hired by Russian mobster “Gorsky” (played by a greatly made up Gerard Gipardeu) to escort a mysterious orphaned female empath from a secluded monastery to New York City. The film is action packed and has great special effects. The movie starts out with great promise, but by movie’s end, more questions remain unanswered than answered.

Movie Review: "Frozen River"

This Indie is currently showing at Malco Studio on the Square. Mid South native, Courtney Hunt, both wrote and directed this film. The plot concerns the interplay between two single mothers in a rural upstate New York border town. One is white and the other Mohawk. Both struggle to keep their families together in difficult financial and social circumstances by smuggling across the frozen St Lawrence River. The overall mood of the story is dark and depressing. In the end, both learn how to sacrifice self to serve each other. Unfortunately, the overarching principle of their decisions is post-modernist and willing to sacrifice honesty and integrity to meet the basic needs of their respective families.

Movie Review "Tell No One"

The wife of Alexandre Beck, a French Pediatrician, is brutally murdered by serial killers. Eight years later, Beck receives an Email with a short video of his wife, older and alive. Grieving and withdrawn after the death of his wife, Beck becomes totally immersed in his work with children. Like a good Hitchcock movie, the plot has many twists and turns before the mystery of her death and murderers are uncovered. This film is in French with English subtitles.

Review: “Around Tennessee, 1820-1920”

This current exhibit at the Memphis Brooks Museum showcases Memphis and local produced silver, firearms, furniture, quilts and paintings produced from 1820-1920.

A number of fine silver pieces on display were made by Memphis Silversmiths, F.H. Clark and J. S. Curtis. Part of the collection included two early 19th century mint julep cups designed for Memphis co-founder Marcus Brutus Winchester.

Also featured was an 1820 flint lock muzzle-loader by Fort Pickering gun smith “Joc” Bean. At the time, Fort Pickering was an Indian Trading Post located just South of today’s downtown Memphis. His uncle, Russell Bean, was the first marshal of Memphis.

Several intricate Nonconnah pottery pieces are also being shown. They were produced from unusually colorful clay that lay along the banks of Nonconnah Creek.

Other interesting items include a number of quilts by Eva Lena Harrington of DeSoto County Mississippi and an ornate ladies vinaigrette made from silver and a Tennessee Black Bear’s claw.

This exhibits runs from July 5 through September 7.

Movie Review: "Roman de Gare"

The movie starts and ends with Judith Ralitzer, successful French novelist, being interrogated by police regarding the disappearance of her ghost-writer. Multiple vaguely connected sub-plots- including the prison escape of a pedophile, a jilted hairdresser and a missing school teacher- revolve around the relationship of an unattractive middle aged man and a young French country girl. This films plot contains nested stories within stories. The surprise ending ultimately unifies and clarifies the role of each story and true identity of it’s characters.

"JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH"

This movie is a well done extension of Jules Verne's classic Journey to the Center of the Earth. It's premise is that Jules Verne's book was documentation not fiction.

One may be tempted to look upon this movie as light weight science fiction, premised on Hollywood special effects. OH CONTRAIRE. It is a metaphor in 90 minutes that challenges deeper thought for the astute. While one can go to the center of the earth and back in 90 minutes (how do they do that? What exactly is the radius of the earth?) it takes a lifetime to journey to the center of God's will.

The special effects and graphics are worth the price of admission. Special 3-D glasses are provided but are expected to be returned at the end of the movie. The 3-D technology has vastly improved over the cardboard throw away's of times past. Neal Aguillard slipped her glasses into Suzy's purse and snuck out with a pair. He wanted them to watch his collection of Chips episodes on his new HD Flat screen television. He reports the motorcycle chase scenes in 3-D are almost as breathtaking (he is a lung doctor) as his beautiful wife riding on their camel in the summer heat at20the Frazier compound (morning occurrence). Even now he is hard at work in his underground laboratory cloning the technology for mass marketing at the Big One Flea market when it moves from the fairgrounds to Frazier.

The 3-D effects prompted our own one-dimensional Dr. Rick Jordan to opine "this almost makes me want to live in a 3-D world". (Rick, stick to your one dimensional world. Ann is living in 5 or 6 alternative dimensions. That is enough for one house).

Overall this movie is worth seeing but only at a theatre to maximize the special effect. Some theatres show it in 2-D. Save your money. Only see it in 3-D.

-Larry "The Lobster" Dormois

Movie Review: "Hancock"

Will Smith plays a reluctant depressed alcoholic superhero who has fallen out of favor with the public. He develops an obtuse relationship with a publicist and his wife. Mystery surrounds the reasons for Hancock’s isolated life and strange interaction with the publicist’s wife. Will Smith never quite seems to comfortably fit this superhero’s role. The movie is a fusion of “Jumpers” and “The Incredibles.” The plot is an interesting idea. All in all, it’s a slightly above average action movie

Movie Review: "Iron Man"

This film, that was released a couple of weeks ago, is a cinematic portrayal of the popular Marvel Comic Book series “Iron Man.” Tony Stark, an eccentric wealthy arms manufacturer, is captured by terrorists after a weapons demonstration in Afghanistan. To escape his captors and avenge the death of a fellow prisoner, he creates a mechanical iron exoskeleton. Unlike other comic book heroes in film, Tony Stark’s personality does not change with the donning of his iron suit. Robert Downey, Jr's near-manic portrayal of the hero drives the frantic pace of the plot. There is no time for any significant pauses in the action or story line. The special effects were superb. Gwyneth Paltrow plays Tony Stark’s girl Friday, Pepper Potts. The usual comic book story of the super hero’s love and his female admirer weaves throughout the movie. In keeping with the movie’s title, the musical score is a collection of heavy metal rifts.

Movie Review: "Prince Caspian"

This is the 2nd installation of the C. S. Lewis’ 7 part “Chronicles of Narnia.” The four Pevensie children are called back from our world into Narnia by Susan’s magic horn. Hundreds of years have passed since they were last in Narnia. The evil King Miraz is trying to usurp the throne from the rightful heir Prince Caspian. The four children are called on to aid Prince Caspian and the magical animals and occupants of Narnia to fight the Telmarines.

This is the least interesting and entertaining of the seven books in the series. For some reason, the Telmarines and Prince Caspian are all cast with Spanish accents and Castillian attire. The relationship between Susan and Prince Caspian is never developed. Aslan’s appearances are sparse. As in the first of the series, “The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe, Liam Neeson dubs Aslan’s voice. Overall, the acting was wanting, although the cinematography was above average. The film held fairly true to the book.

Movie Review: Married Live

This is a drama set in the 1940’s. Chris Cooper plays Harry Allen, a tormented adulterous businessman who is trying to leave his wife for a younger woman. Harry’s bachelor friend, Richard-portrayed by Pierce Brosnan, serves as both his confidant and the story’s moderator. The evolving plot eventually involves and intertwines three different couples. All the characters initially pursue self-centered goals. By story’s end, each individual makes self sacrifices to attain the better good.

The plot was sophisticated, but somewhat predictable. This film is billed as a drama, but did have some exceptional scenes of situational comedy and suspense. Except for his scene as the jilted lover, Chris Cooper’s portrayal of Harry Allen was superb.

Movie Review: "The Band's Visit"

This comedy centers around the plight of an Egyptian ceremonial band lost in a lost Israeli city. The Alexandria (Egypt) police band is engaged to play classical Arabic music at the opening of an Arabic cultural center in a West Bank city in Israel. On arrival in Israel, they are stranded and erroneously end up spending the night in a desolate dessert Israeli Jewish settlement.

Because the movie is in Hebrew, Arabic and English (with English subtitles), the dialogue is sparse, but pointed. The sharp and sometimes dry humor is almost entirely situational. An astounding degree of intimacy is developed between the Egyptian and Jewish characters through the cast’s superb acting skills with a bare bone minimum of dialogue. At one point the band’s leader is asked “Why does a police band need to play Arabic music?” The reply: “That’s like asking why a man needs a soul.” Exceptional performances are rendered by Sasson Gabai, who plays Tewfiq, the band’s maestro and Khalifa Natour, who plays Simon, the band’s second-in-command. All in all, it’s a blending of elements of “Little Miss Sunshine” and “The Russians are Coming!”

Movie Review: "Marooned in Iraq"

This 2003 release by Kurdish director Bahman Ghobadi revolves around the adventures of an elderly Kurdish singer named Mirza and his two musician sons, Barat and Audeh. Mirza persuades his sons to accompany him on a trip from his Iranian village to search for his ex-wife, Hanereh, who is lanaguishing in an Iraqi refugee camp. The journey is fraught with numerous conflict and personal loss, but is not bereft of comedy. The first hour of the film is quite comical. The last portion of the story is bleak and heavy on stark symbolism.

Movie Review: Daughter of Keltoum (Bent Keltoum)

This French film is about the journey if a young Swiss woman, Rallia, who returns to Algeria seeking her biological mother. She was adopted as a baby by a Swiss couple. She returns to the remote mountainous village of her mother, only to discover that she no longer lives there. While staying in the village, she meets her maternal grandfather and aunt. As the film progresses she both embraces and rejects the culture of her mother. In the end self-deceptions and torturous self-sacrifices are laid bare by her final confrontation with her mother.

This movie is in French and Arabic with English subtitles. The story is somewhat interesting, but moves rather slowly.

Movie Review: "Jumper"

This Doug Liman (Bourne Identity) directed film chronicles the adolescence and early adulthood David Bruce. Bruce is a “Jumper” or one who is able to instantly bodily transport himself- or his goods and accomplices- to any place on the planet. After discovering his gift in late adolescence, Bruce pursues a life of near total self-indulgence.
He and fellow British Jumper, “Griffin”, are pursed by the Jumpers’ ancient foes, the “Palladins.” In the course of this conflict, Bruce re-discovers his childhood sweet heart. She, his family and friends all become potential peripheral damage in his battle with the Palladins.

The origins of the conflict between the Jumpers and the Palladins is never fully developed. Bruce’s relationship with his parents remains vague throughout the story. Samuel L. Jackson plays the head Palladin. Hayden Christensen’s portrayal of David Bruce and Jackson’s role are disappointing. The special effects are above average. The movie is appropriate in length for the plot. If you are looking for a slightly above average action movie without too much gore and no explicit sex, this is it.

Movie Review: "Persepolis"

This film is an autobiographical animated work by Iranian ex-patriotic Marjane Satrapi. The story encompasses her early childhood before the Iranian Revolution, her adolescence in Vienna Austria and her return to Iran during and after the Iraq-Iran war. She chronicles her early liberal precocious childhood followed by the draconian stifling society of Tehran while she attends college. In the midst of a childhood crisis, she angrily turns against God.

Most of the animation is black and white, but interesting. The mood is dark and fatalistic. The story ends abruptly without any meaningful closure.

Movie Review: “There Will Be Blood”

This movie is based on a novel by muckraker author Upton Sinclair. The plot centers around the blind and completely immoral ambitions of Daniel Plainview, an imaginary oil driller in early twentieth century California. Plainview is enticed to drill for oil in a very remote area by a local Pentecostal lay pastor, Eli Sunday. Sunday and Plainview’s bitter rivalry force both to come to terms with their life long self deceptions. As per Hollywood usual, the entrepreneurs of the story are portrayed as being almost completely profit driven, while the local church people are cast as ignorant misguided simpletons. Daniel Day-Lewis (Plainview) and Paul Dano (Eli Sunday) portrayal of their respective characters are certainly worthy of an Oscar nomination.

Movie Review: "The Diving Bell and The Butterfly"

This French language film, with English subtitles, is the story of “Elle” editor Jean-Dominque Bauby. At 43 years of age, he suffers a massive stroke that paralyzes all but his left eye. He uses his left eye to blink out his story of living in a paralyzed body in a seaside French rehabilitation hospital. He intricately- and sometimes humorously- details his daily routine, thoughts and regrets. Remarkably, he leaves his life for the most part unexamined- despite his sordid past mistakes. The ability to tell this tale is fascinating. Despite acknowledging his past wrongs, he never expresses any desire to live differently.

Movie Review: "Sweeny Todd: Demon Barber of Fleet Street"

Johnny Depp and Tim Burton team up once again to present a movie based on a Broadway play of the same name. Johnny Depp stars as barber Sweeny Todd. After a long exile for a crime he did not commit, Todd returns to 19th century London to set up a barber shop on Fleet Street. He finds his wife dead and his teenage daughter held captive by an evil magistrate. Todd uses his barber shop to exact vengeance on English aristocracy for his wrongful exile and loss of family.

The cinematography and sets are dark, but not flamboyant. The musical score and performance are worthy of the original Broadway hit. The story line and character development are sophisticated, but somewhat predictable. This movie would have earned a PG rating and been much more enjoyable but for the unnecessarily graphic and repeated throat slashings.

Movie Review: "Enchanted"

This newest Disney release features a fairy tale princess, Giselle, who is betrothed to handsome Prince Edward. Giselle is banished to current real world Manhattan by Edward’s evil step mother Narissa (played by Susan Sarandon). Innocent, idealistic Giselle is befriended by Robert Phillips, a handsome, but cynical divorced divorce attorney. Giselle searches throughout Manhattan in search of true love. The story incorporates elements of Cinderella, Mary Popkins, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty & The Beast, The Littlest Mermaid and King Kong. The excellent choreography, musical score and story line will probably lead to a run on Broadway. Patrick Dempsey and Timothy Spall gave exemplary performances as Robert Phillips and Nathaniel, Queen Narissa’s assassin.