Tag: And Palladino

  • ‘The Wire’ – 10 Years Later

    Police work the 'Drug War' in 'The Wire'
    Police work the ‘Drug War’ in ‘The Wire’

    Nowadays, HBO is at the forefront of television drama. Oz and The Sopranos may have helped it along, but it was The Wire, which this year celebrates its 10th anniversary, that really solidified its place.

    The Wire showed the war on drugs in a post-9/11 America; both sides of the battle, those in the middle, and anyone else affected. Taking place in Baltimore, the show displayed a very real picture of law enforcement and criminal activity. It ran from 2002 to 2008.

    Many fans have been made over the years, including none other than President Obama. The commander in chief has said that The Wire is his favorite show. The Telegraph even calls it “arguably the greatest television programme ever made.”

    The show was created by David Simon, a former reporter with The Baltimore Sun. His segue way into television came in the early 1990s when his book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets was adapted for television. That show, Homicide: Life on the Street, became a big hit with audiences and critics. But he would quickly learn that network TV could only do so much, and those limits did not exist on cable. So his following project, the miniseries The Corner based on the book he had written with former detective Ed Burns, was for HBO, and won the Emmy for Outstanding Miniseries. With a good relationship now in place, Simon brought The Wire, originating in Burns’s experiences with drug investigations, to the network.

    Simon and Burns were also helped by famed crime writers like Dennis Lehane, Richard Price, and George Pelecanos. For Lehane, this remains the only time he has directly written for the screen. Numerous distinguished directors also participated such as Brad Anderson, Clark Johnson, Timothy Van Patten, Agnieszka Holland, and Clement Virgo.

    The somewhat central figure of the show is Detective Jimmy McNulty (Dominic West), who is the one that gets the ball rolling. D’Angelo Barksdale (Larry Gillard Jr.), a drug dealer who works for his uncle Avon (Wood Harris), beats a murder charge when a witness recants testimony. McNulty is at the trial and afterwards talks to Judge Daniel Phelan (Peter Gerety), who presided. In their conversation, McNulty tells the judge that the Barksdale organization has been linked to more murders and is not currently being investigated.

    Following this, the judge puts a call in to Deputy Commissioner Ervin Burrell (Frankie Faison). Lieutenant Cedric Daniels (Lance Reddick) of Narcotics is then tasked with putting together and running the detail. McNulty is put on the team, as are Detectives Kima Greggs (Sonja Sohn), Lester Freamon (Clarke Peters), Ellis Carver (Seth Gilliam), Herc Hauk (Domenick Lombardozzi), Roland Pryzblewski (Jim True-Frost), and Leander Sydnor (Corey Parker-Robinson). Supervising is Assistant State’s Attorney Rhonda Pearlman (Deirdre Lovejoy), who, once the arrests are made, will be handling the prosecution.

    Clarke Peters and Dominic West in 'The Wire'
    Clarke Peters and Dominic West in ‘The Wire’

    Meanwhile, D’Angelo is facing the fallout of his actions. Although he was victorious in court, the organization is not happy that the unneeded murder put them at risk. Avon’s second in command Stringer Bell (Idris Elba) demotes D’Angelo from the high-rise apartments to the low-rise projects, where he’ll have to earn back his place. Working alongside him are Bodie (J.D. Williams), Poot (Tray Chaney), and Wallace (Michael B. Jordan), low-level dealers who also are going to have to work their way up.

    Other key cast members are Detective Bunk Moreland (Wendell Pierce), McNulty’s friend and partner from Homicide; Major William Rawls (John Doman), a commanding officer of Homicide who is frequently angered by McNulty’s behavior; Bubbles (Andre Royo), a drug addict who works as a confidential informant; Proposition Joe (Robert F. Chew), a rival drug lord who prefers resolving conflicts by non-violent means; Wee-Bey (Hassan Johnson), the Barksdale organization’s main soldier; Sergeant Jay Landsman (Delaney Williams), who handles office police work; and Clay Davis (Isiah Whitlock Jr.), a highly corrupt state senator.

    And a character that stands out so much that he earns his own paragraph here, and President Obama’s favorite: Omar Little (Michael K. Williams). Omar makes his living by sticking up drug dealers, so he is placed somewhere in between the fight. However, he does cooperate with police on some matters and has the guts to testify in court against drug dealing criminals. When called out by a defense attorney as a profiteer of the drug trade, he sends the accusation right back. In one episode of the show, Omar wears a shirt that says “I am the American dream.” When watching, it’s hard to dispute that.

    Another thing about Omar is that he is gay. It goes to show how well-developed and three-dimensional these characters are when something like this, which many a lesser program would use as the sole defining aspect of a character, is far down on the list of prominent traits.

    Drugs and the people who deal them in 'The Wire'
    Drugs and the people who deal them in ‘The Wire’

    That same complexity is distributed to all sides. The police we see here are human; they are prone to mistakes and miscommunication, voracious ambitions for advancement, acquiescence to pressures of keeping success statistics high by any means necessary. And the criminals are just as multi-faceted. Some operate with a degree of honor, some don’t; some won’t hesitate to drop bodies, others will.

    Something else very notable about the show is that each season expanded its focus. Season 2, while still keeping an eye on the Barksdale organization, saw an investigation of a criminal crew of dock workers. And in the seasons after, Baltimore’s political, education, and journalism systems were covered, and all very much impacted by the crime and effort to fight it at the heart of the show.

    But no matter what is being focused on, it never ever feels artificial. A great deal of this comes from having people with a great deal of experience in the field like Simon and Burns behind it. Over their years in Baltimore, they’ve made numerous contacts with law enforcement officials, politicians, and criminals. In fact, several from each group even play roles in the show.

    In one of the show’s signature moments, D’Angelo teaches Bodie and Wallace how to play chess, using it as a metaphor for the drug trade and emphasizing that “The king stays the king.”

    And ten years later, the king is still the king.

    Here are two very special messages from Deirdre Lovejoy and Method Man (who played Cheese, Proposition Joe’s nephew):

    Deirdre Lovejoy: “Being part of The Wire has proved to be the gift that keeps on giving. The show\’s popularity while airing was low-key, but it\’s afterlife has resonated beyond the bounds of popular culture in the years that followed. It\’s rich sociological commentary, couched in gritty reality and human story lines were, at the time, remarkable. In the years since it has become legendary. The scope and magnitude of it\’s reach, quite simply, are epic. The opportunity to work along side talented creators of the caliber of David Simon and his colleagues was a once in a lifetime experience I will forever treasure. I had no idea when the show began how important the experience would become to my life and to the world. Playing a small part in that machine was an amazing experience.

    I can only hope that the ripple effect of the show, which continues to increase in popularity, will in some small way effect the change the show speaks to. Being an actor in an ensemble dedicated to truth was an honor and a privilege I am grateful for. It will be a long time, if ever, that another show will eclipse the success of The Wire. Baltimore (and the microcosm it illuminates) should be forever indebted to David Simon for his unflinching look at our world and the legacy of our systemic problems. I am happy The Wire lives on, and shall for a very long time to come.”

    Method Man:

  • ‘Sinister’ is a creepy chiller that could have used more fright

    ‘Sinister’ is a creepy chiller that could have used more fright

    Ethan Hawke in 'Sinister'
    Ethan Hawke in ‘Sinister’

    To clear something up, despite having a villain that targets children, Sinister is not about Jerry Sandusky. It is a requisite Halloween movie that delivers some scares, but hardly anything more.

    Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke) moves with his wife Tracy (Juliet Rylance), son Trevor (Michael Hall D’Addario), and daughter Ashley (Clare Foley) into a new home. An author of true crime books, Ellison is not taken all that kindly to by the sheriff (Fred Dalton Thompson), who holds him responsible for a killer going free in a past case due to the theory in one of his books. This house has a certain significance to Ellison, one that he keeps from his family but the town knows all too well: it’s the scene of a mass murder.

    The previous family, minus one child, was hung from a tree in the backyard; that child has since gone missing. And someone managed to record the whole thing. In the attic, Ellison finds a box with film reels and a projection machine. Firing it up, he sees for himself how it all happened, though there is no ostensible sign of the killer. Moving on to the next film, he witnesses a family being burned alive in their car. Again, no killer. He goes through them all and, sure enough, they all depict the murder of a family at their home.

    The creepy kids of 'Sinister'
    The creepy kids of ‘Sinister’

    But of course, when it comes to videos like these, one viewing is never enough. On re-watches, he begins to notice bizarre symbols and a strange, demonic face. He also finds a piece of artwork, simple drawings of all the murders and attributing them to a figure called “Mr. Boogie.” And, as always, odd things are happening around the house at night. The deputy (James Ransone), a fan of his who offers to help research the cases, suspects the supernatural at work and put him in touch with Professor Jonas (Vincent D’Onofrio). From the professor, Ellison learns just what he’s up against.

    From the opening that shows the footage of the family being hanged, the presence of dread is very strong. This is really due to the films. With a home movie “quality” to them, they are highly unsettling and (warning: corny pun ahead) sinister. The performances are pretty good too. Hawke, not really one associated with the genre, does an admirable job, as does Rylance in a breakthrough performance. D’Onofrio , Thompson, and Ransome offer great support, though should have been used much more.

    But it all builds towards a truly weak and unsatisfying conclusion. There’s no real fight or struggle to be had here, as well as containing a “reveal” that was fairly obvious all along. This is difficult to discuss without treading into spoiler territory, so I’ll just say this: the enjoyment for a film like this is seeing the characters put into a hole, and then seeing how they dig themselves out. Here, they don’t even try to leave.

    Ellison’s career trajectory was that he achieved high success and interest early on, but eventually ran out of steam and failed to generate triumph. That’s just about the right description for Sinister as a whole.

  • ‘Argo’ fosters Hollywood’s racism by casting Ben Affleck as Latino

    ‘Argo’ fosters Hollywood’s racism by casting Ben Affleck as Latino

    Ben Affleck, who is white, plays Tony Mendez, an Hispanic, in 'Argo'
    Ben Affleck, who is white, plays Tony Mendez, an Hispanic, in ‘Argo’

    Most people tend to think of the medium of film as nothing more than entertainment, and once upon a time I probably did too.

    But it isn’t true, not in the slightest.

    Film is an extremely powerful medium that affects the way our society sees the world. And as such, it has the power to inflict great hurt on people. A common saying is: “It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt.” So when that line is crossed, it needs to be addressed.

    MILINSKY: Ben Affleck’s ‘Argo’ is filmmaking at its finest

    Argo has been praised at multiple festivals and is receiving rave reviews from critics. The subject is a true story about how during the Iran hostage crisis, a CIA agent got the ball rolling on a fake film production that saved the lives of several people trapped in that country. The movie is directed by and stars Ben Affleck.

    But there is a huge problem, one that should not be happening in this day and age: Affleck is white. The real life man he is playing, Tony Mendez, is not.

    Ben Affleck in 'Argo'
    Ben Affleck in ‘Argo’

    When I see the true Mendez, I see someone that looks more like Esai Morales or Edward James Olmos than Affleck. There are plenty of talented Latino actors in Hollywood that could easily have played the role. Yet, once again, Hollywood chose to whitewash the part and add yet another example to its long history of racial discrimination (a UCLA study found that of all leading roles, only 1.2% go to Latino actors).

    Yet, not a single review out there has mentioned this. None of them. Not even Roger Ebert, who has brought up such issues for other films. It boggles my mind that any fellow critic with a brain, heart, spine, or conscience would outright ignore this fact.

    But what makes this film especially offensive is that it’s based on real events and real people.

    I’m reminded of U-571, which presented the Americans as the ones who cracked the Enigma code during World War II. This is a complete lie; the code was actually cracked by the British. Argo apparently does something similar, as it portrays the involvement of the Canadian government in the operation with having less of a role than they really did. A role that was perhaps even more important than the CIA. So credit for an incredible heroic feat by a Latino man and the Canadians is now given to white Americans.

    So how should a critic judge this film? Do these factual distortions taint everything else about the movie?

    Yes.

    If I were to review Argo, it would receive an automatic 1. Racism like this is not tolerable whatsoever, and those who perpetrate it need to be reviled.

    Think of it this way: do we judge books by the grammar or the actual words? Does it matter to us if something like Mein Kampf is well-constructed grammatically and features an extensive vocabulary? That The Turner Diaries has a well-crafted plot?

    The bad these works do far outweigh any redeeming qualities. In fact, it makes those qualities impossible to value. Who’s really going to enjoy the descriptive language in a passage that promotes racial genocide?

    Ben Affleck behind the camera on the set of 'Argo'
    Ben Affleck behind the camera on the set of ‘Argo’

    So now let’s transfer this over to film.   The heyday of obvious propaganda may be behind us, but films that serve as propaganda still get made, and that is precisely what Argo has become. By striping away the true identities of those involved, the movie only serves to foster racist attitudes, undermine Canadian valor, and could go so far as goad Americans into supporting yet another war with a Middle Eastern country.

    People will see this film and believe it, and in many cases, remain ignorant of its distortions and lies.

    Think about it, what sticks with an audience the most after they leave the theater? Do they discuss the acting and camera tricks? Probably only if they are very incompetent. What sticks is the overall message. And what you think about that message is what you take away from the whole thing.

    Social justice is of a much higher importance than amusement. No matter how large the amount of the latter there may be, it means nothing if it’s in something that contributes to this world’s evil. When themes of morality and decency are present, then the factors that provide the entertainment can truly be appreciated.

  • Gina Gershon shines in solid ‘Breathless’

    Gina Gershon shines in solid ‘Breathless’

    To get something out of the way first, no, this is not a remake nor has anything to do with the film of the same title by Jean-Luc Godard. So if you were sweating, you can stop now. While this Breathless now on Blu Ray doesn’t have Godard behind it, it’s still a solid, entertaining piece that deserves a look.

    Somewhere in 1981 Texas, Lorna (Gina Gershon) knocks out her husband Dale (Val Kilmer) and phones over her best friend Tiny (Kelli Giddish). She suspects that Dale has stolen $100,000 from a bank and is hiding it somewhere in their trailer. She asks for Tiny’s help and offers to split the money when they get it; Tiny of course agrees.

    They tie up Dale and at gunpoint try to get him to talk, but he denies it as much as he can. He does slip that he robbed the bank, but he doesn’t reveal what he did with the money. This is as much as they get from him, as Lorna then accidently jerks the gun and shoots him in the head.

    Val Kilmer in 'Breathless'
    Val Kilmer in ‘Breathless’

    Now completely freaked out, the ladies have to figure out not only where the money is, but also how to dispose of the body. A major complication soon arises when Sherriff Cooley (Ray Liotta) comes knocking. He’s looking for Dale and doesn’t buy Lorna’s story that he’s out for a walk. Because Lorna refuses to let him in without a warrant, he decides that until he gets one, he’ll wait in his car with a close eye on the trailer.

    It all feels very much like a stage play, and moves along at a brisk enough pace so that the fact that the whole thing takes place in a single location isn’t all too noticeable. And to continue with that comparison, the segments involving gore, such a blender erupting blood that splashes Lorna and Tiny, give the proceedings a touch of Grand Guignol.

    And also like a stage play, the performances come to the forefront. It’s isn’t common for Gershon to get a leading role, but when she does she impresses. Certainly does here. And Giddish is quite a standout, with a couple great moments of her own.

    Kelli Giddish delivers in 'Breathless'
    Kelli Giddish delivers in ‘Breathless’

    Only real flaw is that it appears to be conceived as comedic, but it’s really not all that funny. It’s humorous in places sure, particularly in the vocabulary of the characters which seems more advanced, but nothing that will bring much laughing out loud. As the movie is, I don’t think it straight thriller would have been best; some lightheartedness is definitely needed. There just should have been more effort in making it funny.

    Extras are a commentary with writer/director Jesse Baget and producer Christine Holden, a 15-minute making of featurette, and a DVD of the movie.

    Breathless may not leave you in such a state (that was really lame, I know), it can give a fun enough time. You won’t be disappointed if you decide to take it in.

  • Sherman Hemsley, ‘The Jeffersons’ star, dead at age 74

    Sherman Hemsley, ‘The Jeffersons’ star, dead at age 74

    Sherman Hemsley starred in 'The Jeffersons'
    Sherman Hemsley starred in ‘The Jeffersons’

    Sherman Hemsley, the actor best known for playing George Jefferson on the TV sitcom The Jeffersons, has died at the age of 74.

    Starting his acting career on the stage, he moved to television when Norman Lear called and persuaded him to take a role on All in the Family. This role was of course, George Jefferson, who with wife Louise “Weezie” Jefferson (played by Isabel Sanford), were the neighbors of the Bunkers.

    But in 1975, George and Weezie moved on up to their very own show. The Jeffersons had a very successful run, lasting for eleven seasons and 253 episodes. Not only was the show highly entertaining, it also made great strides in social progress. Several plots dealt with serious topics and the casting, particularly that of Franklin Cover and Roxie Roker as married neighbors of the Jeffersons, remains a great display of diversity on television.

    Sherman Hemsley dead at the age of 74
    Sherman Hemsley dead at the age of 74

    For this role, Hemsley won an NAACP Image Award for Best Actor in a Comedy Series in 1982, and was also nominated for an Emmy and Golden Globe. At the TV Land Awards in 2004, he and Sanford won in the category “Favorite Cantankerous Couple.”

    When The Jeffersons ended, Hemsley followed it up with a starring role on the show Amen as Deacon Ernest Frye. Amen also had a good run of 110 episodes over five seasons. He also was on the show Dinosaurs throughout its run voicing B.P. Richfield, the boss of main character Earl Sinclair.

    He has guest starred on shows of a wide variety, sometimes as George Jefferson. These include The Love Boat, The Incredible Hulk, Fantasy Island, Designing Women, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Martin, 227, The Twilight Zone, Lois & Clark, Soul Train, Family Matters, The Magic School Bus, Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper, All That, Family Guy, The Hughleys, Sister Sister, The Secret World of Alex Mack, and House of Payne, where he made his final performance (and as George Jefferson).

    Hemsley has also had roles in numerous films, mostly comedies, such as Love at First Bite, Ghost Fever, Mr. Nanny, Senseless, Jane Austen’s Mafia!, Screwed, andAmerican Pie Presents: The Book of Love. He was also a musician, releasing an album of R&B music called Dance.

    Although never married and never having any children, Hemsley will be greatly missed by television viewers.

  • Pixar’s ‘Brave’ Scottish adventure is worth breaking out the kilts for

    Pixar’s ‘Brave’ Scottish adventure is worth breaking out the kilts for

    Merida takes aim in 'Brave'
    Merida takes aim in ‘Brave’

    It seems you can always count on Pixar to raise the bar, in animation and in movies in general. Whereas everyone else is regurgitating the same fairy tales that have been regurgitated several times over, they’ve done what apparently is unthinkable: they made a new one.

    In Brave, Merida (Kelly Macdonald) is the Princess of Scotland in the 12th century. She is the oldest child and only daughter of King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson). The latter is particularly tough on her for not adhering to traditions. This comes to ahead when the suitors arrive for her betrothal. The one thing she does have control over is which contest they must win for her hand. In a clever ruse, she selects archery, her own strong suit, and then sneaks into the competition and bests every one of the suitors’ shot.

    Next scene, of course, is a heated argument with her mother, who is absolutely livid. Merida rides out to cool off and finds herself at a mini-Stonehenge-like location just outside a forest. It is at the entrance to the forest that she sees a trail of will o’ the wisps, which she believes will lead her to her ultimate destiny.

    She is brought to the woodcarvings shop of an old witch (Julie Walters). After realizing what she’s dealing with, she barters her necklace for everything in the store, and a spell. The way she phrases it is that she wants her mother to change. This is in reference to a change in attitude or mind, but when worded so vaguely, the old adage “be careful what you wish for” will certainly apply. The spell she learns can be reversed, but she’ll need to decipher a cryptic hint, and the clock is ticking.

    This is one grump old bear in 'Brave'
    This is one grump old bear in ‘Brave’

    First thing’s first: yes, the animation is spectacular. A lot of hard work clearly went into Brave. Just doing Merida’s hair alone must have been a major challenge. But of course, that all means nothing if the picture fails to deliver, but it does greatly.

    There’s more meat to Brave than your typical princess story. No time-consuming musical numbers here, but instead a focus on story,  character, and adventure. And while there aren’t any rolling heads or samurai swords like a certain other Scot film, the action in it is quite exciting. In addition in several moments of well-executed suspense and tension.

    But Pixar may have set the bar too high. This effort doesn’t quite measure up to their last few films, namely Up and Toy Story 3. It just doesn’t have the emotional resonance as powerful and deep as that those ones had.

    As always, preceding the feature is an animated short. This time it is La Luna, in which three generations of men – elderly, middle aged, and child – travel into space from a ladder in their boat. It’s an amiable piece, and the lack of spoken dialogue gives it a certain charm.

    Lastly, on a more serious note, the movie includes a couple tributes to Steve Jobs, who purchased Pixar back when it was known as The Computer Graphics Group (and before it had even started making animated films) and was the company’s CEO. The film is dedicated to his memory and one of the clans is called Macintosh.

    Pixar didn’t take home the gold during the last awards season, but this time I’m pulling for them. Because, in the end, there can be only one.

  • ‘Piranha 3DD’ lacks scares’ sexuality of ‘Piranha 3D’

    Killer fish are back for more in 'Piranha 3DD'
    Killer fish are back for more in ‘Piranha 3DD’

    I myself am not a woman, so I’m not an expert in bras. But I always thought that the DD measurement was to indicate a relatively big size, having more breast than average.

    Piranha 3DD, however, feels like it has quite less than average. Not just less breasts, but less scares, less laughs, and less fun than its predecessor, which was titled a mere Piranha 3D.

    Posted for 'Piranha 3DD'
    Posted for ‘Piranha 3DD’

    The Spring Break location of the last film’s killer party is, unsurprisingly, now pretty much a ghost town. So Chet (David Koechner) has taken it upon himself to fill the debauchery void. He’s reinvented his water park as an adult-themed locale called The Big Wet, where admission for girls and “hot moms” costs less than it does for kids. The lifeguards have been replaced with strippers and the nude pools have “cooch cams” that broadcast on monitors for all to see. And for the grand opening in two days, they’ve booked a special guest: David Hasselhoff.

    His stepdaughter Maddy (Danielle Panabaker), a marine biologist, is aghast at the changes made, but her friends are more open to them. As they hang out at the nearby waters, they begin to be attacked by these vicious fish. Maddy recognizes them as the piranhas, having seen a YouTube video made by Dr. Goodman (Christopher Lloyd). She and her friends take a drive to visit the doctor, and learn that the piranhas are travelling through man-made water systems.

    So basically this means that the opening of Big Wet will be a bloodbath. Will they manage to convince Chet of the danger? If you think they do, you probably need to see some more of these movies.

    There isn’t much to it. No literally, there isn’t. The meat of the movie is an hour and ten minutes, with the rest of the running time spent on the credits with extra scenes and bloopers.  Even for something with limited ambition, that’s much too little. Perhaps more can be done exploring what the park has to offer, since all I really came away with was a slide and a couple pools. The local playground has more to offer.

    Still plenty of bikini babes in 'Piranha 3DD'
    Still plenty of bikini babes in ‘Piranha 3DD’

    This could be alright if that time was stuffed with many worthwhile moments, but that’s not really the case. The violence and sexuality, although somewhat copious compared to the average movie, pale in comparison what was featured in Piranha 3D. There are some good shots, but nothing that grabs in the way that those in the predecessor did. Nor is it funny on a consistent basis. It’s only towards the end that we see flashes of the hilarity that should have been present throughout.

    But the actors do well in their parts, and Lloyd seems to be enjoying his character some more. Also back are Ving Rhames and Paul Scheer, who add some welcome humor. And as one of Maddy’s friends, Katrina Bowden walks away with the best line in the movie and delivers it perfectly.

    Piranha 3DD needs some more surgery. Or maybe it is very much like DD jobs: fake and lacking.

  • Kathleen Turner delivers in uneven ‘The Perfect Family’

    Kathleen Turner in 'The Perfect Family'
    Kathleen Turner in ‘The Perfect Family’

    Once again Kathleen Turner is playing a woman who on the surface seems to be the ideal wife and mother. But unlike Serial Mom, her character in The Perfect Family is driven by a deep dedication to Catholicism.

    On the whole, the film is an amiable drama with some bright comic relief moments. It has some issues with an uneven story and underused characters though.

    Eileen Cleary is a devoted member of the local church, and to reward that, Monsignor Murphy (Richard Chamberlain) has decided to nominate her for Catholic Woman of the Year. In addition to the fancy title, the winner will receive the prayer of absolution. All sins forgiven. The other nominee is her arch rival Agnes Dunn (Sharon Lawrence), so that adds another incentive to win.

    But the judges will be looking at the families to see if the principles of the religion are present in the home lives of the women. Her two children grown, Eileen has to confront how they’ve managed their lives. And given how pious she is, they haven’t made it easy. Her son Frank Jr. (Jason Ritter) has left his wife and children. Now he’s shacking up with the local hairdresser (Kristen Dalton).

    And then there’s Shannon (Emily Deschanel). Eileen learns that Shannon’s “friend” Angela (Angelique Cabral) is actually her life partner. Moreover they plan to wed, and further still, Shannon is already a few months pregnant. Helping Eileen come to terms with this is Angela’s own mother Christina (Elizabeth Pena).  She too was first taken aback by her daughter’s identity, but in time learned to not let it affect anything. In her campaign however, Eileen finds herself having to lie about Shannon’s orientation and invent a (male) fiancé to mention to church officials.

    Caught in the middle is her husband, Frank Sr. (Michael McGrady). As much as he wants to be supportive of his wife, he also realizes the importance in accepting his children for who they are, imperfections and all. A recovering alcoholic himself, he knows a thing or two about that.

    If you noticed that I described Shannon’s story in the most detail, that’s because it is given the most priority in the film. This was probably done for the viewer’s benefit, and it works out as such. By introducing something all-new to Eileen, we can see exactly what her process of digesting the information and then addressing it are. It also helps a lot that Shannon isn’t a bad person in the slightest, and so she can empathized with easily.

    Frank Jr., not so much. Shannon likes the ladies, that’s not a bad thing. Frank Jr. ditches his family, that certainly is. Sure he gives the same excuses (“we’ve grown apart,” “rushed into it,” you know the rest), but in the end I had the same lack of respect for him that I had at the beginning. One that it seems Eileen shares, as this plotline didn’t see much of a resolution as Shannon’s did.

    And Frank Sr.? He gets some great moments later on, but I feel he should have been better used earlier. The first time his alcoholism is mentioned – when Eileen makes an excuse to not get served drinks at a party she’s uncomfortable at – it’s too much of a gag that I had no idea until further into the movie that I was supposed to take it seriously. Another character that I felt should have had more presence is Father Joe (Scott Michael Campbell), the minister under whom Shannon and Angela exchange their vows. In his thirties and hip to the current cultural climate, he makes a good counterpoint to the stodginess that Murphy represents. Eileen seeks his guidance later on, but for one small scene.

    However all actors do a fine job, with Turner and Deschanel emerging as standouts. It’s Turner’s best work in nearly twenty years. You can really tell that Eileen’s devotion to her religion stems from something deeper, something that makes the prayer of absolution her ultimate goal.

    But what The Perfect Family lacks it makes up for in heart. Amazingly it doesn’t come off as too damaging to Catholicism, just tries to reconcile those traditions with what we live with. As Shannon tells her mother who says that she is living in sin according to the pope, “What do you think?” What Eileen answers that with perfectly captures how she had conducted herself to that point: faithful certainly, but clearly afraid of straying from the neat and easy path. In watching her learn to begin to change that, the viewer sees that even though her family doesn’t explicitly exhibit the religion’s code, it surely exemplifies its compassion.

  • ‘Snow White: A Deadly Summer’ is a bad apple

    Shanley Caswell stars in 'Snow White: A Deadly Summer'
    Shanley Caswell stars in ‘Snow White: A Deadly Summer’

    It’s been 75 years since Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and it seems like everyone except Disney is taking advantage. Capitalizing on the release ofMirror Mirror comes Snow White: A Deadly Summer on DVD.

    This version brings things into the modern day, and its contribution to the legacy pretty much ends there.

    Shanley Caswell stars as Snow Hoffman (I’m assuming Hoffman is her surname, since a sign reading it hangs up in her home). Apparently she is a delinquent who is out of control. The audience only sees her as an unknowing accomplice to a stolen joyride, but let’s take their word for it.

    She lives with her father Grant (Eric Roberts) and, of course, her stepmother Eve (Maureen McCormick). Eve is able to convince Grant to send Snow off to a military discipline camp. Not because she cares anything for the girl’s well-being, but because her paranoia – represented, how else, by talking to herself in the mirror – has taken control and she needs to eliminate the threat.

    Dragged off in the middle of the night, Snow then finds herself at Camp Allegiance along with seven other campers (get it?). In charge is Colonel Hunter (Tim Abell); he wants to turn these miscreants into well-behaved and productive members of society. His plan for this is by having them do tons of pushups and jumping jacks.

    But someone else is cutting in, killing the campers one by one (or two at a time when the chance presents itself). For some reason, Snow has dreams that predict these deaths. Not that this extraneous ability helps anyone all that much, other than providing a convenient excuse for badly shot murder scenes.

    I can appreciate that they’re doing something different than the usual trip to the Renaissance fair. I can appreciate making a film other than the exercises in soft porn that Davd DeCoteau frequently does. But I cannot appreciate the overall sloppy and unprofessional job done.

    All that need be said about the awfulness of the movie is this: there are no night shots. What I mean is, the scenes which are supposed to take place at night and the audience is supposed to believe take place at night are very obviously not shot at night, but during the day with a blue hue to disguise. I don’t think I’ve seen that “technique” since the 1960s.

    Things aren’t much better on the writing front. The characters aren’t given any more dimension than the bare minimum and pacing drags a lot in the middle, with the beginning particularly being much too brief. Later on in Snow’s dreams, we see glimpses of scenes of her with a psychologist which are so short that they are utterly worthless. Why not just film a full scene or two of a session and add it to the beginning? Shooting in the day wouldn’t be an issue there.

    The extras are a commentary with the director and two of the actors (Chase Bennett and Jason-Shane Scott), a still gallery, the trailer, and trailers for other movies.

    There is really no reason why someone should choose to see this over Mirror Mirror. Instead of breathtaking visuals, there are night shots during the day. Instead of a competent script, there’s a disjointed one. Instead of Julia Roberts, there’s Eric.

  • Director Gary Ross leaves ‘Hunger Games’ sequel

    Director Gary Ross has left the helm for 'Hunger Games' sequel
    Director Gary Ross has left the helm for ‘Hunger Games’ sequel

    The story that started with The Hunger Games will continue in a second installment called Catching Fire, but Gary Ross will not be handling directing duties.

    Playlist at Indiewire has reported that the director of the recent hit is now officially out of the director’s seat for the sequel.

    He issued the following statement:

    Despite recent speculation in the media, and after difficult but sincere consideration, I have decided not to direct Catching Fire. As a writer and a director, I simply don’t have the time I need to write and prep the movie I would have wanted to make because of the fixed and tight production schedule.

    REVIEW #1: Forget ‘Twilight,’ ‘The Hunger Games’ is the real deal

    Personally I think this might be a good thing. While Ross handled the dramatic scenes in The Hunger Games competently, he did not do the action all that well, resorting to shaky cam. Even scenes that were mere fistfights and wouldn’t have had any blood shed were done in this manner.

    My recommendation for the job? Andrew Davis.

    An action film veteran who’s worked with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Steven Seagal, he pulled off a huge commercial and critical hit with The Fugitive. It won Tommy Lee Jones his Oscar and was nominated for several more, including Best Picture. He has also proven himself with young adult novel material having directedHoles. If he can recapture the magic, this could really be a great film.

    REVIEW #2: Even if you didn’t read the books, ‘The Hunger Games’ is a winner

    Another personal favorite of mine is Edward Zwick. The director of, among others,Glory, Courage Under Fire, The Siege, Blood Diamond, and Defiance has proven to be in expert in action movies with political overtones.

    Presumably, all the actors who had their characters survive will return.

    Despite this setback, Catching Fire is on track to begin shooting this fall and be released in theaters on November 22, 2013.