I MAY BE LEGEND

This is my last movie review for a while ... promise :)

QUICK PLOT SUMMARY
Will Smith plays Lieutenant Colonel Robert Neville, a man who appears to be the last survivor of humanity. In an ironic twist of fate, the cure for cancer mutates into a virus (side effects may include death or turning you into a zombie), but Neville is mysteriously immune to the bug. The benefits of surviving this plague are suspect as Neville spends his days in a desperate cycle of foraging for supplies, trying not to be eaten by infected humans, and searching for a cure. The movie is based on a 1954 book of the same name.

MY REVIEW
As I left the theater upon viewing I Am Legend, I couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. The film is certainly enjoyable, and it would be hard to argue that Will Smith doesn't deliver on all fronts. But none the less, uneasy was my mood. It wasn't until a couple hours after the film that it hit me, and I started to think about the Tom Hanks' movie Castaway. In both cases, the story centers around a man who is truly alone in the world and must learn to survive in the most hostile of environments (although, I think I'd take Hanks' situation over Smith's). The other similarity between these two vehicles is the emphasis on lack of human interaction and its negative effect on the mind. For Hanks, it is the volleyball, Wilson, that gets him through the tough times. For Smith's character, Robert Neville, it's his dog.

So, what does Castaway provide that I Am Legend lacks? Simply put, Mr. Neville could stand to catch a break or two along his journey, but no substantial victories were to be found. Now, I'm certainly not arguing that movies short on happiness are taboo, but in a film like this, you really do need to give your audience some hope intermingled with your tragedies. The moviegoer wants a reason to follow you through the adventure rather than simply experiencing two hours of physical and emotional torture. They need the hero to be, you know, heroic.

Again, I don't mean to imply the film is bad, because it's not. But it has issues. Over and above the high bummer quotient, I would also argue that it doesn't do a stellar job of paying off some of the setup. For example, the film is sprinkled with flashbacks, giving the audience some background into the events leading up to the destruction of humanity. Nothing wrong with that, right? However, the movie constantly teases us with images of Neville's important role in the virus outbreak but leaves us hanging as to what that role ultimately turned out to be.

I recently spoke to a couple friends who went to I Am Legend, and they felt the film was too short and ended abruptly. I don't necessarily share that opinion, but it would have been nice if the ending were more ... um ... satisfying.

MY RATING
3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

MY RATING WHEN I READ THAT WILL SMITH MIGHT BE A SCIENTOLOGIST
0.5 Stars (Out of 5)

A DIFFERENT KIND OF WAR

To help relieve mind of things other than Super Tuesday and election results, here's a review of Charlie Wilson's War.

QUICK PLOT SUMMARY
Tom Hanks plays Charlie Wilson, a Democratic Texas Congressman who led the U.S. effort to secretly arm the Afghans against The Soviet Union. Julia Roberts plays wealthy activist Joanne Herring, the main motivator for Wilson to join this cause. Phillip Seymour Hoffman is troubled CIA agent Gust Avrakotos who guides Wilson through the complex political and international hurdles involved in arming a country to fight the Soviets. The film is based on a true story and a book with the same name.

MY REVIEW
I have to be honest and say that I went into this film with a little bit of a bias. It's been my long held opinion that Aaron Sorkin is the greatest screenwriter on the planet. From A Few Good Men to The West Wing, Mr. Sorkin has proven time and again that his ability to effortlessly intertwine dialog with intelligence, drama, and wit is unparalleled. Add to that the fact that the movie stars Tom Hanks and is directed by Mike Nichols, and you have to wonder if it's possible for Charlie Wilson's War to be anything less than stellar. Of course, a perfect meld of talent does not always a great film make (The Da Vinci Code jumps to mind).

So, it is with much enthusiasm -- and maybe a little relief -- that I can unequivocally state that Charlie Wilson's War doesn't disappoint. Not only is it a great film, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that between Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts, the best thing in the film is .... Phillip Seymour Hoffman. If you can find a better example of someone coming out of left field and completely taking over a movie, please tell me. I experienced so much joy watching him play CIA agent Gust Avrakotos that I thought maybe the movie should stop in order for someone to walk into the scene and hand him an Oscar right there. It's just too bad for him that Javier Bardem chose this year to be uber-creepy in No Country for Old Men.

Since it is political season, I feel compelled to mention that the topic of the film isn't exactly a warm fuzzy. I mean, it wouldn't be a stretch to state that Charlie Wilson indirectly (or maybe directly) led to the horrible tragedy of 9/11. For those who might feel that way, I would just ask that you watch the film and judge for yourself. Charlie Wilson as portrayed by Hanks, is certainly not without flaws (the naked hot tub scene that launches the film is a good example), but neither is he the devil. It's a complicated issue, and he's a complicated man. But the decision to see this movie is not at all a complicated matter.

MY RATING
4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

I HEART JUNO

Believe it or not, I do have other interests besides politics; one being movies. So, here's my attempt at a movie review for the little gem of a film called Juno. It's seriously the best movie I've seen in some time ... and yes, even better than (favorite to with the Oscar) No Country for Old Men.

QUICK PLOT SUMMARY
Ellen Page plays Juno, a smart-mouthed teen who finds out that one dumb chair related move with boyfriend Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera) leaves her with child. After an uncomfortable trip to the local planned parenthood center, Juno decides to give the baby up for adoption. Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner play Mark and Vanessa Loring, the couple Juno chooses to be the adoptive parents. And speaking of parents, Juno's are played with class and style by Spider-Man's J. K. Simmons and West Wing's Allison Janney.

MY REVIEW
It's a rare treat when one has the opportunity to witness the birth of a superstar. But that is indeed how I felt watching Ellen Page command the screen during her remarkable performance in Juno. I can think of only a handful of actors who can be at the same time charming, soulful, witty, sad, and uplifting in a single role. Yet, Page pulls it off with an ease that makes one slightly jealous. This movie is chalk full of seasoned thespians, but she takes a back seat to none.

Sometimes one great performance is all you need carry a film, but luckily for us, everyone is at the top of their game here. Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner play the seemingly perfect couple that hopes to adopt young Juno's baby. They are in fact so sugary nice, you expect to see them in a picture frame sitting on a shelf at Sears. As the film progresses, however, you begin to feel that something is not quite right with either of them. And it is a tribute to their performances that a simple look or a couple of words can reveal so much. Garner may be the most surprising of the two given the Alias-esq roles for which she's so well known. Who would have thought you could so easily fall for her as an uptight yuppie?

J. K. Simmons and Allison Janey also deserve a shout out as Juno's father and stepmother respectively. Earlier in the movie, you really want to dislike these two. He is ex-military; she reminds you of some strange librarian you might have seen in junior high. But like Bateman and Garner, there is much more to them than meets the eye, and peeling back the layers of their personalities is a fun ride.

Finally, I can't forget Michael Cera, who perfectly melds his Arrested Development innocence with adult complexity as he dances through the land mine of impregnating his 16-year-old girlfriend.

The beautiful script by former stripper Diablo Cody is the glue that binds all this brilliance together. Her characters are so smart and funny, you kind of wish their words were your own. And don't for a minute think you know where the movie is going. Because just when you want it to go one way, you're pulled in a different direction. All the directions, though, are ones you will desire to follow.

MY RATING
5 Stars (Out of 5)