The Avengers

Smashing! That’s what I say. Marvel Comics come to life, what was anyone thinking! Superheroes, dynamic duos, big green guys who bounce off walls and crush aliens like flies? Absolutely loved the fact that this bunch of unlikely collaborators: Captain America, Ironman, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Thor and The Incredible Hulk; come together and deliver the goods many times over. It’s a great start to the summer movie season, even though you couldn’t prove it by the weather here in the Great Northwest as anything more than a very soggy spring. We’ve sprung a leak and so has the sky by bringing back Thor’s nasty old adopted bro—Loki-- to wreak havoc on Earth. Gadzooks, how will he ever be stopped from destroying life as we know it and most of Manhattan in the process? All of the players: Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), Robert Downey Jr. (Tony Stark/Ironman), Scarlett Johansson (Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow), Chris Evans (Steve Rogers/Captain America), Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner/The Hulk), Jeremy Renner (Clint Barton/Hawkeye), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Tom Hiddleston (Loki and Johnny Weir’s Irish twin), Clark Gregg (S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Phil Coulson), Colbie Smulders (S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Maria Hill), and bringing up the rear, Stellan Skarsgard (Dr. Selvig) rip a new one in the space/time continuum. Comicon will be having a field day with all of the characters, actors, and writers trying to find out what’s next, much like the comic books that this film is drawn from (sorry, that was a pun). Not recommended for small children and even though it’s difficult for some people to realize that your five year old doesn’t get it as being a fantasy, they do see violence, blood, destruction of tall buildings and in this case, the aftermath, as very real and scary. So parents, even though it’s from a comic book, remember, it’s rated PG-13 for a very good reason. We had to convince my brother that flying monkeys weren’t real, too. His comment, and I quote, “It’s only trick fertography, it’s only trick fertography” as he went running out of the room scared out of his mind. I’m also one of those people who don’t leave until the credits are completely over. You never know what you might see before the last logo hits the screen. Just sayin’. Rating: to the moon, Alice – 4 stars and stripes

The Hunger Games

Jennifer Lawrence, who gave an Oscar worthy performance in Winter’s Bone, has become the “combination of Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker” for the next generation. This isn’t set on a different planet, but it is in a different time when the post-apocalyptic United States has become the epitome of a totalitarian society that punishes it people in the name of a televised sporting event on a yearly basis. The children from 12 to 18 from 12 districts specializing in different industries, i.e., coal mining, agriculture, textile manufacturing, technology, etc., are pitted against each other in a highly elaborate fight to the death after having their names drawn from a lottery. Our heroine, Katniss Everdeen, is from District 12, the mining district, and in an effort to save her little sister from going to certain and immediate death in the Capitol, volunteers to take her place. She’s paired with a boy from town, the baker’s son, Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson). There are similarities to Star Wars, 1984, A Clockwork Orange, First Blood, Metropolis, Spartacus, and oh so many other films, it’s hard to list them all here. I’m still reading the last book in the trilogy, Mockingjay, and hadn’t finished the first one when I saw the film, but never fear, you won’t be disappointed by either and it’s not necessary to read the books first. Yes, the film is violent and not recommended for the very young. It has a gritty edge to it and once you understand how the characters fit together you’ll have a hard time turning away from the screen. I, myself, can’t wait for the sequels, Catching Fire and Mockingjay, if handled correctly will become classics akin to the Star Wars series and Harry Potter. “May the odds be ever in your favor” is our new mantra taking the place of “May the Force be with you”. Rating: 3.89 stars

The Tree of Life

Terrance Malick has done it again…he’s made a film that is visually beautiful, confounding, disturbing, trippy, is the explanation of everything and nothing, all at the same time. There’s a mother, a father (not a “Daddy” as he would have been known in Texas where most of the action seems to take place), and three brothers. Their lives are steeped in faith in God, appearances, impressions, guilt, and resentment. This is not exactly your happy little family of the 50’s. The performances are believable. Brad Pitt exemplifies a semi-Daddy Dearest that can be perceived as the epitome of fatherhood and scariness, without being a serial killer or the Texas Chainsaw massacre leatherface character. You feel for his wife, his children, and can tell there’s an undercurrent of tension once the children become cognizant that life is not going to be carefree or easy. This was an extremely difficult film for this writer to wrap her head around, or even sit down to watch all the way through. Mr. Malick apparently saw 2001, A Space Odyssey, too many times. The minute it became apparent that this took place in Waco, the thought of the Davidians and the tragic results of religious cultism came to mind. Best picture, maybe the French saw something I didn’t at Cannes. Cie la vie. Rating: 2.75 stars

The Artist

Wait, don’t speak…oh that’s right, nobody does in this film…it’s a silent movie. Filmed in glorious black and white and spanning from 1927 through the Wall Street Crash and the Great Depression, we follow the careers of George Valentin (a silent screen star somewhat like Douglas Fairbanks who has a Jack Russell Terrier –a pint sized version of Lassie) and Peppy Miller, whose star is rising and all because she bumped into George. It’s a little like “A Star Is Born” and does contain some sound during key scenes, but for the most part, you need to pay attention because the characters are talking with their expressions and the dialogue is via screen shots. The background music is eclectic and adds to the cinematic ebbs and flows of the action. The two leads, Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo, are probably more well known in France, however, you’ll recognize some key players, John Goodman, Penelope Ann Miller, James Cromwell, and Missi Pyle (who gives a performance that reeks of Singing In The Rain’s Lena Lamont (Jean Hagen). If you could hear her speak, you’d probably hear the line…”and I can’t stan’em”. The film is deserving of the many kudos it’s been receiving and will walk away with several more well deserved awards. Sets, costumes, vehicles, everything is period perfect and this writer recommends this gem. Rating: 4 stars and a really smart, cute dog.

My Week With Marilyn

Of the films that Marilyn Monroe made, The Prince and The Showgirl would have to be on the top of my really odd productions list. She’s paired with the consummate actor, Sir Laurence (Larry) Olivier. During the time that she’s working on this film, she meets Colin Clark and shall we say, diverts her attention from her troubled marriage to Arthur Miller and health issues (both physical and mental). Marilyn wasn’t a “dumb blonde”, but she was fragile and would be what I would call “high maintenance”. Colin is working at his first job and is Second Assistant Director for the film, therefore, he’s a “Guy Friday” and is documenting his experiences through journals kept during his time with one of the world’s most desired women/actresses. The players here are: Michelle Williams who makes an incredible transformation as Marilyn, Eddie Redmayne, Kenneth Branagh, and Emma Watson (post-Harry Potter). The pairing of Marilyn and Olivier is like water and oil, never the two should/will mix. Rating: 3.5 Stars for the film, 10 Stars for Michelle Williams’ performance.

Hugo

Based on the Caldecott Medal book by Brian Selznick, "The Invention of Hugo Cabret", we're introduced to the world of fantasy, reality, illusion, and intrigue through the life of a young boy in 1931, Paris. Martin Scorsese has concocted a beautiful interpretation of a very unique story and a book that is part graphic novel/part an artist’s visual masterpiece/part mystery. The attention to detail and use of modern technology to introduce us to really, the beginnings of that technology, is ingenious. I thoroughly enjoyed this film from start to finish. I can only say that I was delighted to watch the cast, most notably—Asa Butterfield, Chloe Grace Moretz, Sir Ben Kingsley, and Sacha Baron Cohen, bring this story magically to life. Rating: 4 autonomatonically written stars

The Help

Several months ago I saw what I consider to be a top contender for best picture of 2011. "The Help" is the story of a black maid during the 60's in Mississippi. The Civil Rights movement was well on it's way, but not nearly as far along as it could have, should have been. The intertwining of her life and the lives of the people she provides maid service for is astonishing to anyone who's never seen prejudice up close and personal. You have to ask yourself if you would have acted any differently being a part of the small-minded society during this time of social climbing G.R.I.T.S. (Girls Raised In The South). Top notch performances abound, most notably Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Emma Stone, Bryce Dallas Howard, Allison Janney, Sissy Spacek, Jessica Chastain, and Emma and Eleanor Henry (twins who portray Mae Mobley). It cuts to the heart of so many issues and I wholeheartedly recommend you see the film and read the book by Kathryn Sockett, especially if you're a child of the 80's or 90's and have never lived through this. Remember, you is kind, you is smart, and you is important. Rating: 4 stars and big slice of chocolate cream pie.