Solomon Kane (2009) - ActionFest Buffet 3.0: Appetizer

On the Menu: SOLOMON KANE (2009)

Ingredients: James Purefoy, Pete Postlethwaite, Jason Flemyng, Max von Sydow, Mackenzie Crook, Alice Krige, Rachel Hurd-Wood and Patrick Hurd-Wood. Directed by Michael J. Bassett. Run time: 104 minutes. Rated: Not rated.

At First Bite: I had no expectations for the opening night film of ActionFest 2012. I knew nothing of the story. I only knew Purefoy and stunt coordinator Richard Ryan also teamed up for the first film presented at last year's ActionFest, IRONCLAD.

Solomon Kane (Purefoy) is an English mercenary/pirate who unfortunately meets up with the Devil's Reaper while helping himself to some treasure. Turns out Kane soul has been damned to Hell, and the Reaper wants to collect.

Kane escapes and tries to denounce his barbaric ways, but a sorcerer named Malachi (Flemyng) has created an army to wreak havoc and draw Kane to him.

Will he once more pick up his sword?

Tough to Swallow: The flashbacks ruin the main twist.

The Masked Rider's cape disappears after being set on fire.

Something to Chew On: Robert E. Howard created the pulp magazine character of Solomon Kane in 1928. Conan the Barbarian is Howard's more well-known character. He's also known for Kull the Conqueror.

Filming began in 2008, which was eleven years after the film rights were granted.

Christopher Lambert (HIGHLANDER) was offered the lead in 2001.

The movie was shot over 12 weeks time.

The film's budget was $40 million.

Purefoy suffered a head wound in a sword fight. The injury required five stitches.

This film is intended to be the first of a trilogy.

Aftertaste: I'll admit I was a bit disappointed to find out a 2009 film was opening a 2012 film festival, but it wasn't all that bad.

Watching Purefoy is like watching Gerard Butler or Hugh Jackman, but maybe slightly more enjoyable. He actually reminded me more of Butler in IRONCLAD, and more of Jackman in SOLOMON KANE. Let's hope he doesn't start doing big budget rom-coms. His performance here is solid. He makes for a perfect anti-hero.

Introducing the main villain at the end of the film is a mistake, in my opinion. And, the final battle is ho-hum. Overall, the fights are well-choreographed, but they are too sparse for a film like this.

One of the final confrontations is ruined by all the flashbacks. The twist is sooooooo predictable.

I love the look of the film. The cinematography and production design might be the best parts. Wait... the scene where Kane is crucified and works his way off the cross is actually my favorite part.

Perhaps, with the origin story touched on with this entry, the following two films will be filled with more decapitations and shootouts.

Let's hope.

Rating:

Harvard Beats Yale 29-29 (2008) - Don't Count Your Chickens...

On the Menu: HARVARD BEATS YALE 29-29 (2008)

Ingredients: Tommy Lee Jones, Brian Dowling, Frank Champi, Bob Levin, Mike Bouscaren, J.P. Goldsmith, Vic Gatto and nearly 40 other players. Directed by Kevin Rafferty. Run time: 105 minutes. Rated: PG.

At First Bite: Like the last documentary I watched, I came across this one while flipping channels and set the DVR for its next appearance on ESPN Classic. The title was intriguing. I had never heard of this legendary football game. Then, it IS an Ivy League matchup, not FSU-Miami or Ohio State-Michigan.

On November 23, 1968, an undefeated and 16th-ranked Yale squad came into Harvard Stadium for the final game of the season. The Crimson of Harvard were also 8-0, but were considered major underdogs.

The Bulldogs took a 22-6 lead into halftime, and were up 29-13 with just over 42 seconds to play.

Tough to Swallow: Each new interview would include a chyron to introduce the player, e.g., Harvard Defensive Back Pat Conway. Subsequent interviews with the same player would only use the school name. Since the movie relies on a lot of game footage, it would have been nice to have also known each player's jersey number.

Sucks that four-time NFL Pro Bowler Calvin Hill (Yale running back) chose not to participate. I mean, poor Bouscaren had a costly fumble and TWO major penalties that allowed Harvard to come back, and he still did the movie.

Some shots might linger a bit too long.

Something to Chew On: The film was released in 2008 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the game.

The film's title is from the headline of the Harvard student newspaper following the game.

Rafferty directed, edited, shot and produced.

Both teams had not entered this game undefeated since 1909.

Tommy Lee Jones was #61 (seen in the photo above), an All-Ivy League first-team selection at guard.

Here's an informing Q&A with Rafferty on putting the movie together.

During the credits, someone is playing "Dixie" using a touch-tone phone, which is an reference to Jones describing what his roommate Al Gore did for fun.

Aftertaste: Even if you don't like football, this documentary is entertaining. The players' recollections include the Vietnam War, Doonesbury and even Meryl Streep. Most of those interesting tangents happen in the film's first hour, or, as the film is cut, before halftime of the game.

It's just so much fun to listen to the players remember, or misremember, the actual game.

I'll tell ya what though, Yale had some poor clock management and end-of-game strategy.

I'll also say you don't have to like football to enjoy this documentary.

Rating:

The Heir Apparent: Largo Winch (2008) - ActionFest Buffet 2.0: Plate #4

On the Menu: THE HEIR APPARENT: LARGO WINCH (2008)

Ingredients: Tomer Sisley, Kristin Scott Thomas, Miki Manojlovic, Mélanie Thierry, Gilbert Melki, Karel Roden, Steven Waddington, Benedict Wong, Anne Cosigny and Nicolas Vaude. Directed by Jérôme Salle. Run time: 108 minutes. Rated: Unrated.

At First Bite: I had an empty time slot after SUPER and chose LARGO WINCH because I thought I would catch Takeshi Kitano's OUTRAGE the next day (I ended up going to a panel instead). The program mentioned it was "based upon a series of famous graphic novels," which piqued my interest a little more.

Nerio is the head of a major corporation, but he gets snuffed out mysteriously. So, the control of the company falls to Largo. Well, Largo has been distancing himself from his father's business for years. He's basically been traveling the world. His father's right-hand man tracks him down and brings him before the company's board. Since no one has ever seen him before, they're all very skeptical.

He doesn't want his father's business, but, as he sets out to prove his lineage, he discovers there might be something more to his father's death than just murder.

Tough to Swallow: A news program misspells Ann Ferguson's name as Fergusson.

There are some beard length continuity issues with Largo.

The ActionFest program misspelled Nerio (Largo's father) as Niero. Twice.

Something to Chew On: Largo Winch is a Belgian comic book series by Philippe Francq and Jean Van Hamme, published by Dupuis. It was originally written as a series of novels by Van Hamme, but the series wasn't very successful.

The settings of New York and Turkey from the comic series were changed to Hong Kong and Brazil, respectively.

The rights to the comic were bought in the late 1980s by Serge Silberman, who wanted to create a franchise to compete with the James Bond films. Silberman didn't get to see his dream realized; he died in 2003.

For the film, Sisley learned Serbian and performed some of his own stunts.

The action scenes set in Hong Kong were shot guerrilla style.

Aftertaste: Going in, I really had no expectations for this movie other than it would probably be a lot like a James Bond movie. And, it was.

Corporate espionage and murder mystery mixed with decent action. I enjoyed the chases through the streets and the rooftop fighting, especially. Sisler's Largo is definitely a hybrid of James Bond and Jason Bourne; a mix of charisma, intelligence and athleticism. There are loads of flashbacks, which might confuse at times, but definitely help flesh out the story.

This showing at ActionFest was the film's North American premiere. The next film in the series, THE BURMA CONSPIRACY, was released in Belgium and France two months prior to the festival (February 16, 2011). Maybe it will make it to ActionFest 2012. I'll go see it.

Rating:

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) - Movie Marathon Short & Sweet Review: Film #20

On the Menu: FANTASTIC MR. FOX (2009)

Ingredients: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzmann, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe, Michael Gambon, Eric Chase Anderson, Wallace Wolodarsky, Owen Wilson, Brian Cox, Adrien Brody, Mario Batali, Karen Duffy and Wes Anderson. Directed by Wes Anderson. Run time: 87 minutes. Rated: PG.

Tough to Swallow: The scientific names of the animals should be in the form: Genus species, not Genus Species.

Young foxes are kits, not cubs.

Something to Chew On: Based on the novel by Roald Dahl, which was the first book director Wes Anderson ever owned.

The Fox family tree is based on a beech tree on Dahl's property, and Mr. Fox's study was made to look like Dahl's favorite writing spot (a garden hut).

Mr. Fox's wardrobe is based on that of Anderson's.

Of the 535 puppets made for this movie, 102 of them were of Mr. Fox. The human puppets actually have human hair.

Nominated for Original Score and Best Animated Feature at the 2010 Oscars.

Aftertaste: Fun and enjoyable. I've never been disappointed with a Wes Anderson movie (at least 4 stars for each). It's a shame this one didn't take home the Best Animated Feature Oscar last year. I loved UP as well, but this had better animation with just as good a story.

The detail in the animation is incredible. I'm not sure most movie-goers realize how much work goes into a stop-motion film. I don't even think I do, but I know it has to be painstaking.

It's considered a family film, but, like most every other animated feature in the past 10 years, FANTASTIC MR. FOX has adult themes and humor. However, it has talking animals, so it must be for kids, right? Ugh.

Anyway, it's funny and looks amazing.

Rating:

The Collector (2009) - Movie Marathon Drive-Thru Review: Film #19

On the Menu: THE COLLECTOR (2009)

Ingredients: Josh Stewart, Andrea Roth, Michael Reilly Burke, Madeline Zima, Juan Fernández and Karley Scott Collins. Directed by Marcus Dunstan. Run time: 90 minutes. Rated: R.

At First Bite: Sinister booby traps galore when a handyman attempts to steal a rare jewel from his latest employer's home. Goosebumps. Obviously, not a remake of the 1965 Terence Stamp flick, which is what I originally thought it was upon hearing the title.

Tough to Swallow: Jill's shirt disappears and reappears in her make-out scene.

Arkin apparently smokes Camels, but gets them out of a Marlboro pack. Interesting.

The Additional Photography section in the closing credits is misspelled as Addittional Photography.

Something to Chew On: Clu Gulager's son, Tom, appears as Officer Gulager.

Fernández, who plays The Collector, is better known for playing Miguel in CROCODILE DUNDEE II. Well, at least to me he is.

There was a Thank You credit for "That guy who kept taping his face," and Special No Thanks to "The guy who tried to blow up Joe's Bar and Whoever stole Karlak's watch."

A short scene appears after the credits.

Aftertaste: Wasn't hard to pick out the bad guy from the start, but still trying to figure out how he had the time to set up all those booby traps. Didn't necessarily like the end, but can't say that I didn't see it coming. Maybe the SAW peeps will turn to THE COLLECTOR for a new Halloween franchise.

The first sequel THE COLLECTION is said to be released in 2011, but there's no specific date yet. Stewart will reprise his role as Arkin, but, sadly, Fernández has apparently been replaced as the antagonist.

The creep factor is high. The gore factor is high. I like the soundtrack. The acting is so-so, but it is nice to see Andrea Roth again. I remember seeing CROSSWORLDS (1997) in high school and thinking she was going to be hot stuff. Aside from the Statham movie WAR, her biggest roles to date have been on "Rescue Me" and "Blue Bloods."

I digress.

You'll enjoy this if you like SAW or its successors. 

Rating:

Frenemy (2009) - Movie Marathon Drive-Thru Review: Film #14

On the Menu: FRENEMY (2009)
Ingredients: Matthew Modine, Callum Blue, Adam Baldwin, Paul Adelstein and Zach Galifianakis. Directed by Gregory Dark. Run time: 80 minutes. Rated: R.

At First Bite: Picked this up because Galifianakis was on the cover.

Tough to Swallow: The movie is 80 minutes long and, despite being the prominent figure on the front and back on the DVD, Galifianakis is only in the first 25 minutes (and just 13 of those).

The summary on the back of the DVD has nothing to do with this movie:

After a group of friends witness a horrifying crime, they wonder how they were lucky enough to escape, unharmed, while one friend did not. Through this self-discovery they start to understand the meaning of their own hilarious yet twisted fate. As their time starts to run out, the chance at redemption isn't too far behind.

There is no group of friends. There's no hilarity. How is this listed as a comedy?

Modine's laugh and accent are ridiculous.

There's a scene where Mr. Jack (Modine) and Sweet Stephen (Blue) are walking down the sidewalk, and the cameraman goes to pan too early for the end of the scene. I didn't understand why they just didn't reshoot that.

The credit for Steadicam Operator is misspelled as Stedicam Operator.

There are a couple spacing issues in the final bit of the credits starting with "The charactersand events portrayed..." The missing space between "characters" and "and" is one of the mistakes. The other is "... laws,and is strictly prohibited." There should be a space after the comma.

Something to Chew On: It was shown in film festivals under the title LITTLE FISH, STRANGE POND.

Ron Jeremy has a cameo.

Modine is also one of the film's executive producers.

Gregory Dark's other directorial adventures were mostly adult films in the '80s, then soft core skin flicks in the mid-'90s. His most recent mainstream film was SEE NO EVIL with WWE star Kane.

Somehow, 36 people gave this movie a rating of 10 on IMDb.com.

Aftertaste: The characters spout pretentious lines about evil, fate and intuition throughout. I'm not sure what point they're actually trying to make. The movie lacks cohesion even though Mr. Jack tries to explain how all the events are connected because "evil begets evil."

There were two things I liked about this movie: 1) Stephen's rant in the movie theater where he confronts the couple who are talking during the movie, and 2)  Stephen's line "I wish my life were more like a Burt Reynolds movie."

Those two things aside, this movie is 80 minutes of blah.

Another line from the movie seems to point out why I am one of the fewer than 200 people who have seen this piece of crap: "You were more curious than the others."

I guess it was fate that I had to suffer through FRENEMY.

Rating:

Up in the Air (2009) - Movie Marathon Drive-Thru Review: Film #12

On the Menu: UP IN THE AIR (2009)

Ingredients: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman, J.K. Simmons, Sam Elliott, Danny McBride, Amy Morton, Melanie Lynskey and Zach Galifianakis. Directed by Jason Reitman. Run time: 109 minutes. Rated: R. 

At First Bite: In 2008, I was rooting for Jason Reitman to win the Oscar for JUNO, but he lost to the Coens. Two years later, he got nominated again for this one, but had the misfortune of going up against the juggernaut that was THE HURT LOCKER and Kathryn Bigelow. I didn't get to see this before Oscar time last year, so I made sure to watch it before this year's. 

Tough to Swallow: I don't think the family bits fit that well into the movie. 

A lyric for "Time After Time" is incorrect on the karaoke monitor as Natalie sings.

The name of the company Ryan works for is CTC. On his secretary's desk, the plate reads Career Transition Corporation. On the letterhead of a recommendation letter seen later, CTC stands for Career Transition Counseling. 

Something to Chew On: The voices of Coors and Budweiser have a moment together when Ryan reaches 10,000,000 miles.

The movie is based on a novel by Walter Kirn, who has a cameo. During Natalie's introduction, Kirn is sitting to the left of Ryan. 

Most of the people laid off in the film are not actors, but people who had recently lost their jobs.

Emily Blunt and Ellen Page were considered for the role of Natalie, but Reitman wrote the role with Kendrick in mind. 

This film received 6 Oscar nominations. 

Aftertaste: Reitman's only directed three movies. Three! THANK YOU FOR SMOKING, JUNO and UP IN THE AIR. All great. 

I think this movie struck a chord because it came at a time when a lot of America was dealing with a recession and massive layoffs.

Clooney is his charming self as Ryan Bingham, a guy who flies around the world firing people. What a horrible job to have, right? This might be Clooney's best performance since O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?

I'm very interested in seeing more of Kendrick. Loved her in this, SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD and ROCKET SCIENCE. I will not watch the Twilight movies. Sorry, Miss Kendrick.

So, I enjoyed the acting and dialogue. Well, the screenplay was nominated for an Oscar, too.

The romance and banter between Clooney and Farmiga is very reminiscent of watching a Cary Grant flick. But, the conversations between Clooney and Kendrick are just as fun to watch. The scene with all three might be my favorite part of the movie. That and the appearance of Young MC.

If you watch the DVD with the commentary, Reitman, the DP and the 1st Assistant Director mention how they wanted to mimic Ryan's composure with their shooting style, e.g., hand-held in the second half. They also said they wanted the look to go from "perfect" to real. You definitely pick up on all of it watching a second time. 

Needless to say, this is Reitman's most grounded film (ha), and I am anxiously awaiting his next one. 

Rating:

44 Inch Chest (2009) - Movie Marathon Drive-Thru Review: Film #11

On the Menu: 44 INCH CHEST (2009)

Ingredients: Ray Winstone, Tom Wilkinson, Ian McShane, John Hurt, Stephen Dillane, Joanne Whalley and Melvil Poupaud. Directed by Malcolm Venville. Run time: 95 minutes. Rated: R. 

At First Bite: All I needed to read on the cover of the DVD was "From the writers of SEXY BEAST." 

Tough to Swallow: My only complaint is that I thought it was going to be more of a shoot-em-up gangster movie. 

Something to Chew On: I didn't count them, but it's been noted that the f-bomb is uttered 162 times in this movie.

Only one camera was used.

Every time I saw Whalley on screen, I could only think of WILLOW (she was Sorsha). 

Aftertaste: 44 INCH CHEST looks more like a stage play since most of it takes place on one set. I mentioned earlier than my one complaint was I assumed it to be in a different genre than it actually turned out to be. However, this crime drama is pretty mind-blowing when it comes to the actor. Seriously, reread the cast list above. Can't you imagine the awesomeness?

I doubt too many people will appreciate this film. There's not a lot of action. It's driven by its cast and explosive dialogue. There are numerous scenes that are ridiculously full of words. How on earth these guys remembered all their lines is beyond me.

Oddly enough, the movie itself is about love. Love makes you do crazy things. Crazy things like murder and forgive.

It's a bit confusing at first, but I really liked when the movie goes into Colin's mind, his breakdown.

In the end, what does it mean to be a man?

I say watch this and find out.

Rating:

 

Capitalism: A Love Story (2009) - Movie Marathon Drive-Thru Review: Film #9

On the Menu: CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY (2009)
Ingredients: Michael Moore and Wallace Shawn. Directed by Michael Moore. Run time: 127 minutes. Rated: R.

At First Bite: I've enjoyed all of Michael Moore's movies, especially BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE and SICKO. Of course, with all the talk of President Obama and his "agenda of socialism," this movie came along at the right time to try and point out what is really wrong with capitalism.

Tough to Swallow: I like Moore's movies more when he exposes things than when he walks around trying to get into buildings. I know he's a showman, but I'd prefer if he just stuck to the facts and sad stories.

Something to Chew On: This film and ROGER & ME are Moore's only films to be distributed by someone other than a Weinstein studio.

The FDR footage was thought to be lost, but was found by one of Moore's researchers in a South Carolina library in 2008.

Aftertaste: Dead peasant insurance? Holy crap, how can that be real?! Unbelievable. This section is one of the best parts of the movie. Another is the addition of the FDR footage, which makes you really wonder what would have happened had he lived a little longer.

There are other moments that are hard to believe as well, e.g., the town that makes money off of putting kids in a juvenile home.

Democracy in the workplace is a wonderful idea. Kudos, Isthmus Engineering and Manufacturing Co-op in Wisconsin.

I think if any other director made Moore's films, then more people would watch them and maybe the world would be a better place. He makes good points, but he's too polarizing of a figure for his movies to affect everyone.

I don't think this is his best, but it's still one to watch.

Here's hoping he keeps churning them out.

Rating:

Big Fan (2009) - Movie Marathon Drive-Thru Review: Film #8

On the Menu: BIG FAN (2009)

Ingredients: Patton Oswalt, Kevin Corrigan, Michael Rapaport, Marcia Jean Kurtz, Matt Servitto, Gino Cafarelli, Serafina Fiore and Jonathan Hamm. Directed by Robert Siegel. Run time: 87 minutes. Rated: R.

At First Bite: I had heard good things about this when it came out on DVD. Oswalt is one of my favorite comedians, and I've only been disappointed by 3 movies (out of 22) starring Rapaport. Plus, it's about a Giants fan, so there was a possibility of hearing/seeing that the Redskins didn't also suck in movie world.

Tough to Swallow: The scenes at night are really dark and hard to make out at times.

There isn't really a media circus as one would expect following an incident involving a pro athlete.

In the law firm commercial, the name Bauman is pronounced Bo-man by Paul's brother (one of the partners). The client in the commercial pronounces it Bow-man (think wow). There are numerous outtakes of the making of this commercial on the DVD. Also, in the commercial there's an apostrophe in "auto accidents" making it "auto accident's."

When Paul is reading the newspaper article about the investigation stalling, the filmmakers copied and pasted a couple paragraphs to make the article longer.

The final game of the season between the Giants and Eagles is a Monday night game. There are no Monday night games scheduled in the final week.

Paul's last name, Aufiero, is pronounced Aw-fee-arrow. Phil pronounces it as Ah-four-ee-oh and Ah-far-ee-oh.

Paul introduces himself to Phil as Mark. But, Phil calls him Paul in the restroom.

Sal shows Paul the schedule for the upcoming season, but it is a 15-week schedule with 14 games instead of a 17-week schedule with 16 games. Plus, the Giants wouldn't play the Dolphins, Patriots and Chargers in the same regular season. The Chargers are an AFC West team; the others are in the East. The 17-week schedule should include the Bills and Jets as matchups, not the Chargers.

Another thing wrong with that schedule is it lists December 9th and 20th both as Sundays.

Alas, no Redskins highlights or mentions. They are obviously behind both Philly and New York in the division race though.

Something to Chew On: Siegel directed and wrote the screenplay. He also has a cameo as a NY Newsday reporter.

It's funny that Paul chides his brother for eliminating contractions from his speech in order to sound smarter, but if you read any of Paul's notes, he crosses out contractions and writes out the phrase.

Pay attention to what kind of cake Paul's 7-year-old nephew is presented with on his birthday. Hilarious.

The 30-minute Q&A with Siegel and Oswalt on the DVD is well worth the watch.

Aftertaste: I didn't expect Oswalt to pull off this character, but he definitely reminded me of De Niro's delusional Rupert Pupkin in THE KING OF COMEDY. Paul is no Gil Renard though, that's for sure. He's not a smart man either.

Paul is obsessive, sure, but it's his loyalty that is his downfall. One could liken his situation to that of a domestic abuse victim. He is the one victimized, yet makes excuses to maintain the relationship.

BIG FAN is a dark comedy, and might be difficult to watch for some if only because Paul isn't really a likable character and you feel sorry for him. His buddy, Sal (Corrigan), might be the "brightest" part of the film, and that's saying something. The funniest scenes, to me, are the root beer and internet scenes (with Sal and Paul).

I like the writing. I mean, Siegel went from THE WRESTLER to this. He creates a dumbed-down football fanatic to perfection. And, that's what is also so great about Oswalt's performance. He's so much smarter than the character, and doesn't follow sports. He's a comic book nerd.

It's impressive.

Rating:

The Time Traveler's Wife (2009) - Movie Marathon Drive-Thru Review: Film #7

On the Menu: THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE (2009)
Ingredients: Eric Bana, Rachel McAdams, Ron Livingston, Arliss Howard and Stephen Tobolowsky. Directed by Robert Schwentke. Run time: 107 minutes. Rated: PG-13.

At First Bite: I'm a sucker for time travel and Rachel McAdams. Sue me.

Tough to Swallow: Henry has no control over when he travels yet tells Clare (in their first meeting) he'll be back Tuesday at 4 o'clock. Later, we're shown the scene of him sneaking a peek at Clare's diary where he explains he's trying to memorize the dates. Seems backwards to me.

In Clare's diary, the calendar for February 1984 shows 30 days.

On the train, Henry's mom is reading the Chicago Tribune, but page 3 is The Washington Post.

In the scene following the breaking plate, Henry runs across the street. There's a Canadian flag flying in front of the building. The movie is supposed to be set in Chicago.

During an argument in Clare's workshop, whatever she is working on continuously flips over between shots.

Time travel in this story is slightly different than we're used to: Henry can't change past events. Okay, but how is cheating at contests because of knowing the future results exempt from this rule? Or with past-Henry's sexcapade the night after the big argument? Sure, that's changing the present/future, but it's still meddling.

It's odd that more Henrys don't show up in the meadow at one time. I mean, Henry explains that his traveling destinations are caused by a "gravity" -- he's drawn to important places/events. So, wouldn't it be plausible and highly likely to see a big Henry party? Sometimes we see two at a time, but most often the case is one Henry leaves and is replaced by a future- or past-Henry (as if there can be only one Henry per instance).

Also, given what we know she knows, I wonder what Alba thinks of her maternal grandfather.

Something to Chew On: Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston bought the rights to the novel before it was published.

Author Audrey Niffenegger wanted Adrien Brody for the lead. Eva Green wanted the role of Clare.

Pretty sure you get a nice glimpse of McAdams's backside. I thought maybe it was a body double, but couldn't see a break in continuity from when she gets out of bed.

A clip from the 1939 movie DARK VICTORY (featuring Bette Davis and Ronald Reagan) is playing on TV when Henry comes back from telling little Clare he's married.

There's a nice bit of foreshadowing in the scene where Henry meets Clare's dad. Note: Check out the mirror in every shot, and her dad's next-to-last line of dialogue.

One of the dates in Clare's diary is May 14, 1986 (my sixth birthday).

Aftertaste: Maybe, in order to really appreciate this movie, you have to forget everything you know about how time travel works in other films, books, etc. Yes, it was really hard for me to do. I imagine it would be like forgetting about all you know about vampire and werewolf lore in order to appreciate the TWILIGHT movies.

It's a love story, first and foremost. Time travel is just an obstacle to overcome.

Seriously, your brain will explode trying to make sense of the ending.

From what I've read about the novel's ending, it's very Nicholas Sparks-y, but I like it more than the movie's.

Rating:

Gentlemen Broncos (2009) - Movie Marathon Drive-Thru Review: Film #6

On the Menu: GENTLEMEN BRONCOS (2009)

Ingredients: Michael Angarano, Jemaine Clement, Jennifer Coolidge, Mike White, Sam Rockwell, Josh Pais, Halley Feiffer and Héctor Jiménez. Directed by Jared Hess. Run time: 90 minutes. Rated: PG-13.

At First Bite: I skipped NACHO LIBRE, but I, like most people, loved NAPOLEON DYNAMITE. I figured GENTLEMEN BRONCOS to come close to that level of greatness since Hess wrote the story and was at the helm. Plus, Clement is downright hilarious in anything.

Tough to Swallow: The character of Lonnie might be a little too weird even for this movie, and Jennifer Coolidge kinda freaks me out (always).

Something to Chew On: There's a scene after the credits.

Clement was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award in the Best Supporting Male category.

Aftertaste: It's an oddball movie that's full of oddball characters. If you didn't like NAPOLEON DYNAMITE, then you won't like GENTLEMEN BRONCOS. Seriously, Benjamin and Napoleon live in the same world; they could very well live in the same city.

Two scenes stand out. One involves a snake, and the other is one of the best kissing scenes ever put to film. The cast is great. Angarano plays awkward perfectly. Clement and Rockwell steal the movie though.

Rating:

OSS 117: Lost in Rio (2009) - Movie Marathon Drive-Thru Review: Film #4

On the Menu: OSS 117: LOST IN RIO (2009)

Ingredients: Jean Dujardin, Louise Monot, Rüdiger Vogler, Alex Lutz, Reem Kherici, Pierre Bellemare and Ken Samuels. Directed by Michel Hazanavicius. Run time: 101 minutes. Rated: Unrated. 

At First Bite: It was described as "possibly the 2nd funniest spy spoof ever" on the DVD cover, so that got me interested. Well, that and the cover art included the hero, two hotties, a hippie, a Nazi, an Asian gang and two guys in luchador masks. 

Tough to Swallow: Everything is meant to be ridiculous, so I can't complain. Even the repeated flashbacks are funny.

Something to Chew On: The language track is French.

Though it parodies Bond movies, the original OSS 117 novels were out in 1949. Ian Fleming published his first Bond novel in 1953. The OSS 117 movies from the 1960s were played straight.

The original spoof is titled OSS 117: CAIRO, NEST OF SPIES.

The settings for the two OSS 117 films are the same as the ones used in consecutive Bond flicks, THE SPY WHO LOVED ME and MOONRAKER.

Aftertaste: Even having not seen the original, I didn't feel left out on knowing the lead character, Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath, aka OSS 117. He's a ladies man like Bond, but he's sometimes clueless and always inappropriate. Roger Ebert described the secret agent as "cheerfully racist."

Every situation is a riot -- whether it be a hospital chase scene, a shootout or a hippie orgy.

I knew it was going to be great when a damsel in distress referred to the Chinese as "dirty Reds" and OSS 117, obviously not understanding, "corrected" her: "Dirty yellows." She corrects him, but he laughs her off as though she's just a silly woman.

He doesn't understand his offense, and that's what makes the movie.

Rating:

Oceans (2009) - Movie Marathon Drive-Thru Review: Film #3

On the Menu: OCEANS (2009)

Ingredients: Narrated by Pierce Brosnan. Directed by Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud. Run time: 84 minutes. Rated: G.

At First Bite: Disneynature was also responsible for EARTH, which was pretty decent (3.5 stars), so I figured this would be just as good.

Tough to Swallow: The narration drops out for minutes at a time in some places. I prefer more of a storytelling narration when it comes to documentaries of this sort.

A handful of shots look as though they include CGI (excluding scenes in space), but they don't. It's really weird.

The relaxing music and sparse narration made me nod off a couple of times.

Other than Disney being involved, I see no reason why a Joe Jonas/Demi Lovato song has to be played over the end credits. Sure, it's called "Make a Wave," but come on.

Something to Chew On: The DVD includes the music video for "Make a Wave."

Pierce Brosnan also narrates the 2003 documentary DEEP BLUE, which is also about ocean life.

Aftertaste: OCEANS is beautiful to watch. I believe Perrin says in the DVD special features he wanted the film to be visually impressive, and hoped the beauty would spark interest in learning more about the oceans and wanting to save them.

I guess if I watched the Discovery Channel or NatGeo more often I'd see specials on the animals I found most interesting: cuttlefish, Spanish Dancers and stonefish.

Just as good as EARTH, but not as good as HOME (not made by Disneynature).

Don't watch it at night or close to bedtime because you will fall asleep.

Rating:

Winnebago Man (2009) - Movie Marathon Drive-Thru Review: Film #2

On the Menu: WINNEBAGO MAN (2009)

Ingredients: Jack Rebney, Ben Steinbauer and Keith Gordon. Directed by Ben Steinbauer. Run time: 85 mintues. Rated: Not rated.

At First Bite: I heard about this documentary on one of comedian Doug Benson's "Doug Loves Movies" podcasts on iTunes. I'm pretty sure Benson said it was one he wanted to see. If someone I follow/admire is interested in a movie or enjoys it, then my curiosity is also piqued, and, oftentimes, I also find the movie entertaining. However, Nick Swardson loved MACGRUBER, so...

Tough to Swallow: Rebney is solely famous for his tirade that became a YouTube sensation, but the full clip isn't even listed in the special features on the DVD.

Steinbauer repeatedly tells Rebney he has an audience, but he also repeatedly tells him no one wants to hear what he has to say (as far as politics goes). Personally, I found Rebney to be very intelligent and would have loved to hear his opinions on anything. As a matter of fact, I'd like to read the book he was writing.

Something to Chew On: Rebney's book "Jousting With the Myth!" was published and available on Amazon.com in November 2010.

The completed Winnebago promotional video is a special feature on the DVD.

Here's a look at the YouTube clip:

Aftertaste: Steinbauer admits to not really having a plan for this documentary. He just has the camera rolling wherever he goes. One can argue that the movie might look better with an experienced director at the helm, but I think WINNEBAGO MAN works, in large part, because of the interactions between Rebney and the newbie filmmaker.

Despite Rebney and his constant swearing, the documentary is touching at times.

I'm sure if my maternal grandfather were alive today, he would give "The Angriest Man in the World" a run for his money. Cantankerous geezers are great company when they're free to speak their mind.

After watching this film or the YouTube clip, you might even start quoting Rebney:

"Do me a kindness" and watch WINNEBAGO MAN.

Rating:

Wordplay (2006) - Great Way to Start Your Day

On the Menu: WORDPLAY (2006)

Ingredients: Will Shortz, Merl Reagle, Tyler Hinman, Trip Payne, Ellen Ripstein, Al Sanders, Jon Stewart, Bill Clinton, Mike Mussina, Ken Burns, Jon Delfin, Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. Directed by Patrick Creadon. Run time: 94 minutes. Rated: PG.

At First Bite: I was actually looking for WORD WARS when I came across WORDPLAY at my local Blockbuster. I enjoy crossword puzzles; I usually start my Saturday mornings with one. I'm better at word find puzzles, but crosswords definitely work your brain. Completing one makes me feel smarter, even if it's the one in the local paper and not The New York Times.

Will Shortz is the crossword editor for The New York Times. He went to Indiana University and created his own major: enigmatology. He also started the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament (1978) in Stamford, Connecticut.

And, this tournament is where the excitement happens...

Tough to Swallow: It would have been nice to see footage/interviews with normal, average joes at the tournament instead of just with people who had won before.

I would have like to have seen more on Reagle and crossword construction. It's fascinating.

Second Helping: The DVD has a commentary track with Creadon, Shortz and Reagle, so I decided to watch the movie again. It's amazing to think covering the tournament wasn't originally part of the movie.

Something to Chew On: Watching the movie a second time, you'll notice some foreshadowing in the scene where you're introduced to Al Sanders and he solves a puzzle in real time.

Shortz provided the clues for The Riddler's riddles in BATMAN FOREVER.

The film currently has a 7.4 user rating on IMDb.com (2,213 votes).

Sides: Aside from the commentary, the disc includes 7 deleted Shortz scenes (7:08), 3 deleted Tournament scenes (5:36) and 6 other deleted scenes (7:33). There's an interview gallery (12:16) with 7 of the celebrities. There's also a featurette on the film at Sundance (21:02).

The best extra is the featurette "5 Unforgettable Puzzles from the Pages of The New York Times." It's a breakdown in the construction of the puzzles. You can also use a DVD-ROM drive to access those puzzles for printing and solving purposes.

The extras conclude with a music video, photo gallery, a look at the 2006 tournament results and a 12-minute short film by Patricia Erens title "Waiting for The New York Times."

Aftertaste: Being a crossword "solver" myself, this film is pretty entertaining. I mean, I was unaware of Shortz and his big tournament (it's been going since 1978) until watching this. Shortz is an interesting guy, but the movie really gets going once we're introduced to the "professional" solvers. They're all real characters. I was surprised to find out that musicians and math geeks are usually the best at crosswords.

It's also fun to listen and watch famous people, e.g., Jon Stewart and Bill Clinton, working on the puzzles.

The editing and graphics are wonderful. A key scene is when you see Al Sanders solve a puzzle in real time. The screen is split into four sections and includes a clock. Shortz comments on the scene by stating if ESPN ever picked up crossword solving it should be shot the same way.

Another great editing sequence is when the celebrities solve the same puzzle.

Seriously, you'd never think a movie about crossword puzzles would be intense. Well, this one is. Especially when the final three square off in the tournament final (again with split screens). Really, I was on the edge of my seat watching it.

Sure, it's a documentary, but the last half-hour is exciting drama.

Okay, I'm a nerd. Probably on par with the one guy in the film who keeps a list of his solving times.

Rating:

Adopted (2009) - No Kidding

On the Menu: ADOPTED (2009)


Ingredients: Pauly Shore. Directed by Pauly Shore. Run time: 80 minutes. Rated: R.

At First Bite: I saw this on a list of upcoming DVDs a few weeks ago, and decided to put it atop my Blockbuster queue because of the premise: Pauly Shore goes to Africa to adopt a child.

I won't say I'm a big fan of Shore, but I do own a copy of SON IN LAW.

While spending time with his neice and nephew, Shore comes to the realization that he's missing out on unconditional love. He doesn't want to get married, but figures traveling to Africa to adopt a kid is the next best idea since he doesn't have a vagina.

If Angelina Jolie and Madonna can do it, why can't he?

He roams the streets and asks the people he meets if he can take their children back to America to give them a better life. The locals think he's crazy.

So, he finds an orphanage that allows him to audition three children: Odwa, Summila (Somila) and Faith. He's allowed to take each one out for a 24-hour test drive.

How will these kids react to a day with Pauly?

Better yet, will the Weasel become a father by the end of the trip?

Tough to Swallow: When we meet the second orphan, his name appears on the screen as Summila. In the closing credits, his name is spelled Somila.

The info section of the movie's official site mentions "Peter Mate," who Shore calls "the P Diddy of Africa." He is credited as Peter Mata.

In the Cambodia Crew section of the closing credits, the credit Segment Producer is misspelled as Segement Producer.

Pauly gives special thanks in the closing credits to "ALL THE KID'S PARENTS." It should be "ALL THE KIDS' PARENTS."

Also, the word unintentional is misspelled as unitentional in the section that informs you the events in the film are fictitious.

It would have been nice to have a director's commentary on the DVD.

Something to Chew On: There are 8 deleted scenes/outtakes after the closing credits. So, the movie actually runs just over 85 minutes instead of 80.

The movie is set and shot entirely in South Africa.

This is the third movie Shore has written, directed and produced.

Shore came up with the idea for the movie while in Africa doing stand-up. He storyboarded the entire movie in his hotel room.

Shore threatened to sue Sacha Baron Cohen for stealing his adoption idea for a scene in BRÜNO, but later claimed he was just messing with people.

Right before the closing credits, Shore acknowledges that adoption is "no laughing matter" and directs viewers to http://www.unicef.org/ for more information.

The film currently has a 4.6 user rating on IMDb.com (91 votes).

Sides: The DVD includes about an hour of bonus footage (55:17). The footage is split into 26 scenes.

The theatrical trailer is also on the disc.

Aftertaste: This mockumentary has its moments. It's not as edgy as BORAT or BRÜNO, but I don't think Shore wanted it to be. It's also nowhere near as funny as either of those movies.

I mentioned before that I love the premise. What really works for the movie is Shore's interactions with the locals. Most of them have no idea who he is, and aren't quite sure what to make of him. They're very candid. One man questions Shore's audacity when he says wants to give a child a better life. Another guy, Peter Mata (possibly Mate or Maté), is a real character.

The first child, Odwa, is a scene stealer. The other two kids don't really talk, so Shore relies on scripted moments that fall flat (if only because you know they're not real). **SPOILER ALERT** The three children and the orphanage director are all actors. Is that really a spoiler?

There are some voiceover jokes that are funny. One referencing Beyoncé made me laugh out loud (describing the woman he meets on top of the mountain). It still makes me laugh just thinking about it.

The movie does show off some beautiful locations, e.g., the views from the hotel, tram ride and safari.

Pauly Shore can be annoying, so I can imagine 80 minutes might be too much for some viewers.

Personally, I found the movie funny (and sometimes sincere) enough, and 80 minutes is nothing. I mean, have you seen ALL ABOUT STEVE? That is 99 minutes of pure dreck, and it has at least 10 name actors.

Grab some grindage and prepare to waste just over an hour of your life, buuuuddy.

Rating: