My Favorite Version Of A Holiday Classic

In 1992, it had been eight years since the Muppets had last graced the silver screen and two years since their founder Jim Henson had passed away from pneumonia. Henson's sudden, unexpected death put off a possible sale of Kermit and friends to the Walt Disney company, but the Muppets still wound up at Disney for their next feature film production. Rather than devise an original story as had been done for the Muppets' first three theatrical outings, the creative talent behind the project turned to a classic, much-adapted piece of literature, Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol." Among the key players bringing the film to the screen were longtime head writer of "The Muppet Show" Jerry Juhl (penning the screenplay), longtime collaborator Frank Oz (serving as executive producer and Muppet performer) and Jim Henson's son Brian (as a producer and making his feature film directorial debut).

With a source text that had been brought to both the big or small screen hundreds of times, could the Muppets bring anything new to the table? The revolutionary thing that this adaptation would do is remain remarkably faithful to Dickens' words. Juhl's screenplay casts likable weirdo Gonzo the Great as a storyteller who claims he is Charles Dickens himself. This allows large chunks of Dickens' prose to be used as narration. As his sidekick, streetwise Rizzo the Rat provides physical comedy to keep things from getting too dark and dreary and also acts as designated audience spokesperson. Together, they are our guides to what is a greatly entertaining revisiting of the 1843 book.   

At its heart, Dickens' immortal novel deals with pretty dark and weighty themes, which may seem out of place for the happy-go-lucky Muppets or any G-rated movie at all. But "The Muppet Christmas Carol" is an entertaining, moving, and remarkably atmospheric motion picture which transcends the prior expectations of a Muppet movie and stands as one of the best adaptations of the perennial tale.  The movie holds up to repeated viewings (it is an annual Christmas tradition in my house) and  delights viewers young and old alike. Caine deserves credit for bringing such a thoughtful, realistic performance as Ebenezer Scrooge. 

With the father of the Muppets gone, a dramatic, frequently-filmed text as a starting point, and the gang's self-referential, free-wheeling comedy style toned down "The Muppet Christmas Carol"  defies the odds and delivers one of the best holiday films. Needless to say, fans of either Christmas, the Muppets, Dickens, Disney or movies in general should make room in their hearts (and their DVD collections) for this excellent film.  

God Bless Us, Everyone.

Not for the Squimish

Filmmaker Danny Boyle is a risk taker. Some have worked ("Trainspotting," "Millions"), others have failed ("A Life Less Ordinary," "The Beach"), but he's remained a captivating, intrepid presence on the movie scene. "127 Hours" is perhaps his most astonishing work to date, bringing to the screen the staggeringly nightmarish true story of Aron Ralston, who found himself literally between a rock and a hard place as he fought for his life in the wilds of Utah for just over five days. Boyle uses all of his skill to make a compelling film out of this one man show. 


While "Slumdog Millionaire" was a romanticized depiction of fate, "127 Hours" brings Boyle back to Earth. This is a harrowing story of endurance, with a full commitment made to Aron's most primal urges and thoughts during his near-weeklong ordeal. Fearlessly, Boyle plunges into the mix, providing a scattered, intimate view of the situation. Boyle splashes the screen with visual flair, and the majority of the film creates a visceral, insightful experience, putting the viewer inside the claustrophobic head of a man who cannot move, trapped in a desolate place. Sustaining despair is not an option here, and Boyle keeps the film to a upbeat tempo through bold cinematographic choices and a series of jubilant soundtrack cuts. 

It might be hard to imagine how a script with such limited scope could remain interesting for more than 90 minutes, but trust that these talented people have figured out how to do it. Fair warning, though there are scenes that are not for the squeamish but the film is never gratuitous or exploitative, but it does feel very real. The fact that you grow to like Aron (thanks to James Franco's stupendous performance) means that the physical anguish has tremendous emotional impact. "127 Hours" is a genuine must-see. 

Dancing on the Edge

Darren Aronofsky’s trippy, hallucinatory, sexual and psychological opus moves to its own intense rhythm. It defies expectation and busts convention while embracing Douglas Sirk levels of melodrama.  Working from a deceptively simple script written by Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz and John McLaughlin, Aronofsky continues to dives into the world of the human psyche. Whether he’s dealing with genius ("Pi"), drug abuse ("Requiem for a Dream") or aging dreams of athletic glory long gone ("The Wrestler") Aronofsky concentrates on character allowing his striking visuals to boost the emotional connection.  Portman is extraordinary. She enters an emotional minefield so complex and layered that you wonder how she came through filming intact.

And yet, part of me still feels distant from this. There is a slight disconnect, something keeping me from embracing the picture as fully as I’d like. Don't get me wrong. This is a sensational piece of work containing what I think maybe the performance of the year. It is a movie I cannot wait to see again and the longer I think about it the more positive I am this is a psycho-sexual new age ballerina masterpiece close to being on par with "The Red Shoes." Aronofsky has challenged me, moved me and perplexed me, making "Black Swan" a dreamlike enigma I can’t wait to devour again.

Voldemort Strikes Back

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" begins the conclusion to the wizard's saga. The seventh book in author J.K. Rowling's magical opus has been chopped into two feature films to properly tell the story, and capture some additional box office dollars. The movies have become Cliff Notes versions of the novels, providing the proper plot while lacking the shading and detail present in Rowling's writing.

Director David Yates and screenwriter Steve Kloves use the additional time to concentrate on the characters and force them from the safety of Hogwarts and into the treacherous Muggle world. Instead of the comfy corridors of their familiar school, Harry, Ron and Hermione trek through forbidding forests and inhospitable coastlines in their search for the remaining Horcruxes. The locations bring a new reality to our heroes and open the scope of the pictures that had begun to feel stuck in the studio.

The film earns its PG-13 rating by raising the dramatic stakes, as beloved characters are killed off unexpectedly and sexual jealousies threaten the trio's unity. There are furious wand shot-outs,including a standout magical gunfight in a London cafe where Harry realizes that there are no safe havens.

While there's plenty of room to tell a bleak story of impending war, Yates and Kloves equally appreciate spots of silent reflection, giving characters the opportunity to sit down and contemplate the journey ahead, with the passage of time emphasizing the doubt that is developing within them. Previous films would have jettisoned these moments, but the film is richer with their inclusion. After six movies at breakneck pace, it's refreshing to sit with Harry and observe him coming to terms with his fate, while offering unexpected acts of friendship (and impromptu dances) with those close to him.

The trio of actors has matured into their roles brilliantly and it has been a pleasure to see them improve in their craft. Radcliffe and Watson show a maturity and emotional range beyond their years and Grint has become comedic gold. A horde of famous faces return to fill out the community of wizards, villians and ghouls, though nobody sticks around very long.

"Deathly Hollows" remains an engaging fantasy film, with a suspenseful set-piece where our heroes infiltrate the Ministry of Magic and a unique animated sequence that explains the origin of the titular objects. The audience is given "The Empire Strikes Back" ending that finds Voldemort at the height of his powers.  This nervy entry in the franchise wisely matures with the fanbase and builds some momentum for the furious final stand .

Keep Watching the Skies

"Skyline" is a riff on the "Cloverfield" experience, only without the found footage approach and produced on a smaller budget that keeps the FX within reason. It's basically the same premise: uncharismatic twentysomethings with insipid soap opera problems are faced with extraordinarily destructive extraterrestrial visitation, forced into escape attempts and survival mode while military forces assemble their pathetic efforts. Toss in ingredients pilfered from innumerable alien invasion features of similar ilk, and "Skyline" is one derivative motion picture that is unable to rise above its origins.

The film marks the return of Greg and Colin Strause to the directors chair, a few years after their disastrous turn at the helm of the Aliens vs. Predator franchise with the loathsome 2007 picture, Requiem. A major force in the special effects industry, they decided to play to their strengths for a follow-up, shunning Hollywood to make a low-budget creature feature on their own, allowing them to slash costs and dictate tone without studio interference. It's a laudable idea, yet the siblings fail to make a compelling thrill ride with this would-be franchise. The Brothers Strause have no sense of visual tension, trusting ineffective actors to communicate end of the world panic. Unfortunately this bland group is not up to the task. The siblings seek to amaze with their budget bonanza, staging flaccid action as the aliens chase the humans around the complex every 15 minutes or so, offering cheap thrills sans excitement. The CG elements are satisfying in a SyFy Channel sort of way, but the pursuit is drab, again requiring these unappealing actors to sell the enormity of the effects. A sense of grand scale just isn't there, and for a film like "Skyline", reminding the viewer they're watching a second-rate product isn't the brightest idea.

Early Morning Broadcast News

I find this poster so cute.

"Morning Glory" has a welcome spring in its step, supplied visually by director Roger Michell ("Notting Hill"), lending the antics a wonderfully crisp appearance with careful composition that adds a certain whimsical feel. "Morning Glory" is part comedy, part romance, and sprinkled with some biting satire on the morning news biz. It's a tricky tone to sustain and it's amazing how well the director spins the plates for the first two acts of the film, bringing the audience into the situations.

Selling the humor with tremendous comedic timing is McAdams, who gives an atypically impassioned performance as the center of the producing storm. Registering fear, compassion, and Blackberry-engrossed distraction, the actress makes for believable television wrangler, using her diminutive size to reinforce the impossible task ahead. McAdams also makes an unlikely sparring partner with Ford, who turns his bewildering growl into a refined comedic instrument, portraying a pigheaded newsman facing a dire future of cooking segments and celebrity interviews, counting on booze and his acidic put downs to keep him going. Ford is exquisite at creating a battle of wills chemistry with McAdams and Keaton, who's mostly pushed into the background.

When "Morning Glory" catches a wave of satire and farce, it's an engrossing, amusing feature. The romantic subplot between McAdams' Becky and the vanilla Patrick Wilson bears little fruit and stops the movie dead in its tracks. More convincing are the young producer's battles with Ford, working a subplot that slowly reveals a vulnerability to the veteran, tenderly paying off their bickering relationship. The film's ending is a contrived movie convention and if the filmmakers taken a different approach to the same conclusion the movie would have been even better. 

Twelve Cabins, Twelve Vacancies

Hitchcock broke innumerable rules with his first entry in the horror genre. The film's lead abruptly changes from Leigh to Perkins, with early scenes of a foolish rich braggart and a suspicious policeman proving to be red herrings. The film opens with an unmarried couple in a sleazy motel room (very risque in 1960) and was the first film to show a flushing toilet. Touches of Hitchcock's black humor are spread throughout the film. There's also the shop customer who doesn't want her garden insects to suffer from poison. Norman makes endless double-meaning references to his mental condition and relationship with his mother. All of this adds to the pleasure of seeing the film again. You know all the surprises but you notice the bits of business in the background. Plus Anthony Perkins performance is among the most amazing in film history. Perkins had previously made a mark in "Friendly Persuasion," "Fear Strikes Out" and "On The Beach" but he will be forever identified as the twitchy motel owner Norman Bates. When the car stops submerging halfway in the swamp,the audience sees Norman's nervous indecision and is breathless for a moment until the car continues to sink. Bernard Hermann's iconic score is unusual as it consists entirely of strings.

"Psycho" was a major change from recent Hitchcock films, which were big budget Technicolor films featuring major stars such as James Stewart and Cary Grant. In contrast, "Psycho" was a low budget movie filmed on the Universal back lot using crew from Hitchcock's television series. However, it became one of the biggest grossing films of the year and was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Director, Best Supporting Actress (Leigh), Best B & W Cinematography (John L. Russell) and Best Art Direction. It failed to win any Oscars, which were largely swept by Billy Wilder's The Apartment (1960). 

Random trivia: Hitchcock tested the shock value of the mummified remains of Mother by placing them in Janet Leigh's dressing room, strategically placed to be seen when she first turned on the light. John Gavin, who plays Leigh's boyfriend, later became the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico. Perkins was not present for the filming of the shower scene. As it was among the last things shot Perkins had finished his part and was appearing in a play on Broadway so an unknown stand-in replaced him as Mother Bates.