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'Monsters vs. Aliens'
Reese Witherspoon's Ginormica is five stories tall of female empowerment.
By Betsy Sharkey
What does it say about the current state of cinema that "Monsters vs. Aliens," animated in a '50s retro style, albeit with an assist from the latest in 3-D technology, and aimed roughly at the under-12 set, turns out to be the movie making one of the strongest statements about female empowerment out there today?
It is Reese Witherspoon's Susan, a small-town Modesto girl with modest dreams, who ultimately crashes right through the glass ceiling of the old-boys-network of monsters -- both metaphorically and literally, all five stories of her -- to lead a band of mutant brothers on a mission to save the world.
The film also creates one of the most endearing characters around, and frankly one of the best roles for slacker guys this year, in Seth Rogen's B.O.B., a sweetly optimistic and slightly slow (and I mean that in every way you might imagine) blob of gelatinous blue something, with a single eye and no brain -- and he's better for it, especially the brain part.
Though "Monsters vs. Aliens" is far from the first time an animated film has come with a relevant cultural message (last year's Oscar-winning "Wall-E" had more than a few things to say about consumerism and how we treat the environment), but let's just agree that this story-time version of Feminism 101 is a good thing. Meanwhile, it's surprisingly satisfying to watch Susan and the boys take on a giant robot, an evil alien lord in the form of the many-tentacled purple Rainn (as in Wilson) named Galaxhar, the military (yet again, it cannot be trusted), the media and self-esteem (Susan's needs bolstering, her fiancé Derek's -- played by Paul Rudd -- needs puncturing) for the good of all man- and woman-kind.
Much is being made of "Monsters vs. Aliens' " 3-D features and the revolution it represents (at least in the ads you absolutely cannot miss even if you're trying hard). It's nice in theory -- there are cool bits thrown in here and there with the random meteor to dodge or the floating teacup and spoon -- but the truth is "Monsters vs. Aliens" doesn't need them to work as a film, and they never feel like anything more than extras that have been thrown into the mix just because the filmmakers have the power tools to do it. There is no real exploration, and realization, of the possibilities of the technology that you will see in the lovely darkness of Henry Selick's totally 3-D-infused "Coraline," a seamless integration of story and visual style.
What directors Rob Letterman, who also wrote and directed "Shark Tale," and Conrad Vernon, who directed "Shrek 2," focus on in their first teaming is telling the story, which they both had a hand in creating, with Letterman also participating in the team sport that is the animation screenplay (credit also goes to Maya Forbes, Wally Wolodarsky, Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger).
The plot here is simple. Meteor hits Susan on the head on her wedding day. Plans change.
Instead of heading into the sunset, in this case Fresno, which has just offered local weatherman/soon-to-be-husband Derek a job, she's transformed into an enormous version of herself. It's never easy to be different, and Susan pays for this crime by being immediately captured by the military and locked up in a super-secret prison with all the other monsters they've been collecting over the years.
Here Susan begins the process of getting in touch with her inner Ginormica, which happens to be the label given her by the very un-PC Gen. W.R. Monger, voiced by "24's" Kiefer Sutherland, who perhaps knows better than anyone about the nefarious double-dealing done in the name of the U.S. government. But as often happens (certainly on "24"), sometimes the monsters are the only ones who can save you.
When a towering, lethal and unstoppable robot lands to retrieve the powerful, precious stuff that made Susan grow so tall, the call comes and the prison doors are unlocked. Ginormica and B.O.B. are joined by the brilliant Dr. Cockroach ( Hugh Laurie, clearly having fun with this mutant mad scientist role); the Missing Link (Will Arnett), a half-ape, half-fish macho man of a beast; and a giant grub called Insectorsaurus, whose squeaks are credited to no one. Many battles ensue. Enlightenment comes to the land.
The dialogue has its share of the sly grown-up/cultural references that have become de rigueur for DreamWorks projects, designed to make sure the adults in the audience don't fidget, but there aren't enough of them to push this into full-fledged comedy mode. Which means it's up to the action/thriller elements to power the film, and they are never quite bold enough.
So it comes down to the story and the voice actors to carry the day, and they have their moments -- particularly the monster crew led by a feisty Witherspoon, who brings some of the edgy-fun of her "Election" mean-girl to Susan as she grows stronger.
The clean lines of the film's 1950s retro look work well with the uncluttered, straightforward tale, and the filmmakers' nod to that era's B-movies is a nice one.
In fact "nice" is the adjective that seems to surface most in trying to pin down the film's most salient quality, which means that while the film is enjoyable enough, it is unlikely to become a classic for us, or a "Shrek" sort of franchise for DreamWorks.
As for Susan? She wins some battles, loses others, stops wishing she'd return to normal and embraces her inner-warrior princess -- now that's a happy ending.
'THE SONG OF SPARROWS'
OSTRICH IN IRAN
By Sean Chavel
What better way to get to know the gentle and simple people of Iran than to watch the gentle and simple film The Song of Sparrows. This foreign language import revels in simple straightforward narrative of an Iranian family narrowly getting by economically in a rural village where kinship amongst neighbors is tight. These are people that survive on the frugal necessities. Yet like any family, the idea of bringing finer materialism into the household is tempting but equally corrupting.
Woes befall on Karim (Reza Naji) from the beginning - dilemmas that would appear small to most American families - but decisively a crisis to his family. Karim's daughter Haniyeh (Shabnam Akhlaqhi) needs a new hearing aid after her current one is irrevocably damaged after falling into sludge and the new one will cost a bundle. Karim is an ostrich wrangler who is fired from his job when one of the birds escapes in the barren valley. It's not that Karim had medical insurance to cover his daughter's hearing aid anyway, ahem; he's going to have find a new way to make money fast. The daughter is a student with a bright future ahead of her and she definitely needs her hearing aid before her exams next month.
Reacting on the advice to shop for an aid on the black market in the hectic city of Tehran, our family man hero Karim lucks onto something quite unexpected. While pit-stopping on his motorbike, a city dweller mistakes him for a cab driver. Unlike our country, many cab drivers are on motorbike transporting single passengers in this city. Carrying on with the charade Karim finds that he is making more money than he ever has before. One delivery gig has Karim carting a mini-refrigerator on his back and when he gets lost on the way to his destination, Karim is malignly brings the fridge back home to his family. Karim's wife Narges (Maryam Akbari) begins seeing a difference in her husband's demeanor and becomes worried for his well-being.
Karim's pre-teen boys are trying to bring home more money for the family (so dad doesn't have to work so hard) by peddling flowers and by a scheme to breed and sell goldfish. To raise the fish this requires the boys to clean out the same water well full of sludge where Haniyeh broke her hearing aid, and the bad omen of the well outrages Karim who forbids them to mess around with the well. The boys do not listen to their father even if in their hearts they have the intention to contribute to the family. Karim wants to be respected as the sole-provider of his family and wants it known that all financial burdens can be dependably solved by him. If Karim has a fault it's that his pride is overstuffed.
During this newfound obsession with new materialism and its linkage to residence renovation, the journey forward for Karim ultimately puts progress on backwards. Filmmaker Majid Majidi ("Children of Heaven") demonstrates that Karim's shortcuts do not pay off in the long run and quick-fix schemes are not guarantees. The story permeates with a sense of karma in how a good man's tumble to commit immoral acts eventually gets the better of him. Majidi underlines this with the symbolic shot of a combustible water bucket. But Karim's need to overwork also meant neglecting family.
Even during its bleakest moments, Majidi lets us know this is a movie about the love of family and the care that goes into looking out for dad, mom, brother, sister, etc. This is a cordially embracing film that ends on an uplifting note as we observe Karim's spirit being cleansed in the face of simple acts of brotherly kindness. As well as the homecoming of a mischievous ostrich, a symbolic moment exists before the final fade-out as man and ostrich, both having been similarly tested, exchange knowing looks. Opening April 10th at Laemmle's Music Hall in Beverly Hills and Laemmle's Town Center 5 in Encino.
Alexis Raben
By Jonathan Weichsel
The first thing I noticed about Actress Alexis Raben when I met her at the Bourgeois Pig in Hollywood, were her eyes. They are piercingly intelligent eyes, the kind of eyes that are always observing, always sharply focused, and always searching for questions and answers.
When we sat down to chat, she immediately started asking me all sorts of questions about my quirks. I laughed and said that it was I who was here to interview her. Those eyes of hers lit up, the corners of her mouth curled into a smile, and she answered back, "I like to talk about silly subjects with smart people. Generally when you meet people, you never know what wealth of information they have, what they are passionate about."
This curiosity about life is what defines Alexis Raben. Alexis is beautiful, charming, and funny. But, she also possesses a strong intellect. During our conversation, she recommended many movies, from gritty 1970's dramas such as Brian De Palma's Hi Mom, to noir dramas such as Detour and Out of the Past- the kinds of movies for people who are serious about life.
Eventually she recounted, in her slight Russian accent, the story of how she came to be a Hollywood actress.
"When I was a kid, I would meet people's parents and wonder what their lives were like. Sometimes I would go around imagining I was them for a week. For example, I would think, 'what is it like to be a painter in a dysfunctional relationship,' and then I would pretend I was that.
"In school I was a nerd. I went to school, got straight A's, and that was it. My first rebellious act was going to Wesleyan instead of an Ivy League. Everyone else in my family was a doctor, so it had been expected that I would become doctor.
"The main thing I did there was my film degree. I also studied psychology, because it was a science, but directing was my first love. The program was very rigorous, and I was extremely passionate about it.
"When I was making my thesis film, which went on to win best film, I was very good at setting up shots, but I realized I didn't know how to pull good performances from the actors. I went to an acting teacher for help, and he gave me a lot of books. He also had me come in to a class. I thought I was just going to observe, but he made me take part in exercises, which wound up being an amazing experience.
"Right out of college, I was offered this insane opportunity to act in an Off Broadway adaptation of Dostoevsky's The Idiot. I was scared, but how could I turn something like that down? It wound up being a wonderful, creative experience. With directing, you have to deal with administration and organizing, but I found that with acting I could just focus on the one thing I was creating. The Idiot was the greenest I have ever been, and it was just handed to me. I have fought for every part I've had since then.
"One of the most interesting projects I have done was a film shot in London called The Outlanders. It deals with problems of globalization and human trafficking. I played Anna, the lead. Anna lives in conditions where what has been dealt her is terrible, but there is no self pity. In order to prepare for the character, I interviewed Illegals who are used as secret labor. They legally don't exist, and if something happens to them there is nobody to do anything about it."
Alexis can be seen in the Hollywood films Invasion and Miss March. She writes screenplays, and hopes one day to produce one with her in the lead. If you want to learn more about Alexis Raben, IMDB her, or check out her reel at www.reelaccess.com/talent/alexisraben/.
'ADVENTURELAND'
MINIMUM WAGE CARNY
By Sean Chavel
What appears initially to be a goofy off-the-wall comedy in Adventureland is actually something more thoughtful and serious about a boy's transition into manhood via an amusement park job. Forgoing a slick and slapstick approach the film settles prudently for verbal wit, candid vulnerability and recognizable human heartbreak. For all its efforts to be honestly sincere however the film tumbles into the mundane and neglects to give itself a satisfying pay-off.
Taking place in the summer of 1987, James Brennan's (Jesse Eisenberg, "The Squid and the Whale") dreams of a European trip is eradicated when his parents withdraw their promised graduation gift fund to their own son. Worse, James' financial support for Columbia grad school is also in jeopardy. James has to learn to take his future into his own hands. In his hometown of Pennsylvania, the only summer job James can find is as a carny. James, in his wake of diminishing self-esteem, wants to at least operate the rides. Instead he is assigned to overseer ring-toss games and electric horse derby where he has to feign enthusiasm constantly.
The documentary-worthy knowledge of carnival games are among the film's highlights especially in the details of how games are gently rigged. We see James tormented all summer long by irritable patrons who find it necessary to cheat in order to win and by "Rock Me Amadeus," that's 80's pop relic that booms from the park's loudspeaker. A love story takes precedence however when James falls for Emily (Kristen Stewart, "Twilight"), a sharp-minded and sexually active teen with parent distrust issues. James starts this relationship by accepting rides home with Emily, then they go out for drinks, then they go to a party, then they finally kiss. They get somewhere halfway romantic together yet for some reason Emily always remains at arm's length.
Perhaps Emily is still transfixed by Mike Connell (Ryan Reynolds, "Smokin' Aces"), another carny who is a rockaholic on his off-time. Mike is married, but Emily doesn't care. Mike is unhappily married, you see, and his projection of hunky non-chalance is attractive to a young girl like Emily. Mike is approaching his late twenties and knows that he's in low wage oblivion. Mike wants Emily for selfish ego-pumping reasons while James wants Emily for pure love. Mike's advantage over James is that he has more experience with girls and he's not a virgin. James is still a virgin.
Youthfulness often lends itself to social awkwardness and "Advent-ureland" has plenty of these moments. Eisenberg, as our hero, is just a shade more confident than his Hollywood doppelganger Michael Cera as the nerd who tries really hard to fake cool. Eisenberg's naive eagerness in the part lets him outshine his co-stars. Stewart is as magnetically moody as any young actress but her performance relies on too many of her own familiar tics. And Reynolds is perfect for the character as the aging cool guy who is really lost in a crowd too young and beneath him, but Reynolds never really flies away with the part like he should.
Somehow some of the lesser players are more engaging, like Martin Starr as a glasses-rimmed nerd who recites Russian literature passages to girls as a quasi-sophisticated come-on and Margarita Levieva as a bubble gum babe who routinely dances the Roger Rabbit. As a bonus attraction, Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig ("SNL" veterans) are the whacky amusement park owners - the only wacky archetypes in the film - but really their roles have brief playing time.
Gag sights of inebriated youth puking and punches to the groin aside, the film (written and directed by Greg Mottola whose previous big success was "Superbad") strives to replicate the smart and zesty dialogue-driven appeal of Richard Linklater's youth pictures ("Slacker," "Dazed and Confused"). But "Adventureland" only sporadically succeeds as a Linklater imitation and one admires the attempt of the film more than its execution. At the end, less is achieved than what was originally sought. Furthermore, the vibe of the film is too mellow and sedate when it should crackle.
"Ante Up"
The Movie, The Mantra
By Steven D'Arcangelo
For one week, from April 17th to the 23rd, the Laemmle Sunset 5 cinema in Hollywood will be showcasing a small independent film made by no one you've ever heard of. Yet. "Ante Up" marks the feature debut of emerging writer/producer/director Jonathan Salemi, a Massachusetts native who originally moved to LA for acting but found his niche behind the camera. How did he make the movie? Who funded it? What does stir-fry shrimp have to do with any of it? Before getting to know the filmmaker, let's get to know the film.
"Ante Up" is a raucous comedy in the spirit of "American Pie" and "Old School" whose main character, Frank, leads an interesting life. Or so he says. His pals have trouble believing his tall tales of partying at the Playboy mansion and hanging with the Dali Lama. One tale especially pushes them over the edge of disbelief: Frank claims to have a magic light switch that turns people on. With a flip of the switch his long-term girlfriend transforms from virgin to vixen. The pals don't believe it and challenge our hero to a bet, the stakes of which are best revealed in the context of the film. Suffice it to say that the title "Ante Up" refers to more than just the guys' regular poker games.
The cast, which includes Erin Stutland and Kace Campbell, does a good job of conveying friendship and camaraderie. Scott Harris in the lead role is particularly strong. As equally important as solid acting is solid reacting and Harris deserves credit for both. His easygoing bumbling performance makes Frank likable even when he's doing less than likable things. For all its outlandish situations, however, the movie also has heart, and that credit goes to its creator.
The inspiration first struck Jonathan in 2004 while flying back to LA from Boston. He had just seen the Red Sox win the World Series for the first time in 86 years and, inspired by this nothing-is-impossible feat, he set out to achieve his own version of the impossible: with only $23 to his name, he set out to make a movie.
What started as a short screenplay soon expanded to feature-length. This led to an 18-month production period interspersed with fundraising breaks. Utilizing grants from Kodak and Panavision, as well as meal donations from a local shrimp company (a film crew's got to eat after all), Salemi did whatever it took to make his movie. This included selling his car, sleeping on friends' sofas, and bugging relatives for money.
From Studio City locations to FotoKem's post-production facilities in Burbank, the movie was produced almost entirely in the San Fernando Valley, complete with a Disney Studios premiere for cast and crew. "I wanted it to take place in Anywhere USA, so the valley is great because there are practically no palm trees and the bright sun adds warmth to the images," Salemi said, later adding, "The couches I crashed on were also here so that helped too."
Now at the end of the long arduous journey, with April 17th nearly here, were the many sacrifices worth it? Would he do it all over again? In fact he is. Jonathan is currently producing a documentary while searching for the right story for his sophomore feature. When asked what he learned during his freshman effort he had nuggets of newly-gained wisdom to share, but none more revealing than when he discussed the film's title.
"I debated over changing it. 'Ante Up' was always meant to be a working title, but then I realized it was more. Not just for the main character but for me. I didn't know it at the time but it was my mantra. I needed to ante up in my life, put it all on the table and take a gamble. I'm glad I did."
For more on Jonathan visit: www.AnteUpMovie.com