MovieloverRon’s Weblog

Ratatouille July 31, 2007

It was a busy movie weekend, and I finally got the chance to see the latest Disney/Pixar flick, Ratatouille. The movie is about a rat named Remy, whose heightened sense of smell gives him the innate talent of cooking. After being separated from his family and colony, Remy gets a help from faith when he meets and partners with a young boy desperate to keep his job at a once 5-star ranked restaurant in Paris. Despite the boy’s lack of cooking abilities, Remy and the boy figure out a way to work together, all while trying to avoid being caught by the conniving head chef, and getting Remy’s family to accept who is.

While the movie is not as funny as the previous Pixar films, this film is probably the most complex and arguably contain the most fully-realized characters of the Pixar bunch. The narrative uses voice overs, and characters speak or don’t depending on whether or not we are seeing things from Remy’s perspective or the boy’s. The animation is great, (as to be expected with any Pixar film), and the music by Lost composer Michael Giacchino does a great job of infusing the score with jazz and blues. This is definitely one rat in the kitchen that will make anyone hungry for food.

The Simpsons Movie July 31, 2007

It took awhile for the screen version of the long-running, iconic tv show to come to the big screen, but The Simpsons Movie is probably the funniest movie of the summer. While the film version failed to kick it up a level as in South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, its as good as the best Simpsons tv episodes.

I won’t give away too much, but basically the movie is about Homer’s love for a pig, and how that ultimately leads to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) enclosing Springfield in a dome enclave, under threat of annihilation from President Schwarzenneger’s order that would make the town the newest Grand Canyon.

Sadly, while it doesn’t get too political incorrect, the movie sticks to what makes the tv show so damn funny and lovable. The major characters are all there, but Ned Flanders gets the most screen time out of the towns people. I was a little disappointed that Marge’s sisters didn’t have speaking parts, but at least we got to see them. The other thing that separates the film from most is the lack of big screen names. With the exception of cameos Green Day and Tom Hanks, the voices are supplied by those who know and do them best. From the dead-on Itchy & Scratchy movie that starts the film, all the way to it’s climatic ending, the movie is filled with witty pop-culture references, visual gags, and even full-frontal nudity (by way of Bart). It’s what Shrek the Third and most of the current summer comedies should’ve been: smart, witty, and full of heart.

Hairspray July 23, 2007

I got to see the film Hairspray Friday night, and it’s was way better than I thought it was going to be. It’s perhaps the most fun I’ve had in the movies this summer. Nikki Blonsky stars as Tracy Turnblad, a role made famous by Ricki Lake in the original, non-musical John Waters’ film. This movie is based on the Broadway musical. I just saw the Broadway show when it was in town here in San Diego, and this is probably better than the show.

The movie starts off with Tracy belting out “Good Morning Baltimore!” on her way to school. It seems that everyone from the neighbors to the trash pick-up driver that gives her a ride on his dump truck likes her. Nikki Blonsky delivers an infectious happiness that carries the entire film, and everyone else matches her exuberant and effervescent energy.

Taking place in the 1960′s Tracy and her friend Penny Pingleton (Amanda Bynes) wait longingly for the end of school to race home to catch the Corny Collins (James Marsden) show on tv, a local dance show in the vain of Dick Clark’s American Bandstand. Tracy longs to be part of Corny’s Council, a group of kids who are dance regulars on the show. When a spot opens up, Tracy auditions to the dislike of the show producer Wilma (Michelle Pfieffer), who likes to keep it an all-white show with the exception of Negro Day, which is spearheaded by Maybelle (Queen Latifah) who owns a local record shop. The lead dancer in the Council is Amber Von Tussle (Brittany Snow), who is also the daughter of Wilma and girlfriend of Link (Zac Effron),whom Tracy has a crush on.

The plot revolves around her desire to integrate the show, even it if means losing her spot on the Council. Her father (played by Christopher Walken) is supportive, but her mom Edna takes a while to come around. Tradition dictates that Edna is played by a man in drag. Divine played Edna in the John Waters film, and Harvey Fierstein played the role in the Broadway musical. While there is little controversy in John Travolta playing the role on film, Travolta gives it a lot of heart, and dances with a lot of grace even in a fat suit.

Not expecting much, it took me by surprise and is worthy of making anyone’s list of films to watch to change anyone’s mood from being depressed to happy.

1st Half of Summer Movies 2007 Almost Over July 18, 2007

Summer is halfway over and since I’ve pretty much quit blogging on MySpace since last February, I thought I’d post my favorites and disappointments for the current crop of summer movies so far. Here they are in no particular order:

Worth Paying for Again!

• Live Free or Die Hard: Completely fun thrill-ride of a movie. Definitely better than DH3, and the addition of super hot Maggie Q, great action sequences and sidekick Justin Long makes this a great popcorn movie.
• 28 Weeks Later: The sequel to Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later, kicks it up a notch and improves on the first film. Bloodier, more aggressive, and gives more scares, this was a great horror flick.
• Once: Sweet simple story about a dude and his guitar, and immigrant and her piano, and the music that the create together. It’s also the perfect heartbreaking little love story.
• Knocked Up: Seth Rogan is hilarious, and it’s a raunchy comedy with heart and good characters. I even liked this much better than 40 YO Virgin.
• Ocean’s 13: Ok, so the movie REQUIRES you to suspend your disbelief more than the previous two Ocean’s films, but this is also as much fun as the first one.
• Paris, Je T’aime: 20 directors ranging from the Coen Brothers, Gus Van Sant and Alfonso Cuaron (just to name a few) gives us 20 short films about the little tiny neighborhoods (arrondisements) of Paris. All tied together and lasting about 5 mins each, the last piece by Alexander Payne is my favorite and also the most poignant.
• ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway: Documents the productions that would be the Tony nominated musicals for 2004, which are Wicked, Caroline or Change, Taboo, and Avenue Q. Great documentary on the business of Broadway musicals.
• Sicko: I like Michael Moore and this is his most bipartisan film about how fucked up our healthcare industry really is. I’m glad he stood up to Gupta on CNN!
  

WTF?!! I gave my money for this?

• Spider Man 3: Too many villains, way too long.
• Pirates 3: Huh? Plot way too convoluted.
  
• Shrek the 3rd: Not as funny or witty as the first two films.
• Evening: Chick flick that sucked. Twenty minutes into it, I wanted to yell at the screen to the main character: “Just fucking die already!”
• Transformers: I know most people love this movie, but as far as special fx goes this sucks, and I’ll tell you why: the transformations were so up close that all it was a big glob of metal on the screen. Not to mention, it was a Michael Bay film.
  

As far as the summer of threequels go, I’ve been pretty disappointed. Aside from DH4, 28Weeks, and Ocean’s 13, all the other ones that I couldn’t wait to see should have been relegated to my Netflix queue (and even then it wouldn’t get bumped to the top of my list). Obviously I still haven’t seen the more recent ones like Potter or Ratatouille, but I’ll let you know what I think of those when I see it. Hopefully the one that I’m really really waiting for will be worth the wait: The Bourne Ultimatum.