Extract (2009) R - 3½ Stars

Now here's a refreshing, simple and sweet independent comedy. While it's not a movie to give you huge belted out laughs, it's a cute little story of a too nice of man that everyone seems to takes advantage of. If you like simple comedies, I would add this one to your list.

Joel (Jason Bateman), is the owner of Reynolds Extract company which manufactures items such as vanilla and root beer extracts. But lately his mind is not into his job and he spends too much time with his pot smoking bar tender friend Dean (Ben Affleck). When two workers Mary (Beth Grant), and Gabriella (Lidia Porto), see Step (Clifton Collins Jr.), bragging about his 'soon to become' floor manager position, Gabriella decides if he can goof off, so can she and walks away from her busy assembly line. Without pushing that important stop button, this soon causes a huge disruption to the production causing a painful injury to Step. Brian (J.K. Simmons), the plant manager brings in unethical Cindy (Mila Kunis), in an effort to help get production back on track. And it just might do the trick if Joel could stop imagining his wife Suzi (Kristen Wiig), in her chastity sweat pants, might be having an affair.

Miramax Films, Ternion Entertainment
Director: Mike Judge
Writer: Mike Judge
Producers: Dave Krinsky,Tom Lassally, John Altschuler, Michael Rotenberg

I viewed: 12/13

Stranded: I've come from a Plane That Crashed (2007) NR - 4 Stars

This is a very moving documentary about the 16 survivors of Uruguay's cricket team, who's plane crashed deep in the Andes October 13, 1972. After stranded 72 days, high atop the Andes mountain range of Chili, 2 exhausted survivors did the unthinkable by trekking over 8 large mountain ranges to get back to civilization. When all other hopes of rescue exhausted, these two brave young, men with little choice but to make it or die trying, crawl to freedom from their frozen tomb. Once they were found barely alive, their only thoughts were of getting help for their 14 friends still trapped in hell on the mountain. This documentary will make the hair stand up on your arms listening as the recapture their ordeal in the Andes.

I read the book, "Survived", when I was young and it has always stuck with me how these young men were forced with the decision to eat their fellow players in order to survive. Even learning that grinding done parts of the bone would give them a source of magnesium and calcium supplements their bodies needed to survive. These 16 survivors have uniquely special bond of a lifetime. Now, 30 years later in 2006, they reunite at the crash location and tell the stories to their families, and us the viewers, of permanent memories etched in their heads of the lose of their fallen friends.

Jose Algorta - Himself (as José Pedro Algorta)
Roberto Canessa - Himself
Alfredo Delgado - Himself
Daniel Fernandez - Himself (as Daniel Fernández)
Bobby Francois - Himself (as Roberto François)
Roy Harley - Himself
Jose Luis Inciarte - Himself (as José Luis Inciarte)
Alfredo Mangino - Himself (as Álvaro Mangino)
Javier Methol - Himself
Carlitos Paez - Himself (as Carlos Páez)
Nando Parrado - Himself (as Fernando Parrado)
Ramón Sabella - Himself
Adolfo Strauch - Himself
Eduardo Strauch - Himself
Antonio Vizintín - Himself
Gustavo Zerbino - Himself
José Gilberto Bravo Castro - Himself
Laura Canessa" - Herself (as Laura Inés Canessa)
Antonio Caruso - Himself
Juan Catalan - Himself (as Juan Catalán)
Sergio Catalan - Himself (as Sergio Catalán)
Jorge Massa - Himself
Juan Pedro Nicola - Himself
Mateo Nicola - Himself
Carlos Páez Vilaró - Himself (as Carlos Páez-Vilaró)
Madelón Rodríguez - Himself
Alejandra Strauch - Herself
Lucas Zerbino Payssé - Himself
Martín Zerbino Payssé - Himself
Sebastián Zerbino Payssé - Himself
Bernardo Antonaccio - Actor in reconstructed scenes
Rafael Beltrán - Actor in reconstructed scenes
Mauro Bettega - Actor in reconstructed scenes
Mario Bianchi - Actor in reconstructed scenes
Hilario Canessa - Actor in reconstructed scenes
Rodrigo Castellanos - Actor in reconstructed scenes
Pablo Collazo - Actor in reconstructed scenes
Juan Antonio Damiani - Actor in reconstructed scenes
Alfonso Díaz Cat - Actor in reconstructed scenes
Pablo Di Leva - Actor in reconstructed scenes
Nicolás Estrada - Actor in reconstructed scenes
Nicolás Furtado - Actor in reconstructed scenes
Joaquín Jaume - Actor in reconstructed scenes
Simón López Ortega - Actor in reconstructed scenes
Romeo López Ortega -Actor in reconstructed scenes (as Romero López Ortega)
Pablo Magariños - Actor in reconstructed scenes
Silvana Magrini - Actress in reconstructed scenes
Javier Martínez - Actor in reconstructed scenes
Pedro Musto - Actor in reconstructed scenes
Pilar Pelfort - Actress in reconstructed scenes
Carlos Scure Lacoste - Actor in reconstructed scenes
Ariel Tornin - Actor in reconstructed scenes
Rafael Soliwoda - Actor in reconstructed scenes
Alejandro Zivov - Actor in reconstructed scenes
Ernesto Cantu - Narrator (noncredit)

Columbia Pictures
Directors:Gonzalo Arijon
Writers:Gonzalo Arijon, Deborah Ford
Producers:Sally Jo Fifer,Mariela Genta,Sergio Gándara,Virginia Martínez Vargas

I viewed 4/12

Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad and Museum - Griffith Park Rideable T...

Lake City (2008) R - 2½ Stars

This could have been such a better movie. Sissy Spacek is perfect in this type of a rural setting, playing a troubled mom out in a remote location. She's great as usual, however, she can't hold it up on her own and should have saved her talent for movies worthy of her. It's not that I thought the acting was horrible starring Troy Garity but the movie is slow and leaves unanswered questions and takes so long to make any connection to the characters. I understand why Billy is having problems relating to his newly discovered son but why do you wait till almost the end before you know why? If Billy had been doing so well cleaning up his act, what the hell is he doing with the drug infested Hope? What happened to Spacek's husband? What's the band at the gas station all about, you never even hear them play? And why is Billy leaving now? Is he together with Jenny and why is he leaving his son with grandma? Characters just pop in and out of this movie without any substance to them? I guess my favorite part is when Spacek and Garity make amends, and maybe the corn field chase scene but other than that, it just wasn't there.

Maggie (Sissy Spacek), is a single aging mom taking care of the land she raised her kids on. Even though the developers of a new highway want her to sell her property, Maggie has memories of her children there and doesn't want to leave.

Meanwhile, Billy (Troy Garity), is on the run from a drug dealer wanting his money. He's on the road with a young boy Clayton (Colin Ford), as Clayton's mom has suddenly abandoned them both along with the dealers drugs. Billy seeks refuge at his mothers house deciding what to do next. But Maggie and Billy have many issues to work out from their past before anyone can start the future new.

Screen Media Films
Directors: Perry Moore, Hunter Hill
Writers: Perry Moore, Hunter Hill
Producers: Donna Bascom, Sally Pope, Mike Ryan

I viewed 2/10

The Expendables (2010) R - 3 Stars

Gosh, I usually love Lionsgate movies but for having such an all star cast, the movie is not only predictable but cheesy in oh so many ways. Though, if you like a good action movie to increase your testosterone levels, you'll probably love this one. I don't get how this macho Stallone, full of void and void of emotions, lets a woman he just met, get to him. For me, the best part of the movie is the massive gun Hale Caesar uses to blow everything away. Arnold Schwarzenegger even makes a brief cameo appearance.

Barney Ross, (Sylvester Stallone), is loyal to no one except his team of modern day warriors. When Church, (Bruce Willis), offers him an profitable assignment in Vilena, he quickly pulls together his team consisting of Lee Christmas, (Jason Statham), a former SAS who prefers knives to guns, Hale Caesar, (Terry Crews), weapon specialist, Gunner Jensen, (Dolph Lundgren), a precision sniper, Toll Road (Randy Couture), expert on blowing things up and the short guy, Ying Yang, (Jet Li). Their treacherous mission is to overthrow American Vilena dictator General Gaza,(David Zayas). In doing so, they will learn who their real enemies are in James Munroe, (Eric Roberts), former CIA and his body guard Paine, (Steve Austin). As Church and Ross scout out the island, their contact Sandra, (Giselle Itie), a guerrilla fighter, refuses to leave her people behind and is captured instead. Non emotional Ross, can't seem to bare he failed getting Sandra off the island, so he returns with his merry mob determined to save this damsel in distress.

Lionsgate
Director: Sylvester Stallone
Writers: Sylvester Stallone, Dave Callaham
Producers: John Thompson, Kevin King-Templeton, Avi Lerner

I viewed 12/10

The Invention of Lying (2009) PG13 - 3 Stars

Wow I just watched back to back movies starring Ricky Gervais. I think I liked this one just a little bit more. Once again, a cute romantic comedy but this one kept my attention more than Ghosttown. Gervais plays almost the same type of character, this time in a world where people can not tell a lie as they haven't evolved that far. Gervais quickly rises to the top as he develops the skills needed to learn to fib. Along the way, his heart is taken by a woman who only sees his physical attributes and he tries to teach her to look beyond his cover. Tina Fay makes a cameo appearance playing the office girl Shelley.

The world is somewhat awkwardly perfectly with everyone struck with brutal honesty, telling the truth with no thought of the consequences. Mark Bellison (Ricky Gervais), is just an average guy who's been set up on a date with the gorgeous Anna McDoogles (Jennifer Garner). Right from the start, it's made perfectly clear that his DNA would never be good enough for her high standards of beauty. And even though Mark knows he's out of her league, he's finding himself more attracted to her. But Brad Kessler (Rob Lowe), constantly reaffirms Mark is just about as low as you can get on the food chain. Brad believes that Anna should be with one of superior quality, like himself.

And if things weren't bad enough for Mark, he looses his job and with only $300.00 to his name, he's about to become evicted. While at the bank withdrawing his life's savings, the computers are down to confirm his account balance. Something comes over him which causes him to over exaggerate his balance and asks the teller for $800.00. She quickly agrees and before he knows it, the wheels are turning in his head of how easy he can reach a higher life style proving himself worthy to Anna.

With his new trait, Mark convinces his suicidal neighbor Frank (Jonah Hill), not to kill himself and then takes his low life friend Greg (Louis C.K.), to Las Vegas to hone his new skills. Winning big at the tables and slots, Frank and Mark return with mountains of cash. But even with all his lying rewards, he can't lie his way into the heart of the girl he dreams of. And he can't prolong the death of his sickly mother. Seeing her in such despair on her dying bed, he quickly tells her of the "Man in the Sky" and all the rewards she has awaiting her. But when word gets out that Mark gets messages directly from a "Man in the Sky," they flock to him to learn more. Now, Mark has his work cut out as he teaches the world to open their eyes.

Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution
Directors: Matthew Robinson, Ricky Gervais
Writers: Matthew Robinson, Ricky Gervais
Producers: Sue Baden-Powell, Ricky Gervais, Lynda Obst

I viewed 2/10

The Wackness (2008) R - 3 Stars

A cute coming of age comedy about drugs, getting old and relationships. Kingsley is great in his role as a bored pot smoking therapist trying to keep his younger side alive. Peck is also great in his role as Luke, using his creative imagination selling drugs out of an ice cream cart, and Thirlby is gorgeous playing Luke's girl. Together they fill a void in each other while teaching themselves the meaning of life. Good sound track.

It's 1994 and Luke Shapiro (Josh Peck), a teenage drug dealer, is working the summer streets of Manhattan, peddling drugs from his disguised ices cart. Along his journeys he meets Dr. Jeffrey Squires (Ben Kingsley) who he trades drugs in exchange for therapy sessions. The two form an uncommon yet understood friendship where Dr. Squires encourages Luke to go after the girl he's been thinking about. But things get complicated when the girl Luke's after, turns out to be Dr. Squires step daughter, Stephanie (Olivia Thirlby).

Awards include:
2008 - The Wackness - Alliance of Women Film Journalists - Most Egregious Age Difference Between Leading Man and Love Interest
2008 - The Wackness - Sundance Film Festival - Audience Award

Occupant Films, LLC, Shapiro Levine Productions, SBK Pictures, Sony Pictures Classics
Director: Jonathan Levine
Writer: Jonathan Levine
Producers: Keith Calder, Joe Neurauter, Felipe Marino

I viewed 3/09

A Man Named Pearl (2006) G - 3½ Stars

A warm hearted documentary about the passionate life and garden of a man named Pearl. He's been called the Edward Scissorhands of Bishopville, South Carolina. You must check out his gallery on line.

Pearl is just a good old boy who's life has never been easy and purchases a home in 1976, in a upper class all white neighborhood where he is not wanted. The Real estate agent told Pearl and his wife Metra, that "black people don't keep up their yards properly", and Pearl, the proud man that he is, sets forth to make his garden something the neighbors will be happy with. He teaches himself the art of topiary and is allowed free plants from the dump pile the local garden house is throwing away. When he hears of a contest offered for the best yard of the month, he is eager to make his yard something worthy of the prestigious honor. With his creative mind and faith in what he wanted to achieve would grow, he began to twist and tie branches in unnatural ways. Sometimes waiting 5 years or more for his creation to be realised. Then he meticulously hands trims the bushes and trees into abstract art. Along with his trash art made up of items found here and there, he has transformed his over 3 acres into a magical garden, people from all over have come to see.

In one conversation with Japanese tourists, the admit that Pearl's garden is even more stunning then many in Japan. His work has been featured in many magazine and he has done television interviews and has become the no named wonder in the gardening / landscaping world. The local waffle house has his twisted work outside of their doors and give Pearl and his wife free breakfast for life because of all the attention his masterpieces have brought to their doorsteps. It is now the hope that Pearl at age 68, can continue his 30 years of magic by adorning the city streets of Bishopville and Lee County with his artistic and calming creations, driving tourists back to their small economic dwindling town. You're heart with fall in love with a man named Pearl.

Shadow Distribution
Directors: Brent Pierson, Scott Galloway
Producers: Brent Pierson, Scott Galloway

I viewed 1/09

After (2006) NR - 1 Star

Rarely does a movie come along that makes one have the urge to shoot themselves but I've found it.

An extreme group of urban thrill seekers travel to Russia in search of Stalin's secret metro and Ivan the Terrible's torture chamber. The film is shot in a documentary style but trying to be creative, the camera jumps all over the place. I think the producer thought that added to the effects but for me at least, I really could not stand watching it. I felt like shooting myself for wasting my time and applauded that is was finally over.

I doubt you'll be seeing any awards for this one any time soon.
No photos to be found as well but trust me - no big loss.

After... Films LLC
Director: David L. Cunningham
Writers: Kevin Miller, David L. Cunningham
Producers: Penelope L. Foster, David L. Cunningham, Edwin L. Marshall

I viewed 1/08

Gracie (2007) PG13 - 4 Stars

Gracie is a movie that makes you feel good while rooting for the underdog. Based on the true story of the death of William Shue, a cast member and the director made this film to honor their brother.

(Carly Schroeder) is Gracie Bowen, a 15 year old tom girl that looks up to her older brother Johnny (Jesse Lee Soffer), star player for their high school soccer team. The family lives and breaths soccer. When he dies suddenly in a car accident, Gracie vows somehow to take his place in the world of soccer. She has followed her brothers footsteps and learned from him but everyone tells her she can't do it. Her family doesn't want her to become involved because she is a girl. And even her best friend tells her she will be deemed a lesbian if she plays for the team. All she has to do is convince the Coach Clark (Andrew Shue) that she is qualified. The boys show her no mercy but she refuses to give up. Not until she's reached the top in every one's eyes.

Picturehouse
Director: Davis Guggenheim
Writers: Lisa Marie Petersen, Karen Janszen
Producers: Elisabeth Shue, Andrew Shue, Davis Guggenheim

I viewed 10/07

Falling Down (1993) R - 4 Stars

Zola's pic for one you should see at least one time or own in your collection.

William Foster's (Michael Douglas) is not having a very good day. He's on the way to a job that he's been laid off from and it hasn't quite sunk in yet. Neither has the fact he is divorced and is suppose to stay clear of his daughter and ex-wife Beth (Barbara Hershey).

While day dreaming about his daughters birthday, he finds himself in the middle of traffic pile up on the 110. With so much annoying him, he abandons his car and just walks off. He needs to make a call to his daughter and when the Korean shop owner refuses to make change for him, his anger starts to mount. No one seems to be cooperating with him.

Obviously delusional, he stops to rest and gets lippy with a group of gangsters defending their turf. The punks later retaliate but wind up fighting for their lives. Foster becomes armed and though already mentally unsound, takes on the rest of the city. He snaps when the fast food restaurant refuses to make him breakfast at lunch time.

Meanwhile, with a wife constantly calling to remind him, officer Prendergast (Robert Duvall), counts down the hours of his last days on the job. Replaying his somewhat boring future in his head, Pendergast picks up on clues other detectives have missed. It's important to him to solve this last case. When Foster and Pendergast confront each other, both men have nothing to loose.

Warner Bros Pictures
Director: Joel Schumacher
Writer: Ebbe Roe Smith
Producers: Herschel Weingrod, Timothy Harris, Mike Jackman

I viewed 1/08