Vicky Cristina Barcelona (***1/2)

Woody Allen makes me laugh. I mean that sincerely, I found myself shaking my head with laughter throughout this film silently saying to myself, "Woody Allen". It's not funny in the hunched over belly-aching-lose-your-mind kind of way, it's more the uncomfortable-I-don't-know-what-the-hell-to-do-but-laugh way. Either way, it was a great time and just when you think Woody is just amusing himself you come to find out that there is a much deeper ironic twist that leaves your mouth agape yet somehow still completely satisfied. Dare I say there's a method to his madness. Woody Allen the writer gives the film a nice snowballing effect that builds our feelings for each character as we discover their layers, almost on a scene to scene basis. Then Woody Allen the Director shoots the film in such a warm and fuzzy upbeat manner that he actually makes the most awkward encounters and peculiar circumstances appear as cozy as a night by the fire watching "It's a Wonderful Life" on the Lifetime Channel. There in lies the humor.

Allen's story in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" is simple enough superficially, and by design I might add. Two friends, Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) decide to spend the summer in Barcelona. See what I mean? Of course, the subtext of the story really being self discovery. As pointed out by the films Narrator (voice of Christopher Evan Welch), although Vicky and Cristina are best of friends they do have vastly different perceptions of what love is and should be. Vicky, engaged to be married, is very structured, rational and seeks the traditional married life with security. Cristina is free-spirited, adventurous, impulsive, romantic and looking to be seductively swept away. Vicky knows exactly what she wants, Cristina hasn't a clue. On the night of their arrival, while enjoying an elegant evening drinking wine, a few glances are exchanged across the restaurant with Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem), the artist they had seen earlier in the evening showing his works at an Art Gallery. Assuming a mutual interest the self assured Juan approaches their table mincing no words as he quickly expresses his attraction to each woman and subsequently invites them on a short plane ride to Oviedo for the weekend. He politely offers them the experience of sight seeing, fine wines, exquisite dining, oh yeah, and hopefully a threesome, which is says as if he were offering to take their order. After this exchange Vicky is repulsed and Cristina is intrigued. Cristina wins and Vicky reluctantly rides along as a source of company to her friend.

They spend the next day indulging in the wining, dining and sight seeing and as the end of the night arrives Juan again proposes a night cap with the ladies. Vicky, offended by his offering, declines and retires to her room while Cristina agrees to go to his room. Moments after things begin to get hot and heavy, Cristina becomes violently ill and rushes to the restroom to vomit. The next morning we learn that due to a reaction from her ulcer Cristina will be bed ridden for the day forcing Vicky and Juan to spend the day together sight seeing. As the hours pass and the two of them move from one venue to another, the romantic atmosphere and setting of each soon take it's toll on Vicky, as she now is beginning to grow fond of Juan. As her feelings grow the passion grows thus leading to a complicating cluster of emotions between the three of them that only grows as each day passes. Vicky is still scheduled to be married and her simpleton fiance, Doug (Chris Messina) moves plans ahead and decides to come to Barcelona and get married there for the aura of it all. Vicky gets married, Cristina and Juan move in together and all is well. If only it were that easy.

A little over an hour into the film we finally meet Juan's ex-wife, Marie Elena (Penélope Cruz), which he has been referring to a numerous occasions to this point, obviously feelings remain. Maria Elena and Juan share a deeply passionate relationship that teeters on love and hate, as evidenced by their crystal clear eternal love for one another sprinkled in with the fact that she stabbed him in one of their many verbal, and sometimes physical, feuds. Maria Elena is clearly unstable and a detriment to herself so Juan takes her into his home, now shared with Cristina, where he can help her pull herself back together. What follows is the differing dynamics between the three of them which inevitably leads to an open love triangle. Predictably, complications arise eventually causing friction between the three lovers leading to a parting of ways.

The beauty of the film comes via spoiler and I hate to do it, this is the very reason I refuse to read reviews prior to actually seeing the film for myself, but I'm doing it anyway. Consider yourself warned. The pieces have all been strategically and brilliantly put into place by Allen. The setting, the city, the timing, the dynamically different personalities, the circumstances and so on, nothing is missed and it all comes full circle so gracefully that your actually surprised after the fact of what you just witnessed. The structured Vicky knowing exactly what she wants in life discovers through her marriage that what she really wants is the free spirited life. The free spirited Cristina discovers through her openly sexual threesome that she can't live like that and realizes what she really seeks is the structure. What each thought they wanted was what the other had. The grass is always greener.

Allen does an amazing job and this script is very intelligent yet feels like another day in the life that you hardly realize it's intellectual prowess until it comes full circle in the closing moment and sinks in causing you to replay the entire movie in your head in fast forward to see it unfold mentally. The casting of the film is as equally important, if not more so, than the actual witty script and smooth direction. It took the dynamically different on screen personalities of each integral character to support and drive the story, you really find yourself caring for each character. A casting flaw could have proved to be a fatal flaw to the success or failure of the film. Penelope Cruz steals every scene she is in with a whirlwind performance, she may be beautiful and petite but she is an absolute powerhouse in every single scene as an emotional wreck and you can't take your eyes off her. It's also hilarious that at one point Scarlett Johansson's character, Cristina, feels as if she has no talent and nothing within her will ever inspire Juan like Maria Elena continually does. Sadly for Johansson, that couldn't ring more true and is quite obvious in her scenes with Cruz. In her defense, they were written as such and maybe Johansson is giving a strong performance being talentless but Cruz certainly makes her job that much easier.

Revolutionary Road (**1/2)

Sam Mendes, of "American Beauty" acclaim, tells this distressing story about a young couple's discontentment in their own individual lives causing the unraveling of their marriage in 1050's suburban Connecticut. The Wheeler couple is convinced by the local Real Estate agent (Kathy Bates) to move themselves and 2 young children, into the most beautiful perfect little house on Revolutionary Road. Despite it's proximity to the very suburbanite neighbors they feel far superior than they move in citing that it is far enough out as to make them feel they have distanced themselves from "those people". April Wheeler (Winslet) is having a difficult time coming to terms with her non-existent acting career. Frank Wheeler (DiCaprio) is dispassionate about his monotonous office job but keeps it because it's rather lucrative. Seeking some sense of excitement or adventure in their lives they each find themselves separately making morally questionable decisions which, unknowingly to each other, causes tension to mount at home.

In a nutshell, you have a very dysfunctional relationship within the walls of their own home that goes out of it's way to paint the picture of the perfect family to the rest of the world. As if moving into the fairytale little home will solve the deeper seeded problems between them. When that doesn't work, they impulsively agree to move to Paris where they share the same delusional fantasy of reinvigorating their inner artist and finding true love and happiness.

The film itself is getting critical praise and being highly touted as a certainty to firmly grab a Best Picture nomination but I don't see it as being that caliber. I may be wrong, I often am on these matters, it's just my opinion that this film is nowhere near the cinematic experience that "American Beauty" was. At the end of the day there are many things I can appreciate as this type of thing happens in the real world in far to many families but to sit and watch it for the 2 hour run time wasn't that pleasurable of an experience, frankly. It was difficult to watch, maybe it just hit home and I subconsciously resisted and have my own issues to deal with. I don't know.

That being said, DiCaprio was great as usual and Winslet was the consistent powerhouse she usually is and watching them work together in each scene made the movie tolerable for me. You absolutely cannot catch that woman "acting" in any scene. She takes on some pretty emotional material here and doesn't flinch. Part of the creepiness of her character is the bipolar way she moves from one scene to another. She makes April appear to be robotic, clearly some serious emotional instability that Winslet hammers home. DiCaprio gives Frank a supreme confidence exteriorly when the reality is he is jealous, afraid and insecure internally.

Milk (***)

The true life story of Harvey Milk is as moving as it is tragic. Gus Van Sant does a stellar job of taking us on this journey of one man's incredible plight for acceptance and change against seemingly insurmountable odds. As a biopic we know how the story ends with the tragic assasination of California's first openly gay elected official, San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk (Sean Penn) and Mayor George Moscone by San Francisco Supervisor Dan White (Josh Brolin). What we may not know is the obstacles he overcame to get there and how one man's courage to stand up for what he believed in created a movement that dynamically changed the perception for homosexuals in this country. On a relative scale, Harvey Milk has done and continues to do posthumously for homosexuals today that of which Martin Luther King, Jr. did and has done for African Americans. They were one in the same in that in the end they each paid the ultimate sacrifice for using a public platform to convey their message to inspire change, which is still being felt today. The possibility, and eventual likelihood, of same-sex marriage (California's widely controversial Proposition 8) and the now certainty of an African American President, with President elect Barack Obama taking office in January, were not possible without the efforts and sacrifices of Harvey Milk and MLK.

Is there anything Sean Penn cannot do? He's remarkable. He is so good that the label of being widely regarded as the "best actor of his generation" seems to be a grossly inadequate depiction of how talented he really is. Name another actor in his "generation" even worthy of being mentioned in the same breath, that's not a knock towards anyone else, it's deserving praise for Sean Penn. Go down his list of credits on IMDB and look at his body of work, he covers it all and you are undoubtedly convinced and moved with each performance. His work is remarkable, and according to co-star Josh Brolin in an interview with Charlie Rose, "his most admirable qualities are his humility and the fact that he is so unassuming."

The film opens in 1978 San Francisco with Milk sitting home alone speaking into a tape recorder regarding his fears of his own assassination. From there Van Sant takes you back to the free spirited Milk in 1970 with his lover Scott Smith (James Franco) pondering his current state of being and soul searching for what he wants out of life. He soon realizes that he wants to use politics as the forum to be the voice of homosexuals abroad and begins his first of four increasingly stronger campaigns to be elected to the Board of Supervisors for San Francisco. As each failed election passes his support continues to expand lead by his small team of young activists of Smith (Franco), Cleve Jones (Emile Hirsch), Anne Kronenberg (Alison Pil) and later Jack Lira (Diego Luna). In 1977 his persistence and ever increasing determination finally pays dividends as he wins the election.

Support continues to grow for Milk as he begins to plunge deeper and deeper into politics and the government with his political activism towards the rights of homosexuals. He is more than one man, his voice speaks for the entire homosexual community. Along the way friction mounts with Dan White (Brolin), who has befriended Milk in an effort to earn his vote. When Milk decides that he cannot vote with White as it would contradict his own political stance White grows increasingly agitated and unstable. Tension mounts and Milk's credentials and newly earned respect sways Mayor Moscone's decision to have White removed from office thus resulting in the nation jolting news that San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone have been assassinated by disgruntled Supervisor Dan White.

I am not a huge fan of biopic films per say, I enjoy them and always learn things I previously did not know from them but it's the retelling of a story that has already been told and although that is an art within itself I am not as drawn to them as I am to the figment of ones imagination being brought to life from scratch by the writing of it and the performances created. It's the old argument of what's more impressive, Sean Penn becoming Harvey Milk through hours of studying the real life man's every documented move or Penn's creating from scratch the multi layered vigilante Jimmy Markum in "Mystic River"? Maybe they're equal, maybe one's better than the other, I just know as uncanny as he was as Milk, my personal taste prefers the creation of Jimmy Markum, a fictional character completely created by his imagination and acting choices. At any rate, as far as biopic films go you will be hard pressed to find a more well done and more complete film than "Milk".

Changeling (**1/2)

Structurally Clint Eastwood's "Changeling" is 2 hours and 20 minutes of an air tight, unwavering film with strong performances and made with the same authentic stylistic accuracy we've grown accustomed to seeing with Eastwood. My lukewarm rating of this film has less to do with the fundamentals than it has to do with how I felt while watching it. Let's make no bones about it, this film is disturbing and the creepy factor is off the charts. The very definition of the title alone gives me the heebie jeebie's. Changeling, as defined by Webster's Dictionary, a child surreptitiously or unintentionally substituted for another. Now you throw in the plot elements which include child abduction, police corruption, morbid Psychiatric Doctors, delusion, serial axe murders, of children no less, a hanging and electric shock therapy. All shot film noir-esque, like an Alfred Hitchcock horror film, with Eastwood's very own eerie score to aid the creep factor. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention it's a true story! Writing this review is even disturbing, Clint Eastwood and Universal Pictures will be getting my therapy bills.

Deep breath. Exhale.

Screenwriter, J. Michael Straczynski's script starts out in Los Angeles, CA in March, 1928. We see a middle class working mother, Christine Collins, played by Angelina Jolie in another role that very well may earn her another Oscar nomination, kiss her 9 year old son Walter goodbye as she heads off to work. Upon her return she soon discovers that Walter is nowhere to be found prompting her to file an abduction report with the LAPD. She searches rigorously on her own as she lacks confidence in the LAPD, which has been under public scrutiny for corruption and poor performance. After about 6 months a boy is discovered in DeKalb, Illinois and believed to be Walter and confirmed by the LAPD and it's team of experts that it is, in fact, the Collins boy. The highly anticipated reunion between mother and son quickly turns as Christine instantly realizes that this is not her son despite the assurance from the LAPD, who is clearly trying to make themselves look like heroes, and even the young boy himself seeking love assumes the role as Walter Collins. She reluctantly takes the boy home with her but after numerous things are discovered such as a 3" inch height difference, among other things she begins to push the issue with the LAPD to their utmost disliking, especially considering their public reputation.

As Christine continues to push the envelope with the LAPD they realize they need her to disappear so they throw her in a Psychiatric Hospital to keep her secluded and sedated from the outside world. A local Preacher Rev. Gustav Briegleb, a fiery John Malkovich, takes his message and her story to the airwaves via a local radio station run out of his church in hopes to force the LAPD into revealing her whereabout and anything else they may know.

In the meantime, a terrified boy surfaces and is interrogated by an honest detective, Lester Ybarra (Michael Kelly) and reveals that he has fled the scene of a small ranch outside Winesville, California where he was held against his will and forced to serve as the right hand man of a serial child murderer, Gordon Northcott, creepily played by Jason Butler Harner. Ybarra immediately checks the boys story and and unravels the mystery and unsettling story of what really happened to Walter Collins.

The Wrestler (****)

Be warned, what you are about to read is my gushing over this film. I can't help it. It's my favorite of the year thus far although admittedly there are still a number of films I have yet to see.

Darren Aronofsky bounces back from his most recent and under appreciated fantasy film, "The Fountain" with his smooth and compelling Direction in "The Wrestler." Not the avant-garde style we've grown accustomed to with Aronofsky but he knocks it out of the park with the characters emotional prowess and his ability to make you deeply connect with them. The story, written by Robert Siegel, had only one credit to his name prior to this, is a captivating and brutally honest story about a man coping with life when the only thing he has and has ever known is taken away from him leaving him alone with nothing but a search for self.

The arc of this film is flawless and it starts with an adrenaline pumping rendition of 80's metal band Quiet Riot's "Bang Your Head" blasting over a slow horizontally crawling collage of fliers, posters, pictures and event tickets depicting the glory days of wrestling star Randy "The Ram" Robinson played by the talented but much maligned Mickey Rourke. You need not look any further than the lyrics of this song to find out who "The Ram" is. There is an obvious lovefest with the 80's in that there are parallels the film has with 80's heavy metal music and the WWF during that time with Hulk Hogan and the Iron Sheik being part of pop culture, as it was in the early years here between "The Ram" and his adversary "The Ayotolla". The music is great and every time you hear an 80's song you get goosebumps... or is that just me? The films closing credits are no other than Bruce "The Boss" Springsteen with his gruff voice and Oscar buzzing song titled, go figure, "The Wrestler". Everything in between those two songs is a clinic on film making and a beautifully well made piece of art, taking you out of the glamor and limelight wrestling stars can obtain but into the behind the scenes world where you must face the repercussions of the physical abuse taken by nature of the sport as well as the lonely empty feeling of the audacious lifestyle.

Mickey Rourke in a career reviving role plays "The Ram" magnificently as a physically beaten up hanger-on wrestling star in the twilight of his career. Due to health concerns he's forced to retire and begins thinking about life after wrestling. Outside of his career, his only source of companionship comes from the neighborhood kids, that actually seem to have enough sense to recognize "The Ram's" state of loneliness and a stripper that he's befriended at the local Strip Club that goes by the stage name Cassidy played rock solidly by a gorgeous Marisa Tomei. Tomei's fearless performance is so strong I would actually consider it to be her finest work to date, which is clearly a mouthful considering she won an Academy Award for her work in 'My Cousin Vinny'. She brings such a human element to a profession that you wouldn't likely find yourself rooting for, frankly, and she pulls off the challenging feat by leaving you actually feeling compassion and sadness for her. Incidentally, she looks amazing in this and let me just say there is plenty of her to see. Wow!

It's clear there is a connection between Cassidy and "The Ram" that runs deeper than a typical customer-client relationship and when "The Ram" tells her of his retirement plans and hopes to take their relationship to the next level she suggests that he get in touch with his estranged teenage daughter whom he hardly knows after walking out on her while she was very young. The uber-talented Evan Rachel Wood continues her rise to super stardom with another poignantly strong performance as a teenage girl that wants her father back yet clearly deeply hurt but the damage that has already been done. When these worlds collide it's just beautiful cinema between two characters and I can see their scenes together being widely used in acting classes abroad. They should be anyway.

It's to often stated that a specific actor was "born to play the role" when a career defining piece of work vaults them into critical acclaim and a legitimate Oscar contender, which I will be shocked and extremely disappointed if Rourke isn't recognized with a nomination here, but in this case it is warranted. Rourke doesn't play "The Ram", Rourke IS "The Ram". This is what they mean when they say "art imitating life." I couldn't help but get the feeling that I was watching the internal struggles brought on by the reckless lifestyle of actor Mickey Rourke rather than that of Randy "The Ram" Robinson even though they are very much one in the same. The movie will stick with you and it's performances are eerie and haunting in a way that leaves you longing for more, you genuinely miss them. You cannot help but acquire feelings for these characters on some level and there are many to subconsciously choose from. You name the emotion, and it is somewhere in the dynamics between the leads. For my money, 'The Wrestler' is easily one of the years best films, without a doubt.

Body of Lies (**)

Anyone else get the feeling Warner Bros. brass threw a board meeting and just decided to say, "Let's take a couple box office names, I don't know, say Leonardo DiCaprio and team him up with Russell Crowe maybe. Yeah! And let's throw them in a pressure cooker script written by, hmmm... how about that guy that wrote "The Departed"? I like it, I like it! Oh, I know and let's get Ridley freakin' Scott to direct it! It can't possibly go wrong." Ok, I admit it... that's not fair. The truth is, the film is entertaining and I didn't hate it, I just didn't love it and especially when you take into account that with said names attached it better be damn good. It wasn't, it was ok. Maybe my own expectations let me down as expectations inevitably do but even that being said it's hard for me to say anything more flattering than the film was just ok, and just ok isn't good enough with the likes of DiCaprio, Crowe, Scott and "The Departed" scribe, William Monahan. The more willing you are to suspend your disbelief the more you will like the film, hence, my critique.

Now that I got that off my chest I feel a surprising amount of relief, as if I just blasphemed. Here's the good news and I'll gladly admit my admiration for Leonardo DiCaprio. I firmly believe he is one of the finest actors of his generation. He has proven time and time again, with his consistency and willingness to dive head first into character, his ability to carry a film and it is reflected in his Box Office star power. Hardly his finest work but still this film is no different as he is his rock solid self playing CIA operative, Roger Ferris, who is working in Jordan searching for terrorists. Despite working solo locally anyway, Ferris still somehow manages to get suspiciously close to the film's version of Osama Bin Laden, Al-Saleem (Alon Aboutboul). All the Intelligence gathered by Ferris is reported back to his Boss, Ed Hoffman, played casually by a plump Russell Crowe, who is sitting comfortably back in Langley, Virginia. It's almost comical as Ferris struggles through brutal beatings, explosions, gun fire and even rabid dogs between Jordan and a couple other countries while simultaneously Hoffman strolls through life with his ear piece in, wearing a bath robe searching for leftovers in his fridge or grocery shopping with the only problem seeming to be playing Mr. Mom as he takes his kids to their Soccer game.

The more Ferris learns, the more dangerous things become as he concocts an entire Alliance simply by smooth talking and arranging things and people to look as if they are what and who he says they are. The deeper he goes the more the tension mounts and Ferris finds himself looking to the dapper and no nonsense Hani Salaam, the Chief of Jordanian Intelligence, for help, even though he can hardly trust Salaam himself not to mention what Salaam would do to him for his own dishonesty. Oh, what a tangled web we weave. Mack Strong plays Salaam brilliantly as he teeters between mad man and nobility and the scenes between him and Leo are by far the best scenes of the film.

In an ironic twist, Ferris, who has managed to avoid Medical attention after all the explosions and beatings he narrowly survives he is forced to go for rabies shots after suffering a dog bite on his calf. Of course, this is where he meets the object of his affection in his nurse, Aisha (Golshifteh Farahani). Predictably, this relationship comes back to haunt him later as he now has feelings for someone other than himself.

It would have been nice to see more of DiCaprio and Crowe on screen together as they are really only in 3 or 4 small scenes together despite the entire script having them on their cell phones with one another. It appeared as if Crowe just cashed this one in, there just wasn't much to him and I suppose that to may have been by design as the Yang to Leo's Ying. I could have also done without seeing Leo survive the most unlikely of explosions, car accidents, beatings and narrowly being riddled by gunfire. At the end of the day you have an action movie cut more from the cloth of "Commando" than "The Departed." I suppose that's a bit harsh as well, but who gives a shit, nobody's reading this anyway.

The Visitor (**1/2)

Richard Jenkins gives an Oscar worthy performance as the gentle and soft spoken, grief-stricken Professor Walter Vale in this small but powerful film written and Directed by Tom McCarthy, the busy character actor who has the same credits for 2003's critically acclaimed "The Station Agent".

Walter, mid-50's and recently widowed, makes his home in Connecticut but has a 2nd apartment in New York where he travels for a business conference to present a paper he is no deservedly credited for writing. Upon his arrival into his apartment he is quickly surprised to realize that a young couple has made it their home. As it turns out, a mistake made by a mutual scheming acquaintance trying to make a buck, which has now created this uncomfortable situation. Walter generously offers his place to stay for the night to Syrian, Tarek (Haaz Sleiman) and his girlfriend Zainab (Danai Gurira), from Senegal. The immigrant couple makes a modest living as she sells homemade jewelry while he plays the African drums, which catches the eye of the music loving Walter, his late wife was a renowned pianist. Tarek's charm and infectious personality warms Walter up to him enough to take drum lessons despite the skeptical yet respectful Zainab. As each strum on the drum pounds the greater the admiration for one another grows.

On the surface, it's a simple story of an unlikely friendship formed due to the unfortunate circumstances they find themselves in. What lies beneath is a very deep heart tugging relationship that hits you from many different angles between the dynamics of boyfriend to girlfriend, brother to brother, friend to friend, Mother to Son once Tarek's mother (Hiam Abbass, who gives a truthful and moving performance) from Michigan enters the piece, Daughter-in-Law to Mother-in-Law and any other combination of the aforementioned possible as the film delves deep into the harsh reality of a post 9/11 United States and it's struggles with illegal aliens and possible deportation. Emotions run deep regardless of what side of the fence you are on and regardless of the black and white views of the Government and illegal immigration, the story here isn't as much about rules and regulations is it is about being a human being and where the heart decides what is right or wrong.

In only his 2nd film Directing, MCarthy is already showing his admiration and ability to tap into human emotion, like most actors turned directors his films seem to be a magnificent character study with multiple layers of love, pain, grief, fear and courage. His screenplay is likely to get the attention of Academy voters and earn him a well deserved nomination, that is of course if enough eyeballs see it. It's a small art house film with a limited release and it's buzz will mostly be wrapped around a terrific performance by Jenkins but if enough word of mouth get around this is the very kind of film the Academy recognizes in the ever competitive Original Screenplay category.

"Slumdog Millionaire" (***1/2)

I've always been a fan of Danny Boyle's films and I'm in the camp that thinks he isn't quite getting the credit he deserves for his vast array of well made films. I admire the diversity of his career with his directing grace in such films as "Shallow Grave", "The Beach", "A Life Less Ordinary", "28 Days Later" and "Millions". Talk about avoiding being pigeon-holed. He masterfully went from the dark and raunchy world of drug addiction (Trainspotting) to the horror genre of flesh eating zombies possessed by rage and fueled by killing (28 Days Later) to the ever touching and heartfelt joy ride of two little boys adventures after finding tons of money in "Millions", one of that years best films. The man can tell a story of any genre and once again he proves it with what will not only likely be one of this year's best films but it very well may steamroll it's way to Best Picture if the amount of pre-Oscar buzz generating around it is any indication.

"Slumdog Millionaire" is a thrilling rags to riches story set in India centered around Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) as a contestant on the Hindi version of "Who Wants to be A Millionaire?" Jamal, a driven and resilient young man that grows up far to fast has become a solo traveler having parted from his brother and the other street pals that once accompanied him. He originally uses the show as not a means for fame or fortune but rather as a platform to find, Latika (Freida Pinto), the girl he loves that has also been pulled from him. Due to the shows popularity and her interest in it, Jamal knows that it would be the perfect opportunity for her to see he is, in fact, alive and to find him, as he has no idea where she is or if she is even alive. It just so happens that along the way he keeps answering the questions correctly, thus thrusting him into not only the countries spotlight but an unforeseen and dangerous life threatening position of being accused of cheating by the shows Security and scandalous Host. This leads to his being tortured for his in depth explanations of how he could have possibly known all of the correct answers. In his explanations there in lies the fast paced exhilarating pace of this incredible journey of survival that takes Jamal form the slums of Mumbai as an orphan to the grand stage and only one question away from wealth and ultimately freedom from the extremely cruel and poverty laden streets. As each question is answered the live action flashbacks of his explanations to his captors illustrate how it was a part of his tumultuous journey and a key moment in the telling of the story by the scarring effects it had on his life, the answers were not merely remembered but rather burnt into memory based on the terribly brutal circumstances and horrible things he has already endured in his young life.

The film felt very much along the lines of the great Brazilian film "City of God" in it's tragic survival tale of youth violence on the poverty stricken streets. Patel gave a strong performance as the film's protagonist, Jamal and his love interest is equally well crafted by newcomer Pinto. "Slumdog Millionaire" is an excellent film that is sure to get serious consideration for Best Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay and the music is as thrilling as the action sequence keeping your eyes glued to the screen and your butt on the edge of your seat. Will Danny Boyle finally become a household name? If so it will be because he deserves it.

"Burn After Reading" (**)

Oh those zany Coen Brother are at it again in this whacky film about what happens when two entirely different worlds are juxtaposed. Almost as if it were two different movies forced to unite as one. In one world you have the serious no nonsense world and the delicate confidential memoirs of CIA agent Osborne Cox that has recently been fired for Alcoholism, played masterfully by the unconventionally great, John Malkovich, colliding with the other which is a goof ball world of two imbeciles that work together at a Health Club portrayed in an almost slap stick, yet convincing (if that even makes sense) manner by Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand.

In this twisted yet conveniently intertwined story we witness the absurdity that is the Coen Brothers genius of even attempting to combine these worlds. It basically revolves around the dimwitted spunky Fitness Trainer Chad Feldheimer (Pitt) and his equally dimwitted but far more insecure colleague Linda Litzke (McDormand) and their quest for money and anything to improve their lives. Linda seeking love and a sense of self worth, clearly illustrated by her mission to have tons of cosmetic surgery and her online dating and sexcapades in an attempt to remedy her depression. Chad, being his jovial self just seems to be seeking the adrenalin rush of masterminding and pulling off his extortion plot of what he thinks is highly confidential and valuable information on computer discs left at the gym, that turn out to be those of Osborne Cox (Malkovich). Hence, the meshing of the serious and the screwball worlds.

Chad and Linda see the files as being worth a small fortune thus solving all their problems when in reality they are nothing more than Cox's memoirs that he has chosen to write to spite the CIA for what he feels was his wrongful termination, despite his wife Katie's (Tilda Swinton) objections. Cox ignores his wife and her crude and condescending ways and writes them anyway as clearly their marriage is in shambles based on the fact that she is having an affair with the charismatic and overly ecstatic, Harry Pfarrer (George Clooney), who is happily married himself. Frankly, everything Harry does is happily and that includes his invention that I won't spoil here but it's definitely funny and happy that he keep covered and stored away in dark basement as if he were a Mad Scientist. He also seems to have no problems doing a little internet dating of his own to satisfy his raging sex drive and wouldn't you know it, Linda and Harry connect online which quickly leads to a rendezvous bringing the twisted and intertwining story full circle.

Of course, there are other things going on here and different characters that play fabulous parts, namely J.K. Simmons as the CIA Chief, and all kinds of physical comedy to go with the clever and humorous script itself. Not my favorite Coen Brother's film by any means and I can't even say that I really was even a big fan of this one but I can say with no uncertainty that regardless of whether or not this effort worked it was definitely a creative effort and well worth seeing if for no other reason than to see this unlikely ensemble converge talents and the absurdity of merging these worlds.

"Australia" Review (***)

If Baz Lurmann's "Australia" were nothing more than a visually stunning epic film it would be still be worth the watch, despite it's 2 hour 45 minute run time. There's so much more to it though as it takes us on a swooping epic adventure from 1939 to 1942 Australia incorporating action, adventure, comedy, tragedy and even fantasy with a good old American western tale that eventually evolves into a war scene as well as the obvious love story at it's core. Granted the crowning achievement of this ambitious epic is clearly the Art Direction, Costume Design and Cinematography of these gigantic scenes, many of which are CGI lead although it takes little away from the landscapes and imagery. The CGI is obvious but it doesn't get in the way or take away the beauty of the scenes and shots in the least. Sure there are holes in the story and the story shouldn't be mistaken as an educational or historical account of a pre-World War II cattle driven Australia but if an exhilarating action adventure epic tale with a heart is what your looking for than buckle up and enjoy the ride.

The story begins with Lady Sarah Ashley (Nicole Kidman) traveling to Australia to get her husband to return with her back to England. Upon her arrival she is met by The Drover (Hugh Jackman), who is a chiseled iconic cowboy that epitomizes the definition of hero along the like of John Wayne. The Drover will escort her to her husband, who is there in the Outback to see to their large plot of land and cattle ranch, Faraway Downs.

Trouble ensues as the local cattle tycoon King Carney (Bryan Brown) attempts to purchase Faraway Downs properties and 1500 head of cattle with a modest offer at best with greedy intentions of monopolizing the cattle market. In a take this offer or else manner handled mostly by his less than trustworthy henchman Neil Fletcher (David Wenham) they begin making life difficult for those involved with Lady Sarah and Faraway Downs. Most notably a young 10 year old boy, Nullah, magnificently portrayed by Brandon Walters who received the prestigious dream credit for any actor breaking onto the scene... the "and Introducing Brandon Walters as Nullah" credit. Lucky devil, but he deserved it. He really was the heart and soul of the film and it's impossible to not get warm and fuzzy when you see his affinity for the classic song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."

Walters role was crucial as not only does he carry the story but he narrates it as well, as Nullah, in the cutest accent which must be the combination of Aborigine and Australian based on the "half-cast" or "creamy" label for those with mixed parents are known. Nullah, his mother and another Aboriginal woman help to take care of Faraway Downs but they must keep Nullah hidden, as being a half-cast is cause to be removed from your family by the government to be used for what was deemed to be useful services to the white community, essentially slaves. They came to be known as "The Lost Generations" in real world Australia. Of course, The Drover, being the epitome of hero that he is, on more than a couple occasions shows he stands firmly for equal rights and not only refuses to tolerate such racism but uses physical force when it's laws of "No Blacks" are being enforced. Unfortunately, it's due to a previous agreement between Faraway Downs and the local authorities that has kept Nullah safe as opposed to lack of knowing he exists. Clearly the leverage that King Carney and Neil Fletcher plan to use to their advantage.

And off the story and adventure goes as The Drover and his Aboriginal sidekick must lead the cattle drive across the Outback with the disadvantage of using the inexperienced help of the 5 people that keep Faraway Downs functioning. The film is interesting in that it will be loved or loathed in that the first Act sets the tone in it's score and acting performances to that of "Swiss Family Robinson" but after the dramatic first plot point hits the stakes are raised in all aspects considerably as the entire theme and tone of the film seems to evolve into a more dramatic and serious feel to that of first "The Searchers" onto the third Act and "A Bridge on the River Kwai" and eventually as a whole "Gone with the Wind." By the end of Act II there are clear struggles that must be overcome as well as specific goals for each character to achieve and it captivates your attention as you eagerly wait to see how things transpire in the cheesy and somewhat predicable Act III that completes this swooping epic tale.

After it's all said and done I found myself days later still thinking about the journey this film takes you on and how ambitious and enormous the story really is. This is always a good indicator that it was a good film, despite the ability to poke holes in it.

Greatest TV characters of all-time...

My favorites are...

1. Norm Peterson - Cheers
2. Al Bundy - Married... with Children
3. Dennis Finch - Just Shoot Me!
4. Jack Donaghy - 30 Rock
5. David Puddy - Seinfeld
6. Cosmo Kramer - Seinfeld (Anybody Seinfeld really)
7. Bill McNeal - Newsradio
8. Woody Boyd - Cheers
9. Michael Scott - The Office
10. Charlie Kelly - Always Sunny in Philadelphia

Greatest network sitcoms of all-time...

Here's my Top 10 list...

1. Seinfeld
2. Cheers
3. Always Sunny in Philadelphia
4. Married... with Children
5. Just Shoot Me!
6. Men Behaving Badly
7. The Office
8. Newradio
9. Get Smart!
10. Wings

Honorable mention: Friends