Review: Brothers

If you've seen the trailers for the ensemble drama "Brothers," you probably think it's just another tired, melodramatic love triangle story. But this movie is the perfect example of why you shouldn't always judge a film by its trailer.

"Brothers" actually has very little to do with the love triangle aspect that dominates the trailer, but rather explores the tragic effect war can have on families, and how that effect doesn't always go away after the soldier returns home.

Tobey Maguire plays Sam Cahill, a marine who is happily married to his high school sweetheart, Grace (Natalie Portman). Sam has always been a do-gooder and is the favorite son of his father (Sam Shepard), an alcoholic and retired military man. As Sam deploys to Afghanistan, his younger brother Tommy (Jake Gyllenhaal) is released from jail, where he did time for robbing a bank.

Not long after Sam deploys, two soldiers arrive at Grace's house telling her Sam is dead following a helicopter crash. Feeling lost and alone and unsure of how to raise her two young daughters on her own, Grace develops a friendship with Tommy, who has been hit hard by Sam's death. He changes his bad boy ways and takes it upon himself to care for Grace and the girls, fixing up their house and acting as a father figure.

But, as is revealed in the trailer, Sam actually isn't dead. He and another marine made it out of the crash alive but were taken prisoner. As his family copes with his supposed death at home, the audience sees Sam tortured as a prisoner of war. In order to see his family again he is forced to make an impossible choice, one that haunts him long after he returns home.

Suffering from intense post traumatic stress disorder, Sam becomes increasingly paranoid and is convinced his wife and brother's friendship is actually something more. Destroyed by the trauma of war, Sam clearly isn't the man he once was. His family desperately tries to get him to tell them what happened in Afghanistan, hoping to help him heal as the family unravels around him.

Yes, there is an obvious attraction between Grace and Tommy, and as is shown in the trailer, they do kiss once, though the kiss is mostly out of their shared grief about losing Sam. Sam is paranoid their relationship runs deeper, but it's one of many things Sam is paranoid about as a result of the PTSD.

The studio likely felt people wouldn't want to see a deep and harrowing film about the emotional ramifications of war, so it was marketed as being focused almost entirely on the love triangle angle. But "Brothers" is actually a gripping story featuring outstanding performances from its three leads.

I was most surprised by Maguire, who was unimpressive in his last major role in "Spider-Man 3." In "Brothers," he achieves a performance with much more depth than I've seen from him previously. You can see the pure anguish in his eyes when he is being tortured in Afghanistan and you can feel the mental suffering he feels after he returns home and is traumatized by his experiences during the war. When placed in the hands of director Jim Sheridan, Maguire's acting is at its best.

Bailee Madison and Taylor Geare are also fantastic as Sam and Grace's daughters, desperately wanting their father back but afraid of the tormented man he's become.

"Brothers" isn't easy to watch, but I think exploring PTSD in soldiers and its effects on their families is an important issue to capture on film, and Sheridan and his cast achieve it beautifully. Rather than judging "Brothers" by its trailer, I would definitely recommend giving it a chance. B+

Review: The Twilight Saga: New Moon

I have never seen a pop culture phenomenon as polarizing as "Twilight," and based on the reviews for the second installment in the series, "New Moon" is no exception. Personally, I enjoy the "Twilight" books. Yes, they're poorly written. Yes, they're extremely cheesy. But to me they are fun, escapist entertainment. That's what "New Moon" sets out to be, and director Chris Weitz's adaptation actually succeeds more than the book.

In "New Moon," human high school student Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) and vampire Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) are just as in love as in the first installment. But when Edward's brother Jasper (Jackson Rathbone) almost attacks Bella, a guilt-ridden Edward fears being with him is too dangerous for Bella. Determined to keep her safe, Edward leaves town, where a broken-hearted Bella feels the sting of losing her first love.

Completely numb for months, Bella finally starts to heal when she grows closer to her friend Jacob (Taylor Lautner), who quickly makes it clear he's interested in more than just friendship with her. But just when Bella is getting used to supernatural beings not being in her life, Jacob discovers the legends that his Quileute tribe is descended from wolves are actually true (spoiler alert unless you've been living under a rock for the past few months) - Jacob is a werewolf, sworn to protect the tribe's land from vampires.

The change in Jacob sets in when Victoria (Rachelle Lefevre), one of the nomadic vampires from the first film, returns to Forks, Wash., in search of Bella, who she's determined to kill. Bella has to adjust to her friend's new-found identity, avoid crossing paths with Victoria and try to forget the Cullens, who re-enter her life in a dramatic way.

From a filmmaking standpoint, "New Moon" improves on "Twilight" in every way, largely thanks to Weitz's direction. Catherine Hardwicke's directing in the first film was uneven and the story very disjointed. The script borderlined on over-the-top cheesy even for "Twilight" fans, and the acting was wooden for the most part.

But with Weitz in the director's chair, the story is much more cohesive and the directing is solid. Gone are Hardwicke's unnecessary extra shots and the first film's odd blue tint. The book's trademark teen angst is still present, but screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg inserts enough extra humor to counterbalance it. The story moves at a slow and steady pace, but that's the way the books are set up.

Though the dialogue is still a bit cheesy, the actors seem much more comfortable in their roles this time around. The two standouts in the film are the hilarious Billy Burke, who plays Bella's dad Charlie and also stole the show in the first film, and the always wonderful Michael Sheen, who plays the creepy leader who enforces the vampire laws.

The special effects are also a huge step above those of the first film. While they're nowhere close to the quality of the effects of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," for example, they suit the film's needs. I was satisfied with the werewolf transformations, and the other effects look much less fake than in the first film.

Alexandre Desplat's score is a little odd at times but is solid overall, and the rest of the film's soundtrack is strong, featuring bands like Death Cab for Cutie, The Killers, OK Go and Muse.

In a nutshell, "Twilight" fans should find "New Moon" to be a huge improvement from the first film, while people who hate "Twilight" will probably hate this movie too. If you're one of the few people not on either extreme who was indifferent to the first film, I'd suggest giving "New Moon" a shot. Fans will be satisfied while the haters will continue to hate. B

Review: Pirate Radio

The U.S. release of "Pirate Radio" has been delayed for months, and when it was finally released Nov. 13, it was dumped quietly at the beginning of awards season. So given its release date issues, I was worried the second film from director Richard Curtis (after 2003's "Love Actually") would be a disappointment. But though the film has its flaws, it's actually quite enjoyable.

"Pirate Radio," originally titled "The Boat that Rocked," is a period comedy set against the backdrop of 1960s rock n' roll. Mainstream British radio stations refuse to play rock music, and pirate stations like Radio Rock broadcast 24 hours a day from boats. When young, inquisitive Carl (Tom Sturridge) gets expelled from school, his mother (Emma Thompson) sends him aboard the Radio Rock ship to stay with his godfather Quentin (Bill Nighy).

Aboard the ship, Carl meets the station's popular DJs like flamboyant Gavin (Rhys Ifans), flirtatious Dr. Dave (Nick Frost) and rebellious American broadcaster The Count (Philip Seymour Hoffman). Along with the rest of the station's crew, the men introduce Carl to the rock n' roll lifestyle.

The movie chronicles Carl's coming of age experience on the ship and the eclectic gang's day-to-day misadventures. All the while a conservative government official, Alistair Dormandy (Kenneth Branagh), tries desperately to shut down Radio Rock.

Overall, I really liked this film. The music in fantastic (ranging from The Who to Dusty Springfield), and Curtis captures the rock n' roll atmosphere of the 1960s very well.

Everyone involved gives great comedic performances, but the standout of the bunch is Hoffman, who, since "Capote," has quickly become recognized as one of the best actors around. He could sit in front of a camera for two hours with a paper bag over his head and I would still watch it. But the entire ensemble works well together, each character hilariously unique as individuals and as a group.

One of my biggest complaints actually has little to do with the film itself and more to do with its U.S. marketing campaign. The poster and trailers prominently state "inspired by true events." Elements are loosely based on actual pirate radio stations that existed in 1960s Britain, but other than that, the story is completely fictional. It's a great story, but it shouldn't be marketed as fact when most of it is fiction.

Another complaint is the film's running time, which at 2 hours and 15 minutes is a bit lengthy, especially for a comedy. It's bearable because the characters are all so much fun to watch, but it nevertheless feels too lengthy at times. The story is also a bit incoherent sometimes, but overall it's a fun time at the movies. B

Review: The Box

What happens when you open the box? In the case of Richard Kelly's new film, you get a talented cast wasted in an uneven movie.

The latest sci-fi thriller from the writer-director of "Donnie Darko" and "Southland Tales" centers on Norma (Cameron Diaz) and Arthur (James Marsden), a married couple who are experiencing financial difficulties. One day Arlington Steward (Frank Langella), an ominous man who is missing half of his face, stops by their house to deliver a box with a single red button inside.

If Norma and Arthur push the button, two things will happen: They'll receive a cash payment of $1 million and someone who they don't know will die. Arlington tells Norma they have 24 hours to decide before he will retrieve the box, reprogram it and make the offer to someone else.

As Norma and Arthur try to decide if they could live with being responsible for someone's death in order to provide for their family, they begin meeting a number of strange characters who appear to be in a trance-like state, flashing them the peace sign with blood trickling from their noses. They discover nothing with the box is as simple as it seems as they investigate Arlington's mysterious employers.

My biggest problem with "The Box" is that it felt like two different movies. The first half is more what I expected from the trailer. The box is introduced almost immediately, so there is instantly a sense of foreboding and dread. There is a slow yet suspenseful build to the moment when Norma and Arthur decide whether or not to push the button, but that's when the movie takes a turn for the worse.

I expected more of an understated brand of suspense, more reminiscent of Hitchcock or "The Twilight Zone" (the same urban legend that inspired this movie was used in an episode of the series). It started out promising, but halfway through the film the story transforms into over-the-top gimmicks. The story gets progressively weirder and veers further and further from the more subtle tone established earlier in the film. People in the audience at my screening actually laughed out loud at the film's increasing absurdity.

Kelly showed such promise with the cult classic "Donnie Darko," which although it was extremely convoluted was also fresh and creative. Audiences go into that movie knowing it will be bizarre. But "The Box's" out-there second half feels out of place because the story isn't set up for such outrageously excessive twists. Its offbeat tangents come as a complete surprise, and as a result the story feels uneven.

Kelly seems to be turning into the M. Night Shyamalan of sci-fi - he had one brilliant film before heading progressively downhill with his follow-up efforts. Only time will tell if Kelly's next project will be more promising.

There were a few positives to the film in addition to its stronger first half. Marsden and Langella turn in strong performances as usual, while Diaz is decent except for her attempt at a Southern accent. The film also has a wonderfully eerie score courtesy of Win Butler, Regine Chassagne and Owen Pallett of Arcade Fire. And even though the film ends poorly, it does raise some interesting moral questions.

So what do you think about "The Box?" Would you press the button? Sound off in the comments section. C-

Not just for kids

Whether you love it or hate it, most people seem to agree that “Where the Wild Things Are,” Spike Jonze’s adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s book, isn’t really for kids. Rather than making a cute family film about love and friendship, Jonze’s adaptation is a deeply psychological look at what it feels like to be a 9-year-old, specifically the more tumultuous emotions a 9-year-old experiences rather than the joy of being a kid.

Max, played by newcomer Max Records, feels isolated, different and lonesome, and the performances and script convey these emotions so vividly that the audience feels them right along with him. And once he gets to the land of the Wild Things, life doesn’t get any easier. He has companionship with his cuddly new friends, but the dysfunctional group has just as many problems as he does.

Carol (James Gandolfini) is jealous of KW’s (Lauren Ambrose) new friends and wants desperately to keep their current group together without the intrusion of any newcomers while KW longs to explore something new. Judith (Catherine O’Hara) is constantly skeptical of what’s going on around her, and Alexander (Paul Dano) is frustrated and sad that no one ever listens to him.

Though they all clearly care about the friendship that binds them together, their problems often overpower it. These interactions are so intense and powerful that at times I felt uncomfortable watching it. Rarely is anything in this movie wrapped up neatly in a Disney-esque bow. The Wild Things all look to Max to make their lives better, but sometimes he just doesn’t know how to fix it – a realization that ultimately brings him closer to his mother, as in the land of the Wild Things, he has had to take on a role similar to hers.

This movie is pretty dark for a children’s film, and though the kids in the audience at my screening seemed entertained enough by the fuzzy title creatures, the movie’s complexity went way over their heads. Most of the audience for “Where the Wild Things Are” its opening weekend were adults and, in particular, college students.

This movie wasn’t even really marketed as children’s fare. Jonze’s past films include “Adaptation” and “Being John Malkovich,” intricate R-rated indies, and the offbeat indie vibe of those movies is definitely present in “Where the Wild Things Are.” But Jonze isn’t the only traditionally adult director tackling children’s stories.

Wes Anderson, also known for offbeat R-rated dramedies about dysfunctional people like “Rushmore,” “The Royal Tenenbaums” and “The Life Aquatic,” is tackling Roald Dahl’s “Fantastic Mr. Fox” this Thanksgiving. Like “Where the Wild Things Are,” this is a movie I’m not sure will resonate with kids as much as it will with Anderson’s typical audience.

The trailer for the stop motion animation film about Mr. Fox (George Clooney), his ragtag family and friends and their plan to escape from an evil trio of farmers feels like any other Wes Anderson movie. The dry humor and the interactions between the characters are definitely reminiscent of something like “The Royal Tenenbaums,” if that film were animated and about animals. It seems marketed toward Anderson’s usual target audience, and his fans will likely be curious about this new project, but it’s hard to say whether children will be entertained by his trademark style.

Tim Burton’s adaptation of “Alice in Wonderland” (due in theaters March 5) also looks as dark and fantastical as any other Burton film. Though he’s no stranger to children’s movies, having directed films like “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” in the past, Burton always puts his own unique spin on the material and his movies always appeal to just as many adults, maybe even to more adults, than children.

So what do you think? Why are directors like Jonze, Anderson and Burton so attracted to children’s stories right now? What other children’s movies can you think of that actually appeal more to adults?

Review: Couples Retreat

With a cast including funny men Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau and Jason Bateman, I expected “Couples Retreat” to offer plenty of laughs. But as far as romantic comedies go, this one fell a little flat.

The film focuses on four couples: Dave (Vaughn) and Ronnie (Malin Akerman), a stable and happy couple with excessively busy lives, Jason (Bateman) and Cynthia (Kristen Bell), an anal retentive couple who are having trouble conceiving a child, Joey (Favreau) and Lucy (Kristen Davis), who married after getting pregnant in high school and both have wandering eyes and Shane (Faizon Love) and Trudy (Kali Hawk), whose May-December romance is a product of Shane’s recent divorce.

Jason and Cynthia tell the others they are considering getting a divorce, and they want to travel to a tropical couples resort called Eden to attempt to save their marriage. They can’t afford the cost of the trip themselves, though, so they invite their friends to accompany them and get a discounted group rate. While the other couples are only looking for fun in the sun rather than therapy, the trip forces all of them to reevaluate their relationships.

The film was written by Vaughn and Favreau, both of whom have proven funny in the past in films like “Swingers.” But for the majority of the film, the audience only let out a few half-hearted chuckles and the occasional laugh.

The concept for “Couples Retreat” had potential, but it failed in its execution. The film was cheesy and predictable in all the wrong ways. I love cheesy and predictable romantic comedies as much as the next person, as long as they’re funny. But the jokes in this film were just few and far between, with only a handful of laugh-out-loud scenes.

The movie did have a terrific ensemble cast, which is part of the reason I was so disappointed with it. With the names attached to the project, I just expected more. All of the actors did a great job in their individual roles and as a group, and with a less talented cast, this movie would have completely missed the mark. The actors all seemed to be having fun together, which is part of what made the film bearable.

“Couples Retreat” did have some cute and funny moments, and the actors are all enjoyable to watch. It’s by no means the worst rom-com out there, but the fact that this romantic comedy isn’t all that funny takes away from the experience. “Couples Retreat” ends up being more of a lackluster trip than an enjoyable getaway. C-

Review: Whip It

After having a successful acting career for almost her entire life, Drew Barrymore takes a stab at directing with "Whip It." Though her direction is nothing groundbreaking, Barrymore does have talent behind the camera and tells a compelling coming of age story.

Ellen Page plays Bliss Cavendar, a high school misfit living in Bodeen, Texas, who participates in beauty pageants to placate her overbearing mother (Marcia Gay Harden). She spends her time listening to indie music, being tormented by her popular peers and working at the Oink Joint, a local barbecue diner. Bliss isn't enthusiastic about much in her life until she and her best friend Pash (Alia Shawkat) attend a roller derby match in Austin.

Enthralled by the roller derby lifestyle and the tough skaters of the Hurl Scouts, Bliss decides to try out for the team, despite the fact that she's 17 and the members must be 21 or older. Shy Bliss' speed makes her a star player, but she has to learn to toughen up if she wants to last in the league. She adopts the nickname Babe Ruthless and comes into her own with the help of her new friends Maggie Mayhem (Kristen Wiig), Smashley Simpson (Barrymore), Rosa Sparks (Eve) and Bloody Holly (Zoe Bell).

Bliss also faces her first love, indie musician Oliver (Landon Pigg), and her first major rival, Iron Maven of the Holy Rollers (Juliette Lewis).

"Whip It" definitely contains some girl power film and sports film cliches, but the roller derby backdrop makes it feel edgy and fresh. Though the story is predictable in some ways, it surprised me in others. It's funny and heartfelt, and the core female cast has great chemistry. The film has strong messages about finding yourself and about female empowerment, but none of it feels too forced or overbearing.

I can see why Barrymore, who I think in many of her roles has embodied tough-chick female empowerment, was drawn to this film as her first directing project. Though nothing about her directing style is revolutionary, Barrymore's clear understanding of the characters and story translates effectively onscreen. She also does a great job staging the physically demanding roller derby sequences, which I imagine were difficult to film.

"Whip It" also features great performances, particularly from Page. From her gritty performance in "Hard Candy" to her sharp-tongued wit in "Juno" to her more soft-spoken role as Bliss, Page has shown the makings of lasting talent. I think she has a great deal of potential, and having an Oscar nomination under her belt at age 22 doesn't hurt either.

Barrymore is also funny in front of the camera as the aggressive Smashley, and Shawkat complements Page nicely as Pash. Though her trademark dry humor is still present, Wiig is refreshingly laid back as Maggie and serves as a mentor and mother figure to Bliss. Andrew Wilson also gives a memorable performance as Razor, the Hurl Scouts' coach, and the always fierce Harden is excellent as Bliss' mother.

So while "Whip It" may not be the most innovative girl power flick out there, it's far more intelligent than most other current teen fare and it's a guaranteed good time at the movies. B+