Saturday, November 22, 2014

Million Dollar Arm - 7 stars out of 10

Million Dollar Arm - 7 stars out of 10

Sports movies often follow a predictable roadmap in which an underdog team must overcome an impossible opponent, come together to show remarkable progress, face an unexpected problem, and then persevere in the end.  “Million Dollar Arm” is not one of those movies.  This film tells the tale of two individuals trying to prove themselves in a sport that they have never played.  While this is a “baseball movie,” you do not have to be a sports fan to enjoy it.  The story is told through the medium of baseball but the heart of this film lies in the cultural and language barriers faced by the protagonists.  As if this wasn’t a big enough “human element,” their materialistic manager must undergo a humbling transformation.  Pitobash Tripathy, Lake Bell, and Alan Arkin steal the spotlight with their character roles, but all of the acting is above average.  I really enjoyed the score by A. R. Rahman and the script is good, but I was most impressed with the director’s ability to bring this true story to life through the atmospheric shots of India.  The story hits close to home because the main characters were drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates, but the Indian atmosphere emphasizes the culture shock faced by any foreign athletes when they first arrive in America.  I love all of the American sports movies, but “Million Dollar Arm” is a breath of fresh air.

[Pictured: Good performances all around, especially Pitobash Tripathy (on the right)]

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Earth to Echo - 5 stars out of 10

Earth to Echo - 5 stars out of 10

"Earth to Echo" is an average family sci-fi film whose special effects and likeable alien friend make it an enjoyable watch for any age.  It is obvious that the films target audience is kids and young teens, but the producers created something unique by straying away from the equation that we so often see in stereotypical family films.  I can understand those who criticize the film for cheesy dialogue and way too many parallels to “E.T.” (particularly the film poster and the entire storyline), but its artistic approach to the story puts it a step above other family films.  It uses modern internet technology to support its found footage format and I hope that this creative approach will help to mold a more sophisticated generation of moviegoers and moviemakers.  The acting isn’t on par with movies like “Super 8” that are driven by child actors, but the film reminded me of “Chronicle” in its ability to make the supernatural believable through the melding of shaky camera and CGI.  “Earth to Echo” isn’t going to win any Oscars, but it successfully servers its purpose and I will definitely share it with my own children someday.

[Pictured: The owl-like Echo is so cute that you can't help but enjoy this film]