Kevin Nealon: Whelmed, But Not Overly - 7 stars out of 10

Kevin Nealon: Whelmed, But Not Overly - 7 stars out of 10

“Kevin Nealon: Whelmed, But Not Overly” is an hour-long stand-up routine by comedian Kevin Nealon.  Much like a Jerry Seinfeld routine, he reflects on normal, everyday life things to which we can all relate.  Nothing about the content is particularly shocking or funny but his comedic delivery keeps you laughing.  The content is not overly crude but this is not a movie that you will want to watch as a family.  The highlight of the documentary is the segment on “crop dusting,” a term that I had never heard before but now I want to hear more stories!  Honestly, the only reason that I watched this movie is because of the extremely clever title.  “Whelmed, But Not Overly” won’t change your life but it will definitely give you a good laugh if you are looking to pass the time.

[Pictured: Nealon’s words are simple but his delivery is hilarious]

The Bridge on the River Kwai - 8 stars out of 10

The Bridge on the River Kwai - 8 stars out of 10

“The Bridge on the River Kwai” is not what generally comes to mind when you think of a WWII epic.  Instead of tanks, air raids and gun battles, this film focuses on the Prisoner of War camps where soldiers were forced into labor and unjust punishment.  I loved the content of the film but 2 hours and 40 minutes was way too long to tell this story.  Everything develops so slowly that it becomes difficult to stay focused.  It is celebrated as one of the greatest films of all time but I can’t find any reason that this film should have beat “Twelve Angry Men” for the Best Picture and Best Director Oscars.  I don’t even think that it is as good as “Witness for the Prosecution,” another Best Picture nominee from 1957.  Still, Alec Guinness puts on an Oscar-winning performance and several of the film’s iconic scenes have etched their imprint onto cinema history.  I feel nostalgic during the “Colonel Bogey March” sequence, the hot box scene is very raw, and the “What have I done?” concluding scene is excellent.  Even though this movie came out 20 years before “Star Wars,” it is hard to watch Guinness without thinking about Obi-Wan Kenobi the entire time.  Ironically, I believe his Oscar-nominated “Star Wars” performance to be better than his performance in this film.  I would even go as far to say that Charles Laughton, Henry Fonda, and Lee J. Cobb were all more deserving of the 1957 Oscar.  The acting in this film is good but the scenery, cinematography, and screenplay are what you will remember.  “The Bridge on the River Kwai” is a significant part of cinema history but its legacy is tainted by several other films of its era that contain superior acting and dialogue.

[Pictured: The film is long, but its worth watching the entire thing for this surprising conclusion]

Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me - 10 stars out of 10

Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me - 10 stars out of 10

“Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me” is a difficult but important film to watch.  This documentary chronicles Campbell’s final tour following his diagnosis with Alzheimer’s disease.  The tour was supposed to last 5 weeks but lasted an unprecedented year and a half, selling out all 151 shows.  While we see him at his lowest point, the sad moments are tempered with love and support from his fans.  What really struck me about the film is the love that Campbell receives from his family.  I had subconsciously acknowledged the fact that the film does not contain the profanity that you generally expect from a highly emotional film like this one, but it all made sense when the family revealed their strong Christian faith.  The family’s support for Glen is incredible.  I cannot even imagine the frustration that they must have felt throughout the difficult rehearsals, all the while watching their husband/father slowly forget their names; however, it becomes clear that he must continue to make music because performing actually increased his cognitive ability and retention.  That’s the power of music and pursuing your passion.  This is a man that he can’t even remember the first president of the United States but then he can improvise this incredible blues guitar solo like it’s nothing.  It is inspiring to see him summon every bit of focus to perform hits like “Rhinestone Cowboy” and “Wichita Lineman” for audiences who adore him.  Even as he struggles to record his final song, “I’m Not Gonna Miss You,” it is evident that his mind is slipping but his heart is still full of music.  There are brief splashes of biographical information but the focus is truly on the present as he navigates his final tour and learns to deal with his degenerative disease.  Amidst the sad regression, I found a silver lining in the musicianship of his daughter, Ashley.  She was only 25 years old during the production of this documentary but she held her ground onstage with a living legend of country music.  Without question, his legacy will live on through her.  Just as we saw with the release of Julianne Moore’s “Still Alice,” Alzheimer’s is a hot-button issue faced by many families in the United States and the growing awareness of the disease has inspired many to invest in a solution to this painful problem.  “Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me” is very sad, but it is also a fitting tribute to one of history’s greatest country singers.

[Pictured: Even as his mind slips away, Glen Campbell still has music in his heart]

Blitz (2011) - 3 stars out of 10

Blitz (2011) - 3 stars out of 10

“Blitz” has all of the action and masculinity that you expect from a Jason Statham film.  Unfortunately, “Blitz” also has the acting quality that you expect from a Jason Statham film.  The story is pretty standard as the cops try to catch a cop-killer before he kills any more cops.  Naturally, it centers around an unlikely pair of cops that team up to solve the mystery and a clever killer who wins the game of cat and mouse for the majority of the film.  The end offers a decent resolution but there are few moments of originality.  Moreover, the decent action sequences are not worth the constant stream of profanity and mediocre acting.  “Blitz” has plenty of adrenaline but when it comes to entertainment value, it proves to be tough to watch as the risk is greater than the reward.

[Pictured; This film gives you just about everything that you expect from non-Italian-Job Jason Statham]

Hitler's Olympics - 6 stars out of 10

Hitler's Olympics - 6 stars out of 10

“Hitler’s Olympics” is a recollection of the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games within the context of the Nazi regime.  This competition is remembered for Jesse Owens’ reception of four gold medals but the political implications of these Games went far beyond the athletics.  The political climate led many countries to attempt a boycott of the Berlin Olympics but the participation of several key nations resulted in everybody’s involvement.  This documentary chronicles many of the behind the scenes events, including German Jews that were not permitted to compete, Hitler’s intentions to prove Aryan superiority, and a complete control over the media.  The mention of 1936 Germany immediately brings thoughts of the Holocaust; and yet, there was not a single news report regarding concentration camps.  One thing that Hitler could not control was Owens, whose accomplishments overshadowed the glorification of Aryans.  Something that you may not realize is that the Olympics were much more simplistic prior to 1936.  The Germans turned the Olympics into the ritualistic celebration that we recognize today and their DNA has been a part of every opening ceremony ever since!  You can thank them for all of the fanfare, even though their intention was to show their superiority.  “Hitler’s Olympics” is very informative and worthwhile for history buffs and Olympics fans alike.

[Pictured: The first Olympic torch relay took place in the 1936 Olympics]

Just Friends (2005) - 5 stars out of 10

Just Friends (2005) - 5 stars out of 10

“Just Friends” is the romantic goofball comedy that you expect from the previews, synopsis, or even just the DVD cover that features a fat Ryan Reynolds.  It exhibits every stereotype imaginable, from a fat nerd becoming attractive and a popular high school jock becoming a loser to the morals of success making people arrogant and that love cannot be bought.  You can essentially predict every piece of this puzzle five minutes before it happens; still, sometimes we need a few laughs and a story that doesn’t surprise us.  I think that most people can relate to this film on some level because we have all been put into the “friend zone” at one time or another.  Also, Amy Smart has that girl-next-door look that will remind every guy of a female friend that he had in high school.  While the plot doesn’t require us to think on a very high level, watching this film begs the question: “Whatever happened to Amy Smart?”  She was very popular when this film came out but it wasn’t long before she faded away.  Personally, I gave up on her after I saw “Crank,” but every actor is entitled to a mistake.  It is interesting to consider that she was more popular than Ryan Reynolds when this film came out and yet, his longevity has far surpassed hers.  My main complaint about this film is the lack of chemistry between the characters.  Everybody gets to have their humorous moments, like the hockey scene for Reynolds, the Christmas decoration destruction for Anna Faris, and the poor teenage guitar performance for Chris Klein.  All of the situational and slapstick comedy is well done.  However, there is never a moment where I really want two characters to get together and I definitely did not shed any tears at the film’s obvious conclusion.  “Just Friends” is a great put-it-on-in-the-background comedy that resolves all of its situations the way that you want, but it is also the opposite of a tearjerker with plot twists that will keep you guessing.

[Pictured: Obese Ryan Reynolds looks so absurd that you almost have to watch it just to believe it]

The Sandlot - 7 stars out of 10

The Sandlot - 7 stars out of 10

The sandlot is a classic coming-of-age story that successfully captures 1960's summer vacation culture, the exaggeration of a child's imagination, and every boy's childhood love of baseball.  The film had a decent theatrical run but I believe that its popularity is a result of nostalgic parents wanting to share the story with their children.  Since its release, this film has become a cult classic and any parent who loved baseball as a child will inevitably share this film with their own children.  Roger Ebert’s comparison to this film as a “summertime version of ‘A Christmas Story’” is spot on from the stereotypical characters to the perception of adults and exaggerated circumstances.  I think that one of the film’s strongest features is the relatability of its characters.  We’ve all felt like Smalls when we didn’t fit in, we’ve all felt special when a cool kid like Benny reached out to us, and even being afraid of a big dog.  The lack of maturity in some of the child acting by Tom Guiry (Smallys), Mike Vitar (Benny), Patrick Renna (Ham), Chauncey Leopardi (Squints), and Marty York (Yeah-Yeah) is balanced by the experience of adult actors Karen Allen, James Earl Jones, and Dennis Leary.  And Marley Shelton manifested every teenage boy’s dream girl as Wendy Peffercorn.  You can’t help but smile when you read the name of each character and remember their antics.  It has been fun to see several of the film’s quotable moments become known by multiple generations and it proves the longevity that this film will have throughout time.  It is one of those movies that everybody seems to have seen.  To test this theory, bring it up at a party of just utter the word “Fooorrr-eee-VVVEEERRR” twice and watch the reactions of everybody who immediately remembers the scene.  “The Sandlot” may not have the best acting or the most interesting story, but what it does have is a serious dose of nostalgia that makes us all long for the simplicity of our own childhood.

[Pictured: Every neighborhood has a ragtag group of kids just like this]