Brüno - 2 stars out of 10

Brüno - 2 stars out of 10

"Brüno" is beyond offensive.  Riding on the coattails of "Borat," Sacha Baron Cohen tries to duplicate the success of his candid exploitation of unknowing bystanders; unfortunately, all that he ended up with was an endless display of uncomfortable shock value gay-bashing.  Where "Borat" is funny through its situational irony that cleverly explores the character's ignorance toward American culture, "Brüno" uses the same gay joke over and over again through gratuitous sexual content.  The candid reactions of the film's cast are not entertaining because I feel bad for these poor "victims" (and audience members) as they are forced to see his private parts during the film.  There is nothing likeable about the Brüno (in fact, he is one of the most annoying characters that I have ever seen) and I wish that Sacha Baron Cohen would have been smart enough to go out on a high note with "Borat."

L'Heure d'été (Summer Hours) - 3 stars out of 10

L'Heure d'été (Summer Hours) - 3 stars out of 10
 
"L'Heure d'été" was a bit slow for my taste.  I love Juliette Binoche and Edith Scob had some nice delivery of her dialogue, but it honestly took over three hours to get through this film because I kept falling asleep.  The story is interesting as it shows how the lives of three children went in completely opposite directions and how their perspectives on dividing up their deceased mother's estate are completely different depending on their personal circumstances.  I liked all of the references to art but feel that the art aspect was underplayed.  "L'Heure d'ete" has some interesting content but for me, it fell flat as a whole.

The Pirates of Penzance (1983) - 10 stars out of 10

The Pirates of Penzance (1983) - 10 stars out of 10

"The Pirates of Penzance" is a perfect telling of Gilbert and Sullivan's famed operetta.  Having a great familiarity and affinity for the show, I approached this film with a critical eye but was thrilled with my findings.  The sets are awesome, bringing the story the life while still giving it a "stage" feel.  The adaptation of the orchestration to include modern instruments was also interesting and never detracted from the show.  When I read some of the names on the cast list, I wondered how these actors could play these roles, but this is actually one of the most perfectly cast films that I have ever seen.  Kevin Kline's performance as the Pirate King absolutely dominates the film, from the buffoonery of his interactions with the Major General to the moment when he pretends to pass out during "My Eyes Are Fully Open."  Angela Lansbury is not a voice that I would generally associate with Ruth but her acting is so superb that it doesn't even matter.  Linda Ronstadt is cute as Mabel but is quickly forgotten because she plays opposite of Rex Smith as Frederic.  His over-the-top rock star moment when he sings for the daughters with the wind in his hair says it all.  Finally, George Rose IS the Modern Major General and nobody else could play this role so well.  This film is so good that it will take 3 hours to watch once you've rewound and rewatched all of your favorite songs 2 or 3 times.

Food, Inc. - 8 stars out of 10

Food, Inc. - 8 stars out of 10

"Food, Inc." should not be watched while consuming meat.  The gruesomely detailed exploration of the food industry exposes the man (and machinery) hiding behind the curtain.  Everything that the food industry never wanted you to see is contained in this film that brings transparency to the unfair treatment of workers and animals.  The film fails to address the challenges of feeding a constantly growing global community, but it won't matter in the end because the treatment of the animals that we eat is enough to make you sick (figuratively and literally).  The film targets food companies that hold a monopoly on the market, forcing farmers to conform to their ways or find themselves with crops that they are unable to sell.  "Food, Inc." may shed some light on the products that we consume but more than anything, it is a strong reminder that ignorance is bliss.

Le Ballon Rouge (The Red Balloon) - 7 stars out of 10

Le Ballon Rouge (The Red Balloon) - 7 stars out of 10

"Le Ballon Rouge" is a cute short film about a boy who befriends a red balloon (actually... a red balloon who befriends a boy) and their adventures around Paris.  But there is a lot more to this film than a childish story about balloons and bullies.  It tells its story with minimal dialogue, its imagery is memorable, and the ending is quite poignant.  The influence of this film is not difficult to find, whether it is the balloon cluster theme of Pixar's "Up" or a parody like Don Hertzfeldt's "Billy's Balloon."  By the way, if you have never seen the aforementioned short, it is very mean-spirited but once you've seen "Le Ballon Rouge," you'll get it and it will become hilarious.  This film is a slice of Parisian life as it explores the Belleville area of Paris.  Anybody who has visited this city will enjoy the authentic feel of a Parisian neighborhood.  The film also serves as a historical record of Belleville as this area of Paris has since been demolished.  It is really special that director Albert Lamorisse used his children in the main roles and his son Pascal is very impressive.  "Le Ballon Rouge" is an all-around fun film and, while kids are sure to enjoy it, this film has enough substance to excite adults.

Killers - 7 stars out of 10

Killers - 7 stars out of 10

I really enjoyed "Killers."  Granted, I hated "Knight and Day" with Tom Cruise so much that I have an incredibly low expectation for every assassin-thriller-romantic comedy that I watch, but I did think that this film had a decent story.  I also enjoyed it because Ashton Kutcher reminded me of John Krasinski more than he reminded me of Ashton Kutcher (which made his performance bearable), and I found Katherine Heigl to be charming and hilarious so it was never a burden to watch.  The action sequences were frequent but never drawn out, the dialogue had a lot of laughs, and although the twist was a bit predictable, it properly pulled the entire story together.  "Killers" may not be very original but it does a good job within its cookie-cutter concept and comedic craftsmanship.

Balto - 4 stars out of 10

Balto - 4 stars out of 10

"Balto" is another one of those non-Disney animated films from the 90's that is enjoyable for kids but fails to achieve Disney standards.  It may not have the greatest animation or script, but I really enjoyed the film because of its cool (though loose) portrayal of the famous 1925 serum run to Nome.  The live-action intro starts the film with a "true story" feel and the live-action outro brings significance to the story (and maybe even a few tears).  I do take issue with a few of the characters (mainly Boris and the polar bears) who entertain younger kids but were really annoying for an adult.  That's really the difference between Disney animation (fun for the whole family) and the 90's imitations (geared toward kids to fill the seats instead of achieve cinematic perfection).  I expected a bit more from a film produced by Steven Spielberg; then again, look at "Indian Jones/Crystal Skull."  But aside from that, there is quality voice acting by Kevin Bacon, Bridget Fonda, and Jim Cummings and a really awesome bad guy in Steele.  "Balto" is an enjoyable family film and, though it can't compare to Disney, I'd watch it again (...and would likely cry again).