"Four Seasons Lodge" - about a summer colony in the Catskills formed by Holocaust survivors as a safe haven that in 2006 began breaking apart. All those who visit the lodge in recent years are aging survivors, many with a myriad of health issues. As their health declines, so do the number of attendees. Filmed with care and thoughtfulness, this film focuses on what happens many years after tragedy strikes. How do people move on? How does one build community when all family members are gone? "Four Seasons Lodge" tells the story of one group of survivors many years after the Holocaust. How will they be remembered? At times touching and humorous, it is a film worth checking out.
http://www.fourseasonsmovie.org/
"The Princess & the Frog" - Disney is back in action with a twist on a classic fairy tale in 2-D animation. Certainly a throwback for those who remember the glory days of such classics like "Cinderella" and "Sleeping Beauty." While Disney is still several decades behind the times, this film features an African American heroine who helps save the day, but still marries a prince in order to achieve her dream. I was a little underwhelmed by the formulaic nature of the film (she and her prince make instant animal friends! who save their lives on multiple occasions! they find true love! love conquers all!) and I found the villain to be scarier than I thought a G-rating would allow. The villain is a "voo-doo" man who peddles in dark magic and trickery, making him part Jafar and part Cruella de Vil (such very pointy bones!). It's a fun romp though if you aren't too tired of fairy tale cliches.
http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/princessandthefrog/
"Angels and Demons" - Dan Brown book turned film. Tom Hanks reprises his role as the "silver fox" (Dan Brown's description, not mine) from the first film in essentially "National Treasure: Vatican Edition." To sum up: the long dormant anti-Catholic secret society formed by learned men like Galileo and Raphael has reared its vengeful head just before the Catholic world selects a new Pope. They've done so by kidnapping a dangerous substance called anti-matter, that, when it touches matter, will cause a huge explosion. The Catholic Church brought down by science -- clearly Robert Langdon is the man for the job! Hijinks ensue and changes were made from the book (yes, I read it) in order to streamline the story. I read that Ron Howard felt this was much more of an action story than The Da Vinci Code, but I found it just as boring. While I do not understand the casting choice of Tom Hanks, I must say I was delighted by Stellan Skarsgård as the disdainful head of the Swiss Guard. The rompers flipped through "1001 Books to Read Before You Die" in preparation for a 2010 year long reading challenge and still managed to catch the plot, like the book, it's a light story.
http://www.angelsanddemonsmovie.org/
"The Ugly Truth" - An ugly story indeed. I am a fan of light "chick-flicks" or "rom-coms" and love the genre across the board; from "Sleepless in Seattle" to "Ten Things I Hate About You," yet I found this movie to be disappointing. Ready for a formula film where opposites attract and eventually love abounds, I found "The Ugly Truth" to be filled with unnecessary sexual innuedos and a lackluster plot. It was part "Someone Like You..." mixed with "He's Just Not That Into You" trying to live up to "When Harry Met Sally." It failed on all three fronts. This movie is not funny, Gerard Butler and Katherine Heigl have no chemistry and the characters are flat, generating no sympathy. This 96 minute movie felt long. The pay off kiss at the end is not worth it. If you are looking for a fun chick flick, look elsewhere or to a tried and true film with a truly adorable leading man. Sorry, Gerard Butler does not do it for me, particularly when he's trying to mask his Scottish brogue, which emphasizes his chipmunk cheeks.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1142988/
- KER
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