AWN Blogs

Here is a fun and enjoyable holiday present for movie fans. Directed by Jason Reitman (THANK YOU FOR SMOKING) and Hollywood screenwriter de jour Diablo Cody, this film delivers a miracle — a comedy with equal doses of edge and heart. Unlike so many wannabe hip indie comedies, this pop culture infused production creates characters that we can believe in — they don't just feel like slick constructions of a screenwriter. It's the multilayered characters — brought to life by a special cast — that makes this one of the premiere films of 2007.

Juno MacGuff (Ellen Page, HARD CANDY) discovers a one-night hook up with her longtime friend Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera, SUPERBAD) has resulted in a pregnancy. After an unsettling trip to the clinic, she decides to have the baby and give it up for adoption. Her father Mac (J.K. Simmons, SPIDER-MAN) and stepmother Bren (Allison Janney, THE HOURS) are supportive, but would have rather had an expulsion from school than this news. Juno finds a nice looking yuppie couple named Vanessa and Mark Loring (Jennifer Garner, TV's ALIAS, & Jason Bateman, TV's ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT) in the Pick-N-Save advertising for a baby. Over the course of the pregnancy, Juno will have to deal with many issues that are "way above her maturity level."

Last week I built This Weekend's Film Festival's lineup around some of the best films of 2007, which I caught first on DVD. Having recently seen Paul Verhoeven's BLACK BOOK, I saw a theme build around another of 2007's best, RESCUE DAWN. Both films tell harrowing tales of survival during war. So I searched the archives and found three other great films that chronicle the trials and tribulations of enduring a war. Two films follow Jews trying to survive the Nazi plague. Another film looks at WWII from a child's point of view, as well as Japan. The other film is a futuristic survival tale, which also revolves around children. Some of these films will thrill, while others could leave you emotionally transformed.

Comparing director Paul Verhoeven's Dutch films with his Hollywood films is like comparing the work of different directors. His 1973 film, TURKISH DELIGHT, is an underrated masterpiece. His English language films range from violent sci-fi like ROBOCOP and TOTAL RECALL and tawdry sexploitation flicks like BASIC INSTINCT and SHOWGIRLS. For BLACK BOOK, he goes back to Dutch, making a WWII set thriller that captures some of the dramatic power of his early work along with the sexual vibrancy he has become notorious for.

Rachel Stein (Carice van Houten) was a singer before the war broke out. Now she is shuffling from hiding spot to hiding spot across the Netherlands. After surviving several tragedies, Rachel changes her name to Ellis and hooks up with the Dutch resistance, which is organized by businessman Gerben Kuipers (Derek de Lint, DEEP IMPACT) and doctor Hans Akkermans (Thom Hoffman, DOGVILLE). Rachel becomes a dedicated member of the resistance with her willingness to do what must be done, even if that is sleeping with the head of the Gestapo, Ludwig Muntze (Sebastian Koch, THE LIVES OF OTHERS). She even endures working closely with the vile Nazi officer Gunther Franken (Waldemar Kobus), who murders and steals from rich Jews.

Much like Takashi Miike's ICHI THE KILLER, Joon-ho Bong's THE HOST combines varying styles into one production. However, where Miike makes his dark humor feel part of the same film, Bong never finds a proper balance between his slapstick humor, horror chills and political points. There is a good monster movie within, but the humor is awkward and the political satire fells arbitrary.

Gang-du (Song Kang-ho) works at the snack stand of his father Hie-bong (Byeon Hie-bong). He's a classic slacker, but tries to provide for his tween-aged daughter Hyun-seo (Ko Ah-sung), even if it means squirreling away loose change to buy her a new cell phone. His sister Nam-joo (Bae Du-na) is a champion archer who has a problem with delaying too long before taking her shot. His brother Nam-il (Park Hae-il) is a young businessman, but also a drunk. When American scientists force their employees to dump chemicals into the Han River, a monster rises from the waters to gobble up picnickers and kidnap Hyun-seo. In an effort to cover up the monster, the government starts a fake SARS-like disease scare, which prevents Gang-du and his family from finding his daughter.

It's hard to believe my next statement is true. This is the best film the Coen Bros. have ever made. With brilliant films like BLOOD SIMPLE and FARGO in their resume, it's strange to see a new film from master filmmakers and know it's their best work to date. I mean you don't expect Martin Scorsese to make another GOODFELLAS, but then you probably wouldn't have expected something equal or better than TAXI DRIVER after that film either. It's invigorating to see established filmmakers better their own high marks.

Setting a somber contemplative tone is a voice over from Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones, THE FUGITIVE), who tells a tale of killer who knows he's going to hell and doesn't care. Bell has seen a great deal of violence during his career and it is making less and less sense to him. Soon he will be swept up in a manhunt pitting a quiet laborer against a heartless professional killer.

This energetic adaptation of the Broadway musical based on the John Waters film bounces off the screen with lively performances, sly wit and catchy tunes. Making her big screen debut, lead Nikki Blonsky has an amazingly expressive face, which draws us in and wins us over. She is supported by great work from many of her fellow cast members, but she is truly the star of the show even when in scenes with A-listers like John Travolta and Christopher Walken.

Tracy Turnbald (Blonsky), a bubbly overweight teen, is a devoted fan of the local Baltimore '60s dance show hosted by Corny Collins (James Marsden, THE NOTEBOOK). When one of the regular girls must take a leave of absence for nine months, Tracy drags her best friend Penny Pingleton (Amanda Bynes, SHE'S THE MAN) down to the studio to audition. But station manager Velma von Tussle (Michelle Pfeiffer, STARDUST) won't let any plump freaks dance near her reining Miss Hairspray daughter Amber (Brittany Snow, JOHN TUCKER MUST DIE). Disappointed Tracy gets no support from her mother Edna (Travolta), who is ashamed of her own size and hasn't left the house in a decade. Her father Wilbur (Walken) on the other hand wants her to keep reaching for the stars, so when she learns some new steps from Seaweed (Elijah Kelley, 28 DAYS), whose mother Motormouth Maybelle (Queen Latifah, CHICAGO) hosts "Negro Day" on the Corny Collins Show, Tracy shows up at a hop and knocks the socks off Corny Collins, as well as Amber's boyfriend Link Larkin (Zac Efron, HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL). Now with Tracy on the show, Velma plots to stop Turnbald mania, which begins to take over Baltimore.

If this film were not part of the OCEAN'S franchise, it would be just an average, plot-heavy, slightly absurd heist comedy. With great stars and some of the familiar wit of the first two installments, the film does entertain, but it's a franchise that's truly showing its age. The motivation for the caper was promising, but it never hits home, because the details of the fantastic caper take up way too much time. With the screenplay taking up minute after minute explaining just how high tech the new casino is and how difficult it will be to pull off the job, all those details are just smoke and mirrors to obscure the same old tricks from before.

Reuben Tishkoff (Elliott Gould, THE LONG GOODBYE) has gotten into business with heavy hitter hotel entrepreneur Willie Bank (Al Pacino, HEAT). Once Bank gets what he needs from Tishoff, he cuts him out of the deal, leaving the old-timer penniless and bed ridden due to a heart attack. Danny Ocean (George Clooney) hears of the tragedy and calls the old crew back together to avenge their friend. They set out to rig it so the casino's games pay out big on opening night, thus bankrupting Bank. But when problems arise, they ask for help from their old adversary Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia, THE MAN FROM ELYSIAN FIELDS), who demands that they also steal Bank's prized diamond necklaces, which are extremely well protected. The new wrinkle needs someone to get close to Bank's right hand Abigail Sponder (Ellen Barkin, THE BIG EASY) and Linus (Matt Damon, THE BOURNE IDENTITY) takes on the mission of a love con. Meanwhile, the crew's opponent from the second film, Francois Toulour (Vincent Cassel, EASTERN PROMISES), keeps popping up around town.

Because I don't get a chance to see all the films I want in theaters, I get a treat when some of the better films in a year arrive on DVD. So I decided to circle back and highlight some of my recent discoveries on DVD, which I feel represent some of the best films of 2007. Due to the hectic holidays, I'm behind in several reviews, so I picked the five films that are out on DVD that I have already reviewed and gave three-and-a-half to four stars to. Keep an eye out for my upcoming reviews of RESCUE DAWN and HAIRSPRAY, which also could have made the cut. Three of the films are very good, but probably won't make my top 25 when the year comes to a close. The other two films are likely to make my top 10. So you're in for a treat.

For This Weekend's Film Festival, the lineup has a personal spin to it; however, the discussion I hope to create is universal. Various elements of cinema remind us of our loved ones for different reasons. As it is Thanksgiving this week and some of you will be spending it with family, I felt it was a fun idea to think about what films make you think of the people you are close to. Why do those films make you think of the person? The five selections this week remind me of my wife, who I am very thankful for. For readers, read on to see some of the various details that conjure thoughts of our friends and family. For viewers, this lineup is just a group of fun films to check out over the holiday weekend.