The First Little White Lie

Several of my friends have raved at how good the romantic comedy "The Invention of Lying" was so I went to see it alone last night. I was very upset at the first few minutes of the movie when the background was laid. It begins in an alternate reality, a town in which no one every lied. There is no fiction of any kind and no religion. The concept of not telling the truth had not even come up yet. Everyone spoke exactly what they were thinking and just blurted it out. It seemed like a really stupid and mean movie. But, I try to always finish a movie so my opinion is based on the whole picture.

Then it happened. Someone told a lie and all of a sudden the movie became worth watching, and funny, and sensitive, and the moral became clear and I loved it. I also love the star being an average guy not some hot, sexy hunk. Ricky Gervais is a funny, chubby, normal looking nice guy and he did a great job in the lead. Jennifer Garner has huge lips! Sorry, she looks great with her tall slender shape. Her character was on the shallow side looking for her perfect genetic match so they would have perfectly beautiful babies.

Rob Lowe with his beautiful blue eyes and perfect hair and physique was unusually cast as the gorgeous jerk. It is hard to hate him in anything, but in this role I had to. So he did gets a B+.

I started thinking how easy it is to lie, and people will believe you because they want to, even today. So maybe we should start telling little white lies to make people feel better about themselves and their situation, like Ricky did in the movie. Confusion sets in when we weave those tangled webs. It sounds good in theory, but I think honesty is still the best policy.

Trivia

Ricky Gervais wrote this witty little movie, directed and produced it and then narrated and starred in it. Hats off to you Ricky. Good job! I am forever one of his biggest fans.

There are many reviews out there that really bash this movie. Some say the story is seriously anti-christian, and I say it is comedy and has nothing to do with religion. If anything, it gives a positive suggestion of what life after death might be like. I recommend it as a fun romantic comedy.

New Look for New Moon

With Chris Weitz on board as the new director, this installment of the Twilight Saga has a new look and follows the book much closer than the original movie. Although imdb.com only gave it 4.5 stars, I would give it a 6 compared to the 8.5 which I gave the original.


This movie is also very good. I love the storyline about the werewolves and Jacob's friendship, but I miss the connection between Bella and Edward. I missed the romance and the frustration they always felt although there was some towards the end of the movie.

I think Robert Patinson's fame is short-lived. He is good as Edward but he is not all that great looking and his skinny body does nothing for me. It feels like he is constantly posing for a photo shoot and he wears way too much makeup.

Don't get me wrong I still want Bella and Edward to be together and this is a very intriguing saga. The introduction of Dakota Fanning as an evil vampire with red eyes was a little weak. I look forward to her developing her character in the next movie.

Taylor Lautner as Jacob, the buff werewolf, was the star of this sequel with his beauty, constant friendship and strong animal like qualities. When he took his shirt off for the first time, a young girl in the audience screamed and soon many others made noises too. It reminded me of young teens swooning at an Elvis concert. He is gorgeous to look at and his sensitivity to Bella is quite attractive.

The Volturi family and their special powers was a little confusing to me, and the solution to their situation was a little unbelievable, but if you read the books, it may have been clearer. I am sorry to say I have not read the books.

This movie leaves me with questions unanswered like how can you take pictures of vampires and why is Bella's mind so special?

I am not a teenager anymore but I really enjoy this series. I look forward to new information about the characters being revealed and how Bella will eventually be turned.

Trivia

Bella wears a moon stone ring throughout the saga.

This director never made a vampire movie or any sequel of any kind before. Not bad for a beginner.


All of the boys who played the werewolves were of indian descent and were required to present proof of such to be in the move.

Talent Does Run in The Family

It Runs in the Family

This 2003 remake of an unsuccessful 1994 movie is a bit more appealing with a cast full of royalty, namely Kirk Douglas’s family. The story looks at a dysfunctional but prominent family in New York, including three generations of Grombergs, all strained relationships who live very separate lives.

Although it has a light tone and some humor, this movie deals with very serious issues: aging, illegal drugs, adolescent fighting, career changes and ultimately death.

Michael Douglas produced this comedy-drama with his father, Kirk Douglas who was 86 years old, only seven years after his actually having a stroke.

Cameron Douglas plays Michael’s son, Alex, a college student who struggles with drinking and drugs, and learns some hard lessons. Fine acting for a beginner.

Diana Dill, Michael’s real life mother and Kirk’s ex-wife plays the patriarch’s wife as a lady of grace and stature. I felt she wasn't even acting but just playing herself. Lovely lady. Bernadette Peters plays Michael’s psychologist wife. Although this is a somber role for Peters, she dose a fine job as a betrayed wife and loving mother.

In my opinion, the main weakness in this movie is that it does not allow you to like or even care about its main characters. There is just too much noise and too much going on to get to know anyone until the movie is half over. When tragedy brings the family together, the ending is quite surprising leaving you with good feelings of love, understanding and reconciliation. After the first half was over, I really started to enjoy the relationships and the plot. I no longer checked the time or wondered how much longer before it was over. Although a slow start, I do recommend this one, especially to see the Douglas family work together.

Trivia

Director Fred Schepisi said he was concerned about Kirk’s voice and his strength; ready to use Michael’s voice and digitally alter it if necessary. Although it was hard to see Kirk struggling with the effects of his stroke, he was able to finish his scenes without too much difficulty, and with the professionalism of a star of his magnitude.

Not terribly successful, the movie only grossed $7.5 million compared to Michael’s next film, “The In-laws,” which grossed $20 million.

Jersey Girl

Sorry folks, I couldn't get to the movies again this week, too much homework and papers due. So I caught this on cable TV. I heard it was awful but I started watching it and I got caught because the story started out pretty good.

Ollie (Ben Affleck) is a successful music publicist who loses everything, including his wife (Jennifer Lopez) who dies and leaves him a single dad to raise a beautiful baby girl. The daughter looks like Jennifer Lopez must have looked as a child. She is played quite charmingly by Raquel Castro.

Ollie and his daughter move in with his feisty father (George Carlin) as Gerty grows up, about 7 years. Liv Tyler plays Maya the new friend, for now, for Ollie. Maya sees the world in a fresh and fun way and helps Ollie to see what is really important in his life.

Kevin Smith wrote most of this screenplay in a couple months, set it aside and forgot about it. He was friends with Ben Affleck and happened to mention it to him. Affleck read it and liked it and Smith finished writing it quickly and specifically for Afflect to play the part of Ollie.

This is just a sweet little story about love and loss and finding out what is really important in life. I liked it.

English Literature Revisited

When there is nothing to entice me to the dollar movie, I stay home and watch older movies I have purchased from Joy Junction for $1.00 or I rent them from the library for free.

This week a friend and I watched a film made in 1987 with two of our favorite actors, Sir Anthony Hopkins and Judi Dench, called "84 Charing Cross Road."

Although the author, Helene Hanff, took many artistic liberties while writing this book in 1970, it is based on her true story - about an American publisher who purchases classics and collectible books from a bookstore in London, and through their letters of twenty years, develops intimate and caring relationships with Frank, the chief buyer and his wife (Judi Dench), and all of the bookstore employees.

Obsessed with the English classics and knowledge of such that would put us all to shame, she orders them from a quaint little shop that specializes in out of print books. A friendship and intelligent and funny conversations ensue in the form of letters. Historical facts are enticingly visited such as Winston Churchill, the coronation of the Queen and the black market of food during World War II.

Anne Bancroft (The Graduate) plays Helene and narrates the movie wonderfully. Helene's tough, witty and sometimes sarcastic demeanor was creatively captured by Bancroft, who I imagine was very much like her character in real life.

We were both surprised at how much we enjoyed this movie. I highly recommend it. There is a little romance, a lovely drama and Anthony Hopkins at his best (and also with hair).


Trivia

The bookstore was called Marks and Co., and is now a local bar so the store was built on a sound stage in London. There is a plaque on the bar wall commemorating the book.

The Time Traveller's Wife - Here Again Gone Again

I have thoroughly enjoyed any other time travel movies I've seen, especially "The Time Machine." So, when I heard about this one, I was excited, but honestly, it does not live up to its predecessors. It is a not much more than a sweet love story with a strange story line.

I really wanted to believe all this timetravel stuff, but the director just doesn't give enough information to convince me. He does tell us the hero has a genetic anamoly which causes him to time travel at any time to any place, but he often visits the same places and people in his life. I could not understand how the 49 year old and the 39 year old could be present at the same time. Somethings are better left alone and suspension of disbelief is necessary.

This movie is about deep, satisfying true love, patience, relationships, and a little about time travel.

After many failed relationships and full of frustrastration, artist Audrey Niffenegger wrote her debut novel in 2003, and after selling several million copies, it was transformed into a movie.

Borne in Melbourne, Australia, Eric Bana (Prince Hector in Troy) is another one of those dark, serious looking actors who looks mad or angry even when he is happy. It is had to believe he recieved awards for his stand-up comedy. He wanted to be a race car driver, but said, acting will do.

Canadian actress, Rachel McAdams was absolutely adoreable as the understanding and patient wife. Too patient if you ask me. I'm looking forward to her new movie "Morning Glory," with Diane Keaton and Harrison Ford about a morning show producer to be released soon.

Whale Rider - Another big fish story

Since I have not had time to get to the dollar movie this week, and cannot forsee having the time for a while, I pulled out an older movie I have been meaning to watch - Whale Rider. It had such wonderful reviews and won so many awards, I was really expecting a lot. Too much I guess because I was really disappointed.


This is a sweet little story, (not a true story as I first thought) about a little girl who questions why she can't do everything a boy can do and more, and then she goes and does it.

Set in modern day New Zealand, this story follows the daughter of the chief, who has little value, because the son, who died,would have been the next chief of the village. Paikea Apirana, Pai as she is called, sets out to prove she does have value and she can do everything the boys do, like learn the old language, the songs and chants, the stick fighting and then she rides a whale after coaxing him to leave the beach. They all think she has drowned but survives and she becomes the new chief.

It seemed just to unbelievable to me, I guess my imagination was on fall break because my skepticism kicked in so often, I could not really enjoy the movie.

The cinematography of the ocean was beautiful and the music was also very nice. The innocense of the girl and the lack of acting credentials most of the cast had was not a drawback. It was refreshing to see real people interacting as they actually would in a situation.

I am sure there are many people who could really enjoy this movie, to them I say rent it. It is a quaint, realistic view of a modern day village that still believes in the old stories and myths.

Trivia

The author of the book,Witi Ihimaera, wrote this story because he has a granddaughter and they were discussing about why heroes were always boys, so he used his cultural background to create a beautiful story and made the hero a girl, writing the entire book in three weeks.


The 13 year old girl in the lead was not an actress, Keisha Castle-Hughes, was just a school girl. The director, Niki Caro, wanted an average, pre-pubescent girl. She won an award for newcomer of the year, not to mention all the other awards the movie won.


The movie crew built (carved) the 60 foot boat used in the movie and then gave it to the people of the town, many of whom were used as extras in the movie.

It only cost $6 million to make this movie, which is very little to us, and it shows, but to New Zealand, it was a lot; the community was really behind this project. It grossed $41 million.