Book club favorite THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES more than just survives its transition to the screen. Thanks to its strong cast, this female-centric drama thrives. Dakota Fanning stars as Lily, a 14-year-old girl living with her abusive father (Paul Bettany) in South Carolina in 1964. Lily struggles with a burden of guilt after she accidentally killed her mother a decade before, and she longs for knowledge of the woman. When the family\’s caretaker Rosaleen (Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson) is arrested after standing up to a group of violent white men, Lily seizes the opportunity to run off with Rosaleen and search for clues to her mother\’s life. They arrive at the home of the Boatwrights, a trio of black sisters. Motherly August (Queen Latifah) cultivates the state\’s most coveted honey, June (Alicia Keys) focuses on her music and on rebuffing the advances of an ardent suitor (Nate Parker), and childlike May (Sophie Okonedo) struggles to stay happy in the turbulent time. But in a still-racist world where the Civil Rights Act has just been passed, the Boatwrights\’ home acts as a haven for Lily as she searches for information about her mother\’s past. <br><br>The heavy drama could\’ve presented a challenge for Fanning, who has gone beyond the role of a little girl, but she does a fine job. The other actresses in the film, especially Latifah and Okonedo, shine without overpowering the other performances. Bettany departs from his usual charming roles and melts into the difficult part of Lily\’s violent father. In the spirit of past favorites such as THE COLOR PURPLE and CORRINA, CORRINA, THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES presents a gripping look at the South in the 1960s with a nice balance of laughter and tears.
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This post was written on November 27, 2008
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As its explicit title suggests, Kevin Smith\’s ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO is a foul-mouthed and filthy film that probably isn\’t fit for the very young, the very old, or the easily offended. But for those who enjoy Smith\’s brand of humor, this raunchy but romantic comedy could be the perfect date movie (though perhaps not for a first date). With mountains of past-due bills piling up, Zack (Seth Rogen, KNOCKED UP) and his roommate/childhood friend Miri (Elizabeth Banks, SCRUBS) aren\’t sure how they\’re going to stay in their Pittsburgh apartment. But a chance encounter at their 10-year reunion gives them the idea to make a porn movie. When it comes time for the friends to do the deed, they realize that perhaps they\’re more than just friends.<br><br>With all the talk of sexual positions and bodily functions, it\’d be easy to say that Smith is hopping on the Judd Apatow bandwagon that has dominated the box office in the latter half of the aughts with KNOCKED UP and THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN, and ZACK AND MIRI even features a few Apatow alumni. But Smith perfected this schtick down back in the \’90s with CLERKS, when some of Apatow\’s fans were still in diapers. ZACK AND MIRI is most reminscent of Smith\’s own CHASING AMY; there are plenty of gag- or giggle-inducing moments, but Smith\’s script is also surprisingly sweet. Rogen and Banks make a perfect couple, and the always hilarious Rogen could be Smith\’s new Ben Affleck or Jason Lee.
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This post was written on November 27, 2008
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The East High Tigers dance their way from the Disney Channel to the silver screen in this feature film. In HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3: SENIOR YEAR, Troy (Zac Efron) and Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens) realize that high school–and their closeness–may not last forever, so they decide to produce one last musical before graduation.
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This post was written on November 27, 2008
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At first, Clint Eastwood\’s CHANGELING could appear to be following too closely in the footsteps of his earlier Oscar winner, MYSTIC RIVER, since both films center on a missing child. But while his previous film was based on a Dennis Lehane novel, CHANGELING carries a particular weight because it is based on a true story, and one that isn\’t largely known. Angelina Jolie stars as Christine Collins, a single mother working in 1928 Los Angeles when her son goes missing. A boy is returned to her months later by the police, but she is shocked and disheartened when she realizes that the boy isn\’t her son. Joined by a crusading pastor (John Malkovich), Christine battles for justice against the corrupt L.A.P.D. while she continues to search for her child. Eventually her fight against the cops lands her in a mental hospital, where she is surrounded by others with a similar plight. <br><br>At times, CHANGELING is incredibly difficult to watch. Jolie gives an authentic, anguished performance, and the on-screen tragedy is quite disturbing, largely because of its basis in reality. But Eastwood has crafted another Oscar-worthy film that is certainly worth sitting through, even if a tissue or two is required. Screenwriter J. Michael Straczynski had been best known for his work in science fiction (BABYLON FIVE) and graphic novels, but he makes an adept transition to feature drama with this film. Its unusual focus–on the victim and her struggle for justice, rather than on the criminal and the crime–brings further depth to the film. As always, Amy Ryan (an Oscar nominee for GONE BABY GONE) perfectly morphs into her role (this time as a prostitute imprisoned in the mental hospital), and the film\’s many child actors are compelling to watch.
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This post was written on November 27, 2008
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