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Reviews
Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed (2008)
"Expelled" Ben Stein should be ashamed!
I wish the people who slam Darwin would take some time to understand what Darwin is all about. Also, they should try reading the late Stephen Jay Gould, including his wonderful 1999 book, "Rocks of Ages: Science and Religion in the Fullness of Life." Yes, science and religion can co-exist, as he articulately writes. One does not have to believe the mythology of sacred texts, written when man was barely able to come to grips with life and thought, much less science and progress, to have a sense of spirituality and faith. Yet we humans need to believe we are special in the universe and that some Tennessee Williams-like Big Daddy gave us dominion over everything. Alas, if survival and reproduction, including gradual adaptations that lead to better survival rates, are the engine of all living organisms, then the virus with its incredible ability to adapt (evolve, if you will) and survive whatever we seem to throw at it, appears to trump our humble record on this planet. This film is going to make a few bucks from those who wish to feel justified in closing their mind to science and what Darwin is really about. That's okay. It's also easier than studying.
Rocket Science (2007)
ROCKET SCIENCE is really a wonderful film!
How anyone could be bored with this is beyond me. Perhaps the film hits too close to home. See it, if for no other reason, for the terrific performances of Reece Thompson and Anna Kendrick. They are both amazing in their key roles, and, were this a high-profile Hollywood film, would no doubt be considered come Oscar time, as well they should be! High school can be a painful time, so to expect some Disney version of perfect, perky kids, who all look like teen models, is downright unrealistic. This film, on the other hand, rang true in just about every scene, which is no easy task. And I have to add that I have become a big fan of Margo Martindale, who can do just about anything asked of her. (See her touching segment in the multi-segment film "Paris, je t'aime" and her work in "The Riches" to get an idea of how terrific this actress is.) In any event, if you want to see a film that reflects high school in all its good-bad-and-ugly splendor, this is one film you should not miss.
Intolerable Cruelty (2003)
The Coens Have Done it Again!
Like a Bach fugue, Intolerable Cruelty moves beautifully and intricately from start to finish. Clooney and Zeta-Jones, along with a terrific supporting cast, make the material shine. The fortune hunter versus all-powerful divorce lawyer plot is full of twists and turns to keep us guessing how the entire thing will turn out. And the ending is one of the most satisfying in recent memory, especially when we consider the desperate and slimy nature of network TV reality programming these days. Last, I'm still laughing at the scenes in which Clooney interacts with the head of his law firm. Why do I have a sneaking suspicion that this is really the way it is?
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970)
Why Don't They Ever Learn!
Just listen to the Broadway cast album and to the voices of Barbara Harris and John Cullum, who do wonders for the wonderful Lerner and Lane score. Then, with that beautiful cast recording fresh in mind, watch the movie, with Streisand as Streisand, and Yves Montand reading his lines with such a heavy French accent that a chain saw couldn't cut through it. The best part (for those who need something to look forward to) is what Montand does to the introductory part of the title song. Listen as he sings/says: Could anyone among us have an inkling or a clue, what magic feats of wizardry and voodoo you can do? (That one part sums up the problem that results from casting "name stars" in movie musicals instead of the appropriate talent for the various roles.) I can just see Rex Harrison entering that scene and suggesting Montand, too, could learn to do justice to the beauty of the English language.
The Fantasticks (2000)
Old Fashioned In The Best Sense!
This show ran for over 40 years off-Broadway, where I saw it late in its run. It has certainly been done a lot on stages everywhere and often the approach is so heavy-handed that the simplicity and charm of the show are lost. So after all the delays and re-cuttings, the film came out and I had to give it a try. The good news: it worked and worked well. In fact, I can't imagine it being done much better given the difficulty of adapting stage musicals to the screen. "Act One" is full of youthful idealism (with adult plotting going on behind the scenes). "Act Two" is the reality check wherein one sees all the flaws that had been masked by that youthful idealism. A simple love story with some of Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt's most enjoyable music, this film is a wonderful entertainment.