Inception

Inception is an event that is a beginning; a first part or stage of subsequent events. This definition gives a hint as to what might be going on in this film starring Leonardo DiCaprio, that is if you can hang with this muddled plot which goes off in all directions at the same time.

DiCaprio is assisted in this caper by Ellen Page who floats through the mayhem and madness with a faint smile that changes into a worried look, then becomes that of a placid bystander. Not a lot of acting required for that role. She travels with DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ken Watanabe and Cilian Murphy as they play with mind control sequences as a form of corporate espionage. They invade the dreams of wealthy folks to dig up tightly guarded secrets. After absorbing that news you are on your own trying to translate the endless gun battles, chase sequences, explosive eruptions, buildings collapsing into the sea, people floating around the room and bouncing off the walls and ceilings while supposedly dreaming.

Every possible pyrotechnic mechanism is used to move the action along as the characters appear in six or more different locations, finally ending up landing at Los Angles Airport for the resolution of this two and a half hour contest to see whether the viewers are going to hang all the way through with this crowd or beat it to the nearest bar to try to sort out what it was that the writer/director Christopher Nolan had in mind.

The guest, a sophisticated film fan who accompanied this scribe, unscrambled himself out of his seat and wobbled out to the lobby with a sigh of relief. He searched his memory bank and shaking his head finally commented: “That Christopher Nolan is one sick dude.”

The best parts of the film according this duo were the sequences showing the rapidity with which the Japanese Bullet trains move.

Slogging through this piece it is easy to conclude that messin’ with dreams leads to a nightmare.

South of The Border

Oliver Stone's latest film, “South of the Border,” is an interesting survey of an emerging international trend that is taking place with our neighbors in the Southern Hemisphere. He begins his project as a road trip with a camera crew taping interviews of selected presidents. This effort paints an idealistic portrait of the "benovelent dictator," Hugo Chavez of Venezuela who receives an abundance of screen time leaving the viewer wondering if this is all there is to the documentary? Stone provides more information than we need to know about Chavez and his political manoevers and very little about the social and/or economic ills affecting that population. Finally he moves to other countries in that hemisphere where we see those presidents in conversation with Stone as they discuss their challenges and accomplishments.

Leaders interviewed are Néstor Kirchner- Argentina - who preceded his wife Christina as president; Evo Morales - Bolivia; Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva- Paraguay; Rafael Correa - Ecuador: and Raúl Castro - Cuba.

Several incidents give background information about the mounting disconnect these countries have with the USA. There is the revealing comment ex-president Kirchner had with George W. Bush who became irate when he wouldn't follow his financial advice on how to help his economy recover. Bush told him the way to improve financial problems was through war, not a Marshall Plan type aid program. Evo Morales recalled that his people rose up against the previous administration when they sold the water supply of Cochabamba to the Bechtel Group. This ornery corporation had that govenment pass a law forbidding poor people to collect rainwater! Mr. Correa spoke of encountering pressure from the United States to maintain a military base in Ecuador by agreeing to it only if the United States allowed Ecuador to establish one in Miami.

After wandering through this exercise, we realize most of the above had to take drastic steps to disengage from the USA and are quite pleased with how they function now. Nestor Kirchner reminded Stone that Simon Bolivar was the hero of South American who managed to save seven countries from the yoke of the Spanish king. His fellow compatriots see themselves now as "Bolivians" with their own governments, independent of others that would be inclined to tinker with their governmental functions and lifestyle. Kirchner also forsees a possible South American Union, similar to the one in Europe with a common economy, common currency and a common market. Rinse off the whitewash Stone has painted on Hugo Chavez and see if you think Kirchner's dream is a possiblity.

The Solitary Man

The Solitary Man

The Peter Pan syndrome is a pop-psychology determination that appeared in the 1970's. It has been found in men who exhibit socially immature behaviors of a psychological, social or sexual nature.Characteristics include irresponsibility, rebelliousness, anger, narcissism, dependency, manipulativeness, and the belief that he is beyond society's laws and norms. With this background, viewers are introduced to Michael Douglas in The Solitary Man, as the middle aged New Yorker and successful car dealer, Ben Kalmen, who through a series of bad choices loses his business as well as credibility with those important in his life.

Full of bluster and an outsized ego, Ben has a non-stop patter that he uses to advance business and sexual procedures to his advantage. As a classic example of the Peter Pan Syndrome, this amusing and earnest rogue, abandons his moral code to his satisfaction regardless of the consequences.

There are outstanding performances from Susan Sarandon as Ben's wife Nancy, a successful realtor, who is fond of Ben but deeply aware of his array of faults. Special kudos go to Jenna Fisher as Ben's daughter, Susan who rides wave after wave of frustrations and disappointments with her father, until she cuts off all communication.

Playing his girlfriend Jordan, who has a powerful and rich father who can put Ben back on his feet in the car business is Mary Louise Parker. Ben succumbs to the risk of bedding her daughter Allyson ( Imogen Poots) and this revelation initiates his downward spiral. When Jordan learns of this behavior, she lets loose serious consequences that are life-threatening to Ben. Not content with this sexual encounter, Ben snares one of his daughter's friends in his lair, leaving Susan outraged and disgusted. Another attempted conquest is shut down by the girlfriend of a student who has come to admire Ben.She exposes him for the lout he is.

All this sexual, social, emotional and commercial philandering leaves the viewer wanting to leap out of the seat and holler, "Don't you get it?" With Ben Kalmen you can't count on it.

Michael Douglas gives an amazing performance in this role. One particular scene is impressive. After an examination with the doctor, Ben is given some bad news about his health. Up to that moment he has been robust, colorful, energetic and full of life. Receiving this news Michael Douglas, pales, then almost melts into himself, abandoning the strong vibrant character he's presented up to this point.

A lousy friend, an intemperate father and grandfather, lacking any ability to be humble, there's not a lot to like about Ben.But still he endures to what end we don't know. Check out "The Lady and the Tiger"for a clue.

Letters to Juliet

With the Gulf of Mexico slathered in oil, some of Nerd trying to blow up Times Square and a large part of Nashville staggering under 16 inches rain, it was a great relief to take a seat and let the romantic comedy, "Letters to Juliet" take you away and prove once again that love conquers all.

Even if a romantic comedy sets your teeth on edge, the scenery and marvelous visuals created by the company's cinematographer, Marco Pontecorvo are worth the price of admission. He is responsible for soothing, sweeping scenes of the Verona and Tuscany environs that are almost like oil paintings in their construction and design. He shot several episodes of The massive "Rome" series that HBO produced in 2005 - 07, so his credits are impeccable.

Now to the plot. Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) goes on holiday in Verona with her fiancée Victor(Gael Garcia Bernal) who is opening and Italian restaurant in New York. He is absorbed with meeting his local vendors and learning as much as he can about Italian cuisine. Victor tears off to the countryside leaving Sophie alone, but not for long. She stumbles into the place where ladies in love write letters to Juliet, hoping for a thoughtful response to their dilemma. After all this is Verona.

Intrigued by this process, Sophie locates the ladies who answer the letters to Juliet and attaches herself to them. She unearths a very old letter written by a young woman did not meet her lover and have an affair of the heart because she went back home. The angst in the letter fascinates Sophie who writes such an intriguing answer that the writer, Claire (Vanessa Redgrave) appears with her grandson Charlie( Christopher Egan.) She hopes to find her amour of 50 years ago. Sophie encourages her to search for him while Charlie provides the plot conflict by seeing the entire enterprise as useless and a recipe for heartbreak.

After driving across scenic Northern Italy, the former lover is found and still has teeth and hair and lots of money and a huge estate. Fait accompli! Sophie and Charlie have a serious attraction for one another and you won't be surprised at the ending.

Its good to see Vanessa be so mellow. Always a firebrand in life as well on film or theater,in this role she is delicate, wise and wistful. Not a veil she wear lightly, but it works, although in some scenes she does seem to be a bit wobbly. Perhaps that's supposed to be fey...Quien sabe?

Gael Garcia Bernal is exquisite as the intense, enthusiastic chef more interested in food than in Sophie. Go figure.

"Letters to Juliet" is a lovely respite from reality and easy on the eye.

Remember Me

Remember Me

If your hair looks like Gaul- divided into three parts with a high wind blowing from the East, you are Robert Pattinson the heartbeat of tweens, teens and young mothers who adored watching you in the Twilight series. So you put the vampire bit on hold and assume another persona as Tyler Hawkins, a rebellious young man in "Remember Me" who is enveloped in a dysfunctional family attempting normalcy after enduring the suicide of Tyler's older brother. You give a lot of energy to your role and your chaotic surroundings do a credible job of reflecting your utter confusion.

Playing opposite him is Emilie de Ravin as Ally Craig, first seen as a young girl waiting on the subway platform with her mother. She witnesses an atrocious event during this sequence and is removed from this horror by her father, police Sgt. Neil Craig (Chris Cooper) As a result of this experience he remains overly protective of her as she matures into a blonde, shapely, stunning looking NYU student. Viewers are slowly informed of this pair's twists of fate as they meet and react to the unpredictable changes life tosses at them.

Tyler resents his father, Charles Hawkins (Pierce Brosnan,) a cold, distant yet hugely successful lawyer who appears to be indifferent to Tyler, as well as to his young daughter, Caroline. She adores Tyler and worries about her father's apathy toward her. This situation infuriates Tyler, but deepens his affection for Caroline.

A serious argument over a boy between Ally and her father thrusts her into Tyler's life and serenity reigns for a while, until she discovers she was set up to meet Tyler by his goofy room mate Aiden (Tate Ellington.) A crisis with Caroline brings all of the players together and a rather bumpy, but effective resolution is established. At this point, the tension lessens and the audience begins to relax after all the scenes with Ally's outraged father, fist fights, physical abuse, anger, frustration and confusion subside. But the script has another incomprehensible incident in store. It feels like a blow to the solar plexus.

Polanski Once Again Demonstrates Mastery of the Art of Film

The Ghost Writer

The film adaptation of Robert Harris' novel, The Ghost, is a tense political thriller that races from one unsettling event to the next leaving viewers wrapped in the clutches of intrigue, suspicion and corruption. It is the story of a successful British ghostwriter (Ewan Mc Gregor) who leaves England for the States to rework the memoirs of the former British Prime Minister Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan) as the British publisher deems the book unsuitable for publication in its present form.

Mr. McGregor arrives at a cold contemporary fortress-like mansion on the east coast (think Martha's Vineyard) to work on the book and upon arrival he meets a parade of characters adding mystery and distrust to the circumstances in which he finds himself.

Only when he begins to ask questions about the previous ghost does he learn that his predecessor boarded the ferry from the mainland to the island in his car and upon arrival his car remained but he was not found until his body washed ashore the next morning.

Shortly after learning of this disturbing state of affairs, a former British cabinet minister appears on television accusing Lang of authorizing the illegal seizure of suspected terrorists and handing them over for torture by the CIA--a war crime. This controversy brings reporters and protesters swarming to the island camping outside the mansion complex where Lang is staying with his wife, Ruth (Olivia Williams,) and his personal assistant/ mistress, Amelia.( Kim Cantrell.)

Mr. McGregor begins to uncover clues suggesting the previous ghost may have found clues linking Lang to the CIA--and this information is hidden in the manuscript he left behind. Then he wonders if the first ghost writer was murdered because of the ghastly truth he uncovered?

As the film is loosely based on the career of Tony Blair, Mr. Brosnan was emphatic with director Roman Polanski that he was not going to re-create Tony Blair. He decided to fill the character with his own interpretation of Adam Lang and not attach any of Mr. Blair's transgression to the character. In a recent interview Mr. Brosnan stated he viewed Adam Lang's life as sham. He saw him as a great pretender with no clue how to run a country and lacking leadership capabilities.

The cold wintry setting of the island is key in creating the lonely

and desperate mood of the film. Polanski has done a magnificent job

establishing this piece with the essence of evil that lurks in every frame.

Kudos go to Kim Cantrell who does a superb job as the tightly knit assistant without all the bling and glitz she uses in the Sex and the City franchise. Watch Olivia Williams as she maneuvers to steer the hapless Prime Minister in acceptable poses. The Ghost Writer retains the pace and essence of the book because Robert Harris had his hand on the tiller as the screenwriter.

Don't miss reading "Pompeii" - Mr. Harris' finest piece. It appears to be in a muddle regarding film production, but hopefully it will be resolved so that

The public can watch the retelling of the volcanic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius from the perspective of an ancient aqueduct engineer. It is set in August A.D. 79 in Campania, where Pompeii is located.

Saint John of Las Vegas

In St. John of Las Vegas Steve Buscemi engages his homely persona as John Alegheri, a reformed compulsive gambler living a mundane life working for an insurance company. One day, he asks his boss, Mr. Townsend (Peter Dinklage) for a raise and suddenly becomes the company’s newest insurance fraud investigator. Forced to work with Virgil (Romany Malco,) denying this claim, he begins a journey that turns into a peculiar sort of madness similar to the adventures of another Alegheri who descended into The Inferno in the first part of Dante Alighieri's epic poem “ The Divine Comedy.” If this recollection seems fuzzy, check with any senior English major for confirmation.

Before he departed on this quest, John has a brief fling with his cubicle mate Jill (Sarah Silverman) who is addicted to the smiley face creature wishing everyone to Have a Good Day. She even paints this image on her fingernails and calls John frequently during his trek proclaiming her love. Oh well.

They find the claimant, Tasty D. Lite, a stripper in a wheelchair, who claims a loss of nearly $200,000 in income since she no longer can do lap dances. John quickly disproves this claim. While searching for the damaged car, they approach a ranch with an entry surrounded by flames and guarded by gun-toting nudist survivalists. Entry is only by disrobing, so Virgil and John decline that option and sleep in the car. Sent by the sheriff to talk to the tow-truck driver that hauled the strippers’ car away, they find him in his part-time job as a circus performer sitting in his flame-retardant suit that frequently erupts in flames wishing for a cigarette. Directed to the next stop, a junk yard, John is attacked and barely escape with his life.

Meanwhile, John continues his gambling habit, betting on scratch tickets. A final scene finds him abstaining from that addiction. Or does he? And what happened with Virgil as the final resolution winds down in this frolic?

This quirky bizarre tale is a great satirical trip with Buscemi at his geekiest best in this epic adventure.