The Last Airbender

Pam: Okay, I'm breaking the mold a little here by reviewing a movie out in theaters, but it's needed. It's definitely needed. I'm starting to wonder who M. Night Shyamalan pissed off in Hollywood, because it seems to me that everyone is out to destroy him. Even rottentomatoes.com rates The Last Airbender at 8% approval. I can't believe it, because this movie is good. Let's get a little perspective here - this is a movie based on a cartoon which takes place in a fantasy world, that is not Earth, nor is it based on Earth's timeline. Another piece of information to keep in mind: this movie is based on a children's cartoon! Yes, that's right - children! If it seems lacking in features that appeal to adults, then that seems appropriate, doesn't it? One criticism on rottentomatoes.com was an "incomprehensible plot." Huh? My two six-year-old daughters sat and watched rapturously the entire movie and understood everything. I loved this movie and don't understand the criticisms.

It's Complicated

Pam: Two fine actors make this movie fun to watch. I love Alec Baldwin's comic sharpness and lovability and of course, Meryl Streep is perfection as a capable yet vulnerable divorcee. Many perspectives are presented and it's easy to understand the situation from all sides. For example, you understand the feeling of being carefree and taking a risk from Jane's (Streep) point of view. She's had to be the strong single parent for so long while building her own business, that it feels like time to cut loose for her. She giggles as she tells her best friends about sleeping with her ex-husband and you can enjoy her naughtiness. But then, other factors begin to play into this unfaithful scenario. You hear about her grown children's pain as they experienced their parents' divorce years ago. Not much time is spent on this, but it is geniune emotion. You see Jake's (Baldwin) wife and stepson and how his infidelity affects them. You see the affair begin to take on a domesticity that has long-term implications that Jane is not ready or willing to have in her life again, just as she has gained her independence both emotionally and financially. The fun, silly romp turns serious and the couple begins to see how their actions affect others. A funny turn from Steve Martin, who has the job of the thankless possible (appropriate) boyfriend for Jane. John Krasinski plays Jane's future son-in-law who ends up knowing more than he wants to know about some of Jane and Jake's indescretions, which makes for some comical moments. 3.5 stars out of 5

Spread

Pam: This was recommended to me on blockbuster.com, I guess because of Ashton Kutcher, but it was not very good. Let me clarify this - it wasn't very good as far as plot and believability, but if you're an Ashton Kutcher fan and want to see him and Anne Heche get it on (quite a lot), then you might think it's a good movie. I stopped watching it after about 2/3 of the way through, and Nelson watched the end and he said it was okay. Kutcher plays a male prostitute who hooks up with wealthy women who support him by giving him a place to live, a car to drive, clothes and some respectability. He ends up with Heche who ends up falling for him. He falls for another younger girl and tries to break it off with Heche who goes a little wacko. I won't tell you how it ends, because I don't really know. Rent this one at your own risk. 1.5 stars out of 5

Crazy Heart

Pam: I find it hard to believe that anyone ever really changes - especially a washed up alcoholic singer/songwriter who decides one day that he's ready to become sober to win back a woman he loves. There's no one who can cause that kind of change within another person, and it's certainly not believable in this movie. That being said, the movie is pretty good. The beginning is difficult to watch as Bad Blake (Jeff Bridges) ruins his performances and life with hard drinking. His agent has a hard time booking him anywhere, so he ends up playing in a bowling alley and other various honky-tonks along the way. He gets a call one day that reveals something deeper about this character: we find out that his one-time protege is now a major star and Bad's agent wants Bad to open for him. What a dilemma he faces. ("A Star is Born" anyone??) On top of that, he's falling for a much younger girl who has been doing some interviews with him. A series of events illustrate for us the downward spiral of Bad's life until he's left with nothing - AA calls this "hitting bottom." It's nice to see Bad at the end where some things work out for him and some don't. The movie has some cliches, but the jewel is Bridges' performance. He makes the cliches believable. 4 stars out of 5

Role Models

Pam: This movie is from 2008, and I resisted renting it because it looked like a movie along the lines of Judd Apetow's over-the-top, sometimes profane, gross-out humor, but I was wrong. It is a little profane, and believe it or not the profanity comes from an eight-year-old little boy, which plays funny rather than offensive. In fact, that kindof sums up the whole movie: what could potentially be offensive comes off as very funny. A lot of that has to do wtih the tone of the movie, which is respectful, even as it makes fun of its subject matter. For example, Jane Lynch plays a reformed drug addict who runs a "big brother/big sister" type of organization and when she describes her former plight with drugs, it's believable and funny. These two guys join her organization as part of their required community service and take on "little brothers," one of which is the little boy who curses and insults these two at every opportunity. The other "little brother" is a geek (McLovin' from Superbad) who, to the dismay of his parents, is into role playing. There is a lesson to be learned and that is do what you love, no matter what other people think. If medieval role playing is your bag, then go for it and be the best costume-wearing, foam-sword wielding knight you can be. Fun movie. 2.5 stars out of 5

Sherlock Holmes

Pam: I love it when a movie is marketed as a "re-imagining" or a "re-interpretation" because what they're saying is, don't expect the movie to honor the original characterizations or plotlines. At least they're warning you. If you're a major Sherlock Holmes fan, don't expect a faithful rendition, but if you're a fan of a good adventure story, you're in luck. There's a couple of positives to this movie: first, Robert Downey, Jr. is quirky, funny, and smart, although some of his investigation methods are a little questionable (was the original Holmes so weird? maybe so...), and second, Guy Ritchie is directing. If you're a fan of Ritchie's other movies, then you'll like this one. It's got the same frenetic energy, snappy dialogue, and dark atmosphere but it's a little more polished than some of Ritchie's other work. The plot is a little silly, but just go with it and have fun. Jude Law is a respectable Mr. Watson who frequently gets put out with Holmes, but stays around for the action. Rachel McAdams is miscast as a potential adversary/love interest for Holmes - she's just too "apple pie" to be walking the streets of 1800's London. Good movie overall - fun and entertaining. 3.5 stars out of 5.

Up In The Air

Pam: I really, really wanted to love this movie. And I did, up until Ryan (George Clooney) walks up the steps of Alex's brownstone. Up until that point, I was rooting for Ryan and Alex - a couple who seem to find a connection in a world of fast paced travel and jobs that keep them disconnected, especially from people they love. Ryan takes pride in his frequent flyer miles and enjoys hanging around in the fancy lounges at the airports he passes through - turns out to be not much of a life. His sister is getting married, and it's hard for him to even have a meaningful conversation with her about her life because he doesn't really know her. Then he meets Alex and finds a soul mate - she seems as lost and lonely as he is, and more importantly, just as eager to find a connection. Throughout all of this, Ryan is asked to train a new recruit, Natalie, on how to fire people at companies that are downsizing. She is eternally optimistic about life and love, and is a great foil for Ryan. You wonder - will he change her, or will she change him? The ending was a shock and a disappointment at first, but the more I thought about it, the more I understood and appreciated it. One of Clooney's best performances and well-deserving of the hype at the Oscars. 4 stars out of 5