DVD/VIDEO: Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children

FINAL FANTASY VII: ADVENT CHILDREN (2006)

My Rating: *** (out of *****)
Starring (vocal talents): Takahiro Sakurai, Ayumi Ito, Shotaro Morikubo, Keiji Fujiwara, Taiten Kusunoki
Directors: Tetsuya Nomura, Takeshi Nozue

My Review:
Eye candy. Plain and simple. That’s what Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, a computer animated Japanese film based upon the popular game series of the same name, has to offer viewers. Certainly no more, but no less, either.

To even begin to attempt a plot summary would be ridiculous, for I do not have the advantage of being an avid game player, and as such, any effort on my part to reconstruct the plotline of this seventh (!) chapter in the Final Fantasy series would probably result in greater confusion for all. Suffice it to say, the so-called story has something to do with a young hero named Cloud, who reluctantly emerges from hiding to address the threat of a crippling disease call Geostigma that is infecting and devastating his home planet. Cloud is joined by a renegade gang of warriors, outlaws, and fighters, who, with Matrix-style outfits and action sequences, battle a mysterious trio of villains. All leads to a stunning grand finale in which Cloud must defeat an ancient and malevolent force that has, with the help of the aforementioned villains, materialized into a stringy-haired, sword-wielding soldier named Sephiroth.

If all of this sounds inane and utterly nonsensical, that’s because it is. Unless you are well-versed in Final Fantasy lore, don’t even bother to try and figure out what’s really going on with this story. Part of me doubts that there really is anything other than paper-thin constructs to convey us from one action sequence to the next. Also, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children is presented in the style of classic Japanese anime, which means: poor dubbing, lots of miscellaneous grunts and groans, big-breasted female warriors, pervasive and murky spiritism, and a sometimes jolting amalgam of spectacular, balletic action and laughably hokey sentimentalism (In fact, the corniness of certain scenes results in some of the best laugh-out-loud moments I’ve experienced in a non-comedy movie). This film has all of this, and then some.

So, why the three-star rating? For what is basically a 101-minute video game “cinema,” Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children provides some of the most eye-popping CGI in recent memory. With this powerful tool firmly in hand, directors Nomura and Nozue construct several fantastic action sequences (clearly their strong suit) which unfold amidst a number of remarkable futuristic set pieces. As stated, the film sometimes begins to get bogged down in shoddy, mindless explanation or syrupy emotion, but never for too long. Just as we’re saying “Oh, come on,” the filmmakers remember why this movie exists and whisk us right back into the breathtaking action. A few fun action-movie one-liners also lend balance to the overly serious expository and revelatory moments. The final result is an extremely guilty pleasure, as forgettable and unsatisfying as cotton candy, but - because of its magnificent, jaw-dropping action and spectacle - just as enticing.

PG-13, for sequences of intense sci-fi action violence and some language

NEW IN THEATERS: United 93

UNITED 93 (2006)

My Rating: ***** (out of *****)
Starring: Peter Hermann, David Alan Basche, Christian Clemenson, Ben Sliney, James Fox, Jamie Harding, Omar Berdouni, Tobin Miller, Shawna Fox, Leigh Zimmerman
Director: Paul Greengrass

My Review:
Depending upon your age, you may remember various formative events in the history of the world. Whether it’s World War II, Apollo 11, the invention of television, the Vietnam War, the toppling of the Berlin Wall, or even the Gulf War, each of us can recall different defining moments in world affairs that dramatically impacted our lives and perspectives forever. 9/11 stands apart from these events in a very particular way: we can all remember that fateful September day. Just five short years ago, life in the U.S., and in many other parts of the world, changed forever.

A great deal of apprehension and controversy comes with the release of United 93, the first major motion picture (excepting A&E’s acclaimed television drama Flight 93 – review coming soon to this site) to tackle the dark subject of September 11, 2001 in a non-documentary or non-propagandist fashion. As it turns out, United 93 is not only the first of its kind, but is also, most likely, the best.

Director Paul Greengrass (Bloody Sunday, The Bourne Supremacy) should receive every kind of award out there for his magnificent approach to the incidents surrounding the only hijacked plane on 9/11 that did not reach its intended target. He takes some of the most sensitive and delicate subject matter imaginable and, rather than following a political, melodramatic, action-oriented, or otherwise manipulative tack, simply tells the story. Though the film surely speculates regarding certain incidents aboard the doomed aircraft, its unconfirmed conclusions are consistent with factual findings and are not difficult to believe. By essentially telling this aspect of 9/11 like it was, Greengrass puts us right back in the middle of it all – a place we hate but simply can’t escape, a place we must always remember if we are to find hope and motivation for a better future.

From its opening moments - which chillingly contrast the terrorists’ preparation with the mundane morning routines of flight attendants, passengers, pilots, and air traffic control crews getting ready for another day – United 93 is drenched in an almost suffocating sense of dread. In viewing this film, my stomach was in knots, my whole body stiff with tension, and my hand gripped my wife’s for almost the entire duration of the experience. Brilliantly presented in real time, the events of the film unfold to much the same effect as they did that day, producing shock, bewilderment, disbelief, confusion, chaos, horror, and despair. As film audiences five years later, however, we possess the perspective of knowing every awful thing that’s coming before it arrives. As such, we now bear the weighty and ominous burden of foreknowledge.

The casting of unknown actors and persons who were involved in the day’s events (such as Ben Sliney and James Fox) is effective and ingenious. Using performers who could be any one of us, as well as people who were present for the occurrences they are depicting, Greengrass thankfully saves us from the high melodrama and distracting Hollywood personas that could have easily hindered the telling of this essential chapter in our nation’s history. The screenplay (penned by Greengrass) is similarly natural and realistic. In fact, it almost feels as if there is no prescribed action and dialogue, only real life unfolding before us. This fact is yet another example of the filmmaker’s masterful skill. The beautiful ring of authenticity created by these artistic choices actually serves to increase the emotional impact of the overall experience.

Ultimately, watching United 93 is like being punched in the gut… several times over. It is one of the most difficult and traumatic moviegoing experiences you are likely to have, but also, one of the most rewarding. From its depiction of the ground control teams, to the flight crews, to the passengers themselves, United 93 is about the astonishing will and ability of creation to survive. In the midst of unprecedented chaos and confusion, ground control has some 4000 airplanes out of the sky within a few short hours of the first sign of trouble. Though average folk like you and me, the humble crew and passengers of United 93 highlight humanity’s fierce and marvelous survival mechanism. But much more than this, they display a truly heroic courage, abandon, and selflessness, transforming from petrified and cowering victims to no-holds-barred warriors in the course of an hour. Their terror becomes their triumph as they, in their final moments, think of how they can possibly help, protect, or even save others. These people don’t ever surrender to terror. They fight it with everything they’ve got. United 93 - as the film’s stirring epilogue states - exists to honor these people. A more powerful and fitting memorial would be hard to conceive of.

R, for intense and traumatic depiction of terrorism and its effects throughout, with related violence and moments of strong language

DVD/VIDEO: Nothing

NOTHING (2003)

My Rating: **** (out of *****)
Starring: David Hewlett, Andrew Miller
Director: Vincenzo Natali

My Review:
As incredible as movies can be, they tend to bear remarkable similarities to one another after a while. Though this fact certainly doesn’t take away from the experience of a truly good film, it does heighten our awareness of movies that dare to color outside the lines. Nothing does just that, and as such, is spectacularly and singularly bizarre, freakish, and downright absurd. It also happens to be one of the giddiest and most delightful motion picture experiences you are likely to have.

Nothing opens with a feverishly clever – and purportedly “true” - introduction to our primary subjects, David and Andrew (also the actors’ real names). It quickly becomes clear that these two guys – roommates sharing half a townhouse (literally) in a dizzyingly fanciful version of modern-day Toronto – are world-class losers. After a particularly hellish day in which Andrew is accused of kissing a little girl and David of embezzling his employer out of thousands of dollars, the hapless duo is faced with several different authorities pounding at their door, clamoring to demolish the condemned structure and arrest the accused men. At the height of this chaos, the outside world suddenly disappears. Aside from David, Andrew, pet turtle Stan, and the strange half of a house, only a bouncy white emptiness remains.

At first, the men are elated. All of their problems have gone away! Reality sets in quickly, however, and they soon become desperate for food. At the height of their panic, a startling revelation is reached. Andrew and David – hated by the world around them – have somehow obtained the ability to make anything that they despise disappear.

This fiendishly clever construct is the basis for what ultimately turns out to be an extremely satisfying movie. What begins as a wacky, off-the-wall comedy graduates into a thoughtful and almost harrowing look at the dark nature and destructive power of hate, and then, after a jaunty sidestep into gruesome horror, circles back around for one final dose of whimsy in a conclusion that bears an uncanny resemblance to the closing moments of Death Becomes Her, that early 90s classic with Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn. The journey is at times bumpy, but also - like a jeep ride over rough terrain - a hell of a lot of fun.

You must see Nothing to believe it. Director Vincenzo Natali, who helmed the similarly intelligent but much less engaging Cube, shows promising signs of maturity with this subsequent project. Where the limited budget at times detracted from Cube, it becomes just one more of Nothing’s marvels: that an effects-laden film with so few dollars behind it can look this good. Natali will be a talent to watch in the coming years.

R, for strong language including a strong crude sexual reference, disturbing images, brief horror-style violence and gore, and dark thematic elements

DVD/VIDEO: Winter Solstice

WINTER SOLSTICE (2005)

My Rating: **** ½ (out of *****)
Starring: Anthony LaPaglia, Aaron Stanford, Mark Webber, Allison Janney, Ron Livingston, Michelle Monaghan, Brandon Sexton III
Director: Josh Sternfeld

My Review:
Winter Solstice is perhaps the most subtle film I have ever seen. As such, I suspect that this small gem will be completely lost on most viewers. For those who can set aside their desire for frenetic action and tidy solutions (which we all have to some degree, due to society’s increasing movement toward instant gratification and immediate resolution), Winter Solstice offers an extremely rewarding look at family life in all its richness, complexity, and beauty.

Jim Winters (the superlative Anthony LaPaglia, one of today’s most sincere actors) – a widower – lives with his two sons, college-aged Gabe (Stanford) and high-schooler Pete (Webber) in suburban New Jersey. Gabe is restless, longing to move out and start a life of his own. Pete is slacking at school, and seems to be in the early stages of a destructive life path. A kind woman (Janney, always on target) - who is looking after the home of one of the Winters’ neighbors for a few months - strikes up a conversation with Jim. The connection is awkward, but sweet and genuine. Ultimately, Jim and his sons are forced to re-engage, as they have all drifted apart and ceased communicating with one another, each in his own way.

As mentioned, this is a very subtle film. There is next to no action, and on the surface, there isn’t much that changes from the opening to the closing of this brief 90-minute journey. The profundity of Winter Solstice comes from the way it conveys emotion and meaning without using words and explicit actions. The outstanding actors – especially LaPaglia, Stanford, and Webber – communicate worlds of pain, anger, loss, love, and tenderness with very little dialogue that would directly suggest such emotions. These performances consist largely of facial expressions, tone of voice, body language, silence, and timing, and they are exquisite, every single one. In fact, there are so many breathtaking scenes of startling relational honesty that it would be impossible to list them all. Two of the most noteworthy come when Gabe and Pete take an impromptu swim in a local lake, and when Jim and Gabe seek each other’s forgiveness after a heated confrontation. The interactions between Gabe and his girlfriend Stacey (Monaghan, a lovely portrayal) are likewise brimming with unspoken heartbreak and longing.

Writer-director Josh Sternfeld, clearly a New Jersey native, perfectly and lovingly captures the look, feel, and essence of life in the Garden State. Having lived in northern New Jersey for six years, I can verify the authenticity of Sternfeld’s locales (Go Dairy Queen!), and the demeanor and dialogue of his characters is spot on. This lends extra weight to an already impacting picture, especially for those who are familiar with the ways and customs of Jersey life.

In addition to the phenomenal strengths already described, John Leventhal works wonders with a simple, non-intrusive soundtrack that accurately underscores the quiet meaning of the events unfolding onscreen.

Winter Solstice, contrary to its icy title, is full of warmth, compassion, and loveliness. In a completely believable yet non-exploitive way, this is about as real as movies get. And about as good.

R, for moments of strong language and emotional thematic elements

DVD/VIDEO: Little Manhattan

LITTLE MANHATTAN (2005)

My Rating: **** (out of *****)
Starring: Josh Hutcherson, Charlie Ray, Bradley Whitford, Cynthia Nixon
Director: Mark Levin

My Review:
Do you remember your first crush? You know, when the opposite sex seemed to suddenly transform from those “weird” others with “cooties” into attractive and intriguing people that you would give anything to be close to? Little Manhattan - a tiny 2005 release that barely made it into theaters - invites you to travel back in time to that place of confusion, uncertainty, joy, pain, and raw wonder. The journey, it turns out, is well worth taking.

Ten-year-old Gabe (a winsome Josh Hutcherson) lives in New York City with his parents (Whitford and Nixon), who appear to be in the early stages of a divorce. Gabe – who narrates the film from a witty and mostly successful screenplay by Jennifer Flackett – reports being happy and contented without romance in his life, until one day, Rosemary Telesco (charming newcomer Charlie Ray) walks into his afternoon karate class and changes things forever.

Gabe falls head-over-heels for Rosemary, who doesn’t seem to mind or to fully comprehend Gabe’s new state of being. They become sparring partners in karate (guess who always loses?), cavort around the city on Gabe’s scooter to a bouncy pop soundtrack, and go out on a “real” date with Rosemary’s parents, where Gabe finally musters up the courage to hold Rosemary’s hand.

This all occurs within a couple of short weeks, and then, casually, Rosemary drops the bomb. She’s leaving shortly for summer camp (for six weeks – an eternity to Gabe), and upon returning, will be going to private school (Gabe, of course, attends public). Crushed, Gabe faces a crucial event that will affect his worldview forever: With his parents’ failing marriage as an unhappy but solid foundation, will he conclude that “love always has to end?” You’ll be surprised by the film’s answer to this crucial and relevant question.

Little Manhattan is marvelously knowing. Director Mark Levin’s ode to first love accurately portrays the wild thoughts and emotions that this singular occurrence brings to a young person’s heart and mind without condescending to him or her (with the exception of one sequence in which Gabe’s tears are played over-the-top for humor). As such, the film is very accessible to the age group it portrays. Little Manhattan’s clever dialogue - and the fact that it plays out in classic romantic comedy format – helps to endear adult viewers as well.

This film is incredibly entertaining and heartwarming. Inventive cinematography and visual effects couple with a fetching collection of love songs to create a tender, magical experience that can be enjoyed again and again.

PG, for some mild thematic elements, fanciful action sequences, and brief language

DVD/VIDEO: Oliver Twist (2005)

OLIVER TWIST (2005)

My Rating: **** (out of *****)
Starring: Ben Kingsley, Barney Clark, Jamie Foreman, Harry Eden, Leanne Rowe
Director: Roman Polanski

My Review:
With over 25 film adaptations (or variations) of Dickens’ classic available, it’s hard to imagine how this latest one - helmed by Oscar winner Roman Polanski – could really have anything fresh to offer. Apparently, moviegoers didn’t find much, as this film made a dismal $2 million in its entire US theatrical release. This is most unfortunate, as Oliver Twist turns out to be one of the sturdiest and most engrossing versions yet of the timeless tale of opposites - poverty and riches, misfortune and fortuity, hate and love, despair and hope – intertwining around a poor orphan in the mid 1800s London. While truncated to be sure, this new edition is radiantly picturesque in its loveliness, with a solid all-British cast and a “surprise twist” that actually improves upon the conclusion of Dickens’ already masterful work.

Perfectly capable if not fantastic newcomer Barney Clark portrays Oliver, who is grossly mistreated by a host of supposedly generous and ‘Christian’ folk in various workhouses, orphanages, and the like. Things get so bad that he runs away, walking over 70 miles on foot to London, where he falls unwittingly into the seamy criminal underbelly of England’s great city. We all know the drama and its players: there’s the expert pickpocket, Artful Dodger (whose delightful role is unfortunately downplayed here); his slimy yet charismatic boss Fagin (Kingsley, in a performance he was born to give); maniacal, murderous thug Bill Sykes (well drawn by Jamie Foreman); Bill’s kind-hearted girlfriend Nancy (Leanne Rowe, superb); and Mr. Brownlow (Edward Hardwicke), the wealthy gentleman who attempts to rescue Oliver from all the madness in which he is caught. It all plays out in grand Dickensian fashion, with justice finally coming for our beleaguered young hero, though not without great cost (Nancy’s demise is – as always – horrendous, as she is the character we are most drawn to).

Finally, the film concludes with a small but brilliant postlude that Dickens failed to include in his original work. Here, we have young Oliver – somewhat recovered from his ordeal – willfully traveling to the jailhouse in which Fagin, now a mumbling, disoriented old man, sits rotting for his crimes. In an incredibly beautiful and poignant scene, Oliver shows genuine compassion for the man who only betrayed and endangered him while professing kindness and protection. This element lends a wonderful closure to the oft-told story, giving Oliver a greater sense of hope than he was afforded by his original creator.

As a work of art, Oliver Twist is positively exquisite. Cast in rich, golden hues, director of photography Pawel Edelman creates a stunning visual palette of deep, burnished brown and yellow tones. The result feels like a painting come to life, lending a slightly magical feel to the cold, hard, and very unmagical events that pervade this dark story. While several actors have been specifically praised in this review, the entire cast is strong. Not a false note among them. Rachel Portman’s score is fine, but not especially noteworthy.

For those who don’t know the story of Oliver Twist, this is an excellent introduction with a beautiful and welcome closing note of redemption. For those who’ve seen it time and again, Polanski makes the journey worth retaking, and then some.

PG-13, for abusive treatment of women and children, with some violence including an off-screen murder (bloody aftermath is shown), as well as mature thematic elements and brief mild language