Talking Pictures

Rich’s Quickie:  Bring nachos; “Fame” supplies all the cheese you could ever want.

Okay, a bit of B.Y.O.B. here (Bear Your Own Bias), I was never that much into the original 1980’s movie of the same name, nor the short-lived television series that followed it… and that goes double for “Dancing with the Stars” and “So You Think You Can WHAT?”

But even a curmudgeon such as I will tap my foot or clap my hands if something actually moves me to DO so (“I can’t stop my leg…!  I can’t stop my leg!”); this didn’t.  I remember literally dancing in the parking lot after seeing the infectious “Grease” – yes I’m THAT old – but trying to follow the selfish needs of some 10 lead characters chase their self-centered dreams won’t move me to of much of that.  Remember; the movie is called “Fame” – not “Love”.  Most of these people simply “wanna get famous” and are not necessarily doing anything for the love of their respective crafts.  They should be paying me to sit through that. Why would I want to pay 10 bucks to see morons on the big screen whom I wouldn’t want to hang with in real life?

There are some standouts (Naturi Naughton); but with each of the characters ultimately getting so little screen time between them they didn’t stand out for long.  Veterans Bebe Neuwirth, Kelsey Grammer and Charles S. Dutton (each doing much of what they’ve done so often before), get even less screen time, probably due to the size of the teenage cast. That’s probably good, since much of what passes for advice from the teachers is fairly lame.  One particular scene truly epitomizes the “Those who can’t do, teach” axiom: as a voice coach takes the mic at a karaoke bar… and should give it back right away. Yes, some of the dance sequences are well done, but it’s tough to wait it out through the forced drama in between those sequences.  But what really hurts is when even the performance sequences themselves drown in cheese so thick, you expect someone from a Pringles commercial to show up and start tapping the bottom of an empty chip can and join the festivities.

Movie Grade: C-

MPAA: Rated PG for thematic material including teen drinking, a sexual situation and language.

Director: Kevin Tancharoen

Writers: Allison Burnett (screenplay), Christopher Gore (1980 film)

Rich’s Quickie:  Way too much about Steve; not enough about the script

“We’ll always have deaf kids in a mineshaft.”

Maybe I’m overanalyzing or I’m overly sensitive or I’ve got a thing for Sandra Bullock, but I had a problem with this movie nearly right off the bat.

It was difficult for me to see how – unless she was an axe-murderer or something – most guys wouldn’t STILL want Bullock’s Mary Horowitz even after she proves to be not “normal”.  She’s still just too pretty; she can actually can pull off the weird outfits and over-eagerness.   It was also difficult to see how – apparently, mainly because she’s “freakishly smart”, socially awkward and wears thigh-high red leather boots most of the time – Horowitz is just so abby-normal that everybody and their dog seems to offer her free advice of the stripe to “be normal” (however, it was also tough to buy her brains when she was stupid enough to not run across a roped-off sinkhole). It was also tough to buy what was so great about Steve, since he is enough of a jerk to leave her in the lurch countless times; even after she survives a tornado (yes, a tornado), and is left in the middle of nowhere surrounded by debris. It was also difficult to see how her boss wouldn’t appreciate her willingness to do MORE work, and later fire her after what was probably a first infraction of its type.  I also didn’t see why this supposed comedy tried to get serious and teach us a lesson in the end.

It’s also strange that most of what comedy is in the movie comes not from Bullock or her storyline, but from Thomas Haden Church and Jason Jones playing self-centered newsmen who’d do anything to put themselves in the center of a story. That, and the group of deaf kids who fall into a mine shaft.

Again; maybe I’m over analyzing, but I just didn’t get this movie.

RICH’S MOVIE GRADE:    C-

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for sexual content including innuendos.

Director: Phil Traill

Writers: Kim Barker (written by)

Rich’s Quickie:  Will honesty about relationships become the new norm for Hollywood?

Hugh Dancy plays Adam — a lonely young man with Asperger’s Syndrome — with care and compassion, gaining our sympathy without pandering or going for the easy appeal his looks give him.  As Adam develops a relationship with his upstairs neighbor, Beth (well-played by Rose Byrne), both his limitations and aspirations become apparent; and Rose must look deep within to see past both her own preconceived notions of “relationship” but also past Adam’s social difficulties to his well-meaning soul.  But will this be enough; is this a relationship with legs?  Either way, this movie certainly has legs; with great performances all around, realistic dialogue, and an aversion to typical Hollywood trappings involving people with disabilities.  Like 500 Days of Summer, the ending may not please everyone; but it is an honest ending, and one that respects the rest of the great movie that preceded it.

RICH’S MOVIE GRADE:  B+

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for thematic material, sexual content and language.

Runtime: 99 min

Director: Max Mayer

Writer: Max Mayer