Talking Pictures

Rich’s Quickie: If you’ve had enough of Michael Cera, you’ll get more than you bargained for, here; but you might end up liking that double dose.

Michael Cera is Revolting! Allowing possible one-note actor Michael Cera to stretch a little, Gustin Nash’s screenplay (based on C.D. Payne’s novel), tells the story of young, naive nerd Nick Twisp, who is so hell-bent on winning the rebellious daddy’s little girl of his dreams (well-played by Portia Doubleday), that he creates an alter ego of himself – Francois Dillinger – who just may help Nick seal the deal.  Both Cera and Doubleday are great, as is the Juno-esque dialog delivered by them.  A funny script is supported by the likes of Jean Smart, Zach Galifianakis, Steve Buscemi, Fred Willard, Ray Liotta and Justin Long (among others).  And even with such a large and obvious supporting cast, they don’t feel like stunts; seamlessly working themselves in and out of the main story, which is a quick and enjoyable 90 minutes.

Revolution! I’ve heard this movie doesn’t quite do the novel justice, but since I haven’t read it, that didn’t keep me from enjoying the film, so there. Though a bit absurd in places, it generally keeps its cheek and tone throughout.  The effect of two Ceras onscreen is done so well it doesn’t distract from the story itself.

Rich’s Movie Grade:  B

MPAA: Rated Rated R for sexual content, language and drug use.

Runtime: 90 min

Director: Miguel Arteta

Writers Gustin Nash (screenplay), and C.D. Payne (novel)

Just when everyone thinks Disney has resigned itself only to computer-generated animation, they toss us a real end of the year gift called The Princess and the Frog.

The Princess and the Frog uses hand-drawn animation to dazzle the viewer, but captures the viewer’s heart with a really tender and romantic story of a young hard-working woman in New Orleans during the Jazz era.

The film is replete with memorable characters and a terrific score by Randy Newman. The Princess and the Frog is an absolute delight and deserves an A.  It’s rated PG.

“Inglorious Basterds” is one of the year’s best films. Quentin Tarantino does a fantastic job in re-writing history in this deftly entertaining and highly stylized WWII comedy-drama.

The film follows the exploits of the “Basterds,” a group of highly specialized American and Allied soldiers. Led by Brad Pitt, their one job in the war is to kill Nazis. And they do such a good job of it that the Nazi’s tremble at the mere mention of the “Basterds.”

Their story is only one of several subplots in the film. There is the story of a Jewish refugee (Mélanie Laurent) who escapes the Nazi’s as a child but ends up the owner of a popular movie theater in Paris.

And the story of a beautiful actress, played by Diane Kruger, who happens to be a double agent for the Allies. All of these plots eventually come together in one of filmdom’s most rewarding climatic scenes.

“Inglorious Basterds” is simply a must see film. It gets an A and is rated R for strong graphic violence, language and brief sexuality.