Reviews

Howl's Moving Castle is as marvelous and magical as Miyazaki's other great work. Something in Disney's advertising or the description I read gave the false impression that it was going to be sub-standard work meaning it was still going to be better than anything DreamWorks Animation was doing (Madagascar was sooo pedestrian).

While not as awe-inspiring as Spirited Away or action-packed as Mononoke, it does work on the level of Kiki's Delivery Service as a girl is forced to be better than she thinks she can be (well, that's not a big surprise, that's all his films). And as with all Miyazaki stories, the story teaches without being preachy. And the lessons learned are represented in character changes and in the character's physical appearance as well. It's that same attention to detail that has made Pixar so great.

The animation is wonderful. The castle is itself is a mesh-mash of so many haphazardly arranged pieces that an engineer would have an aneurysm just sorting them all out and yet it works. Through magic, of course. The magic being Howl's and the authoritative hand of Miyazaki's direction. The airships (wow, airships in a Miyazaki film? Who would have thunk?) are great variations of one's he's used before and there are some rather dark and beautiful scenes of a world at war.

Most of the voice work was very strong including Christian Bale (Howl) and Emily Mortimer (as the young version of the heroine, Sophie). The voice that surprised me was Billy Crystal as Calcifer, the little flame that could. He's the heart of the castle and only annoyed at his first few scenes then becomes a very likable character.

There a few clunky moments in the plot line where transitions between story points weren't very strong, but overall it's another outstanding film from Studio Ghibli. Even my 40 year old partner, who had spent the day mountain biking, was dead tired and had never seen a Miyazaki film stayed awake for the entire 2 hours. When we left at 3:30 in the morning still jabbering away about all the imagery and meaning, we realized we had seen true art.

There is a point in Intolerable Cruelty where George Clooney is giving a key note speech professing his love that is long enough to make you suspect the Coen brothers have "sold out" into schmaltz. Wrong! The film, in typical Coen style, dives into as many twists and turns as is needed in a good thriller. Fortunately, the film is a comedic farce.

Clooney plays Miles Massey, the most prominent divorce lawyer in southern California. A man so good at what he does he has a prenuptial contract named after him. Massey's good and he knows it. Near the beginning of the film, he and his assistant, Wrigley (Paul Adelstein), are chatting about how boring Massey's life has become while a sweating client sits between them as the client's wife describes how she was used as a sex slave. Massey is that confident of himself.

And confidence is what Clooney is all about. He is simply incredible. Swaggering around like a peacock while checking to make sure his teeth are clean, Clooney gives his best performance. There is no denying his charm here. Even when he's being a prig.

Enter Marylin Rexroth (Catherine Zeta-Jones), a woman who's only goal is to marry a rich man, catch him in some indiscretion and divorce him for half of what he's worth. She wants to be independent she claims. Massey falls for her completely. She is his match in game-playing and confidence and he must have her.

Thus sets up the Coens' romantic comedy farce. It's bizarre at times, but humorous throughout as one coincidental incident sets-up another and turns all the characters on both of their ears. This is probably their fluffiest piece ever, but highly entertaining nonetheless.

Near the end of Anything Else, Woody Allen's character tells his comedy writing partner, played by Jason Biggs, if he has to steal material, make sure he steals from the best. Allen has taken this to heart as he has basically rewritten Jane Austin's Emma. Not only has he given himself the role of Emma, but also given himself the best and funniest lines and made himself the least annoying character in the entire film.

There are some of the best one liners Allen has come up with in years here and he even gives a couple to Christina Ricci, but the characters are so contemptuous and obtuse that you want to throttle them all. This is probably Allen's plan so not only do you want to root for his newly discovered comedy writing partner, Jerry Falk (Biggs), to get out of every relationship he's in, but you are begging to have Allen back on the scene for a couple more laughs.

Purposely done? Probably; however, Allen is the master of the neurotic and he knows how to get under the skin of one especially Falk's girlfriend, Amanda (Ricci). Of course, Ricci knows how to play a sociopath. Just look at The Opposite Of Sex. But even this can't make anything else of Anything Else except an uncomfortable character study with a few good laughs.

Sofia Coppola's tale of friendship and loneliness is a near pitch-perfect film and the best I've seen so far this year. It's also Bill Murray's best performance. He is nothing short of amazing playing a has-been actor with whom the Japanese are still infatuated.

The story takes place over a week period in Tokyo as we are introduced to Bob Harris (Bill Murray) and Charlotte, played with much maturity by Scarlet Johannson. They are both stuck in a culture they don't understand and marriages they aren't sure are working anymore. Charlotte's husband (Giovanni Ribisi) is a photographer who is always on a shot and leaves her in the hotel to fend for herself.

She wanders around Tokyo and Bob keeps himself in the hotel bar where Charlotte finally bumps into him and a friendship is slowly developed. This friendship saves them from the aching loneliness visually displayed by Sofia in long, beautiful shots of Johannson sitting in the hotel window looking out over the sprawling metropolis of Tokyo and Murray trying to find anything on Japanese television he can connect with.

Don't get me wrong. This is not a downer movie. It is one of such various and vast emotions that I'm surprised Sofia fits them in to one little movie. There are moments of great laughter and joviality such as the "gift" that is sent to Bob's room. But even when when Charlotte and Bob's adventure begins it is quite apparent they are still not truly happy especially when they end up at a Karaoke bar and you get to see Murray's character singing Roxy Music's heart-breaking "More Than This".

Some people may find the slight fun poking at the Japanese a little too much, but it's meant to show just how different their culture and ours are so different. A few scene are down right gut-busting and others just drive the character's actions as they try to something to hold on to they can identify with. It's an amazing cornucopia of events and emotions.

I found out, too, that Sofia went to Tokyo many times with her father, Francis Ford Coppola (you may have heard of him), and I wonder if they story is somewhat

autobiographical. Did she met a has-been actor when she was left behind in the hotel room as her father went off to do some film work? Either way, Sofia has made a small masterpiece that proves that she did indeed get the filmmaker gene.

Did you know there has been a war going on for hundreds of years? And it all started because the upper class and lower class dared to fall in love and have an abomination for a baby? Master vs. Servant! Father vs. Daughter! Oh, the drama! How can they fit all this into one movie! Easy, Underworld leaves out any sense of character development and relies on convoluted and cliched story lines. But there is plenty of fun action to distract you from remembering you don't give a lick about the leading characters (what was Kate Beckinsale thinking?). It's like eating Twinkie. Oh sure, it was fun to eat, but once it's gone you wonder why you ever indulged.

The biggest surprise this summer turns out to be the one that everyone rolled their eyes at. Freaky Friday, yet another Disney remake of one of their own films, is a well-acted, well-scripted piece of family fluff. For anyone who doesn't know the story, basically a mother and a daughter who don't understand each other switch bodies for a day.

It doesn't matter how they do it because once it happens the film takes off. Both Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan are fantastic playing each other's characters -- especially Curtis. She has a complete loss of inhibition and is playing it for broke. Her outbursts of slang (like when she incredulously yells "Shuut UP!") are hilarious and she brings energy to the screen that hasn't been seen from her for years.

Of course it's Disney so you know that everything will end up with nice, sappy, understanding ending, but because of all the early shenanigans I found that I actually liked these two people a lot. This leads to the reconciliation being, well, all right I'll say it... heart-warming. In other words, Freaky Friday is definite guilty-pleasure material.

See this before Tom Cruise's company turns it into Hollywood schlock. The Eye is the latest of the Asian films to be bought up by the power brokers in Tinsel Town and like The Ring will probably be better in its original language.

The Eye tells the story of a young, blind woman who receives the eyes of another to regain her sight. In the beginning all she sees is the out-of-focus shadows of people who may or may not actually be there. Once the film moves into its middle third, it reaches its peak. The Pang brothers do a marvelous job of bringing right you into the film and making you feel what it would be like to be about to see the spirits of the dead.

There are a lot of parallels to The Sixth Sense, but with more of a Taoist spiritual aspect; however, even the Taoism is keep to a minimum as if the filmmakers are embarrassed by the beliefs in the script. This not only leaves the film a bit unsatisfying, but also leaves a couple of unresolved issues in the film.

Beyond that though The Eye is a well-acted ghost story with a couple of scares in it. If only the feeling of the film's second act could have been expanded into the third, then it would have been a great ghost story.

As a docudrama, Seabiscuit plays wonderfully. Here are reenactments of the most important moments of the horse and the people who loved him. As a piece of cinema it lacks slightly. It's interesting and even compelling at times, but never gripping nor engrossing. You could watch the same thing on the History Channel and still be just as entertained, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

It's the story of the rise and fall and rise again of a race horse that no one cared about until Charles Howard (Jeff Bridges) takes a chance with not only the horse, but a trainer most think is crazy (Chris Cooper) and a jockey who is a down-and-out loser (Tobey Maguire). The result is history as the film spells out all too well.

Although today's economy is not as bad as it was during the early 1900's, it's still an interesting parallel that helps the film. You know the pain and anguish they are going through and so start to root for them despite knowing that everything will turn out all right in end. How else could the best-known underdog story of that generation turn out any other way?

Ahoy, me hearties! The pirate movie be back and, blimey, if it be keelhaulin' the scurvy- ridden bilge that be marooned in yon summer theaters.

Pirates Of The Caribbean: Curse Of The Black Pearl is a big, sprawling adventure. The kind you don't see anymore and it's a damn shame. The script is smart. It allows the characters to figure things out. It keeps you in the film. Yeah, it may be a tad too long at its two hour and twenty-four minute run time, but it flies by a good portion of the time.

The acting is superb with not a single person acting in any self-conscious way that would reveal they are in a pirate movie. Geoffrey Rush is great as Captain Barbossa with his pirate-like growl. He even utters "Arrrr" much to the delight of the audience. Casting off his turn as an elf, Orlando Bloom takes on the unlikely hero role with vigor enough to prove his acting chops.

Of course, the real star here is Johnny Depp as the fey pirate, Jack Sparrow, a pirate captain without a ship. In fact, Depp gets the best movie entrance this summer in a leaky, sinking dinghy. His character he claims is based on Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones and it shows. He is half-crazed and swishes around delivering the best lines in the film. Yet, he is completely believable and never goes (dare I say it?) overboard. I say it's about damn time the Academy stood and noticed one of our generation's most versatile and creative actors, but that's just me.

Pirates is one of those adventure films that will have you grinning with pleasure through most of its high-spirited hijinks and is right behind Finding Nemo for pure summer fun. Ye be a swab if ye miss this one. Sink me, if I don't be givin' this movie four st-arrrrs.

Not a bad picture; however it's not a great one either. Nothing but eye candy and some decent action sequences. Unfortunately, the plot has some blaring holes and the action is shot way to close to see what's going on. Naseeruddin Shah is great as Nemo, Peta Wilson is hot as Mina Harker and Jason Flemyng is touching as Dr. Jekyll. This movie is for visual lovers only.

Interestingly enough, this documentary really does send you soaring. No, it's not a bad pun. It's fact. How they get close-ups of birds flying hundreds of feet in the air is something that will only be solved (I hope) by a special feature on the DVD.

Winged Migration takes us on the migrations path of several species of migratory birds all over the world including Antarctica. But it doesn't just stop there, we actually spend some time with each group watching them rest, eating and raising a family. In fact, one of the most wonderful shots is of a group of geese coming in for a landing on a French Naval vessel and resting after an exhausting trip. They basically just land, explore a bit and then have a bit of snooze on a war ship traveling full steam.

This is a film for everyone, not just those of us that like watching nature television. There is a narrator, but he is kept to a minimum and we are left completely immersed in the environment listening to the sounds around us. Winged Migration is a truly spectacular film that will leave you breathless from its dizzying heights.

A Terminator movie without James Cameron? How could they? Easily, it seems. Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines takes place ten years after Terminator 2: Judgment Day. John Connor is in his early twenties and has been hiding and running since he and his mother stopped Judgment Day from happening.

As it turns out Judgment Day is inevitable and the machines go back in time again kill off not only John Connor, but his lieutenants as well. Enter Arnold again who is sent back to protect not only Connor but Kate Brewster (played by Claire Danes).

In the midst of this is a new Terminator unit T-X or as Connor calls her at one point, Terminatrix. She is a sleek, super-model killer and virtually unstoppable. In their attempt to escape, they outrun the T-X in a vet truck in one of the most destructive car chases put on film.

It's all very exciting and fun with a slight human element that doesn't go as deep as T2 went, but they try. Claire Danes and Nick Stahl (Connor) don't really have too much chemistry between them; however, Arnold does with his deep-pan delivery and his new psychology sub-routine, which leads to the most humorous moments in the film.

Jonathan Mostow had some big shoes to step into taking on this directing project and he does a bang-up job (pun intended). He has captured the feeling of excitement and loss that is in the first two of knowing the world is coming to an end, but frankly without Linda Hamilton's strong female character, this film lacks some of the spunk that made T1 and T2 great.

What do you get when you mix a successful gay couple with two foster kids from the streets? Well, you could get Get Your Stuff, a cute film about the good times and bad times that might happen if you mix the two mismatched ingredients above. Farce? No, it never reaches that state, but it is frequently funny.

The story is about Phil (Cameron Watson), a couples counselor and Eric (Anthony Meindl), a lawyer. The two want to adopt a baby (mostly it seems from the prodding of Eric's mom), and are just approved to be foster parents in the meantime. Through some coaxing and borderline blackmailing, they agree to take in T.J. and Brian for one night. That becomes one more night and one more and, well, you get the picture.

The kids are actually decent actors and, at times, out-act the adults. T.J. (Grady Hutt) is the optimistic one and tries to get his brother to straighten up so they can have a home. Brian (Blayn Barbosa), on the other hand, is not as accepting and wants nothing to do with Phil and Eric until their case worker, Gloria, talks them into working the couple to make themselves more appealing.

The film deals with all these problems with a light touch -- never wanting to truly offend anyone. So they are played up for laughs; however, the message still gets through. In fact, it takes its toll on Eric who wanted nothing more than a baby and not an entire family of problems and promptly leaves in the film's worst scene that includes Phil screaming and pulling a gun out on his clients and doing the same to Eric as he drives off.

But that type of scene is, thankfully, not the norm. Most of the picture is feel-good and enjoyable. More so when Kimberly Scott is on the screen. She plays Gloria with sass, determination and heart. The movie is made better by her tough love portrayal -- especially the scenes with the kids. There is one at the beginning of the film where the kids arrive at the house while Phil and Eric are having an anniversary party. Brian goes for the wine and argues that kids in Europe drink it. Gloria responds with, "They can also speak three languages. When you can speak three languages, then we can talk."

Get Your Stuff doesn't set the film world on fire, but it is a fun jaunt. It's something to pass the time in world that touches on reality, but doesn't actually ground itself there.

Here we are again at the beginning of another summer season of blockbusters and, to start it all off, Hollywood has delivered unto us X2 (or X-Men 2 if you prefer). And a little blessing it is. Especially if you like your social rights movies with tight, leather costumes. Bryan Singer has taken to heart the ideals of this comic book world and has outdone the first X-Men. Sure there are some great action sequences, but the real beauty of the film is he allows us to get to know these characters with all their flaws thus we have a chance to care for them between the butt-kickings.

Basically the entire X-Men universe is a story about intolerance of people who are different. Those who collect the comics know that this gives the story real depth and believability in a world of spandex wearing crime fighters. There are several layers to the intolerance. Magneto (the role Ian McKellen's terrified is the one we'll all remember him by) is at one end of the intolerance by means of the extermination of the entire non-mutant population. He briefly joins the X-Men and has a little heart-to-heart with one of the new kids, Pyro. He tells Pryo in a character defining moment, "You are a god among insects. Never let anyone tell you different." The scene where Bobby Drake aka Iceman "comes out" to his parents as a mutant is played with some humor ("Have you tried to not be a mutant?"), but turns into the moral heart of the story as he is finally struck with the truth that not even his own brother accepts him.

Meanwhile, back in Washington, the fear of the mutants' powers is still building and there are several people who don't want to settle for registration and surveillance of all mutants. They want them completely destroyed. Enter one of the most despicable villains to grace the screen in a while. General William Stryker is a military experimentalist with a personal vendetta against all mutants. Brian Cox plays him beautifully. Just when you think he can sink no lower, he throws out something else that makes you love to hate him even more; however, he never plays it for camp. The character is a heartless, bitter man who will do anything to rid of the world this pestilence.

The opening sequence is an explosive introduction to Nightcrawler played with uncommon restraint by Alan Cumming. Hugh Jackman is back as Wolverine and this time really does get to break loose when a troop of military men breaks into Professor X's school. The violence in the scene was surprising since the first movie had very little death. In other words, let the summer movie body count begin.

After winning her Oscar, it seems that Halle Berry is trying very hard to remove the aftertaste of her performance in X-Men ("Hold on to something"). She portrays Storm with more vigor and it helps that they gave her a little more to do as well. There is confidence in her acting that wasn't there the first time around.

All in all, X2 is pretty extraordinary. Here is a well-made superhero movie about real, current problems in a world of mutant human beings and villains with Hitler-esque intentions: A fun, action film with a message. If this is an indication of this summer's blockbusters, then hooray for Hollywood.

If you can get past the first 15 minutes of Pixar's latest, you'll get a movie that is on par with their four other feature films. Finding Nemo turns out to be a big, adventure film with a lot of laughs and a heart that is barely on the good side of manipulation. Once the adventure starts, the emersion into the film begins and doesn't let you go.

The movie plays up on over-protective parents, kids overcoming their disabilities, friendships conquering obstacles, addicts joining together to be better people (uh, fish), building self-esteem, realizing and accepting strengths and curmudgeons learning to lighten up. All this in an animated, family-oriented, 'G' movie? You bet! Pixar are the masters at the making everyone happy film. They give the parents being dragged into the theater something to enjoy as well.

If only they had done something with that beginning. The films opens in a fish suburbia complete with happy families, beautiful homes and a peaceful way of life all with no hint of sardonic humor. Yes, there are people who think that is heaven, but what about those who make fun it? At least give them something to chuckle about. It's Utopia for the Family Values set and completely out of character for Pixar.

It's at this point I thought they had finally produced their first sub-standard film. That is until a barracuda changes the main characters lives forever and Albert Brooks goes into, well, Albert Brooks mode. Marlin (Albert Brooks) has a son, Nemo, who has an underdeveloped fin and therefore can't swim well. This combined with the catastrophe at the beginning of the film causes Marlin to smother Nemo. Nemo, finally fed up, rebels, ends up being caught by a diver and spirited away. Marlin sets out after Nemo and that's when the film finally picks up with some adventure and some laughs.

And when that laugh level is revved up, it's supplied by the scene-stealing Ellen DeGeneres as a blue tang named Dory. Dory is basically an idiot savant. She has a severe short-term memory loss problem. Now fish are believed to have no short-term memory so the jokes on the surface play on this; however, in a scene where Dory is faced with being alone without friends again, you wonder if it's a form of denial. She says in the scene that she doesn't want to forget anymore and that having Marlin around helps her remember because he is the only one that has stuck by her. Does she really have this problem or is it that she is so disappointed with no one understanding her that she hides everything? The scene is multi-layered and heart wrenching. Ellen plays it surprisingly well as if she identifies with what Dory is going through. That's what makes the scene work so well. Many of us have gone through the same thing and know how she feels.

There are many, many memorable scenes in the film as Marlin attempts to find Nemo who is now in a fish tank in a dentist office. One of the scenes is supplied in a superb performance by William Dafoe as Gill, an angelfish in the tank with Nemo who is from the ocean (not a pet store) and dreams of escaping and taking his new friends with him. He devises a scheme to get them out that is hair-brained and daring, but with one little plot hole that the film plays up to hilarious effect at the end. Another great scene is with a trio of sharks that have sworn off fish in the most unlikely AA meeting imaginable. Their motto: "Fish are our friends and not food!"

Finding Nemo is grand and exciting adventure that once it gets beyond it's slow opening turns into exactly what you expect from the masterminds at Pixar. A film that is imaginative and visually stunning with big adventures for everyone no matter how old they are on the outside.

Julie Taymor really has an eye for beauty, which she has proved in her Broadway version of The Lion King and her first film, Titus. In Frida, she reigns in her over-blown effects work that set Titus apart, but also set it on the border of overblown. Here she uses the rich, earth-tones of Mexico and the beautiful pastels of Santa Fe to bring to life the story of artist, Frida Kahlo.

Frida is portrayed by Selma Hayek in a eye-opening performance that proves the woman CAN actually act. This is her vehicle as star and producer, so has made sure to bring all of Frida's modesty, love of art, temper and pain to life to the screen. She does so with both subtly and with an air of yearning for acceptance within the acting community. This is not a bad thing as it brings out the qualities of Frida of yearning to be accepted with art that she is convinced only she will like due to their very personal nature.

Of course, none of Hayek's attempts would be as good as they are if not for her supporting cast. Alfred Molina is simply incredible as her communist, self-gratifying husband and comrade in painting, Diego Rivera. And Mia Maestro gives a sublime performance in the small role of Frida's sister, Cristina.

Also supporting the cast is the movie's music. As much part of Mexican heritage as part of the film, great thought is given to the songs used in the pivotal scenes. These heighten the emotional level of the film such as the scene where Frida is being sung to in an empty bar after finding Diego cheating with Cristina.

But the best part of the film is Taymor's use of special effects to literally bring Frida's paintings to life. Extraordinary care is given to re-create her paintings as live set pieces. It's simply amazing. This is Taymor's element and none are doing it better in film.

As the film ends, we witness, through Frida's painting, that Diego has respected her request to have her cremated. She wants her broken body burned to make sure that she would never have to return to the physical pain and agony that she bravely face through most of her. A suffering that, had it not happened, may have robbed the world of her inspirational, provocative, original and emotional-twisting artwork.

Last year amid the hoopla of the release of Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's

Stone, movie goers forgot what made the books wonderful and clamored for a

visual representation of a book they had grew to love. What they got was a fun movie, but one that had the emotion and spirit of the book sucked away by a

page-by-page direct translation to the screen.

In Chamber Of Secrets it is very apparent that Chris Columbus and company

have learned from their first experience and have produced a superior product. The spirit is intact this time around with Harry having a much darker and more intense adventure. In fact, it may be too intense for some kids. There are some legitimately scary areas of the film including a harrowing escape from giant

spiders and a fight to the death with the monster that is petrifying the students at Hogwarts.

At the other end of the wand though is a great mystery adventure that is in-line with the great Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew stories that non-readers of the

series can follow. Plus it helps that the cast is so terrific. Daniel Radcliffe improves himself and expands the character of Harry Potter. Emma Watson is

superb as Hermione and Rupert Grint is just hilarious as Ron Weasley. The rest of the original cast is back as well with another quirky yet humorous portrayal of Snape.

But since this is a new book there are bound to be new characters including the animated Doby the house elf and some other teachers who appear in the book,

but we haven't seen until now. The stand out is the new Defense Against The

Dark Arts teacher, Gilderoy Lockhart, who is played to pompous perfection by

Kenneth Branagh. In fact, it is almost worth the price of the movie just to see him flitter around like the peacockish fop that he is. Just brilliant.

There is a major problem with the film though: the ending. It is immensely corny and hackneyed and takes you right out of the story. It just doesn't belong. It's almost as if Columbus, having already resigned as director, just gave up and

came back home to America. The events that happen are not worthy of J.K.

Rowling's books or of this fun and entertaining film.

Margaret Cho is raunchy. Not a bad thing necessarily especially since she is so extraordinarily honest about herself and the observations she makes about sex, relationship, family and self-love (yes, both kinds). The Notorious C.H.O. is more of a platform for her call to arms for tolerance and living without fear.

She touches on the attack on New York and at the time of the taping was probably one of the first jokes made after 9/11. And she campaigns for all people who are minorities whether based on race, sexual orientation, body type, social status, etc. to stop believing in all the ad campaigns and prejudices and start loving themselves to hilarious effect.

Unfortunately, this doesn't come close to the bravery of I'm The One That I Want. No where in Notorious does she come close to the depth of soul-searching and honest reflection of herself as she did in I'm The One, which in itself is a hard act to follow.

Notorious C.H.O. is more frivolity and less substance, but that's just fine this time around. With all the chaos in the world that Cho mentions it's wonderful to just sit back and have someone this talented keep you stitches for 90 minutes.

Spirited Away is the latest in a string of incredible animated films by Hayao Miyazaki, the most renowned animator in Japanese history and most say in the best in world. He takes a couple steps close to the best in the world title with this film.

It's the story of Chihiro as she is caught in a world where humans are not allowed: a world of magic, gods and a Japanese bathhouse. As we meet Chihiro we realize that she is a bit spoiled and has never done anything for herself. As her adventures progress, she matures in ways that she doesn't even realize. This is a journey of self-discovery and a study in forced independence.

Many have compared it to Alice In Wonderland, but where Alice, I thought, was a two-dimensional character going from adventure to adventure, Chihiro is well rounded. She figures out how to be adaptable to an ever-changing world and discovers how to solve her problems instead of running away from them. She is a `real' girl shoved into a world of Japanese mythology where she is ignorant of the rules.

And her problem solving is the best part of the film and the reason I liked this one better then Princess Mononoke. Chihiro uses her kindness, courage and courtesy as her weapons. Even when violence erupts all around her, she relies on her wit and intelligence instead of magic, swords or arrows. These are lessons that children should be exposed to instead of explosions and gore that make up a lot of cinema. If I had kids, you bet I'd be taking them to see this one.

But don't get me wrong; this film is able to thrill adults, too. It is so full of imagination the film seems barely able to contain itself. While it is not as lush as Mononoke (it may have been the print I saw), Spirited Away is gorgeously animated and the dubbing work is almost perfectly synched. In fact, after Chihiro is whisked away I didn't even notice anything out of place.

There were; however, about three scenes that I remember thinking that the score seemed out of place and became distracting, but that's my only complaint. I can easily see why this is Japan's biggest moneymaking film of all time. It's a story well told with visuals beautiful to behold. It's simply timeless.

Ah, the French. So romantic, or least that's the stereotype and the newest French film from the great director, Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Delicatessen, City Of Lost Children), won't put an end to that. In fact, it will perpetuate the belief beyond all reason. You see Amelie is a film that should melt the heart of the most frigid cynic, but you know cynics, they just won't let go of their hurt.

The story involves a woman who discovers the ability to make other peoples' lives better, but won't use that power on herself. That's the simple. The complex is the film itself. It is beautiful, colorful, quirky, funny, strange, moving, lovely and romantic as all get out.

Each new conquest of Amelie's is stranger and more complex than the last and almost all of them reward you with a great laugh or the ability to put yourself in her shoes and feel a sense of accomplishment of making others happy. However, as you sit there basking in the afterglow, you also feel the underpinnings and loneliness that she feels. She won't let go of it. She doesn't feel she deserves it, so she continues to manipulate others into happiness therefore she doesn't have to deal with her own pain.

Don't fret though. Into Amelie's life walks a man of mystery and good looks, who, from the moment they lock eyes, knows he must meet this wonderful and strange girl. Thus begins one of the most bizarre and fun courtships ever put to film. They put up posters around town asking to meet, play scavenger hunt and wear disguises all because Amelie isn't comfortable with herself.

Jeunet's sense of timing and humor work well for this film. His quirky camera angles and movements and use of special effects actually add to the story and don't distract. Plus he's worked hard with his crew to bring color and amazement to Paris that could only be real in the movies.

Don't let the fact that it's subtitled dissuade you from seeing Amelie. This is one of the best films in many years and very deserving of an audience. Plus you can bet right now that it will most likely walk away with the Foreign Language Oscar this March. Drag your romantic side out of the closet and take it on a movie date. Amelie will make you believe in love again.

...in our household. Like everyone else who has commented on this movie, my brothers (7 & 4 years old at the time) and I (10) would watch this movie over and over again. We all loved Star Wars, but we always went back to this one because of the great songs and the adventure. We all loved the Camel and would sing at the top of our lungs with him during his song. There are some slow moments (the time spent with King Koo-Koo in his court) and we generally got bored after The Knight's song ("The reason that I {sound effect} is because I loooooove you"), but we loved the journey to rescue Babbette and the ending and were all a little freaked out by the picture of King Koo-Koo floating there dominating the entire horizon, laughing maniacally at the end. I still to this day sing "Hooray for me! Babbette of gay Paris!" around my friends (I'm 33 now) who just look at me as if I've lost my mind; however, when I'm singing it I'm 10 years old again remembering the wonderful year of Star Wars.

It is my firm belief that Joan Cusack is the most underrated actress in Hollywood right now. She has played many different characters in her career and all of them have some strange quirk that is just plain fun to watch her develop on screen. In her latest role in the extremely entertaining film, Arlington Road, she grabs a hold of you in her small time on the screen and throttles you with subtlety. You wonder is she just sickeningly sweet and stupid or is she extremely smart and in on the entire conspiracy. You never found out for sure, but you get the feeling that she knows everything. She's that damn creepy in this film. Her sweet exterior is just fake enough at times to make chills run up your spine as you try and figure out if she is for real or if she would just stab you in the gut with no conscience after thought. She's that good. (You HAVE to see her turn as a psycho nanny in Addams Family Values).

Oh, the movie? It was good! Intelligently written with an ending that is not typically Hollywood AND it makes sense. The ending brings the whole movie into focus and you can actually look back and see all that was done to Jeff Bridges' character to make the ending a satisfying surprise. Both Bridges and Tim Robbins do well in this modern film noir directed with out-of-control abandon by Mark Pellington. Robbins' character is a bit flat and one dimensional at times since he lacks Cusack's flair for mental ticks, but he gets the point across, and Bridges seemed sometimes to be too caught up in the character's paranoia, but the story carries them through.

The lead up to the ending is a bit hokey unfortunately as the "master plan" depends on Bridges staying within a set mind frame and any little deviation from that would spoil everything, but it's forgivable since the trip there was so, well, trippy. The film sinks its teeth into the paranoia that is today's society and starts thrashing. Great cinematography and mood lighting keep you feeling as helpless as Bridges and it's good to see Angelo Badalamenti (Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet) back doing what he does best: off kilter music score to help set the mood for a creepy, yet entertaining film.

Well, being the big animation fan that I am, I went to see Tarzan this afternoon. Wow.

When I first heard that Disney was doing a version of the Tarzan story, I was hesitant. I mean who wants to hear an ape man spouting out show tunes? Hakuna Matata! The only songs are some of the best work Phil Collins has done in many years. He ventures into the Peter Gabriel territory, but does a great job especially with the rhythms since he IS a drummer. The open number (and sequence) is best albeit Lion King-esque. It seems he was very inspired by the material and has rediscovered his love of music. It's very uplifting. Don't misunderstand me, the characters do sing, but it's more Rosie O'Donnell doing scat with the other apes as they destroy a camp and a very welcome singing cameo by Glenn Close doing the beginning of a lullaby that Phil takes over.

As for the picture itself: wow! This is the most beautiful Disney animation ever: lush, detailed, quick and smooth. Tarzan moves like liquid, filling the screen with gymnastic ease especially the scene where he fights a leopard to save his ape family.

And family is what this film is all about. Disney's Tarzan makes a different decision that Edgar Rice Burroughs' and I think it works better, but it's the decision I would make in the same situation. Some of the situations are a little contrived, but it is mostly Disney sticking with a winning formula. (Tarzan does have nipples unlike Aladdin). :-) What surprised me was the dramatic tilt of the film. Rosie O'Donnell's ape and the elephant are the only comic relief and don't have much of it. The film is very skewed towards adults; HOWEVER, as I was surrounded by a mob of kids there was dead silence right after the main gorillas lose their baby and Tarzan loses his parents to the leopard at the beginning. All the questioning ceased and I got to enjoy the film in complete "adult-like" silence. The kids were just as wrapped up in the movie as the adults.

The voice talent was well cast, too. Minnie Driver is great as the strong, yet proper British lady of the time. Her father is a stereotypical egghead professor who is as clumsy as he is smart. And then there is Brian Blessed as the villain, Clayton. Man, do I love his voice! It's the Voice of God! The deep, rich tones always give me a chill. I wish he worked in more films other then Kenneth Kenneth Branagh's Shakespeare films, but alas.... (well, I guess he WAS in The Phantom Menace)

This truly is one of Disney's classics. I felt the same way walking out of this one as I did from Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King.

Oh, look for a cameo from Mrs. Potts and Chip from Beauty and the Beast! I thought it was funny, but I don't think anyone else in the theater got it since I seemed to be the only one laughing. I always embarrass myself at the movies it seems.