Emotionally Charging Lassie Comes Home To Theatres

5 Popcorn Kernels

There are a few scenes in Lassie, the newest reincarnation of the classic tale about a boy and his collie, that are guaranteed to make even the coldest human being weep. One of such scenes involves a young boy telling his best friend (man’s best friend, that is) that she is a bad dog and that he doesn’t love her anymore after being forced to sell her. It is a cruel scene to witness but it also goes to show just how powerful motion pictures can be. Even though it takes place early on in the movie, it is impossible to remain unaffected by it nonetheless.

Lassie, which is an import from Ireland, is a tremendous update of the original versions of the story. While it is a fantastic feature film, it is not ideal family flick. The movie is never boring but it does slow down in parts to help advance the humans’ yarns. These segments combined with the emotionally charging scenes make Lassie inappropriate for younger moviegoers.

That brings me to my next point – this Lassie is more about the people that the loyal pup meets than the dog herself. The movie utilizes the basic storyline of The Fugitive television series in which, while on the run, the absconder influences everyone on his or her path. Lassie has the power to bring soul mates together, give a little girl the confidence to go on and help an unfortunate man survive a tragic event. The thought of Lassie enriching people’s lives is inspirational and gives meaning to the theory of “everything happens for a reason.”

However, people expecting a movie about a dog might be surprised with what they find in Lassie. This should not deter folks from seeing the wonderful flick, though. Lassie is a very special movie worthy of the beloved title in every way. It may not be the best movie to bring young children to, but it certainly is one that you should bring yourself to. Older children, teenagers, adults and the young at heart will cherish every moment of this must-see Fall flick.

Lassie takes place in Yorkshire during the first World War and focuses on a lower-middle class family. Joe, played in very heartwarming fashion by Jonathan Mason, is greeted by his loveable canine Lassie each day after school. When Joe’s father, Sam, played by John Lynch, is laid off from work, the family must sell Lassie to the wealthy Duke, played by Peter O’Toole. The Duke’s abusive dog-handler is unable to keep Lassie from running back to Joe.

Joe’s mother, Sarah, played by Samantha Morton, does not appreciate all of the problems her son’s bond with Lassie is causing. The Duke takes Lassie on a trip to Scotland. The Duke’s granddaughter, Priscilla, played by Hester Odgers, sees the pain in Lassie’s eyes and assists the dog in her next scheme to escape. Now, Lassie must travel hundreds of miles, weathering thirst, hunger and dog-catchers, hoping just to see Joe one last time.

Lassie, which screened at the Tribeca Film Festival last Spring, is a spectacular feature film. It will definitely emotionally affect you. Lassie is worthy of your smiles, tears and laughs. It may be a bit too upsetting for kids, but it is the touching movie that you’ve waited all year for. It may even make you look at your own best friend in a new way.

Quaintly Dark Keeping Mum Something To Talk About

3 Popcorn Kernels

British cinema often features a character in the role of the nanny or housekeeper. This character is usually the catalyst of change in the other characters’ lives. In Nanny McPhee, the nanny helps the man of the house find his one true love and assists the children with the acquisition of decent behavioral skills. In Keeping Mum, the housekeeper helps the woman of the house rekindle her romance with her husband and assists the children with the achievement of confidence and self importance. Those are two fairly similar plots, right?

Yes – except Nanny McPhee was able to pull it all off without killing anybody.

Keeping Mum begins with a short prologue about a pretty young woman named Rosie Jones. While riding on a train, it is discovered that Rosie has a trunk filled with two dead bodies. Rosie contently confesses that the bodies are that of her husband and his mistress, noting that she “couldn’t very well stand idly by.” She is locked away in a secure unit for the criminally insane.

Forty-three years later, we are introduced to Gloria Goodfellow, a woman played by Kristin Scott Thomas who appears bitter and mean. Gloria’s marriage to her husband Reverend Walter Goodfellow, played by Rowan Atkinson, has grown stale so she is seeing her golf instructor Lance, played by Patrick Swayze, and is planning on running away with him to Mexico. Walter is too consumed with writing a winning keynote speech to notice his wife’s infidelity. Meanwhile, their son Petey is terrorized by bullies on a daily basis, which is exactly how long it takes his sister Holly to change boyfriends.

Everything begins to turn around, though, when housekeeper Grace Hawkins, played by Maggie Smith, comes into their lives with a mysterious trunk. Utilizing particularly unconventional ways she teaches Petey the art of self-assurance, Holly the value of making the right choices and Walter the practice of humor. The only task remaining is getting Gloria interested in her husband again – something seemingly impossible with Lance standing in her way.

Each of the characters in Keeping Mum appears to be stock at first glance but a few twists bring out the dark side of the personalities. Atkinson is always a joy to watch and his unique knack for facial expressions is not wasted here. Smith is absolutely superb in this flick, as well, embodying the perfect balance of kindness and malice to make Grace constantly intriguing. The British nanny / housekeeper genre has been due for an update for quite some time and Grace Hawkins is exactly the woman for the job.

Unfortunately, after the initial prologue involving Rosie Jones, the scenes introducing the Goodfellow family are comparatively dull and it takes a while before the fun picks back up when Grace finally appears. In addition, Petey’s story is cut short midway through the flick and Holly’s dilemma never really takes corporeal form. These two storylines could have substituted Gloria’s frequently boring moments to keep the flick afloat.

Still, the vast majority of the motion picture is entertaining. For a dark comedy, Keeping Mum is unusually pleasant. The black humor in this particular movie is more apt at generating smiles than hearty laughs, but such subtlety adds to the film’s quaint structure. With a memorable story, delightful characters and an eerie spin, Keeping Mum is definitely something to talk about.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

3 Popcorn Kernels

"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" is a perfect example of why cinematic setting is of the utmost importance.

Although this third and (not likely) final installment of the "Pirates" trilogy serves up hearty thrills and eye-popping special effects, it is too convoluted and plot heavy to really penetrate an audience.

The result is an empty summer blockbuster that will probably make far more money than it actually has any right to.

The movie picks up where the trilogy's second installment "Dead Man's Chest" left off. Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow is somewhere between the lands of the living and the dead, also known as Davy Jones' Locker.

Elizabeth Swann (Kiera Knightley), Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) set out to rescue their friendly foe to restore peace among the Pirate Lords.

Once their mission is complete, the team meets with the other Pirate Lords to develop a plan to defeat Davy Jones (Bill Nighy) who is now under the control of an abusive government. Their plan is not well-received so, of course, a fair dose of treachery, lies and deceit is offered up -- adding to the overall confusion.

This all leads to the final showdown between Sparrow and Jones. Their sword fight is set on the high seas during a storm of Calypso's creation.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth, Will and Captain Barbossa carry on with battles of their own, against fishy soldiers and other villains.

Fans of the franchise certainly will be entertained but they will not necessarily know what is going on. Moviegoers of all ages will become bored by the talky second act -- it feels like an eternity for the action to finally pick back up.

When that action does hit, there is no definite sense of place and it is hard to identify the good guys from the bad guys. Therefore, the visuals deliver but the emotion is absent making for a fun yet forgettable ride.

Depp is still a joy to watch and Rush's return is a leap in the right direction. However, Knightly and Bloom have little to do in "At World's End." Their one big scene together comes across as corny rather than romantic.

As usual, the supporting characters steal each scene. Whether it is that strange pirate with the fake eyeball or a monkey also named Jack, these people make the movie bearable. Even Keith Richards' brief appearance as Captain Jack's father is amusing, despite being ultimately pointless.

Disney simply tried too hard with "At World's End." As is the case with a number of the 2007 summer flicks, the filmmakers injected too much into one movie. The nearly three-hour running time of this latest "Pirates" movie reflects a false sense of self-importance.

Staying after the closing credits gives you the opportunity to see a hidden scene which may be a tease of the next installment, which has yet to be confirmed. Depp has expressed interest in reprising his role so the box office receipts will probably be the determining factor.

None of the "Pirates" movies were really as fantastic as some people lead themselves to believe, but this latest attempt does nothing more than walk the plank.

Still, I doubt many moviegoers will be able to resist the urge to see "At World's End."

Bug

3 1/2 Popcorn Kernels

Billed as a horror, "Bug" may leave fans of the genre scratching their heads. Then again, there is not a moviegoer out there who can confidently say they know what the truth is behind this feature film.

"Bug" is filled with blood and torture but it is ultimately a psychological thriller. Whether or not there are in fact bugs is the central idea here.

"Bug" stars Ashley Judd as Agnes White, a lonely woman who meets an unusual character named Peter Evans, portrayed by Michael Shannon.

The two get to know each other and make it adamantly clear that neither one wants a significant other in their life. Instead, they form a friendly bond in which they share emotions and, eventually, secrets.

Agnes' ex-boyfriend Jerry Goss (Harry Connick Jr.) enters the frame and we begin to think Peter will be Agnes' knight in shining armor. He comforts her and their friendship leads to something more -- including an oddly slimy fit of love making.

Before morning, Peter wakes up and shows Agnes a rash of bug bites on his wrist. He shuffles through the sheets to find the perpetrating "aphid" but Agnes cannot seem to see it at first. She hardly cares about this, either.

Soon, Agnes begins seeing the insects and the duo determine the apartment is crawling with them. In fact, Peter claims they are in his blood, care of an egg sack implanted in a cavity in his tooth by army researchers.

However, doctors cannot see the bugs and neither can Agnes' friend. Paranoia sets in within Peter and Agnes hops aboard for the dangerous ride.

Based on a play, "Bug" probably works much better on stage than on screen. However, director William Friedkin does an excellent job at instilling terror in the audience.

A number of elements fail to add up and appear to be nothing more than extra pieces to the puzzle, but the movie keeps you guessing while cringing and turning away from the bloody action.

"Bug" is a better character study and exercise in acting than it is a plot-based flick. Judd and Shannon are spectacular and carry the film from start to finish.

It feels like a waste of time but "Bug" will work its way under your skin and leave you feeling strangely satisfied -- if not a little itchy.

Waitress

4 Popcorn Kernels

"Waitress" is an awfully feminist flick but the humor will have both genders hungry for more.

The movie is sweet enough to satisfy the cravings of most audiences, although the ending will work the nerves of some -- especially men.

Fortunately, the talented cast of actors, including Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Andy Griffith and Cheryl Hines, are highly entertaining and make the loose ends less noticeable.

Russell plays Jenna, a country girl working as a waitress at a pie shop owned by a man named Joe (Griffith). Jenna is stuck in the middle of an emotionally abusive marriage.

Things get worse when she discovers she is pregnant. She wants to keep her job so she can earn enough money to enter a pie competition. Jenna constantly thinks up new pie recipes with unique names to match her mood or circumstance.

Then she meets her new doctor Dr. Pomatter (Fillion) and his kindness wins her over. They forge a bond and begin cheating on their respective significant others. Jenna is torn over the ethics of her behavior and finds herself critiquing her friends for doing the same things she is doing.

Jenna's confidence is low and her husband only makes it lower. He forces her to promise she will not love her baby more than she loves him. This is an easy task for Jenna, who despises her husband and does not want to have a baby.

Joe and Dr. Pomatter tell Jenna she is better than that, though, and try to convince her to take steps to improve her life.

"Waitress" is fun, cute and almost too positive. Despite being squeaky clean, the movie succeeds in winning over moviegoers' hearts through optimism, quirky characters and a catchy song about pies.

Writer/director Adrienne Shelly is far from being professionally skilled, but she apparently knows how to please an audience. Again, women are likely to favor "Waitress" more than men, but the movie provides enough universal entertainment for everyone.

It is the kind of movie you can bring your girlfriend to and score huge points. Even better, bring your mother and make up for forgetting Mother's Day a few weeks ago.

"Waitress" is an improvement over other feminist flicks (can any guy forget "The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood?") and serves up warm, chewy goodness. Even the crust is tasty!

Popcorn Picks 2006

I usually struggle to develop a list of the best 10 movies of the year. I always come up with 14 movies or more and have a difficult time cutting a few off the list.

However, this year, I found the perfect 10. These movies stand out above the rest as the best -- and must see -- motion pictures of 2006.

There is something for everyone on this year's list -- a family film about a beloved best friend, two comedies with the dirtiest humor to date, an eerie tale of preventative revenge and two excruciatingly disturbing features about the end of civilization.

10. "Lassie" -- This reincarnation of the tale about a boy and his dog is heartbreaking and uplifting. Anyone who has ever had a pet can relate to the characters in this beautifully shot family film.

9. "Down in the Valley" -- Edward Norton is remarkable in this independent film about a forbidden romance. Engaging and oftentimes thrilling, this motion picture is quietly absorbing.

8. "Children of Men" -- Set in the not-so-distant future, this movie about the pending end of the human race is hard to watch and highly depressing. However, a number of single-shot, uncut sequences make this feature film simply outstanding.

7. "Apocalypto" -- Mel Gibson's bloody narrative about the end of an ancient civilization is also hard to watch but its fast pace warrants your attention. This movie is nothing short of compelling.

6. "Hard Candy" -- In a time when tales of pedophilia is a daily segment on the local news, this movie about predator versus prey is gripping. Good luck trying to choose sides, though; it is harder than you think.

5. "Borat" -- Sacha Baron Cohen knows how to make Americans laugh. He also knows how to make them think. Then again, he knows how to make other cultures quite angry, too.

4. "Babel" -- Speaking of cultures, this movie's narrative layers that connect in one way or another are each extremely entertaining. Not only does Brad Pitt give his greatest performance in his career, but the entire motion picture is the most important piece of cinema of 2006.

3. "Little Miss Sunshine" -- It is no secret that this feature film delivers many laughs. It tells the story of a family to which we can all relate and, for that, you leave the theater feeling uplifted.

2. "Clerks 2" -- Some claim Kevin Smith's sequel about interspecies erotica and inappropriate nicknames is garbage. I say, I would happily go dumpster diving to laugh this hard.

1. "A Prairie Home Companion" -- Big-name actors. Stunning set pieces. Folk music. This is what going to the movies is all about.

How to Eat Fried Worms Cooks Up Family Fun

     Walden Media has the perfect recipe for a family flick in How to Eat Fried Worms. The movie, based on the children’s book by the same title, revolves around a young boy who arrives at a new school only to be duped into a bet with the school bully. He must now spend his Saturday eating disgusting, creepy crawlers. School age kids will be enthralled with this motion picture, which features a few bright spots for adults as well. It is short, harmless and surprisingly fresh cinematic fare that the whole family can enjoy.

Turbulent Snakes on a Plane Ridiculously Fun

     The only movie with a sillier title than Snakes on a Plane is the upcoming Let’s Go to Prison. The movie, which stars Samuel L. Jackson and has developed quite the Internet following, takes the inane storyline of an action star releasing a plethora of poisonous snakes on a jetliner to kill a witness who is going to testify against him. Many of the snakes are absurdly fake in appearance but there the feature will certainly entertain moviegoers. It’s good for a laugh and even better for a thrill.

Accepted Rejected

     Justin Long of Jeepers Creepers and TV’s Ed fame is the only highlight of an otherwise average motion picture in Accepted. The movie is about a high school graduate played by Long, who gets rejected by every college to which he applies. He leases a vacant building and accepts himself into a fake university but technology goes awry and numerous other students get accepted, too. Unfortunately, most of the jokes fall flat as a result of the flick’s lack of logic.

Material Girls Has No Heart

     Hilary Duff stars alongside her sister Haley Duff in Material Girls, a decent effort at a chick flick with very little true substance. The plot revolves around the sisters in the roles of close-to-real-life characters, heiresses to the Marchetta cosmetics company, dealing with the downfall of their father’s beloved business. It has a significant lack of laughs or any applicable life moral but it remains a suitable choice for mothers and daughters who wish to spend a little cinematic time with one another.