THE DARK KNIGHT

Batman returns to the big screen in a tremendous way in The Dark Knight. In a summer with a large number of quality superhero movies -- Iron Man, Hellboy 2, The Incredible Hulk -- The Dark Knight stands out with all-around quality, from the edge-of-your-seat action to an impressive script backed by equally impressive acting.

At the start of this movie, things are going well for Gotham City. Batman (played by Christian Bale) is both popular with the people and has the mob on the ropes by attacking their money sources. Lieutenant James Gordon (Gary Oldman) is officially denying involvement with the Batman while shining the Batsignal and working with him. And the city's "white knight" is Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), the district attorney who's fearless in taking on the mob. Dent is such a popular, courageous, and overall good warrior that Batman is considering retiring his superhero ways and finally being with Rachel (Maggie Gyllenhaal, taking over from the role from Katie Holmes in Batman Begins) -- even though Rachel is happily dating Dent. Meanwhile, Batman still gets moral support from Alfred (Michael Caine) and hardware support from Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman).

Absolute chaos hits Gotham City with the Joker (Heath Ledger), a scarred psychopath in makeup. From the heist on a mob-owned bank to destroying buildings and killing people, the Joker is a perfect portrait of madness and homidice. While there were fears that the sensation surrounding the actor's death would create hype that his performance could not meet, Ledger creates the perfect Joker.

His performance is one of many great ones in The Dark Knight. It's somewhat ironic that while Batman is the protagonist and star of the movie, Christian Bale has some of the least challenges as an actor here; it's not that his performance is weak, but he speaks gruff as Batman and doesn't offer much tension as Bruce Wayne considers hanging up the cape and cowl. As I mentioned earlier, Eckhart is amazing as Harvey Dent, the unmasked face of justice for Gotham City. He isn't flawless, and his intense focus hints at his ultimate fate. Gary Oldman shines again as James Gordon, an honest cop thrilled to be working with men like Dent and Batman -- and struggling to keep things together as the Joker's madness and destruction wears away the hope of Gotham City. Caine and Freeman are fine in their supporting roles, and Gyllenhaal provides Rachel with some backbone as she both fights the good fight and reminds Bruce Wayne not to pin his hopes for a normal life on her.

Did I mention how exciting The Dark Knight was? The movie opens with an intense bank robbery and keeps on delivering. There are amazing fist-fights, nail-biting vehicle chases (including a game of chicken between the Batcycle and a huge truck), and much more. Unlike Batman Begins where most battles were a series of dizzyng quick camera cuts, The Dark Knight shows the Batman as a skilled warrior.

My only complaint with the movie is its length -- over two and a half hours -- and reducing some of the time spent on the romantic triangle could have cut this down a little. That's a very small complaint from an amazing movie. The script is smart, the action and acting is truly impressive, and this could be the best movie of the summer -- as well as an example of everything a summer blockbuster can and should be. The Dark Knight is not just a great "comic book movie" but an epic adventure by any standard.

Overall Grade: A+

Reviewed by James Lynch

SECRETARY

The term "romantic comedy" feels very inadequate to describe the movie Secretary, even though this is a very funny movie with plenty of comedy. It's a typical "girl meets boy" story, with several atypical twists.

Lee Holloway (Maggie Gyllenhaal) has problems. Her nervous habit of cutting herself led to her being institutionalized, and when released she lives and home and deals with her sister's picture-perfect marriage and her father's drinking. She has a pretty average boyfriend in Peter (Jeremy Davies) but she wants more. So Lee goes to secretarial school, which leads to a most original job.

From the moment Lee applies to a lawyer's ad for a secretary, it's clear several things are amiss: The office is in shambles and the secretary in there leaves in tears. Then Lee meets Mr. Grey (James Spader), a blend of intensity, quirkiness, and shyness. He explains that the position is simple -- typing and answering phones -- and, after a few somewhat personal questions, Lee is hired.

However, Mr. Grey is not an ordinary man, or an ordinary boss. His demands soon have Lee getting close to overwhelmed, and soon he takes a more... hands-on approach to disciplining Lee for typos or other errors. In the real world, this would lead to a massive lawsuit. In Secretary, this taps into something in Lee that she can't resist. But Mr. Lee also feels self-loathing and disgust in the very acts that Lee finds captivating, so soon she's pursuing him in this unusual office relationship: When he says "Look, we can't do this 24 hours a day, seven days a week" she answers back simply, "Why not?"

Movies often treat sexually unusual material either for cheap laughs, exploitation, or condemnation. Secretary rises above numerous such opportunities, instead making the office s&m relationship into an integral part of the lives of these two people. There's plenty of humor here, but never at the expense of the main characters. And while there is both sexual activity and substantial nudity, neither are ever gratituous or salacious.

Gyllenhaal and Spader are the keys to making this movie work. As a damaged person discovering herself, Gyllenhaal demonstrates vulnerability, quirkiness, and finally self-strength and determination. Spader's Mr. Gray is a mass of neuroses, needing to be in charge but also unsure of how to deal with his impulses. These two are superior to just about all the other leads in the seemingly endless string of mainstream romantic comedies.

If you haven't guessed by now, Secretary is not for the easily offended. If that's not you, I very highly recommend this very funny, very smart, very exciting (I have to use the phrase after all) romantic comedy.

Overall grade: A

Reviewed by James Lynch

WALL-E

Pixar has made some of the most amazing animated movies in recent years, and they continue their tradition of excellence with WALL-E. This film manages to find humor, romance, and wonder among some of the most depressing ideas of the future ever featured in a children's movie.

Sometime in the future, humanity has covered the Earth in so much waste (much with the Buy n Large company logo) that the planet cannot sustain life. So humanity bailed on the planet, boarding a spaceship and taking off for parts unknown. They did decide to clean up in their absence, leaving behind a Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class robot; we know him as WALL-E. This little robot has a torso that crushes garbage into square cubes, clamps at the end of its arms that can lift the cubes, and all-terrain caterpillar treads that let him zip around the ground and he makes piles of crushed garbage.

WALL-E also developed a personality. While going about his job, WALL-E brings a cooler to collect items he finds interesting. WALL-E has a pet cockroach (and not a cute anthromorphic critter, but a realistic-looking bug) that he feeds with a Twinkie. WALL-E gets nervous, shows curiosity, and has a morning routine that's the robotic equivalent of that cup of coffee to wake up. WALL-E is lonely, watching a video of Hello, Dolly and holding his clamps together sadly.

Company arrives when a spaceship lands and leaves -- but not dropping off EVE. This robot can fly, has a laser in her arm (and an itchy trigger finger), and keeps scanning the planet on a secret mission. WALL-E is smitten, even if EVE is a reluctant partner. When EVE goes into a hibernation mode after seeing WALL-E's plant, he takes care of her. And when the spaceship returns and picks up EVE, WALL-E follows.

On the starship Axiom, things are... very regulated. All the people float about on hovering beds, eating and watching video screens constantly -- and so fat that virtually no one even walks. Glowing lines direct the traffic of humans and robots alike, setting pre-ordained paths that all follow without question. The B&L company is omnipresent, from branding to announcements. WALL-E's presence changes things, from the small cleaning bot that's perpetually scrubbing his tracks, to releasing a horde of defective robots, to inspiring the Captain (Jeff Garlin) to do more than the same old routine.

WALL-E works on just about every level possible. The special effects are amazing, creating an Earth where piles of garbage tower over skyscrapers and a futuristic "utopia" that's sterile and regulated. Neither WALL-E nor EVE have human features, but both manage to convey very human feelings through their movements and synthetic voices.

The story is also a cautionary tale, where human consumerism has gone berzerk and the humanity has to be reawakened by a mechanical being. And while the dual disasters of a planet laid to waste and a starship of laziness and gluttony are frightening, there is so much humor here that these potentially overwhelming themes don't come across in an overwhelming fashion. Kids will get a kick out of the chases and silliness (though I don't envy parents having to explain why they can't keep any cockroaches that they find in the house) and grown-ups will enjoy the amazing visuals, fun humor, and deeper story than one usually finds in animated fare. WALL-E is a truly spectacular movie, from its deep themes to hysterical comedy. This is easily one of the best movies of the summer, and WALL-E may be one of the best movies of the year.

Overall grade: A+

Reviewed by James Lynch

Sex and the City (2008)

So, I've already gone to the cinema to see the latest Indiana Jones film. Now, this week, we hit this heat wave, and some hours of A/C sound pretty good. What else is playing? Well, this Sex and the City film seems to be getting a lot of buzz. However, I hear that it's a continuation of the hit cable TV series, that I never saw a single episode of. Seriously. I knew Sarah Jessica Parker better for her work at Steve & Barry's. On top of all this, when fellow Armchair Critic Jim hears that I'm going to see this, he wishes me well, and says "You're a braver man than me for tackling S&TC, comrade." He goes on to explain that "One of the best criticisms of the show came from one of the actresses on the show, who described it as 'women sitting around complaining that there are no fabulous men, only fabulous women.'" Hmm, did I really want to see this? Would my manhood emerge unscathed? However, faced with another 90+ degree day of sweltering heat, the "fabulous women" beckoned.

I shouldn't have been too concerned. I was able to pick up the storyline pretty easily. While the characters initially confused me a little bit, I had everyone straight before too long. The center of the action is Carrie Bradshaw (Parker). She has had an on and off again relationship with Mr. Big (Chris Noth) for far too long. As they plan on moving into a fancy Manhattan apartment, they decide it's time for matrimony. Faster than we can say "wedding planner," the wedding is totally out of control, and Mr. Big stands Carrie up at the altar in a dramatic scene. Carrie and the rest of the gals go on the prepaid honeymoon in Mexico. Carrie returns to rebuild her life, and enlists the aid of a young assistant, Louise (Jennifer Hudson). Eventually relationships and lives get rebuilt, and there just might be some wedding nuptials by the end.

Overall, I do have to agree with Jim that this is a highly woman centric film. However, focusing on the gals doesn't exclude a guy from enjoying it. The acting was all well done. Sex and the City is worth a viewing just to see all the fashion that went into it (I can only imagine the budget for all those edgy outfits). They also made good use of many Manhattan locales in the setting which add to the realism and excitement of the film. They also did a good job of portraying the characters as multidimensional, but with seasons of a TV show to draw upon, it's not too hard when you're starting with developed characters already.

Was Sex and the City true to the original TV series? I still have no idea. All I can say was it was an entertaining way to spend a few hours away from the stifling weather, and watch a decent story unfold that certainly held the audience's attention with plenty of chuckles along the way. Isn't that what movie magic is all about?

Overall Grade: A-

Reviewed by Jonas

Top Gun (1986)

I hadn't looked back at a 1980's film in a while, but as I recall Top Gun was one of those films that everyone saw back when we were in high school. It was the film that jump started so many careers with an A list that includes Tom Cruise, Anthony Edwards, Val Kilmer, Meg Ryan, Kelly McGillis, all coproduced by blockbuster creator Jerry Bruckheimer.

The story behind the making of Top Gun has to be kept in mind to understand the film. Reportedly, the script was done, and it called for numerous shots of naval aircraft on an aircraft carrier. These days, you'd just do it in CGI, and no one would be the wiser. However, Top Gun is perhaps the last great blockbuster action film that didn't use any CGI, and everything is real. Instead, they got in touch with the Navy, who agreed to provide an aircraft carrier and whatever else they needed for the project. The Navy was being so helpful because in the early 80's the military, still with the memories of Vietnam fresh in most Americans minds, had a serious PR problem. So, the Navy would cooperate, but they wanted to be able to rewrite the script to cast themselves in a more favorable light. Given that background, we can see how we ended up with a two hour recruiting session for a film.

Tom Cruise is the prototypical Navy flier, whose code name is Maverick. He pushes the plane to the limits, and is the guy you want on your side, but his commanding officer thinks he's a bit of a screwup. His Radar Intercept Officer (the guy in the back seat who does the electronics in the F-14), played by Anthony Edwards, goes by the call sign Goose. Together, after they chase off some Russian Migs they become the team to get sent to Top Gun, the popular name for the Navy Fighter Weapons School at Miramar Naval Air Station where the Navy's best 1% of fliers hone their skills in air to air combat, and compete for the crown of being the best of the best (of note, the school is now in Nevada; sounds funny to have a Naval Air Station so far from water, but that's budget cuts). Along the way Maverick has a romantic interest with one of the professors, Charlie (McGillis) a lay consultant to the military with a doctorate in astrophysics (probably would have made more sense for her to be an aviation engineer).

The real stars of the show, besides the actors, are the military hardware. The aircraft carrier featured is the USS Enterprise. The jets featured include the F-14 which was the Navy's fighter jet until it got replaced by the F/A-18 in the late 80's, although the last ones were only decommissioned two years ago. The "enemy" at the school is the F-5, which is a light fighter that was sold by the US and saw service in other countries, but was limited to being a trainer for the US military. Interestingly, the enemy they fight, a MiG-28, which seems to me to be presumed to be Soviet (although it may have originally been North Korean in the script but in the rewrite it became some generic communist country) is not really any real plane at all, and was played by more F-5 fighters that were painted black to look like the bad guys.

Overall, despite the film being so pro military, it still works. The acting is well done, and the action is top notch summer blockbuster fare. It gets a little dated for some segments, but all in all, Top Gun has fared well during the last two decades. Even if you saw it in theaters, it's still worth a second watching of this classic on DVD.

Overall Grade: A-

Reviewed by Jonas

Legends of the Fall (1994)

Legends of the Fall is one of those films that I kept hearing about, but somehow never saw even though it's over a decade old. Through the magic of DVD's, this deficit was easy enough to fix. The star studded cast includes Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, Aidan Quinn and Julia Ormond.

This is an epic kind of film, the kind that Hollywood only rarely embarks on these days in this era of sequels, and lower budget fluff (the last film I saw that was truly epic was this one from a while ago). Legends of the Fall takes place mostly in Montana, around the beginning of the twentieth century, which is an interesting time historically as America is assuming her place on the world stage as a serious player, and the industrial revolution is finishing up as the next era is beginning.

Anyway, enough history. The film follows the tale of three brothers, their father, a woman, and some American Indian ranch hands. The father is Colonel William Ludlow, played by Anthony Hopkins giving a masterful performance that makes the film worth watching just for that. He's a retired officer from the Western Indian Wars, and one day chooses to toss his saber and make a home in the wilderness of the American West by the Rocky Mountains of Montana with his three sons. The youngest son, Tristan is partially raised by the American Indian ranch hand, One Stab (Gordon Tootoosis) who is far more part of the extended family than hired help. The conflict occurs early on when son Samuel returns from back East with a potential fianceè to meet the family, Susannah Fincannon (Ormond). While I thought she was coming for a week or two, she moves in for the winter. The three boys, against the severest objections of their veteran father, then decide to join the fight in World War I, and Samuel pays the ultimate price. The two sons return home, but they clearly bear the scars of battle. What makes matters worse is that they both fall in love with Samuel's fianceè, Susannah.

What follows is a tale that is both timeless and classic. As time passes, we see the changes in America first hand impacting the family, and in turn their relationships. The film is also done so well that the characters have a very real sense about them, with layers of complexity and nuance developing them into real figures, and not just actors.

The character of Tristan is quite well developed. While he is not an American Indian, he ends up being a "half breed" of sorts by virtue that One Stab was his surrogate father. Whenever adversity strikes, he goes back to this Indian heritage and training, and becomes the warrior brave- whether it is appropriate or not. He also makes an interesting contrast to another character, Isabel Two. While she is of mixed ancestry, and was raised more as an American Indian culturally, the Colonel educates her in academics, which is the enantiomer of Tristan (ok, I'll admit that I've been waiting for years to use that word and it finally fits somewhere). It is any wonder that these two characters are attracted to each other as they dovetail perfectly in their upbringing.

Legends of the Fall is one of those epic films that most will enjoy, and everybody should see at least once. It works on many levels, including character, costume, scenery, cinematography, and some really great performances by some of Hollywood's best. If you haven't had the opportunity to see it, it's well worth seeking out on disc.

Overall Grade: A+

Reviewed by Jonas

PORNOGRAPHY: THE SECRET HISTORY OF CIVILISATION

With all the passions, positive and negative, roused by pornography it can be hard to view it objectively or historically. This task is handled admirably in Pornography: The Secret History of Cilivisation which looks at pornography from the ancient past to what it may become in the future.

This documentary, originally a British television series, is divided into six parts: The Road to Ruin looks at how the excavation of Pompeii's ruins led to the origin of the idea of pornography; The Sacred and Profane examines how the printing press affected pornography; The Mechanical Eye explores how photogaphy led to the porn magazine; Twentieth Century Foxy shows porn and the motion picture came together; Sex Lives on Videotape takes on the effect of video on adult theaters and consumers; and Pornotopia tackles the Internet and porn. Each segment is very focused and includes interviews with historians, art experts, and members of the adult industry.

Pornography: The Secret History of Civilisation does an excellent job of providing a detailed historical overview of the forms and impact of erotic materials throughout history. This series avoids titillation or sensationalism, instead providing a fascinating look at pornography -- and, by extension, human sexuality -- from ancient times to the upcoming future. There are a few dramatic sound effects or visual effects thrown in, but these don't distract from an intelligent and fascinating treatment of the erotic side of humanity.

I do have two small complaints with this documentary. First, while Pornography: The Secret History of Civilisation strives for objectively, there is a noticable lack of anyone or anything suggesting a negative side of pornography. (For example, the documentary described Linda Lovelace becoming the first porn superstar after Deep Throat; but it doesn't mention that she spent the rest of her life crusading against porn and telling people that watching Deep Throat is watching her get raped on film.) Second, when discussing home viewing of pornography this documentary implies the viewing audience is composed of single men, ignoring the expansion of erotica to include women and couples.

Pornography: The Secret History of Civilisation is a wonderful history lesson about what humans enjoyed, enjoy, and will enjoy in the realm of sex and sexuality. I highly recommend viewing this great documentary -- especially with a loved one!

Overall grade: A

Reviewed by James Lynch

The Ditty Bops, Summer Rains (The Green Witch Society, 2008)

The Ditty Bops, comprised of lovers Amanda Barrett (vocals, mandolin, ukulele) and Abby DeWald (vocals, guitar), are making an excellent musical career for themselves despite, or perhaps because of, their consistent defiance of expectations and any easy categorization. Their combination of century-old musical styles, quirky but clever lyrics, fiendishly catchy melodies, and gorgeous harmonies earned their second album Moon Over the Freeway the #1 spot on my top 10 albums of 2006. With their new effort Summer Rains, The Ditty Bops continue to move to the beat of their own drum, and they have another great assortment of songs to show for it.

While a bit more laid back than its predecessors, Summer Rains follows the same general approach to what The Ditty Bops have done in the past. Most of the top-notch supporting cast has returned, including co-producer/keyboardist Mitchell Froom, ace ragtime pianist Greg Rutledge, and drummer Pete Thomas from Elvis Costello's Attractions and Impostors. The one significant addition to the sessions for the new album is guest vocalist Jesca Hoop, who adds a third part to the harmonies on two songs. About half of Summer Rains consists of love songs written in the style of old (i.e., Jazz Age if not earlier) pop standards, but with the rest of the album Barrett and DeWald take on a number of different topics with their lyrics. "Skinny Bones" is a rousing celebration, in the spirit of the hot club jazz of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grapelli, of being under-endowed. The bluesy "What Happened to the Radio" is pretty self-explanatory (although Pete Thomas has played on at least one better song covering the same topic). The Ditty Bops go country on "Because We Do," a sarcastic song about passively accepting things as they are. The folksy "I Feel from the Outside In" deals with being misunderstood, and "The Weeds Are Winning" is a satirical assessment of the rat race and the lifestyle that goes with it. And on the poignant closing song "Sugar and Spice," Barrett and DeWald wonder what little girls are really made of.

Having said that, the real strength of Summer Rains comes from The Ditty Bops' superior sense of song craftsmanship, even as their style generally evokes a distant past. All the songs are melodic and eminently singable (try not singing along to the chorus of "All Over You," and see how far you get), and feature Barrett and DeWald's trademark harmonies. It wouldn't be to hard to envision songs like "When's She Coming Home" or the deviously romantic single "I Stole Your Wishes" being popular hits from a bygone age, at least if you imagine they are being sung from a man's perspective. But that's the essence of The Ditty Bops' music -- they can be completely charming and boldly subversive at the same time.

In an idealized world where pop music actually required melody, catchiness, and clever lyrics, The Ditty Bops would be considered elite pop artists. As it stands, they're somewhere to the left of alternative. While I suppose that's too bad, their music is there for everybody who wants to hear it. And Summer Rains, like its two predecessors, is well worth hearing.

(The album is currently available, to the best of my knowledge, only on The Ditty Bops' website. You can purchase downloads of the songs, or buy the CD. The CD booklet comes with some pop-up art, although whether or not you think the extra pictures and artwork are worth the money will most likely ultimately depend on how highly you value frontal nudity on the inside of a CD booklet.)

Overall grade: A

reviewed by Scott

Accelerate by R.E.M.

R.E.M. is back and rockin'! After the mediocre album Around the Sun, Michael Stipe, Peter Buck and Mike Mills return in full force with volume, energy, and an album that is incredible: Accelerate.

The opening guitar riff of "Living Well is the Best Revenge" lets us know that we're in for a treat; and when Michael Stipe's singing joins in, everything comes together. The band remains political -- especially on "Until the Day is Done" -- but they cover a wide variety of topics, from teen angst ("Supernatural Superserious") to homesickness and nostalgia ("Houston") to just wanting to party ("I'm Gonna DJ"). They only slow down on "Houston" and "Sing for the Submarine"; the rest of the album comes at you like a rocket.

Accelerate doesn't replace Automatic for the People as my favorite R.E.M. album, but it is a thoroughly impressive, extremely consistent album. Pick it up and crank it up!

Overall grade: A

Reviewed by James Lynch

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

Romantic comedies are usually about finding true love, but a good breakup can also be pretty amusing. In Forgetting Sarah Marshall it's absolutely hysterical -- as well as smart and surprisingly touching.

Peter Bretter (Jason Segel, How I Met Your Mother) lives and loves his girlfriend, Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell, Veronica Mars), the star of a C.S.I. - type show which he composes music for. When she dumps him -- something he tries to prevent by remaining naked as long as possible -- he cries and cries and cries, then tried a number of disappointing one-night-stands. On the advice of his former stepbrother Brian (Bill Hader), Peter goes on vacation to Hawaii. However, he hasn't even checked into his resort when Sarah shows up... with her famous British rock star boyfriend Aldolus Snow (Russell Brand) with her.

There is hope for Peter on his vacation. First and foremost is the beautiful and spunky Rachel Jansen (Mila Kunis, That '70s Show), the hotel worker who takes a liking to the depressed Peter. There are assorted other friends Peter makes on his vacation: Darald (Jack McBrayer, 30 Rock), a religious newlywed who can't seem to make sex work with his bride; Brian (Bill Hader, Superbad), a hotel employee who harbors a big crush on Adolus; and Chuck (Paul Rudd), a very stoned surfing instructor. Brian and his wife Liz (Liz Cackowski) also appear through a computer link to offer Peter advice.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall is produced by Judd Apatow, and his signature blend of crudeness and niceness are fully present here. There are plenty of adult jokes, from Peter's frequent full-frontal nudity while being dumped to a demonstration of sexual positions using giant chess pieces. But there's also a lot of heart and depth to the characters. If Peter were a little less likable he'd be utterly pathetic, but Jason Segel makes us like the big lug even in the middle of his crying fit. Sarah has a lot of depth to her, and instead of being the evil woman who dumped a nice guy, she makes it easy to understand why she left him. Kunis' Rachel has her own history and beliefs -- she's not just there to make Peter feel better -- and even the pretentious rock-star Adolus has some niceness to him.

It's a pleasure to have a comedy with rich characters -- and one that makes you laugh so much! From several one-liners to the puppet-musical version of Dracula, Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a strong contender for the best comedy of the year. Go see it!

Overall grade: A

Reviewed by James Lynch

Fever Pitch (2005)

When the Farrelly Brothers make a comedy, it's usually pretty funny, although they can border on the stupid at times- or worse. Thankfully, in Fever Pitch, they were able to elevate the humor, and still have a plot worth watching. With MLB starting up this week, I felt the urge to check out Fever Pitch.

Linsey Meeks, ably played by Drew Barrymore is a high power mathematician climbing the corporate ladder. Along the way, she has met more jerks than men, and hence she is single as she approaches the big 3-0. An junior high math teacher, Ben Wrightman, played by Jimmy Fallon shows up in the office one day with his students for a tour. After being encouraged by his entourage of students, he asks Linsey out, even though his class thinks she is "over his head." While the first date doesn't go as expected as she unleashes a volley of vomit, and Ben surprisingly doesn't run for the hills, soon a winter romance develops between these two. All is going really well for this relationship until one thing happens: Red Sox opening day. It turns out that to say that Ben is the ultimate Sox fan might be an understatement. Soon, the relationship is strained to the breaking point in this romantic comedy.

Fever Pitch is a really fun movie to watch. It captures much of the excitement of a baseball pennant race, and the fun of a new relationship. It's intriguing to see how the couple tries to work beyond the Red Sox as the third person of this love triangle. Also, the props department did a good job of creating Wrightman's apartment into Red Sox Fan Central with everything imaginable, down to Yankee toilet paper. If you're looking for a baseball themed romantic comedy, Fever Pitch is a really good one to choose.


Overall Grade: A

Reviewed by Jonas

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell - Susanna Clarke (2004)

To call Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell a modern fantasy would not be quite correct; while it is certainly urban, it does not take place in some medieval or psuedo-medieval time, rather it is set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic wars. This works quite well, giving the novel a flavor of being slightly distant while still somewhat familiar. The fact that it is well written and intricately plotted certainly adds to the success of the book.

The plot starts out simply enough, with Mr Norrell, a reclusive scholar, bringing "practical magic" back to England. The distinction is important, for theoretical magicians, those who study the history of magic, abound, but Norrell seems to be the only one who can actually perform magic. To convince the authorities that he is capable of restoring magic to England, Norrell bends his principals slightly and bargains with a faerie to perform a great work of magic. Thus the plot is set underway.

This is, in many ways, a classic faerie tale. I do not mean by that the Disnified versions of faerie tales with sparkles and happy, laughing bluebirds. No, indeed, this is a tale where inhuman and immortal (or nearly so) creatures interfere with mankind for their own reasons, which may be nothing more than amusing themselves with our pain. The idea that any bargain with the fae is likely to be more trouble than it is worth is an old one and runs throughout the novel.

Clarke has deftly woven together her alternate history of Britain with real history and populated her book with characters both fictional and historical. The book reads quickly and well, drawing the reader in almost before he is aware of it. The two main characters, the unpleasant but compelling Mr Norrell and the charming but reckless Jonathan Strange, are by turns partners and rivals, but their relationship never seems forced but follows clearly from their individual characters.

The ending, while moderately upbeat, does not dispel the dark cloud which hangs over the whole novel, the cloud of that danger which covers those who dabble in the supernatural.

Overall Grade: A

Dance of Death (2005)

After reading Brimstone, I couldn't wait to get into the follow up novel, Dance of Death. The dynamic writing duo of Preston and Child have carefully crafted an story that brings a new level to serialization.

In Brimstone, you may recall that Agent Pendergrast was hot on the trail of his archenemy brother, Diogenes. Clearly there was bad blood between them, and that was before Pendergrast got bricked up inside an Italian castle. This time Diogenes is planning a horrific crime, and Pendergrast enlists the aid of his policeman friend, Vinny D'Agosta to stop the crime. The only thing blocking them is that they don't know what he's going to do, when he's gonna do it, or even where he really is. And they can't turn to conventional law enforcement because according to them Diogenes died years ago, and isn't even alive. Yeah, this is an easy crime to solve!

What follows is a great story on two levels. The first is that this book's story stands on its own, and is a decent read as the plot progresses at runaway freight train speed, or maybe faster in a few spots. The second level is what makes it even better. Throughout Dance of Death, there are references to characters and plots from many of the other novels that these authors have written. It's a real treat for the dedicated reader to find references to (and characters and locations from) Relic, Cabinet, Thunderhead, The Ice Limit (my favorite is the Extreme Engineering Solutions stuff where they even talk about the unfinished mission of a certain large rock...), and the more recent Still Life With Crows, and even Mount Dragon. Preston and Child have labored hard to populate their universe with complex and dynamic characters, and they are not afraid to call on them as the situation arises. They refer to this as "pangea" and it clearly sets them apart from other authors.

In my view, Dance of Death is a really fine thriller, and about as good as it can get. While it's a lot of work to read such a pile of books to really appreciate it, the serious fan will be well rewarded for their effort. Any fan of thrillers should put the Preston & Child duo at the top of their reading list as I do.

Overall Grade: A+

Reviewed by Jonas

Love Story (1970)

Once in a while you find and older film that really stands out as a classic. While I was seriously young when Love Story graced the silver screen, it has stood the test of time. Directed by Arthur Hiller, it stars Ali MacGraw, Ryan O'Neal, with a small part by a youngish Tommy Lee Jones.

The premise of the story is a tale as old as time: two young lovers must go up against their disparate social levels. More specifically, MacGraw is Jennifer Cavalleri, a concert pianist studying up at Radcliffe. Her father owns a bakery in Rhode Island, and she is solid middle class. On the other hand, O'Neal is Oliver Barrett IV, and he has a few halls named after him a Harvard. His family has "megabucks" and he is solid upper class. The classes clash when he brings her home to his parents, and she clearly is not good enough in their eyes (we haven't progressed much from Becoming Jane). We follow this relationship through several years as Barrett attends and graduates from Harvard Law, as he is disowned from his parents.

This movie is definitely a tearjerker. While we start at the end, we know that their love did not last, and Jennifer is abruptly taken away from him. While the disease is never stated, I would guess, based on that it was diagnosed from a blood test, her age, and the rapid progression, and no need for surgery, that it was an acute leukemia. Thankfully, great strides have been made in the treatment of that disease, and I have no doubt she would have done much better today.

This film is well known also for its musical theme. I've had "Theme from 'Love Story'" in my collection for years, but never knew where it came from. It's actually a decent song, although it's not exactly a rocking number.

Love Story is a particularly strong film. It moves well, with strong characters that are easy to care deeply about. It is well acted, and well paced. Roughly half the film takes place in New York, and half in Boston, with the outside scenes all shot on location. This attention to detail clearly shows through, and this movie shines from all the polish. While this is an oldie, it certainly is worth seeking out, and it's amazingly timeless. It's easy to see why it was nominated for 6 Oscars, and the musical score won an Oscar award.

Overall Grade: A+

Reviewed by Jonas

The New Lovecraft Circle

H.P. Lovecraft is one of my favorite authors, and his horror has incluenced countless other writers. Many have delved into his mythos of unspeakable, eldritch horrors, and The New Lovecraft Circle, edited by Robert M. Price, collects 25 stories written in the Lovecraftian vein. These stories, largely bringing Lovecraft's New England terror of the 1920s and 1930s into contenporary times, venerate the work and memory of the master.

In his introduction, Robert M. Price ponders whether the critics who claim there is nothing new in Lovecraftian horror are right -- and whether or not that is a bad thing if one enjoys the stories. Certainly there are very familiar elements present here: cursed tomes, ancient and alien entities, mysterious family histories, and italicized final, shocking (!) sentences to end the stories.

Mythos fiction is as much about originality and effect as it is about using the elements begun by Lovecraft, and the authors here bring their originality to this genre. Settings vary from the traditional New England haunts to a beach house in California ("The Horror on the Beach"), a pre-rock show interview ("The Whisperers"), an ancient land ("The Doom of Yakthoob"), an experiment with LSD ("Saucers from Yaddith") and even an English Pub ("I've Come to Talk with You Again.") There are triumphs over evil, a sense of doom and despair, madness and triumph, and two insanely wacky stories: "Lights! Camera! Shub-Niggurath!" mashes together Lovecraftian horror, gung-ho filmmaking and outer space together, while "The Slitherer from the Slime" -- "written" by H.P. Lowcraft and "found" by Lin Carter and Dave Foley" -- will tickle the funnybone of anyone the slightest bit familiar with the actual Lovecraft's work.

The New Lovecraft Circle is a testament to the mythos begun by Lovecraft -- and the freshness and originality than new writers can bring to continue the mythos. These stories are well written, often chilling or scary, and a worthy addition to the library of any horror fan.

Overall Grade: A-

Reviewed by James Lynch

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters

Ah, the glorious road of the champion! Honing one's skills and strength! Seeking victory, recognition, and even glory! And battling a giant ape throwing battles at you! Okay, that last part is a bit unusual, but it forms the basis of the documentary The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters. And it's quite compelling.

The King of Kong looks at the world of competitive gaming -- not current video games or card games or board games, but arcade games from the 1980s. The story begins in 1982, when a LIFE Magazine photo shoot brought together some of the best arcade players at the time. Billy Mitchell held the record for Donkey Kong -- and held the record into the 21st century. He has other successes since then -- his business, his family -- and claims his determination in winning the record is how he approaches life.

The challenge to Mitchell's record comes from an unlikely person: Steve Wiebe. Steve is a family man who has had varied interests several brushes with victory but never quite reached the top; some family members and friends even wonder if he has OCD. During a period of unemployment Steve gets a Donkey Kong machine -- and tapes himself breaking the world record!

What follows is a give-and-take battle between Wiebe and Mitchell to claim the title of the greatest Donkey Kong player in the world. This begins as bragging rights within the organization that tracks record holders for arcade games, but the competition becomes more serious when the Guiness Book of World Records gets involved.

The world of competitive gaming could have become bathetic -- adults obsessed about winning at arcade games from the 1980s -- but The King of Kong transforms this into a classic battle between the underdog and the empowered. Billy Mitchell is established as the villain fairly early, from having his fans (one describes himself as Mitchell's "protege") spy on Steve Wiebe's record-breaking attempts to his questioning Wiebe mailing in a tape of his record -- then doing the same thing himself. As for Steve Wiebe, he's made out to be a simple man who broke a held record and just wants to prove it.

We also see the world around these two people. The hardcore competitive gamers appear obsessive, from referee Walter Day linking his meditation and work with keeping these records to the people who brag that they play the games every day in the hopes of breaking these records. The outside people are mostly represented by Wiebe's family: His wife alternately supports his obsession and wishes it was over, while his young daughter wonders why he cares about it at all. The end result is a nice balance of this world, from inside and outside.

A good documentary can invest the viewer in something they may not have cared about (or even known about) before, and The King of Kong delivers. Framed as a classic struggle, this documentary gets us to care about the people involved, to wonder who will come out on top concerning a game we probably haven't played in years. The King of Kong is a fascinating look at the nature of competition, the quest for perfection -- and those deadly barrels.

Overall grade: A

Reviewed by James Lynch

Shanghai Kiss (2007)

Among this week's mediocre films, there was one surprise gem, Shanghai Kiss. It stars Ken Leung ("Lost") and Hayden Panettiere ("Heroes"). While Panettiere fills the DVD cover (pictured to the right), this film is really about Leung.

Leung plays Liam Liu, an Asian American that has been born and raised in NYC. A son of Chinese immigrants, he has never been to China, and doesn't speak Chinese. Running from the strained relationship with his drunken father, he heads to Los Angeles where he is an aspiring, no make that an out of work, actor. He struggles to pay the rent and find work, and a chance meeting on the bus finds him a girlfriend, of sorts. The issue is Adelaide (Panettiere) is considerably younger, much richer, and still in high school.

All right, so far this seemed to be not too different than plenty of other romantic comedies, but thankfully, we avoid the formula that's been overdone to the point of monotony. Rather Liam ends up inheriting a house in Shanghai from a grandmother that he's never met. He heads to China for a quick sale, and to pocket the cash. However, this ends up being a journey into his first his Chinese roots, and ultimately into himself. After meeting a Chinese woman, Micki (Kelly Hu), Liam decides that he wants to move to Shanghai and inhabit the house left to him. As the rest of the story progresses, Liam experiences several setbacks, but ultimately exhibits substantial personal growth as he realizes that love is more important than money. There is also the theme of culture and tradition as he finds himself caught between the land of his birth, and the land of his people.

Aside from the well done plot, and frequent sarcastic one liners that kept my attention throughout, this film also makes it on its strong use of the city of Shanghai. I know someone that bought an apartment there a few years ago, and he described it as a vibrant city with phenomenal growth. From what is seen in Shanghai Kiss, it looks like a cross between the Vegas Strip, and Times Square, with a cosmopolitan Asian flair. All I can say is that too often our network TV doesn't show us what is going on in China, and I was quite engaged to see what a happening city Shanghai is these days.

In conclusion, Shanghai Kiss is a sleeper of a hit. While it hits all the requisite high notes for a romantic comedy, it shows that a film of this genre can be anything but ordinary. It is well worth seeking out on DVD.

Overall Grade: A-

Reviewed by Jonas

American Gangster

America's love/hate interest with the cool criminal continues with American Gangster, the latest movie following the rise and fall of a powerful crime lord. This movie, set mostly in New Jersey during the 1970s, takes us on two parallel paths: the gangster and the police officer after him.

Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) is the bodyguard, enforcer, and go-to man for a gangster in Harlem. When Frank's boss dies, Frank treats the drug trade like a business. He travels to Thailand to arrange for shipments of pure heroin to the U.S. (with help from the military), gives it his own name, and sells it cheaper than others are. This works perfectly and quickly catapults Frank to success: When Frank likens his product to Pepsi in name recognition and reputation, it's a twisted but appropriate comparison.

Frank also strives for independence and professionalism. He doesn't work for anyone, placing himself at the top and having others work under him. He avoids flashy clothes or an ostentatious lifestyle (when he wears a big mink coat and hat from his wife, that comes back to haunt him twice), hires his relatives as much as possible, and maintains necessary business relationships (usually commenting "My man" to whoever he makes an arrangement with) while killing anyone who gets in his way.

On the other side of this tale is Detective Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe). Richie is a policeman whose integrity gets him in trouble from both criminals and his fellow police. Continually honest -- at the opening of the film he and his partner find almost a million dollars, which Richie makes them turn in -- Richie struggles against a seemingly endless tide of crooks and crooked policemen who have much more money than he does. (This character is not a paragon of virtue: His womanizing costs him his marriage and child.)

Director Ridley Scott manages to get the perfect results from his actors in American Gangster. Denzel Washington is intensely focused without going overboard, creating a protagonist whose focus is solely on his success, not on the dangers or consequences. Russell Crowe gives us an honest, hard-working guy who's weary from tilting at windmills but keeps at it because it's the right thing to do. And the supporting cast is quite good, though the focus is clearly on the two leads. The culture of the 1970s is also reflected in the news coverage of the war in Vietnam, which goes up and down along with the fortunes of Frank Lewis.

Be sure to check out American Gangster for an intelligent, exciting, and very well-acted drama about crime, honesty, business, and the American dream.

Overall grade: A-

Reviewed by James Lynch

MythBusters, Discovery Channel