...Around

"You have a story." This line from the film ...Around, based on the life of writer-producer-director David Spalto, summarizes the life of a filmmaker as a young artist, homeless man, and struggling New York City resident.

Doyle Simms (Rob Evans) leaves his good buddy Logic (Marcel Torres) and unsupportive family in Jersey City to become a filmmaker in New York City. However, the NYC of ...Around is both wonderful and depressing, a place where opportunity and failure go hand in hand. Doyle makes it into film school -- while living on the streets.

Simms strikes up a friendship with philosophical homeless man Saul (Ron Brice) and tries to start a romantic relationship with Allyson (Molly Ryman), a fellow struggling artist. Over the space of four years Doyle survives on the streets, gets an apartment, returns home to NJ a few times (and regrets it each time), survives on numerous credit cards, works several unfulfilling jobs, and even sometimes thinks about his film.

...Around is the debut film from David Spalto, and it contains both promise and rough edges. The movie is a homage to New York City, yet it shows how rough the city can be on people. But there is some awkward dialogue, cliches pop up frequently (such as a character actually miming removing a person's emotional "mask"), and protagonist Simms spends 90% of the movie as the cool dude with a clever and sardonic line for everything (much like Jim in the tv show The Office). There is some genuine honesty that shines through near the end, but there are also scenes that feel artificial. ...Around is a decent movie, less idealized and less polished than many takes on Manhattan -- and on the aspiring artist.

Overall grade: C

Reviewed by James Lynch

I Am Legend (2007)

With Will Smith's next film due to come out over July 4th, I decided to catch up on his previous film available on DVD. This is I Am Legend, but it quickly became apparent to me why I generally can't stand horror films.

The premise is that Will Smith is some military scientist. A few years ago, in an effort to cure cancer, a virus was reengineered into a vector to be able to kill the tumors. Faster than we can say "Jurassic Park," the virus is mutated into a killer and most of humanity is wiped out. A few of humankind are naturally resistant (mutants if you will), and Robert Neville (Smith) is one of these. He ends up in NYC, which was his predisaster post. He searches for a cure in his basement lab, and drives around a desolate city, unless you count the wildlife, and folks that have been turned into zombies by the virus. Zombies? Yeah, that's when I realized that I Am Legend went from far fetched to ridiculously implausible.

There are hordes of zombies wandering around the city, and they come out at night. The otherwise impressive job the special effects department did in converting many iconic NYC spots (Times Square, Brooklyn Bridge, USS Intrepid) into post apocalyptic shells of their former existence is completely undone by the poor costumes of the zombies that would fit in alongside any 1950's monster movie. Yup, it's that bad.

Meanwhile, the cure is right in Smith's unprocessed blood that he sends along at the end. Duh! While the cure may be in there in the form of an antibody, that doesn't mean anyone can do anything with it, so a tube of his blood is not particularly valuable. If you were upset when DISH dropped their Monster HD channel, then this film is for you. Other than that, the rest of us can steer clear of I Am Legend.

Overall Grade: D+

Reviewed by Jonas

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

27 Dresses (2008)

We've all heard the phrase "always the bridesmaid, never the bride" to describe a woman that has been to everyone's wedding except her own. In 27 Dresses this saying forms the basis of this romantic comedy.

Katherine Heigl plays Jane Nichols. She's the overefficient personal assistant to George (Edward Burns) at a outdoor oriented catalog clothing purveyor. Jane has been to no less than twenty-seven weddings as a bridesmaid, and her closet is stuffed with the hideous dresses. Seriously, Jane could be a professional bridesmaid, and she is often roped into called upon to be the maid of honor at these affairs. The film starts as she is attends two weddings on the same night as she hops back and forth in a taxi (how NY!).

The conflict comes as she loses her Day Runner in the cab, and a newspaper reporter, Kevin, that just happens to cover the weddings section happens upon it. He tries to ask her out, but she would rather pursue an interest with her boss, who only sees her professionally, and ineptly wonders aloud "Who should I take to this function?" as Jane stand idly by hoping in anticipation. The second plot twist is that Jane's sister, Tess comes into town, and faster than we can say "sisterhood" Jane's boss is head over heels with Tess, who he hardly knows, and isn't as compatible as he thinks he is with.

Stop this bus, I want to get off! Ok, I'll grant you this is all predictable with a capital "P." This is the overdone romantic comedy formula film, and we're not breaking any ground here. However, 27 Dresses does have redeeming features aplenty.

First of all, Katherine Heigl is excellent. Maybe I'm just a fan of her work from "Grey's Anatomy," (ironically a show I haven't reviewed, but faithfully watch, and know a thing or two about the setting and plot line). Then, unlike many films that fall under the category of romantic comedy, this one actually has some humor in it. Let's agree that most bridesmaid dresses give new meaning to the word hideous, and would never be worn outside of a wedding. To have an entire closet of these montroscopies, that she models is quite amusing to watch as we see the various themes of weddings she has attended (pictured in this post are the dresses from the Caribbean and Indian weddings). Finally, while predictable, 27 Dresses just provides some solid entertainment. For two hours of diversion, it nicely fits the bill.

Overall Grade: B+

Reviewed by Jonas

Michael Clayton (2007)

George Clooney takes a well deserved break from being Danny Ocean in the drama, Michael Clayton. It is a variant from the usual type of lawyer movies, typified by John Grisham's work where most of the action takes place in the courtroom. This is more of a morality play and character study that reminds me of The Insider at some points.

Clooney portrays Michael Clayton, a lawyer in a high power NYC law firm. His position is "the fixer," which makes him a highly paid janitor that uses his legal degree to clean up messes, while the rest of the firm focuses on the usual duties (not to be confused with this fixer). The movie starts at the end, as Clayton heads to Westchester to start the cleanup process for a well to do man that ran someone over and then left the scene of the accident. On his return trip, his car ends up blowing up. We rewind four days to piece together how he ends up being the target of a murder plot (I kinda wish they would just run it from start to finish as it gets more confusing this way, and didn't add much overall). Along the way, we see Clayton is trying to fix his brother's gambling debt, and his relationship with his son is strained. His law firm has been defending a agriculture chemical company from a massive lawsuit, which will be hard to wiggle out of, and the senior partner on the case goes completely manic when he is needed most requiring the services of the fixer to make it right. Through it all, Clooney portrays a man that is in this world deeply, skirts the law himself, and in the end, just wants to get out of the situation that is his daily life.

In my analysis, I can see why folks thought this film was so great, but I don't agree. While Clooney's performance is strong, I found the plot confusing at points, and not quite right. Seriously, after working for a multimillion law firm for years and not making partner, would Clooney's "golden parachute" be $75,000 that he has to beg for? Michael Clayton just didn't end with a satisfying sense of finality that I would have expected from it. While die hard Clooney fans will find this film a treat, I just don't what the hoopla was all about.

Overall Grade: B

Reviewed by Jonas

Picture Perfect (1997)

Maybe they should have renamed this film Not So Picture Perfect as it did disappoint. Let's enumerate how this film failed.

Jennifer Aniston is Kate Mosley, a twenty something dynamo of creativity for a Manhattan advertising agency. Faster than you can say "Madison Avenue," she's masterminding an entire campaign that lands her agency the big bucks deal. So far, I was hooked into the rest of the film. Then, she gets passed over for an obvious and well deserved promotion. When she inquires into why she's being passed over, the crux of it is that she's single, has no debt, and is too mobile- in other words she can change jobs too easily, and is not shackled down tight enough. I was intrigued with Picture Perfect at this point.

What follows goes off the deep end along the way. Kate then decides to remedy this apparent "defect" and gets some guy to pose as her fiancee. He is Nick, the wedding videographer played by Jay Mohr, a man she met at a friend's wedding. The doors now seem to be opening up for her both professionally and personally. On the work front, her boss now takes her more seriously, and she is meeting the right people and the glass ceiling has opened. Personally, coworker Sam (Kevin Bacon), who didn't look at her twice when she was available, now has a romantic interest in her.

While the almost ritualistic formula for this type of romantic comedy is setup in the plot, Picture Perfect falls short. The characters are all unidimensional, and felt better suited for a half hour second rate comedy than the silver screen. It also isn't too humorous as a comedy, and not terribly romantic either. With so many films out there Picture Perfect just isn't that strong of an entry.

Overall Grade: C

Reviewed by Jonas

No Reservations (2007)

No Reservations is the Hollywood remake of the German film, Mostly Martha. It stars Aaron Eckhart, Abigail Breslin and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Zeta-Jones is Kate, a driven executive chef in a swanky Manhattan restaurant. Apparently no one ever told her the phrase "Work to live, don't live to work," as she has her entire life is tied up in this restaurant, and she has little (more like nothing) outside of it. The plot develops with a crisis as Kate's sister is coming into town to visit, and is fatally killed in an automobile accident, and her niece, Zoe (Breslin), is injured as well. Suddenly Kate has to fulfill her godmotherly duties and raise her sister's child, a responsibility that she unenthusiastically fulfills.

Along the way, we realize that Kate is wholly unprepared for this endeavor, despite her outward achievement at the restaurant. Seriously, it shouldn't take a psychotherapist to suggest making the kid fishsticks instead of duck or a whole fish (with the head on) to eat! Geez, no wonder Zoe wasn't quite gobbling this fare up! Enter Nick (Eckhart), a budding chef that for most of the film we can't decide if he is truly studying under Kate, or waiting for his chance to push her aside in the kitchen. Quite predictably, and inevitably, a romance develops between Kate and Nick.

No Reservations, while mostly predictable, is still a good film. There's no plot twists and turns to keep track of. You can guess the ending halfway through, and there's no surprises along the way beyond an occasional speed bump. It's like ordering a hamburger at the diner: completely predictable, but still satisfying. Sometimes, that just what your taste buds need, and this film can deliver. All three stars turn in convincing performances so No Reservations is definitely a safe viewing choice.

Overall Grade: B+

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

New Amsterdam, Fox Televison

While the Hollywood Writer's Strike has come to a close, there still is a paucity of new TV shows these days. It's probably due to this that I gave the new show New Amsterdam a chance, even though the whole premise sounded rather silly, and would garner a Mythbuster implausible.

John Amsterdam (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) is a NYC detective that has seen it all. No really, he has, as he has lived in the Big Apple from 1642 to now. He just happened to get immortal life from a Native American girl who repaid him after he saved her life. His immortality is as much a blessing as a curse as he needs to find his true love in order to become mortal again.

All right, the first time I heard the premise of the show, as I just outlined, I thought that this made no sense, and how could we make a show around this. After I gave it a chance, and watched the season opener, I see how this could work. For example, there are some interesting flashbacks that show NYC in the past, and can enrich the current location (kind of like in Lost, but significantly less confusing). Also, our main character, Amsterdam, has made a living for the last four hundred years, so we've already gotten hints in the opener that he was a desk maker, a soldier, and who knows what else? The past is also revealed in the course of a murder investigation as Amsterdam does have a day job in this, and at least one other that knows his secret. And how could I forget? He also thinks he finds his true love, although he has no idea who she is. How hard can it be to find her in NYC among the masses?

After the season opener, I am hooked for the time being. It is currently airing on Monday nights on the FOX network. In an Armchair first, in case you missed it, the entire episode, thanks to Hulu, can be seen in the window below so feel free to catch up. Cool, huh?

Grade: B+

Reviewed by Jonas

The Manhattan Project (1986)

So with the Academy Awards this week, I was supposed to go out and watch all the films that won, right? Well, it takes a lot of work to swim upstream sometimes, and I looked at a film from 1986 instead. Specifically, I don't remember hearing anything about this film called The Manhattan Project, so I decided to take a look as the title intrigued me.

No, this is not the documentary of the top secret WW II project that resulted in the making of the first atomic bomb. While that would make a compelling film, this one focuses on a scientist in the mid 80's that comes up with a method of making ultra pure plutonium for use in atomic bombs. The government decides to fast track it, and they setup a new lab in Ithaca, NY, not far from Cornell University. The scientist, played by John Lithgow, takes an attraction in his realtor, Elizabeth Stephens (Jill Eikenberry). He decides to befriend Elizabeth's son, Paul (Christopher Collett) who is scientifically precocious. Next thing we know we have Paul getting the grand tour of a top secret governmental facility. Kind of implausible so far, no? Well, it gets worse when Paul decides to head back there, and sneak out some plutonium with the assistance of his new girlfriend. Uh, huh. Then to bring attention to the nuclear issue, what better way than to build a nuclear bomb for the regional science fair. Yeah, like any of this is going to happen.

Despite that The Manhattan Project is completely implausible, it was entertaining on some zany level. Perhaps it was just nostalgia on my part, but it did remind of the high school science fairs, although no one showed up with a nuclear bomb (I did try to replicate the Mendel genetics experiment, but I couldn't even get one seed to grow! I also did one on wind energy, but I was probably too far ahead of my time, but then again, it's still too far ahead for most folks). Anyway, getting back to the film, while it's not well acted, and you have to suspend some belief to help the plot along, it's not the worst film ever. It does have a certain element of suspense and kind of a "thriller lite" as we never really think the world is about to detonate. After all, when else but the 1980's could one make a film about a teenager making a nuclear bomb in their bedroom? These days, Homeland Security would probably censor it.

Overall Grade: B-

Reviewed by Jonas

The Namesake (2006)

I'm going to give you the bottom line about this movie right at the start: The Namesake is the best film I've seen in too long. While it won't get the attention it deserves at the awards "shows," it is a film well worth the time spent watching it.

The Namesake focuses on a generational story. Kal Penn stars as Gogol Ganguli, a native born New Yorker. His father is an engineering professor, and his mother a librarian. Both of the parents are Indian immigrants, and their cultural ties to their native country are quite strong. Their children think they are backwards, and act more American than Indian as they grow up. As the family works through crisis, Gogol discovers that he is more Indian than he had realized. Through the cycle of immigration, marriage, birth, and death, we get a glimpse into the divided cultural ties of this Indian family as the story progresses.

The Namesake is well acted, and well scripted. It is fascinating to see how the parents act when they first come to America, and are so excited at natural gas for 24 hours a day, drinking water from a tap, and a laundromat- modern conveniences that most Americans take completely for granted. This film then takes us on an almost three decade journey as the first generation children integrate themselves into American society, while retaining their Indian traditions more than they even realize or would want to admit. One particular revealing scene is when Gogol tells his father that he wants to be an architect, and his father can't comprehend why he doesn't want to be an engineer, like he is. It's kind of interesting when you realize that the father originally wanted his children to grow up in America because they could become anything they wanted to, yet he wanted him to do what he did. There is also plenty of the story devoted to the parents guiding their children to marry not only an Indian spouse, but a Bengali one, which is the region they were from.

If you like films which make you think, develop characters, and provide a multicultural experience, then The Namesake should be on your short list of films to see. In fact, this is one of the few films that I think you need to watch more than once to take in all the nuances.

Overall Grade: A+

Reviewed by Jonas

Knights of the South Bronx (2005)

I'm always up for a "stand up and cheer" film, and Knights of the South Bronx is a gem. It features veteran Ted Danson, and Keke Palmer.

The story is somewhat formulaic I can fully admit, not unlike Freedom Writers, Take the Lead or The Ron Clark Story. You know, bunch of troubled youths in the inner city Bronx at the local school. An eager teacher shows up, in Danson portraying Richard, an out of work exec who is substitute teaching for some cash to keep his family in the manner to which they've grown accustomed. The key is that Richard is this closet chess champ that the kids discover when he plays fourteen games simultaneously in an exhibition and wins them all at the local park.

You can probably guess the rest. The kids learn that chess can be a great equalizer, in that it's only based on intellect, and not that they're poor or minorities, or anything else. While the kids focus on chess playing, at least they're focusing on something, and their math and reading scores follow, although the school's principal, and plenty of the parents don't quite get it.

Before we can say "checkmate," the children decide to compete in a local tournament. While they initially get mopped on the board, soon they have some success under the tutelage of their teacher (even though most of the other schools have dedicated chess coaches). This all leads to the national chess tournament where... I won't tell you, but you can probably guess who comes home with the trophy. It is based on a true story.
Knights of the South Bronx did hold my attention, and I did enjoy the film. I was particularly intrigued by Darwin, a five year old that got stuck learning chess because his kindergarten class ended early and would go to his sister's class because no one else was at home.

It was particularly touching at the end when they showed the number of children that had graduated, and moved on to colleges (some went to my alma mater), much of which could be attributed to their involvement with chess. That school's trophy case was stuffed! Perhaps I just have a soft spot for this type of film because back in third grade, I had a teacher that was really into chess, and had the whole class playing, but then again, he was a bit progressive as he would put on magic shows, and showed film strips (remember those?) about Bigfoot, UFO's and the Loch Ness monster. This experience made the next grade all the more painful when the most progressive thing we did was to look up words in a dictionary, and even with the largest one they sold at Waldenbooks, I still couldn't find half of them! Anyway, if you want a little inspiration, then Knights of the South Bronx is worth seeking out.

Overall Grade: B+

Reviewed by Jonas

Nanny Diaries (2007)

The Nanny Diaries is a look at the high society of Manhattan's upper East Side. Starring Scarlett Johansson, and Laura Linney, it is an adaptation of the book of the same name. The book was written by Emma McLaughlin, and Nicola Kraus, both of whom worked as nannies to subsidize the cost of their NYU education.

In the film, Johansson plays Annie Braddock, a recently graduated business major with a minor in anthropology that has been pushed by her mother to go into corporate America. After "choking" on her Goldman Sachs interview, she decides to take it down a notch, have a rest, and becomes a nanny for the summer. While the money is initially good, the child's mother, known only as Mrs. X (Linney), and the child, Grayer, torture her to the point that she just can't take it anymore. While over time she bonds with the child, an episode that occurs with Mr. X serves as the catalyst for a new direction in Braddock's career direction.

The Nanny Diaries is cleverly told. There is a shell story of an anthropologist going undercover to study NYC's elite, complete with the dioramas at the Museum of Natural History depicting fathers golfing, and mothers shopping. There is also plenty of anthropology lingo, such as field guide entries, and "going native." Underneath this however, is some significant social commentary. Unfortunately, many of these nannies are exploited people that are cheap labor to Manhattan's richest. They get little to no time off, and sometimes are not even paid the agreed upon wages. Also disturbing is that the parents of these children, as exemplified by the father, Mr. X in the film, have no interest in parenting. They have children to fulfill a social obligation, but have no interest in raising a family- clearly a sad social commentary.

On a simpler level, The Nanny Diaries is the story of Annie Braddock, and her first job. Along the lines of The Devil Wears Prada, she is given task after task, which turn into a series of tests whether she will break or not- all with little or no reward. At the end of the film, they even short change her out of her pay!

Overall, I liked The Nanny Diaries quite well. It was well paced, well acted, and the screenplay was well done. If you missed it in theaters this summer, catch it on video, and don't miss the interview with the book authors in the bonus features.

Overall Grade: A

Reviewed by Jonas

The Treatment (2006)

Psychoanalysis is as New York as the Statue of Liberty, street vendors selling pretzels and hot dogs, and Broadway theater. In this film, The Treatment, we get a front row seat on one guy's neuroses from living in the Big Apple, his therapist's attempt at help, and how he attempts to move on.

Chris Eigeman plays Jake Singer, an English teacher at a posh, private Manhattan high school. In front of his class, or coaching the basketball court, he is confident, and self assured. Out of the school, he is anything but. Working through this won't be easy, and actor Ian Holme, as Dr. Ernesto Morales, a flamboyant Argentinian who describes himself as "the last of the great Freudians," is there to work though the teacher's many issues. Unfortunately, it seems that no one ever gets discharged from the psychoanalyst's practice, and I wonder if his aim is anything but monetary as the film progresses. Along the way, Singer develops a relationship with a student's Mom, Julia (actress Stephanie March), that will either complicate things even further, or be be the thing that straightens it all out.

Overall, The Treatment suffers from a lack of budget. There are no big name stars turning in an award winning performance. They don't use the icon's of Manhattan to bring us a presence of place within "the City," and use the energy and frenetic pace of NYC as another character. In addition, it can't decide if it wants to be more of a romantic comedy, or a more serious film. Finally, this movie just kind of ends, and on a flat note at that, leaving the audience to wonder how this all turned out. I think another few minutes could have brought us to more of a conclusion, and a real sense of finality. In the end, The Treatment gets a thumbs sideways as to whether you should see it or not.

Overall Grade: B-/C+ (it's really right on the line)

Reviewed by Jonas

PS: I wanted to point out that this makes our 200th movie review, and that's quite a bit of popcorn consumed!

Brooklyn Rules (2007)

Now that "The Sopranos" is really off the air, and we can all ponder what that ending really meant (if anything), Sopranos veteran writer, Terrence Winter, turns attention to writing a mob movie. Brooklyn Rules tries to combine a coming of age story for three Bay Ridge young men against the backdrop of the mid-80's New York mob scene. While plenty of reviewers dismissed this film for the limited use of its only star, Alec Baldwin, I really don't like his work (or how he treats his daughter), so that was fine by me.

A trio of Brooklyn early twenty year olds are struggling to find their place in the world. The local tough guy in their neighborhood, Caesar Manganaro (Baldwin) seems all powerful, and runs the area for the mob. The kids look up to him, and one pathway leads to becoming one of his crew, and one of the kids goes this route. For another, he decides to go to Columbia University where he is pre-law, and wants to get out of the ol' neighborhood, although getting out is never easy. Finally, for the third, he takes a pathway all of his own.

As Brooklyn Rules proceeds, it starts to feel like a lot of other mob movies, notably, A Bronx Tale, which is indisputably the stronger film. Still, there haven't been too many mob movies lately, and Brooklyn Rules can stand on its own. While many of the one liners between the characters are cliches and sophomoric, it does develop the relationship between them, and we do understand where they're all coming from.

One of the strengths of this film is the setting of New York City, and how they effectively used it in the film. The Verrazano Bridge is seen in the background of many shots, and they make the trip to a Brooklyn hotspot of the Spumoni Gardens. They also show Columbia University, and the scene in Manhattan's diamond district is quite hilarious.

With the disclaimer that Brooklyn Rules doesn't break any new ground, than I'm going to recommend it as just an enjoyable coming of age story in Brooklyn. Alec Baldwin fans can look elsewhere. Also of note is that among the 80's soundtrack for this film is Dire Straits' "Walk of Life."

Overall Grade: B

Reviewed by Jonas

Gossip Girl, Season One, The CW

Television has certain recurring genre of shows that periodically get updated, like the police drama, and the family comedy. Following in the lineage of "90210," and more recently, "The OC," is the CW's latest attempt at the genre of the teen drama, "Gossip Girl."

The idea is reportedly to take what was to take the stereotypical teens of fox's "The OC," and to move them to the East coast, and give them even more money. They all attend a preppy upper end and exclusive high school, (which thankfully is coed as firstly, it would remind me too much of my own high school, and secondly, it really wouldn't make for compelling television. Alas, I digress). Anyhow, much of the conflict comes from two rival teenage fems, better known as Serena and Blair who both want to be "leader of the pack," and the relationship with their boyfriends.

I'm just about the antithesis of a Manhattanite, but with that disclaimer made, I must say that compared to the sunny beaches and BMW convertibles of California, at least as presented on "Gossip Girl," the city just doesn't compare. For example, if these kids are so seriously rich, would they really be taking a dirty city bus to this exclusive school? I'm sure Trump's youngin's go first class in a stretch limo, and not with a pocketful of tokens jangling in their school uniform pockets.

The title of the show comes from the blog that the students all are glued to that discusses the going ons of the top social tier of students. It's not clear who the blogger is, and I suspect that it will be quite a while before that piece of info gets revealed, if ever. Technologies like cell phones, and instant messaging have changed our world, and urban teenagers have heavily embraced these technologies. I'm pleased to see a show that tries to incorporates this experience into the drama.

It remains to be seen how compelling "Gossip Girl" will be as the season develops. I plan on watching at least a few more episodes. Of note, it is filmed on location in NYC. Check it out on Wednesdays at 9 PM, EST, on The CW ( formerly known as channel 11 for those with an antenna), or online here.

Grade: B-

--Jonas

The Devil Wears Prada

The triple digit heat drove this even this DVD diehard towards the coolness of the movie theater. I decided to take in The Devil Wears Prada.

This film is based on a novel that stems from a true life experience of working as a personal assistant to a fashion magazine mogul. Anne Hathaway plays Andie, the second assistant. She is the frumpy young woman who lands this job that "a million other girls would kill for" even though she really wants to work in journalism and has less than no interest in fashion. In short, she is the apprentice. Meryl Streep plays Miranda Priestley, the woman in charge of the fictitious fashion magazine, Runway (translation: Vogue). Streep is particularly adept with her character for her no nonsense business attitude; she makes the Ice Queen from Narnia seem warm and cuddly.

Hathaway starts the job and is a total misfit. She is clueless about fashion, and yearns for a different job. The gold carrot that keeps her going is that if she can stick it out for a year, the doors of opportunity will open to a job she actually wants. As with many jobs, there is a seemingly endless list of tasks to master. Just when she thinks she has them down, they throw another more difficult task at her (my favorite involves obtaining an unpublished Harry Potter novel). As time goes on, she does become more functional, and picks up a sense of fashion despite her initial resistance.

Unfortunately, as can too easily happen, getting ahead in a career involves personal sacrifice. Hathaway is literally a prisoner to her cell phone, and has to be able to instantly respond to any request from her boss. This strains her relationship with her entire social support network: her friends, her parents, and her “significant other” boyfriend. At first it appears worth it, but all that glitters is not gold, and Hathaway must ultimately make some serious choices for her future.

The standout role of the film is Meryl Streep’s portrayal of the high power, dominating magazine executive. Reportedly, she didn’t talk to Hathaway during the filming in order to keep up her icy edge. She is the perfect example of the type of executive who never raises her voice, but commandeers respect and obedience from her underlings. At a few points in the film we get a glimpse into the softer side of this woman. However, she views her troubled marriage more like a failed business merger, than what it actually is. Streep should strongly be considered for an academy award for this role.

While The Devil Wears Prada is highly character driven, in the end, it also functions as a morality tale. Hathaway must ultimately choose between being true to herself, or pursuing the business of world, permeated with greed and power. I thoroughly enjoyed this film, learned quite a bit about how the fashion industry works, and highly recommend it. This is one of very few films that I can’t wait to see again when it comes out on disc.

Overall Grade: A

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