Akeelah and the Bee

© 2006 Ray Wong

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Good, solid family films without any hidden agendas or adult humor are difficult to come by these days. Last year, I was pleasantly surprised by the delightful Because of Winn-Dixie. This year, I’m impressed with Starbuck’s first feature film: Akeelah and the Bee.

akeelah2Akeelah (Palmer) is an 11-year-old girl from Crenshaw Elementary School in Los Angeles. Since her father passed away five years before, she has felt lonely and out of place, and she hates her school. The only thing that keeps her going is her love for words. Big words. When her teacher and Principle Welsh (Armstrong) find out her ability to spell, they suggest that she enter in the district spelling bee contest. At first, Akeelah would have nothing to do with it. When she sees the National Spelling Bee Tournament on TV, the fire in her belly starts to grow. She wants a taste of what it is like to be above average. Better yet, it might be her chance to get out of Crenshaw.

akeelah3Principle Welsh convinces Dr. Larabee (Fishburne), a former national spelling bee champion himself, that Akeelah has a special gift, and could put Crenshaw on the map. Larabee agrees. But Akeelah is too wild and unpredictable, not to mention her mother, Tanya (Bassett) is not at all supportive. Behind her mother’s back, Akeelah studies with Larabee and progresses to the regional contest. She becomes good friends with a rich kid, Javier (Villarreal), from Woodland Hills who is also in the contest. Her biggest competitor is Dylan (Michael), a Chinese boy whose victory means everything to his stern father. When Akeelah finally makes it to the national, she feels the whole world weighing on her. She doesn’t know if she has what it takes to win.

Palmer (Barbershop 2) is extraordinary as Akeelah, and she carries the film on her tiny shoulders beautifully. Her layered, complex performance as the conflicted girl is impressive. She’s so natural that you don’t realize she is acting at all. She becomes Akeelah, and the minute you see her on screen, you believe in her. Palmer is that good. Fishburne (Assault on Precinct 13) is, as usual, solid as the solemn professor. The chemistry between Fishburne and Palmer is astounding. Their relationship is a major reason why the film works.

akeelah4Bassett (Mr. And Mrs. Smith) is very good as Akeelah’s tired and skeptical mother. She really conveys the emotional burdens of a single mother, trying to do the right thing for her children while feeling completely lost. Armstrong (Pucked) is fine as the Crenshaw Principle ready for a break. Villarreal (Ghost Whisperer) is wonderfully sweet as Akeelah’s selfless, happy-go-lucky friend, Javier. Michael (Chocolate Girl) is adequate as Akeelah’s quiet, cocky nemesis Dylan. Garey (Seen) is also pleasant as Akeelah’s best friend, Georgia.

akeelah5Writer-director Atchison (The Pornographer) has crafted a tight, affecting film about family and self-esteem. What is wonderful is that while there are ample conflicts, trial and tribulations, there are really no villains in this story. The biggest obstacle one faces is the “fear of self.” As Akeelah learns from Larabee: Our deepest fear is not that we’re not adequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure (Marianne Williamson). There is such a rich, beautiful lesson in these quotes, and Akeelah and the Bee conveys that message through a strong story and characters. Atchison has a calm, straight-forward style that serves the film well.

Sure, the film is predictable, but it holds our interest through and through. The tension during the spelling bee contest is palpable, even though deep down we know Akeelah is going to be all right, because she has learned her lessons and she has found her true light. And through her light, we shall all be liberated.

Stars: Keke Palmer, Laurence Fishburne, Angela Bassett, Curtis Armstrong, J.R. Villarreal, Sean Michael, Sahara Garey
Director: Doug Atchison
Writer: Doug Atchison
Distributor: Lions Gate
MPAA Rating: PG for some language
Running Time: 112 minutes

Script – 8
Performance – 8
Direction – 7
Cinematography – 7
Music/Sound– 7
Editing – 7
Production – 8

Total – 7.6 out of 10

American Dreamz

© 2006 Ray Wong

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Paul Weitz’s America interestingly resembles the America we know today: a not-so-bright President, a megalomaniac TV host, a pop culture craze that sweeps through the land, and terrorists. The result is a hodgepodge of good-nature ribbings.

Martin Tweed (Grant) is the producer and host of America’s number one show, American Dreamz (with a Z). He’s not satisfied with simply being at the top; he wants the show to be on top forever. He is constantly looking for contestants – freaks, as he puts it – that have stories that would tug at the audiences’ hearts. Meanwhile, President Staton (Quaid) has an identity crisis after winning the reelection. He refuses to make any public appearances and the people are speculating that he’s gone bonkers. His Chief of Staff (Defoe) coerces him to become the celebrity judge on American Dreamz as a public relations stunt.

Dreamz4Tweed finds his contestants in a number of wannabes, including Sally Kendoo (Moore), a “white trash” girl from a small town in Ohio whose devoted boyfriend, William Williams (Klein) is a decorated veteran. Sally would do anything to win. Then there is Omer (Golzari), an Iraqi immigrant who is secretly part of a terrorist cell. His mission is to infiltrate American Dreamz and assassinate the President through a suicide bombing. In truth, while Omer wants to avenge his mother’s death, he’s confused. He really just wants to be a singer, and American Dreamz is truly a dream come true.

The huge cast seems to have a great time making this movie. Grant (Bridge Jones) once again plays a charming sleazebag to perfection. His ruthless, narcissistic Tweed is like a train wreck – you simply can’t take your eyes off of him. Quaid (Yours, Mine and Ours) has a great time playing the befuddled, confused and good-natured President. I think he’s found a new niche. Moore (Saved!) plays a sweet-looking country girl with ambition and callousness to spare. She is the exact mirror image of Grant’s Tweed, and they play off each other very well. Relative newcomer Golzari (The Break) brings us a breakout performance as the loveable Omer who just wants to sing. He’s good.

Dreamz3Defoe (Inside Man) is adequate as the manipulating Chief of Staff, but his performance mostly serves a comedic purpose. Klein (Just Friends) is dead-on as Sally’s loyal, albeit dumb-as-a-nail, boyfriend. Coolidge (Date Movie), Harden (American Gun), Meyers (Perception), Cho (In Good Company), Greer (Full Disclosure) and many more lend their unique talents to the production.

Dreamz1Director Weitz (In Good Company) aims to ridicule, but not necessarily offend, everyone. From Britney Spears to the folks at American Idol, from the White House to Iraq, from Muslims to good old Christians, Weitz makes sure he covers everyone. His script is all over the place, telling a lot of stories in a very short time, but he manages to keep his pace and his style consistent. Some of the humor goes over very well, and the satirical sarcasm comes out perfectly.

Dreamz5Not everything works, though. With a broad comedy like this, sometimes Weitz relies too much on stereotypes and caricatures to draw laughs. Defoe’s character, for example, is too two-dimension to make any real impression. And the ending is forced and rather abrupt. But kudos to Weitz for bring all these current events together and giving us an opportunity to laugh at ourselves. Wars, terrorism, and the state of our country are real issues that affect us every day, but to be able to laugh in the middle of everything that is going on is the only American way.

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Stars: Hugh Grant, Dennis Quaid, Mandy Moore, Willem Dafoe, Chris Klein, Jennifer Goolidge, Sam Golzari, Marcia Gay Harden, Seth Meyers, John Cho, Judy Greer
Director: Paul Weitz
Writer: Paul Weitz
Distributor: Universal
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for brief language and some sexual references
Running Time: 107 minutes

Script – 6
Performance – 7
Direction – 6
Cinematography – 7
Music/Sound– 7
Editing – 7
Production – 8

Total – 6.9 out of 10

Lucky Number Slevin

© 2006 Ray Wong

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Part mystery, part suspense, and part gangster flick, Lucky Number Slevin uses a slick and clever device to tell an otherwise straightforward story.

Slevin (Hartnett) is probably the most unlucky person in Manhattan. First he loses his job, then his apartment, then his girlfriend, then his wallet during a mugging. When he moves in with his buddy Nick, who has left the door open for him and never bothered to show up, troubles continue to find him. Mistaken identity puts Sleven in the middle of a gang war between the Boss (Freeman) and the Rabbi (Kingsley) in a fit of retaliation, after the Rabbi assassinated the Boss’s son. Meanwhile, a mysterious assassin, Mr. Goodkat (Willis) is pulling strings on both sides. What does he want? What is he up to?

Slevin2The plot takes on a new twist when the Boss pressures Slevin to kill the Rabbi’s gay son. Slevin’s new girlfriend, Lindsey (Liu), has a conspiracy theory, and she’s itching to investigate further. Meanwhile, Slevin is under surveillance by a ruthless detective, Brikowski (Tucci). What does he want? What is he up to?

Hartnett (Sin City) is somewhat lackluster as Slevin. His nonchalant attitude, even during the most dire situation, is unsettling. Also, his character is rather unlikable, despite all the bad things that are happening to him. Hartnett’s transformation later also isn’t very convincing. Willis (16 Blocks) is cool, but his character seems too cold and unemotional to have any weight. Goodkat is all about mystery. But with that, we don’t really get to know him well.

Slevin3Liu (Domino) has a fun role as Lindsey, a happy-go-lucky coroner who gets involved with Slevin and his troubles. Freeman (Batman Begins) is always impressive, even in a relative small role as the Boss. You can’t help but feel the evil and ruthlessness underneath his sophisticated exterior. Likewise, Kingsley (Oliver Twist) makes the best of his role as the conflicted Rabbi, even though the material fails to explore the potentially complex character. Tucci (Robots) plays the deplorable detective to perfection. From the moment he comes on screen, you know you want to loathe him. Now that’s acting.

The screenplay by Smilovic (Karen Sisco) is rather convoluted. The central idea is a smart one, and once you understand the story, there is a certain “a-ha” moment. It is clever. However, I think Smilovic tries too hard to be clever, and the way he structures and interweaves the plot and subplots makes it hard to understand. Eventually, all the pieces fall into place, but during the first half of the film, you can’t help but scratch your head and wonder: What is going on? Of course, if you pay attention, the character Mr. Goodkat actually explains a lot at the beginning of the film, even though he doesn’t tell you exactly what it is that you’re going to witness. That’s clever, but probably too clever.

Slevin1The plot moves swiftly enough, making it impossible for the audience to stop and question the plot holes, and there are plenty. The dialogue is sometimes corny. Smilovic also relies on flashbacks and cutaways to reveal the mystery. I find that device rather annoying and manipulative. It’s clear that the writer takes great pain to deceive the audience. But for those who know what the story is about, it might actually be fun to observe how the writer constructs his "magic."

In a way, director McGuigan’s (Wicker Park) vision meshes well with Smilovic’s. The quick cuts and contemporary style reminds me of Wicker Park, another story that aimed at deceiving the audience by using fancy story structures and editing. All is good except when you think about it, it’s kind of a one trick pony. It is as if the writer and the director cut up a big piece of meat and toss it all over the place to make you wonder what kind of meat it is. Then you find out it’s just a piece of chicken breast. Its clever plot manipulation does create certain pseudo-excitement, and the action and violence works in most cases. But once that excitement is gone, and the mystery is revealed, you’re left with a strange aftertaste, like you’ve just been used, and the filmmakers are behind the door laughing, feeling nothing but lucky.

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Stars: Josh Hartnett, Bruce Willis, Lucy Liu, Morgan Freeman, Ben Kingsley, Michael Rubenfeld, Peter Outerbridge, Stanley Tucci
Director: Paul McGuigan
Writer: Jason Smilovic
Distributor: The Weinstein Company
MPAA Rating: R for language, strong violence, sexuality
Running Time: 109 minutes


Script – 7
Performance – 6
Direction – 6
Cinematography – 7
Music/Sound– 7
Editing – 7
Production – 8

Total – 6.7 out of 10

Thank You for Smoking

© 2006 Ray Wong

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The smart, cute opening title tells you everything you need to know about Thank You for Smoking: it’s about the tobacco industry, it’s smart, and it’s cute. Just about the only thing it doesn’t say is that it’s a darn good satire.

smoking1Nick Naylor (Eckhart) is the VP of The Academy of Tobacco Studies, an institution that is supposed to conduct research on the harmful health effects of cigarette smoking. In reality, Naylor is a lobbyist for and the voice and face of Big Tobacco. His boyish charm, his knack for gab and perfect skills of spinning earn him the trust of “the Captain” (Duvall), the granddaddy of the industry. His appearance on the Joan Lunden show sets off a series of propaganda battles, and Senator Finistirre (Macy) is out to draw blood. Despite his better judgment, Naylor also quickly becomes sexually involved with a beautiful reporter, Heather Holloway (Holmes), who is doing an article on the tobacco industry.

Meanwhile, Naylor wants to be a good father. His ex-wife (Kim Dickens) hates him, but he wants to spend some quality time with his son Joey (Bright). So he takes Joey with him on his business trips. Joey’s presence gives Naylor the opportunity to question his morality, and the reasons why he’s doing what he does.

Eckhart (Suspect Zero) carries the film beautifully as the slick lobbyist. His character is loathed by millions of people, and we do question this guy’s morals. However, Eckhart is endearing and charming, and totally believable as a man caught between his ambition and conscience.

smoking3The supporting cast includes a long list of named and veteran actors who all give excellent performances: Macy (Sahara) for his portrayal of the flustered Senator; Simmons (Spider-Man) as Naylor’s backstabbing boss, B R; Holmes (Batman Returns) as the sexy, ambitious, and ruthless reporter; Duvall (Kicking and Screaming) as the fatherly Big Tobacco tycoon; Lowe (Austin Powers) as the smooth Hollywood super-agent; Bella (A History of Violence) and Koechner (The 40 Year Old Virgin) as Naylor’s friends and fellow lobbyists; and Bright (Birth) as Naylor’s curious and adoring son.

smoking4Writer-director Reitman (Consent) has written a smart and fun script based on Christopher Buckley’s best-selling novel. The political satire takes aims at just about everyone, from Big Tobacco to lobbyists, from Hollywood agents to the news media, from the Marlboro Man to school kids. The dialogue is sharp and biting. The plot, while predictable, is fast-paced and entertaining. Reitman also manages to balance the satire with heart. The film has a light and contemporary style, coupled with Naylor’s witty first-person narration. The unique and appropriate voice gives the film a personal feel, reminding me of last year’s Kiss Kiss Bang Bang with Robert Downey, Jr. and Val Kilmer.

smoking5The characterization of Nick Naylor and the development of his relationship with his son give the story an emotional weight in addition to its intellectual barbs. Reitman also succeeds in wrapping all the morality in an engaging story without hitting us on the head with it. But the message is clear: It’s not about right or wrong; it’s about freedom to choose. Given the current political climate where everyone wants to tell others what to do, Mr. Reitman: Thank you for saying that.

Stars: Aaron Eckhart, J.K. Simmons, William H. Macy, Rob Lowe, Robert Duvall, Katie Holmes, Cameron Bright, Maria Bello, David Koechner
Director: Jason Reitman
Writers: Jason Reitman (based on novel by Christopher Buckley)
Distributor: Fox Searchlight
MPAA Rating: R for language and sexual content
Running Time: 92 minutes


Script – 8
Performance – 8
Direction – 7
Cinematography – 7
Music/Sound– 7
Editing – 7
Production – 8

Total – 7.6 out of 10