Adann-Kennn Alexxandar
The Valdosta Daily Times
VALDOSTA —
“Toy Story 3” (Animation/Adventure/Family: 1 hour, 43 minutes); Starring Voices: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty and Don Rickles; Director: Lee Unkrich; Rated: G (Violence and some suggestive humor)
Movie Review: Woody (voice of Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Allen), and the rest have not been played with in sometime. Their owner, Andy (John Morris), is now a young man, heading to college. Andy’s mother donates his toys to Sunnyside Daycare Center. Woody, Buzz and the gang of toys just want some human to play with them, so the toys are thrilled to be at a daycare center where they will bring joy to several children.
Enter Lotso (voice of Beatty), a huggable teddy bear with an agenda. Lotso is the boss of the toys. Minus Woody who Andy decides to keep, Lotso stations Buzz and several of Andy’s other toys with the younger children, who abuse their toys. Woody attempts to rescue the other toys, who now realize they are in trouble. They must escape a horde of preschoolers.
Following “Toy Story” (1995) and “Toy Story 2” (1999), “Toy Story 3” debuts and upholds the marvelous adventure of toys as captured in the prequels. These characters never become outdated. They remain fun, an adventure worth beholding. “Toy Story 3” remains one of the greatest stories ever told.
Grade: B+ (A magnificent third time to play with these toys.)
“Babies” (Documentary: 1 hour, 19 minutes); Director: Thomas Balmes; Rated: PG (Nudity and cultural elements)
Movie Review: At one hour, 19 minutes, “Babies” is just long enough to get a nap while your baby sleeps or see this extraordinary documentary. This film is a tribute to babies. It captures four baby on different parts of the planet. This film chronicles the life of Ponijao of Opuwo, Namibia; Mari, Tokyo; Bayar, Bayanchandmani, Mongolia; Hattie, San Francisco. These four interesting babies, and their parents to a smaller extent, live in various conditions; each is rewarding and gratifying.
“Babies’” attempt is very much like anthropological observations. This film shows how babies in varying parts of the world behave and evolve similarly while providing plenty of reasons to smile.
“Babies’” shortcomings are few, but the manner in which some babies are shown in their habitats are stereotypical. For example, Africa’s presentation in films is usually primitive tribal areas. Movie producers forget Africa has metropolitan areas too, filled with clothed citizens who live like the people of other industrialized countries.
Still, “Babies” is a delight. It is the perfect relaxation getaway on a hot day. Even when these babies cry, audiences smile.
Grade: B (No crybabies here.)
Playing in larger cities
“Harry Brown” (Drama/Crime Thriller: 1 hour, 43 minutes); Starring: Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Charlie Creed-Miles, David Bradley and Liam Cunningham; Director: Daniel Barber; Rated: R (Strong violence, profanity, drug usage, nudity, sexuality and gore)
Movie Review: A former Marine and retiree, Englishman Harry Brown (Caine) has two daily routines. He visits his unresponsive and terminally ill wife, Kath (Liz Daniels), at a nearby hospital each day, and he plays chess with his good friend, Lenard Attwell (Bradley), at a local bar called Barge. After the death of wife Kath, Brown has no family, as his daughter is deceased. While playing chess, Attwell informs Brown that he is afraid. A gang of hoodlums has been threatening Attwell, who carries an old bayonet for self-defense. Later, Attwell is found beaten to death and stabbed by his own bayonet. Inspector Alice Frampton (Mortimer) and her partner, Sgt. Terry Hicock (Creed-Miles), investigate. The law-enforcement officers know who killed Attwell but cannot collect enough evidence to hold the four thugs. The law moves slowly, but Harry Brown decides to become a vigilante to avenge the death of his good friend Attwell.
The old mantra notes justice of the state is blind. For Harry Brown, justice is revenge, a dish best served with a handgun.
Harry Brown is the new Dirty Harry. An always-classy Caine is at his best. He plays Brown with a wrathful zeal while remaining dramatic enough to provide sympathetic appeal for his character. Caine is powerful in every scene. This script is perfect for him.
“Harry Brown” is a cunning film. It is an intense film about urban violence filled with plenty of surprises. Its cinematography, nicely shot by Martin Ruhe (“The Countess,” 2009), captures the mood of characters, mainly Caine’s Brown. When Caine visits his ailing wife or daughter’s grave, the scene is bright. When he and his friend Attwell, again played by Bradley, play chess and talk about life’s problems, the scenes are darkened for effect. From the nicely shot opening scenes of Caine’s character preparing for his usual day, director Barber helms this entire screenplay with the ease of a skilled surgeon holding a scalpel in an operating room.
Despite graphic violence and other thematic elements, Caine’s portrayal of an elderly vigilante is fine justice. Even though his actions may be immoral, applauding the man is a sympathetic gesture of acceptable partiality.
Grade: B+ (What can Brown do for you? Entertain.)
Playing in larger cities
“Jonah Hex” (Western/Action: 1 hour, 21 minutes); Starring: Josh Brolin, John Malkovich, and Megan Fox; Director: Jimmy Hayward; Rated: PG-13 (Thematic elements, violence and strong language)
Movie Review: Jonah Hex (Brolin) is a Civil War veteran, whose wife and child are murdered in front of him by the ruthless General Quentin Turnbull (Malkovich). Afterwards, Hex remains with scars, both emotionally and physically. Turnball branded Hex’s face, leaving him with a grotesque burn on the right lower side of his face. Saved by a Native American tribe, Jonah Hex wants revenge. He wants Turnball dead.
“Revenge gets ugly” is this film’s tag line. It is a nice selling point because Jonah Hex is no beauty, but then again, neither is this movie.
“Hex” is over-done in visual effects, especially near the last 15 minutes. Even more, the plot is quick; the entire runtime is approximately an hour and 21 minutes with several of those minutes being end credits. At its start, the movie creates a nice scenario, but fails to keep an adequate presence worth following. The ending is a rushed effort, and all is forgettable for a summer action flick.
Talented actors Brolin and Malkovich cannot help this poorly scripted production. While good, their talents are wasted.
Fox is an unneeded character. Sometimes Hollywood sticks in pretty women as a backdrop for many films when they are useless to the script other than looking sexy or to be rescued from unseen danger. The scheme is one to make money by capturing a nice image of a gorgeous actress. Newsflash: no one saw “Transformers” to see only Megan Fox. Pretty actors are a dime a dozen, and their acting is usually less!
Grade: D ( A hex on audiences)
