Last week I attended a screening of Cars at Pixar, at an event benefiting local education. There is nothing quite like watching a film before it is released, especially in the very location where it was created, sitting in a tiny theatre with incredible sound and unbelievable digital clarity.

In typical Pixar fashion, the voice casting is perfect and the animation is amazing. Cars will appeal to weekend warriors, NASCAR fans, little boys and animation fans everywhere.  Of course girls will enjoy the film as well; it is a Pixar picture after all, with the requisite love story thrown in as a side story for that coveted young female demographic. The movie and story are both entertaining and heartwarming, but I have to say that the extras shown during the credits are hilarious; take the kids and stay until the very end because it is worth the wait.

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Apparently I’m one of the only few who have not read “The Da Vinci Code.” I have no desire to do so, regardless of how popular the book continues to be. I will see the movie, and of course I’ll ‘get it’ whether or not I’ve contributed to Dan Brown’s best-seller status. “The Da Vinci Code” is simply not my cup of tea, and I am amused by the silent stones of surprise and disapproval thrown my way because of my decision not to read it.

 

Most motion picture adaptations ruin original stories, but I look forward to this one as a suspenseful film with a good cast and director. There is so much hype about the movie that inevitably people who love the book will be disappointed by certain aspects of Ron Howard’s vision and interpretation of it. Although it was a brilliant move to cast the universally adored and controversy-free Tom Hanks with the famous French actress Audrey Tautou (Catherine Zeta Jones lite), as these two are about as safe and likable as you can get. The film will experience the same staunch criticism from particular religious organizations and scholars as the book has for years, which in turn will fuel and almost guarantee its box office success.  

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Edward Norton is fantastic, one of the most gifted actors of his generation. No one saw it, but he directed and co-starred in the very funny Keeping the Faith (with Ben Stiller). He may have achieved cult status for his role in Fight Club, but my two favorites of his many stellar performances are in Primal Fear and American History X. Primal Fear was Norton’s first film, and his stunning debut was rewarded with a Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe and an Academy Award nomination (Leonardo DiCaprio turned down this role, FYI). But he was robbed of the Best Actor Oscar for American History X by Roberto Benigni in Life is Beautiful in 1998. Norton was also great in Spike Lee’s 25th Hour and Woody Allen’s musical, Everyone Says I Love You. His talent outshines and overshadows Mark Wahlberg in The Italian Job, Robert DeNiro in The Score, and Matt Damon in Rounders. Ironically enough, Norton had auditioned for the lead that Damon won in The Rainmaker and also turned down the role of Private Ryan that Damon played in Saving Private Ryan. Norton seems to be selective and it pays off; he is one of the few actors whose movies inspire me to get my lazy ass to the theatre.

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When I look at my favorite movies of all time, there isn’t a specific genre that stands out or a common theme running throughout. Because I’m prone to making lists, I created a large one to compile and analyze statistics about my choices. I know, nerd alert.

 

A surprising fact arose from my silly research – Katie Holmes is in three of my top 40 films of all time. You have to remember that before she went on the Cruise, Holmes had memorable roles in several excellent yet underrated independent movies:

 

The Ice Storm (a highly intense family drama from Ang Lee)

Go (Doug Liman’s frenetic follow up to Swingers)

Wonder Boys (a clever, charming little film with a great cast)

The Gift (a thriller helmed by Sam Raimi & written by Billy Bob Thornton)

Pieces of April (Holmes’ first true leading role)

Thank You For Smoking (a very funny and scathing view of big tobacco, out in theatres now)   

 

Much to my chagrin, I must also admit to enjoying and owning several Tom Cruise movies. Thank goodness Spielberg directed Minority Report; it gives weight and value to my assertion that it’s a damn good sci-fi flick that just so happens to star a certain someone. And regardless of Cruise’s current popularity wane, I will continue to stick by my choice of Jerry Maguire as both one of his best and one of my favorites (Magnolia is a close second in my book).

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I was surprisingly impressed with Inside Man. I went in with lowered expectations because Spike Lee’s last major release, She Hate Me, was appalling. However, I have enjoyed most of his earlier films and was not disappointed with his latest. Aside from a few grainy flash-forward scenes, Inside Man did not showcase typical Spike Lee flair. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Jodi Foster play such a morally ambivalent, manipulative character, but she nails this role with a smarmy grin to accompany her corporate sheen. Denzel Washington applies his usual wit and charm to the film, but manages to supersede his sex symbol status with a convincing performance as an everyman with a cheap, cluttered apartment in NYC. As is the case in many of his films, Spike Lee’s love of New York is evident and appreciated in Inside Man. In 2002, he was the first filmmaker to highlight the city and feature the altered skyline (in 25^th Hour) after the tragic events of 9/11.

 

This brings me to a sensitive issue. The preview trailer for United 93 is now airing before certain films. Each time I’ve seen it, the audience around me has squirmed and whispered. On one occasion my movie companion even started crying after watching it. So perhaps I am not the only one who is not ready for this film. In my personal opinion, it is too soon and too fresh in our history. I’m not sure I’ll ever see this one.

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V for Vendetta is fantastic; a compelling, thought-provoking, mysterious ride anchored by an incredible Natalie Portman. It really is a shame that this movie was released so soon after the Academy Awards because Portman deserves a Best Actress nomination for her performance, and by next year her portrayal may be overshadowed in the wake of other strong actresses and films. Portman’s character, Evey, is complex and conflicted, heartbreaking and entirely watchable. The film would not have resonated as much had Scarlett Johansson or Bryce Dallas Howard, who were also under consideration for the role, taken the lead.

 

Hugo Weaving is a gifted actor; he is able to convincingly make V, the man behind the mask, alternatively sympathetic and evil using only his voice and body language – without so much as a glimpse of his face. British actor James Purefoy was originally cast as V but left shortly after filming began for unknown reasons, clearing the way for Weaving (a favorite of the Wachowski Brothers, who wrote and produced V). In addition to voicing Rex the male sheepdog in the two Babe films, Weaving appeared in fabulous fashion in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert in 1994. He then gained a cult fan following as Agent Smith in all three Matrix movies, followed by yet another successful trilogy, The Lord of the Rings.

 

The film is as aesthetically pleasing as you would expect from a Wachowski Brothers production.  And although the brothers did not direct this time around, it is quite clear that they had their hands in every aspect of the movie. In fact, director James McTeigue was one of their assistant directors from the Matrix trilogies.

 

Although set in the future, V’s political undercurrent is surprisingly prevalent and somewhat realistic. The pace is appropriately intense, and there are a few unexpected twists and turns. Aside from one scene with slow motion violence bordering on gratuitous, I loved V for Vendetta and recommend it to anyone who can appreciate both great acting and a story that intermingles sci-fi with history.

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