In Theatres:
Food, Inc., Public Enemies, Whatever Works
On DVD:
Push
FOOD, INC. -- Rated PG
Michael Pollan, Eric Schlosser
Brian’s Rating *** out of *****
My discomfort with a lot of investigative journalism, whether on television or the big screen, stems from the fact that it usually lays out the problem and identifies the culprits, but rarely does anything to offer relief or propose a solution. Such is not the case with Food, Inc., a surprisingly satisfying documentary that churns up some very unsettling discoveries about the food we eat and how it makes its way to our dining table. It should come as no surprise to anyone that some purportedly healthy foods are prepared in a decidedly unhealthy fashion, but what you’ll learn about the feeding, farming, and final farewell of chickens, hogs, and cattle is sure to give you pause. There are some painful, if not brutal moments of animal slaughter but Food, Inc.’s most revolting revelations have do to with the corporate boardroom and the treatment given to our farmers and ranchers. Fortunately, Food, Inc.’s final moments offer hope and tips for a brighter future.
PUBLIC ENEMIES -- Rated R
Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard, Jason Clarke
Brian’s Rating *** out of *****
Something is missing from Public Enemies, and I just can’t put my finger on it. Johnny Depp as Dillinger and Christian Bale as his pursuer Purvis are expertly cast and certainly hold up their end of the bargain, as do the other supporting characters. The sets and costumes are a 20th century collector's dream come true and the story, although familiar to many, holds the audience’s attention throughout. The problem, as I see it, is that the obviously sequential episodes of freedom, burglary, pursuit, incarceration, and escape don’t flow very well and the transitions from one well staged scene to the next seem jumpy and erratic. That may seem trivial but with the film’s extended length, it can be a bit unsettling. But just at the moment when Public Enemies seems to be all about gunfire and car chases, a touch of romance enters the picture and all is forgiven. Depp’s Dillinger is a far cry from Captain Jack Sparrow and once again this fine actor shows his chops.
WHATEVER WORKS -- Rated PG-13
Larry David, Evan Rachel Wood, Patricia Clarkson, Ed Begley
Brian’s Rating *** out of *****
What happens when the silver screen’s most neurotic actor/writer/director joins forces with television’s most famous misanthrope? The answer is Whatever Works, a Woody Allen comedy with precious few laughs that basically allows Seinfeld creator Larry David to take his contempt of the human race to its highest possible level. Using a series of discordant monologues, stitched together with minor interaction with much more interesting characters, woody Allen speaks through Larry David in a manner more suited to the stage rather than the screen. Our hero is a bitter old man, undeserving of the few friends he has and certainly unworthy of the affections of the nubile love interest that falls into his lap. But this is the land of Woody, where such things regularly happen. My view is that this scenario is old and stale and a serious backslide for Mr. Konigsberg.
PUSH -- Rated PG-13
Dakota Fanning, Chris Evans, Camilla Belle, Djimon Hounsou
Brian’s Rating ** out of *****
I have never felt more compelled to walk out of a movie than I did during the theatrical screening of Push, now on DVD, a hopelessly confusing mess that thoughtlessly screeches off from the starting line and leaves the audience in the dust. From the film’s baffling opening sequence to its positively absurd and decidedly unresolved ending, Push offers a seemingly endless series of new characters and new plot twists, each more absurd than the one before. Even the talented Dakota Fanning and Psych’s Chris Evans seemed to be confused by this story of humans with supernatural powers on the run from a mysterious government agency. A few sparse moments of wit and some eerie photography of Hong Kong made my experience with Push bearable but hardly enjoyable. I seem to remember feeling the same way about Jumper, from which Push borrows liberally. Even on DVD, I’d skip them both.
