UNFORGETTABLE

Rosario Dawson     Katherine Heigl     Geoff Stults     Cheryl Ladd     Isabella Kai Rice     Jayson Blair

     Unforgettable’s weak plot contrasts with strong performances of the main characters.  After a traumatic childhood and recent past, Julia (Dawson) is eagerly anticipating her new life with David (Stults), someone who seems ideal—sensitive, caring, and responsible.  He has a lovely house in California and gives her his grandmother’s ring upon their engagement.  Julia is initially undeterred by the intrusions of his beautiful ex-wife Tessa (Heigl) and his ambivalent daughter Lily (Rice).  She finds Lily easy to win over, but Tessa begins to throw her curves right away.

      It’s obvious from the start where this movie is going.  The disappointing part is that the story is written and directed by women (Christina Hodson, writer, and Denise Di Novi, director) (the screenwriter is apparently a male David Leslie Johnson, however).  The reason I’m disappointed about the womens’ work is that it’s the usual bitch-crazy woman characterization of Tessa.  Julia, likewise, is shown to have a shady past where (uh-oh!), she was in a psychiatric hospital for a time.  This is the set-up for a cat fight(s) that will be inevitable sometime in the story. Fatal Attraction and numerous other films have done this subject very well.  Therefore, to me, it would have been a much better story if there were less psychopathology and more nuanced flaws in the women, not fitting into stereotypical portrayals for the sake of the sensational.

      Other flaws in the plot include inconsistency of character, e.g., Julia is shown to be so competent in most contexts (her job as editor, her adaptation to a new life in a different city, and her people skills); yet doesn’t seem to notice that luggage is flying off her car as she drives down the highway, answers calls on her cell phone from “Unknown”, seems powerless to set limits with Tessa, and has no idea how to defend herself until the very end. 

      Rosario Dawson can be counted on to give a performance that shows the textures of the characters she is portraying in variable moods and situations.  Katherine Heigl captures the “perfect” beautiful blonde with the porcelain skin and the devil underneath.  The film does show the exquisite transmission of cunning and contrivance from mother to daughter.  Cheryl Ladd in her character as Tessa’s mother serves as a fine model for this, and we can see her daughter unwittingly grooming her own daughter, Lily. 

      Caleb Deschanel’s cinematography contributes to the mystery and thrill of the film, with the camera always being a witness and sometimes being a guide before the action happens.

Unforgettable offers simplistic, stereotypical thrills and chills, and just may be forgettable.

Grade:  C-                                    By Donna R. Copeland

THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE

Voices of:  Will Arnett   Ralph Fiennes   Zach Galifianakis   Michael Cera   Jenny Slate   
Rosario Dawson   Zoe Kravitz     Channing Tatum   Jonah Hill   Jemaine Clement   
Ellie Kemper   Adam Devine   Kate Micucci   Seth Green   Eddie Izzard

     The humanization of Batman (Arnett) turns out to be very funny with glitzy animation and some substance to the message.  As evidenced by audience reaction at the screening, those familiar with DC comics will get many references that fly past those of us who are uninformed.  But even for those unfamiliar with all the Batman comics and movies, this is a flashy, entertaining story that will even pull your heartstrings in places.

Batman is full of himself, depicting the stereotypical male out of touch with his emotions or others’, and needing to be a savior in order to feel good about himself.  He has boxed himself in by shutting everyone else out, thinking he has to do everything on his own, ignoring his own needs for support and connection, and hell bent on being the hero of Gotham City.  His competitiveness with others—including Superman—is not overlooked.

     But the Joker (Gallifianakis) is back on the scene, and is intent on taking over Gotham City.  The police commissioner (Dawson) wants to help, as does Alfred Pennyworth (Fiennes), Batman’s aide, but he puts them off and strikes out on his own.  Someone he can’t put off is an orphan whom he absent-mindedly adopted one day.  Dick (Cera) is entranced with Batman, and insists on following him everywhere and getting outfitted in Batman-like clothes.  Batman tries to brush him off repeatedly, but the little guy is so persistent, Batman starts feeling some attachment to him—not admitting any such thing, of course.

     Themes that are treated both seriously and funny recurring throughout the movie include attachment, responsibility, cooperation, and the joy of play.  Even the Joker can’t get Batman to acknowledge that he is meaningful to him, and his wheedling and arguments with Batman are some of the funniest scenes.  A sense of responsibility outweighs anything else in Batman’s mind, preventing him from accepting help from others and making him actually lonely.  Pennyworth tries his best to get Batman to lighten up, and Dick enthusiastically takes to everything like it’s one big joyous game.  It takes a while for all this to get through to Batman and for him to become aware of his own emotional experience.

     Lego Batman is highly entertaining and visually beautiful, and is not directed toward any one age.  Children and adults should enjoy it for different reasons.  Although many of the references to other DC Comics film productions are likely to go over kids’ heads, there is enough animation and color—and even jokes—to keep them engaged.  Lorne Balfe’s music enhances the different moods of the film, notably playing Three Dog Night’s “One is the Loneliest Number” when Batman returns home and finds he is warming up his dinner and eating alone. 

     Director Chris McKay and the whole Warner Brothers-Lego-DC Comics team deserve the immense pride they most likely take in this production.  The voices of the actors deserve praise as well.

Fine animation with humor, adventure, and thoughtful points for viewers of all ages.

Grade:  A                                     By Donna R. Copeland

PUERTO RICANS IN PARIS

Luis Guzman   Edgar Garcia   Rosario Dawson   Rosie Perez   Ravi Patel   Alice Taglioni

      A valuable designer bag is missing in Paris, and the designer Colette (Taglioni) and company representative come to New York to recruit two police detectives to find the thief.  Right away the script is suspect in even considering that a) Parisians would come to this country to get two gumshoes to find a designer bag, and b) that they would hire two overweight middle-aged detectives to do the job.  Actually, I think this is one of the things supposed to be funny in the film, but I didn’t hear any chuckles.

       Luis (Guzman) and Eddie (Garcia) are competitive brothers-in-law who work as a team.  Eddie is a bit brighter than his partner, and devoted to Luis’ sister Gloria (Perez) and their children.  Luis is with Vanessa (Dawson), but apprehensive about committing to her, and she promptly leaves him.  Once again, the viewer is scratching her head wondering how such an obnoxious socially inept old guy is able to get such a hottie to care about him.  But that is the script; it attributes implausible characteristics (attractiveness, detective skills) to these two buffoons.  And they’re supposed to be buffoons; that’s what the script calls for.

         Luis and Eddie make it to Paris and begin working on the case; they already have four suspects to interview.  Using their amazing detective skills, they feel sure they’ve come up with the culprit.  Meanwhile, they sample the nightlife, finding Colette a generous hostess and friend, and Luis continues to make inappropriate solicitations to pretty young women.  (His jealousy of Eddie for seeming to score with Colette makes him livid.) 

        But of course the script leads us along the garden path, and there will be twists and turns in the plot to keep us engaged until we find out who the actual culprit is (which will not be surprising to many). 

         The most positive part of this film is the time in Paris filled with creative living, beautiful sights and sounds, and European sensibilities.  The character of Collette embodies the cool, warm, generous, but very bright French woman whom we can admire—no matter the nationality.  She is the strongest part of Puerto Ricans in Paris.  It’s she you are most interested in and watch as she charms, expresses substantive social values, and is truly fun—the best of a chameleon. 

       I only wish Luis and Eddie were more her American counterparts; but they seem to show every trait opposite to that. I should make an exception for Eddie who ends up behaving as a genuine friend, canny investigator, and devoted family man.

Mildly entertaining (because of Paris), but not really a comedy.

Grade:  D+                        By Donna R. Copeland

RATCHET & CLANK

Voices of:  James Arnold Taylor   David Kaye   Jim Ward   Rosario Dawson  

Paul Giamatti   Armin Shimeman   John Goodman   Sylvester Stallone

          Ratchet and Clank are two entertaining characters in this beautifully animated movie based on a videogame—not usually one of my favorite activities.  But this one has some good messages for children having to do with loyalty, hubris, and ambition.  Betrayal, vainglorious boasting, and impulsivity are boldly displayed and then shown to be mistakes, and it becomes clear how one becomes a true hero.

          Ratchet (Taylor) is the only one of his kind (his planet was destroyed and he is the only survivor), called a “lombax”, and embodies classic ADHD qualities—attention deficit and impulsivity.  He is brave, and despite his small size, longs to be a ranger like Quark (Ward), captain of the Galactic Rangers.  Ratchet shows that sometimes it’s possible to achieve great feats with enough grit and determination, but other times it is simply risky behavior.  He’s a good model for children with ADHD, because he pulls it all together in the end.

          Suddenly, Clank (Kaye), a robot, appears in Ratchet’s world, and the two become a working pair, realizing that there is a dangerous weapon set up and already in motion to destroy whole planets.  This “Planet Destroyer” is commanded by Drek (Diamatti), and is the brainchild of Dr. Nefarious (Shimeman). 

          The games about Ratchet and Clank are known for the fancy, exotic weapons, which are explained in detail and demonstrated in rapid succession in the movie, including the one that pixilates a man into a sheep.  Viewers fascinated with weapons will be caught up in the excitement of them.

          The story is a familiar one about evil men with inordinate greed and lust for power and control.  Here, it’s taken to a galactic level, with some coming off as surprising heroes and some being brought to their knees.  In the process, some learn a valuable lesson:  “To be a hero you don’t have to do big things; just the right ones.”

The graphic animation and CGI effects are colorful and impressive, and the voices of Taylor, Kaye are excellently rendered; those of Giamatti, Goodman, and Stallone—whose voices are usually highly recognizable—are disguised enough to make them sound different from their usual. 

       I would think the film is not for very young children, although those who play videogames may easily follow it.  Most likely children ten+ years will enjoy it.  Save your money; the extra for 3-D is probably not worth it.

Surprisingly good entertainment based on a videogame. 

Grade:  B                              By Donna R. Copeland