Avatar (Theatrical)

Since his Oscar-winning 1997 film "Titanic," James Cameron has done very little in the way of big-screen attractions. Now in 2009 for 20th Century Fox, he returns to writing and directing with the extraordinary science-fiction/fantasy "Avatar." I would assume that since we haven´t seen much from Cameron in the past decade, he would certainly have his work cut out for him. I would also imagine if you found the one-dimensional narrative in "Titanic" entertaining enough, then you would have no problems enjoying "Avatar."

The story itself is one that has been told far too many times in American culture. I couldn´t stop thinking that just about every Western ever made has told the same story. In fact, Disney´s "Pocahontas" is kind of similar, if not a carbon copy, of the story. What we have is a paraplegic soldier, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), who has the chance to join a science/military experiment on a distant planet, with a group led by Dr. Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver). The fine doctor needs Jake to interact with a tribe of alien beings known as the Na´vi, but he will have to do this in an avatar body that looks identical to a Na´vi. The attempt is to get the Na´vi to move from one gigantic tree they live in. Of course, this would be because the attractive, blue fantasy creatures live directly above the mother load of a very valuable mineral, a mineral we know very little about other than it´s worthy enough to turn greedy humans into savages.

Leading the pack of people we love to hate is Parker Selfridge (Giovanni Ribisi). Parker is leading the pack of workers to mine the alien planet and will stop at nothing, including the use of military force. Parker´s only concerns are money, power, and obsessive greed. Leading that military coalition is Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang), who is by far the most overacted, one dimensional character in the bunch. Colonel Miles is that one character that should have died eight scenes ago but always manages to narrowly escape peril. It´s like when Austin Powers is falling out that window with Robin Swallows and yelling, "Why won´t you die?"

As the story lugs on, you can almost paint in the outcome by the obvious numbers left on the screen. As Jake spends more time in his avatar body, the more he finds a connection within himself and the Na´vi. Naturally, there´s the subtle love angle with Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), but certainly not at the domination level of "Titanic." No, this film throws us a common plot with literally no surprises, and uses some very attractive visuals to make us enjoy the taste of that big spoon in our mouth.

The Good:
Hands down, the best thing about "Avatar" are the visuals alone. It´s certainly going to be the drooling joy of anyone fascinated with visual effects and sound. Yes, it will be part of your Blu-ray "show off" editions. Not that there´s anything too original here, as I would say Cameron is just utilizing the visual arts of science fiction and fantasy that have already been around for decades. What we get here is a simple-enough story to paint up some wonderful visuals to stare at. Oh, and let´s not forget things we get to blow up, too.

The Bad:
The bad here is a narrative that has been overcooked far too long. As I mentioned, it´s quite literally "Pocahontas" on another planet. The other nails on the chalkboard for me were the clichéd narrative of the military. I felt the part of the bad guys was so predictable and one dimensional that it was enough to obstruct my perspective of simply enjoying the film. I mean, as a culture in the far future, we still have not got past excessive greed and have not learned anything about humanity? The scientists talk with reason and common sense while the greedy corporations and the military destroy everything in their path. So, for that far into the future, I´m supposed to assume human culture still has not evolved to something a bit more enlightening? Really? Well, I guess you have to have some action somewhere in the movie, and you can always count on a bit of testosterone to provide it. The problem for me is I just wasn´t buying into it.

Also, what groundbreaking effects was I to notice? If you don´t know the CGI industry that well, then you won´t know what to look for. Therefore, as an audience member, all I can do is point at things and say, "Hey, that looks fake." Yes, I realize I mentioned the visuals are the best thing. Nevertheless, the film is marred by subpar effects, or perhaps my eyes have just grown adjusted to spotting it after so many years. Many of the animal creatures look extremely fake, like a marriage of rubber meets plastic on a computer model that took a nap on rendering details. In the days when we could finally tell some plastic spaceships looked like toy models, I´m beginning to find the same of CGI models. However, what "Avatar" has going for it is the style, design, and art in the effects. Everything certainly looks pretty on a visual level, but the blend makes it difficult to decide whether the film wanted to be an animated CGI extravaganza or one dealing with live action.

The Ugly:
The hype for this film has been quite ugly, and I can´t say I found the outcome lived up to it. I´m really happy I don´t have small children because they´d probably want Na´vi dolls for Christmas. Didn´t we have blue play figures back in the eighties? Weren´t they called "Smurfs"? I guess you could say the Na´vi are the taller, sexier version of Smurfs. I mean, they do live in the woods, surrounded by fantasy creatures of all kinds. Nevertheless, a movie that packs hype also comes with after-marketing and the possibility to develop a never-ending franchise.

Closing:
For something that looks extremely well produced, it´s too bad the narrative is just a mediocre affair. I had higher hopes and was curious to see what Cameron could come up with after many years of absence from the blockbuster machine. The way I see it, when you´re checking your watch and nodding off a couple times in the movie theater, things can´t be too good.

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Hurt Locker

There´s nothing quite like an intriguing war film to make you realize you have things just fine sitting at a distance and viewing the true horrors of war. Well, at least you can get a perspective that adds no harm to you physically. After sitting through the nail-biter "The Hurt Locker," I quickly went to my list of careers I would never pursue and added "military bomb squad" to it. To me, any movie that can be equally effective at sinking you into the narrative, keeping you at the edge of your seat, and providing at least a few nightmares afterward does its job pretty well. Director Kathryn Bigelow certainly adheres to telling us a unique story that is not often explored in war films. I mean, seriously, how many war films stand out in your mind that deal exclusively with working in a bomb squad?

Written by Mark Boal and originally released in Italian theaters in October of 2008 (limited U.S.A. release in June, 2009), Ms. Bigelow´s movie takes us on the journey of Officer William James (Jeremy Renner) as he completes his final days of tour in Iraq working as a daring bomb-squad leader. James is assigned to a group with Sgt. JT Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Spc. Owen Eldridge (Brian Geraghty) shortly after the death of its prevous bomb-squad commander, Matt Thompson (Guy Pearce). Throughout the film, we see directly the challenges these men face on a daily basis and the unease we feel as an audience member waiting for a bomb to explode at any given moment. Not only do we deal with bombs, we also experience the dilemma of one being targeted constantly by terrorist enemies. A scene in particular deals with a couple of snipers in the middle of the desert, and it is quite moving and intense. As I mentioned, it´s very effective at keeping you on pins and needles for the entire ride.

Bigelow delivers a narrative that shows us the culture of soldiers fighting in Iraq and the emotional challenges they face just to stay alive. Owen has issues dealing with the fear of death, while Sgt. Sanborn just wants to play it safe and get the job done right. Nevertheless, the main character in the story is William James, or Bill for short. At first, we understand that James has dismantled literally hundreds of bombs and often deals with his skill in an unorthodox way. He´s definitely a rebel and one we feel, initially, we can connect with. However, it isn´t long before we realize the man´s bravery can also be construed as insanity from some people´s point of view. Not to mention, James at times can be quite distant and arrogant to his team members. He refuses to follow protocol at times, thus raising the ire of his colleagues.

To examine how brave or how crazy James is, you will see that when squad members go out to disarm a bomb up close, they must wear a safety impact suit. The suit itself is no guarantee of one´s survival if a bomb goes off too close when wearing one. However, it is part of their protocol and something his team members take quite seriously. Nonetheless, in one disarming case, Bill takes the suit off while only inches away from an explosive death. In his opinion, if he´s going to die, he wants to do it comfortably. Now, in some way I kind of laughed at how fanatical he came across, but considering the risk his character is taking on a daily basis, I can also understand his logic. I mean, if you´re going to risk death in the first place, then the heavy, uncomfortable suit probably makes no difference, anyway.

What director Bigelow makes us take away from this film is an understanding of who we really are inside. As crazy as Bill James is at his task, we take a journey through a character study that shows us a man who realizes what he´s good at and what he knows to be his purpose in life. For me, there were times I felt connected to his challenges, but there were also times I wouldn´t want anything to do with him. He could easily be loved or hated at any given moment within the narrative. Then again, I also think Bigelow was trying to show us that sometimes the path of a hero can be too complex for most people to understand. In the case of where it takes a wolf to kill a wolf, then perhaps "The Hurt Locker" paints a great example of that.

The overall pacing of "The Hurt Locker" feels quite somber in tone, but it is a mild tempo that actually keeps you nerve-racked. At any moment an explosive surprise can happen, and, yes, there are undoubtedly times you see it coming. Granted, the film is not without its predictability, but for viewing it your first time through, it´s certain to keep you on the edge of your seat. The style and look of the film feel quite familiar in tone, but the narrative explores avenues less touched upon. It is an interesting and riveting look at a particular side of war, one that offers plenty of food for thought.

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Patty Duke Show, The (TV Series) (DVD)

In 1963, 17-year-old Patty Duke took the stage to accept a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her dramatic and inspired performance as the blind Helen Keller in "The Miracle Worker." That same year, she cut loose--split, you might say--as a goofy, boy-crazy American teen whose demure, identical cousin from Europe comes to stay with the family. Duke played both a Gidget-type in Patty Lane, and a reserved, almost matronly young woman in cousin Cathy, with well-traveled character actor William Schallert as the father and Jean Byron the mother. Paul O'Keefe played little brother Ross, who was basically there for the cousins to react to and everyone to pick on. I'm sure he's in therapy now.

But seriously, the Sixties were a golden age for sitcoms, and the first season that "The Patty Duke Show" aired, the top TV show in America was "The Beverly Hillbillies." Seven out of the top 10 shows were sitcoms. "The Patty Duke Show" finished at Number 18, ahead of shows like "Gunsmoke," "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color," "McHale's Navy," and "Dr. Kildare." Duke was a cutie and she had charisma--times two, in this show--so drawing a 23.9 share of the audience was really not surprising, given her Oscar star power.

The second season the audience dropped off a bit, though the episodes were just as consistently written and performed. It came in at Number 28. As sitcoms go, it was pretty average, though Duke's perky Patty character brought a nice energy to each episode. What makes it an average sitcom rather than a superior one are the hackneyed plots that seem to be standard-issue for situation comedies. Some of the episodes are even blatant rip-offs of the first season. Produced by William Asher (who gave us "Bewitched"), "The Patty Duke" show relies on the old formulas and hits some of them several times this season too. That they're still entertaining is more a tribute to the cast and dialogue than the formulas themselves.

The draw for contemporary audiences is that this family comedy does a pretty good job of showcasing attitudes and activities from an era that now seems as quaint as a cottage with a white picket fence. And the hair ranges from ducktails to doper-dos. Episodes this season involve building a soap box derby racer, a father-daughter dance, an attempt to join the Peace Corps, and dating so proper that it'll surely strike today's teens and 'tweens as unbelievable. Same with the politeness. But hey, it wouldn't hurt for a little of that to rub off. My kids (ages 12 and 8) have gotten into this show, though the girl likes it considerably better than the boy--for obvious reasons. "The Patty Duke Show" has a real Dear Diary feel to it.

Thirty-six episodes are included on six single-sided discs, housed in three slim, clear plastic keep cases and tucked inside a colorful cardboard slipcase. Here's a rundown on the episodes, as described in a wonderful six-page booklet that's printed on both covers:

1) "The Green-Eyed Monster." Jealousy erupts within Richard when Geoffrey Davis III returns to town and begins courting Patty.

2) "Practice Makes Perfect." Much to the dismay of the Lane family, Patty shows off her lack of musical talent when she decides to take up tuba lessons.

3) "Simon Says." Anger fills the halls of the high school after Patty's new advice column for the school paper goes from helping couples to breaking them up!

4) "Patty, the Organizer." To win more household privileges, Patty spearheads a new union: UAFUM, the United Association for Unprotected Minors.

5) "Patty, the Pioneer." To defend the honor of "spoiled teens" everywhere, Patty volunteers to live the life of a pioneer for one week, but the lessons learned from her experience come a little harder than she expects.

6) "The Boy Next Door." When a cute boy moves in next door to the Lanes, a bitter war is waged between the two identical swooning cousins.

7) "Patty, the People's Voice." The democratic process becomes tough for Patty and Cathy when they come to realize that the candidate running for office against Martin's boss is actually the better choice.

8) "The Greatest Psychologist in the World." Patty uses her keen skills in psychology to convince her parents to let her attend the Harvard prom with Sue Ellen's cousin, Rip.

9) "Patty and the Peace Corps." Excited about the prospect of helping a third-world country, Patty lies about her age and joins the Peace Corps. There's just one problem: her parents don't know!

10) "How to Succeed in Romance." When Cathy falls for the shy new boy at school, she asks her much more outgoing cousin for advice. Meanwhile, the shy boy, Christopher, is getting advice from Richard about Cathy. With all this "helpful" advice, can the two teens ever get together?

11) "Block That Statue." Cathy enamors the high school football hero, but she just isn't interested. What can she do?

12) "This Little Patty Went to Market." On discovering all the money to be made in the stock market, the entrepreneur in Patty decides it's time to form her own marketing company: Patty Lane, Inc.

13) "Best Date in Town." When her father's called out of town on an important newspaper assignment, Patty is left disappointed--and dateless--for the eagerly anticipated father-daughter dance.

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The Diary of Anne Frank

Many, many years ago I watched "The Diary of Anne Frank" in elementary school. The years have passed and I cannot remember what grade this took place. While I cannot recall which teacher was responsible for introducing me to this sorrowful tale of the atrocities of Nazi Germany during the second World War, I can recall thinking how horrible it must have been to live in seclusion and not be able to make a sound during the day and in constant fear of being taken away by ´evil´ men. The film is now fifty years old, which is a good number of years older than myself and I do know that it was already fairly old when I had first seen the film. Truth be told, I have not watched "The Diary of Anne Frank" since I had done so for educational purposes and the screening of this film a couple decades later was almost as if I had been watching the film for the first time.

Directed by George Stevens and adapted for the screen by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, "The Diary of Anne Frank" is based upon the writings of young Anne Frank that had been discovered upon her fathers return to the location where they had been kept in secret for a couple years before being arrested and taken into custody into the Nazi death camps. There has been some argument as to the legitimacy of Anne Frank´s diary, but much of the controversy has been from the very same people who will argue that the Holocaust did not happen. I have always been of the mind that Anne Frank´s writings do tell the story of what happened to the young girl and her family. The film did not win the Academy Awards for Best Director or Best Picture and its screenplay was not even nominated, but "The Diary of Anne Frank" is, in my opinion, more of a necessary education than entertainment.

The film begins with Otto Frank (Joseph Schildkraut) returning to the office building where he and his family had remained hidden for two years and given the diary pages by Miep Gies (Dodie Heath) that his daughter Anne (Millie Perkins) had kept during the time before being taken to concentration camps. Otto had owned the office building and was the sole surviving family member of the war. The man breaks into tears at gaining ownership of his daughter´s written words and the film quickly moves into telling the story of the diary when Otto, his wife Edith (Gusti Huber), daughters Margot (Diane Baker) and Anne lived in hiding. They are joined by friends Hans van Daan (Lou Jacobi) and his wife Petronella (Shelley Winters) and their sixteen year old son Peter (Richard Beymer). Later, a family friend and dentist Albert Dussell (Ed Wynn) joins them in the secret rooms of the office building.

Anne is the central character and a lot of time is spent showing her relationships with those that had inhabited the cramped upper floors of the office building. She had a very cold and distant relationship with her mother, but was quite close to her father. The dynamics of Anne´s relationship with her parents are touched upon as are those with the van Daan family (whose last name was changed for the film). Anne did not get along with Hans and Petronella, as they looked upon Anne as a nuisance and she did not appreciate some of the things done and said by her father´s friends. However, Anne did have a romantic relationship with Peter that began with the two teenagers barely on speaking terms in the beginning as the shy Peter stayed away from Anne´s advances, but their claustrophobic living conditions eventually brought them together. This romantic relationship is a central theme in the film and one of the strongest subplots.

Young actress Millie Perkins was not the first choice to portray Anne Frank. Susan Strasberg had portrayed Anne in the popular play that had inspired the film, but she declined to continue to role in front of the cameras. Twentieth Century Fox turned their attention to popular child star Natalie Wood, but Wood did not accept the offer either. Audrey Hepburn was the same age as Frank and had survived Nazi occupation in the Netherlands as well. She was the actress whom Otto Frank had wanted to portray his daughter, but she did not want to relive the events of her teenage years in occupied territory and turned down the role. Perkins did not have the star power of either Wood or Hepburn, but the young actress showed the spunk and character of Anne Frank and the teenage starlet carried the film nicely on her young shoulders.

As the story continues, the hardships of the family are revealed as they struggle to survive with only enough rations that can be obtained with three ration cards and to be completely silent during the day when workers and customers inhabit the floors below their hiding place. Much time is spent during the frames of "The Diary of Anne Frank" to show how they passed the time during the day or to give a sense of what panic would transpire if an errant noise was made. Admittedly, this does not make for the most exciting film experience, but this was an essential part of young Anne Frank´s story and needs to be shown on screen. I am far more content that the filmmakers didn´t overlook some of the things that made survival difficult by zeroing in on only the exciting elements of Anne´s diary.

The supporting cast is nicely cast and while only Schildkraut and Huber made the transition from stage to screen, all comfortably fit into their character´s skins. Veteran actress Shelley Winters took home one of the film´s three Academy Awards for her performance and Ed Wynn was nominated for Best Support Actor. The film is a drama that relies on emotion to succeed and each actor and actress convey the stress and fear that each of the captives had to live with in their daily lives. "The Diary of Anne Frank" does move through the events rather quickly, but at three hours in length, the film could not have afforded to be any longer and the actors used in the picture all do their best with the amount of screen time they are given as the sparse and cramped sets also do not provide them any distractions from their performances. In a film where performances are essentially all there is; the actors perform wonderfully.

George Stevens was nominated for Best Director and "The Diary of Anne Frank" earned a nomination for Best Picture. "Ben-Hur" would take home both Oscars in these categories, but the black and white "The Diary of Anne Frank" is a solidly made film that tells an important and emotional message through limited sets, a small cast and a modest budget. Some stock footage is used to help tell the events of World War II that transpired during this time and a few occurrences could be seen in the streets outside of where the Franks were kept hidden, but most of this film takes place in the confined spaces of the office building. The sets are cramped and minimal and the vast majority of the film takes place in either silence of limited dialogue as the family had to keep silent and could pass the time only with conversation. There wasn´t a lot to work with and the filmmakers did an admirable job in keeping this three hour film interesting.

"The Diary of Anne Frank" is a powerful story that may not be a technical masterpiece, but the story that is told is important for others to learn. There is a reason this is almost standard curriculum in education. I can´t remember what year I watched the film, but I tend to think it was either sixth grade or during middle school. Regardless, I remember sitting around the old VCR and television and watching this film and remembering how this was my first lesson on the Holocaust and I was shocked that people had to live like this. For this reason alone, "The Diary of Anne Frank" is required viewing material. The film took some liberties in bringing the story to the big screen, but it tells Anne Frank´s story wonderfully through the film´s actors and Steven´s vision. This film isn´t perfect, but this film is something that should be watched at least once in everyone´s life.

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