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Movie Comment: "Amelia"

Considering  that I'm already at the movies several times a month for work (and loving every minute of it...even if I'm watching sometime truly horrible like Couples Retreat because bad movies are still really, really fun to review), many people automatically assume that I don't like seeing movies for fun, too.

But that's definitely not true. Need proof? Just check out my ever-growing Netflix queue, not to mention my matinee-viewing habits, and you'll see. I love, love, love seeing movies...and if they're great, well, that's a huge bonus!

Sadly, I haven't seen a really great flick for a while, but I definitely had high hopes for Amelia, given the compelling subject matter, a talented director and an equally impressive cast with Hilary Swank (who is always far better at Boys Don't Cry-esque drama than P.S. I Love You comedy in my humble opinion), Ewan McGregor and Richard Gere.

While not a total dud, thanks to gorgeous cinematography and a killer score, Amelia still didn't exactly live up to my expectations. After all the time I spent with Amelia Earhart, I still don't feel like I really know her at all. Not only did the screenwriters skip most of the "why" for why Amelia had to fly (the flimsy "for the fun of it" line just wasn't doing it for me), but the storytelling just felt a little too clinical. I felt like I was getting the Wikipedia version of the story—all dates and facts, but little of the "heart of the story," which is what every movie needs to truly succeed. Ultimately, there's just not enough of that in Amelia to stick with you for the long haul, a shame considering what it could've been.

Rating: ** 1/2 out of **** stars

The 10 Best Things About Fall

I know, I know...when Fall arrives in Minnesota, well, it's officially one step closer to six months of winter which for the record, is no fun at all. Not one little bit.

Even with that ominous event always lurking in the back of my mind, it's impossible not to love this amazing season that's way, way too short in my humble opinion.

Simply put, it's spectacular for a number of reasons—reasons I'll explain in "Letterman Top-10 list" style right here, right now.

Coming in at #10: No more shorts or capri pants. Given that I have ghostly white legs that don't tan, and I'm not a tanning salon kind of girl, I'm don't exactly love wearing shorts or capri pants. But when it gets hot—really hot— in the summer months, what choice do you have in the matter? 

You just gotta own it like Anne Hathaway does. Or give it your best shot, anyway.

Sadly, my legs hate the sun so much that I still have "redneck socks" (a.k.a. seemingly permanent tan lines) from a bad sunburn I got two years ago while sitting by the Four Seasons' pool in L.A. for 20 minutes. Yeah, 20 minutes and unsightly tan lines to show for it two years later. Goodness knows how bad it would've been if I'd stayed out any longer...

#9: Bouquets of freshly sharpened pencils. Sure, roses are a great gesture of romantic devotion, but I always loved it when Tom Hanks' character tells Meg Ryan's character in You've Got Mail (via e-mail, of course) that he'd send her a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils if he knew her name and address.

I must confess that line gets me every time. Yeah, I'm a dork who loves school supplies...and I haven't set foot in a classroom (other than as a guest speaker) for years now.

Every fall when kids are getting their new backpacks, glue sticks and Jonas Brothers' notebooks, it's my tradition to pick up a few new school supplies (for the office, of course), too. There's just nothing like a bunch of new pens, cute notebooks, paper clips and post-its to make working at home feel more tolerable, lemme tell ya.

#8: Soup, Soup and more Soup. On a chilly day, there's nothing more delicious with crackers or a crusty piece of bread in my opinion. Whether it's butternut squash, a hearty bowl of chili or simple tomato basil, count me in. And making it myself? Well, that just makes the experience more fun.

#7: Better Movies, Actual Must-See TV. After reviewing dud after dud at the box office this summer,   fall movies couldn't arrive fast enough. And I'm thrilled to pieces for new episodes of "The Office," and "Castle," too, which beats re-runs any day of the week.

#6: Are You Ready for Some Football? We Banisters have been for months now. And thanks to Favre signing with the Vikes (yes, I'm finally getting used to it), we have three teams (the Packers, Vikings and Cowboys) to root for. Fun, fun, fun.

#5: Scarves, Scarves, Scarves. I adore scarves, but I've never figured out a way to wear them in the summer without looking ridiculous. But in the fall? No problem at all. I'm already excited about sporting all my favorites, Burberry and otherwise.

#4: Two words: Halloween candy. Do I really need to explain this?

#3: Beautiful Scenery: Anyone who knows me well knows that nature and I don't always get along, but ultimately, who can deny the  beauty of fall? I absolutely love the changing leaves, the crisp feeling in the air and taking long walks with Will with such a gorgeous backdrop.

#2: Pumpkin spice lattes. Yeah, I still love my caramel macchiatos, but once these babies arrive in stores, I simply can't get enough. So delicious.

#1: Special occasions. But what takes the proverbial cake when it comes to fall is all that I get to celebrate...Will and I's anniversary (October 8). Will's birthday (October 13). My mom's birthday (October 21). My pal Krista's birthday (October 23).There's certainly no shortage of fun (or cake) in the Fall months, that's for sure...

A Couple of Decent Alternatives to Purchasing Yet Another Ticket to "The Dark Knight"

August typically isn't typically the most promising month for movies. Basically it's the equivalent of eating those leftovers you've dutifully covered up with tin foil in your fridge. Sure, they're edible, but not exactly what you're craving once lunch rolls around. And after a summer of gems like "Iron Man," "Wall-E" and "The Dark Knight," it's not easy to get too excited about the cinematic dregs.

But since I'm a film critic and get paid to see almost everything (including the duds) so you don't have to, I will say this: I just saw a couple of flicks (yes even in August) that I enjoyed. Neither one will be nominated for any Oscars once awards season is in full swing, but they were still entertaining-enough diversions.

So with no further adieu, here are links to two movies that I'd award 2.5 and 3 out of 4 stars respectively: "Swing Vote" and "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2". If you're feeling "not so serious," these may be the ticket for a good time at the cineplex.

From Beverly Hills Cop to...

Yeah, I had to see Eddie Murphy's new movie "Meet Dave." At least it was for an assignment for Crosswalk and not by choice, right? If you're curious about why the film was such a flop, check out my review. At least It wasn't as bad as "Norbit" (thankfully), but  unfortunately it's not that much better either (sigh!).

How Do They Do It?

Pixar has a nasty habit (ha ha) of taking premises that shouldn't work and spinning them into enjoyable box-office gold. And Pixar's latest creation, WALL-E is no exception. Here's my review from Crosswalk.com:

With every new Pixar project crafted these days, there seems to be an even trickier premise to pull off, and Wall·E is certainly no exception to the rule. But instead of a field mouse moonlighting as the star chef of a fancy French restaurant in last year's Ratatouille, we've got another unlikely protagonist—a lonely robot simply called Wall·E (which stands for Waste Allocation Load Lifter, Earth-Class).

Turns out, Wall·E was left behind after the earthlings hightailed it to space after literally trashing the planet made it virtually unlivable. And if a tale about a solitary robot with nothing more than a cockroach for a friend wasn't enough of a leap of faith for a big summer movie, there's virtually no dialogue for the first 30 minutes as the story sets up, save for a few computerized bleeps here and there.

In the age of highly stylized action scenes and booming surround sound, all that silence is a touch disconcerting. And trust me, there were plenty of restless kids and shuffling feet at my particular screening in the beginning. But if viewers are willing to give it a chance, those quiet moments eventually pay off. There's a deeply human connection happening as Wall·E wanders around what's left of the world, dutifully picking trash and composting it into tidy little squares because, well, that's what he's been programmed to do.

During his daily routine, Wall·E picks up a few relics to decorate his new home:  an errant Rubik's Cube, leftover garden gnomes and his personal favorite—a videotape of Hello Dolly! that runs in a loop on a cracked flat-screen T.V. Watching the actors singing, dancing and laughing together makes Wall·E desperately long for someone to love and hold hands with, too. And his persistent battle with loneliness can't help but hit home; after all, we've all been there at one time or another.

Another grim reality artfully presented in Wall·E is the state of a world that used to be thriving. Much like I Am Legend where Will Smith wanders around a seriously depleted New York City, watching Wall·E scurry around a post-apocalyptic earth is also a surreal experience. Letting the stark imagery speak for itself, Wall·E almost functions as a kiddie version of An Inconvenient Truth without all the pie charts. The message of rallying against over-consumption and doing our part to make sure our world stays beautiful is clear, but never delivered in a heavy-handed way.

Like other Pixar productions, Wall·E is beautifully animated with pristine attention to detail, making one wonder how they continue to come up with such inventive material. But what inevitably makes this particular production stand out isn't all the eye candy. It's the sweet love story that develops once a sophisticated, egg-shaped space probe named Eve arrives on the scene.

Eve has been sent to Earth to methodically search for any signs of life. In space, humans have become these roly-poly couch potatoes with robots on hand to satisfy any whim. If someone has a craving for ice cream, he/she doesn't simply walk over to the fridge. Instead, he/she just says the word, and it's in there in a split second—no muss, no fuss. And while that may be some people's idea of heaven, it's clearly become a monotonous life as the human race is basically residing in a strip mall and pursuing nothing greater than momentary pleasures. But to return to earth, there has to be proof that conditions have improved, which is where Eve comes in.

Of course, Wall·E has no idea this is why Eve has arrived and before long, he's developed quite the crush. But Eve isn't so sure of his intentions and nearly extinguishes him on several occasions. But Wall·E's loving persistence eventually pays off, and the relationship that develops is truly better than that of any romantic comedy of late. It's pure, unadulterated love that looks out for the best interests of each other—and ultimately, mankind at large. And even with an unconventional storytelling style, that message rings out loud and clear and makes Wall·E another successful Pixar adventure for the whole family to enjoy.