Brothers

Tobey Maguire has some serious acting chops. Natalie Portman can act when she has a better script than Star Wars: Episode I—The Phantom Menace. I think the last Jake Gyllenhaal film I saw was The Day After Tomorrow, so I wasn’t too sure about him. But I expected to see some stellar acting in this movie, and I wasn’t disappointed. Portman’s understated expression of a wife and mother grieving was masterful, and Maguire and Gyllenhaal embodied the desire for redemption with haunted gazes and agitated movements. But in the end they were all out-acted by a ten-year-old! Bailee Madison stole every scene she was in, squeezing raw emotions past her chubby, childlike features.

The movie is shot in a washed-out sort of style that conveys the coldness of a Midwestern winter even as it aids the stark portrayal of the characters’ emotions. This movie somehow manages not to be a “downer” even as it deals with serious issues. More than anything, I felt it was a brief window of time letting us see into a real family’s life.

Brothers won’t set any box office records, nor does it push the envelope of originality or epic drama. Yet with its spot-on acting and its powerful themes of familial love, familial dysfunction, infidelity, redemption, war, aggression, and love, this movie is worthwhile for those of you who are interested in psychology, character studies, or family relationships.

NOTE: Brothers is not a “chick flick.” Both guys and girls will like it.

Planet 51

The makers of the animated flick Planet 51 could have aimed for thoughtful social commentary (Wall-E), groundbreaking animation styles (Finding Nemo), or parent-pandering jokes (The Incredibles). On second thought, maybe they did aim for all three of those. However, they fell far short, landing on mediocre entertainment instead. Adults won’t be bored, but they won’t be wowed either.

As the preview showed us, the film focuses on an astronaut who lands on a planet full of –gasp—aliens! Things quickly go haywire from there. Captain Chuck Baker, the astronaut, is not the true protagonist of the story; instead the storyline follows the suddenly interrupted life of Lem, a teenage “sci fi” geek. The setting is reminiscent of Back to the Future and the animation style reminded me of Toy Story.

The bottom line is, if you have kids, go ahead and take them because there are few truly family-friendly movies any more. They will enjoy the dog-like antics of a certain little robot. Or better yet, pull these old animated movies out of the closet. They still rank #1 and 2 on my list of best cartoons of all time, for their soaring scores, mature, heartbreaking themes, and memorable characters: Lion King and The Land Before Time.