Aside from the over-stuffed cast, the movie has a tendency of copping out whenever a dramatic plot point could develop into something truly poignant. That’s fine if it wants to be a straight out comedy, but unfortunately most of the jokes fall flat too. The audience at the screening I attended was almost completely silent and at one point, there was an audible gasp of shock/disgust at what was supposed to be a “funny” moment. The only time I really laughed was whenever Rebel Wilson appeared on screen. The Australian comedian/actress (she was also one of Kristen Wiig’s roommates in Bridesmaids) was the best thing about the movie, and hers was just a supporting role.

I’m not sure exactly what target market this movie is going for exactly — pregnant 30-something women I guess. But I suspect even they won’t be amused or moved, unless the pregnancy hormones are raging. Skip this one.

The film travels around the globe chronicling the dire state of our access to and supply of water. It starts in Las Vegas with its Water Commissioner telling us that in 5 years they will be out of water. Lake Mead cannot keep up with demand and there is nothing that can be done. They are seriously considering a billion-dollar pipeline to steal the water from a smaller town across the state possibly turning it into a desert – too bad for the people who live there! Moving on to the Central Valley of California, where 25% of America’s food is grown, farmers are outraged that there is now a shortage of water for their crops, partially a result of saving an endangered fish upstream, but that particular little fish is key to a fisheries ecosystem that employs a whole different set of stakeholders. What we have considered to be an inexhaustible supply is simply not! Climate change has made it so that snow pack is not to be counted on any longer to replenish watersheds. And we are using water frivolously all over the place.

The film moves on to what is in the water we are drinking. We consume unregulated bottled water thinking it is safer than the regulated water from our taps. But we are also drinking a soup of excreted pharmaceuticals and have no way of knowing what a number industries are adding to our water that cannot be filtered out. Cue Erin Brockovich who arrives to talk about the poisons that are still showing up in wells all around the country. She keeps telling us that the EPA is broke and that we can’t wait for them to fix it. One scene where she goes back to the community made famous in the Erin Brockovich film is starkly tragic. Despite the publicity of that blockbuster, these people are still living with horribly toxic water and waiting for help. I can’t go into all the angles the movie hits on the water issue, but it is exhaustive and really sobering.

But don’t be scared away from seeing this excellent documentary. Last Call At The Oasis is beautifully shot, has a great soundtrack, and the main interviewees are extremely engaging, sometimes even funny. Besides Erin Brockovich, there are a handful of scientists who take you through some serious science in a very understandable way. But at the end of the day, they offer no solutions. Our aquifers can’t keep up with demand. Conservation won’t save Southern California. And desalination is very expensive with an enormous carbon footprint. I think this film is really a call for some great innovators and visionaries to get to work. So put down your water bottle. Turn off your sprinklers. And go see this movie!

The movie also features a host of other reluctant heroes from the Marvel Comic Universe, including the Shakespearean thunder god Thor (Chris Hemsworth), the recently defrosted World War Two soldier-extraordinaire, Captain America (Chris Evans), the mild-mannered doctor-turned-green-monster-when-he’s-angry The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), the brooding guy who’s good with arrows, Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), and the psychologically damaged superspy chick in a form-fitting bodysuit, Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson).

They’re called into action by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), the persuasive head of an international spy agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., to retrieve some little blue box of energy called The Tesseract and save the world from an army of aliens led by Thor’s evil adopted brother Loki. I’ve gotta admit, the plot kinda lost me. But it really didn’t matter. The Avengers has a kick-ass cast and it’s a ton of fun watching the mish-mash of superheroes spar with each other, physically and verbally, then have each other’s backs – sort of – when the obligatory epic battle scenes commence. Go Team!?

The interactions between Captain America and Iron Man, between Iron Man and Thor, and between Thor and The Hulk provide the bulk of the entertainment. And Loki (Tom Hiddleston) makes for a quirky and engaging villain. Hawkeye and Black Widow definitely take a back seat in this one (and it’s easy to see why their characters don’t have their own movie franchises.)

The Avengers is written and directed by the uber-talented Joss Whedon, who knows how to make a well-paced crowd-pleaser. The movie is nearly two and a half hours long, but time – like Iron Man – flies. I’m not sure the 3D added all that much, but it’s definitely worth trying to see it in IMAX, or at least on a really big screen.

Bottom line: Even if you don’t know a Loki from a gnocchi, The Avengers is good for a solid cinematic escape.

Be sure and stick around for the end-credits, especially if you’re a comic book geek. There’s a small hint of what’s to come. Because – duh – the studios are already working on a sequel. And did I mention that Iron Man 3 is due out May 3, 2013… the Thor sequel on Nov. 13, 2013… and Captain America 2 in April 2014?  But first, we’ve got to get through the next Batman, Spiderman and Superman sequels and reboots! Ah, summer. Bring it on!

The Five-Year Engagement picks up where most rom-coms leave off — with the proposal. Tom (Jason Segel) pops the question to Violet (Emily Blunt) exactly a year after they meet at a New Year’s Eve party. But it doesn’t go exactly as planned. Tom plans to surprise her with a ring on the deck of the restaurant where he works. But Violet objects so much to making a stop on their way to a party that Tom pulls over the car and confesses the whole plan. And thus begins their long and winding trip to the altar. But is their story engaging enough to make it worth a trip to the theater?

Jason Segal and Emily Blunt are likeable and fun as the engaged couple and at first it seems like everything is going to go off without a hitch. But what fun would that be? Things get derailed at first when Violet gets an offer to work on her doctorate at the University of Michigan. The problem with that is they live in San Francisco and Tom is an up-and-comer in the city’s culinary scene. But Tom decides to put his career on hold and go to Ann Arbor with Violet. She thrives there but he never seems to find his way. Instead, he ends up working at Zingerman’s Deli and hanging out with another bored faculty spouse  (well-played by the talented Chris Parnell) who knits ill-fitting sweaters and teaches Tom to hunt.

As the months tick by, the pressure mounts for them to set a date as grandparents start dying and Violet’s sister (Alison Brie) ends up taking the expressway to married life after she gets knocked up by Tom’s loutish friend (Chris Pratt) at Tom and Violet’s engagement party. But as Tom grows unhappier and Violet grows closer to her faculty adviser, the couple seems like they are headed anywhere but marriage. Tom’s downward spiral makes for some good laughs and Violet’s co-workers at the University are an amusing bunch. But there comes a point when you want to say, “oh just break up already!” The movie could have used some judicious editing to tighten things up a little bit.

So yes it’s worth the trip to the theater if you’re in the mood for a rom-com or if you’re a big Jason Segel and/or Emily Blunt fan. It’s got some good laughs and some honest emotional moments. It’s definitely chick flick territory. But if you’re the impatient type you might find yourself looking at your watch wondering when the hell they’re just going to figure it out.

Using archival footage and a ton of interviews, the film paints a portrait that goes far beyond the pot-smoking reggae musician most people see him as. Born to a black teenage mother and much older white father in Jamaica, Marley grew up not only poor but also as an outcast because of his mixed-race background. But it was clear at an early age, he knew not only how to play music but how to market it — from delivering records around town on a bicycle to sometimes intimidating DJs to make sure The Wailers music got played on Jamaican radio. It is also clear that Marley knew the political power of his music in Jamaica — power that ended up getting him shot in 1976.

But the movie doesn’t just document his rise to fame, it’s an examination of the man behind the myth — warts and all. The fact that he fathered eleven children with seven different women isn’t whitewashed. Both his wife and his longtime girlfriend are interviewed for the movie. His kids speak openly about their father’s competitive nature and the fact that other parents wouldn’t let their kids play with them because their parents were just smoking and playing music all the time. It also tells the story of the last months of Marley’s life — how he kept on performing despite that fact that his body was riddled with cancer, and a final attempt at treatment at a holistic clinic in Germany. The film gives us a full picture of a man who became a legend and left us far too soon.

Marley is playing in select cities around the country, but it is also available On Demand and to stream on Facebook. Coming in at two and a half hours, I’d recommend viewing at home. That way you can pause to go get munchies whenever you need to.

In fact, if you saw Dear John, you may actually think you’re watching a remake of the same movie, only this time it’s starring Zac Efron (instead of Channing Tatum) as the war-scarred soldier (er, Marine) and Taylor Schilling (instead of Amanda Seyfried) as the blonde chick he falls for. And instead of a letter, there’s a photograph.

The plot doesn’t really matter much. It’s basically about a U.S. Marine (Efron) who serves three tours of duty in Iraq and is convinced his life’s been spared time and time again because of a good-luck charm in the form of a photo he found resting in the desert sand after a particularly brutal ambush. When he’s finally sent home from war, he goes in search of the woman in the photo – and finds her, of course. But will he tell her why he’s really there? Will there be lots of miscommunications and drama and steamy kisses that leave little to the imagination despite its PG-13 rating? You betcha! It’s a Nicholas Sparks book-turned-movie!

So – bottom line. If you’re a fan of Nicholas Sparks books-turned-movies, or you think Zac Efron is hot, then don’t let those Rotten Apples at Rotten Tomatoes spoil your fun. And if you’re not a fan of Sparks and/or Efron, then definitely take a pass.

May the odds be ever in your favor

The premise is admittedly bizarre. Every year, a teenage boy and girl from the 12 districts of Panem are sent to the Capitol to compete in a nationally televised, fight-to-the-death competition known as The Hunger Games. The Games were created as punishment for an uprising against the Capital decades earlier – and perpetuated as a way to keep the districts in line. Think of the 12 Districts as home to the 99 percent. The Capitol houses the 1 percent.

The Games’ participants, known as Tributes, must fight one another until one survivor remains. And just like Texas with the Miss America pageant, some tributes are better prepped than others for the competition.

The heroine of The Hunger Games is Katniss Evergreen, played with an impressive mix of fear, stoicism, sarcasm, bravery and cunning by the very talented Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone). Katniss volunteers for the brutal competition in order to spare her little sister Prim – so you can’t help but root for her from the get-go. But these games aren’t just about winning. They’re about the lines we draw – and the lines we cross – in an effort to survive, and our willingness or reluctance to challenge the status quo. The books and the movie are tinged with themes of war, politics, morality, ethics, desensitization to violence and absurdity, and the role of reality television in feeding the frenzy. It’s also just good storytelling/drama. 

Here’s the rub:  I loved the first book (“The Hunger Games”), liked the second one (“Catching Fire”) and was less than satisfied with the third (“Mockingjay”). So I’m a bit concerned with how it might all play out in the end. But first thing’s first…

The Hunger Games movie is well cast and beautifully shot. I had some trouble warming up to Josh Hutcherson (The Kids Are All Right) as Katniss’s fellow tribute and potential ally/love interest Peeta. But he grew on me as the movie progressed. And I definitely look forward to seeing more of the hunky Liam Hemsworth (The Last Song) as Katniss’s long-time friend, hunting partner and potential love interest Gale. Other casting coups of note: Stanley Tucci as the colorful emcee of the Games, Elizabeth Banks as the flaky tribute chaperone Effie Trinket, and Woody Harrelson as drunken mentor Haymitch Abernathy. They add a strong shot of color and humor to the twisted proceedings.

Parents, be forewarned however. This movie is PG-13. Kids do kill kids. The violence is tempered with quick cuts and montages, but it’s still the stuff of nightmares. That said, if you’ve read the books, you’re going to see the movies. It’s really as simple as that. I highly recommend reading the trilogy beforehand to help plug in holes in character development and recognize the bits of foreshadowing. But reading the books is not mandatory. The Hunger Games can still hold its own for the general audience – including those adults who don’t want to be caught reading “teen lit” and still don’t ‘get’ the whole Twilight thing.

Bottom line: The odds will ever be in favor of this trilogy meeting hyper-expectations and selling oodles of tickets over the next few years. And did I mention that Taylor Swift is on the soundtrack? Cue the record sales. The book sales. And the box office.

Normally, I’d embed the trailer below. But the studios must have blocked the embedding option in their efforts to fan the flames of anticipation. Oh well. You can see it on YouTube if you’re really desperate. http://youtu.be/RNxb28j5C1w

In the meantime, in the spirit of rebellion, I offer this up instead:

21 Jump Street stars the oft-schlubby (Oscar-nominated turn in Moneyball not withstanding) Jonah Hill and the oft-hunky-romantic-drama lead Channing Tatum (The Vow, Dear John) as two under-achieving cops who are sent back to high school to find out who’s supplying and dealing a dangerous new synthetic drug to kids. That’s really all you need to know.

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

Emily Blunt (The Young Victoria, The Devil Wears Prada) plays Harriet, a British public relations executive who is given carte blanche to help a wealthy sheik realize his dream of bringing salmon fishing to the desert. She turns to the UK’s leading fisheries expert, Dr. Alfred Jones (Ewan McGregor) for help, but he finds the entire project completely absurd. So does the British government – until the Prime Minister’s press secretary (played by Kristin Scott Thomas) decides that the salmon project is just what the government needs to divert attention from another Middle East ‘project’ that isn’t going so well – the war in Afghanistan.

As the eccentric sheik eventually points out, the project isn’t just about fish. And neither is the movie. It’s about politics, diplomacy, cultural divides, and the hint of romance between the optimistic Harriet and the skeptical Dr. Jones.

The film has its flaws. The Sheik’s character (played by Amr Waked) is all over the place. One minute, he’s a cartoonish stereotype, and the next he’s a complex and sympathetic man on a mission – to bring peace, water, and lots of salmon to the people of Yemen.

But despite the occasional unevenness of character and tone, Salmon Fishing offers up a nice mix of drama, humor, sarcasm, cynicism, and inspiration. Hey, anything is possible – as long as you’ve got enough money, resources… and faith!

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen isn’t terribly deep or dark, which is probably why I liked it (and why I’m a Mainstream rather than an Arty Chick). It’s beautifully shot, well-acted, and well-paced (not too surprising, coming from the director of Chocolat and the Oscar-winning screenwriter of Slumdog Millionaire). And most important, it’ll leave you smiling – and perhaps wondering where Yemen is on the map. Look it up. I did.

The whole tragic mess stems from the father’s desire to take a short cut across another family’s land, which used to belong to his grandfather. The new owners deny him access, and the dispute escalates to murder, causing the father to become a fugitive. An ancient set of Albanian laws called Kanun basically allows an eye for an eye vengeance on the murderer’s family, particularly the males, and so the sons become prisoners in their own home. Nik is the oldest, a high school student seen early on pursuing a crush and planning to open an internet cafe, but his imposed isolation pushes him to try and find any solution, even if it puts his life at risk. His sister Rudina must drop out of school so she can take over her fathers bread deliveries and feed the family. And the father, who sneaks back to see them, does not understand that his freedom is their prison.

In some ways it feels like an ethnographic film, with the focus on fairly obscure cultural practices, and meetings of the village elders. (The audience that knows what Kanun and besa mean is probably pretty small outside Albania.) And it begs a lot of questions about families who have to live this way. Apparently these blood feuds go on for decades. How do they survive? But the performances are earnest and the story tense. The violence takes place mainly off-screen, but the threat of violence is ever present. The Forgiveness of Blood is not a film for everyone, but I would recommend it to those who are fascinated with the crossroads of the ancient and the modern worlds and what clinging to old ideas is doing to the next generation. This film does make you think, and to me that is a good thing.