Cars
DVD released in 2006
Running time 116 minutes
seemed like 90 minutes
19 out of 20 stars

Who knew Pixar was 20 years old? My wife and I have watched computer generated animation from this house since the desk lamp and ball appeared in an International Tournee of Animation. Pixar's ability to mesh the new technology with the timeless art of storytelling sets them ahead of the rest of the field.

I am an animation fan. This movie ranks along side Monsters, Inc., Toy Story, Fantasia, Cinderella, and Snow White. They made the right move in Cars by not animating anything human. Too often the human computer generated (CG) animation is creepy, and this hurt both Monster's and Toy Story. I think Cars captured the beauty of animation through anthropomorphism.

The story is still aimed for youthful audiences, but of course Pixar does the usual remarkable job of keeping it entertaining for adults. They are the pros of self-conscious humor. But be prepared for a lesson on who friends really are. Also be prepared for the extended Randy Newman quirky songs.

If you want some fun... get this.

Firewall
DVD released 2006
Running Time 105 minutes
Seemed like 130
**** out of 7 stars

Can Harrison Ford really be that old? He limps around and huffs and puffs in this movie to the point that you could never believe he flew in a galaxy far far away. He had this scared befuddled look throughout most of the movie. Granted, if I were in the circumstances he was in in this movie, I'd look scared as well. But HF was never in control until the end of the movie, it's just not like him.

This is another elaborate bank robbery scheme where the viewer tries to guess how it is going to work, combined with the thrill of holding a man's family hostage. The only problem is I never got a chance to care how the robbery would unfold because I was so involved with attempted escapes of the family from the bad guys. When the movie finally got around to the mechanics of the robbery, I was too bored to care. There are lots of bad action scenes with the aged HF getting knocked around, and lots of "tense" driving scenes. They weren't really driving fast or running stop signs, we were just supposed to feel tense because of the general theme of the movie.

THere were no memorable parts, no memorable lines, and no memorable shots. Give this one a C- and watch it if there's nothing better around.

Whale Rider
DVD released 2003
Running Time 101 minutes
Seemed like 100 minutes
**** out of 5 stars

This was a charming look into the survival of ancient Maori traditions in modern New Zealand cultures. Set against the unique scenery of the NZ seashore, this relationship movie captures the angst of the old vs the new.

Don't expect fantastic cinematography or pacing or storytelling. Do expect a cast of characters you can relate to. The interplay between the crotchety grandfather and the indominatable granddaughter is impeccable. The universal themes of respect, love and spirituality fill this film with vitality. The sense of victory creates an emotional ending.

Sit back and enjoy this one.

Nixon
DVD released 1996
Running time 212 minutes
Seemed like 400 minutes
** out of 5

Let me be perfectly clear, I liked Richard Nixon. I think he was one of the greatest presidents of the 20th Century. I understand he was paranoid and ignored the Constitution, but he was the most brilliant foreign and domestic policy mind of my life! I did not expect to like this movie from the beginning. That prejudice notwithstanding, this was a bad movie. The characters were merely caricatures, showing only one side of the principals. Anthony Hopkins kept dropping into an Irish brogue, odd for a role coming out of Yorba Linda. David Hyde Pierce played the officious despised John Dean, but who cares. Joan Allen looked hauntingly like Pat Nixon.

Who the heck is Oliver Stone? Has he ever directed anything worth watching? This guy has more conspiracies than Nixon himself.

I will admit, I was interested in the portrayal of the 1960 election, not that I believed it.

I don't want to waste any more time writing about this waste of celluloid. Don't rent Nixon!

Donnie Darko
DVD released 2002
Running time 133 minutes
Seemed like 132 minutes
******** out of 9 stars

This film defies categorization. As I first watched, I thought it was a comedy. As it developed, I thought it was a coming of age movie, a la Breakfast Club. It even had the long tracks of popular music with silly editing. Then, it was a psychological thriller, then a murder mystery, and finally, it was science fiction. The movie crossed so many lines, it makes your head spin, and that's the beauty of it. This movie is developing a cult. A quick Google search returns 2.23 million results!

The cast was filled with relatively small stars. A young Jake Gyllenhaal, Mary McDonnell, Noah Wyle and Drew Barrymore (who was also the Executive Producer.) While their acting was fine, it is the story that makes this movie so watchable. I'm still scratching my head over what I saw (this explains the plethora of websites surrounding the movie.) I don't want to ruin the movie, but the exploration into schizophrenia is very engaging.

Technically, there were some audio problems. I know I missed some inportant dialogue since the soundtrack competed with the spoken word. The directing was snappy, and it never dragged. Some special effects enhanced the story, but never overwhelmed it.

This is a must-see! You'll never view Harvey the same way again!