The Cake Eaters (2007)

Genre

Drama | Romance

Director

Mary Stuart Masterson

Country

USA

Cast

Kristen Stewart, Aaron Stanford, Bruce Dern, Elizabeth Ashley, Jayce Bartok, Miriam Shor, Talia Balsam, Jesse L. Martin, Melissa Leo

Storyline

Starving musician Guy Kimbrough (Jayce Bartok) makes his way back upstate for the first time in three years, and does his best to deal with the recent death of his mother while trying to win his ex-girlfriend Stephanie (Miriam Shor) back. Meanwhile, his shy brother, Beagle (Aaron Stanford), falls in love with Friedreich's Ataxia-stricken high school student Georgia Kaminski (Kristen Stewart), and their father, Easy (Bruce Dern), attempts to rekindle his relationship with Georgia's grandmother Marg (Elizabeth Ashley).

Opinion

I love independent films, so when a few months ago I was gently asked to review this title, I did my best to get my hands on it. After finally watching it last night, I can say it was a pleasing surprised by Mary Stuart Masterson's directorial debut.

With a bright performance by Kristen Stewart, The Cake Eaters is a simple, subtle and feel-good drama with characters full of humanity.

This is the kind of film in which not much happens but the interesting characters draw you into their world. Each character has their own story to tell, they are interesting and well developed considering the quite short running time. Unfortunately some of their stories lack of something, and the one that is at the center of the film, Stewart and Stanford's, ends with a dry cut.

Despite that small lack, screenwriter and actor Jayce Bartok offered heartfelt dialogue, and director Masterson was able to guide the cast so not to make those lines sound pathetic.

The cast is able to convey depth in their dramatic roles without being unnecessarily melodramatic. Kristen Stewart does a very good job as Georgia. When playing characters with diseases of any kind, there's always a tendency to overact, but she is completely believable. Aaron Stanford - who I saw in the X-Men series and The Hills Have Eyes - has the chance to showcase his acting abilities, and does a fine job in the role of Beagle. The rest of the cast, especially Bruce Dern, provides a good support.

Caramel (2007)

Original Title

سكر بنات Sukkar banat

Genre

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Director

Nadine Labaki

Country

Lebanon

Cast

Nadine Labaki, Adel Karam, Yasmine Al Masri, Joanna Moukarzel, Gisèle Aouad, Sihame Haddad, Aziza Semaan, Fatmeh Safa, Ismail Antar, Fadia Stella, Dimitri Staneofski

Storyline

While single Layale (Nadine Labaki) struggles with her growing attraction to a married man, Muslim bride-to-be Nisrine (Yasmine Al Masri) fears that her husband will find out that she has already lost her virginity, and Rima (Joanna Moukarzel) wages a futile war against her lesbian instincts. As with many women who frequent the salon, Jamale (Gisèle Aouad) does everything within her power to reverse the visible effects of aging. As Rose (Sihame Haddad) laments the fact that she has sacrificed her own happiness in order to care for her older sister Lili (Aziza Semaan), the intimate conversations shared over the course of a typical day reveal just how universal the lives, loves, and concerns of contemporary women truly are.

Opinion

When I was asked to watch and review this film I told myself, "Why not? How bad can a film called Caramel be?". Well, I'm so glad this one has been my first Lebanese film, because it is absolutely stunning. God bless Nadine Labaki!

Superbly shot, written, and acted, Caramel is a delightful, refined, genuine, and touching portrait of the life for women in Lebanon, filled with class and realism.

In the role both of director, co-writer and actress, Nadine Labaki perfectly managed to balance the emotions throughout the film. It will make you smile, laugh, and cry, and there are barely words to express the feelings I felt during the screening.

Set in modern-day Lebanon, the film mainly takes place at a salon, where it's prepared the caramel used for waxing. In addition to that, caramel is a comparison of the female protagonists. In fact, they are sweet like caramel, but at the same time their lives are filled with emotional pain intense such as that caused from hair removal. All the decisions are taken using firm strokes, from Layale's decision to end up her relationship with a married man, to the heartbreaking and touching choice Rose made of giving up on love to take care of his older and needy sister. 

The camera moves perfectly, and the simple shots of the characters are able to grasp the depths of the gaze. Yves Sehnaoui's wonderful cinematography deserves a mention, and so does the charming music of Khaled Mouzanar, which blends with the film stunningly. The performances are also stunning. And it's impressive considering it's Yasmine Al Masri, Joanna Moukarzel, Gisèle Aouad, and Siham Haddad's first time. 

Quotes
Jamale: Life is like a melon, you have to cut it to see if it's good.

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)

Genre

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Director

Tim Story

Country

USA | Germany | UK

Cast

Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis, Doug Jones, Laurence Fishburne, Julian McMahon, Kerry Washington, Beau Garrett, Vanessa Minnillo, Andre Braugher, Stan Lee, Brian Posehn, Debbie Timuss, Moneca Delain, Kevin McNulty, Crystal Lowe

Storyline

As the Silver Surfer (Doug Jones, voiced by Laurence Fishburne) races around the globe wreaking havoc, Reed (Ioan Gruffudd), Sue (Jessica Alba), Johnny (Chris Evans) and Ben (Michael Chiklis) must unravel the mystery of the Silver Surfer and confront the surprising return of their mortal enemy, Dr. Doom (Julian McMahon), before all hope is lost.

Opinion

I did have really low expectations for this one, and it didn't disappoint me. While a little improvement on its predecessor, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer still is mediocre, dull, and a shame to the fantastic comic books.

As if letting Mark Frost write the script for the first film was a good idea, they called him back, and along with director Tim Story and screenwriter Don Payne, he did a bad job.
Although I like films to be faithful to the comic books, I tolerate some little differences or omissions. Unfortunately, in here, it is a huge problem. There is no backstory of Galactus - he is not even a character - and his servant, the Silver Surfer, has the power to destroy him. How ridiculous is that? Also, the Silver Surfer goes around resurrecting people. There is no explanation to the power swapping, the Torch can just swap powers with the others by touching them, and how the Torch manages to absorb everyone's powers, leaving them powerless, is a mystery.
And the villain for god's sake! Couldn't they come up with some other bad guy? Why did they have to bring Julian McMahon's awful Dr. Doom back?

Nothing exciting happens aside from the chase scene involving the Human Torch and the Silver Surfer. The visual effects suck. Mr. Fantastic looks fake most of the time.

The acting is bad as the rest. Ioan Gruffudd looks like some guy from a soap opera, and his accent still is bad. Jessica Alba is painful to watch. She is nothing more than a pretty face. And the chemistry between the two of them is inexistent. Chris Evans steals the show as Johnny Storm having the fortune to play the only character that evolves during the film. Michael Chiklis did a better job the first time. Julian McMahon is ok. Doug Jones and Laurence Fishburne do a good job as Silver Surfer's body and voice.

Lars and the Real Girl (2007)

Genre

Comedy | Drama

Director

Craig Gillespie

Country

USA | Canada

Cast

Ryan Gosling, Emily Mortimer, Paul Schneider, R.D. Reid, Kelli Garner, Nancy Beatty, Doug Lennox, Joe Bostick, Liz Gordon, Nicky Guadagni, Patricia Clarkson, Karen Robinson, Maxwell McCabe-Lokos, Billy Parrott, Sally Cahill, Angela Vint, Liisa Repo-Martell, Boyd Banks, Darren Hynes, Víctor Gómez, Tommy Chang, Arnold Pinnock, Joshua Peace, Aurora Browne, Alec McClure, Tannis Burnett, Lauren Ash, Lindsay, Connell

Storyline

After years of what is almost solitude, Lars Lindstrom (Ryan Gosling) invites Bianca to his brother Gus (Paul Schneider) and his wife Karen (Emily Mortimer). The only problem is that she is not real, she is a sex doll Lars ordered off the Internet.

Opinion

There is no way to explain the plot of this film and not make it sound stupid, and meaningless, but don't let the storyline fool you, because the film is anything but silly.

Lars and the Real Girl is a sweet, sensible, touching, and original film, that goes to the heart, by evoking compassion and tenderness at the same time. Dealing with issues such as loneliness and alienation, the film has a powerful message about the ability of a community to help and heal a troubled soul, even if it means treating a doll as a human being. 

There are some hilarious moments - I found it impossible not to laugh during the dinner -, and some unbelievably emotional moments that brought me to tears.

The main character is spectacular and it is impossible not to love him. Lars is a shy, insecure, sweet, guy with a sensibility like few others, that pours out his fears and insecurities on Bianca, the doll. On the way of his healing, Lars is not only accompanied by the community, but by the audience as well. And that handshake with the sweet girl, on which the camera focuses, is not just a handshake, but the transition from child to adult.

I am not a fan of Ryan Gosling, but he is unarguably an outstanding actor, and as such he gives a spectacular performance as Lars, and he proves to get along both comedic and dramatic acting. The supporting cast provides a strong support, with a marvellous Patricia Clarkson as a psychiatrist, and a wonderful Emily Mortimer as Lars's sister-in-law.

Quotes

Reverend Bock: Lars asked us not to wear black today. He did so to remind us that this is no ordinary funeral. We are here to celebrate Bianca's extraordinary life. From her wheelchair, Bianca reached out and touched us all, in ways we could never have imagined. She was a teacher. She was a lesson in courage. And Bianca loved us all. Especially Lars. Especially him.

Lars Lindstrom: Those are nice, huh? And they're not real, so they'll last forever.

Spider-Man 3 (2007)

Genre

Action | Adventure

Director

Sam Raimi

Country

USA

Cast

Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Thomas Haden Church, Topher Grace, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rosemary Harris, J.K. Simmons, James Cromwell, Theresa Russell, Dylan Baker, Bill Nunn, Elizabeth Banks, Ted Raimi, Perla Haney-Jardine, Willem Dafoe, Cliff Robertson, Elya Baskin, Mageina Tovah, Michael Papajohn, Joe Manganiello, Stan Lee

Storyline

Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) has finally managed to balance life as both Spider-Man and as Mary-Jane's (Kirsten Dunst) boyfriend. But when a strange black entity from another world bonds with him and causes inner turmoil as he contends with new villains, and revenge.

Opinion

Your friendly neighborhood web-slinger is back, only this time he is shineless. As happened - and will keep on happening - with other trilogies, Spider-Man 3 is a disappointing closing chapter. It is way too ambitious and doesn't accomplish anything.

First of all, the writing: there are way too many characters and even if the film was four hours long, there wouldn't be enough time for all of them. There is definitely too much going on for one sitting.

The New Goblin's aka Harry Osborn conflict with Spider-Man might be interesting, but it's just thrown into the story, and Harry's continuous attitude changes are pretty annoying. He seeks revenge for his father's 'murder' by Spider-Man, then he is Peter's best friend, then again he wants to kill him, and at the end they are friends again. 

The same problem occurs with Sandman. Firstly he is made to look like a good guy, then bad, and then good again. And at the end, we don't even know what to think about him. Should we fear him, or feel sorry for him?

Let's move to Venom. He is one of Spider-Man's main enemies and my favourite villain. Also everybody loves him, and that's how he got a part in the film. Unfortunately, he has just a tiny amount of screen time, and that incredibly let me down.

Lastly, Gwen Stacy. She doesn't contribute much in the film, she only serves as a mean to separate MJ and Peter.

The musical score isn't that brilliant. Some parts are ok, but some parts are so bad to ruin the scene. Also, there is too much dancing and singing going on. 

Luckily, there are still some good aspects. The action sequences are brilliantly done and visually beautiful. The CGI is fantastically used, particularly in the creation of Sandman and Venom.

The acting is quite shocking. Despite the extraordinary and hilarious performance by J.K. Simmons, which steals every scene he is in, and the quite good portrayal of Sandman by Thomas Haden Church, the rest of the cast isn't good at all. 

Tobey Maguire is very disappointing. He should have worked better on the black Spider-Man, because he wasn't very good at being bad. And he did look like the retarded version of John Travolta while dancing. 

I didn't think it was possible, but James Franco's performance is even worse that in the previous films. Kirsten Dunst is apparently very good at screaming, and very bad at singing. Topher Grace was just not the right person to portrait Venom.

Quotes

Peter Parker: Whatever comes our way, whatever battle we have raging inside us, we always have a choice. My friend Harry taught me that. He chose to be the best of himself. It's the choices that make us who we are, and we can always choose to do what's right.

Death at a Funeral (2007)

Genre

Comedy

Director

Frank Oz

Country

United Kingdom | United States | Germany

Cast

Matthew Macfadyen, Rupert Graves, Andy Nyman, Kris Marshall, Peter Dinklage, Keeley Hawes, Daisy Donovan, Alan Tudyk, Ewen Bremner, Peter Vaughan, Thomas Whatley, Jane Asher, Peter Egan

Plot

After his father passes away, Daniel (Matthew Macfadyen) arranges to contact their extended family and friends. Chaos ensues when a man (Peter Dinklage) tries to expose a dark secret regarding the dead patriarch of the family.

Opinion

Death at a Funeral is a brilliant black comedy, and one of the funniest ever made. I found myself laughing out loud pretty much the whole time. Director Frank Oz handles the different situations brilliantly. Writing Peter Dinklage's character was a fantastic move, since the character added lot of insanity to the situation. The cast of lesser known actors is assembled and delivers very well. 

Quotes

Daniel: Who is this?

Undertaker: Pardon me?

Daniel: That's not my father.

Undertaker: Oh shit, we've taken the wrong one.

Jane: Would you like a cup of tea, Sandra?

Sandra: Tea can do many things, Jane, but it can't bring back the dead.

Rating

8.5/10