Reviews

Allow me to gush.

I absolutely love this show. I can't really convey how much I like this show. To say that I think that it's the best show I've ever seen would not be exaggerating. For those who haven't seen it, The West Wing is about the administration of President Jeb Bartlett (D, NH). What makes this show special is an amazing combination of writing and a perfect ensemble cast.

Before I get into the detailed character rundown, let me say this: there is something common to all of these characters, something that is a large part of what makes this show great: All of these characters are extraordinarily intelligent (well, compared to the common person; maybe all White House staffers are like this), have incredible recall, and have wonderful senses of humor and timing. (Yes, I know. We can thank the writers for that. That's the point here, though, isn't it?)

Martin Sheen (playing President Bartlett) makes, in balance, quite the likeable President. I say "in balance" because there are times when you find him annoying or condescending. But, well, you'd kind of expect that of a President, no? He is brilliant, sarcastic, funny, and has a great dry sense of humor. He is, of course, compassionate (I mean, he's a Democrat, right?). He's been shot. His Vice President doesn't like him much. Oh yeah, and he also has MS.

Leo McGarry is the White House Chief of Staff. John Spencer seems to land a lot of these roles, probably because he's perfect for them. Looking at him, you just know he's a good authoritative man who's worked in the government in some capacity for most of his life. He's a solid man, one you can always run to, who will provide guidance and leadership. Sounds like a perfect Chief of Staff, doesn't it?

Leo's Deputy Chief is Josh Lyman, portrayed by Bradley Whitford. Josh is the... softest... person of the staff, in my assessment. That doesn't mean he's a wuss. It just means that he seems to lack the harder edges that most of the rest of the staff has. This doesn't diminish his passion or his dedication or his willingness to fight in the least. It's very hard to explain.

Toby Ziegler is the Communications Director, and is played by Richard Schiff. You might recognized Mr. Schiff as one of those "that guy" actors. This is by far his biggest role, and damn, he's good at it. Toby crafts the President's words, and is one of the major players in the White House staff. He is also the brooder of the staff. If there is something deeply troubling about which to worry and fret and develop angst, Toby's going to be the one to do it best.

Rob Lowe, making an impressive comeback from his unfortunate incident, makes a brilliant Sam Seaborn, Deputy Communications Director, Toby's second-in-command. In a cast of characters which all possess an impressive memory and ability for recall, Sam stands out. He has a near encyclopedic memory. He's also the geekiest character on the show, and I mean that in the endearing way.

Allison Janney plays CJ Cregg, the White House Press Secretary. She fills her role in the White House administration with an amazing amount of grace under pressure. (Trust me, in this administration, the White House Press Secretary is almost always under pressure.) I can't even begin imagining doing her job, much less doing it as well as she does. I'd fly off the handle about 9,000 times a day.

Dule Hill portrays Charlie Young, who is quite possibly my favorite character on the show. Charlie is President Bartlett's aide, and as such, doesn't have the impressive pedigree that the rest of the crew has. In fact, he showed up at the White House looking for a job as a courier when he got tossed upstairs. But, just because Charlie doesn't have a wall full of degrees, don't write him off. Charlie has expressed amazing integrity and fortitude, and regarding his intelligence... well, Sam was once so impressed by hints of Charlie's mental aptitude that he asked, "Charlie, just how smart are you?" (To which Charlie responded, "I got some game.")

Even the supporting characters are amazing. Emily Proctor plays Ainsley Hayes, the token Republican on staff. She's flighty, she talks a mile a minute, she's constantly flustered... and she's insanely intelligent, and she can outtalk Sam. Stockard Channing plays Mrs. Abigail Bartlett, the First Lady. Or perhaps I should say Dr. Abigail Bartlett. The First Lady's got some game of her own. Janel Maloney is Donna Moss, Josh Lyman's assistant. She's got a great sense of humor, and I keep hoping she and Josh will figure out they're supposed to be together (though, I'm also hoping they don't, you know?). Anna Deveare Smith (an amazing woman in real life) plays Nancy McNally, the National Security Advisor. She fills this historically male role with a wonderful competence. Joey Lucas, the primary political consultant used for polls, is beautifully portrayed by Marlee Matlin. Oh yeah! Oliver Platt as Oliver Babish, White House Counsel! Wonderful stuff.

Oh yeah, and the show itself. Wow. This show has tension and comedy and hints of romance, and tension and comedy and... And the writing. Genius. Check out some of the quotes. And really, just give the show a chance. The next time someone tells you that there's nothing worth watching on TV, you'll have a rebuttal.

For those who insist that cartoons of all forms, and particularly anime, are for children, I present you with Grave of the Fireflies. This amazingly well-done anime has some of the most touching, most depressing scenes I've ever seen on a screen, regardless of format.

This film is set in Japan near the end of World War 2. Seita and Setsuko live in Kobe with their mother, whom they adore. When the air raid sirens sound, Seita and Setsuko run ahead to the bomb shelter, leaving their mother (who has a heart condition and cannot run) to follow. Seita is obviously not happy with this situation, but the early teen youth cannot carry both his toddler sister and his mother, so he agrees, sure his mother will join them at the shelter.

From here begins the long, sad tale of the losses that Seita and Setsuko suffer through together. This is very much the story of a young man forced into the role of provider, protector, and nurturer years ahead of time, and of his little sister who adores him. Seita struggles to provide for himself and for Setsuko, and refuses to surrender himself to despair, regardless of the obstacles he is presented.

I feel that this movie is all the more heart-wrenching for the way that the hurt and the pain and the fear are interspersed with the moments of joy and lightheartedness. For much of the movie, it is almost possible to believe that Seita and Setsuko will come out of this together. Of course, since the movie opens with Seita dying, alone, you know that your hope is misplaced, but you want them to survive. The love they share, and the joy they take from one another make you root for them.

The characters in Grave of the Fireflies are remarkably well acted. Seita, standing strong, doing whatever is necessary to take care of his little sister. Setsuko is the perfect toddler. Happy one moment, crying the next, unsure of why anything is happening, but sure that Seita can fix everything. The children's aunt, a cold, sarcastic, bitter woman, taking every opportunity to ensure the children, especially Seita, is aware of how much they impose upon her and her patriotic family.

In addition to the quality of the story and the caliber of the actors, the beauty of the artwork is just incredible. The facial expressions, the landscapes, the atmosphere. It's all wonderful, drawing you into the story. I found myself checking to see if the prone form of Setsuko was breathing as she lie ill, then realizing that wait, this is animation.

This provocative, compelling tragedy is based upon a true story. The original author, Nosaka Akiyuki, wrote a novel based upon his real-life experiences at the end of the war in Japan. This story was then turned into a manga (Japanese comic book), and the story became very popular and well-known.

Trivia buffs might be interested in knowing exactly how this movie made it to the screen. A director by the name of Hayao Miyazaki was working on a project named "My Neighbor Totoro" but the production company was worried that nobody would be interested in the tale of two little kids and a monster living in rural Japan. Therefore, they decided to make a movie they felt would draw viewers based upon the familiarity of the tale and for the educational value of the story, and make it a double-feature with "My Neighbor Totoro", billing and packaging the two movies together. Those who are familiar with both movies find the concept of packaging or viewing the cheery, light-hearted romp that is Totoro with such somber, depressing fare as "Grave of the Fireflies" mind-boggling, but the tactic seemed to work, though Totoro has become far more popular and well-known of the two movies.

I cannot recommend this movie enough. It is a poignant story of the love shared by a pair of siblings in the worst possible conditions. And you'll never look at fruit drops the same way again.

It probably doesn't surprise anyone who knows me that I really enjoyed this movie. First, it has a number of actors I adore. Kevin Spacey, Haley Joel Osment, and Helen Hunt, in order of adoration. Second, it is (in part) about a teacher who makes a difference. I'm very much into teachers who make differences movies. Finally, the "pay it foward" concept has always been a favorite of mine. It immediately resonated with me when I first read it in print in the works of Spider Robinson, and I was thrilled that a movie was being made revolving around this concept. (Yes, I know about the book, but I haven't read it yet. But the concept remains the same.)

For those who abhor obviously, unapologetically sentimental movies, this is probably one for you to avoid. But for those who don't mind having the heartstrings tugged upon, this story has a number of promising elements.

Eugene Simonet (Kevin Spacey) is an obviously physically (and almost as obviously emotionally) scarred intermediate school teacher who forces his students to think and to observe the world around them. As a year-long project, Simonet tells his class that they much each come up with a project that will change the world. At first they disbelieve, but are soon caught up in the idea. One student, Trevor McKinney (Haley Joel Osment), comes up with an idea that is stunning in its simplicity. How much better of a place could the world be if you did a profoundly important favor for three different people, and instead of accepting repayment, you tell the person to pay it forward, to do their own set of three profoundly important favors?

This movie follows Trev's attempts at carrying out his own idea, which he does without explaining the project to his mother, Arlene (Helen Hunt). This leads to any number of stressful situations, as does Arlene's battle with alcoholism and family tensions involving Trev's father.

I found the chronology of parts of the story (mostly those involving the reporter as he traces Trev) to be rather confusing, and actually watched it a second time to work it all out. The confusion probably came from my rather inattentive movie- watching style and not through any inherent flaw in the movie, however. =)

I enjoyed this movie a great deal, and recommend it, with the caveats included above.

Julia Stiles plays Sara Johnson, a teenager who has her life turned upside down when her mother dies suddenly. With this single accident comes any number of world-shattering changes: Suddenly her passion for dance becomes a source of guilt. She is forced to live with her father, a stranger who has played no role in her life since leaving her and her mother. To do this, she must move from her middle class white world to urban Chicago, where her blond hair and ballet training do little to help her blend in with her new peers.

But Sara is no wallflower, and finds a place for herself in her new school and community. Here, too, dance plays an important part of life, and in learning how to "speak" the physical language of hip hop dance, Sara is befriended by Derek Reynolds (Sean Patrick Thomas). Despite the pressures from their peers, Sara and Derek find themselves drawn to each other, and help each other grow.

While I feel that this movie glosses over many of the problems Sara would have faced in her situation, it's a passable teen romance, and tries to have a message. How successful this message will be at reaching its target audience is dubious, but the movie will probably be enjoyed for its music and dance sequences, and for its humor.

I am a complete sucker for military movies. I'm sure this has a lot to do with my upbringing, what with father who's worked in or with the military in one way or another for most of my life. But I think that there is something more fundamental about it to me. The basic precepts appeal to me. Honor, respect, loyalty.

This movie was pretty much what one would expect. Cuba Gooding, Jr. plays Carl Brashear, a young black man who wants nothing more than to be a Navy diver. But, well, he's a young black man. Did I mention that this is in the 40s? Against all odds (a required element in this sort of things), he manages to get to dive school, where he is faced with Billy Sunday (played by Robert DeNiro). Sunday has no interest in passing this upstart young black man, but is slowly won over by Brashear's determination. With the help of Sunday (who was demoted for his trouble), Brashear passes, and begins the slow climb to the rank of Master Diver. As one would expect, Something Major happens, and Our Hero is faced with Mighty Adversity, and his Former Nemesis comes to his aid.

Seriously, though, there are no surprises in this movie. It's all very formulaic. You have all the right elements. The bad guy turned good. The legions of people who learn to overcome their racism, inspired by the young hero. The hero builds up to a pinnacle, then is broken, only to be built up again. The stern, smarmy, unpleasant persons in positions of power. The loving wife.

However, the fact that this movie follows the rote doesn't necessarily make it a bad movie. I think it's a pretty good example of the genre, actually. And it pains me to say this, since I generally don't care for Cuba Gooding, Jr., and he really made the movie. He played his role to a T. Of course, you can't overlook DeNiro. He's getting to be rather good at this sort of role. Maybe it's the gray hair.

All in all, if you're fan of the patently sentimental military movies, this is a good one to watch. If you're not... you probably won't miss anything if you don't see it.

If you haven't seen Shrek, run out and do so right this minute. I'll wait.

Ok, you've seen it now? Good. Didn't you enjoy yourself? What was your favorite part? I don't know that I can actually pinpoint a favorite moment in the movie. I think the reason I like this movie so much (aside from the gorgeous animation) is how irreverently fun it is. This movie pokes fun at nearly every fairy tale held sacred by our society, and does so with unabashed glee.

Shrek (Mike Meyers) is a big, surly, anti-social, unfriendly ogre. Oh yeah, and he's green. Shrek would like nothing better than to live in peace in his swamp shack, but finds that his routine is shattered by an influx of displaced fairy tale characters, including Donkey (Eddie Murphy), a small, grey, outgoing, talkative, well... donkey. Shrek sets off to find the source of the sudden flood of fairy folk into his realm accompanied (much to his dismay) by Donkey.

As part of a bargain with Lord Farquaad of Duloc (John Lithgow), Shrek is tasked with rescuing Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) from the obligatory dragon. Unable to shake his donkey companion, Shrek heads off to fulfill his half of the bargain. All sorts of merriment ensues, and romance and surprises are at every turn.

The phrase "for kids of all ages" may be old and trite, but it describes this movie to a T. There's plenty of overt humor and pratfall silliness (not to mention bright, colorful animation) to fill any youth with glee, but the movie also has much to offer the adult viewer. Subtle (and not-so-subtle) references to other fairy tails, the aforementioned gorgeous animation, and humor abound.

I think that it's a fairly safe assessment that every geek on the planet has seen Real Genius at least once, if not dozens of times. This is one of the all-time cult classes for anyone who's ever felt exiled for being brainier than their peers. Indeed, the role of Chris Knight may be Val Kilmer's defining role for thousands of geeks all over the world.

For the three people out there who haven't seen the movie, a quick rundown is pretty simple. Stuffy boy genius goes to college where he meets slacker boy genius. Together, they work to save the world, each rubbing off some of their most notable personality trait on the other. Oh yeah, and Jordan's cute.

If you haven't seen Real Genius, go do so. It's not that the tech travels well, because it doesn't. (The movie was made in 1985.) It was never the tech that made the movie the classic it is, anyway. The story itself is timeless, and is worth watching for just about anyone.

Oh yeah, in case it wasn't clear from the description above (and I can see it wasn't), this is a comedy. Quite a goofy one. So go see it. It's only on TV about a dozen times a week, though it's better if you don't watch it on broadcast TV. And don't forget the popcorn.