Tom Hanks Makes an Excellent Overgrown Kid in Big

Several years ago, I saw 13 Going on 30, the Jennifer Garner romantic comedy about a teen who wishes her way into a life 17 years in the future, at which point she has everything she thought she wanted and is miserable. Hearing about the movie beforehand, I thought it sounded largely like a knockoff of Big, the whimsical Penny Marshall movie I recently re-watched. I wouldn’t really say that anymore, but one thing they most definitely have in common is an adult star putting in a winning performance as a 13-year-old in unfamiliar skin.

In the case of Big, it’s Tom Hanks who suddenly finds himself in adult shoes, but he’s not catapulted into a future of his own creation. Instead, the morning after a humiliating carnival experience leads him to ask the Zoltar wish-granting machine to make him big, he awakes in his own room with a very different body and must try to figure out how to explain this sudden growth spurt to his mother and best friend. His traumatized mom doesn’t buy it, but his buddy, the more world-wise Billy (Jared Rushton), eventually does. With his help, he heads for the city to rent an apartment and get a job to make ends meet until he can figure out how to undo his wish.

Hanks brings both vulnerability and exuberance to the role of Josh, who is such a fish out of water, at least at first. At times, he seems almost too youthful for his 12-year-old self, but there’s an extra dose of incredulity at play because he is seeing everything from such a fresh perspective. On the other end of things, he settles into his new data entry job at a toy company very quickly, without even really needing to be told what to do. However, he soon lands a new position for which his youthful outlook makes him unusually qualified. What kid wouldn’t love a job that essentially requires testing out toys all day? The scene in which he lands this promotion is pure joy as he and his genial boss (Robert Loggia) show all of the customers in the super-sized toy store what fun it is to play, regardless of age.

The most fun parts of the movie are those that similarly allow Josh freedom to be a kid in his adult body. When his raise lets him relocate from a seedy hotel to a lavish apartment – a little unrealistically lavish, I think, considering how long he has been working, but then this film is fully fantastical – he turns it into the ultimate G-rated bachelor pad. Watching him in this environment is a blast, and it’s fun to survey the expansive space and see the quirky way in which he has chosen to furnish his new home. It’s also amusing to see how his frank insights frustrate his co-workers, who are used to analyzing everything to death.

However, there is a bittersweet edge to the story as he begins to adjust to the adult world and slowly he becomes more grown up than Billy. Rushton is convincing as a boy who is willing to accept his friend’s strange circumstances but never expects them to be permanent. He’s particularly effective as he conveys Billy’s hurt feelings as Josh begins to move more fully into the adult world. Now that Josh has gotten his wish, will he even want to go back to the way things were? Is being “big” all it’s cracked up to be? And how much longer will Billy have to shoulder the burden of the truth alone while Josh’s distraught parents wonder when their son will return?

I love Loggia in the role of the paternal boss who finds Josh’s outlook so refreshing, and Hanks and Rushton are great together. It’s easy to forget that they aren’t really the same age; they really do just seem like two schoolyard chums. While romance was central to 13 Going on 30, it’s more of a side plot here as Josh becomes involved with Susan (Elizabeth Perkins), a coworker entranced by his unaffected manner. This storyline is sweet in one way but uncomfortable in another, since we know that Josh is really psychologically in early adolescence. The movie strongly implies a level of intimacy between them that made me squirm; Susan has no idea that Josh isn’t exactly the 30-year-old he appears to be, so it’s not like she’s intentionally seducing a junior high schooler, but it just feels a bit icky to me. I would have preferred if they hadn’t let it progress that far, but then that action is a major catalyst for Josh’s behavior later in the movie.

Ultimately, while 13 Going on 30 is mostly about appreciating the people who truly care about you and maintaining your integrity, Big is about savoring your childhood and not being too eager to jump into the privileges of adulthood, which come with an equal share of pressures. As a romance, it fizzles a bit for me, but as a reflection on retaining the joy of childhood, I’d say it’s right on target.

Kick Off the Summer with the Breezy That Thing You Do! Soundtrack

When I think of great summery bands, the Beach Boys tend to come to mind first, but not far behind them are the Wonders, the fictional quartet at the heart of the bubbly Tom Hanks film That Thing You Do! It’s not just the Wonders, actually; just about every song in that movie evokes a breezy, innocent feeling of sun-dappled days when even Erie, PA, my notoriously snowy hometown, is as bright and cheery as the California coastline. Because the Wonders are based in Erie, I can’t help feeling a surge of civic pride whenever I think of the movie, and when I hear the songs on its soundtrack, I make like Guy Patterson, the film’s central character, and start drumming on any object within my reach. That Thing You Do! inspires that kind of exuberance, and I have a feeling I’ll be listening to it a lot this summer.

Lovin’ You Lots and Lots - Performed by a phony group billed as the Norm Wooster Singers, this bouncy not-quite-two-minutes-long ditty was penned by Hanks himself. I’m especially fond of it in the movie because it accompanies the montage that introduces downtown Erie of the 1960s, but it’s a lot of fun on its own and sounds very much like an authentic song of the era. Hanks wanted to create a song that reflected the bubblegum flavor of so many early 60s hits, and from the string of cheesy metaphors and the repetitive chorus to the whistling and the innocuous instrumental accompaniment, I would say he succeeded. “You are the stars in the nighttime sky.  You are my girl, and I'm your guy.  You got me all tied up in knots, and I’m lovin’ you lots and lots, I’m just lovin’ you lots and lots, I’m lovin’ you lots and lots…”

That Thing You Do - This Adam Schlesinger-penned tune is the title song, the one that rockets the Wonders from Erie obscurity to nationwide fame as they hurtle their way to the West Coast on a tour of State Fairs. In the movie, we hear it in its original form, and it’s morose and whiny, but with the tempo dramatically sped up, it becomes an irresistible dance number. The phenomenon of depressing lyrics with a catchy beat is widespread throughout early pop-rock, so this song fits right in. The percussion makes all the difference here, and the voices scrambling to keep up with the beat can’t help catching the energy. Infectious rhymes, a snappy melody and just a twinge of lovelorn angst make this a surefire hit. “You doin’ that thing you do, breakin’ my heart into a million pieces like you always do. And you don’t mean to be cruel. You never even knew about the heartache I’ve been goin’ through…”

Little Wild One - Another very teeny-bopperish tune, this one written by David Gibbs, Steve Hurley, Phil Hurley and Fred Elringham. It’s a little funny to hear this immediately after That Thing You Do! Here, he seems to be doing the same thing that he’s accusing his girlfriend of in the previous song, and there’s certainly nothing remorseful in his tone. He just assumes that she will welcome him back with open arms when he gets tired of straying. Another song with a strong percussive base and some nice harmonies, and while the members of the Wonders are well past high school, it definitely captures the flavor of teenage melodrama. “With them, I feel like I’m wastin’ my time, while you make me feel like I’m losin’ my mind. Little wild one…”

Dance With Me Tonight - Written by Scott Rogness and Rick Elias, this song amuses me because Music and Lyrics, another fun film that pays peppy tribute to a musical era with instant retro classics, also has a song by this title. They sound completely different, of course, as that movie’s focus is the 1980s, but it makes me smile. The Wonders version is reminiscent of Twist and Shout and other songs in that vein. Pure innocuous get-your-feet-moving fun. “Tell your mama that you’re leavin’. Tell your daddy that we’re gone. Tell everyone in Philadelphia there’s a party goin’ on.”

All My Only Dreams - This mellow Wonders song, also by Rogness and Elias, is more of a solo showcase than a group effort, with the minimal harmonizing restricted mostly to the title line. The plaintive tone is just a shade shy of maudlin; this is a guy who cannot be with the woman he loves. While the precise reasons are unclear, great distances seem to separate them, judging by the imagery that reminds me of James Horner’s Somewhere Out There, the touching duet from An American Tail. A nice slow dance kind of song. “So every night I pray I’ll have you here one day. I’ll count the stars tonight and hope with all my might. And when I close my eyes, you’ll be right by my side.”

I Need You (That Thing You Do) - This mid-tempo Wonders song, written by Rogness and Elias with Linda Elias, plays over the credits and makes a nice sort of bookend to the main song. Again, there’s a bit of a pleading tone, though I’m not sure if we’re supposed to think it’s the same relationship being discussed. Either way, a nice track. “I could search around the world, only to find the only thing I need is you, right by my side.”

She Knows It - This electric-tinged song comes courtesy of The Heardsmen, the band formed by lead singer-songwriter Jimmy after the Wonders break up. I’m not sure when the song is supposed to have been released, but it sounds a bit more recent than the rest, perhaps late 1960s. Another one written by Rogness and Elias, it doesn’t appear in the movie. Enjoyable but not all that memorable. “It’s true, it might take a little while; I’ll be the one that makes her smile.”

Mr. Downtown - Sung by the invented Freddy Frederickson, a singer who is supposed to be past his prime at the time the Wonders are embarking upon their tour, this song was written by Hanks, Gary Goetzman and Mike Piccirillo. This brass-heavy song has a smarmy lounge quality to it and almost sounds like it could be the theme of a corny 50s spy show. Quite different from anything else on the soundtrack. “Under the waning moon is danger to be found for the man with the badge in the night, the man with the badge in the night. What's his name? Mr. Downtown…”

Hold My Hand, Hold My Heart - The Chantrillenes, a Supremes-like group who mingle with the Wonders during their tour, provide the only group song on the album featuring only female vocalists. This one is also written by Hanks, Goetzman and Piccirillo, and it’s my favorite of the non-Wonders songs, partly because whenever I hear it I picture the unnamed bass player, the quietest member of the Wonders, standing off to the side mimicking the ladies’ goofy hand motions. While the mental image the title line produces is a tad macabre, I find this peppy song charming. “I want you to say you’re thinkin’ of me those nights when we’re apart. I want you to know when you hold my hand, you hold my heart.”

Voyage Around the Moon - This song by the fictional band The Saturn 5 – the name of which is one of many homages in the movie to the space program, with which Hanks, fresh off of Apollo 13, was deeply preoccupied at the time – is a purely instrumental track. Written by Hanks, Goetzman and Piccirillo, it sounds to me like a cross between beach music and a James Bond theme song.

My World Is Over - Piccirillo has solo writer’s credit on my least favorite track on the album. Diane Dane, like Freddy Frederickson, is a lounge singer type teetering on obsolescence, and she has no qualms about hitting on young singers like Jimmy who are half her age. Simultaneously sultry and sulky, this brass-drenched torch song is repetitive and snoozy. Like the other songs on the album, it absolutely feels like it could have been a hit during its day, but my era is the 60s, and her style just isn’t my cup of tea. “Your love is gone, so for me, my world is over…”

Drive Faster - This is a curious song because it’s by the Vicksburgs, a band that only gets a passing mention a couple of times in the movie. Written by Rogness and Elias, it captures the fascination with fast cars that permeates so many summery songs of the 60s. Musically, the guitar-heavy song makes me think of Johnny B. Goode, while the subject matter reminds me of several Beach Boys songs. A bit of an oddity, but fun. “And let's drive drive drive til we get enough. We're gonna ride ride ride ‘til the sun comes up. Gotta feel that wind blowin' in her hair, and she's mine when I drive faster…”

Shrimp Shack - Written by Piccirillo, this song features the Wonders as Cap’n Geech and the Shrimp Shack Shooters, a ridiculous band in a cheesy Frankie and Annette-style beach movie. Pure frothy instrumental fun with percussion, keyboard and brass, it’s a get-up-and-toss-a-beach-ball-around kind of song that sounds almost as silly as it looks.

Time to Blow - Steve Tyrell and Robert F. Mann share writing credits on this jazzy piano and drums number attributed to Del Paxton, Guy’s personal hero. It’s the longest song on the album by more than a minute, which is rather funny since it’s so far removed from its predominant style. Still, it’s a nice nod to the way that musicians from different genres inspire each other. I’m not that much of a jazz aficionado, but it’s a pleasant song to listen to.

That Thing You Do! (live) - Time for the title song again, this time the version that the Wonders perform on The Hollywood Television Showcase, basically a fictionalized version of The Ed Sullivan Show that’s located in Los Angeles instead of New York. Pretty similar to the first version, but with lots of screeching from the crowds and an overall sense that everyone is overwhelmed by exuberance. The ideal way to end the album. “I know all the games you play, and I’m gonna find a way to let you know that you’ll be mine someday. ‘Cause we could be happy, can’t you see, if you’d only let me be the one to hold you and keep you here with me…”

Yes, this is an album consisting entirely of music from bands and singers who never existed. Yes, if these had been actual hits, it would have been 40-some years ago, not today. Yes, virtually every track is a sappy love song with an extra squirt of cheese. Does any of that bother me? Nope. That Thing You Do! is a perfect album to get my summer off to a chipper start, and the fact that I’m from the same city as the Wonders is just icing on the cake. Tom Hanks, I offer you my hearty thanks.

It's Love at First Listen for Annie in Sleepless in Seattle

“Do you believe that two people can be connected? Like soulmates?” This is the question that gentle Libby poses to The Teddy Bear Formerly Known as Hurley in Everybody Loves Hugo, his only centric episode of LOST’s sixth season. They’ve never met in this intriguing timeline in which everything seems slightly askew, but Libby can’t shake the feeling that he is her destiny. Crazy, right? Or could there be something to it?

This was the scene that kept replaying in my mind as I watched Nora Ephron’s Sleepless in Seattle for the first time in years. With Libby, it’s a glimpse on TV that sparks the sense of recognition. For Annie Reed (Meg Ryan), the young woman in the movie, it’s hearing him on the radio. After his precocious 8-year-old son Jonah (Ross Malinger) calls in to a radio show to discuss the sad state of his dad’s life, recently widowed Sam Baldwin (Tom Hanks) reluctantly spills his guts to radio psychiatrist Dr. Marcia Fieldstone (Caroline Aaron).

Annie is not the only woman who feels an instant connection; hundreds of women write to him after the show airs, offering to help him dip into the dating scene again. But Annie is our focus, and we’re meant to believe that her attraction to him is deeper. That they truly are soulmates. Which would mean, it seems, that Sam has two, since all indications are that he and his wife Maggie (Carrie Lowell) shared an idyllic relationship, and now he can scarcely function without her. Early in the movie, Sam states, “It doesn’t happen twice.” That’s not to say that a person can’t have two happy, fulfilling marriages. But if he and Annie were "MFEO" ("made for each other," one of the annoying acronyms coined by Jonah’s even more precocious friend Jessica (Gaby Hoffman)), where does that leave Maggie?

That aspect of the movie bothers me a bit. Jonah, like Eddie in The Courtship of Eddie’s Father, is obsessed with finding a replacement mom. “I’m starting to forget her,” he sadly confides at one point, but mostly he seems to be okay with that. He wants to get the show on the road. Sam doesn’t. Sam seems like a very real, reasonable guy who spends most of the movie in a bit of a haze. He’s a devoted dad; that’s his one defining characteristic here. But he still misses his wife terribly and just isn’t sure how to proceed in her absence.

Sam is the one unwittingly caught up in this, annoyed by his son’s initial interference and later fixation on a woman who lives on the opposite coast. Throughout the movie, he is all practicality – except on the three occasions on which he actually sees Annie. The first two times, he doesn't know that she is the one who wrote the letter that so impressed Jonah, but he too feels a sense of connection. It’s enough to jostle him out of his stupor. But he has no idea if he will ever see her again.

Ryan brings all of her usual charm to the role of Annie, though anyone who acted as she does in real life would be charitably considered erratic. She abuses her privileges as a journalist to essentially stalk Sam and Jonah “for a story”, flying all the way out to have a look at them for herself. But when Sam spots her looking and greets her from across a busy street, she panics and bolts.

Her obsession with Sam is all the more troubling because she is engaged. Walter (Bill Pullman) isn’t one of those stereotypical jerk boyfriends you so often find in movies like this. We’re meant to find him boring, and clearly there’s a certain zing lacking in their relationship. But Walter is a seriously nice guy who has done nothing whatsoever to drive his fiancée into the arms of a strange man. So while I confess that I do get caught up in the whimsy of this movie and catch myself feeling all fluttery, I can’t help feeling really sorry for poor Walter, who, while the woman he loves is dashing off to fulfill a cinematic fantasy atop the Empire State Building, is having the worst Valentine’s Day of his life.

And then there’s the fact that this big moment is preceded by Jonah, with the help of Jessica, securing a plane ticket to New York and somehow managing to make that journey all by himself and then spending the day atop the Empire State Building waiting for Annie to show up, as she proposed in her letter, to which he responded – except, since he has no idea what she looks like, he has to ask every woman in sight if she is Annie. It’s a colossally stupid and dangerous plot.

Four years later, Ryan and Hanks teamed up again for You’ve Got Mail, which was loosely based on the Jimmy Stewart classic Shop Around the Corner and features another unconventional romance, this time involving anonymous Internet pals who are falling in love online and don’t realize that they are rivals in real life. I really like that movie and the gradual development of the relationship at its heart. While I’m watching Sleepless in Seattle, I like it too. But when I stop to think it over, it’s no surprise to me why my dad walked out on it after ten minutes. “This is so contrived,” he complained. Although I am not immune to its charms, I can’t disagree.

“It was a million tiny little things that, when you added them all up, they meant we were supposed to be together,” Sam tells Dr. Fieldstone when she asks what was so special about Maggie. A million tiny little things that he doesn’t know about Annie. Do I believe that two people can be connected? Like soulmates? Yes. But once the warm fuzzies wear off, I don’t think that Sam and Annie are quite there.

Woody, Buzz and the Gang Come to Terms With Big Changes in Toy Story 3

Pixar has not let me down before. Nonetheless, I felt some sense of trepidation when I first began seeing previews for Toy Story 3. The first two were so iconic, how could this one possibly measure up? I needn’t have worried.

The movie reunites us with several old friends from Andy’s playroom: cantankerous Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles), shrill Mrs. Potato Head (Estelle Harris), loyal Slinky Dog (Blake Clark) and Bullseye, feisty cowgirl Jessie (Joan Cusack), the awestruck aliens (Jeff Pidgeon), insecure dinosaur Rex (Wallace Shawn), gruff pig Hamm (John Ratzenberger) and, of course, heroic space ranger Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) and stalwart cowboy Woody (Tom Hanks), the leader of the ragtag group of toys, which has grown considerably smaller.

After an exhilarating opening sequence that shows just how imaginative young Andy was, we find ourselves skipping ahead about a decade. The dreaded time of being outgrown seems to have finally arrived; the toys spend their days crammed in the toy box, cooking up fruitless schemes to attract Andy’s attention. He is off to college now, and as Andy’s mom tells him to figure out what to do with his stuff before he leaves, anxiety is running high.

In Toy Story 2, Buzz led a heroic effort to recover Woody from the clutches of an immoral toy collector while Woody struggled with the question of whether it would be worth going back to Andy if he was almost certain to cast him off one day. Woody’s devotion to Andy pays off here, as he is the one toy deemed indispensable enough to accompany him to college. But when a bag mix-up leaves his friends stranded on the side of the road, about to be picked up by the garbage, it’s the first of many times when Woody is compelled to come to their rescue. For his life may revolve around Andy, but Woody will not leave his friends in the lurch.

Toy Story 3 is a movie that can be appreciated on its own, but it’s both funnier and more poignant if you’ve followed these characters from the beginning of the trilogy. The screenplay, written by Michael Arndt, John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich, is packed with clever references to the previous films, along with allusions to such classics as Cool-Hand Luke and Lord of the Rings and beloved toys like troll dolls and Fisher-Price's Chatter Telephone.  It’s an ensemble effort, with each toy having something to contribute as they face a series of harrowing challenges.

The bulk of the action involves Sunnyside Day Care, a deceptively pleasant-looking center where Andy’s toys, along with his sister Molly’s Barbie (Jodi Benson), wind up. Feeling betrayed by Andy and looking forward to some real playtime again, they reject Woody’s pleas to return home with him. So the cowboy sets off on his own, while Buzz and his buddies remain to discover that all is not sunny at Sunnyside, despite what the seemingly benevolent Lotso Huggin’ Bear (Ned Beatty), day care kingpin, tells them upon their arrival.

There are moments in the original Toy Story that are quite frightening, but Sunnyside offers the most terrifying scenes of the trilogy as the toys are viciously assaulted by toddlers who haven’t learned how to treat their playthings with respect. When the new arrivals dare to protest their placement, Lotso and his henchmen lay down the law, using every dirty trick in the book to keep them imprisoned. Their only hope is Woody, who, after falling into the hands of a sweet, somewhat hyperactive youngster named Bonnie (Emily Hahn), must decide whether to make a break for home immediately or attempt to bust his friends out of their dangerous detention.

The sight and sound gags in the movie are plentiful, with Buzz and Mr. Potato Head particularly rich sources for hearty laughter. The introduction of Ken (Michael Keaton) as a conflicted romantic interest for Barbie creates both tension and comedy, and the complex plan the prisoners hatch together, with each toy playing a vital part, is ingeniously plotted out and executed. The toys’ “Live together, die alone” philosophy, long nurtured by the pull-string cowboy who is to them what Jack is to the castaways on LOST, remains in force throughout the movie, even in its darkest moments, which reminded me of The Brave Little Toaster, an eerie animated movie exploring similar territory.

Meanwhile, the animated short Day & Night nicely reinforces the idea of embracing the Other that was so central to the original Toy Story.  This sweet, creative short features a pair of two-dimensional characters drawn in a retro style, but each sheds light on a landscape rendered in vivid 3-D.  Aside from a radio broadcast expounding upon the theme of getting to know those who are different, the story unfolds without words.  While visual spectacle is most apparent, each of the characters goes through a range of emotions while trying to decide what to make of this curious stranger.  A strange but beautiful short, it grew on me gradually, and by the end I was thoroughly touched.

I can’t say for certain whether this will be the last of the Toy Story movies, but if that’s the case, they’ve ended the saga well, with an action-packed, zinger-filled, emotionally satisfying hour and 40 minutes. I applaud the fact that John Morris, one of the few voice actors without a famous name, voiced Andy once again. It makes the movie feel just a little more real to know that this is the same kid from the first two movies, and now he’s all grown up. The toys’ relationship with Andy has always been central to these movies, though Andy himself gets very little screen time. Here, he feels more central than before as we wonder along with most of the characters just how he feels about his old toys now. The movie answers that question in a scene likely to prompt a tear or two from even the most stoic viewers.

Toy Story 3 is a film that both entertains and challenges. While there’s plenty there to delight young viewers, it will probably be adults who walk away most affected, especially if they were around Andy’s age or parents to children around Andy’s age when they first saw Toy Story. The animation is smoother than ever, though less ground-breaking this time around, and I don’t know that the 3-D ultimately adds much to the movie. But as impressive as Pixar has always been in the visual department, not to mention music (with Randy Newman again enhancing this outing), it’s the intricate, character-rich stories that make the movies so irresistible. This third installment with the duo who started it all demonstrates that this commitment to excellent storytelling is as strong as ever.

My Top Ten Movies of the Late '90s ('95-'98)

The 1990s were incredibly big years for me movie-wise. Half my childhood happened in the '90s, including most of my teenage years. While I didn't necessarily get out to the theater that often back then, the movies I saw at the cinema really stuck with me. And I've had lots of time to catch up with the others - though almost all of my favorites are ones I saw in the '90s themselves. It was such a big decade for me movie-wise, I have to split it up into two. This first list covers 1995 to 1998; I'm skipping '99 since I did a top ten list for that one already and I'm looking for any excuse to trim down my list.

Babe (1995) - This beautifully shot fairy tale about a pig who becomes an expert sheep-herder simply by being polite led me to an obsession with Dick King-Smith. For an entire summer, I read every book of his that I could find in the library. As much as I love his writing, I like the film version of Babe even better than the book. The sun-drenched cinematography, the folksy music, the special effects and, perhaps most of all, James Cromwell as Farmer Hoggett, the ultimate man of few words.

Braveheart (1995) - It took me until 2001 to see this one, just because I knew it would be extremely bloody, not to mention long. I finally watched it when my brother brought some friends home to see it at midnight one night. No matter; bloodthirsty battles have a way of keeping one awake... The music, the cinematography and the accents were glorious. And Mel Gibson was a tour de force on this one. I still had to avert my eyes many times, but on the whole, I was a little surprised by how much I liked it.

Mr. Holland's Opus (1995) - My dad saw this in the theater with a friend of his who happened to be a music teacher himself. They loved it, as did my freshman theology teacher, who took every opportunity she had to recommend it. I can definitely see why any educator would appreciate this movie, in which Richard Dreyfuss shows us the lifetime of a composer who discovers untapped talents as a teacher. Powerful demonstration of John Lennon's observation: "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

Sense and Sensibility / Pride and Prejudice (1995) - Yes, I'm cheating and putting the Austens together, though if you really pressed me, I'd have to claim the first as my favorite. Emma Thompson's incredible screenplay makes it one of the most faithful adaptations I've seen, making Sense and Sensibility manage as well in a couple of hours as Pride and Prejudice does in five. This was the movie that introduced me to her and made me really fall for Alan Rickman and Hugh Grant. Excellent all around. Of course, the latter is considered by many to be the ultimate Austen adaptation, and it certainly is terrific, thanks to a screenplay that sticks close to the book and an amazing cast, with Colin Firth the clear standout as the dashing Mr. Darcy.

Toy Story (1995) - A dazzling movie that ushered in the era of computer-animated films. It would be nice if they all came close to the standard this set. Tom Hanks and Tim Allen lead a top-notch cast of voice actors that includes Wallace Shawn, Don Rickles and Pixar mainstay John Ratzenberger in this funny, touching tale of jealousy and cooperation in the playroom. This one was first recommended to me by my freshman English teacher, who couldn't say enough good things about it. She was sure I'd love it, and she was right.

Phenomenon (1996) - I'd been wanting to see this one but hadn't yet gotten around to it when we watched it as part of my senior theology class. I wrote a four-page-long paper about it, and I could have gone on longer. A fascinating film about a humble man played by John Travolta who suddenly finds himself with remarkable abilities. I loved the story, as well as the excellent supporting performances, especially by David Strathairn, Forest Whitaker and Robert Duvall.

That Thing You Do! (1996) - Who would've ever thought that my little town of Erie would pop up in a Tom Hanks movie? This movie came just a year after Forrest Gump made me fall head over heels for Hanks, who I'd enjoyed in several other movies already. His role as an actor in this is comparatively small, but he wrote and directed the film, which is a fun, family-friendly reflection on the meteoric rise and fall of many bands in the '60s. An exuberant movie with one of the catchiest title tracks around, it's a winner for anybody who loves this era of music.
 
Anastasia (1997) - One of my favorite animated films, this Don Bluth movie was one that my brother and I caught in the theater together. It 's a highly fictionalized version of the life of Russian princess Anastasia Romanov, who was long rumored to have survived the attack on her family; one of the places she supposedly came was Erie, where there is a house named after her. The recent revelation that she died along with the rest of her family doesn't ruin this movie's charm for me. It's a touching love story with a wonderful cast that includes Meg Ryan, John Cusack, Kelsey Grammer and Angela Lansbury, and I loved the music so much I bought the soundtrack and the sheet music.

Ever After (1998) - Speaking of fairy tales, this live-action version of Cinderella directed by Andy Tennant is one of my favorite adaptations of the classic story. Drew Barrymore is headstrong but lovable as Danielle, an intelligent young woman devastated by the loss of her beloved father and oppressed by her cruel stepmother and stepsister. One of my favorite touches in this version is making the second stepsister sympathetic; wonderfully played by Melanie Lynskey, she is sweet and marginalized because she is portly, giving her more empathy with Danielle. Also fun is the incorporation of Leonardo da Vinci, which helps the film almost feel more like historical fiction.

The Truman Show (1998) - Jim Carrey is surprisingly low-key in this thought-provoking movie about a man who unknowingly spends his life as the subject of a reality show. Everything about his life has been manufactured, but there is one person from his past who is determined to tip him off. The lengths these people go to in order to keep up the artifice is incredible; the scary thing is that it's not so terribly removed from reality. I loved the concept of the movie and its family-friendly execution, and for the first time, Carrey's character didn't give me a headache. This is probably still my favorite of his performances.

My Top Ten Movies of the Early '90s ('90-'94)

I'm a child of both the '80s and the '90s, and many of my favorite movies come from those decades. In the first half of the '90s, I was between 9 and 13, and my pre-teen years were filled with some terrific cinema. These are my ten favorites. Give or take a few...

The Rescuers Down Under (1990) / Beauty and the Beast (1991) / Aladdin (1992) / The Lion King (1994) - Okay, so I'm totally cheating on this one because Disney could do no wrong in the early '90s. The sequel to The Rescuers rates just below the others only because it isn't a musical. I like it much better than the first; the animation of all that glorious Australian wilderness is fantastic, especially during the flying-on-the-eagle's-back sequences, and George C. Scott marvelously voices one of my favorite Disney villains. The last three all have amazing songs to go along with the brilliant animation and terrific stories. Beauty and the Beast boasts my favorite Disney heroine, Aladdin the most manic Disney sidekick ever and The Lion King my all-time favorite Disney opening sequence. I saw them all in the theater, and I have them all on tape. Disney doesn't get much better than this.

Ghost (1990) - Seems to me we bought this one on a whim at McDonald's for five bucks one time, and it quickly became a favorite, mostly due to the hilarious antics of Whoopi Goldberg as a crackpot psychic who can suddenly talk to dead people and the touching finale, which features a gorgeous orchestral version of Unchained Melody. Oh, and it's pretty darn romantic too.

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1992) / Star Trek: Generations (1994) - Neither is my favorite Trek movie, but I think Undiscovered is the first one I saw in a regular theater. I seem to remember it being sold out the first time we tried to see it and being so frustrated about it that I bought the novelization. It's a landmark movie since it's the last to include the full original cast, and it's one of the most philosophical of the Trek films. Spock has some great moments with his protege, and the scene in which Uhura must pass herself off as a Klingon is hilarious. And all that Shakespeare isn't bad either. Generations is the first to feature the cast of The Next Generation, and it probably is my favorite of their films, partly because of the prominence of Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg again), an uncharacteristically serene character who tended to be underused, partly because of the chance to bring the two greatest captains of the Enterprise face to face with each other, partly because of the idyllic quality of the Nexus scenes, but mostly because I absolutely love Brent Spiner's performance as Data, my favorite character, learns to deal with his acquisition of human emotions.

Far and Away (1992) - I'd never heard of this before we watched it in my eleventh grade history class, but I quickly fell in love with it, and shortly after we finished it at school, I insisted we rent it at home. My family loved it as much as I did, so it wasn't long before we bought it, and watching it has become a St. Patrick's Day tradition. I love the humor, the sweetness of the opposites-attract romance, the cinematography, the historical interest, the score, the cast and of course all those Irish accents, even if some of them are phony. It's a movie that my brother and I still quote to each other frequently, and no matter how many times I hear it was a flop, it will be one of my favorites.

Sister Act (1992) - This was a second choice when Mom and I saw it on our annual back-to-school shopping outing. We'd planned to see 3 Ninjas, but it was sold out, so we gave this a try even though Mom had an idea that I'd find it boring. Well, it was anything but. Whoopi Goldberg had me in stitches again, and I found the real nuns at the convent where she goes into hiding to be wonderfully touching as well as funny. This is the movie that introduced me to Harvey Keitel and the formidable Maggie Smith, as well as a lot of great Motown music. I was singing the sisters' hit renditions of those songs for days, and I couldn't wait to get this one on video. Awesome music, side-splitting humor and a moving story of redemption. And nuns! What more could I ask for?

Free Willy (1993) - I saw this one on the next year's back-to-school outing and loved it just as much. I've always been a "save the whales" kind of gal, so I liked the premise, and I found the characters endearing and the film surprisingly free of objectionable material. A tough-on-his-luck kid name Jesse abandoned by his mother gets a new shot at life thanks to a similarly alone orca, his understanding trainers and a couple who want to welcome Jesse into their home despite his issues. It's a heartwarming movie, and that shot of Willy leaping over the barrier is as iconic as E. T. and Elliot flying across the moon. And its theme song, Will You Be There, still stands as my all-time favorite Michael Jackson song.

Angels in the Outfield (1994) - Probably my favorite sports-related movie, this film about a boy whose prayer for divine assistance for his favorite team is motivated by a desire for a family is a great tale of friendship and faith. Christopher Lloyd is his usual zany self as the main angel with whom young Roger communicates, and I love Danny Glover's performance as the cranky coach who begins to reassess his worldview when his team suddenly starts winning. The angels provide some terrific visuals as they help the players pull off some amazing stunts, but what I really love are the ways in which a little bit of faith transforms the characters for the better. And the image of the crowd standing en masse and giving the angel signal is one of my favorite movie moments.

Forrest Gump (1994) - I remember hearing about this movie on Good Morning America and thinking it looked interesting but probably wasn't a movie for kids. It stayed in the theater for ages; it seems inconceivable to me now that a movie could have lasted in the cinema for nearly a year, but I saw it in April of '95 with my mom and grandparents, the only movie the five of us have all seen together in the theater. And I really got what all the fuss was about. Tom Hanks is absolutely pitch-perfect as Forrest, a Bear of Little Brain But Much Heart. He might be a little slow, but it doesn't stop him from making his mark in a multitude of ways. Hanks' performance, an outstanding (and very quotable) screenplay that is as touching as it is hilarious, impressive special effects planting Forrest into historical footage and a soundtrack featuring a couple dozen of the best songs of the sixties and seventies are just some of the reasons I love this movie. I can't go more than a couple of years without watching it; from the moment Alan Silvestri's delicate feather theme begins to play, I am transported. I simply cannot watch this movie without emerging feeling a little better about life.

Don't Cast Away This Crop of Movies From 2000

It's funny to look a few years back and realize how few releases I've seen from that year. I would think that all the extra time would've given me plenty of opportunity to catch up, but by my reckoning I've only seen about 15 releases from 2000. So I certainly can't call this a definitive list, but I really did love these ten movies.

Cast Away - I've always had a special fondness for castaway stories, and Tom Hanks has long been one of my favorite actors. Reuniting him with the Forrest Gump dream team for a lost-on-an-island drama sounded like a formula for success to me, and boy, did it deliver. I'm still a little surprised Hanks didn't win for his demanding performance, which includes that grueling stretch of time with no one to talk to but a volleyball. And so compelling is Hanks that he makes Wilson's eventual departure rank high among my list of most tragic movie moments.

Almost Famous - This one caught my attention when I heard Simon and Garfunkel's America on the previews. When I saw it, I got an even heftier dose of my favorite band when the aspiring young music journalist purchased Bookends, and his horrified mother, hilariously portrayed by Frances McDormand, exclaimed that she could tell just from the album cover that they were on drugs. Simon and Garfunkel references aside, I would still be a big fan of this film that offers an inside look at the music business and the perils of potentially losing one's integrity in the pursuit of fame. In many ways it's like Tom Hanks' That Thing You Do!, but darker. Nonetheless, it ends on a pretty uplifting note.

Chicken Run - I love Wallace and Gromit, so I was excited to learn that the team that created that lovable duo would be doing a full-length film. Ultimately, I think Chicken Run is my favorite of all their projects. I spent much of the movie laughing hysterically; these bird-brained biddies are full of great one-liners, and the puns are relentless. The kids' meal tie-in toys and the more elaborate contraptions we snagged from the bargain bin that Christmas are great fun as well.

Fantasia 2000 - I always found Fantasia a strange animal, but there are segments of it I really love. Of course, one of those is The Sorcerer's Apprentice, which is repeated in the 2000 version. As for the rest, on the whole, I like the new segments even better than those in the original. Some of the animation is simply stunning, particularly during Pines of Rome, which features a magnificent pod of flying whales. Other favorites are The Carnival of the Animals, featuring an irrepressible flamingo who annoys the other members of his flock; Piano Concerto Number 2 in F Major, which is the backdrop for a cheerier version of Hans Christian Andersen's Steadfast Tin Soldier; and Pomp and Circumstance, which has a sweet and funny love story between Donald and Daisy Duck taking place on Noah's Ark.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas - The story of the Grinch competes only with The Lorax as my favorite Seuss story, so I was excited to see it come to the big screen. Though it is, in many ways, different from the book and animated special, I guess it was probably necessary to change the focus a bit in order to stretch it out to an hour and a half. The end result is pretty much the same, and along the way we get some absolutely dazzling visuals and the thoroughly endearing performance of Taylor Momsen as Cyndi Lou Who. Oh, and Jim Carrey makes a pretty convincing Grinch.

Miss Congeniality - Despite a fairly lame romantic subplot, this tale of a tomboy forced to go undercover at a beauty pageant is funny and touching. Sandra Bullock is terrific throughout, while Heather Burns is terribly sweet as the ditzy girl-next-door type she befriends. Michael Caine in a gentle mentorly role and William Shatner as a lovable doofus antagonized by Candice Bergen (prefiguring Boston Legal?) add considerable charm to this comedy.

My Dog Skip - A coming-of-age drama about a boy and his dog, it's a family film for the most part, though it does get to be a bit dark in places. All the elements of a great kid-and-animal-companion film are here, and not only is the Jack Russell made famous on Frasier clever and adorable, but young Frankie Muniz turns in an impressive performance that is sometimes emotionally heavy, particularly in scenes with Kevin Bacon as his strict dad and Luke Wilson as the troubled young man the boy idolizes.

Pay It Forward - I saw this one solely because of Haley Joel Osment, who became a good enough excuse for me to see any movie after I saw him in The Sixth Sense. He's terrific here as a slightly older boy with some similar issues; he lives alone with an overworked mom, he's not particularly popular with his peers, and he's angry. In this case, the root of his rage is not supernatural; he's upset with his mom for drinking so much and is worried that she might take back his abusive father. Like Cole, he finds a confidant in an older man, a disfigured teacher portrayed by Kevin Spacey, and a purpose in a brainwave that involves a pyramid scheme of random acts of kindness.

Remember the Titans - I'm not much of a sports buff, but I do love a good inspirational sports movie. This based-on-a-true-story film about a football coach struggling to racially integrate his team, in which many of the players are deeply prejudiced, is a powerful testament to the power of close human interaction in breaking down barriers. A stellar soundtrack and great performances from a cast that includes Denzel Washington and a pre-cheerleader Hayden Panettiere help make the Titans very easy to remember.

The Tigger Movie - This was almost certainly the most heavily advertised and merchandised of the various Pooh movies that have come out in recent years. Its clever posters and toys with the various characters dressed up in Tigger costumes were great fun; one of my favorite finds on my trip to England the following year was a nearly complete set of Happy Meal toys with the Hundred-Acre Wood residents all decked out in stripes. The movie is fun and bouncy but also sweet and reflective as Tigger discovers that his friends are his family, so he needn't feel too lonely as the only one of his kind. I love the new songs, with input by notable Pooh fan Kenny Loggins, and the tear-jerking tenderness of the conclusion. It's ever so much better than Piglet's Big Movie. If they ever get around to making a movie that revolves around Eeyore, I hope it turns out as well as this one.

I could definitely stand to see a few more movies from 2000, but I still think this is a fine representation of some of the best 2000 had to offer, especially for a softie like me.

A Fine Bunch of Movies in 1999 Bring the Century to a Close

I graduated from high school and started college in 1999. In the midst of my busy year, I managed to see a few movies. I'm surprised at how few movies from the year I've seen in the decade since, but I think I got around to seeing most of the ones I was really interested in, and a couple of my favorites of 1999 would easily make it onto my best of the decade list.

October Sky - This movie, based on a true story, introduced me to Jake Gyllenhaal, and it's probably my favorite of his roles so far. Here, he's earnest young Homer Hickam, who dreams of building a rocket, despite the disapproval of his no-nonsense dad, played by Chris Cooper. It's a great family film about overcoming obstacles to achieve one's dreams.

Star Wars: Episode One - The Phantom Menace - Yes, Jake Lloyd was pretty annoying as mini-Anakin, and some of the dialogue was just silly. But I felt like a true dyed-in-the-wool Star Wars geek when I went to the midnight premiere with my dad and brother in the last month of my senior year, and it sure was fun to see my fellow geeks crawl out of the woodwork and announce themselves just before we parted ways. I loved the light-hearted feel of this movie, the gorgeous seascapes, the exciting pod race, the return of old friends like R2-D2, C-3PO and Yoda and new faces like the lovely Natalie Portman, brooding Ewan McGregor and contemplative Liam Neeson. It was a really terrific movie experience. And Weird Al's fantastic American Pie parody, The Saga Begins, makes me even more favorably inclined toward it.

Tarzan - One of the few major animated Disney features of my lifetime that I didn't catch in the theater, this story of a young man raised by gorillas has elements in common with The Jungle Book, but in this case the civilized join the jungle instead of the other way around. Though I find Jane rather irritating, I love her relationship with her dad, which is reminiscent of Beauty and the Beast. The animation is great, and while I tend to prefer character-oriented songs in Disney musicals, the more background-ish songs Phil Collins provides for the movie are terrific, and I always smile when I hear one of them on the radio.

Muppets From Space - As Muppet movies go, this one is a little strange, and somewhat controversial among fans for the unconventional backstory it creates for Gonzo. There are a lot of characters and subplots, and there's not much of an opportunity for the Muppets to demonstrate their musical genius. But it's always fun to hang out with the Muppets, and I know I had a great time when we saw this in the theater. Along with the established characters, I loved the crotchety antagonist played by Jeffrey Tambor as well as the burly bear who serves as his reluctant henchman.

Angela's Ashes - Somehow, I never did read the Frank McCourt memoir upon which this movie is based, but after finally seeing the film a couple years ago, I was reassured that I really need to do that sometime. The movie tells the gritty but inspiring tale of the author's impoverished youth in Ireland and how he escaped his dire circumstances to pursue a teaching career in America. We watched it on St. Patrick's Day, but it's definitely worth a look any time of year.

Pokemon: The First Movie - It's not exactly superior cinema, but I recall this one fondly as an icon of my time with my brother Nathan that year. I was a bit befuddled when he first became obsessed with the Japanese series that was taking America by storm, but he soon got me hooked, and we spent many an afternoon watching the cartoon together. Eventually, he and our neighbor also taught me how to play the rather involved card game, which led to me spending way too much money on supplementary packs whenever we went to the mall. I was a full-fledged fan by the time the two of us saw the movie in the theater, and I reveled in both the cheesiness of the dialogue, especially on the part of demi-villains Jesse, James and Meowth, and the touching message of brotherhood that it espoused. And adorable, electrically charged Pikachu. Sooo much Pikachu...

Toy Story 2 - I tend to be a little suspicious of sequels, especially those put out by Disney. A lot of them aren't really up to snuff. But this fantastic film by Pixar was every bit as good as the first buddy flick that so dramatically introduced computer animation to much of the populace. The first was about two very different characters overcoming jealousy and learning to work together. The second has more to do with the fear of obsolescence and dealing with the changes that come with the passing of time. It's both darker and funnier than the first, and the animation quality is even better.

Galaxy Quest - As a lifelong Star Trek enthusiast, I just loved this film that spoofs everything about the show and especially its fandom. Tim Allen is hilarious as the egotistical actor who played the captain on the Trek-like show a number of years earlier. He and his castmates now subject themselves to conventions and other rather degrading events, since they can't find work anywhere else. Though they're all sick of these roles, they find themselves having to do the acting jobs of their lives when a group of peaceful extraterrestrials welcomes them aboard their ship, seeking aid from the heroes whose adventures they have studied so carefully, believing them to be "historical documents." There's a constant battery of jokes aimed at those who have grown up with Star Trek, so it's ideal for Trekkies who don't take themselves too seriously. Great performances all around, especially the fantastically dry Alan Rickman as the world-weary Shakespearean actor who hates being reduced to a catch-phrase.

The Green Mile - One of my two favorite films of the year. I wanted to see it when it first came out, but it took me a couple of years, in part because the length and Stephen King scared me off. I've come to consider myself quite a fan of King, but I usually can't stomach his stories; I don't do horror as a rule, and King is king in that genre. But The Green Mile hardly qualifies. Yes, there are elements of both the violent and the supernatural here, but mostly it's a contemplative and deeply moral film. Tom Hanks stars as the warden of death row in a southern prison. He and his fellow guards are calm and fair, treating their prisoners with dignity, with the result that they have few problems among their prisoners. But the arrival of a psychopathic prisoner, a sadistic guard and a meek alleged murderer named John Coffee who, despite his enormous size, doesn't seem capable of harming a fly, mark a season of great change for these guards. Moving and thought-provoking with an excellent cast, it's an outstanding film, and after reading the book, I can say that it's one of the most faithful adaptations of a novel that I've seen.

The Sixth Sense - As much as I loved The Green Mile, I wasn't entirely surprised; I'd heard that it wasn't really a horror movie, and I knew that King had written things before that weren't entirely terrifying. But all I had to go on with The Sixth Sense at the time I saw it were trailers that were designed to make it look as creepy as possible. I watched it under duress, planning to bury my head behind my popcorn for most of the movie. But gradually, I found myself drawn in, and by the end of the movie I realized that this hadn't been a horror movie at all. A thriller, yes, but that's an important distinction. I loved the twist ending, the compassionate solution to Cole's problem, the touching relationship between Cole and his mother. But mostly, I loved Haley Joel Osment. I'd seen him before, in Forrest Gump, but I didn't realize it at the time, and anyway his part in that movie was too small to make much of an impression on me. But boy, is he amazing in this movie! With this film, he hooked me for life. Which makes it very distressing that he hasn't been in a movie in several years...

One of these days I'll rent a batch of movies from 1999 and see if my list needs to change a little, but for now, I'm quite content with these selections, especially the last two, which haven't lost any of their luster in the past decade.

Lord of the Rings Alums Help Me Get Through 2004's Post-LOTR Blues

The biggest media event in 2004 for me was LOST - and I didn't even experience it in 2004, since my VCR failed to tape the first couple of episodes and I knew I wouldn't want to watch the series out of order. It took LOST to fill the void left by Lord of the Rings, but 2004 had a pretty good crop of movies, most of which I didn't catch in the theater. These were my ten favorites.

13 Going on 30 - Probably my favorite movie of the year. I found it much funnier and sweeter than I expected, an endearing story of childhood sweethearts and the mistakes made along the road to adulthood. I loved getting to see Andy Serkis playing a regular old human, and quite a charming one at that, and Sean Marquette and Mark Ruffalo are extremely lovable as the younger and older versions of Matty, the love interest of Jennifer Garner's Jenna. But Garner was the one who really impressed me as the teenage girl in adult shoes trying to figure out just where she went wrong in the 17 years she never experienced.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - One of the strangest movies of the year, it too boasts a Lord of the Rings alum. Elijah Wood's role as an unethical memory wiper is a far cry from the virtuous Frodo. The movie stars Jim Carrey in one of his most dramatic, least frenetic roles to date, while Kate Winslet is his extremely eccentric love interest. I much prefer his character to hers, but they play off one another well in this pleasantly bizarre movie about the importance of one's memories to one's identity. I'm glad I waited for this one to come out on DVD, since I ended up watching it two times in a row. It made a lot more sense the second time...

Finding Neverland - I find Winslet a lot less grating in this film, which also stars Johnny Depp and Freddie Highmore. Depp is Scottish playwright J. M. Barrie, who seems a little out of touch with reality and is happiest when reclaiming his childhood with the family led by the widowed Sylvia (Winslet). Depp's low-key performance is most endearing, as is that of Highmore, who plays one of Sylvia's sons, the lad who supposedly served as the model for Peter Pan. A lovely score and cinematography and creative incorporation of Barrie's fantasy world added to my enjoyment of this unusual biopic.

Garden State - There were three main reasons I rented this one. An acquaintance of mine had heartily recommended it, and I'd heard that its soundtrack included one of my favorite Simon and Garfunkel songs and that the cast included Ian Holm, yet another Lord of the Rings alum. I'm glad they led me to this movie, which is part romance between the quirky characters played by writer-director Zach Braff and Natalie Portman, part a reflection on dealing with grief, part coming-of-age story, part buddy comedy. It all adds up to a pretty impressive directorial debut.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - I couldn't leave this one out. Third in the Harry Potter film series, it departs more from the books than the first two films but is still in many ways a wonderful adaptation, from the soaring score to the sweeping cinematography. Important characters such as Remus Lupin and Sirius Black are introduced, and while it's a rather painful transition from Richard Harris to Michael Gambon, Emma Thompson is hilarious as the wacky Divination professor. Meanwhile, the visual spectacle of the Hippogriff and the Patronuses are fantastic, and the Dementors are terrifying.

Mean Girls - Lindsay Lohan stars in this story of an innocent newcomer to high school who befriends a pair of oddballs, who encourage her to infiltrate the class's top clique and do some spying. Of course, she ends up getting sucked in and must ultimately decide whether popularity is worth the changes it has wrought to her personality. Based on Queen Bees and Wannabes, a treatise on teen behavior, the movie is a little over-the-top but still fun and occasionally thought-provoking.

Napoleon Dynamite - I saw this one in the theater with my brother, his friend and the exchange student staying with us. We enjoyed it, but we couldn't really think of anything to say about it as we hung around waiting to get picked up afterward. It's an odd, amusing movie about the triumph of the underdog. Jon Heder's Napoleon is awkward and towering, always sounding like he's mad at the world but expressing his frustration with a surprisingly clean vocabulary. Tina Majorino plays the most normal character in the bunch, a shy girl who actually finds Napoleon appealing. The cult hit is full of great catch-phrases that have spawned everything from magnets to t-shirts. I'm a little surprised there hasn't been a sequel, but then one movie's worth of Napoleon may be enough...

Spider-Man 2 - Probably the best of the series, though each installment has its charms. Alfred Molina and James Franco give great performances as men turned sour by tragedy, and Spidey's big heroic train scene is one of my favorite moments in a superhero movie.

The Terminal - This one didn't get a lot of attention and generally seems to have been regarded as a bit of a flop for director Steven Spielberg and star Tom Hanks. However, I loved this fairy tale-like story of a gentle man from a fictional war-torn country in eastern Europe who spends weeks living in an airport, infuriating the airport director (Stanley Tucci) but inspiring everyone else. Very sweet and very funny.

Two Brothers - This was the movie that introduced me to Freddie Highmore, my favorite child actor since Haley Joel Osment. It also stars Guy Pearce. Each of them has a significant relationship with one half of a pair of tigers, the brothers of the title. The boy and the man don't meet until late in the movie, but their scenes together are quite moving. Most notable, though, is the gorgeous cinematography that so perfectly captures the majesty of these creatures.

I've still got some catching up to do on 2004's crop of movies, but so far, what I've seen is a pretty good batch.

Hanks Brings the Magic in The Polar Express, But It's Not Enough

It seems impossible to me that with all of the Christmas books I've read, I haven't ever cracked open the cover of one of the all-time classics, The Polar Express, not even when the arrival of the movie in 2004 made Chris Van Allsburg's acclaimed picture book one of the hottest sellers of the winter in the bookstore where I worked. I was all pumped up to read the book and see the movie, and somehow I did neither. But last week, I finally caught the movie. Now I feel the need to read the book even more than before, simply because I didn't quite get the film. Maybe it can explain a few things...

Like the name of the protagonist. Was this poor kid originally without a name, or was that a strange change made for the purpose of the movie? I find it very distracting not to know the name of the main character, or to be clear on just how he was selected to make this journey. Initially, I thought that this ride was especially for children who find themselves in serious doubt as to Santa's existence, but that doesn't seem to be the case with the young girl our hero befriends on the ride, nor with the thoroughly irritating know-it-all who thinks he has all the answers about the mysteries of the North Pole. The key to their invitation seems to be in the golden train tickets, which spell out a different word for each child at the end of their trip, giving them brief, compelling advice. But why was such a small selection of children chosen? And is every ride on the Polar Express this hazardous?

One of the decorations that always goes out this time of year is a little toy train we bought from Burger King when Anastasia hit theaters. I recalled that train as I watched the film, thinking of its fiery destruction in one of the movie's many intense scenes. The Polar Express takes its passengers on a voyage that is just as harrowing, with the dangers unrelenting. The protagonist and his new friends deal with one life-threatening obstacle after another.

Just one gratuitously narrow scrape involves the boy running outside after his new female friend to give her the ticket she forgot, resulting in him losing the ticket and nearly tumbling off the train. I like this sequence, though, if only because the flight of the wind-whipped ticket is like Forrest Gump's feather sequence on steroids. It gets snapped at by wolves, regurgitated by eagles, rolled into a giant snowball. It takes a swift, high-octane journey fraught with peril, somehow landing intact almost right where the girl left it - only for the boy to go trotting off after her once more, nearly losing the ticket again.

I doubt it's an accident that the scene reminds me so strongly of Forrest Gump. The movies share a director (Robert Zemeckis), a composer (Alan Silvestri) and a star (Tom Hanks). It's a regular Forrest reunion. But the result of their collaborative efforts is not quite so flawless this time. In an attempt to duplicate the mystical quality of Van Allsburg's illustrations for the big screen, Zemeckis relied on motion capture technology, which was used to bring Gollum to such vibrant life in Lord of the Rings. Each of the characters has its roots in the performance of an actor, while another actor usually provided the voice. The result is visually arresting, but I wouldn't go so far to say it's pleasing. "Spooky" would be a more accurate adjective.

Hanks practically carries the movie by himself, having acted for six different characters and voiced five. The most prominent and iconic of these, and my favorite character, is the conductor of the train, a man with a bristly mustache, a gruff accent, a twinkle in his eye and a remarkable resemblance to Hanks. He comes across as stern, intimidating... almost sadistic at times. But all of it is done with a wink, and evidently this conductor just likes to make the kids in his charge sweat a little. When it comes down to it, he's on their side. The conductor is a living, breathing, totally convincing character, and his train is a glorious piece of machinery. Nona Gaye puts in a touching performance as the protagonist's magnanimous new friend, and the late Michael Jeter, playing bumbling engineers Smokey and Steamer, has the opportunity to let his comedic gifts shine in this capper to a too-short career. Most of the other characters, however, look off-kilter. It's hard to say just how, but they're pale, ghostly figures, and for all the expense and effort that went into the project, most of them don't look any more realistic than the humans in Toy Story.

After all the hype surrounding the movie, I expected pure magic. What I ended up with was two hours spent mostly grimacing at the television, waiting to be drawn into the enchantment. I tip my hat to Hanks and those responsible for animating the conductor; the film is worth watching just for him, and for the shivery end-credits ballad penned by Silvestri and Glen Ballard and sung by the enormously talented Josh Groban. On the whole, though, The Polar Express never quite seems to get on track.

DiCaprio Resurfaces as Con Man Extraordinaire

Poor Leonardo DiCaprio. It must be hard to go from the most popular guy in Hollywood to the laughingstock is just months. Leo was a victim of his own success, grinning out from king-size posters, whispering fervently on that annoyingly spoilerific radio version of My Heart Will Go On (which must have played about once an hour) and appearing in various forms in the lockers and notebooks of millions of teenage girls across the country. It was overkill, and for a while I wondered whether we’d ever see him again. He seemed to drop almost entirely out of view. Then I saw Catch Me If You Can.

It’s five or so years later, and Leo once again is cast as a teenager, just 15 at the earliest point in this movie’s chronology. The teen in question is Frank Abagnale, Jr., a sweet-natured kid who turns con man in order to evade the responsibility of choosing which parent to live with after their divorce. Once his ingenious schemes begin and he starts to make money, he becomes determined to earn enough to replace everything they lost when his father (Christopher Walken), a bit of a con man himself, got caught and had his assets seized.

I can’t help but be reminded a bit of Huck Finn with Frank Abagnale, even though the circumstances are entirely different. Both are kids who are absolutely brilliant when it comes to pulling off highly improbable schemes. Moreover, both start running because of their fathers, though Huck hates his Dad and Frank adores his. At any rate, there’s something very appealing about this young man. He’s very likable, and nothing he does has malicious intent. When Frank begs Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks), the agent who has been chasing him, to call a truce, we wish he could just give up the game with no consequences.

DiCaprio does a fantastic job as Frank, giving us just the right combination of sweetheart and wise guy. It’s come to the point at which it seems silly to even entertain the suggestion that Tom Hanks could be lousy in a movie. His performance, complete with a heavy New York accent, certainly measures up to DiCaprio’s. While Hanratty is a bit harsher than most of the characters we are used to seeing Hanks play – as demonstrated in an amusing scene that may have been what earned the film its PG-13 rating – he is really a decent guy, and it becomes evident that as aggravated as he is by the fact that Frank keeps slipping through his fingers, he has come to care about the teenager.

Walken turns in a rather haunting performance as Frank Sr. We get the sense that his son is succeeding where his father failed. His father is proud and perhaps a bit jealous as well, and he doesn’t see surrender as a viable option. His son has the Feds on the run; that should be enough to make him happy. Amy Adams turns in a sweet performance as insecure Brenda Strong, a candy-striper to whom Frank becomes very attached during his tenure as a doctor. When she brings him home to meet her parents, he has to reckon with her father (Martin Sheen), who seems intimidating at first but turns out to be a big softie. I really enjoyed his scenes with this family and, as a Lutheran, found their devotion to that denomination charming.

There’s something vaguely campy about the style of this movie. It’s a drama, but it has almost equal parts comedy. As Frank runs the gamut of impersonations – substitute teacher, airline pilot, doctor, lawyer – he relies as much on his charisma as his impressive check-forging skills. There are many scenes demonstrating his remarkable quick thinking, and these are generally the most riotous in the film. His first encounter with Hanratty is especially hilarious.

Catch Me If You Can is a fun movie with a largely happy ending. Like The Terminal, it’s light-hearted enough that it probably won’t go down as a milestone in the careers of its main participants. But it’s an enjoyable couple of hours with little objectionable content, and it was what convinced me that DiCaprio’s career is far from over. Catch yourself watching Catch Me If You Can.

Leavin' On a Jet Plane, Don't Know When He'll Be Back Again

I am drawn to movies for a variety of reasons. One of them, which does not happen terribly often and is perhaps a silly excuse to see a movie, is that the preview contains a song that I like very much. It was the playing of Simon and Garfunkel’s America in the trailer that first attracted me to Almost Famous, and it was the melodic strains of a lovely cover of John Denver’s Leavin’ on a Jet Plane that grabbed my attention when I first saw a trailer for The Terminal. I cannot claim, however, that my interest stemmed from the song alone. I am generally a big fan of both Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. Throw John Williams into the mix, and that’s one heck of a winning combination. I added it to my list of films I wanted to see.

I suspected that I probably wouldn’t catch The Terminal while it was still in the theater, but Mom proposed a trip to Tinseltown as a capper to Father’s Day, with this as the movie of choice. I’ve heard and read a number of negative reviews of this movie, though my favorite critic, Good Morning America’s Joel Siegel, loved it. As is generally the case, I agree with him. This will probably not go down as one of the major films in either Hanks’ or Spielberg’s career, but it is a perfectly enjoyable movie nonetheless.

Hanks turns in one of his most endearing performances yet as Viktor Navorsky, the gentle traveler from the fictional Krakozhia who becomes stuck in limbo at the airport when a coup breaks out in his homeland and his visa is declared invalid. He comes across as a very simple man, partly because his command of the English language, even at its best, is shaky, but also because of the naive decency he constantly displays. It’s not that this character lacks intelligence, but rather that he boasts a certain spark that can’t help but touch many of the airport denizens with whom he comes into regular contact. In addition to his overabundance of common courtesy, his skills as a builder and artisan are considerable and help him to pass his days in the airport in a useful manner.

Though Hanks is the film’s focal point and his performance is a brilliant mixture of befuddlement, devotion, charity and charm, the supporting cast members all enhance the film with their unique characterizations. Stanley Tucci brings an interminable twerpiness to the role of Frank Dixon, the airport administrator who antagonizes Viktor after the latter refuses to enter the United States through illegal or dishonest means. He’s an annoying fellow who generally lacks both common sense and compassion, yet Tucci brings a comedic touch to the role that prevents us from disliking him too much.

Catherine Zeta-Jones plays Amelia Warren, a stewardess with a knack for landing in bad relationships. Viktor is smitten with her on their first meeting, while she gradually comes to realize that he is unlike the men she has unsuccessfully romanced in the past. Although they have several sweet scenes together, the female cast member I most enjoyed was Zoe Saldana as Delores Torres, the icy security clerk softened by Viktor’s visits to her as romantic liason for his lovestruck friend, food service worker Enrique Cruz (Diego Luna). When she finally melts entirely, she is luminous.

Along with Enrique, Viktor bonds with Joe Mulroy (Chi McBride), a gentle baggage handler, and Gupta (Kumar Pallana), a crusty old janitor who gets his jollies from watching people slip on his freshly mopped floors. These three help Viktor navigate his way through life in the airport, providing equal helping of heart and humor along the way. Also very enjoyable is Barry Shabaka Henley as Ray Thurman, Dixon’s personal assistant. He is the first major character we meet after Viktor, and his quiet, sometimes statuesque manner stand in contrast to Dixon’s manic panic. Although his interactions with Viktor are limited, Thurman subtly demonstrates to the audience Ray’s growing respect and affection for the unintended guest. Aside from Hanks, he probably gave my favorite performance in the film.

Although this is a drama, at no point could I take the movie as seriously as, say, The Green Mile or Forrest Gump. There is a fairy tale air about it. We never have a sense of Viktor being in any real danger or discomfort. He’s such an easy-going guy, it seems as though he would be content in any circumstance, and if you’re going to be stuck somewhere for weeks on end, an airport isn’t such a bad place to be stuck in. Moreover, Viktor’s ability to re-align rows of chairs to his liking, support and repaint an entire wall and construct an intricate work of art on airport property without being stopped seems highly suspect. But it didn’t bother me. Balancing out the more unnatural aspects of the film are brand-name establishments, which reeks of product placement to some but which made it easier for me to accept this as a functioning current-day airport.

I found The Terminal to be funny and heart-warming. I enjoyed hearing Hanks take on an accent other than some sort of Southern dialect, and the character he produced stands among my favorites of his. Although the film is rated PG-13, there is little within its two-hour span to merit that rating. The profanity in the film is unusually sparse, there are only a few passing references that would make a prude squirm and the most violence we see is some silent video footage of a war-torn Krakozhia. With a cast of fine actors and an engaging story, The Terminal is a feel-good, family-friendly movie that I would readily recommend.

Toy Story Took Disney and Pixar to Infinity and Beyond

I recently learned that Disney and Pixar will be parting ways soon, after the release of the upcoming Disney/Pixar projects The Incredibles and Cars. It seems a shame that such a successful partnership should dissolve after only seven movies, but apparently Disney has had some trouble keeping its friends lately. It remains to be seen just how badly this split will hurt Eisner and company, but I suspect the loss will be felt keenly. Their five films together thus far have met with roaring success, counteracting such projects as the string of cheaply made sequels to Disney classics. Toy Story is the movie that started it all.

I don’t often get to see movies in their first run at the theater, and Toy Story had left Tinseltown before I even heard much about it. The first extensive praise I heard of film was from my ninth grade English teacher, also a friend of the family. For reasons forgotten to me now, she had offered me a ride home, and as she drove she told me how much my family and I would enjoy Disney’s latest offering. Shortly after that conversation occurred, my family dropped by the dollar theater to see for ourselves if Toy Story was really as impressive as she intimated. We were not disappointed.

The first notable thing about this film at the time of its release was the fact that it was entirely computer animated. This animation style was just becoming widespread. The first Veggie Tales video actually preceded Toy Story by a couple years, but I would not discover my beloved singing plant life until the next year. No, it was Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz (Tim Allen) who introduced me to the next frontier in animated films.

The story and its cast of characters were particularly suited to this new style. Such creativity and care went into the crafting of this film, most children probably gave their toys a second or third look when they got home and wondered what their playthings had been up to during their absence. The film has nods at lots of traditional childhood toys; Etch-a-Sketch, Slinky Dog (Jim Varney), Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles), Hamm the Piggy Bank (John Ratzenberger), a troop of toy soldiers, Rex the dinosaur (Wallace Shawn), Little Bo Peep, and many others make up the supporting cast in a tale whose core relationship is between Woody, the boy Andy’s faithful pull-string cowboy, and Buzz, the high-tech space adventurer who usurps Woody’s position of favor when he arrives as Andy’s birthday gift. Buzz is a bit overconfident when he makes his debut, but he harbors no ill will toward Woody, the established leader. Woody, meanwhile, is consumed by a most unheroic jealousy that sets in motion the great adventure he and Buzz must undertake. As Buzz and Woody’s rivalry blooms into friendship, they are each able to combine the best that each has to offer in order to get them out of their precarious situation.

The toys in Andy’s bedroom interact hilariously with one another, via both the dialogue expertly delivered by the seasoned actors voicing them and the movements dictated by their particular traits. Slinky Dog’s front walks halfway across the room while his hind legs remain rooted to the floor. Mr. Potato Head loses all his facial features and reconstructs himself a la Pablo Picasso. Woody and Etch-a-Sketch challenge each other to a draw, with Woody pulling the gun from his holster and Etch-a-Sketch literally drawing a gun. There’s also a bit of romance, with Bo Peep showering affection first on Woody than Buzz and Mr. Potato Head dreaming of the day when Andy’s sister will receive a Mrs. Potato Head.

Outside of Andy’s house, the toys are no less engaging. When Woody and Buzz finagle their way into the Pizza Planet where Andy is eating dinner, they find themselves in a claw machine surrounded by adorable squeezable alien clones who speak in unison. Once they become imprisoned in the home of the sadistic Sid, Andy’s neighbor, they encounter a host of freaky toys that have all been mutilated and redesigned to reflect their owner’s ghoulish personality. These silent masses seem to pose a grave danger to Woody and Buzz, but they soon reveal themselves to be innocent victims of Sid’s operations and powerful allies against him.

Hanks is as lovable as always here, and it’s easy to forgive Woody the touch of arrogance that comes to light when he feels his position is being threatened. Allen puts just the right amount of bombast into the valiant but not too bright Buzz. Later in the film, Woody’s regret and Buzz’s uncertainty add a lovely layer of vulnerability to these initially indomitable characters. The stages of their development as individuals and in relation to one another are beautifully illustrated with Randy Newman’s evocative soundtrack.

This endearing, imaginative story of friendship set the standard for all future Pixar / Disney projects, and while I have no doubt that their last two projects will be just as rewarding, and that Pixar will be successful in future ventures, it all started with Toy Story.

"You Gotta Be Quick With Me! I'm From Erie, PA!"

I was browsing through the cast page of a Lord of the Rings website recently and was disappointed to discover that whoever compiled the list of film credits for each actor neglected to mention Elijah Wood’s role as Huck Finn, the character with which I always identified him prior to LotR. Now he is most widely recognized for portraying one of the greatest characters in British literature, but I would have thought one of the greatest characters in American literature would have been worth mentioning as well. My disillusionment was further exacerbated when my scanning of Liv Tyler’s bio revealed another glaring omission: That Thing You Do. For some reason, this family-friendly flick about a group of guys who hit the big time with a catchy tune seems to be one of Tom Hanks’ most forgotten films. I consider it nothing less than my civic duty to protest.

And why is that? Because America’s favorite Guy Next Door decided to make a movie set in my own little neck of the woods. Heck, I took piano lessons at the very college where the fellas get their first big break in a local talent show. I attended the high school of the same name. I’ve got a personal connection to this movie, even if Hanks declined the offer to premiere it in Erie at the newly built Tinseltown, at the time one of the largest movie theaters in the country. Even if none of the filming was actually done in Erie either. Even if most of the cast members have probably never been to Erie and have no interest in ever checking it out. Doggone it, it’s about hometown pride! Besides, it’s a pretty great movie too.

When Art Garfunkel ventured to Erie back in 2000, he caused the audience momentary confusion when he brought up “the O-nee-ders,” the butchered pronunciation of the name the band in the film chooses for itself. Once we caught the allusion to That Thing You Do, Garfunkel went on to tell us how he liked the film because it reminded him of his early days in the music business, ramming around England with Paul and singing in the streets while their friend Kathy collected money. There certainly is an air of youth and innocence about this film, which takes place during the same general time when Art and Paul were starting out. But this little band wasn’t destined to have quite the same shelf life. The film chronicles the fictional foursome’s roller coaster ride from obscurity to stardom and back again.

The key player in the film is Guy Patterson (Tom Everett Scott), a likable young man who bears a remarkable resemblance to Hanks. Passionate about music but always butting heads with his father, he drowns his dreams in the drudgery of tending the family store until a stupid prank leaves the percussionist of a local band incapacitated. The band members just happen to be friends of Guy’s and happen to be playing a big talent show at Mercyhurst College that night, so they convince him to fill in. As it turns out, Guy does for the soon-to-be-named-Oneders what Ringo did for the Beatles, taking the band to a level it could not have achieved with its old drummer. His fast-paced percussion turns That Thing You Do from an insipid wannabe ballad into a catchy up-tempo number. It really is an enjoyable song, though we probably hear it one too many times in the course of the film. It was one of the first songs my brother learned to play on the guitar. It’s easy to imagine such a tune rising through the ranks of the pop charts.

The film’s focus remains largely upon Guy, but it follows the whirlwind success of the Oneders, who soon become the Wonders to avoid confusion. Its other members include Jimmy (Jonathan Schaeck), the arrogant songwriter and bandleader; his long-suffering girlfriend Faye (Tyler); the future GI bass player (Ethan Embry); and Lenny (Steve Zahn), the lovable goofball with the maturity of your average 6-year-old. We watch them soak up the thrills from winning a talent show, landing local gigs, and recording a single to hearing their song on the radio for the first time, setting off on a nationwide tour and landing a spot on a show of the Ed Sullivan variety. They are soon joined by Mr. White (Hanks), a no-nonsense manager who puts them on the road to mass exposure but knows that an implied “One-Hit” will soon precede their group moniker. He’s a savvy character, with maybe just a touch of cynicism, but he’s pretty classy nonetheless and serves as a good mentor for Guy, who’s left holding the drumsticks when the band crumbles around him.

Despite the untimely demise of the Wonders, the film is primarily a light-hearted romp through a more innocent time, a clean comedy with a touch of romance and plenty of good music to help it along its way. At its core, it’s a tribute to all those corny pop groups of the Sixties who may not have lasted long but sure had a good time getting to the top. And hey, it starts out in Erie. Who could ask for anything more?

The Green Mile Is a Journey Worth Making

One movie that has intrigued me since I first heard of it is The Green Mile. A couple years ago, my aunt gave me a copy of it, but we never got around to watching it because of its length and its probably gruesome (because of the author) and depressing (because of the subject matter) nature. Last week, we finally decided to watch it. It was worth the wait.

The movie is adapted from Steven King’s best-selling serial novel about an old man and his memories of an extraordinary experience as a Death Row prison guard. I have not read the book yet, so I cannot personally comment on how well it translated to the screen, but my dad, who has read it, says it stays remarkably true to the book. Steven King himself said that most movies are not as good as the book but that this one is. I have seen snippets of many Steven King movies, and The Green Mile strikes me as much better cinema than most I have seen. In fact, I would go so far as to say it is one of the best movies, period, I have ever seen.

The film is framed by the recollections of Paul Edgecomb, an elderly gentleman with a penchant for taking long walks into the forest beyond the nursing home where he resides. After one such walk, Paul returns to the common room, where a Fred Estaire movie sparks the memory of a story he has kept untold for 60 years.

The bulk of the movie is set in the past, where Paul (Tom Hanks) is in charge of a ward of inmates on Death Row at Cold Mountain Penitentiary. Along with his fellow prison guards, most notably Brutus (David Morse), a gentle man known by the ironic nickname Brutal, Paul runs his ward with care, treating the prisoners with dignity and keeping the peace. So many prison movies feature cruel and corrupt prison officials, and it is refreshing in this film to see a group of genuinely good people running this penitentiary. The one exception to the stellar staff is Percy (Doug Hutchinson), a sniveling sadist who job at the prison rests solely on his family connections. He is universally disliked, and rightly so. At the start of the film, with three prisoners on Death Row, he is by far the most vicious of the bunch.

The arrival of John Coffey (Michael Clark Duncan) causes nervousness among the prison guards. The man is a giant, convicted of an especially brutal murder. As the film progresses, however, John’s guilt is called into question as Paul and the others bear witness to the man’s empathy, the intensity of which has the capacity to heal others while harming himself. By the film’s conclusion, no character who has encountered John is left unchanged, for better or for worse, and Paul feels John’s legacy in a particularly powerful and personal way.

The cast in this movie is absolutely outstanding. First, of course, is Tom Hanks, the main character. America’s favorite actor, the perennial nice guy, turns in what may be his most moving performance next to Forrest Gump. As Paul, he a consummate professional, dedicated to his work and unnerved by John’s effect on him. He is clearly a very moral man, a compassionate soul who derives no pleasure in the execution of his prisoners.

Morse puts forth a fine portrayal of Brutal, who is of similar disposition. He is perhaps governed more by his emotions than Paul; the executions seem especially difficult for him, and the only time he displays anything approaching brutality is when lashing out against Percy. His compassion brings extra potency to his passion when Percy does something especially malicious to someone he cares about.

Hutchinson turns in a truly vile performance as one of the most despicable characters to hit the big screen. Percy is pure malice coupled with cowardice. Whenever he is in a position to inflict pain on an individual who cannot fight back, he does so, but he shies away from any situation that might cause him harm. Percy is one of the film two true villains, and he asserts the depths of his sadism in two especially heartbreaking scenes.

James Cromwell plays the straightman warden whose wife is suffering from a brain tumor. He is unaware of much of what goes on in Paul’s ward, but when he witnesses the John’s mysterious powers in action, his response is especially moving.

Duncan rightly received an Academy Award nomination for his performance in The Green Mile. He looks as though the movie were written with him specifically in mind. He imbues John with an overwhelming sense of benevolence. A gentle giant with a dull mind but a golden heart, he views the world through childlike eyes and is always more concerned about the welfare of others than his own. Steven King often delineates clearly between good and evil, and in a film full of good characters, John is the personification of good.

Of all the characters, perhaps the one I enjoyed the most was inmate Eduard Delacroix, or Del (Michael Jeter). The movie does not go into much detail regarding the crime he committed, but there is no question that he is guilty. However, it is difficult to imagine the mild-mannered Cajun doing such a vile deed. It is as though all of the viciousness in him was concentrated into that one moment and after the murder left him almost entirely. He does take a certain delight in seeing Percy belittled, but this is because Percy is so consistently cruel to him. Through Del, one of the film’s most important characters is given voice. Mr. Jingles, a mouse living on the Mile, decides to take up residency with Del, bringing the man a joy he has not felt for many years. Although he is a murderer, Del is a very sympathetic character. His devotion to Mr. Jingles brings out the best in his character, and he is at the center of one of the most devastating sequences in the film. Incidentally, the day after watching this movie, I found out that Jeter had died over the weekend. Whether as the goofball Mr. Noodle on Sesame Street, the kindly math instructor on Sister Act , or the sympathetic murderer in this film, he brought a joy to his characters and will be missed.

The Green Mile is a beautiful and thought-provoking film. I happen to be against capital punishment, and seeing this movie only strengthened my opinion on that matter. It is a story of redemption and of compassion, bringing humanity to a place one might think more cold and uncaring than most. The film is rated R for good reason, as it contains liberal amounts of profanity and several violent scenes. Two segments of the movie are so prolonged and grotesque that I had to leave the room. Another is shockingly brief, a violent staccato that caught me completely off guard and left me bellowing at the television in anguish, but it sets up one of the most moving scenes in the film.

All told, The Green Mile is a brilliantly executed endeavor that is worth the three hours and ten minutes it takes to view it. I am sure it will be equally worth the time it will take to read the book. I certainly will be investing that time in the near future, and then I will be able to confirm the mastery of this adaptation. But book or no book, The Green Mile is a powerful film that should not be missed.

The Birth of Internet Romance

I'm still not entirely sure what to think of on-line romances. I certainly don't condone it when the persons involved are married. But the idea of developing friendships with complete strangers over the internet allows for some pretty interesting scenarios. What if you actually knew the person you were conversing with on-line but didn't know it because he never told you his real name? This is the premise of the romantic comedy You've Got Mail, starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.

Last semester in cinema class, I learned that this movie was created as a propaganda tool for AOL to get people to warm up to the idea of using e-mail. The writers dashed off a script resembling Sleepless in Seattle and starring the same two actors. They figured that they had a winning combination that audiences would immediately go in for. They were right.

I actually thought that this movie was much less like Sleepless in Seattle than I expected. Yes, it's got Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan starring as two people who seem to have a mysterious attraction to one another. We get the same scenes of them narrowly missing one another again and again, only this time it occurs at the beginning of the film before they actually meet. What makes this movie so different is the fact that Joe Fox (Hanks) and Kathleen Kelly (Ryan) actually know one another.

Fox is the owner of a huge bookstore a la Barnes and Noble which is about to move in down the block from Shop Around the Corner, a small children's bookstore owned by Kelly. The two first meet when Fox decides to take his aunt and brother (both young children) to the story hour at Kelly's bookstore. During this initial encounter, Fox does not reveal his identity to Kelly, and it is not until later that night at a dinner party that she realizes she has been speaking with her competitor. Throughout most of the movie, Joe Fox is a step ahead of Kathleen Kelly when it comes to knowing things about the other person.

Both Joe and Kathleen are in unhappy relationships. Kathleen's beau Frank is a rather dull man who insists upon using a typewriter and is obsessed with politics, while Joe's girlfriend Patricia is just plain obnoxious. It's no real surprise that they're both seeking more fulfilling relationships, and the internet seems a safe place to find a little bit of stimulating conversation. Shopgirl and NY152 (Kelly and Fox) have been e-pals for quite some time, and while the tensions between their real-life counterparts build, they find themselves turning to one another for advice on-line.

At last they decide to meet, but when Joe discovers the true identity of Shopgirl, he is unwilling to go through with the meeting. Instead, he joins Kathleen for dinner uninvited and does not reveal himself as NY152. Kathleen finally gets up the courage to say what she's been wanting to say to him for a long time, but she feels awful afterwards. She shares her guilt with NY152, and Joe is moved to try to befriend her in real life. While Kathleen discusses her changing relationship with Joe with NY152, she listens to Joe's advice concerning her e-pal.

The dynamics of this relationship are fascinating because Kathleen believes she is dealing with two completely different people when, in fact, they are the same man. It says a lot about how we interact with people differently in different situations. The premise of the movie does not seem nearly so absurd now as it would have five years ago, but it's still strange enough to produce a lot of comedic situations. Above all, this is an old-fashioned romance in a new-fangled world, and while it might not steadfastly hold the attention of the action crowd, it's sure to please the romantics. Chick flick? Perhaps. But one of the best that genre has to offer.