| |
 |
|
[Back to index of April 2008 articles]
By Judy Russell
Washington Window
Vol. 77, No. 4, April 2008
Drillbit Taylor
The start of high school can be a bit frightening to early teens – Drillbit Taylor’s target audience. High school freshmen will thoroughly enjoy this wild tale about three “nerdy” teenage boys (David Dorfman, Troy Gentile and Nate Hartley) and their trials and tribulations during their first year of high school at the hands of an upper classman bully (convincingly played by Alex Frost).
After a few humiliating encounters (being pushed into a locker, having their pants pulled down in the hallway, a soda poured onto their computer), the boys decide to pool their money and hire a bodyguard. Due to lack of funds, they select the least expensive candidate – a down on his luck conman, Bob “Drillbit” Taylor (Owen Wilson), who promises to keep them under his wing.
Drillbit’s original plan was to take the money and leave town, but his criminal friends convince him to milk this arrangement so they can all profit by robbing the boys and later their families. However, as he comes to know the boys and secures a new lifestyle, he decides to complete the job for which he was hired. After all the fighting is over, there is a very nice ending which makes the rest of the film worthwhile for adults and teens alike.
PG 13 teens and up due to strong bullying, sexual and drug references and language.
The Other Boleyn Girl
This period film explores the social interactions within the court of King Henry VIII of England and the Boleyn family’s blind ambition. However, do not think of this film as a history lesson; years are compressed and motivations created to tell this tale of intrigue in a compelling manner.
Peter Morgan, who recently scripted The Queen and The Last King of Scotland, has embellished Philippa Gregory’s novel to create an entertaining film which is more suitable for adults than early teens. It contains very graphic sexual screens, some nudity, and displays a family’s sordid use of their daughters for financial gain.
Justin Chadwick’s film picks up speed after the family’s first try at arranging a liaison between Anne (Natalie Portman) and King Henry (Eric Bana). It turns out badly, so the family ends up “giving” him their younger, married daughter, Mary (Scarlett Johansson), to be his concubine. Neither Mary nor her husband have any say in the matter of her sexual relationship with the King. We witness women being treated as chattel, without legal voice or standing.
When Anne comes to court to be with Mary, who is pregnant with Henry’s son, she makes another move for the King’s affection. This time her ambition has grown from sexual partner to Queen. But there is a problem. England already has a legal Queen who stands – for a brief time – in her way. The rest of the story follows the sad outcome of bad choices and greed.
Costumes and sets are elegant and rich in their colors and textures and do give one the feeling of “being there” to see affairs of the heart and libido shape the history of a people politically and religiously 500 years ago.
Rated PG-13.
Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who
If you like funny stories that rhyme when told,
If you like them with morals as they unfold,
If you like them with animals who are not in a zoo
Then this may be a movie for you…Or maybe not
For in this film there seems to be two – movies that is.
Theodore Geisel’s lovable tale of an elephant named Horton (Jim Carrey) who catches and protects the puffball-world of Whoville is only part of this film; the other part is packed with chases, mob scenes, a punishing, self-righteous kangaroo (Carol Burnett) and a villain (Will Arnett) who now has sharpened teeth and for some strange reason speaks with a “foreign” accent.
Why two films in one? It may be that directors Jimmy Hayward and Steve Martino thought the Seuss’ tale needed more storyline to make it a full-sized feature, or perhaps more intense action to make it appealing to today’s computer gaming youth. But either way, the book’s theme that “a person is a person no matter how small” comes through loud and clear. The warm voice of the story’s narrator (Charles Osgood) reins in the film whenever it starts to go over the top.
The art work is beautiful. Through cutting edge CG animation, Horton’s jungle comes to life and Seuss’ whimsical architecture of Whoville seems to sing. There are also fun little extras to look for like the breakfast of green eggs and ham at the Mayor of Whoville’s home (Steve Carrell).
This is a lovely family film with ideas to share and talk about. Hurray for those who take care of others and the worlds we live in for … “If you were way out in space, and you looked down at where we live, we would look like a speck.”
Rated G.
Judy Russell teaches music and performing arts at Beauvoir, the National Cathedral Elementary School.
[Back to index of April 2008 articles]
|
|
