The Guard (2011)

Outstanding! Jack and I loved this Irish crime story slash buddy slapstick comedy, the feature directorial debut and second screenplay of John Michael McDonagh, starring Brendan Gleeson as a rule-breaking racist cop (they say Garda) in Connemara, County Galway, and Don Cheadle as his American colleague. Mary Ellen, who saw it twice, though not with us, called it "Clever, tightly written, humorous, and gritty!" and I am in complete agreement. McDonagh, brother of Martin McDonagh (Oscar nominated and multi-award winner for the screenplay to the wonderful In Bruges (2008) which was his feature directing and writing debut) wrote the screenplay for Ned Kelly (2003), which I didn't see but I heard was good, and The Guard was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance early this year.

Gleeson (known to Harry Potter fans as Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody in the last three, he's been most recognized for In Bruges, which is also a crime story slash buddy slapstick comedy co-starring Colin Farrell and Ralph Fiennes--you must see it, and he's had supporting roles in many that I've liked, such as Into the West (1992), Gangs of New York (2002), and especially The Butcher Boy (1997)) is hilarious as Sergeant Gerry Boyle, who makes no apologies for his corrupt behavior, and is good to his mum, played by the still-lovely Fionnula Flanagan (she played Daniel Faraday's mother Eloise Hawking in Lost, and I loved her in Waking Ned Devine (1998), among many roles), who is the only major cast member not pictured in the credits, which are after the movie has ended. I liked the photo credits, not only because they showed us who was who, but also for the opportunity to savor the music a while longer and learn the names. Cheadle (another of the names I already knew--I wrote about him in Iron Man 2) is sublime as the straight man, FBI agent Wendell Everett, who has been shipped over to this village to solve the case. One of the bad guys, Clive, is played by Mark Strong (villain or cad in all four of his movies so far on babetteflix: Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, Body of Lies, Sherlock Holmes, and The Young Victoria), ruthless, yes, but we still laughed. Those are all the names I already knew, but it was interesting to read that the guy in the hat with the guns in his car is a comedian well known in Ireland, Pat Shortt.

Watch for the fabulous production design and wardrobe, with touches like dial phones, richly painted walls, and Mrs. McBride's matching red coat and tights. Apparently McDonagh used storyboards, which are out of vogue these days, but the Director of Photography Larry Smith was cool with it (listen for the remark about "Americanisms").

The trailer gives you a taste of the music by Calexico, and that track sounds like an American western with reverb guitars, horns, and male bass vocals. In fact, the trailer begins with the onscreen words, "In the west...of Ireland." Two more songs are available on youtube (listen to one and the other link will be below) or go to the amazon page and click Play all samples (some of the full tracks have dialogue which is why it's labeled explicit). We were surprised to note that the version of Leavin' on a Jet Plane that ends the credits is sung by John Denver and surprised to learn that he wrote it.

Two items to check out after you see the movie: the spoiler trivia item on imdb and the press kit, which is full of interesting tidbits plus the complete credits, ending with the ten songs not by Calexico. Just be sure to see this one. You won't be sorry!

Our Idiot Brother (2011)

Not as slapstick as we expected, this story of a naive man-child who always tells the truth, getting himself and his sisters in trouble, is funny and charming with Paul Rudd in the title role, Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel, and Emily Mortimer as his harried sisters, and Rashida Jones as Deschanel's girlfriend. I listed my Rudd favorites in Dinner for Schmucks, and he is endearing as Ned. Banks (after I wrote about her in Zack & Miri Make a Porno, I liked her series arc in 30 Rock) is good as prickly Miranda, looking a lot like Parker Posey in that dark brown hair. Deschanel (see my faves in Yes Man, after which she was in (500) Days of Summer) is cute as ever as the aspiring comic Natalie, Mortimer (my favorites are listed in City Island) is earnest and deluded as ever as Liz, and Jones (I started watching Parks and Recreation after I wrote about her in I Love You, Man) plays against type as the no-nonsense lawyer Cindy in no-nonsense plaid shirts and sensible shoes. Good supporting work from Kathryn Hahn (one of the redeeming points of How Do You Know and Revolutionary Road, as well as a series arc on Hung, and more) as Ned's mean girlfriend; Steve Coogan (last profiled in The Trip) as Liz's mean husband; T.J. Miller as the other dumb nice guy (he played another dumb guy in Unstoppable, among many credits); and lots more.

The music is by Eric D. Johnson, who has played with Fruit Bats, the Shins, and Califone; and Nathan Larson who scored Boys Don't Cry (1999), Dirty Pretty Things (2002), Choke, The Messenger, and others. I couldn't find links to any full songs on youtube, but here's the amazon page for the soundtrack, and you can listen to clips from 16 songs there.

Directed by Jesse Peretz (he has a few credits but none that I've seen) from a script by his sister and brother-in-law Evgenia Peretz and David Schisgall (a writing debut for both, though Schisgall has produced and held other jobs on documentaries, including several by Errol Morris), Jack and I think this is worth your time, despite its being barely fresh on rottentomatoes with 67% from critics and 63% from audiences (imdb gives it 6.9 out of 10).

You won't be tempted to run out of the theatre at the end, because there are bonus outtakes starting immediately and running almost til the lights come on.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (2011)

I was eager to see this despite its dismal reviews (5.5 out of 10 imdb, 18% critics and 51% audiences on rottentomatoes) because I loved the book and the director. The cinematography, locations, and music are lush but the finished product deserves the assessments above. Lisa See's novel is about two girls, Snow Flower and Lily, who are joined as friends for life even though they move in different social classes as they grow up in 19th century China. Wayne Wang's (I liked Chan is Missing (1982), Slam Dance (1987), The Joy Luck Club (1993), Chinese Box (1997), Last Holiday (2006), and especially Smoke (1995)) movie adds a 21st century counterpart which is confusing, since the same actresses play Snow Flower/Sophia (Gianna Jun) and Lily/Nina (Bingbing Li) as adults. The little girls (Yan Dai as little Snow Flower and Congmeng Guo as little Lily) are adorable, but it's not enough. I saw this in late July by myself, as Jack wasn't interested. He was right. I put off writing about it because I hate to pan movies but I can't help it in this case.

Richard Wong (new to me, he has 21 titles to his credit) shot the pretty pictures. Three writers--Angela Workman (her second credit), Ron Bass (his 27th, and I wrote about the ones I liked in Amelia, which I didn't much), and Michael K. Ray (his third)--are credited with ruining, er, adapting the novel.

The lovely music is by Rachel Portman (profiled in Never Let Me Go) and you can listen to a mix on this youtube page, which also has beautiful stills from the movie. Just watch this and then read the book.

Tabloid (2011)

Jack and I really liked the strange, sensational, funny, but true exploits of narcissistic ex-beauty queen Joyce McKinney obsessed with her former boyfriend Kirk Anderson, directed by noted documentarian Errol Morris. I don't think I need to give you any more details about the plot, the bulk of which takes place in the swinging 1970s. Fast-moving and full of laughs, with cartoons and other visuals when actual footage is unavailable, this is 87 minutes of pure entertainment. I'm sorry to say this was my first Errol Morris documentary, though I'm well aware of The Thin Blue Line (1987), Fast, Cheap and Out of Control (1997), The Fog of War (2003), and more.

The music is also wonderful, composed by John Kusiak. Go to the amazon page and click Play all samples. Rottentomatoes gives it 91% from critics and 81% from audiences. Too bad we didn't go to a screening in a bigger city, because apparently McKinney has been showing up to present "her side" of the story and complain (there are spoilers in this link--save it for after you've seen the movie). But, wherever you are, just see it. And don't rush out before the credits are over. There's a bonus at the end, which one other couple saw with us on Saturday, though the room was pretty full during the movie.

30 Minutes or Less (2011)

Worth the wait, this action comedy about two slacker buddies who kidnap a pizza delivery guy, strap a bomb to his chest, and force him to rob a bank, bringing his buddy into the picture made Jack and me laugh out loud a lot. With lots of mayhem and car chases, and another great line and/or sight gag every few minutes, the second feature directing gig for Zombieland's (do you remember how much we both liked it?) Ruben Fleischer is so dumb it's clever, from a script by newcomer Michael Diliberti, who was assistant to big-time producer Scott Rudin on three productions then wrote this from a story by himself and Matthew Sullivan (he has a cameo as "Random Tanning Guy"). It seems as if they wrote the role of pizza guy Nick specifically for Jesse Eisenberg (I listed my favorites in The Social Network), who plays it as a smart 26-year-old whose life may be over before he's done anything about it. Early in the movie Nick says, "I never go on Facebook" as a wink to his much more famous and more critically acclaimed role. Aziz Ansari (best known as Tom Haverford on Parks and Recreation, he was also in Funny People and Get Him to the Greek) is hilarious as Nick's excitable friend Chet. Then, as the lead bad guy, Danny McBride, an acquired taste I have yet to acquire (I hated the movies and his characters in Pineapple Express, and Observe and Report, as well as the pilot of Eastbound and Down) is actually pretty funny as narcissistic trigger-happy lout Dwayne. Nick Swardson (Blades of Glory (2007), You Don't Mess with the Zohan, Just Go With It, more) is also good as Dwayne's smarter-than-he-seems buddy Travis. With fine support from, among others, Fred Ward (my faves: The Right Stuff (1983), Silkwood (1983), Henry & June (1990) as Henry Miller, The Player (1992), Short Cuts (1993), and Sweet Home Alabama (2002)) as the Major, Michael Peña (after I listed my favorites in The Lincoln Lawyer we liked and liked him in Everything Must Go) as a gang banger, and Bianca Kajlich (I haven't seen her series Rules of Engagement, nor do I remember her from Boston Public, 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), or Bring It On (2000)) as his girlfriend, a stripper named Juicy who appears topless.

I didn't realize the story seems to be based on a true tragedy. Yikes. Set in and shot mostly in Grand Rapids, Michigan (the rest in other places in that state), it's short, like Zombieland, at 1 hour 23 minutes.

There is apparently a score by Ludwig Goransson, who scored the TV shows Community and Happy Endings, but you're unlikely to notice, because of all the action-appropriate songs. I counted, but can't remember the number anymore. Someone online made a list of some of them, though, and here it is:
Tick Tick Boom - The Hives
Sure Shot - Beastie Boys
I Promise - Generationals
Where I'm Going - Cut Copy
Laredo - Band of Horses
Ignition Remix - R. Kelly
Is There Any Love - Kid Cudi
No Hay Manera (Jason Roberts Remix) - Akwid
Jumper - Third Eye Blind
The Stroke - Billy Squier
Heat is On - Glenn Frey
Ante Up - M.O.P
Baby I Got Your Money - Ol' Dirty Bastard
Me So Horny - 2 Live Crew

We really liked this in defiance of critics, who averaged only 42% positive reviews on rottentomatoes, while 68% of audiences enjoyed it, making it #11 at the box office last weekend after three weeks. And don't rush out of the theatre afterwards. There's a terrific bonus right before the lights come up.

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Jack and I liked, way better than we expected, this story of scrawny patriot Steve Rogers who volunteers for an experiment that beefs him up so he can fight Nazis. Chris Evans (Rogers) had to be convinced to take the 6-picture deal that will continue with The Avengers next year, and we're glad he was. In fact, the very sight of the Marvel Comics logo generally puts me in a good mood. It's been over five weeks since we saw it, so this will be brief.

Evans has made other Marvel movies, as Johnny Storm/Human Torch in two Fantastic Four movies (2005, 07), and I liked him in Cellular (2004), The Nanny Diaries (2007), and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and he gives his all in a good script adapted by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFreely (writing partners on The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004), three Chronicles of Narnia movies (2005, 08, 10), more) from the comic books by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, and directed by Joe Johnston, who apparently got the gig based on his period work on The Rocketeer (1991) and October Sky (1999) (he also directed Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989), Jumanji (1995), and more). Good supporting cast members include Hayley Atwell (Cassandra's Dream (2007), Brideshead Revisited, and The Duchess, among others) as Agent Peggy Carter, Tommy Lee Jones (I listed my favorites in The Company Men) who has some funny lines as Colonel Chester Phillips, Stanley Tucci (after I wrote about him in both Julie & Julia and The Lovely Bones he was in Burlesque) who took the role because he'd always wanted to do a German accent, and, of course, the obligatory and always entertaining Stan Lee cameo (he's dressed as a general who says at a press conference, "I thought he'd be taller.").

The exciting orchestral music is by Alan Silvestri, who has 108 titles in his résumé, including all three Back to the Future movies (1985, 89, 90), and was Oscar-nominated for Forrest Gump (1994) and for a song in The Polar Express (2004). To hear the score, go to this page and progress numerically to #27 as suggested.

This is still in theatres, so you can see it and you won't be sorry. And if you're a comic/Marvel fan, you must know by now not to leave before the lights go up. There's almost a full minute of bonus footage!